DIY Life

Basements can be a real source of grief for the homeowner. Holes and cracks in the basement walls and floors allow water and even ultra-nasty sewage to seep into the basement. This can subject the home to major health risks from debilitating mold, not to mention the offensive nose-bombs.

You can't let this situation go on -- it'll just get worse and worse, and compromise the integrity of your home's foundation. So, what's the first step to getting a grip on this situation? To nip this situation in the bud, and prior to even thinking about waterproofing, you need to thoroughly understand what causes cracks in the basement floor.

It's late at night and you're ready for bed. You go out to the washing machine to put the clothes in the dryer before you snooze. All of a sudden you notice water on the floor and a mysterious wet spot on the drywall behind the washer. Doesn't look good.

Do you call a plumber and shell out the big bucks for a night call? Heck no! The first thing to do is cut away the drywall where the wet spot is. And there you see it - the water supply pipe has a leak and is spraying a mist out. The next step is to grab the sacrificial garden hose and cut off a piece - just about six inches long.

Now, slice it down one side and place it over the supply pipe where the leak is. To stop the leak you'll need to snug it up. To do this, use a minimum of three hose clamps; put one right over the leak and the other two on either side of it. Presto! Now you can go catch some zzz's!

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with Rinnai America Corp., has announced a voluntary recall of about 52,000 Direct-Vent wall furnaces. A gasket in the wall furnace could fail, posing a risk of poisonous carbon monoxide leaking into the home. Although no injuries have been reported, Rinnai has received 11 reports of carbon monoxide leaks.

Manufactured in Japan and sold nationwide by wholesale distributors to contractors and dealers, this recall involves Rinnai EnergySaver Direct-Vent Wall Furnaces, Models RHFE 431 and RHFE 556. The furnaces are fueled by either propane or natural gas. Only units manufactured from February 2000 through December 2007 are involved in the recall. Please check the CPSC press release to see the recalled furnace.

Consumers may contact Rinnai at (866) 746-8344 to arrange for the installation of a free repair kit. You may also visit their website at www.wallfurnacerecall.com.

Television miracle product barker Billy Mays wants you to buy the "new" epoxy putty which claims to fix almost anything effectively and permanently. Billy's not lying to you in the assertion that epoxy putty can make an effective repair in many situations but don't be fooled, epoxy putty is nothing new.

Go to your local hardware store and ask them for epoxy putty, they should have it available for you and you'll save about $7.95 in shipping charges. Epoxy putty works in the manner that Billy says, just knead it to mix it and apply it to accomplish your chosen repair. Epoxy putty does have a limited shelf life so be careful not to buy much more than you need.

Do not use epoxy putty for attaching things which will be suspended above occupied spaces. Do not use epoxy putty for surfaces which will come in direct contact with food. Do not use epoxy putty for towing vehicles and do not use epoxy putty for permanent repairs on any kind of fluid lines while under pressure.

Do make sure that the product is properly cured before putting it into service in any capacity and do take Billy Mays with a grain of salt.

Many of us have been there -- we're trying to go to sleep or watch a movie in silence only to have that slumber interrupted by an incredibly annoying 'drip...drip...drip' coming from one of the faucets in the house. Now, sometimes turning that water-flow knob (very hard, I might add) takes care of the problem. Other times, it does nothing. In those older homes with decades-old water fixtures, trying to stop a leaky faucet without replacing an entire sink infrastructure can be maddening.

I won't even get into the huge water waste that can happen by a leaky faucet if not fixed for months -- or even years. If you've never fixed a leaky faucet, you'll never believe how easy this simple repair generally is. Metal pieces generally hold up very well even over decades of use, but those plastic and rubber bushings and washers wear out -- in in most cases, that is the leaky faucet culprit. The 'cold water' side -- which receives the most use in almost every household faucet -- is usually the one that leaks. Sound familiar?

View the video below and you'll be surprised how easy a fix for this can be (in almost every case). Requirements? A few screwdrivers, a new rubber washer and perhaps a few minutes of your time. Tip: remove the old washer and take it with you to ensure you match it 100% at the local home repair superstore or hardware supplier.