03.10.10
Posted in Uncategorized at 2:04 pm by Ryan Cooper
Introduction
Each year, if you have an asphalt driveway, it is important that you sealcoat your driveway against the elements. Doing so regularly will prevent the cycles of melting and freezing water from destroying your driveway. After you have patched the large cracks (over ¼”) and holes in your blacktop by folllowing our tutorial on Repairing Asphalt Cracks, you are ready to start sealcoating the entire driveway. Be sure that you are wearing old clothing (this is not a “clean” project), that the temperature is at least 50°F, and that you do not expect rain for about a day and a half.
Skill Level & Time To Complete
• Beginner – 5 to 6 hours
• Intermediate – 3 to 4 hours
• Advanced – 2 to 3 hours
Common Mistakes
Be sure that the temperature is above 50° to ensure that the filler seals properly.
Be sure that you will have dry weather over the next couple days so that your filler dries properly.
Helpful Tips
Before opening your bucket of seal coat, flip it over onto its top so that it resettles. This will make it easier for you to mix the seal coating mixture after you have opened it.
1. You should only begin to sealcoat your driveway if you have repaired all the major cracks and holes in your driveway larger than ¼” wide. Consult our tutorial on Repairing Asphalt Cracks before you begin if you have cracks larger than 1/4″ wide. Cracks narrower than ¼” can be successfully filled by the sealcoat.
2. Ensure that the temperature is above 50°F and that you do not expect rain for at least 1-1/2 days so that the seal coating adheres properly and that it dries effectively.
3. To ensure proper adhesion of the seal coating to your blacktop, clean the surface with your push broom.
4. Spray the surface with water so that dust is removed from the surface. The cleaner the surface of your driveway is before you begin, the better the seal coating will adhere.
5. Clean any oil spots with commercial detergent. You might find that coating these spots with special blacktop primer will help the seal coating adhere better.
6. After you have swept, sprayed and cleaned the surface, be sure that it dries before beginning to spread the seal coating.
7. The coating mixture will have settled over time so that the bottom is far thicker than the top. Flip the bucket of seal coating onto its top and allow it to settle before opening to make mixing it easier.
8. After you have opened the bucket, mix your sealer in the bucket with a clean stick. Regularly stir the mixture as you are applying the mixture so that you maintain the consistency of your application.
9. Pour an amount of the sealer in a corner of your blacktop so that you can spread about a 20 square foot section at a time and move down the driveway. You will have to experiment to get a feel for how much you can spread at a time.
10. Spread the seal coating with your roller across the driveway with overlapping strokes. Spread a thin coat of sealer being sure that it is not too thick so that it dries effectively.
11. Stay off the driveway for at least 24 hours, and preferably 48 hours, to allow it to dry before driving on it. Line up a few of your buckets at the front of your driveway to keep others from driving on it.
Thanks,
Ryan “The Dover Handyman”
www.DoverHandyman.com
302-222-8517
Permalink
03.09.10
Posted in Uncategorized at 6:45 am by Ryan Cooper
We even build small deck planters.
WOW! What a nice touch of spring this early in March. What a difference compared to a few weeks ago. In my travels around Kent County, the “Spring Things” I noticed going on were, people seal coating their driveways, landscape products being stocked at Lowe’s and Home Depot, new roofs going on homes and the increase in wild birds at the feeder.
What are your spring plans? If home improvements or yard improvements are in your plans, visit this blog often. We will be updating daily with tips to help you do your projects right or if you plan on hiring/contracting out the work, what to look for.
Since I’m feeling “Springy” today’s tip, flower beds.
Make Great Plant Combos
Long-blooming Corydalis is a perfect companion for hostas because the foliage creates a wonderful textural contrast. Blue hosta varieties stand out against the yellow Corydalis blooms; chartreuse selections complement the dainty blossoms.
Garden Tip: Contrast hostas with other fine-leaf plants such as fernleaf bleeding heart, astilbe, or Japanese painted fern.
Plant En Masse
Most plants look best when planted in large groups. That’s especially true for yellow Corydalis, which offers abundant sprays of tiny flowers over its ferny foliage. Corydalis is a self-seeding perennial that provides a dense groundcover.
Garden Tip: Select sweet woodruff, another fine-textured groundcover for shade. It has fragrant white flowers in early May.
Create Contrasts
Use plants with similar foliage to create harmony in the landscape. One stunning example is ‘White Nancy’ lamium and Sedum sieboldii, both of which have silvery leaves. The pair is set off by rich purple angelonia, an annual that blooms profusely all summer long, even in part shade.
Employ Fun Foliage
Garden designers know the importance of focal points to catch your attention and often use a birdbath, fountain, or other type of sculpture. But you can also employ plants. Use a swath of burgundy, amid gold, yellow and green foliage.
Add Subtle Touches
‘June’ hosta is favored for its lovely blue foliage variegated with lime-green. The silvery-blue shade mixes wonderfully with lungwort, which offers a similar leaf shape. The color repeats in Japanese painted fern, which supplies a different texture.
Decorate with Containers
Several containers provide brilliant splashes of color in your shade garden.
Mix and Match
A grouping of pots is always a sure design bet; try mixed sizes and shapes
That’s enough for today. We are offering flower bed and landscape designs for our customers. See what you landscape looks like before you put the shovel in the ground.
Visit www.DoverHandyman.com to see what we have to offer you this spring.
Thanks,
Ryan “The Dover Handyman”
Give me a call today 302-222-8517
Permalink
03.05.10
Posted in Uncategorized at 11:50 am by Ryan Cooper
Environmentally safe way to grow and maintain a greener, healthier lawn Steps:
1. Start by mowing the lawn very short.
2. Next, use a gas-powered aerator to punch air holes into the lawn.
3. Use a shovel to broadcast ½ to 1 inch of compost over the lawn.
4. Rake the compost into lawn using a garden rake.
5. Check the health of the soil with a test kit; for acidic soil, add pelletized limestone with a broadcast spreader.
6. Add chicken-manure fertilizer (Where you going to find that in Delaware) to the lawn with broadcast spreader.
7. Spread grass seed over the lawn using broadcast spreader.
8. Use the back of a leaf rake to work the grass seed into the lawn.
9. Lightly water the lawn two or three times per day.
10. Once grass germinates, return to normal watering: irrigate the lawn with 1 inch of water per week.
Use rain barrels to catch water from your roof and gutter system to save on the weekly watering.
For more information on how to repair and improve your home and garden, go to www.DoverHandyman.com
Thanks,
Ryan “The Dover Handyman”
302-222-8517
Permalink
03.03.10
Posted in Uncategorized at 11:39 am by Ryan Cooper
Steps:
1 Use a hammer to locate a floor joist within the squeaky section of floor.
2 Tap the carpeted floor with the hammer and listen for dull thud, indicating a joist below.
3 Chuck the joist-finding screw into the drill/driver.
4 Drill a hole through carpeting and subfloor and into the joist; if you miss the joist, move over a couple of inches and try again.
5 Once you find a floor joist, measure over 16 inches and locate the next joist.
6 Press the tripod-shaped alignment and depth control fixture firmly into the carpet directly over the joist.
7 Use the drill/driver to drive a scored screw down through center of fixture until the screw bottoms out.
8 Drive screws into all the joists within the squeaky section at both ends of the room.
9 Run taut strings from screw head to screw head across the room, indicating the joists below.
10 Using the alignment and depth control fixture, drive scored screws along the strings spaced 8 inches apart.
11 Hook the screw gripper on the fixture onto each protruding screw, then rock the fixture back and forth to snap off the screw head.
Squeeeeek No More® floor repair kit
More info available at www.squeaknomore.com
Squeeky floors making you crazy? Call 302-222-8517 for more information.
Thanks,
Ryan “The Dover Handyman”
ryan@doverhandyman.com
www.doverhandyman.com
Permalink
03.01.10
Posted in Uncategorized at 11:55 am by Ryan Cooper
Delaware is well, a little diamond in the rough. In my travels around I have noticed many things that the storms have done to homes and our infrastructure that have yet to be talked about. Curbs and sidewalks lifted and busted. Gutters and downspouts hanging off homes. And of course mailboxes, either pushed over or blasted to pieces.
Of these things, the homeowner can put them on his home owners insurance, but for the curbs and public sidewalks, it on the burden of the state (Taxpayer, Us).
Now that most of the snow is melted and before the next storm (Tuesday Night) take a walk around your home. Inspect what has been damaged. Take photograph’s for your record and give your insurance company a call. If you can make the repairs, add to your things to do this Spring. If you don’t or can’t make the repairs, give me a call. I’d be glad to give you a free estimate and do the repair.
Thanks,
Ryan “The Dover Handyman”
ryan@doverhandyman
DoverHandyman.com
Permalink
02.26.10
Posted in Uncategorized at 1:47 pm by Ryan Cooper
Carving a Space
Planning a home office means finding a place to set up shop, a task that may require less space than you think. Before you start, ponder these possibilities.
Upwards of 50 million Americans currently work at least part time from their homes, and millions more have created stations for paying bills, keeping track of finances and investments, pursuing hobbies, and e-mailing family and friends. And offices aren’t always for adults; kids use them too.
These days, the central figure in most home offices is the personal computer. Even though computers have gotten smaller and smaller, they still require space. In most cases you don’t have to dedicate a whole room, but can just carve out a corner or design an office that also serves other purposes.
Kitchen Transformation
In the pantry
Early in the process of finding a site for your home office, ask yourself a couple of questions: Do you need a place where you can confer with clients? Are privacy and solitude musts for your line of work?
For interior designer Sue, the answers were “no” and “no.” Sue doesn’t need conference space because she presents her ideas at her clients’ homes and businesses, and she likes to stay in close touch with the hub of her household.
A printer, fax, and copier unit hides out in under-counter cabinets to the
right of the computer station. Cabinets in the background accommodate a commodious pantry.
For Sue, a butler’s pantry off the kitchen turned out to be the ideal spot for an office. Here she has room for bookshelves, file cabinets, a computer, and fax machine — all within easy arm’s reach of the rolling chair and earshot of the kitchen.
Master Bedroom Transformations
A good home office encourages creativity, aids productivity, and helps you get the most out of your day. It should also be a place you enjoy coming to and (almost) regret leaving.
Software executive Tom kept that in mind when he “found” office space in the new home he and wife Trish planned. His study occupies a space off the master bedroom balcony that overlooks their main-level living room and also commands views of their wooded area site.
Stepped shelving and cabinets form a partial barrier between the
office and the home’s stairway. A counter to their left provides more
shelves and spread-out space forwork in progress.
Tom’s study features a built-in desk and window seat, ample file cabinets, and custom shelving, plus a pair of pocket doors opens the office to the adjacent master suite. A vaulted ceiling keeps the space from feeling claustrophobic.
Spare Bedroom Transformations Redesigned Spare Bedroom
When empty nesters Ina and Irwin moved into their condominium, the dated spaces needed some modernizing.
Adjustable melamine-covered shelves have a 1-inch lip made of rock-hard
maple. Because Irwin, a retired plant biology professor, currently has a consulting practice, he wanted an efficient, yet pleasing, home office that included shelving for hundreds of volumes of books and reference materials.
Ina created the work center by reconfiguring a former secondary bedroom. She took advantage of the room’s 13-foot ceiling height by designing a dramatic library wall that’s nearly two stories high. A rolling ladder provides access to a catwalk that puts upper shelves and cabinets within easy reach.
Think of a home office? Give me a call 302-222-8517 together we can make your office homey.
Thanks,
Ryan “The Dover Handyman”
www.doverhandyman.com
302-222-8517
Permalink
02.25.10
Posted in Uncategorized at 1:20 pm by Ryan Cooper
Fill It with Flowers
Planting colorful bloomers is a surefire way to make your yard feel more welcoming. Use bold, bright hues to create a big impact even if you don’t have a lot of space.
Leave Space to Entertain
Another great way to give your yard a more welcoming feel is to add a patio. Just like the front porches of days gone by, you can sit back and wave to neighbors while enjoying a cold glass of lemonade on a summer evening.
Dress Up Your Walkway
Transform your front walk into a stylish statement by edging it in easy-care plants such as variegated hosta and boxwood. Conjure even more magic by putting a gentle curve in the path; it will offer your walkway with a soft, gentle look.
Beautify a Slope
Grassy slopes can be hard to maintain, so turn your front-yard hillside into a beautiful display and keep it easy to care for by covering the slope with your favorite plants. The plantings rising up to the house make a home appear grander.
Let Nature be Your Guide
Answer the call of the wild in your yard simply by following nature’s lead. Select plants and other landscape materials native to your region. The birds and butterflies your front yard attracts will enchant you and your guests.
Garden Tip: Incorporate a birdbath or bird feeder in your yard to attract even more birds.
Use Containers
A container garden provides a riot of color even if your front yard is primarily paved. A handful of large pots filled with bright or fragrant flowers transforms your front landscape into a work of art.
Garden Tip: Install a simple drip-irrigation system to make containers easier to maintain.
Break It Up
Many homeowners think of their front yard as one band of land between the sidewalk and the home. But make landscape magic by breaking it up with perpendicular plantings. A curved border, for example, adds a note of grace and elegance.
Emphasize the Entry
Lacking height or grand proportions, small ranch-style homes can sometimes get lost in the shuffle. Good landscaping gets them noticed. For example, use an ornamental arbor or fence to call attention to the house and mark the entrance.
Garden Tip: White structures stand out even more against colorful flowers and a nonwhite home.
Create a Fork
Give guests an enticement to walk through your garden by splitting your path. That way, more sections of your landscape are accessible to inspection.
Garden Tip: Be sure to include some fragrant varieties to add to your landscape’s sensory appeal.
Go Green
Plant a variety of evergreens to keep your yard looking classically beautiful through all the seasons. Choose from a wide range of evergreens, including groundcovers, dwarf shrubs, and large trees. Plus, their foliage offers a wealth of textures and colors.
Garden Tip: Be sure to select evergreens that mature at the size you want, so your yard won’t end up an overgrown mess.
Get your front yard in shape. Call Dover Handyman Service today to find out how we can transform your front yard. Projects with plans starting at $500.
We use computer software to show you what your yard can look like before it is even started. We are a small company so call today, as we only take on so many customers per spring.
Thanks,
Ryan “The Dover Handyman”
www.DoverHandyman.com
302-222-8517
Permalink
02.24.10
Posted in Uncategorized at 12:40 pm by Ryan Cooper
Mildew is not a nice person!
Mildew is a modern annoyance… a growing problem that is unsightly, odorous and unhealthy! With the advent of super-insulated homes and energy consciousness, mildew levels in our homes have increased. So the simple question is… what can we do to kill it, stop it and keep it away?
You can do it… if and only if you are willing to do some work, break a few bad habits and learn a few new ones!
What is mildew and why is it a problem?
Mildew is the generic name for a few types of fungi (itty bitty plants) that grow readily on moist surfaces. Once it invades your home, it spreads rapidly on surfaces and reproduces itself by releasing airborne spores… the fungal equivalent of seeds. Mildew growth can deteriorate wood, paper and leather. It can also live very nicely on paint (it’s favorite is latex), penetrating though the paint’s pores into the wallboard paper or absorbent plaster below. It is often found in bathrooms, kitchens, basements, crawlspaces and even attics… anywhere there is high humidity, low ventilation, and a suitable growing medium. Though heat does accelerate mildew’s growth (why the tropical atmosphere of a steamy bathroom is so attractive), some types can grow and thrive at temperatures near freezing!
Mildew is a huge problem with books, magazines and furniture. Did you ever store books or an upholstered couch in a damp basement for any length of time? Phew! (Or if you were a fungus, you might retort “Yum yum!”). The problem is so universal that even libraries have guidelines for book storage to reduce mildew and mold growth. If you want to read an informative essay on mildew in libraries, click HERE for the National Library of Australia’s mildew reduction guidelines.
The lack of ventilation in modern homes because of efficient weatherproofing has decreased the number of air changes per hour. This in turn increases the average humidity levels in bathrooms, basements, kitchens and laundry areas. Combined with the necessary removal of a potent mildewcide from latex paints… mercury… mildew has become a serious problem on painted surfaces.
Mildew predates humankind and will undoubtedly outlast us. This is painfully obvious to those of us who are allergic to the airborne spores mentioned earlier, as well as people with various respiratory and immune deficiency diseases. For some, mildew can make a home almost unlivable!
Though it is almost impossible to completely eliminate it from your home, you can take some positive steps to control it. We’ll touch on a number of scenarios expressed in commonly asked questions that follow, to aid you in taming the mildew menace!
How can I prevent mildew in my bathroom?
By far the most important mildew control remedy is to increase the ventilation in the bathroom. Leave the bathroom door open after you shower or bathe, and use the bathroom exhaust fan. If you live in an older home without an exhaust fan, install one, and be sure it is vented to the outside, or you may transfer your mildew problem to the attic!
Existing mildew on most surfaces can be killed with a mixture of 50% household chlorine bleach with 50% water. Use a hand sprayer to apply it to the surface, allow it to remain for a few minutes or until the blackish, dirty-looking mildew color disappears and then rinse thoroughly with water. If the surface is covered with soap scum, the mildew might be more difficult to kill. In that case, perform a thorough cleaning first with either TSP, a TSP equivalent or a commercial soap scum remover. Then use a mildew wash, even if it “looks” as though the mildew is all gone.
There are commercial cleaners that combine bleach with a cleaning product. I have found them to generally be less effective at killing the mildew so my advice is to keep your killin’ and cleanin’ separate!
Unfortunately, the mildew will return eventually unless you seal the walls by proper repainting. Mildew attack increases the porosity of the paint film, making reinfestation a certainty. Applying the proper paints after killing the mildew will assure longer-term mildew resistance.
By the numbers…
Kill all mildew using bleach, as described above. Wash all walls with a prepainting detergent such as Soilax. If the ceiling is a spray texture ceiling, do not attempt to wash it or the texture will come off. If the texture is mildewed but still firmly attached to the ceiling, spray the bleach solution, let it dry thoroughly, and then continue to the next step, priming. Get more info on painting spray texture… so-called popcorn ceilings… by clicking HERE. The article will open in a new browser window, so you don’t lose this page.
Let the surfaces dry thoroughly and then prime the affected walls completely with one coat of an oil based, fast drying primer such as Kilz.
After the primer is dry, finish painting the walls with two coats using a semigloss or eggshell finish latex paint, or a specially formulated bathroom/kitchen paint. Because of its limited washability, flat wall or ceiling paint is not recommended in bathrooms, especially where it will be directly exposed to water such as around the top of a tub or shower enclosure.
The paint you choose must be treated with a mildewcide which you can purchase at the paint store. Do yourself a favor… have your paint store add the mildewcide for you before shaking the can… it is difficult to evenly mix the mildewcide by hand! The exception would be bathroom and kitchen paints which normally have a mildewcide in their formula, making extra additives unnecessary.
Mildewed caulk and grout in tubs and showers often resist bleach and other cleaners. Why? Because the mildew is growing inside the caulk or grout ! The only way to fully eliminate it is to remove the old caulk and replace it with a mildew-resistant caulk designed for bathrooms. Ditto for the grout, except you should replace it with a latex-fortified grout. These newer grouts are much less porous than old style cement grouts and more strongly resist mildew!
My crawlspace and the area under the floor is covered with mildew. How can I stop it from growing?
You should view the mildew as a symptom… if there is mildew growth, there is also the chance of moisture damage occurring in the wood framing. Taking the appropriate steps will not only minimize or eliminate the odor but also preserve the value of your home.
Moisture must be reduced and ventilation increased to effectively control mildew in a crawlspace.
To that end you must be absolutely certain there is no surface water entering the crawlspace. Look into the crawlspace after a heavy rainstorm for evidence of water. If you find any surface water at all, the following steps will be futile. You must eliminate it first. Check the gutters and leaders for breaks and blockages. Check the drainage around the house, and make repairs as necessary. Repair cracks in foundation walls and if necessary coat with a below-grade cement-based waterproofing paint.
Lessen the overall amount of water vapor entering the crawlspace from the ground…
This is accomplished by laying a heavy plastic tarp… 5 mil or thicker… over the entire floor. If multiple sheets are used, they should be folded together at the seams and/or at least overlapped at least 3 feet. Use stones to hold the plastic down. This plastic acts as a vapor barrier and will eliminate much of the movement of water vapor from the ground into the crawlspace, with the added benefit of lessening radon infiltration.
Examine the ventilation of the crawlspace…
The amount of ventilation needed is determined by 1) the square feet of floor and 2) the presence or lack of a vapor barrier, as mentioned above. To impress upon you the value of the vapor barrier, look at the following example:
You have an 800 sq.ft. crawlspace. Without a vapor barrier, you would need to install 5 sq.ft. of vent. With a vapor barrier, you would only need to install 1/2 sq.ft. of vent!
As you can see, installation of a vapor barrier lessens the need for ventilation by a factor of 10! To estimate your own needs, use the following general guidelines:
Without a vapor barrier, the vent area should be 1/160th of the total sq.ft. of the crawlspace.
With a vapor barrier, the vent area should be 1/1600th of the total sq.ft. of the crawlspace.
Remember that your local building code may require more or less ventilation depending on your area’s peculiar moisture and weather conditions. Do a little “hometown” investigating before taking any action!
Depending on the design of your home and the aesthetic appearance of different vent styles, there are different ventilation options. Rectangular or round louvered vents come in various sizes and should be installed on opposite walls of the crawlspace, if possible, to provide cross ventilation. They can be installed through the foundation or between the floor joists through the header. There are also powered vents available, though they are not commonly used (or necessary) except in extreme cases. Visit a home store or lumberyard to see the different types of metal and wood vents available.
Remove any insulation, debris or other items such as wood or fabric furniture that can hold moisture and mildew.
This is especially important if odor removal is a high priority. Leaving anything in the area that holds the odor can only diminish your results… right?
You could also engage in more heavy duty mildew removal…
A few options would be to spray the walls and ceiling with a mildew-killing wash, either a commercial product or TSP/bleach mix prior to installing the vapor barrier. This can be very sloppy, especially if you have a dirt floor, and definitely unhealthy for man or beast without proper skin and eye protection, forced ventilation, and breathing protection!
Isolate the crawlspace from the rest of the house…
If you do not have insulation in the floor above the crawlspace, install it… Fiberglass insulation with an integral foil vapor barrier can help to isolate the crawlspace from the rest of the house. Install the insulation with the vapor barrier up. Then staple construction grade heavy (minimum 5 mil) plastic sheeting across the joists after the insulation is installed, overlapping all corners at least a few feet. This will both keep the insulation drier and prevent smelly crawlspace air from infiltrating the house.
If your climate does not require crawlspace insulation, no problem! Plastic sheeting tightly stapled across the floor joists can be used as a stand-alone remedy and will be just as effective if installed with enough overlap to fully seal off the crawlspace.
Hope this helps,
Ryan “The Dover Handyman”
www.DoverHandyman.com
302-222-8517
Permalink
02.23.10
Posted in Uncategorized at 1:30 pm by Ryan Cooper
How do I replace a broken ceramic floor tile? Is it the same procedure to replace a broken wall tile?
Replacing a broken tile can be very easy or very hard, as with most things in real life! The type of adhesive and the substrate… the material the tile is attached to… determine the difficulty of removal.
In modern homes, wall tiles are generally set in adhesive, while floor tiles are set in either adhesive, thinset, or mortar. Mortar, or mud, is still commonly used for bathroom and shower enclosure tile floors. Thinset is like mortar in that it is a cement-based product. It differs from true mortar in that it may be applied directly over plywood or tileboard without the need for the metal-mesh reinforcement necessary for mortar.
Replacement of floor and wall tiles is similar and for the purpose of this discussion will be considered the same, unless I make special note of some unusual situation.
If the wall or floor has been damaged by moisture, then you should also read The tiles on the walls abound my tub and shower enclosures are loose? What happened? .
Remove the grout from around the tile(s) you want to replace…
The grout bonds and seals the area between the tiles, protecting the floor underneath from the moisture which can eventually loosen the tiles and damage the substrate. If you try to remove the tile without removing all of the grout first, there is a chance that the adjacent tiles will chip.
If the grout is a soft, unsanded wall grout, you can scratch it out with a utility knife, being careful not to slip and scratch adjacent tiles (oddly enough, you will find that as the blade dulls, it does a better job).
If you are dealing with a sanded floor grout, which tends to be tougher than wall grout, you may have to use a small cold chisel to get the grout out, especially if the grout line is very wide (over 1/4″). However, once you break the surface of the grout, you may be able to go back to the utility knife with the dull blade. There is a tool called a grout saw that is intended to remove grout. However, it is useless unless the grout line is wide.
DON’T FORGET TO SAVE A SAMPLE OF THE GROUT TO TAKE TO THE STORE FOR A COLOR MATCH!!
Remove the broken tile…
If the broken tile is loose, simply lift it out and go on the the next step. For floor tiles, rap on the edge of the tile, using a hammer and a small cold chisel or other suitable tool (in other words, whatever you have handy, such as a screwdriver). Do not touch any of the adjacent tile, because you may loosen or chip them. A few carefully place whacks may loosen a tile set in mortar or Thinset.
If the tile is set in adhesive, as are most wall tiles, or well adhered to the mortar, every piece of the tile is going to fight you during the removal process. You will probably do some damage to the floor or wall underneath the tile during removal, but it is of little consequence once you install the new tile.
You can use a cold chisel to break a tile into pieces, but you must be very careful to not damage adjacent tiles. I usually use a carbide drill bit, 1/4″ to 1/2″ diameter, and drill a series of holes in the tile, making it easier to break apart. Once you have a hole in the tile, you can use a chisel or screwdriver to pry/break the rest of the tile out.
Prepare the hole and set the replacement tile…
Vacuum out all debrus, and scrape out any lumps or bumps in the mortar or adhesive. Test fit the new tile to make sure it 1) sits firmly without excessive rocking, and 2) doesn’t sit higher than the other tiles. Scrape out more remaining adhesive/mortar if necessary.
Apply a 1/8″ layer of adhesive to the back of the tile with a putty knife. It is not necessary to use a special grooved tile adhesive applicator for a small repair such as this.
Do not apply the adhesive closer than a half-inch to the edge of the tile. You don’t want the stuff to squeeze out into the area between the tiles when you place it. Just more of a mess to clean up later!
Press the tile into its place with a slight wiggling motion, which will spread the adhesive and assure a good bond.
Let the adhesive dry for 24 hours and apply matching grout…
If any more than a slight amount of adhesive squeezed out between the tiles in the last step, use a utility knife or a thin screwdriver and scrape as much of it out as you can.
Mix the grout per instructions on the label. I always mix no less than 2 cups of grout, regardless how little grout I actually need. By doing so, you are more likely to get the proper mix of chemicals and pigment.
On these small jobs, I find that a damp sponge and/or fingers are a great combination for pushing the grout into the cracks! The grout, being a cement product, will tend to beat up the hands, so if you are the delicate sort, wear good fitting rubber or latex gloves.
Thanks,
Ryan “The Dover Handyman”
302-222-8517
www.DoverHandyman.com
Permalink
02.22.10
Posted in Uncategorized at 12:51 pm by Ryan Cooper
Take Care Of Your Smoke Alarm…
It May Save Your LIFE!!
Tragedies can be prevented simply by testing your smoke alarm once a month and by annually replacing smoke alarm batteries. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends these measures because non-working smoke alarms will not protect you in case of a fire. (Read CPSC’s press release on annual battery changes… click here.)
Every year in the United States, approximately 3,000 people are killed by residential fires. Most fire victims die from inhalation of smoke and toxic gases, not as a result of burns. Most deaths and injuries occur in fires that happen at night while the victims are asleep.
Properly installed and maintained, home smoke alarms are considered one of the best and least expensive means of providing an early warning when a fire begins. Smoke alarms save lives, prevent injuries, and minimize property damage by enabling residents to detect fires early in their development. The risk of dying from fires in homes without smoke alarms is twice as high as in homes that have working smoke alarms.
Test your smoke alarm once a month or after an extended absence…
Both wired-in and battery-powered smoke alarms should be tested at least once a month or in accordance with the smoke alarm manufacturer’s recommendation to make sure they are operating properly. If the smoke alarm is battery operated, test it and replace the batteries according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Fresh batteries should last approximately one year.
If you keep two households or your home has been vacant for a period of time, check all smoke alarms upon your return. The warning “chirp” will only last for a month or so, after which the battery will be too weak. Thus, the battery may become dead while your are away and you’ll never hear a warning!
If you hear a “chirp” or “beep” from your smoke alarm…
If your battery-powered alarm begins to emit its low-power warning, such as a chirping sound, replace the battery immediately with a fresh one. Better yet, consider making routine replacement of batteries a seasonal task, such as when resetting clocks in the fall or spring. This practice will ensure that your smoke alarms will continue to provide protection.
If “nuisance” alarms occur during cooking or showering, do not disable your smoke alarm by removing the battery. You may forget to reinstall it!
Instead, clean the smoke alarm following the manufacturer’s instructions and move it away from the kitchen or bathroom. Get a different type of smoke alarm, like a photoelectric that’s less sensitive to common causes of false alarms; or choose a smoke alarm that has a silencing feature, so nuisance alarms can be stopped quickly and easily.
There are alarms available that have a “nuisance button” that will silence the alarm when it reacts to normal cooking or steam. After a few minute the alarm becomes active again.
How many alarms should you install… and where?
At least one smoke alarm should be properly placed on every floor of the home. The most important location is near the bedrooms to provide early warning to all sleeping occupants. A smoke alarm should also be placed in all sleeping rooms… especially if you sleep with your bedroom door closed, use candles or smoke.
Don’t wait for a fire in your home to test your smoke alarm … Do it now: test it and replace its batteries.
Make sure alarms are placed either on the ceiling not closer than 6 inches to any corner or wall, or on the wall between 6-12 inches below the ceiling . Locate smoke alarms away from air vents or registers; high air flow or dead air spaces are to be avoided. Dead air spaces are often at the top of a peaked roof, or in corners between ceilings and walls.
If you live in a mobile home…
Some mobile homes with thin insulation in the ceiling or walls require installation of smoke alarms on an inside wall, not the ceiling or an outside wall. The reason is that the heat generated by the ceiling (or wall) can cause a thermal barrier, preventing smoke from reaching the alarm in the early stages of a fire… the most important time!
Feel the ceiling or walls of your mobile home when in full sun or in the hottest part of the day. If they are very warm to the touch, install the smoke alarm on an inside wall. Better safe than sorry!!
When should I replace my smoke alarms?
Smoke alarms do not last forever. Though the useful life of smoke alarms vary, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends that any smoke alarm over 10 years old should be replaced. Some fire safety organizations, such as Fire Protection Canada, suggest that some alarms can fail within 5 years!
A good rule of thumb… if you can’t remember when you purchased your smoke alarms, or they were in your home when you purchased it (and you can’t remember that, either), it’s time to go shopping… or call your handyman!
Thanks,
Ryan “The Dover Handyman”
302-222-8517
www.DoverHandyman.com
Permalink
« Previous Page — « Previous entries « Previous Page · Next Page » Next entries » — Next Page »
