How to Install a Programmable Thermostat

A programmable thermostat can be set to not heat or cool as much when you're not home to enjoy it, thus saving you hundreds of dollars a year. Not too shabby for a $30 investment! This may seem like a daunting task at first, but its really very simple:

1. Turn off power at HVAC unit and trip the breaker.

2. Remove cover from old thermostat and unscrew assembly from the wall. Disconnect the wires and label with terminal designations.

3. Bundle wires together and tie in a slipknot around a pencil or scrap piece of wood, to prevent losing down the gap between the walls.

4. Remove any old corrosion from bare ends of wire with sandpaper. Re-strip about 3/8 inches from end of wires where necessary.

5. Slip wires through new wall plate, and position with level. Using a pencil, mark the holes for the mounting screws. Remove the wall plate, drill the holes, and secure wall plate into position.

6. Connect the wires using terminal designations and/or manufacturers directions. Push the excess wire back through wall plate into gap between walls.

7. Attach front of assembly and cover. Turn power back on, and program your new thermostat.

That's all there is to it!

How To Make Your Home More Energy Efficient

I recently read an article about a science teacher who wanted to see how low he could cut his power bill. His success was so remarkable, that the power company took notice and suspected him of tampering with his meter. Many of the things he did were simple things that any of us could do easily.

1. Insulation. This is a broad topic and I'll be exploring more of this in a later post but for now I'll keep it simple. It's also #1 for a reason, though, as lost conditioned air makes us run our HVAC more than we should.

a. Outlet Pads - These are foam insulation pads that you can buy at most hardware stores. Simply install under your outlet or light switch covers to prevent air moving into or out from between the walls, especially on exterior walls.

b. Fill in the Gaps - Check under the sinks for gaps around plumbing. You'd be surprised how large some of these can be and still go unnoticed. Not only do these gaps allow cool damp air from your crawlspace to flow into your home, but may also be a little thoroughfare for unwanted critters. For larger gaps stuff with steel wool (to help prevent critters from chewing through) and cover with aluminum sided insulating tape. Smaller gaps can be filled with insulating foam.

c. Cover your insulation - Flooring your attic will increase its "R" value, but if you don't have the resources for that at the moment you can buy rolls of heavy plastic to roll out and staple to the joists with a heavy duty staple gun. This can be done in the attic and the crawl-space to help keep the conditioned air in the living space. You don't want the plastic to be airtight as some air should flow from crawlspace to attic (you also don't want to trap moisture in), just to slow it down.

d. Check Your Attic Access - Whether you have pull down stairs or a hatch, check for drafts. Weather-stripping is your quickest, most economical, choice. However, some people's access just won't seal due to warps or what have you, in this case I recommend insulated covers which are pretty cheap (about $30) and easy to install.

e. Check Your Chimney Flue - If you notice a draft coming from the fireplace, I recommend installing a top sealing chimney damper. These actually close off your chimney at the top (no more dead birds to dispose of every winter) and are spring loaded so exceptionally easy to open and close. Very easy to install (if you don't mind going up on the roof, otherwise call a professional) and cost as low as $125.

f. Check the Doors and Windows - Apply weather stripping where needed and fill gaps in the casings if you find any. For older doors and windows consider replacing with their more modern, energy efficient alternatives.

g. Check the Outside - Walk around the exterior of your home. Look for any gaps around exterior faucets, outlets, etc. Fill with a silicon sealant to keep the water out too.

2. Switch out your bulbs - Though slightly more expensive at purchase, fluorescent light bulbs are extremely long lived and energy efficient, you'll more than make up the cost in savings on your power bill.

3. Install a Programmable Thermostat - A programmable thermostat can be set to not heat or cool as much when you're not home to enjoy it, saving you hundreds of dollars a year. Not too shabby for a $30 investment!

4. Fill empty space in refrigerator and freezer with jugs of water. The mass will conserve the temperature in addition to taking up air space that warm air can occupy when you open the door. A full refrigerator and freezer are much more energy efficient that empty ones.

5. Unplug electrical appliances that are seldom used, say in a guest bed-room. Even when they aren't running, appliances will slowly "leak" electrical current.

6. Wait to do full loads of dishes and laundry. Additionally, when doing laundry, use the correct setting for the amount of laundry you're doing.

7. When you have to buy new appliances, always shop around for the ones that are the most energy efficient. After all, you'll probably have them for many years, and the savings will add up.

How To Install Laminate Flooring

Laminate wood flooring is an excellent alternative to natural wood flooring with a few key benefits:

1. Price - As more manufacturers get into the market, the quality of the products available goes up and the prices come down.

2. Ease of Installation - Installing laminate flooring is incredibly easy. In fact, some friends of mine who were expecting a baby installed the flooring themselves throughout their house with relative ease. This is saying something considering my friend usually calls upon me for any task that calls upon using power tools! Truthfully, I helped him out at the very beginning, but once he had a little faith in himself, he had no problems.

3. Nearly Maintenance-Free - Laminate flooring resists staining, wear, and fading much better than wood and natural stone. It's very durable (about 10 times stronger than a kitchen countertop) and is water-resistant (since it is made of wood, however, it will still swell and buckle in areas of excessive moisture, so care should be used to adhere to spacing, and the use of glue is recommended). Unlike most hardwoods, laminates are virtually dent resistant, but matching fillers are made in case of gouges or dents. Laminate flooring requires little maintenance. You won't have to wax or oil your floors, have them sanded and restained, or screened and recoated.

How to Install

For my descriptions, I'll assume you are working from left to right, and that you are working with a glueless laminate flooring in an area not prone to excessive moisture. In areas prone to moisture (entry ways, halls outside of bathrooms, and utility closets) I advise gluing all panels. This will help prevent water penetrating to the core of the panels.

1. Prep the floor. If you can't remove the furniture from the room, move it to one side, try to give yourself a good 6-10 feet of room to work . You should plan to run the flooring along the wall offering the most light. Laminate flooring can be laid on top of most existing flooring provided it is sound, and level.

2. Install a vapor barrier. This is a thin foam mat coupled with a sheet of plastic that you can buy at any flooring provider. It will help prevent moisture from the sub-floor surface penetrating the laminate as well as provide a cushion and sound baffle so the laminate doesn't "bounce" or "pop" off the sub-floor. Most will come with a self-adhering tape to join the strips together.

3. For the first row you lay down, lay two panels close together end to end with the long tongue facing you. Cut a panel in half, using either a table saw or a circular saw at an appropriate work table, and lock in the right-hand half below the first panel in the top row. Always use caution, and wear safety goggles and respirator masks when cutting.

4. Lock in a full panel in the row you started with the half to bridge the two initial panels above. Now, using your tapping block (Hard plastic block shaped to not damage laminate) and hammer, tap the right-most panel in the top layer to lock into the panel to its left, and then repeat for the row below. Continue to use this bridging technique for the first row.

5. When you get to the end of the first row, where a full panel will not fit you will need to measure and cut a piece to fit: a. using a full panel, rotate the panel by 180 so that the long tongue is facing away from you, b. line the panel up where you would like the panel to end, giving yourself enough clearance to lock in place, c. using the end of the last board, mark on the panel you're going to cut using a straight edge (hint: I usually end up using that second half of the first board we cut as my straight edge, and thickness guide for cutting the door frames, etc). Cut the piece, position, and tap into place using a hammer and drawbar (metal bar shaped something like a "Z" to allow you to pull in end pieces).

6. Using the other portion of the panel you just cut, begin your next row. Some instructions say you should never use a piece shorter that 16 inches.

7. Continue in this fashion until you complete the room. Unless you're really lucky you'll probably need to "rip" all of your last row to fit. Here's where those with table saws have an advantage, but you can still do it with any other saw. Simply flip the panel over and like measuring for the end pieces, you'll measure for the remaining strip for the length of the panel.

8. There you've laid the flooring, now all you need to do is install toe molding (quarter round) to cover the clearances you left for expansion. Use care to attach molding to shoe molding, wall studs, or even the subfloor: NOT the laminate.

Addition note: For larger rooms (larger than 40 feet x 25 feet) you may need to install expansion joints, so that the entire floor will not be continuous but separate floating floors bridged by a strip that covers the gap, like you'll be using at the thresholds. For most homes, however, this won't be necessary if you do each room and hallway separately using the threshold strips to bridge the gaps.

How to Fix Popped Nails in Drywall

Often we'll see popped nails in our homes. These usually look like nickel sized bubbles in the drywall, or sometimes the nail head will pop through the drywall altogether. Fortunately, these are really easy to fix with common household tools. Here's what you do:

1. First, make sure theres a stud where the nailhead is. About two inches above or below the popped nail drive a wallboard screw through the wallboard into the stud. You'll want to slightly countersink the screwhead just below the surface of the wallboard.

2. With a hammer, gently drive the popped nail just below the drivewall surface. Lightly sand the spots with fine 150 grit sandpaper.

3. Using a wallboard knife (a putty knife will do if you have one) fill the sanded dents with joint compound or spackling. Let these dry thoroughly, generally 24 hours.

4. Since joint compound shrinks as it dries, give them a second application, then wipe with a damp sponge to level with the surrounding drywall. Again, let them dry thoroughly.

5. After the joint compound has dried, you can still level with either a wet but well wrung out kitchen sponge (polyurethane) or fine 150 grit sandpaper.

6. Now you're ready to paint!

How to Fix Common Toilet Problems

Problem: Water runs constantly
1. Adjust lift chain (or lift wire) so that flapper (or tank ball) seats securely in valve seat.
2. Clean valve seat and flapper or tank ball.
3. Check overflow pipe: if corroded, remove (unscrew) and replace.

Problem: Water overflows into overflow tube
1. Bend float arm down slightly.

Problem: Water continues to run after flushing
1. Bend float arm up slightly
2. Shake float to check if water has gotten inside, if so, replace
3. Clean valve seat and flapper or tank ball.

Problem: Whistling sounds coming from tank
1. Replace washers in ballcock valve plunger (located at top of water inlet pipe in the tank) or
2. Replace whole assembly with newer and more trouble-free floating cup-ballcock assembly.

Problem: Splashing sounds coming from tank
1. Reposition refill tube to flow directly into overflow tube
2. Replace washers in ballcock valve plunger (located at top of water inlet pipe in the tank) or
3. Replace whole assembly with newer and more trouble-free floating cup-ballcock assembly.

Problem: Tank doesn't flush completely / Usually have to flush more than once
1. Shorten lift wires or chains to make tank ball or flapper lift higher
2. Bend float arm up slightly
3. Shake float to check if water has gotten inside, if so, replace.

Problem: Tank sweats
1. Insulate tank by lining with fitted sheets of polystyrene or foam rubber, usually sold as kits at your local hardware store
2. Contact a plumber to install a tempering valve to heat the water in the tank.

Problem: Tank leaks
1. First, check to make sure all connections to tank are tight (be careful to not overtighten and crack porcelain), if so try to isolate where the leak is coming from. Your local hardware store will have dye tablets to help you spot the source of the leak
2. If you can't isolate where the leak is coming from, remove all fittings from the tank, remove the tank, clean, dry, and look for any possible hair-line cracks. If there is a crack, no matter how small, you'll need to replace the tank. However, if no cracks are apparent, now would be a good time to replace all the fittings. Mineral deposits accumulate in a tank over time and accelerate corrosion. I recommend replacing all fittings so you won't have to repeat this process 6 months from now for a different fitting.

Problem: Toilet leaks at base / Smell sewage in bathroom
1. Tighten nuts on base of bowl. Use care to not overtighten and crack porcelain.
2. Turn off water, drain tank, remove nuts and bolts securing bowl to floor. Remove wax seal completely from base of bowl / drain pipe. Replace wax seal following instructions on container. Secure bowl to floor using new nuts and bolts that should come with the wax seal, again, use caution to not overtighten and damage the porcelain.

Losing Water Pressure? Getting Blasts of Air From Your Faucets? Check Your Pressure Tank!

Your pressure tank lies between your well pump and the rest of your homes plumbing. Its generally less than half the size of your hot water heater. It's purpose is to act as a pressure switch to your well pump. The tank fills with water pushing the trapped air to the top of the tank. When the air pressure drops below a pre-set amount, usually 30-40 psi, it turns on the pump. When the pressure gets within the target range, usually 50-60 psi, the pump is turned off.

When the tank loses too much air it becomes "water-logged", and this causes the well pump to turn on and off again fairly frequently, and you'll notice a marked loss in water pressure.

How to fix a waterlogged pressure tank:
1. Turn off power to the pump
2. Attach a garden hose to the drain valve located on the bottom of the tank, open the valve and drain the tank of all pressure
3. Now turn on a faucet to allow all the water to drain from the tank
4. Turn off the faucet, close the drain valve, remove the hose, and turn the pump back on.

Usually a tank becomes waterlogged due to a leak. Inspect your tank for any spots of corrosion. Tank plugs are available, but its a temporary solution and should only be used as a stop-gap until you can replace the tank.

If, when you turn on your faucets, you get a blast of air, your pressure tank may be "air-bound."

How to fix an air-bound pressure tank:
1. Turn off power to the pump
2. Attach a garden hose to the drain valve located on the bottom of the tank, open the valve and drain the tank of all pressure
3. Replace the air volume control if your tank has one
4. Close the drain valve, remove the hose, and turn the pump back on.

If the problem persists, you probably have a leak in the piping between the well pump and the house, and should call a licensed well contractor.