Basement Toilet Installs, Water Saving Flush Valves and Dryer Vent Cleaning

Saniflow Saniplus Toilet and pump system

First off – The Handyguys begin by addressing a listener question.

Julianne asks:

Hi! I am considering purchasing a bi-level home. When you walk in the door, you have the choice of going upstairs where there is a kitchen, bathroom and 2 bedrooms… Or you have the choice of going downstairs, which is partially in the ground. It has a living room, laundry room and two bedrooms.
My question is this:
The downstairs portion does not have a bathroom. The only bathroom in the home is upstairs. Is it possible to add a bathroom to the downstairs portion of a bi-level home…or is this impossible since it is “underground” and you would have to find a way to flush the “sewage” upward?

Thanks for your help.  I look forward to hearing from you soon!
Julianne

Short answer – yes!

Listen to the podcast for Handyguy Brian & Paul discussing some issues to consider.

1. Does this house have a city sewer drain or is it a septic system?
2. Where does your sewer pipe enter the house?
   1. On some houses it enters at the floor (or under the floor) of the lower or basement level.  On other houses it enters about 4 feet high in the basement.  If it is above the basement floor, you will need to have an ejector/grinder pump installed.  This is typically best installed in a pit under the floor.  Concrete will have to be removed and you will have to determine where this can be located.  There is also a toilet which is sold with an above grade container which does not require you to cut into the concrete floor.
   2. You normally want to install the bathroom near where the sewer pipe enters the house for easier install.  If you want the bathroom on the opposite side of the lower level, then there would be more work/mess/expense involved
3. Do you have room for the bathroom?  Is it a half or whole bath?  If I recall, you can get a very basic full bathroom in a 4′x8′ area but then you may need more space if installing an ejector pump pit.
4. You will need to install a vent connection for the sink, bath and the pump. You will want to determine how you will be able to route the pipes to either the main vent stack (if large enough for these added plumbing devices) or where you can run a new pipe.

The bottom line is that you should have a couple of professional plumbers size up the situation and provide you some quotes on the work to get a bathroom installed.  It can be complicated but it is certainly doable.

Toilet Fill Valves

The next topic that The Handygys discuss is fill valves for toilets. Handyguy Paul needed a new fill valve for his toilet. He ended up getting a leak sentry version from Fluidmaster. What is special about this fill valve? How does this help you save water? If you have a leak in the flapper and water is draining down the drain the valve wont keep filling the tank. Worst case, if you have a leak, you will loose down the drain only the water in the tank. You will also know you have a problem when you go to flush next time. Listen to the podcast for discussion of this product.

Dryer vent Cleaning

Lastly – The Handyguys discuss dryer vent cleaning. Dryer vents can be dangerous if the get clogged. According to the CPSC in 1998 clothes dryers caused over 15 thousand fires, 20 deaths and 370 injuries. Fires can occur when lint builds up in the exhaust. Handyguy Paul tested out The Linteater system and was quite happy with it. He almost got into a little trouble with it though. Paul – Read The Fine Manual next time! Listen to the podcast for discussion and impressions.

Can Brian succinctly answer 10 unrelated questions in a single episode?

Did you know you can click on any of our pictures for a full size view?

Listen to the podcast to find out!

In this episode, Paul pulls 10 questions from our listeners and forums around the Internet.   It is Brian’s job to provide brilliant answers in the space of one episode.  Some of these questions are from the Yahoo Answers site which features lots of Q&A forums.  These are questions that Brian has answered previously, but now Brian must regurgitate these answers again “live” on the podcast.  Paul will not allow any stalling.

Perhaps some of these questions pertain to issues you have around the house.

Here our the 10 Questions for Handyguy Brian.  Listen to the Podcast for the answers.

Q1  Steve has a problem with a corner kitchen cabinet where the supply water lines leaked.  It ruined the bottom/floor of the cabinet and caused the particle board to swell up making an uneven surface.  The bottles of dishwasher soap keep falling over.  What is the solution?

Listen to the podcast for some solutions!

Q2  What to do about household smells?  Matt asks the Handyguys about a strange smell that awakes him 2-3 times per year at around 2AM.  It smells like burning rubber.  Matt checked all the appliances and can’t figure out where the smell is coming from.  The smell eventually dissipates on its own.  How can Matt determine the cause of this smell?

Any suggestions from our listeners? Listen to the show for some ideas.

Q3  Upon flushing the toilet, the commode shoots water up on the seat!  The toilet is 10-15 years old.  What is causing this?

Yikes – Paul chimes in on this one.

Q4  How do I get red clay stains off of a concrete bench?

You can click the play button for an answer. Better yet, subscribe to the show so you don’t mis an episode.

The Handyguys will take your questions via the phone at (615) 676-0877. Leave an email address if you want an immediate and direct response.

Q5  How many rolls of wallpaper would it take to cover one wall that is 20 feet long and of average height?

Math questions – we hate math questions but do have an answer..

Q6  Is there a big window sticker that I can stick on a clear window to make it blur?

Hint:  Check out our episode #7.

Q7  We laid Pergo laminate flooring a couple years ago but now it is buckling in a few places because we did not leave enough space around the outside to allow for expansion.  How can we cut around the edge of the floor that is already laid?

Tools – you need the right tool for the job. Listen to find out why a Fien Multimaster may be your best bet.

Q8  What should I do about condensation on the inside of the refrigerator?  It is not very old.  What could be causing this?

Answer to the question in the podcast.

Q9  How do I get started in wood working?

Hint:  Check out the Wood Whisperer at www.thewoodwhisperer.com

Q10  Could someone help me choose a good power screwdriver?  It will be used mainly for drywall and some light wood use.  Cost should be between $40-$80.

Lots of good choices. Maybe the Bosch mentioned on our drill comparison show.

Paul then asks a bonus question at the end of the show.  Check out the podcast for details.

On next week’s show, the Handyguys finally get around to installing their new faucets!  Brian and Paul video their respective installations. Brian installed a Price Pfister faucet on his powder room sink.  Paul plans to install his new Grohe faucet on his master bathroom sink.  Every step of this process will be detailed in next week’s episode.