The Handyguys revisit some old issues and discuss some new ones – foamy faucets, cloudy dishes, frog tape giveaway, toilet troubles and bad gas caps on this audio episode.

Topic 1:  The Moen Faucet with foamy smelly water.

Paul discusses his Moen faucet with the pull out braided hose and how it still produces smelly foamy water when not used for several hours.  Moen’s customer service was great but they don’t offer any explanation of what causes the odor or foam. Several listeners contacted the Handyguys with the same issue.  Perhaps they can respond to this post with their experience and offer a work-around to this problem. For now, Paul has not taken Moen up on their offer to replace the faucet with a non pullout head as his wife is hooked on the feature.  They are living with the problem for now.

Topic 2:  The Kenmore Elite Dishwasher revisited (i.e. Whirlpool, Kitchenaid, Kenmore)

Paul’s video of the Kenmore Elite dishwasher where he cleans out the basin has solved a lot of folks problems with frustrating modern dishwashers that don’t do the job.  However, he began having problems with a white film building up on dishes.  The problem is now solved.  Cleaning out the basin fixed the problem of grit and being left on the dishes.  This new solution eliminates the cloudy problems with glasses.

Topic 3:  Frog Tape Giveaway.

We have two frog tape sets to giveaway. Each set has two rolls of frog tape, a t-shirt and a bag. Just make a comment on this post to enter. Listen to the podcast for details.

Topic 4: Incomplete toilet flushes

We followed up on a listener question regarding a toilet that does not flush completely. Like the sewage in question, this is a problem that does not easily go away.  Listen to the Handyguys speculate on possible solutions.

Topic 5:  End of season mower care

Paul discusses his frustration trying to prepare his mower for the winter and confuses airplanes with the spinning things on mowers.

Topic 6:  Gas Caps

Check out the new style gas caps at your local True Value and let us know what you think. They are supposed to be better than some of the older “safe” designs. Brian thinks they are an improvement but still a bit awkward. Some of the newest types may be best.

We were one of the bloggers selected by True Value to work on the DIY Squad. We have been compensated for our time commitment to the program as well as our writing and productions about our experience. We have also been compensated for the materials needed for our DIY project. However, as always, our opinions are entirely our own and we have not been paid to publish positive comments.

Related shows:

1. Fixing a Kenmore Elite Dishwasher that is not Cleaning Dishes
2. Tween Painting Party And Foamy Faucet Trouble
3. Top 10 Essential Tools For DIY And Duct Tape Uses

The Handyguys have a new video! Toilet fill valves are the second most common toilet repair after flapper replacements. We put this short video together to take some of the mystery out of the process. We hope you find it useful. As always, comments are welcome.

We will be back after the first of the year with our regular podcasts. Don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss a future episode.

Happy New Year

The Handyguys

Related shows:

1. How To Repair A Toilet
2. Chainsaw Tips And Toilet Tips
3. John Deere LA115 Lawn Tractor Controls Overview Video

The Handyguys answer a question about chainsaws and toilets!

Brian and Paul receive lots of good questions.   When we received a question from Suzanne about her toilet not flushing properly, we thought it would be an easy solution. However, upon studying the issue more closely, we realized that she had a non-standard toilet.

Here is what she asked:

 We are having a problem with our toilet not flushing properly.  The handle became hard to push down to flush, and eventually broke. We replaced the handle 3 times now but all have broken within a few uses.  It seems the handles aren’t strong enough to lift the flush valve.  It’s like it has a strong suction keeping it closed. Any suggestions as to what the problem is and how to fix it?

Our first thought was that the flapper valve was sticking and making it difficult to release with the handle.  We also suggested that Suzanne look at the handle mechanism itself to make sure it was moving freely.  But soon we found out that this toilet does not have a standard flapper valve.  Check out the picture:

This is not a common setup. The flush mechanism is made by Mansfield and uses non-standard parts.  If the entire flush mechanism is at fault, you have to remove the entire tank to remove the parts.  However, if just the flush seal is at fault, it can be replaced for about $2.00.

What was the solution?  Check out the podcast. The Handyguys also produced a show earlier in the year on general toilet troubleshooting,check it out here http://www.handyguyspodcast.com/58/episode-8-in-the-toilet

Another listener emailed about whether a particular chainsaw was a good buy.  Before we answer the question (I am not sure we ever answered the question?), we discussed two basic issues related to chainsaws:

1)  Should you buy, borrow, rent or steal a chainsaw?

 2) If buying, how do you proceed to identify the chainsaw that is right for you?

 There are two main types of chainsaws, electric and gas powered.  The electric are cheaper and less powerful but handy if you have a small lawn and only need to occasionally cut branches and such.  But be careful!  Brian recounts a dangerous episode with an electric chainsaw.

Gas powered chainsaws can do much bigger jobs and are not limited by the length of your extension cord.  If you are going to buy a gas powered chainsaw, it is not worth skimping with a cheap brand.  Look for a Husqvarna or Stihl so that you don’t spend all day trying to get the saw started.

Check out he full podcast for more recommendations and safety precautions when dealing with chainsaws.

In next week’s show we will take a closer look at Mighty Putty!  If you have any suggestions on how mighty putty can be used, please let us know.

Related shows:

1. Video – Toilet Repair – Fill Valve Replacement
2. How To Repair A Toilet
3. Foamy faucets, cloudy dishes, frog tape giveaway, toilet troubles and bad gas cans

The Handyguys talk about the dirty side of home improvement — well, unless you clean it regularly. The toilet is something nearly everyone owns (unless you live in back woods Appalachia), and everyone has to address the persnickety problems presented by a toilet.

When a toilet fails, you may be left with a water bill that is 10 times higher than normal. Before you have this kind of problem, it is a good idea to learn a little about how your toilet works.

The toilet is composed of a bowl and a tank. Within the back tank, where the water reservoir is located, you will find two main components (just lift up the lid and look inside). The first component is the fill valve.

This valve is connected to your house water via a short section of hose or pipe which connects to the fill valve at the bottom of the tank. This short hose or pipe is normally connected to a shutoff valve on the wall, which feeds water to the toilet. Older houses may not have this shutoff valve because it was not in residential codes a long time ago.

The fill valve’s duty is to add water to the tank when you flush. As the water rises in the back tank, a float rises up and turns off the fill valve at the proper time. Hopefully!

The other main component in the tank is the flush or flapper valve. This valve opens up when you flush to allow the water to flow down from the tank into the bowl.

Another important component that is more difficult to see is the trap underneath and in back of the toilet bowl. This trap keeps sewer gases from coming into the house. It also keeps the water in the bowl and helps to create a siphoning action of the water when you flush to suck out all the “debris”.

Now let’s address the problems common to toilets. The biggest problem is a toilet that leaks. In most cases you will hear the refilling when it is not being used, but in some situations there will be no auditory warning (thus a big water bill). How can you tell that the toilet is leaking at all and that your big water bill is not being caused by long morning showers?

The simplest method to diagnose this problem is to put dye, such as food coloring, into the water tank. After putting the dye into the tank, come back in an hour or so to see if the colored water has migrated down into the bowl (the water will remain clear in the bowl of a toilet that is operating correctly). If the colored water has migrated to the bowl, you have a leaking toilet. There are two possible causes for this leak. The more common reason is that your rubber flapper valve is leaking. This is the valve or stopper at the bottom of the tank that lifts up when you flush the toilet. When the toilet is not being used, it should prevent any water from flowing down into the bowl. If this flapper fails, your fill valve will keep refilling the tank as the water level recedes. Normally you will hear this when it happens.

If your flapper valve is failing, you can often fix the problem by cleaning around and under the flapper. In some situations, grit builds up underneath the flapper, preventing a good seal. On occasion, you can provide a longterm fix by cleaning the area on the bottom of the tank where the rubber flapper makes this seal. If cleaning does not work, you can easily replace the flapper for a few bucks. The Handyguys like the newer Korky flush valves, which can be found at the big box stores. Be sure that your new flush valve fits correctly. Test it by flushing the toilet to determine if the new flapper has a good seal. Also, lift up the float so that the tank fills up over the overflow tube, and confirm that the water runs through the overflow tube without running over the top of your tank. Paul has seen a situation where a wrong-sized flapper valve constricts the flow of the overflow tube and prevents it from working well.

Once you learn how to replace the flapper, it is like changing a light bulb. If you have hard water, you may have to replace it every year.

The other possible problem related to large water bills is when the fill valve is failing and slowly and continually adds water to the tank. You may not hear this when it happens. When you have this problem, your dyed water will run down the overflow tube in the tank and into the bowl. But how do you determine that the fill valve is the problem? One way is to mark the water level in the tank with pencil right after a flush and a tank fill. Make sure that your water is turned off when you do this test. Check back after 30 minutes and see if you water level has receded. If it has, your problem is probably with the flush valve as we stated above. But if your water level remains the same, then most likely your problem is with the fill valve. The water is continually running through the faulty fill valve into the tank and going over the overflow tube.

How do you fix a fill valve? You can replace it completely or you can replace its washers (on some models). If you want to replace it completely, it will only cost about $15. Just turn off the water and flush the toilet to get the water out of the tank. You may want to use a sponge to get all the remaining water out. Remove the supply tube that connects to the bottom of the tank — it is connected with a large nut.

Again, make sure the wall valve is off before performing this operation! Since many toilet wall valves are not reliable, the Handyguys often turn off the entire house water before doing this procedure. After loosening the large nut, there is normally a smaller nut that connects the fill valve to the bottom of the tank that releases the fill valve unit. You can now lift the fill valve out of the tank.

Another problem you may face is that your tank fills up too high or too low after a flush. Normally the water height can be adjusted. With newer toilet parts, there is a float attachment as part of the fill valve. This float device can be raised and lowered accordingly to get the correct water level (most toilet tanks have a mark to locate the proper level). On older toilets, there is usually an arm attached to a float bulb. You can often just bend this arm some to make the adjustment of the water level.

What do you do if you discover that the toilet is leaking water onto the floor? This sort of leak could be caused by a bad hose connection to the bottom of tank. This connection may require adjustment or tightening. It is also possible that this nut requires replacement. In addition, the toilet may be leaking between the tank and bowl, or between the toilet and the floor. Listen to this Handyguys episode for their recommendation on fixing this issue. Hint: mopping up the floor only addresses the symptom, not the cause!

The the other major quandary we all face is the clogged toilet. The Handyguys provide some suggestions for toilets that always seem to clog.

Feel free to use the comment feature below to post your specific toilet questions.

Related shows:

1. Video – Toilet Repair – Fill Valve Replacement
2. Chainsaw Tips And Toilet Tips
3. Basement Systems Continued And Paint Removal