Fixing a Hole in Drywall

Repairing a Hole in Drywall

How To Fix A Leaky Faucet

A frost free leaky outdoor faucet, or spigot, is not just annoying; it can cost you a small fortune in water bills if left unchecked. In addition, a leaky outdoor faucet can also cause damage to your home and yard.

Fortunately, for even a novice do-it-yourselfer, a leaky outdoor faucet can be frequently fixed with just a few basic tools and about 30 minutes of time, saving you a small bundle in otherwise plumber repair costs.Identify Source of Outdoor Faucet LeakThe first thing you need to do is to determine where the outdoor faucet leak is coming from.

First check to see if the leak is occurring around the top cap that sits just back behind the handle. Inevitably this cap becomes loose on frost free outdoor faucets and all you need to do is simply tighten it back up using your hand. Overtime this cap becomes loose due to changes in seasonal temperatures or simply from frequent use of the faucet.

Next, check to see if it is leaking directly out the spout itself.

If the leak is occurring from the faucet spout, even after you have confirmed the handle is fully turned to the closed position, then chances are there is a failed washer sitting back behind the faucet handle.

Disassembling the Outdoor Faucet

To replace the washer, first turn the water off to the outdoor faucet. Usually the shut off valve to the outdoor spigot can be found inside the home, for example in a utility room just behind the outdoor faucet. The shut off valve may also be located in the basement.

Next, turn the outdoor faucet to the full on position to relieve any pressure in it and to allow the water to fully drain from the faucet.

Now, using a screwdriver remove the screw that holds the handle onto the faucet.

With the screw removed, pull the handle off.

After removing the faucet handle, use a wrench to remove the faucet nut that sits back behind the handle.

Replace Washer and Clean Internal Faucet Area

Typically it is the washer that sits behind the faucet nut (sillcock nut) that fails. Remove it with your fingers or small screw driver and examine it for damage or wear. If you see either, replace the washer. Also, make sure the internal faucet (sillcock) is free from dirt and grime. If there is grime in it, flush it out with water.

Re-assemble Outdoor Faucet

Once you have replaced the washer and the internal faucet area is free of any grit, reattach the faucet nut cap, the handle, and the screw that holds the handle onto the faucet.

Test Repaired Outdoor Faucet

Turn the water back on at the valve within the basement or utility room to the outdoor faucet and observe water flowing freely from the faucet.

Turn the handle to the off position. If the washer or grit was the problem the leak should no longer be present.

Note that with a frost free outdoor water faucet, the actual shutoff valve sits far back into the faucet / sillcock pipe, (approximately 8 inches), so do not be surprised to see a few drips of water initially after shutting off the faucet. After a few minutes, however, you should see no more drips. With that your leaky outdoor faucet is a thing of the past!

Fix a Leaking  Pipe

Tools: General-purpose scissors, screwdriver, putty knife, wire brush

A leaky pipe can be a real disaster. Water can do untold damage if left to run unchecked. Most pipe leaks, except for frozen pipes, develop slowly; the pipe rusts or corrodes and a weak spot develops. Eventually the water breaks through the weak spot and a pinhole leak results. This type of leak can be stopped, but the repair is only a temporary cure as other leaks will probably develop. If you are constantly fixing small leaks, seek professional help before one of your old pipes bursts.

Whatever the type of leak you have, you should first stop the water flow by turning off your house’s main shut-off valve. Drain the water from the pipes by opening all the hot and cold water faucets on the first and second floors of your house to allow air to enter the water system. Then open all the faucets in the basement to allow the water to drain out.

1) Use hose clamp and patch on pinhole leakTo temporarily stop a small pinhole leak, use heavy-duty scissors to cut a patch from a piece of rubber (bicycle tube, kitchen glove) about 1″ square. Wrap the rubber around the pipe and hold it tight against the pipe with a hose clamp. Check that the hose clamp is directly over the hole before you tighten the clamp screw with a screwdriver. Use a 1″ clamp for a 1/2″-diameter pipe and a 11/2″ clamp for a 3/4″-diameter pipe.

2) Use pipe clamp for larger leakTo make a more permanent repair for a small leak (until the pipe rusts through in another spot) or to stop a split up to 1″ in the pipe, use a pipe repair clamp. You’ll find it in the plumbing department of a hardware store or home center. First, thoroughly dry the pipe and place a rubber patch over the leak. Loosen the clamp screws with a screwdriver and fit the pipe clamp over the patch; then retighten the screws.

3) Use epoxy paste to repair leaking pipe jointStop a small drip from a pipe joint with epoxy paste. You can buy this two-part mixture at any hardware store or home center. Ask for epoxy paste or putty, not epoxy glue.Wait until all the water stops dripping from the pipe; then dry the joint with rags. Clean any dirt or buildup of minerals from the pipe threads and joint fitting with a wire brush or steel-wool pad. Mix the epoxy according to the manufacturer’s directions and apply it to the leaky area, with a putty knife. If you are not certain where the leak is coming from, pack the epoxy all around the joint and fitting, extending the patch several inches in both directions.Allow the epoxy to set for at least as long as the directions suggest. Turn on the water. If the pipe continues to leak, look for professional help.

(…and no i’m not going to suggest nailing it shut or open)

The first step to fixing a door that swings shut is to remove a hinge pin. I would test each of them with a light tap  and go with the loosest…

(…and no this does not apply to dating)

Remove the hinge pin by tapping it out with a nail and hammer.

Next, bend the hingepin by hitting it in its longitudinal center with a hammer. Be sure not to deform the pin so much that it can not be reinserted.

Finally, reinstall the hingepin by tapping it back in place with a hammer.  If this fixing a door that will not shut technique does not work repeat the process on another hingepin.