You may remember that I was planning on reinstalling the old toilet to save money. It turns out that toilet wasn’t in good enough shape to keep. My plumber was out to re-route the shower controls and took a look. He told me I was better off installing a new one, so I did.

At this point, I’ve replaced or reinstalled every toilet in my house (for a grand total of three). They all shared one thing in common- a broken toilet flange. I’m beginning to think it’s a fairly common problem to discover. Fortunately, repairing a slightly damaged toilet flange is not too difficult.

What is a Toilet Flange

You may hear people toss out the word flange and wonder what it means. There are several definitions including a “projecting rim for fastening”. When people talk about toilet flanges, they are referring to the flat collar that mounts a toilet to the floor and connects the toilet drain to a drain pipe.

Over time, flanges can crack or small pieces may break-off. This is especially common around the bolts that anchor the toilet in place.

How to Install Flange Repair Kits

Fortunately for DIYers, toilet flange repair parts are easy to find and relatively inexpensive but they can’t repair all types of damage.

Appropriate Use
Flange repair’s are an effective means to fix the outer rim of a broken flange- small cracks, broken pieces around the bolt housing, things of that nature. They are not useful for repairing cracks within the flange or replacing major pieces.

Required Materials

• The repair flange, sometimes called a water closet repair flange, is available as a full circle or semi-circle.
• Galvanized screws won’t rust- always important around water. I purchased 1 ½” wood screws. Make sure the screw-head is wide enough.
• Silicone sealant is useful to create a watertight seal.

Installation
Apply silicone to the underside of the repair flange. Place it over the existing flange and align the bolt holes (as best you can). Screw the repair flange in place. Take care to anchor it evenly. Add another bead of silicone to the inside edge of the repair flange. Allow enough time for the silicone to dry before installing the toilet.

What do you think? Ever install a repair flange?

Materials

• Two-prong Metal, Curl Clips
• Ribbon
• Glue gun with glue
• Optional: Buttons, small flowers, beads, etc.

How to Make Ribbon Barrettes

The basic barrette:
1. Place hot glue on the underside of the first 1.5″ of ribbon. Quickly place the ribbon in-between the two sides of the clip, glue side up. (tip: I use a baby comb to place under the ribbon before gluing so the glue doesn’t burn my fingers. I remove the comb once the ribbon sandwhiches the clip, in order to press the ribbon flat with my fingers. Glue should be soft, but NOT cool.)
2. Before the glue cools, place more glue on the top side of the clip and fold the ribbon over the end of the clip, pressing the ribbon sandwiching the metal clip firmly together.
3. Place more glue on each of the two outter sides of the end of the clips, quickly wrapping the ribbon tightly around the end of the clip, pressing the ribbon to the clip until cool.
4. Cut the ribbon before the bottom prongs separate, and seal the ribbon with a very small bit of glue. (option: wrap the ribbon around the underside of the clip for a more polished look. However, this may cause the clip to more easily slide out of the hair. It also uses more ribbon, costing more money without looking any different once placed in the hair)
5. Gently remove any excess glue.

For a barrette with a bow:
1. Follow the above steps.
2. Cut a length of ribbon slightly less than twice the length of the clip. (tip: try using different patterns and colors of ribbon for contrast)
3. Place a small amount of glue on one end of the ribbon and attach it to the other end of the ribbon to form a loop. If the ribbon is single sided, the finished side should face out.
4. Place a small amount of glue of the inner seam of the loop, and press the opposing side to it.
5. If using fabric knot at the center of bow: Using a separate piece of ribbon, tie a small knot. On the underside of the bow, place a small amount of glue on the underside of the center of the bow (on the seam), and quickly wrap the knot around. Glue again to place the other side of the knot.
6. On the underside of the bow, place a small amount of glue and press the bow firmly to the center of the ribbon wrapped barrette.
7. If using a button, bead, or flower at the center of the bow: Place small amount of glue at the center of the top of the bow and press decorative piece on top. (tip: use the extra buttons from old shirts instead of buying new ones)
8. Gently remove any excess glue.

Why MAKE instead of BUY?

Its easy to buy these in the store. They are very popular and can be bought at Target, Walmart, or Amazon.com for $5 – $10. But, not only is this a fun activity that you can do with the kids on a rainy day, but you can save lots of money. Plus, if you make your own, you can have barrettes to match every outfit!

I bought 5 small spools of ribbon in the dollar bin at Target (all five ribbons in one package for $1!) and the clips at a local Beauty4U (hair product discount store). Ribbon is easy to find – in addition to Target, Michael’s and Joann Fabrics sell cute ribbons starting at $0.99. The clips were much harder to find. I went to every store imaginable before finding them at Beauty4U, costing $1.29 for 12 clips.

If you have trouble finding the clips locally, here are some clips from Amazon- great for larger quantities and some have free shipping.

What do you think? Have you ever made your own barrettes?

What is Bullnose Tile

Bullnose is a term that denotes a rounded, convex trim. In the world of ceramic tile, it generally refers to a narrow piece of tile that you’ll find around the perimeter of areas like shower walls. It’s usually available in sizes like 3″ x 12″ or so. Bullnose is useful because it creates a nice, finished edge and transition.

Cutting Bullnose

To install bullnose, you’ll need a wet saw. There’s no way around it. A good wet saw (Ryobi review) enables you to cut the bullnose to size and make bevel cuts for corners. My Ryobi tile saw includes a bevel block for cutting 45° angles, making this real simple.

How to Install Bullnose over Drywall

You can install the tile right over the drywall. If the drywall is in good shape, there’ no need to put down backer board.

• Prep the wall: Clean up the wall by removing any grout, thinset, drywall dust and torn drywall. You want a clean surface to adhere the tile. Go over the area with a vacuum too.
• Thinset: Use modified thinset, same as the floor, in a horizontal fashion across the wall with a square-notched trowel. Begin placing tiles making sure they have good coverage. Wipe away excess thinset as you work.
• Spacers: You want to maintain a couple gaps that will be filled later. Use spacers to separate each piece and also maintain the gap between the wall and the bullnose. You also leave a small gap between the bottom of the bullnose and the floor tile- about 1/16″ of an inch.
• Grout: The gaps between each tile and between the wall and tile are filled with grout. Use the same grout as the floor.
• Caulk: Pick-up a caulk that matches the grout color. Use this to fill the small gap between the bullnose and the floor tile.

What do you think? Have you ever installed bullnose?

Pottery Easter Eggs

My mom I and took Izzie to our local pottery store, where we purchased a set of four small eggs, costing $15. In addition, the store charges 50% of the cost as a “sitting fee,” to cover paint, glaze, firing, and studio time. So, in total, we spent $22.50, averaging about $5.60 an egg, a great price for a pottery keepsake.

Once paid for, we had unlimited time to sit and paint! I’m glad my mom was with me because getting my 13 month old to “paint” was VERY difficult, but a bunch of fun! My mom held Izzie’s hand so I could put paint on her finger tips and help her put polka dots on the egg. On the bottom of the egg, I wrote Izzie’s name and the year. Since we had to buy the eggs in a pack of four, the pottery shop kept our receipt on file, so we can come back in future years to paint the other eggs with no additional cost.

For now, since we don’t have many eggs to put in a bowl on our dining room table, I borrowed my mom’s small, crystal Easter basket to house our eggs for the next year or two.

I’m really looking forward to the years coming as we continue our new tradition and Izzie can paint her own egg!

What do you think? What Easter traditions do you have?

The running lights on my wife’s car quit working. Since all the lights stopped working at the same time, the fuse was a likely culprit.

Vehicle Fuses

Fuses are similar to circuit breakers in your home. They are a safety feature that helps monitor electrical current. If there is a short circuit, the fuse will blow, protecting wiring and electrical components. Checking your fuses is a great place to start when strange problems occur. Most fuse panels are located under the hood and / or under the dash.

Multimeters

A multimeter is an instrument used to check AC and DC voltage, continuity, and resistance. They are a great diagnostic tool to have at hand. If you’re looking for a digital multimeter, check out the TEK4 digital multimeter (review).

How to Check Your Car Fuses

Start by grabbing your multimeter and owners manual.

Step 1: Check your owners manual to find out how many fuse panels you have and where they are located. You can also find out which fuse regulates specific components. For instance, fuse #14 under the dash regulates the running lights in my wife’s car.

Step 2: Put in the key and turn it to “run” but don’t start the car. Set the multimeter to DC volts. This will test the voltage difference between the two test points.

Step 3: Each fuse will have two test points on the top allowing you to check each fuse without even removing it. Touch the black probe to a ground source like the negative battery terminal. Touch the red probe to each fuse test point. You should get a positive reading of about 12 volts.

Tips

• You can remove each fuse and use the continuity test.
• Blown fuses often look burnt and / or the filament is visibly broken.
• Many fuse panels have spare fuses. Check the owners manual.

What do you think? Have you ever checked the fuses in your vehicle?

Most homes feature ductwork to deliver conditioned air throughout the house. Energy Star states that leaky ductwork can account for up to 30% of a homes total heating and cooling costs. There are several different ways to seal ductwork, but applying mastic is the best option.

Benefits of Sealing with Mastic

Mastic is a gummy adhesive. It will stick to just about anything making it easy to apply. It dries solid, forming an airtight seal over gaps and holes, but can still bend and flex as ductwork expands or contracts. Unlike foil tape which can loose its hold over time, mastic will stay fixed in place.

Recommended Mastic

Not all mastics are the same. I suggest using a water-based mastic as they release less fumes. Look for the UL-181 seal of approval. These mastics are more flexible, longer lasting, and adhere to ducts better. Choose a mastic that is reinforced with fiberglass for additional strength. Also look for water resistance, a low flame spread and a low smoke-develop rating.

Where to Apply Mastic

The short answer to this question is wherever air is escaping. Feel around ductwork while your HVAC system is active to find leaks. Here are some specific areas you should target:

• Transitions - Wherever one piece of ductwork is butted up against another. This can occur when ductwork changes size or shape, but there may also be in-line transitions. Also, check out any flexible duct connections.
• HVAC unit – Big culprits here are where the indoor coil connects to the furnace and/or ductwork. Look for leaks around freon lines and wiring. Don’t mastic any access panels – use foil tape instead.
• Register boot – Ductwork often turns a sharp corner just before terminating at a register. These are common problem areas.

How to Apply Mastic

Begin by inspecting your duct work. Make sure everything is secured and fix any poor connections. For large gaps, you may need to secure sheet metal with self-tapping screws and then mastic the seams. The mastic should fully cure in about 24 hours.

• Wipe the duct clean before applying. Dust and dirt can prevent the mastic from creating a strong seal.
• Apply the mastic with your hand, paintbrush or trowel. Choose whatever is most convenient for you but be careful of sharp edges and corners. Wear heavy gloves to protect your hands.
• Use enough mastic to create a continuous coating with a ½″ overlap around any hole or joint. Lightly work the mastic into cracks and joints. You don’t need a very thick coating, just enough to fill all gaps.
• Mesh tape is useful for reinforcing areas with gaps between ¼” - ½” and joints. It’s applied much like drywall tape.  Make sure the tape is compatible with the mastic you have selected.

What do you think? What tips can you offer for applying mastic?