WGN segment

 

Another look at our home winterizing video

Get Your Home Ready for Winter
Uploaded by YourUpdateTV. - Watch feature films and entire TV shows.

Been working hard ...

at seminars and speaking about how to "winterize" with smart products ... Here are a few links:

The Morning Blend, Ch. 4, Milwaukee

WHAM, Ch. 13, Rochester, NY

The MYSTERY of the Hayward pump

Had a hard time this year with my inground pool. Specifically, a few filter panels in my Hayward DE 4800 filter had tears in the mesh lining. So the filter would not completely clean the water. Tears allow small amounts of DE (diatomaceous earth) back into the pool. This DE is used to filter the water; it clings to the panels and, like sand in an ancient Roman well, traps particles as the water runs through the filter. But when the DE (a baby-powder like material) is circulated back into the pool water, the result is a cloudy mess. And when the DE settles, it ends up at the bottom of the pool. It's just a mess.
I found several sources for replacing the panels, and they are not terribly expensive (about$30 to $35 apiece). I was able to take apart the filter and find tears in two panels.
The hard part was figuring out how to put the interior panels back together. The grid, as it is called, is linked to a manifold, and it has to be put together just right. There are 8 panels all together, including one that is slightly undersized. Putting the panels back in place was a nightmare ... until I discovered the ONLY way to do it.
You have to turn the grid system upside down, with the manifold on the bottom, and then push the panels into place. The manifold has one bit of info; it tells you ONLY where the small undersized panel fits into place. After that, you have to snap the others into the manifold.
Any way, it worked out.
Hope this helps all of you might run into the same problem.

Garage door springs

Having a small problem with garage door springs and cables but should have it solved by this weekend. Good time for BBQ and completing household projects. I've got a bunch of 'em, too.

Speaking, seminars and just plain talk

We're starting to offer seminars and public speaking engagements largely for homeowners and folks considering to be more hands-on about household matters.
On June 23, I'll be speaking at the Emma S. Clark Memorial Library in East Setauket, NY. Click on the link to visit the library Web site, and then click on the link to "events."
Hope to see you there.

For the first time ...

After living through cold winters in Michigan and Kansas, I must say I had never crossed paths with a frost-free sillcock (pictured above) before. My good friend had one burst on him over the Memorial Day weekend, and we replaced it with a traditional hose bib and a shutoff valve. Rather simple job, however, I learned this about frost-free sillcocks. If you leave the hose attached through the winter, water can collect and split the interior pipe on even a frost-free sillcock.
When this happens, you can have the water valve closed, and there won't be any leaks. Once the valve is opened, the water then leaks indoors. Strange .... anyway, a successful repair.

He's baaaaack!

Sorry for being away ... been super busy with work (gotta pay the bills) and home maintenance.
Reviewing two excellent contractor tools, the Duo Fast 20°Round-Head pneumatic framing nailer (DF350S) and the Paslode cordless commercial framing nailer – the model CF325.
These are two great additions for the toolbox of the framing professional. The Duo Fast tool (left) is
is perfect for framing, decking, sheathing, subflooring and truss construction. For $299, it's a big-time performer. Find a dealer by state at the company's Web site.
The Paslode cordless (right) offers portable freedom at the job site without hoses or compressors. The result is a faster, cleaner job, saving contractors money and precious time over the long haul. The Paslode CF325 is powerful enough to drive 3 1/4-inch nails into the toughest lumber using new tip coated nails. This feature is available only with new fuel/nail combo packs. It's $399 at Home Depot.

Slow going

With some rain and windy weather, I was unable to tackle a big task that hits my outside area each spring and fall -- LEAVES!!!
Do they have them in Arizona? Because, if they do not, I am ready to pack up and move.
I get leaves year round, and it's a hassle bagging them, let me tell you.
It has been made easier with a neat lawn vacuum from Sears, but it's still a chore. The vacuum grinds the leaves and small branches down for mulch and easier bagging, but it still is a lot of work.
I do it a little at a time, and the front is ALMOST done.
The most difficult part of the chore is taking the leaves OUT of the vacuum's bagger and putting them into large plastic lawn bags or those paper bags supplied by our village.
If anyone has a tip or two about this part of the procedure, please feel free to contribute.

Busy weekend

Wanted desperately to attack outside projects -- like leaves, landscaping, etc. -- this weekend, but rain might throw a wrench into the plans. Do have some indoor concerns, organizing mostly, so we have options.

I'm from Motown, and YOU should watch THIS

John Rich, one-half the music duo of Big & Rich, wrote the song. Here's a great tribute to my city.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQqyDj7RX6Y

Little project, big job

This is what I hate about home maintenance. I have to fix a faucet on our jet-stream tub, and it's going to be a pain. The handle set, a Chateau model from Moen, is in three separate pieces, and the hot-water faucet seems to be plugged. No water. I removed the mechanisms -- with the water on and then turned off. A call to Moen leads me to believe the water-supply hose (it's not a copper tube) is plugged, keeping hot water from entering the faucet stem and mechanism.
Here's the tough part: There is no access panel for the faucet, which is up against a cabinet and a stained-oak panel.
It appears I will either have to create an access panel from INSIDE the cabinet, which is going to be a real piece of work, or I have to cut away the stained-oak panel, then place a molding or decorative access panel over the hole when I am done.
I am going to post photos, but if there's a plumber out there who has a better idea for this, let me hear it ....

Great drywall products

Finishing a wall near my new shower enclosure ...using a drywall repair product from FibaTape ... great stuff. I'm using this mesh screen to cover an opening of about 72 inches high, 12-14 inches wide. Measure, cut and cover with drywall compound ...
Anyone else out there use FibaTape??

Welcome

Don't forget to bookmark my homepage: www.garydymski.com

Here's the first of many blogs, I hope ... We'll try to follow projects -- yours and mine -- show new techniques and products, and highlight the interesting and unique in home renovation, repair and maintenance. Stick around or check back often.