Seattle Handyman Repair
- If you live in a house you have a water shut off at the street; the water shut off is usually under a rectangular metal cover. If you need to turn off the water for a plumbing fix such as a broken pipe, the water will need to be turned off…….quick! The water is turned off by turning the metal knob that is connected to the water meter. To turn off the water completely the knob will need to be turned fully. You will know that it is completely turned off when the small holes line up with one another on the tabs of the knob. The holes line up so the water company can turn of your water and place a lock on it if you haven’t paid the water bill for awhile…..
- The knob can be difficult to turn my tip is to put a pair of channel lock pliers and a 10 inch screw driver in the water meter compartment. The pliers and screw driver are used together to turn the knob….. Place the pliers and driver in a ziplock bag first so they don’t rust. This way you will be ready if something should go wrong with the plumbing.
- Got a garbage disposal? Should the disposal stop working suddenly and it simply makes a humming noise the unit is still getting power so it is likely jammed. At the bottom of the disposal is a red reset button. Press the button and hit the power switch again and it may come back to life. If not, there may be a jam. Use a “buster” wrench that typically comes with the disposal when you buy it. The wrench is like a crank. Put one end of the wrench in the center of the bottom of the disposal and turn back and forth to dislodge the jam.
- You should get in the habit of checking your smoke alarm at least once a month. Choose a day of the week and get in the habit of testing the units. Installation? Be sure to keep the detector away from fireplaces and wood stoves to avoid false alarms. Place smoke detectors at the top of each stairwell and at the end of each long hallway. Smoke rises easily through stairwells. If you should put a smoke detector in your kitchen, be sure to keep it away from cooking flames or smoking areas. The alarm should be in the highest point of the kitchen; smoke rises! If you can’t reach the alarm test button grab a broom! The handle end works great as a test button poker!
- Well if you do spill the wine or other fluid that stains easily pour salt over the wet stain immediately! Lots of salt….for example a spilt glass of red wine would require about a cup of salt. The salt immediately goes to work absorbing the fluid. The salt will dry eventually and most if not all of the stain will be eliminated
- Got small nails? An old trick (older than me by far!) is to put a nail between the small teeth of the comb before you hit it with the hammer. Your fingers will love you for it!
- Lefty loosy and righty tighty right? Well most of the time! If the item you are working on has a spinning blade it just the opposite! You would loosen in the same direction the blade is turning; which is usually clockwise (righty).