Water Softener Brine Tank 1/2 Full Of Water!

I recently went to fill my water softener brine tank with salt, to discover that the brine tank was 1/2 full with water. I don't know exactly how much it usually has, but I don't think it is anywhere near this much. From the direct reading material I found, it sounds like there should only be a few inches.
I have manually forced a regeneration cycle (multiple times with the same results), and the softener does draw out of the brine tank, to having as few as 2 inches or so in the bottom (so I know the line isn't plugged or cracked). Then it fills back up to 1/2 full, shutting off as it causes the float in the smaller tube to trigger the shut off. I'm assuming at this point, it is supposed to draw out of the brine tank and fill back up the main cylinder?? Some things I've read talk about a gasket, but since it pulls out of the tank during regeneration, I can't imagine the gasket is bad.
It is an older model, probably manufactured between 1990 and 1995. The name on it is Aquarius by Wood Brothers Ind., from Lincoln Nebraska (I'm in Omaha Ne).
Something that may be of importance - When we moved in the two valves on the in and out lines were free, but the center valve that forces the water to flow through the softener was stuck (at least partially open). I was bored one day a few weeks before this problem started and decided to free this value. All I had to do was loosen up the packing nut (for lack of the correct term) and it freed up with a little elbow grease. It might not have been fully open prior to me freeing it. I doubt this is related, but figured I better mention it.
Anyone have any ideas on what might be wrong? I know it's getting a little old, so if it's time for replacement, I'll deal with that, but if I can get a few more years out of it, all the better.
While I'm here, I also don't think this is related, but my water heater just started leaking out of the top of it. I noticed this the same day as the 1/2 full brine tank. I replaced it about 2 years ago. It doesn't leak much, but can have a very small trail. It is like it overheated, causing the 4 connections out of the top to seep their seals out and leak slightly (in, out, overflow and one other plugged connection). Could the excess salt due to so much water have caused this? I see white deposits on top of the water heater around the seals. I've read that the water only becomes so saturated.
If I do have to replace the softener, can someone make a brand recommendation? I've seen posts indicating I can get commercial quality at the price of like Kenmore, but I didn't happen to notice any brand names. I saw a Fleck brand @ http://www.qualitywatertreatment.com/?OVRAW=Water%20SoftenerOVKEY=water%20softenerOVMTC=standard.
Here are some pics of my softener with the problem and the setup of it:
http://members.cox.net/chvyfn/IM001396.JPG
http://members.cox.net/chvyfn/IM001397.JPG
http://members.cox.net/chvyfn/IM001398.JPG
http://members.cox.net/chvyfn/IM001399.JPG
http://members.cox.net/chvyfn/IM001400.JPG
http://members.cox.net/chvyfn/IM001401.JPG
http://members.cox.net/chvyfn/IM001402.JPG
http://members.cox.net/chvyfn/IM001396.JPG

Chevyfan,
Great post with lots of detail and the pics are a big help.
Usually too much water in the brine tank is caused by the control valve NOT sucking all the brine out for regeneration. Your observation that the brine is being sucked out tells me that the problem is elsewhere.
The control valve could be failing and overfilling the brine tank with the only control being the safety float. Since 1 gallon of water dissolves 3 lbs of NaCl if we knew the specs on your softener and your water conditions we could do the math and tell you how much water should be in your brine tank.
Be sure that those valves (bypass) that were stuck are set properly to flow your water through the softener. If you have them all open the you are getting hard water and that explains the white stuff on the water heater. I don't believe the white stuff is salt but rather calcium (hardness). Whatever, the water heater leaks need to be fixed and it would be a good idea to check your water pressure. If you're on a water system and your house has a PRV (pressure reducing valve) you may be seeing pressure spikes from thermal expansion.
See this...
http://wattsreg.com/pro/divisions/watersafety_flowcontrol/learnabout/learnabout_thermexpansion.asp?catId=64#generalinfo
(you have to copy paste as HTML is turned off on this forum)
That said, your pics show an older timer design cointrol valve which is not very efficent with either water or salt. Perhaps a modern design demand initiated microprocessor control valve on a new softener is a wise choice.
You might want to call around and get at least a couple local water treatment pros to come in and give you a free water analysis and quote for a place to start. Ask your neighbors if they have any water treatment experience. They might tell you who's good or who to avoid.
If you are a DIYer here's a good place to shop...
http://ohiopurewaterco.com/shop/customer/home.php?cat=179
(you have to copy paste as HTML is turned off on this forum)
Industry standard and proven components, FREE shipping and GREAT prices.
You'll have to correctly size your softener for the SFR of your plumbing, number of people, and water conditions. If you don't know how, get help. Buying too small a softener is a common mistake and a waste of money.

Appreciate the feedback. I'll take a look at your recommendations and probably get a couple of quotes from professionals, at least to start with.
Thanks again!

nice pics...the valve you have, is aFleck 2700 series (2700 time clock or maybe an older 2750). virtually bullet proof...how many years have you gotten service from this valve before IT needed service? 5-7 years?
Do you have a service/owners manual for this softener ? if not one can be squished and e-mailed. Possible causes are as follows:
Clogged or restricted drain line, or drain line flow control
Debris caught in the brine valve pick up/J-tube (inside the brine tank)
Injector could be clogged with grime from the salt, iron from the water ????
Debris in the Brine flow controler (small brass valve with a plunger, left side)
Of course you will need a manual or exploded view digram to follow along...

Thanks for the post WaterGuyTampa! Can't thank you enough!
I've been in the house for 7 years with no servicing of the unit, and the house was built 10 years prior, although I don't know if the unit was installed then or later. I can say it had been at least a couple of years since it was installed when I bought the house, so at least 10 years of use.
Knowing this was a Fleck helped greatly in finding doc on it! From the pics I've seen, your 2700 or 2750 look in line with what my softener is. Maybe a 2500 Economizer (need to dig a little deeper).
Since my original post I hadn't done much with it other than close all the valves and run standard water (big difference!). I just funished up my degree this month and really didn't have much time to spend on it, so you post came at a great time. Using the information you provided, I was able to tear it down and clean stuff up.
It no longer fills up half way (not sure what it was - didn't find any junk in the injector or anywhere else, although the brine flow control valve was very stiff and slow to return to what I assume was a closed position). It now fills up about 4 - 5 inches or so, and drops down to 2 inches or so during the regeneration cycles. A lot more similar to what I seem to recall prior to my issues.
But - the piston rod had some green coating on it that had worn off over time and caused some leakage. I unfortunately caused a little more damage and now it leaks more. I've found parts for it on the net.
Now I need a recommendation. Since this guy is over 10 years old, do I spend the $50 or so (rough estimate) and do a simple rebuild, or do I just write it off and get a new one ($400 - $500)?
I was thinking I would replace the piston rod, end plug assembly (if the o-rings are installed - that internal one looks difficult to replace!), seals spacers and some of the o-rings. This is my $50 estimate. I also realize I should probably replace the resins since the unit is as old as it is. But that's another $100, and with a total investment of $150, and the time to do all this, I'm thinking I'm better off just getting a new unit. I don't imagine it will take me much more time to replace than the teardown and resin replacement time. Plus it'll last much longer.
Suggestions?
If you do think I can get away with the rebuild, would you recommend any other parts replaced? The green coating on the piston and brine flow control both looked in good shape.
Thanks to anyone for respones!

OK, I finally broke down and bought and installed the parts necessary to stop the leaks. It no longer softens the water though. The system runs through a full 4 stage cycle, including drawing from the brine tank, filling the brine tank, etc.
When I pulled the piston out, the first seal and spacer came out. I was able to get them back in. From what I've read of the Fleck's, I can rent or purchase a seal installer, but I'm thinking it can't be that hard to install a new set of seals and spacers, even if I have to make a tool out of a large dowl pin.
Does anyone have experience with this, and is it something I could do, even without the right tools?
Do you think this could solve my problem, or does anyone have other suggestions?

Hey Chevyfan,
I'm in the same boat you were in...same softener, tank and problem.
Did you get yours running, and how did you do it?
Thanks,
DC

I was able to get it working. I ended up buying just the pin/rod and some other piece (plastic type of if I recall correctly, but the company also offered a kit (included the piston) for about the same price that I would have bought had I known about it.
I did not end up redoing all the seals. I didn't think it was working after I put it back together, but I think it took a couple of days to get the salt-effect built back up. It works now. A couple of days after we were sure it was working again, I actually shut it off one night and the next morning the girlfriend was compaining it was broke again. Took a day or two to get back to full strength again one I turned it on.
The parts really aren't that hard to replace with just a little mechanical knowledge, but be very careful not to scratch the coating off the new rod, else you'll be buying a new one again because it will leak. Take the pin out while still connected to the aluminum face - that should keep you from scarring it up.
If your question was on the cycles and not seeming to be working, I cleaned out the valves in the tank (has a float connected to it), the value that releases the purged water to the floor drain and the filter. I still can't seem to say it felt like it worked right away - it seemed like it had to build up a bit.
Reply again if you want more info, but describe your exact issue - I had several thoughtout my ordeal and I'm making some assumptions on what part you focused on.

Where to begin! Better stick to the softener...
I bought my softener reconditioned which means used but with new pellets. It has run well for 2 years.
From the first day I installed it the brine tank was 1/2 full. I just assumed this was normal but am understanding that it should only have 2 inches of water in the tank between recharges. Has yours gone back to being half full?
The softener had worked fine (same Fleck model as yours) but recently I noticed that it is no longer softening the water, and confirmed that the salt is not going away. When forced to recharge, it acts as if it is working, but no brine gets drawn in.
I'm going to:
--drain the tank
--empty the salt
--remove the float/jet/etc assembly from the brine tank, clean and replace
--check for kinks in the hoses
--clean the injector
Any other advice?
Thanks!
DC

http://internetwatersupplies.com/downloads/2750df.pdf
Hopefully this is close enough to your model that you can relate.
Take a look at the manual and read it. It provides some great info on how and what
happens during each phase of the cycle (pages 4 and 5).
Does it cycle through each phase as documented, purging and reloading the water as described?
Page 26 has some recommendations on what the issue may be related to too much water in bryne tank:
7. Excessive water in brine tank.
Issue
A. Plugged drain line flow control.
B. Plugged injector system.
C. Timer not cycling.
D. Foreign material in brine valve.
E. Foreign material in brine line flow control.
Remedy
A. Clean flow control.
B. Clean injector and screen.
C. Replace timer.
D. Replace brine valve seat and clean valve.
E. Clean brine line flow control.
Honestly, I did so much that I'm not sure what ended up getting me back to just a few inches
of water.
Clean the injector (part 12ish and those related) on the control valve parts list (p 8 9)
Clean the valve that the float line connects to (mine is a little different than this manual)
Page 10 - clean the valve (part 16). The diagram is hard to relate to, but this is the valve
on the left of the aluminum plate are you are looking right at the softner (behind the black
cover that screws on).
Post back with your results.
Looking at this, I purchased both the pin and the end plug assembly.
Good luck, be patient.

The brine draw is performed by the venturi throat and nozzle. If either is clogged or broken, it will not draw. If the drain line is clogged, it will not draw brine. Does it try to draw or spits water out? The u shaped tube connects to the venturi housing. Simply remove the clover shaped plate and you can see the venturi.


Tags: water, softener, brine, tank, full, brine tank, http members, http members chvyfn, members chvyfn, flow control, control valve, drain line, line flow

snapon-franchise

I'm considering a Snap-On Tool franchise.
Anybody out there with any advice or words of wisdom ?

research, and lots of it.
Talk to all the snap-on dealers you can find. Try to find former dealers, preferably some who did not retire from the business.
Don;t know how you are financing but be careful. They used to really push using your home for collateral. If the business fails, you have to look for new housing too. Not a good place to be.
Pay close attention to what your contract states regarding territory and if they can unilaterally alter (especially reduce) your territory.
and when you do become a dealer, be sure to remember me and send me some of the snap-on nekkid girl calenders.

I was with Snap-On for several years, some of them were great. I was the top dealer in the area a couple of years, I made pretty good money. One of the biggest problems was mechanics moving around and leaving You hanging. I also didn't like thge Manager climbing on My truck and selling every deadbeat a bunch of tools that I would take months collecting for if I could.
The next thing now is there are no more service stations, very few small garages, and so You have less clients. Looking back I wouldn't do it again. Bill

Wow, thanks for the replies......good stuff !
I was once a Snap On customer and did pay everything off and I vowed never to buy any more Snap On Tools. There very good tools but you pay alot for the name and the competition is just as good for less $$$.
I do miss those Snap On calanders
Keep the replies coming please.

Mackey,
I had an uncle who was considering a career change and took the Snap-On pre-training before being awarded a route.
He backed out when he realised that how most of these salespeople get sales is by getting young new mechanics hooked into credit to purchase over priced tools they couldn't afford.
He had too much conscience to be a good salesman.

Yea, unfortunately I figured it would be like that.
I was once a young mechanic and got hooked on the Snap-On truck.
I did pay it all off and to this day don't do that any more.
The quality is not as good as people say and they are over priced.
If I need a new tool I go to the big box stores and if it's a specialty tool I buy it on-line.

If its not too late, don't do it.
Sanpon expects you to finance most of your customers yourself.
Thay say the average turn is 5:1 in other words is someone owes you 100.00
they tell you you can expect a weekly payment of 20.00
Thae reality is more like 10:1 I think the co average is more like 8:1
Yet whan you get your invoice once a week they expect you to pay them 4:1
or, if you owe the 20 grand they want 5 grand. If you can't pay you are put on hold. No more tool shipments= lower and lower sales.
Just my opinion, I did it for 17 years.

Hi, I am also considering taking on a snap on franchise. The area is well established and apparently takes good money, however I am very dubious about any thing that seems to good to be true.
Can any one offer more info into the pit falls and what to check out before going into it, what sort of things made dealers leave? Is it best to buy or lease the van? Do you end up getting any thing out of it when you eventually finish the round? Also how does it work with the outstanding debt owed to the current dealer, does snapon pay them off and then you pay snapon as you collect the money of the customers?
Any help is grealty appreciated.
TIA

Hmmmm. The warnings earlier on the thread look pretty convincing to me.
Beyond that, with the recession there are a glut of people selling tools of all kinds. I'd guess this would be a particularly tough time to be selling new tools.

I have been a snap on franchisee since March and this is what I can tell you. Some folks are making a lot of money doing it. Everybody is working their butts off to do it. The sales developers and franchise developers, who work for corporate work 80 plus hours. expectations of franchisees is similar. expect to get up in time to stock your truck, gas it up and be at your first stop by 8 or earlier if they are there. you can expect to go till 5 most days (because that is when they close) though maybe you can go to 6. then park the van (strict rules on where and they have black boxes to make sure all is correct) clean it and do your close of the day. stop at 5 be home by 7. two days a week you will have a pile of boxes waiting for you when you arrive home which need to be checked in and categorized for the next business day. other days you can do books, research product and promotions etc. you even have the opportunity to work saturdays to get those time consuming deliveries made that take to long during the week. wash the truck regularly please. again, some guys make a boatload of cash though I don't know when they spend it. Some guys don't do so well. I have issues with selling things for 27.5% interest. and if someone doesn't pay guess what, you are the collection agent. fun. Btw, that applies to the guy before you who sold to people who you wouldn't have in your house before you left. all your responsibility. Yes you do finance small purchases with your money, though mostly that isn't as big a problem as it may seem. you would write off a certain amount of bad debt. my big caution is to look at the economy. if you are in a particularly depressed area and people are really frightened by the potential economic picture they are less likely to buy. Also, in an area where mechanics are aging the old established guys just don't need the tools. young guys need the tools but often don't have the money. Still the young guys are your target audience. do your homework, ask lots of questions, look around at the area that you have offered, be sure you are comfortable with the time commitment and the collection credit business. (it helps to have an automotive background, a lot) If it is all good, then good luck go for it. if not find something else to do.

Quick question for you...
How much was your initial out of pocket investment (cash)?
How much financing do they make available for you realisticly?
The work van has to be new?
Can you tell me more about the work van issue?

Ed...
Racinrev hasn't been back since that one post.


Tags: snapon, franchise, good money, more like, need tools, over priced, selling tools, when they, young guys

regrading-backyard-or-french-drain

Hello,
We have been in our house in NJ for four years now. This past winter we got blasted with a lot of snow and then rain. Afterward the back right corner of my backyard was flooded in a triangle about 32' x 64'. I used a pump and pumped the water to the street. At first, I attributed it to the high water table with the snow and rain. Its been dry since (2/3 months). However, we just got another heavy rain yesterday and its totally flooded again. Should I regrade the yard or install a french drain or be happy that its draining to the corner of my yard not to my foundation? My Yard butts up to 2 neighboring yards and I think Im getting their run off too. Any solutions Im not thinking of besides stocking it with fish and goin fishing? It totally covered my newly installed horseshoe pit too.

The least expensive solution would be a drain system. But before you do that, figure out where you can drain the water TO! Dumping it on a neighbor's yard isn't a solution. It needs to get to a storm drain, a street gutter, or something similar.
Regrading the back yard would probably involve installing a retaining wall, and that would need a drain system at it's base in order to keep it from getting washed down the hill.

Thank you for your response. Thats one of the problems I am facing. From the street to the flooding is about 144' so it would be quite an undertaking to build the drain system to keep moving water downhill. Funn tho, this didnt happen the first 3 years we were here until this snowfall this past winter...

Any solutions Im not thinking of besides stocking it with fish and goin fishing?
I would go fishing somewhere .
There is not enough info to understand your terrain, soil type, and the amount of water at issue. But since you asked for ideas, a seepage drain system can work well for certain site conditions experiencing drainage problems. Like Lefty said, the first step is thinking where you can drain the unwanted water. It’s either going to naturally percolate through your substrate (slowest), moved to a drain (usually the fastest), or across a larger area that speeds-up the natural process of percolating through substrate (sometimes a flexible perforated plastic pipe drain is designed to do both so that it is seeping water across your property while also emptying the excess into a drain; I've had to modify the end cap by cutting out a half-round section {or it could be drilled} so that some water is always allowed to seep through the pipe, and under heavy rain conditions, it pours through the open portion of the end cap). Sandy soil is a better application for this type drain system as it takes along time to percolate through clay (a/k/a hard pan). Another consideration is the height of your water table when this problem occurs as an underground seepage pipe will do little good if below the top of the water table. Install a sock that is made for this pipe to minimize sediment build-up inside the pipe over time.
Should I regrade the yard or install a french drain or be happy that its draining to the corner of my yard not to my foundation?
Since your situation was triggered by presumably unusual weather conditions, you may want to observe for awhile to see if this is going to be a persistent problem or rarely encountered. Re-grading is probably not the best solution as the dispersed water will seek another low area as the water holding capacity of soil is tiny compared to the volume of water at issue. In my area, it’s not lawful to grade a site so that storm water run-off is dumped onto an adjoining parcel of land.
It seems like the high water table is suggesting the macro drainage system for your community is overloaded, and this condition may remedy itself within a few days assuming the rain stops. While I don’t know your local conditions, here in FL, our water districts generally prefer use of perforated pipe drains since moving the water to storm drains or swales result in billions of gallons of water being wasted as it is eventually released into the ocean, as well as damaging our estuaries as it goes to sea. By allowing it to seep into the ground, it recharges our aquifers which supplies much of our drinking water. During our wet season (mid-June to mid-Sept.) our water table gets quite high, and a few low areas on my property will store water for several days and sometimes for a few weeks. I just mow around these areas, and don’t worry about them. However, I’m not in an urban environment so our situations may be far different.
Here are some links that may be helpful:
install drainage
Seepage Drainage
Surface Water Drainage and Slope Basics


Tags: regrading, backyard, french, drain, drain system, water table, besides stocking, besides stocking with, besides stocking with fish, besides stocking with fish goin

Noritz Tankless Vs Weil Mclain Boiler

I have an underfloor hydronic heat system about 16 years old - 6 zones on two floors - about 7500 sq ft running 1/2 CPVC under the subfloor. It has been heated with an 80-gal hot water heater, which has been inadequate. I live in Seattle, WA, area, so temperatures do not usually drop below the 30's or so. I want to replace the hot water heater with a Noritz N-0751-DV tankless unit (199,000 btu), but someone recommended a Weil McLain Ultra UG-310 with an indirect 60 or 80 gal tank. Since that is a much more complicated system (and expensive), I wondered if anyone out there could provide some advice. Thank you.....

Why would you want such a large unit? That's a lot of heat. I'm not familiar with their Ultra series boilers but I wouldn't give you ten cents for a Weil-McLain cast iron boiler.

Thank you for your response. I picked a 199,000 btu tankless unit because the person who recommended the Weil-McLain boiler said I needed the UG-310, which is a 310,000 btu unit, to run the underfloor radiant heat and the DHW. If I don't need something that large, so much the better. What I am trying to determine is this: Is a large tankless modulating condensing boiler with an indirect tank more efficient than two separate tankless units like the Noritz, one running the radiant and one running the DHW? I would rather use the two tankless wall-hung units because the initial cost is much cheaper, but I can't find anything that talks about using a tankless for hydronic heat use. Can you advise me which option is more efficent over time? The Weil-McLain is cast aluminum, not cast iron, but it sounds like you are saying that there are much better boilers out there than that one. I appreciate any assistance you can provide. I have to do something soon because my DHW tank is leaking.

You need to determine the heat loss from the home the load on the boiler from the domestic. Slantfin.com has a good, free program for calculating the heat loss. After doing that, look at the requirement for the domestic choose a boiler which will meet your needs.

I did the heat loss calcs you suggested and came up with 146,000 - 156,000 btuh. For DHW, I need something with a first hour rating of about 216. I am thinking that probably means I need to add an indirect tank to the system for DHW, but now my question is this: Am I better off with a modulating condensing boiler to run both systems together, or will a Noritz tankless unit (the hydronic heat unit NH-2001 DV) do it? Boilers are heavier and double the cost of the Noritz unit, but they claim 93% efficiency (because of condensing, I'm assuming), compared to the non-condensing Noritz's 83%. Does this make a difference in monthly gas use in the real world? Thank you for any help you can give me.

A condensing boiler with an indirect would be far more efficient and you'd have one unit to maintain.
How many BTUs was the original 80 gallon water heater? Heatloss calculations are typically overstated - for instance mine was 57K net and yet it is only 37K gross at design based based on clocking.
I think that you'll have to isolate the CPVC loops with a heat exchanger because I don't think that CPVC has an form of oxygen barrier. You'll need a SS pump on the CPVC side.


Tags: noritz, tankless, weil, mclain, boiler, condensing boiler, heat loss, hydronic heat, indirect tank, tankless unit, water heater

Laminate Floor At Front Door Threshold

Hi all,
I have been installing laminate floor (replacing carpet) in my condo which is on the ground level on a concrete subfloor. I have gotten to the front door and am trying to figure out best handle this and could use some help.
I have done some research and have seen people recommend 2 options.
1) use end molding / a reducer butted up against the threshold of the door
2) remove the threshold, install the floor under it, reinstall threshold on top.
Are there any other options? Most people seem to go with #1 from what I can tell, is that true?
I have attached photos so that you can see my exact situation. At the entry way, I discovered vinyl(?) floor that I never knew was there under the carpet. Please forgive the terrible shape it's in in the photos :-)
I am tossing these 2 ideas around in my head and considering the following:
If I go with #1:
- I have a multi purpose reducer strip that I could cut to the length of the door threshold. This is the same type of strip I am using up against my sliding glass patio doors and also one of my walls which is completely covered by a mirror so quarter round is a no go to hide the gap there. It looks good up against the threshold, but... the threshold sticks out from the door frame into the room quite a bit, leaving a gap on each side to deal with. I am thinking that I could trim the reducer to the length of the threshold, and cut the laminate such that it very closely runs up the side of the reducer, then under the jamb which I would undercut JUST enough to hide the floor and seal it (mother nature is on the other side of that door), with an expansion gap at the walls beside the jamb covered by quarter round. I have matching color sealant that I could use to seal the small gap between the sides of the reducer/threshold and the laminate floor to fill in that gap. I'm not sure how this would look, but it's the best idea I've thought of yet.
Concerns: I have been very good about using spacers to ensure the expansion gap is good everywhere, and in order for this to look good I feel I'd have to have almost no gap as the floor ran up the sides of the threshold, the small gap I plan to seal. Is this a bad idea? Note that I am on the ground floor on concrete in southern california without huge temperature / humidity swings, and it's not really possible for rain to reach the front of my outside door since it's covered, I've got the proper expansion gap everywhere else, and proper moisture barrier/pad underneath the floor.
If I go with #2:
-I do not currently know remove the door threshold. I can see glue in the bottom corners but no screws. I'm on concrete, so maybe it's simply glued down. There is duct tape all over it that MIGHT be hiding screws (I have no idea why the previous owner did this, I'm almost scared to pull it up and see what it might be hiding).
-I live in a condo, with an HOA. I cannot find anything in our rules and regulations about the door threshold, and what I'm allowed to do or not do or if I can replace it with something else. I walked around other condos in my complex and saw nothing but the same threshold as mine, so I suspect it's not an option for me to switch it out with a new one. So, if I damage my current one pulling it up, I may be stuck with it.
-Wouldn't this make the threshold higher on one side due to being pushed up against the laminate? Would it still make a good seal? Could this make it so high that the door won't close?
I think #1 would be easier to do because I don't have to mess with the threshold, but #2 would look cleaner.
What would you do to finish off this area? I'm open to any and all suggestions.
Thanks.

Welcome aboard...
The threshold is most likely an integral part of the door and you will not be able to simply remove and tuck the laminate under it. The floor also needs room to move and breathe so you don't want to bind it under a threshold.
Only option I see is the reducer and make it look good.
For starters, undercut the door casing AND the baseboard on both sides of the door. Also undercut about 3 to 4 inches of baseboard on the long walls either side. Plan on tucking the floor under all this trim. Shoe molding will make the area look finished.
As far as the reducer trim, you have 2 options, make a 45 or 90 degree corner on either side of the door and plan on tucking the reducer under the casing as well. Being on a slab, this creates problems as far as how you fasten down the reducer. The carpet industry has a product that is used to adhere carpet tack strips to concrete slabs when nails will not hold, its called Chemtrex. I get it in a specialty supply stores that deals mostly with contractors. Comes in a tube like liquid nails, but works far better. In fact, your can stretch a carpet within 30 minutes of application. You spread it out, mist it with water to activate and set your molding, that simple.
I would check how well the vinyl is stuck to the slab. Suspect that duck tape was use as a cheap fix by a previous installer. If the vinyl is loose in the area of your reducer strips, remove a strip so that your adhesives will bond to the concrete and not loose vinyl.

You will want to take base molding off or you can put quarter round down to cover the gaps. A osolating saw is what you will need to the door jams. 1/4 is what most likly you will need for expsnstion.

It's Chemrex not Chemtrex. sorry for the typo on the adhesive recommendation for use on a slab.
Chemrex CX-948 Carpet Tack Strip Adhesive, 30 oz. Cartridge | Tools4Flooring.com

Thanks for the replies.
I worked on it this weekend, and decided to go with czizzi's advice and make the transition strip go up the sides. I used 45 degree cuts, similar to how I do an outside corner on quarter round, so that the reducer wraps around the door threshold and then goes up under the door casing. I did plenty of undercutting of the casing and baseboards to help hide the transition strip + expansion gaps of the floor.
I still need to glue the transition strips, and mount the molding, but I'm already happy with how it's turning out. I'll post pictures eventually when it's all done.
Czizzi: The vinyl was still glued plenty enough for me to not want to have to tear it up. I already have liquid nails and have used that to glue the transition strips to the slab without any issue. How good will the liquid nails adhere to the vinyl? I'll have to check the label to see if its good for that or not. I'm trying to decide if what I have will do the trick or if I need to order something like the chemrex you suggested.

Check your liquid nails, they make several formulas, not all are rated for flooring applications. What will not hurt is the try the product you have on hand, if it doesn't hold up, then invest in the professional grade stuff.


Tags: laminate, floor, front, door, threshold, liquid nails, quarter round, door threshold, that could, against threshold, door casing, either side, floor under

house-hold-grease-trap

i own an older home 50's and found out after 3 years of living here that it has a grease trap that only the kitchen sink drains into and then leads to the septic/ the rest has a different pipe going straight to septic. twice i have dug up the cap and unplugged the line leading to the septic. first time just stuffing a water hose down it(lasted 6 months) and second i used a drain king and that lasted 1 1/2 years(at which we also try our best not to allow grease down the drain). so my question am i doomed to continue digging this thing up and flushing out or is there a way to stop all this madness.

What does the stuff look like that is clogging the grease trap? If it's white or grease looking I hate to say that the trap is doing it's job.

yes it is grease/fat that is clogging it. i just wonder is there a way to not have to un clog it so often. could i do away with it? i helped install septic systems when i was younger but never seen any with a grease trap. does the age of the system prevent me from turning it in to just junction box?

we also try our best not to allow grease down the drain
And yet the grease trap still gets clogged.
Sure......you could eliminate the grease trap and allow all that grease into the septic pit.
IMO.....doesn't sound like the best course of action though.

Can you add a grease trap to the main line before it exits the house where it would be easily accessible?
I feel your pain. I have a 2 pipe for gray water only that runs 200 ft to a cesspool made of dry stacked cinderblock. I've had to dig it up twice about 1/3 the way out to unclog it. The last time even a motorized snake didn't get it. I ended up getting one of those hose attachments that expands to seal the pipe so the water pressure can blow the obstruction out. Shoved the hose in the pipe almost 100 ft. It was 50 degrees at the time so the hose was stiff.
That didn't work with 40 psi max well pressure, but connecting my 120 psi air compressor to the garden hose did . Luckily, the hose held up. I followed up with a gallon of that nasty drain cleaner acid that comes in a plastic jug with a plastic bag over it. Not recommended for a septic system, but for a dry well I figured it shouldn't hurt.
The pipe where I dug it up had about 1/4 buildup of white gunk. We don't eat a lot of fatty foods so I wonder if a lot of it isn't soap scum buildup? Not sure what they make soap out of these days but I know it used to include lard or some kind of animal fat. There's conflicting opinions whether brewers yeast can help with this problem. It may be worth a try.

I agree with the comments that the grease trap is doing its job and it is probably a lot less expensive to keep it functioning than to replace your septic system. Think in the range of $10,000 for a new system, but you can call to get a better number for your area. Best to keep what you have working as long as you can.
As Crispy suggested, adding another trap before the exit would allow you to capture most of the grease where you can easily take care of it. Search under sink grease traps.
We had a grease issue years ago and, as wonderful a man as he was, we discovered that my father-in-law (living with us) was just dumping all grease down the drain. We purchased some special plastic containers for him to use and took care of the grease every night.
Bud

Grease is possibly the most damaging thing for a septic system. I have not seen anything that can kill a leach field faster than grease so don't take it lightly.
If you are clogging a grease trap you are letting a lot of grease go down the drain and it is doing it's job and should remain. If you change your ways and stop allowing so much grease to go down the drain the trap will not fill and clog and your problem is solved. If you continue to put grease down the drain in quantity then relocating or installing a clean out is your next option to make servicing the trap easier. I would not consider removing the trap. If may be a pain to clean but it is protecting your septic system.

Possibly you are not cleaning it properly.... This I found on You tube and is the proper way, from when I used to clean them....

i wish mine was metal. mine is concrete with a 4 inch thick lid and a half a foot under dirt. guess my best bet would be to add a sepate trap inside. but still would love to hear other ideas. im sure i wont be doing anything till it warms up.

Why are you pouring grease down the drain?
Stop doing that then take the baffle out of your grease trap.
Be warned though. Do not throw grease down the drain... Septics can cost upward of 30K

lawrosa
once we found out we had this issue we catch all grease that we can and toss in the trash(stated this in first post). my luck is that its the dishwasher/Landry(sorry i forgot to say they to went through it) soap doing the damage now. the last time i took it apart i drained /scraped all i could out of it. (white chunky). and let the drain king flow for 15 mins. Drain King vs. Comp - YouTube
not sure take baffle out with out cracking the traps walls , it to is concrete and apears to be made in a mold sort-of deal. ideas? i dont work with concrete so not sure how fragile it is. thanks for any help.


Tags: house, grease, trap, down drain, grease down, grease down drain, grease trap, septic system, grease trap, that grease, allow grease

fuel-efficient-oil-boilers-biasi-or-buderus

I am building a new 2 storey 2000 square foot house which will have an oil boiler hot water system using baseboard and cast iron rads. The oil furnace will have an indirect water tank attached also. I have been looking at the biasi B10, indirect water tank with outdoor temp sensor as well as the Buderus G115, indirect water tank and its outdoor temp sensor. Both systems boast that they are 30-40% more efficient than conventional oil boilers becuase of their 3 pass burner design and their regulator/temp sensors. I can get both setups around the same price but I'm not sure which one would be the most efficient? longest lasting? etc etc. Anyone know? or have experience with them?

Three-pass boilers are great, add Slant Fin, Viessmann, the Burnham MPO and some others to that list. Energy Kinetics makes a steel boiler that might merit attention--some love it, some hate it
ODR and an indirect will save you a bunch too.
First things first: You must do a heat loss for the new building and ensure the boiler is properly sized! Most boilers end up being two or three times larger than needed. The LONGER the boiler runs, the more efficient it is. A short cycling boiler is inefficient and wastes energy--kind of like flooring your car and breaking hard to keep at the speed limit!
The installation is as important as the boiler hardware. It must be sized and installed properly to work properly.
Also, consider that stack temps on the higher efficiency boilers will be typically under 400 degrees. They are often low enough where chimney and connector pipe condensation can occur. You may need to consider a stainless steel liner--I believe they are code in Maine for new installs?
I own a Biasi B4 and Tekmar 260 and I am fairly happy with it. It isn't the highest end boiler out there, but it seems to do the job. My oil tech measured it at 87% AFUE.
Since your building the house, you have the best opportunity right now for future savings by insulating to the hilt and choosing the best windows and doors you can afford.
Pete

Lifespan, efficiency, price... how would you prioritize them?
Some other solid 3 pass names with modern designs...
Burnham MPO
W-M Ultra Oil
Slant-Fin Eutectic (actually a DeDietrich)
Viessmann's Vitola if price isn't much of a factor
For the highest efficiency you could consider:
Peerless Ultra Oil (made in Europe by Hovel)
Monitor FCX
Did either contractor do a heatloss calculation? Neither boiler will work as well as the other if sized wrong.

The contractor is doing a heat loss for me. However, I did use Slant Fin's software for determining the heat loss. Assuming I filled in everything correct, I am coming up with a heat loss of 92,000.
I would prioritize them in 1st: efficiency 2nd: price 3rd: lifespan

What's the real difference between a Biasi, Buderus or Burham 3-pass? You should weigh payback versus cost when you are looking at a 2 or 3 percent savings. I don't think there will be a large difference between any 3-pass boiler that is properly sized, properly installed and setup correctly with an ODR unit. A Buderus with the Logamatic control is pretty pricy. Viessmann is right up there too. How long to recoup two or three thousand dollars when you're burning 800 gallons a year? Three percent of 3000 dollars is what? You may have to move into the condensing oil boilers to see any real savings, or even go over to a gas mod/con gas system. Are the condensing oil boilers a proven product in this country as of yet? I don't have the answers to that one.
I'm not trying to be smart, but those are the questions going through my mind when I think about your options. I don't have the answers, just trying to give you ideas to mull over. Hope they help.
peter

Can you do piping?
If so...
Get a good design and twist enough pipe (black iron's best) or solder well enough (boiler piping is much easier to solder since you can use 50/50 lead solder) to get your boiler room ready for a new boiler. The piping and layout needs to be very good calibre. Then the boiler is a changeout. Whoever bids the job isn't bidding unknowns and the labor is way down for them. Who knows (no pun), maybe that puts the Viessmann Vitola 200 into contention. That boiler requires no return water protection.
Minimal zones (TRVs ideally and a #916;P pump once they cost less than a grand - for now Grundfos 15-58s on the zones) controlled by a Taco 50?-EXP with the stats of your choice. The ODR for that zone controller is under $300 and the EXP adds about $80, but I really like the plug in controller it gives you. Choose a nice simple curve, don't worry about low return temps. Viessmann's controllers don't add enough value to pay for themselves and do you want to waste a week learning have the boiler superheat the water once a week so that you can keep the temp safely at 120° for the rest of the week.
It has a condensing secondary HX available in Europe that may arrive here once oil is all low sulphur.
Still, that would be my choice of boiler. I'd actually say going anything above the smallest model (72 MBH output) would be a tremendous waste and if you use that much hot water, you should use solar. A good installer wouldn't second guess you on the sizing if you would put it in writing that you are responsible for any errors in sizing (only fair for him right? and me I'll be hiding in Alaska) although he might advise you not to or that any recovery at design might be completely gone - which actually is perfect sizing. Still, when he goes to install it, seeing the nice piping would help get you the very best boiler at a more manageable price. If you can get some consensus here on the design, you'll know you're on the right track.
They make a great indirect too, but the price is just nuts... tops in efficiency and life - the horicell is an amazing small indirect but about twice the price or more of a tank-in-tank design which I'd rate second best. The horicell would go under the boiler and look amazing!!! The horicell in glass instead of stainless steel would probably still outlive you and take some of the equipment sting away.
May guess would be that if you had all the piping and controls ready for just a Viessmann combo the price would be about the same as what you'd pay for a Biasi or Buderus, but at a reduced efficiency. The extra would be what you spend in piping. Even just better controls and piping on your current boiler might make it a next year proposition for when some condensing oil boilers get proven.
Heating oil will be $5 a gallon... but nobody knows when yet.
Anyway, that'd be my advice...

WTF? 92K on a new 2000 square foot home?
Here's the specs on my 1975 brick backsplit that with a 0° design specs at 57K and is actually only about 37K based on logging a modcon boiler at and below design.
- brick backslplit, low pitched hip roof
- lower roof well insulated, upper roof probably as bad as lower roof was
- 3 uninsulated active recessed lamps in bathroom that would be well clear of insulation
- kitchen vaulted, poor insulation, 2 mediocre skylights
- upper launding valulted, 4 x 4 mediocre skylight
- windows new but half are marginal design (leaky - wanted casements and was sold sliders)
- front door very leaky, although house is tight
- walls insulated with crap 3 fibreglass
- basement is overinsulated compared to upper walls
- 4 levels @ 600 sf each plus 600 sf crawlspace
- crawlspace 54 clear space R5 1 XPS insulated
- crawlspace and lowest level on uninsulated slab
- low infiltration due to quality bricklaying offsets poor insulation
A new house and you can't do better than 92K? Fuel's going up... you should be able to get the heatloss down to 50K easy and way way less if you try hard enough.
Insulation's gonna go way up if fuel ever gets super expensive... I'd do it now.

you wound-up with, ya bought the WRONG house!
Perhaps you and Mike Holmes should get together and solve everyone`s problems?

Like I said, I did the heat loss assessment myself, and it was my first time so it could e way off- and really I'm saying it is a 2000 sq/ft house but I'm not thinking of the basement so it would be more. I live in a generally rural area and there aren't too many boiler options. These two just happen to be the onle two high efficient boilers in my area.
I'll question it like this then, which brand is generally known to be more efficient, buderus or biasi?

I would double check my numbers if I were you. My house was built in 1978 and is 2400 sq ft. I just ran the heat loss last weekend and it is 38k. My last house was built in 1919 and had no sidewall insulation. It has 10” in the attic ceiling and 3.5” in the floor. That home was 1800 sq ft. The heat loss was 70k. I feel you may have made a mistake in your calculation.

I'll question it like this then, which brand is generally known to be more efficient, buderus or biasi?
Piped identically, I'd doubt there there'd be much difference.
***** ***** ***** ***** *****
Olsen, sorry you didn't follow. My house is far from perfect for having minimal heatloss, but starting new with modern (not 1975) building techniques, should a 2000 sf home ever have 100 K heatloss? You be the judge, I think you like that roll.

and full of these insulation deficiencies.
Didn`t catch your date,,I stand corrected.
And no, I can`t see 100K heatloss at all in a new 2000sf house!

Olsen, exactly... in fact around here at least where building codes are far more what the builders want than what home buyers need, I would in fact bet money that a 2000 sg ft home with even an 60K heatloss would have to fail code in order to have a heatloss that great.

even at 60K that`s a lot.
Did you say you`re in Canada, where abouts?, I have relatives up there.
Olsen.

The Toronto area...

Sorry about the Mike Holmes crack,,,I hear he`s a stickler for perfection up there!

It is _very_ worthwhile to do an accurate heat loss for a variety of reasons.
However, if you are going to have an indirect water heater, then you are generally obligated to size the boiler to that, because typically it will require BTU input much higher than the heat loss.
Example: my heat loss is about 47k BTU/hr at design. I have a 40gal indirect that would like to see about 100k BTU for full rated performance. If I used a 50k boiler, my indirect would take forever and a day to recover.
So here's what I did, which might work for you, too. It's also fairly common practice. Nothing new here.
I split the difference and got an 84k output boiler. It's 30+k more than the house needs, and 15-20k less than the indirect wants. But, I put an anti-scald tempering valve on the indirect output to the house, and keep the tank at 140F. This basically makes the tank seem larger than it is because typical domestic supply temps are ~110F. By keeping the tank hot, the boiler will start to recover the indirect before the whole thing gets significantly below what the house hot supply temp is.
We have yet to have a hot water supply problem.
Now that you have an oversized boiler for the home's heat loss, the way to mitigate that is by using an outdoor reset control and associated piping strategy (what kind will depend on the boiler, and the planned supply temperatures over the range of outdoor temps/heat loss that you experience during heating season). The reset control keeps the supply temps low, and the piping strategy protects the boiler from low temperatures that produce damaging condensation, and maximizes the energy used when it does fire. This is one area where playing with the heat loss at various outdoor temps, and sizing the radiation to allow lower supply temps can really pay off.

Hi
I replaced a 40 y.o Utica boiler, a bullet proof boiler. I only bought one replacement burner and one replacement transformer in the 40 years.
Retired contractor here. 2 complete years with the Biasi with indirect H.W. heater. I purchased the Biasi only because the local guy here was thousands of dollars more with the Buderus boiler. I am very satisfied with the Biasi. My life long experience tells me to be cautious about efficiencies published by the manufacturer. The most important percentage is the efficiency after the installation is made! My guy used the Riello burner and Taco controls. I would say my unit is louder than the Buderus do in part to the buderus' cabinet design and insulation. Unless you're sleeping with the boiler the noise is not a factor. My wife pays the bills and says we are doing much better. We can't give an exact percentage because we have been away for several weeks during the winter compared to years back when we were working all the time. Oh, we put in a second oil filter .... boiler guy said Riello's run better ... I usually follow the advice of my subs. Last thing, I have a customer that put a Biasi in his second home in Maine the plumber bought 2 large hot water heater blankets and wrapped the Biasi with them. Guess what the boiler room temperature went down.... saving energy. You pro's would know better if this practice is advised. I like the Biasi, the system and installation ... all top notch.

I've had a Biasi and some of the toys, and we are very happy with it. Its a tad oversized but compared with my old pin boiler, we are approaching 30-40% savings, if I had discovered DIY sooner, I would have did the heat loss before I got the new boiler. Great forum.
Sid

I would pay attention to the Burnham MPO 3 pass boiler. They just introduced the IQ control on this product which has some nice features. It is very similar to the ES2 control.
The basic control has pump pre and post purge that you can enable and set a time period, One heat zone and one indirect zone with no additional external controls or relays. Two heat zones, if no IWH, with the addition of a SPST relay. Troubleshooting codes from the aquastat and primary control, read the cad cell ohms on the aquastat screen, boiler running hours and number of cycles.
If you chose pre-purge on the pump, given a heat demand, the boiler is above 140f the pump starts and the burner will not fire until the boiler gets below 140f. This helps avoid short cycling.
Also has plug in controls for LWCO and ODR to make wiring much easier. An optional display for troubleshooting and ease of set-up on control is available.
Check out Consumer Reports for September and you will see the ES2 and MPO-IQ are listed as Best Buys for 2010.


Tags: fuel, efficient, boilers, biasi, buderus, heat loss, indirect water, more efficient, Biasi Buderus, boiler that

Corbin Mortise Lock Removal

Hi all,
I have a Corbin mortise lock I can't figure out remove and am hoping someone here can give me some insight into the issue.
The door mechanism has a grip handle with a thumb push latch on the outside and a knob on the inside. The mechanism looks as though it should slide out the edge of the door, except the mortise lock is retaining it inside the door.
It appears as though the mortise lock is used to disengage both the deadbolt and door latch at the same time.
The issue is the key is missing and the lock unusable. I simply lock the door by pushing the pins in on the edge of the door and then use another door as the entry.
I have removed the screws that should be retaining the mortise lock but it refuses to unscrew at all. I took all the hardware of both the outside and inside, but the mechanism is still retained in the door by the mortise lock.
There are no more screws anywhere that I can see to allow the lock to rotate out of the mechanism.
Any ideas? I sure could use the help.

I'm not sure but it sounds like you removed the small screw that holds the cylinder in. If so then that is all that should be holding it in. If the cylinder still doesn't unscrew then use a pipe wrench or something else to get a grip on the cylinder and turn it. If you can find a key that fits into the cylinder that may work to turn it out.

Let me confirm, as mgmine assumes, that by mortise lock, you mean the key cylinder which does indeed screw into the mortise lock case....and with everything else removed, including loosening the key cylinder set screw 3 or turns, a lock of this vintage, presumably not having been serviced in 25-30 yrs, can be tough to remove. Look at the rim of the cylinder to see if others have had to use a pipe wrench or channel locks to install/remove it. These cylinders are easy to cross-thread if forced on in that manner, will require forcing off as well.

Thank you for the suggestions. I may not have explained myself as well as I should have:
I am not able to unscrew the mortise cylinder from the lock. Although I have removed the faceplate retaining screws at the top and bottom, the face plate does not seem to want to come off. From viewing other posts on this subject I am lead to believe I need to get the face plate off in order to access and loosen the set screw that may be retaining the cylinder. I found a key for the lock. It's very worn and has to be jiggled to get the pins to the shear line. With the key, I can slightly get the handle grip latch to move. The deadbolt will not move in the least. Although I don't know if it's possible, I suspect it's the deadbolt that may be seized somehow in the faceplate, not allowing me to pry it off. Is this possible? There were no prior signs of anyone trying to crank the cylinder out of the lock.
I did use a small pipe wrench gently on it but only got the brass cover to rotate, not the cylinder itself. It still seems very solid, suggesting the set screw may be still firmly in place. I simply cannot access the set screw, since it appears the face plate won't come off. It last functioned properly about 10 years ago. See pictures 19 and 20 at: http://www.baldwinhardware.com/suppo...structions.pdf
I don't want to destroy the threads in the lock by ripping the cylinder out with a pipe wrench. I just can't understand why the face plate won't come off, allowing access to the set screw.
I absolutely appreciate everyone's response.

Look at picture 19 is the set screw still installed? Is so then you need to remove it, if not then you need to do what ever you can to turn the cylinder out. If there isn't any sign of a set screw or a hole for one then I can't imagine how the cylinder is being secured.

Some of the really old mortise locks didn't even use a faceplate, but if the screws you removed were tiny, like
#6-32 X 1/4, then those were the faceplate screws allright.
(But if they were bigger, like #12-24 or #12 wood screws, those were the lock case screws, and you don't have a faceplate.)
Has the door been re-finished/painted/caulked around the faceplate? Can you clearly see the edges?

I tried prying up what should be the face plate, but the whole lock seemed to move with it.
There were two screw holes located next to each other. One of the holes had a #12 screw that was about 2 long. I assumed this held the cylinder in. I was still unable to budge the cylinder after removing the screw, which suggests the retaining screw is still intact somewhere. All visible screws have been removed (the plate retaining screws and the 2 screw). There are no more screw hols visible, unless this is a cover plate and the set screw exists under the face plate. I will take a closer look at everything shortly. I just don't want to damage the door or the threads on the cylinder hole.

I am told the lock is an original 1927 lock. I was able to pry the end of the face out slightly. It does not look like there is a face plate covering any set screws.
I did spray some wd-40 into the lock cylinder and into the two holes that had the #12 screws in them. I'll try tomorrow, hoping something has loosened up.

There is a tool that most locksmiths have, designed to fit around the mortise cylinder and persuade the cylinder to unscrew.
As to the retaining screw issues, most of the retainers you speak of do not work like this in these brands of wooden door mortise locks.
The retainer screw hold a V shaped block that sits into the threaded cylinder body preventing it from unscrewing. Removing this screw usually tightens the block against the cylinder. You might need to put the screw back in and tighten it to allow the V block to separate from the threaded cylinder allowing the cylinder to unscrew.

I could be wrong, but I don't remember Corbin using the retainer block as described by Global, and at any rate, you describe 2 holes, next to each other, opposite the cylinder, with one 2 screw in the hole nearest the cylinder, (the other hole being used for an opposite handed door). The block retainers usually employ one centrally located screw to retain a cylinder on either side of the lock case.
The ring around the cylinder makes it very difficult to get a channel-lock or similar on the cylinder to unscrew it, but if you crush it in getting the cylinder out, your smithy will have a variety of replacement rings.
Oh, and most mortise locks of this vintage did not have a separate faceplate, (sometimes called a scalp or front).


Tags: corbin, mortise, lock, face plate, mortise lock, pipe wrench, cylinder unscrew, lock case, mortise locks, screw still, screw that, access screw, cylinder still

Baseboard Bullnose Base Corners

I am planning on installing new baseboard throughout my house. All of the outside corners are 3/4 bullnose. I am trying to determine if using the prefabricated rounded bullnose base corners is a good approach. Does anyone have good or bad experiences? Lessons learned? Tricks to making it look top notch? Thanks.
Also, I have several inside 45-degree corners where the drywall is rounded. There is not a true corner. Any advice?

I've done it 2 ways. Using the prefab corners makes it easy, but they are pretty pricey. The other way to do it is to cut a small corner piece, maybe 3/4 wide in back, that has a 22.5 degree angle on each side. The base on each side of it would also have 22.5 degree angles and when you put them all together, they round a 90 degree corner. It leaves a small gap on top of the trim, which isn't a big deal usually, but if you prefer to caulk and paint it, it's pretty unnoticeable, provided you do a nice job with the trimwork. A little tough to do for a novice, but once you do a few of them, you get better at it.

I'll second that plan. I just finished doing exactly that, using 5/8 width on the back (with 22.5 degree cuts). It wasn't very hard and came out looking really slick. The gap at the top is very small).
With a miter saw you can shave your pieces down (just a little at a time) to get a near perfect fit. Of course your center-piece is so small that you can't safely play with it on the saw, but the sides you sure can.
I didn't even try to nail the center piece. Once I had the fit I needed, I nailed the sides and glued the center in place.
Good Luck!

Thanks. I think I am going w/ rounded pre-fab corners (my wife likes them). Any advice on installing them? I have heard that you nail the corners in first and then fill in w/ the straight pieces.

nvisser,
What did you do at the corners to make the joints look nice? I am doing this right now, and wonder if I should not worry so much about the 22.5 degree angles hitting perfectly.
I assume that I could caulk the joints then paint and you would not even notice, but I would like input from somebody who has done it.
Thanks!

Why don't do you just butt one piece up tight to the corner, cut the other piece that butts to that one at a 45 and cope it with a coping saw?? One small bead of caulk and and it looks perfect. I caulk all my trim anyway.

General Lee brings up a very good point. Most trim experts do not even go into the mitre thing. They simply cope for an even fit. And, whether you mitre or cope, you still usually need to fill gaps. You can cheat and use the corner plinths to skip mitering the inside corners.
Outside corners? You would have to educate me. No one where I live has introduced such a piece to cheat on the angles on outside corners on baseboards.
Then, there is the issue of shoe moulding or quarter round? What are you doing to address that issue?


Tags: baseboard, bullnose, base, corners, degree angles, each side

2002 Ford Explorer 4x4 Not Working

02 Explorer with push button 4x4 92K miles. When I push the buttons, it wont engage. I assume that there is a module that controls this but not sure. Also get a loud vibration in the front end when driving down the road. There is a slight vibration in the front end as well. This happens at pretty much any speed. Any suggestions?

When you push the buttons to disengage the 4 wheel drive, do the vibrations stop?

The 4x4 is not enganged so the buttons arent really doing anything that I can tell, but to answer the question no, the noise doesnt stop.

Sometimes you can start engaging a 4X4 and it may not be able to complete the process. It may be where you are getting the vibration - something isn't completely locked in. If you disengage the system completely, then try again it may work.
What is the procedure your manual gives you for putting it into four wheel drive ( I assume it's just pushing the 4 wheel drive switch) and taking it out? Does it require backing up about fifteen feet to disengage the front hubs? The later eighties did on the Rangers with auto lock hubs is why I'm asking.
Bob

Originally Posted by katce2004
02 Explorer with push button 4x4 92K miles. When I push the buttons, it wont engage. I assume that there is a module that controls this but not sure. Also get a loud vibration in the front end when driving down the road. There is a slight vibration in the front end as well. This happens at pretty much any speed. Any suggestions?
Hi katce, hopefully I can help here, I turn a wrench at the local Ford dealer. Yes the 4x4 is controlled by a module, it is located behind the glovebox. If I had to make a guess, I would say the module is bad, they are a common problem with those vehicles. Some common things you can see from the drivers' seat are, what do the 4x4 lights on the dash do? If they come on for a bulb check and then begin flashing for no good reason, or both lights are on all the time, or they don't work at all it's probably the module. Unfortunately for you the only way to know for sure is to use a scan tool, and it's a pretty pricey guess.
Good Luck

For hiflyn:
With a bad module, will that cause the vibration and are those full time hubs or autolocking?
Thanks,
Bob

Originally Posted by marbobj
For hiflyn:
With a bad module, will that cause the vibration and are those full time hubs or autolocking?
Thanks,
Bob
2002 explorer does not use hubs at all, the front axle is always engaged and the module engages the transfer case to get 4x4.
The noise/vibration is probably a bad wheel bearing, also very common in that vehicle.

Thanks for the information. I was going to buy one of those, about that year. I had always had such good luck with my Rangers - put on a lot of miles with no problems and the 4 x4 with the autolocking hub setup always worked perfectly..


Tags: 2002, ford, explorer, vibration front, push buttons, wheel drive, When push, When push buttons, Also loud, Also loud vibration, Also loud vibration front, Also loud vibration front when

What Is The Meaning Of Stock Market Option Letters

Options are derivatives of an underlying stock or other security that are useful tools to manage or transfer risk to a counter-party. Like stocks, options have symbols to identify their related stock, as well as a controlling price and an expiration date.

Security Identifier

The root symbol for an option, whether it's a call or put, is the same as the ticker symbol of the underlying shares. For example, options and stocks on Intel Corporation use the ticker symbol INTC.

Expiration Date

Options expire on the third Friday of each month, typically at least every three months. The next piece of information in the option symbol is the expiration date, which is listed in a year/month/day format. For example, a 120121 represents an expiration date of Jan. 21, 2012.

Call or Put

The third piece of information denotes the call option type. C identifies the option as a call and P denotes it is a put option.

Strike Price

The final piece of identification is the strike price, the price at which the underlying stock is controlled. This price is represented with a series of numerals. There is no decimal point, so a strike of 00022500 indicates the option strike price is $22.50, 00065000 represents a $65 strike price and so on.

The Best Firming Night Creams With No Parabens

Paraben-free night creams will help firm and hydrate without chemical preservatives.

Parabens can be found in a wide range of personal care products such as shampoos, shave gels and commercial moisturizers. Parabens have been known to mimic the hormone estrogen and may play a role in the development of breast cancer, although this is controversial, and most of the cosmetics industry maintains that parabens are safe. Parabens are essentially preservatives and help extend the shelf life of cosmetic products. Without parabens, these products can more easily harbor bacteria. Moisturizers will be labeled paraben-free and will have an expiration date.

Yes to Carrots Repairing Night Cream

This moisturizer gives an extra boost of hydration at night. By promoting moisture retention, it helps make skin smooth, soft and firm. This night cream is made of all-natural ingredients like organic carrots, which the company says will protect skin from damaging free radicals; Vitamin E to heal, hydrate and protect skin; and dead sea mud, which is intended to cleanse and hydrate the skin.

Elmiplant Anti-Aging and Firming Night Cream

This reasonably priced night cream has caviar, which, according to the company, is rich in peptides and amino acids and regenerates the skin from the innermost layer. Ceramides restore elasticity and firm skin as they boost cell renewal, the company says. This night moisturizer is popular for its collagen, which helps lift and firm fine lines and wrinkles.

Vichy Liftactiv Derm Source Anti-Wrinkle and Firming Care Night Cream

This new line from Vichy skincare is gaining popularity in France for what the company calls its complete anti-wrinkle and firming action for the skin. Vichy says skin will feel lifted, smoothed and firm, with fewer wrinkles and more radiance. This exclusive formula is enriched with 5 percent Rhamnose, which is naturally derived and affects the epidermal skin cell layer, according to Vichy.

Lumene Firming Night Cream

This velvety cream helps to fortify the skin during the night. Arctic heather protects the skin's elastin fiber, and plant proteins activate the skin's collagen production, according to the manufacturer. This night cream is popular for skin of all ages from dry to normal/combination.

Natural Cures For Male Yeast Infection

A yeast infection is not limited to females. Yeast infections found in males are caused by candida albicans, the same organism responsible for vaginal yeast infections. A yeast infection on the male genitals is called balanitis.

The infection is often mistakenly viewed as a sexually transmitted disease (STD). Although it is occasionally shared through sexual intercourse, it is not considered an STD (http://www.youryeastinfection.com/male-yeast-infections.htm)

Recognizing a Yeast Infection

Before beginning any form of treatment, it is important that your condition is correctly diagnosed.

The symptoms of a male yeast infection can include any combination of the following: irritation and itching of the head of the penis, a burning sensation when urinating, a red rash or small white blisters. Although uncommon, a white discharge from the penis can be another symptom (http://www.home-remedies-yeast-infection.com/male-yeast-infection-symptoms.html).

If you are unsure about your symptoms, it is best to visit your physician.

What Causes a Male Yeast Infection?

Yeast naturally grows in warm and moist areas. Uncircumcised males are more prone to infections because the foreskin of their penis often remains moist. Tight-fitting underwear and synthetic clothing that can cause perspiration also help provide the right atmosphere for the yeast to grow.

Antibioitic use is another major cause. Antibiotics strip the body of harmful bacteria but also kill the helpful bacteria that work to fight off illness. Once the helpful bacteria have been destroyed, candida yeast is able to grow undisturbed.

Eating food high in sugar and alcohol abuse can also promote the overgrowth of yeast in the intestines. Once this happens, yeast infections can show up in other areas of the body such as the mouth or groin area (http://stanford.wellsphere.com/complementary-alternative-medicine-article/natural-remedies-to-cure-male-yeast-infection/760201).

Natural Cures

Using a natural cure is the best choice for a male yeast infection. Natural remedies are much safer than harsh antifungal medications and generally don't have any side effects.

Natural cures include the following treatments:

Keep the affected area clean and dry. An absorbent powder can be used to help keep your perspiration to a minimum.

Natural yogurt can be used to paint the area. The healthy bacteria found in yogurt help fight the candida yeast. Make yogurt that contains active cultures part of your regular diet.

Olive leaf and oregano herbal supplements can be used to fight candida.

Tea Tree oil, a natural antifungal, can be painted on the area daily. It can be used as a gargle for oral candida outbreaks.

Combine 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/2 cup salt in a warm bath. Soak for about 20 minutes.

Garlic is a natural antifungal. Purchase garlic capsules from your health food store or eat fresh garlic to combat the yeast infection (http://stanford.wellsphere.com/complementary-alternative-medicine-article/natural-remedies-to-cure-male-yeast-infection/760201).

Preveting Yeast Infections from Returning

Once their infection has cleared and the itching and irritation are gone, it is important to practice yeast infection prevention.

Keep your penis clean and as dry as possible.Yeast thrives in moist, warm places that aren't well ventilated.

Avoid sugar, alcohol, and breads as much as possible.

Refrain from sexual intercourse until your partner has been treated for yeast infection as well.

Continue to eat yogurt that contains active cultures (http://www.youryeastinfection.com/male-yeast-infections.htm).

Treat Gum Pain

Gum pain is a common complaint among people of all age groups. There are a few things you can do to help alleviate the gum pain.

Instructions

1. Gargle with salt water. Preferably warm.

2. Take 1 tsp collodial silver a day for approx. 3 days.

3. Take motrin

4. Take extra strength sinus medication, it could be your sinuses acting up and pressing on a nerve to the gums.

5. Brush gums with a baking soda and water paste and a SOFT toothbrush

6. Apply ambesol

7. If you have an abscess, persistent pain, chronic bleeding gums or nothing seems to alleviate your pain, make an appointment to see your dentist asap.

Tips Warnings

Choose whether to try the motrin or the sinus medication. Do not mix medications. If one doesn't work, try the other after the given amount of time listed on the bottle you took meds from for next dose. (usually 4 hours)

Repair A Sewing Machine

Sewing machines are heavy-duty appliances that can stand up to years of use. And when one stops working, often the machine just needs a good cleaning and oiling, or replacement of a simple part like the drive belt.

Instructions

1. Unfasten the top, bottom, side and handwheel covers, using a screwdriver. Set the covers aside.

2. Remove the plate that covers the thread bobbin. If it is screwed in place, use a screwdriver. If it is held by a clip or magnet, use a small flathead screwdriver to pry up the plate.

3. Thoroughly clean inside all the openings, using a vacuum with crevice attachment. Remove any stubborn lint, and use tweezers to take out any thread that is wound around the parts.

4. Clean the teeth on the gears, using the tip of a round toothpick to loosen the grime. Vacuum to remove it.

5. Lubricate all the moving parts. Use white lithium grease on the gears, and sewing machine oil on the other parts.

6. Reassemble the machine and plug it in.

7. Remove the top cover, bottom cover and handwheel cover, using a screwdriver to take out the screws.

8. Inspect the drive belt. If it is slack, use your screwdriver to loosen the screws that hold the motor in place, then follow step 4, below, to increase the belt's tension. If the belt is cracked or broken, get a replacement from your sewing machine supplier.

9. Install the new belt. Loosen the motor-mounting screws, and shift the motor toward the handwheel so you can slip the belt over the parts.

10. Shift the motor away from the handwheel to increase the belt's tension, then tighten the motor-mounting screws and check the tension. The belt should flex no more than 1/2 inch (12 mm). If it is too loose, increase the tension.

11. Reinstall the covers and plug in the machine.

Tips Warnings

Over-oiling a sewing machine will encourage grime buildup and can lead to premature part failure. Apply just one drop of oil to each location.

To keep your sewing machine operating smoothly, clean and oil it after every 8 to 10 hours of operation.

To avoid electric shock and prevent your fingers from getting jammed between moving parts, always unplug your machine before working on it.

Program A Wayne Dalton Remote Opener

Wayne Dalton garage door openers are mechanical openers that make it easier to enter and exit your garage. The garage door openers are operated with three-button remote control. Each remote control has a special code that needs to be recorded by the garage door opener power unit in order for it to operate the garage door opener. The three buttons can be programmed to operate up to three different garage door openers at one location.

Instructions

1. Press and hold the biggest remote control button until the indicator light turns on and remains lit. At first, the indicator light will blink rapidly. Your Wayne Dalton power unit is now ready to record the remote control code.

2. Push the Program button on the power unit of your garage door opener attached to the ceiling of your garage. If you own a DoorMaster garage door opener, the Program button is located on the light fixture. The indicator light will turn on the power unit or you will hear a beep, indicating the power unit is ready to record the remote control.

3. Select the button on the remote control you want to use to open and close the door and press it. The indicator light will turn off on the power unit or you will hear a beep. If using the DoorMaster, press the remote control button a second time.

4. Test the remote control by pressing the button you programmed.

Learn Sewing Machine Repair

Sewing machine repair is a specialized trade that requires you to spend significant time learning. Sewing machine repair can be complicated since you will have to learn about different types of sewing machine models, their components and fix each of these components. Since you may not find sewing machine repair courses locally, your best bet may be to check online for availability.

Instructions

1. Purchase a used sewing machine to practice your repairs on. As you begin to learn the trade, it will prove helpful to have an old machine to work on. You can find used models at flea markets or through online classifieds like Craigslist. You may also want to purchase some basic repair tools, like screwdrivers, timing kit, lubricant, thread and honing kit.

2. Order a guide that details some potential problems with a sewing machine and fix each issue. As an example, Repair a Sewing Machine at Home has information on check motors, lights, controls and wiring of sewing machines to troubleshoot the device.

3. Take courses that focus on sewing machine repair. On-site classes will be most helpful since you'll gain hands on experience. For example, the California Academy of Sewing Machine Repair has a three-day course that allows you to receive a certification at the end along with job placement assistance.

4. Sign up for an apprenticeship program to learn sewing machine repair. Apprentices work under master sewing machine technicians in order to find out fix sewing machines. One apprenticeship program you may be interested in is offered through White Sewing Center.

Fix A Hole In A Vinyl Fence

Fix a Hole in a Vinyl Fence

In the cold of winter, vinyl fencing can become stiff and brittle, making it vulnerable to damage and cracking. Something as simple as a stray baseball could cause major damage to the vinyl, or even leave a gaping hole in one of the panels. Luckily, vinyl fence is easy to repair. Most panels of vinyl fence are made up of individual pickets that are locked together to create a seamless-looking section of fence. By simply replacing the damaged pickets, you can quickly and easily repair a section of your vinyl fence.

Instructions

1. Obtain replacement pickets for your vinyl fence. Call whoever supplied your fence; usually your supplier will have plenty of extra pickets that you can buy. If you are not sure who supplied your fence, bring one of the pickets from your fence to your local hardware or home improvement store. Try to match it with their available fence material as best you can. Try to find pickets that are the same length and width as yours.

2. Remove the rails on one side of your fence from the post it's attached to. Pull on the rail as you apply pressure to the post. You should be able to simply pop the rail out of the post. If you have trouble, use a rubber mallet to tap on the post as you pull the rail.

Some fences use brackets and screws to attach the fence sections to the posts. If this is the case, use a screwdriver to remove the rails from the brackets. Twist all screws out of the brackets to free the rails.

3. Slide the damaged pickets out of the rails and slide your replacement pickets in. Pop the rails back into the routes of your fence post, or reinsert the rails into the brackets (depending on your style of fence). Twist all screws back into place to securely reattach the rails.

Tips Warnings

Try to obtain replacement pickets from your original fence supplier. This will ensure the best match when replacing damaged pieces of fence.

Clean A Luminette

Keep your Luminette privacy sheers clean.

Luminette Privacy Sheers are manufactured by Hunter Douglas. The sheers are 100-percent polyester and are designed to be static free and dust resistant. Hunter Douglas recommends regular cleaning to keep them looking good and operating well. Routine cleaning and spot cleaning are procedures you can do on your own, but a full cleaning requires a professional cleaning service that will use an injection and extraction or ultrasonic cleaning method.

Instructions

General Cleaning

1. Leave the curtains hanging while cleaning them. Put on disposable gloves before handling the sheers.

2. Dust the sheers with a feather duster for routine, light dusting.

3. Vacuum the sheers with a hand-held vacuum set on a low setting. Vacuum from the upper left-hand corner using short horizontal movements until you reach the opposite side of the sheer. Start again at the left-hand side and move in the same motion. Repeat until the entire sheer has been vacuumed.

Spot Cleaning

4. Put on disposable gloves.

5. Pour a small amount of stain treatment solution onto one of the white cloths.

6. Hold one white cloth behind the sheer where the spot is located. Gently blot the stain from the front with the stain treatment solution. Do not rub the sheer with the cloth.

7. Allow the sheer to air dry.

8. Dampen a new clean cloth. Place another dry, clean cloth behind the treated area and blot the stain from the front with the wet cloth to remove any remaining stain treatment solution.

Tips Warnings

Never dry clean Luminette sheers. Whenever handling Luminette sheers, do not pull, tug or rub the sheers at any time or you may cause puckering. When vacuuming, do not use any attachments. Do not use electrostatic cleaning products on the sheers, and do not put any cleaning solution or water on or in the Luminette headrail.

Adjust Erson Roller Rockers

Adjusting valve lash is one of those tasks that no one really enjoys doing, but the every hot-rodder should understand. Valve lash is the distance between the rocker arm tip (roller tip for Erson shaft rockers) and the tip of the valve stem. Too little valve lash will cause the valvetrain to seize up when the engine gets hot and metal starts to expand; too much will cause clattering and eventual valvetrain damage.

Instructions

1. Remove the valve covers and the number one spark plug. Use your factory service manual to identify the number one plug/cylinder; it's usually the driver-side front cylinder on V-configured engines, or the front cylinder on inline engines.

2. Place your finger over the spark plug hole and turn the engine over via the crankshaft bolt. Stop turning the engine when you feel a puff of compressed air try to push your finger out of the hole. Align the top-dead-center (TDC) mark on the harmonic balancer with the pointer on the block. The number one piston is now at top-dead-center. Reinstall the plug and wire.

3. Slide the box-end of the appropriately-sized wrench over the number one cylinder intake valve's rocker adjustment nut. Unlike pedestal rockers, shaft rockers use an adjustment nut located direct over the pushrod. This allows the rocker to pivot in order to take up lash instead of hammering up and down like a pedestal mount.

4. Insert the appropriately-sized Allen head wrench into the hex-hole in the center of the adjustment nut, and turn it one full turn counterclockwise to unlock the adjustment nut.

5. Select the appropriately-sized feeler gauge per your manual specs. The very precise Erson shaft system can typically tolerate about 0.010-inch less lash than factory stamped rockers. Slide the feeler gauge in between the roller tip and valve head, and press the roller tip to the gauge with your thumb.

6. Turn the adjustment nut until the feeler gauge remains snugly pinched between the roller tip and valve. Turn the locking nut clockwise with your Allen head wrench until it is hand tight. Pull the feeler gauge out; the number one intake valve is complete.

7. Move on to the next intake valve in your engine's firing order, and rotate the crankshaft in increments until that cylinder's intake valve is fully closed. For a V8, the next intake valve in the sequence will close with 90 degrees of crankshaft rotation. The next intake valve will close in 33 degrees of rotation for a V6 and every 180 degrees of rotation for a four-cylinder.

8. Adjust the number one exhaust valve after you've finished with all of the intake valves. Repeat Step 2 to confirm that the number one cylinder is back at TDC, and repeat Steps 3 through Step 7 to adjust the exhaust valves. Reinstall the valve covers and allow the engine to idle for 10 minutes to bring it up to temperature. Re-check the valve lash on two intake and two exhaust valves to ensure that it is within the hot-lash specs for your engine.

Does A Waterpik Remove Tartar

Removing tartar prevents expensive and invasive dental procedures.

Waterpik is a trade name for a water-flossing product that directs a concentrated flow of water into the mouth. The Waterpik has been clinically demonstrated to be as or more effective than string floss at cleaning teeth. Tartar is the hardened buildup of plaque on teeth that generally requires dentist intervention for removal. The Waterpik removes loosened tartar and large amounts of dental plaque, preventing the establishment of dental tartar.

Waterpik Design

A countertop unit consisting of a water reservoir and hand held flossing tool, the Waterpik is known for portability and versatile use. Interchangeable, pointed heads are available for sanitary use by multiple members of a household. The Waterpik unit is designed to accommodate various dental issues by providing multiple power levels and spray direction.

Uses of Waterpik

The Waterpik unit is used to irrigate the mouth and as a water flosser, removing plaque and debris from the mouth. Plaque is the colorless substance that builds up on teeth. It is also referred to as biofilm. The Waterpik spray removes plaque that would otherwise harden into tartar. Studies have demonstrated that, with three-second use, the Waterpik removes 99.9 percent of biofilm from teeth.

Tartar

Tartar forms on teeth after plaque and biofilm harden and combine with minerals. Tartar is often brown or yellow in nature and requires professional removal. A Waterpik cannot remove adhered tartar or that below the gum line. It will remove loosened tartar that has been abraded from teeth.

Removal of Tartar

A dentist or dental hygienist removes tartar through the use of specialized tools known as scalers or ultrasonic scalers. These tools are able to pry tartar from the tooth surface and remove strongly adhered mineral deposits.

2007 Road Glide Specs

Harley-Davidson designed the 2007 Road Glide to withstand long road trips.

Harley-Davidson released its 2007 Road Glide touring motorcycle to fairly high acclaim; as of 2010, users had ranked it second of 27 touring bikes on the ratings website Motorcycle. With its shark-nose design and overall style, the 2007 Road Glide also has a number of engineering and convenience specifications that may warrant its base price of $17,695.

Engineering and Transmission

Equipped with a V-2, four-stroke engine with an injection fuel system, the 2007 Road Glide has a bore and stroke of 3.8 by 4.4 inches and a compression ratio of 9.2 to 1. It comes with a six-speed transmission and a chrome crossover exhaust system. The Road Glide can attain 32.5 miles per gallon (mpg) in the city and 45.06 mpg on highways.

Chassis

With a steel frame and square-section backbone, the '07 Road Glide has cartridge-style, damping telescopic front forks measuring 1.63 inches with a rake of 26 degrees. It also features air-adjustable rear shocks, 16-inch, nine-spoke cast-aluminum wheels and both front and rear four-piston disc brakes.

Measurements

Weighing in at 761 lbs., the Road Glide measures 93.7 inches in length with a seat height of 29.5 inches. It has a wheelbase of 63.5 inches, ground clearance of 5.1 inches and a gas tank capacity of 5 gallons.

Electrical

Many necessary Road Glide functions operate electrically from a pre-installed 12-volt battery, including the shift starter, headlamp, auxiliary lights, turning signals, taillights, high beams, security system, and low-fuel warning.

Convenience

A number of convenience options come standard with the 2007 Road Glide, including two glove compartments, cruise control, premium sound system with 40 watts per speaker, AM/FM radio, CD player, MP3 player plug-in, cigarette lighter, hookup for CB or intercom system, saddle-bags and a hands-free security fob. A full security system is optional. Available colors include Vivid Black, Pacific Blue Pearl and Fire Red Pearl.