House in Progress Diary

Jeannie our toilet needs you.

Two years ago we put a toilet into the room that was then a laundry and became the master bath. I remember that there were two bolts, one on each side of the toilet that cinched the toilet down to the pipe coming up through the floor. For reasons not all that clear over time, one of the two bolts kept falling down into the floor as I tried to set the toilet down onto it to bolt it down. After 45 minutes of trying, I compromised by putting two wax collars on the joint between the pipe leading to the septic tank and the toilet and just bolted down one bolt. Two wobbly and flexible years later, I've learned my lesson as for the past two days water has crept out from under to the toilet and infiltrated a three inch zone around said toilet. My lesson learned, a home un-muddler I shall future be and will not take the easy route in projects.

SD

SD,
while you see the water comming out what you don't see is the poisonous sewergas come out whenever the water is not; probably for months prior to the water leak.
the bolts that hold down your toilet are not regular hardware nor do they come with the toilet assembly. the bolts you need are called "jonny bolts" sometimes sold with a "jonny o-ring" they are longer than what you need and need to be cut off after the toilet is secured. since you cut these it is unlikely that you will be able to reuse them on a second seal.
before you begin to install your toilet mark on the floor about 3" from the closet-collar on both sides. then if your bolt are falling into the great void beneith; stuff the great void beneith with fuzz (fiberglass insolation) tightly. if your closet flange is broken replace it. there is about 88 ways to do that w/o recking the floor. if flange is broken though a plumber knows all 88 ways. and you dont get 2 chances at any of them. now if the bolts still keep falling out of their notches you can use black tape around the circumferance of the closet flange to hold them in.
set the toilet on the new wax seel and apply weight to the bowl. see it slowly sink. start the nuts with plastic and metal washers and tighten very slowly allowing the wax seal to spooge out. continue tightenting until the toilet is completely resting on the floor.
wiggle the toilet. if it wiggles you need to caulk it with a silocanized tub & tile caulk. or grout the fixture to the floor and allow to set 24 hrs (do this only after checking for leaks). for sanitary reasons the toilet is supposed to be caulked anyway. use as much caulk as you can.
the little bit of tipping will wear out the porcelin on your toilet a groove in the tile but the wax seel will leak the bolt will constantly be sressing your closet collar. no matter how much you clean you wont get rid of the smell. a rocky toilet is noGOOOD.

brian

Way to go, Jeannie!

Our dryer died a while back with a similar symptom as your washer - sudden stop, no heat, no spin, and cloths still damp. Knowing nothing of about dryers I dismantled ours in search of the problem. Besides years of lint, I could find nothing wrong and started putting it all back together. Then I discovered that the wire to the door switch had severed where it rubbed against a metal edge. That was easily mended...

But, I must admit, two months ago we bought a brand new washer/dryer set. The weekly onslaught of Sunday-paper ads, combined with all those pictures from home improvement magazines, of beautiful, quiet, energy-efficient machines finally got to us to cave in. We wouldn't go back, but I'd also be a bit more remiss to open the back of our new computerized machines were the ever to quit.

Nick

Don't you just feel like a genius when you figure out something like that?

Has anyone mentioned yet that the actor we came to know and love as the Maytag man died a year or two ago? Jeanne, the job is yours!

Hey Jeanie!
I wanted to tell you that my parents dryer broke last month, and they were all set to purchase another, even if they couldn't afford it. The price for a repair man was almost as expensive as the replacement, as you know. I was speaking to my Dad and told him about you and that you fixed yours and then emailed the link. He was so impressed with you that he poked around online
and figured out what was wrong with his dryer, ordered the part and fixed it! All inspired by you! Good job House in Progress!
luv d

You are truly an inspiration. Since Christmas, our dishwasher has been sounding more like a garbage disposal. My husband had that pained look that said, "more money to spend." Based on your recommendation, I went to repairclinic.com and figured out the problem. I was able to then explain to my husband what was wrong, using all sorts of dishwasher terminology that was not previously part of my lexicon. He was duly impressed and now we can use the dishwasher repair/replacement money for something else. Thank you!

Oh wow, guys. I'm speechless. REALLY! I had no idea. I LOVE IT when people know how to fix stuff. It is a geeky girl's DREAM!

whoo hoo! Mechanical science for everybody!

Now, if someone could teach me how to cook? Or sew? I would be terribly dangerous.

Oh man. But I am SO SAD that BOTH Maytag Repairmen I knew, Jesse White and Gordon Jump, have passed on.

This may not bode well for my future.

"Now, if someone could teach me how to cook? Or sew? I would be terribly dangerous."

You are a woman with power tools, you are already dangerous enough!

Holy smokes Gary! I haven't seen you for awhile and couldn't find your site when the blogroll "blew up" awhile back. How have you been? Did the house swallow you? :)

Aaron, when are you going to learn. NEVER underestimate your wife. & when you do, NEVER talk about it. POPS"30"

Jeannie, You've certainly cought the universal fact that everything made was put together and thus it can be taken apart - to fix when broken. Just tackled a VCR with a stuck tape - (never opened one before) and noticed 3 screws on top - lo and behold, the cover lifted off and got the tape out. Not magic, just look and you will find.

POPS! Where have YOU been? We missed you!

Gramp K!

You are the Zen Master of Repair. I bow before you :)

Aren't you ALSO the guy who makes his own BOAT SAILS???!!! And can repair a motor with a toothbrush and a kitchen knife?

I think you are ;)

Speaking of sails, thanks to SailRite Sails for their kit and help. Your putting 'Mistral' on our web with that great shot with Chicago in the background deserves more exposure - maybe there are some remodelers who may also be sailors - huh? Someday you must get the asymetrical spinnaker up for a photo too.

Brian,

Wow, thats great advice. I'll reread it before my up and coming Saturday project. We haven't ever had any problems with odor or up until now with moisture in that bathroom, but I never thought about the tile and porcelin grinding on each other. I'll do it right this time.

Thanks,
SD

Wow you fixed the washer too. I'm so impressed and inspired. I just noticed yesterday that the washer at home stops in one of the cycles. I'm glad I saw your post because I was dreading having to dish out money to repair or purchase a new one. Repairclinic.com here I come.