Question: I canāt figure out how to change the light in my bathroom. It is a combination light and exhaust fan. The light is behind a white lens that is about eight inches square with the fan grille opening all around it. I canāt get the unit to come down and I canāt get the lens off.
Answer: The unit you are describing sounds like a Braun. The lens on this unit is held in place by two tabs projecting out of opposing sides that snap into the fan housing. Take a medium flat bladed screwdriver and insert it into the space between the housing and the lens and pry gently. If you are on one of the two sides with the tabs you will see the tab come out of the slot. If you donāt see the tab, try the next side. When the gap opens to about one quarter of an inch you will feel the lens disengage from the housing and drop down exposing the light bulb. You can now replace the bulb and snap the lens back into place.
Question: Our garage keypad has stopped working. The remote in the car still works but the keypad does not. Can it be fixed or do I need a new one?
Answer: Have you checked the battery? There is a nine volt battery in your keypad that typically lasts 3-5 years. When it dies the keypad does not work.
Leaky outdoor spigot fix
Every spring when I connect the hose to the spigot in the garage and turn on the water, it runs down the outside of the hose and puddles on the floor. This is a common problem that is very easy to fix.
Remove the screw holding the handle on the spigot. Under this handle you will see a white plastic nut. This nut holds the packing in place. As the packing behind the nut dries out and relaxes, water can leak around it. The fix is to simply tighten this packing nut. It is a left-handed thread. This means you must rotate it counterclockwise. You should use a 7/8″ wrench or an adjustable wrench. Do not use pliers or channel-locks as the plastic nut is soft and easily damaged. Caution: do not over tighten it or you may damage the packing nut. (Note: some brands of spigot may have a different size packing nut and may require a different size wrench.) Watch this video to see this fix performed.
The above repair should fix most of the leak problems with an outdoor spigot that leaks when the water is turned on. There are two other ways leaks can occur. The outdoor spigots in Sun City are frost free which means the water is turned off twelve inches inside the wall. If the spigot drips when the water is turned off, you have a more complicated problem. The fix is internal and will require that the water main is turned off so you can disassemble the spigot. Most of the houses in Sun City do not have a turnoff valve on the water line to the spigot so you must turn off the water to the whole house.
There are kits containing the replacement parts to fix a leaky frost free spigot available at hardware stores and home centers.
To install the replacement parts turn off the main water shut off to the house. Remove the handle to the spigot. Under the handle you will see a white plastic packing nut. With a 7/8 inch open end wrench, turn this nut clockwise to remove it (left-handed thread). Sticking out of the spigot where you removed the packing nut you will see a square 1/4 inch copper piece where the handle attaches. Using a 1/4 inch wrench, unscrew this piece by turning it counter-clockwise. Pull this piece out, and you will have a 16ā long copper rod. All of your replacement parts consisting of rubber washers and o-rings will be installed on this rod. Follow the instructions that come with the replacement parts kit.
Reverse the disassembly steps to reassemble your spigot. You should now have a leak free spigot.
The third possible leak is caused by the anti-siphon/vacuum breaker float assembly part under the cap on the top of the faucet. If the anti-siphon assembly is faulty, it will only leak when the faucet is on. The float has a rubber washer which can become torn or otherwise damaged, causing it to leak. A replacement kit containing 3 parts (the vacuum breaker float, the housing for the float, and the cap) can be purchased from a hardware store or a plumbing supply company for about two dollars. To replace the float and float housing under the cap, you need to pry the cap off by inserting a screwdriver under the edge of the cap and pop it off. Then you just remove the threaded plastic housing for the float and replace it with the new parts.
You should never have another leaky outdoor spigot that you canāt fix.
If you have suggestions for future tips or have questions about maintenance around your home submit them to ask.the.woodchucks@gmail.com.
