Question: The water in our tub drains very slowly. There is probably hair blocking the drain, but I can’t reach it because the drain plug is in the way. Is there a way to remove this plug so the blockage can be removed?
Answer: Under the drain plug there is a Phillips head screw that, when loosened, allows the drain plug to be removed. There is a YouTube video that shows exactly how to do this.
In some cases, you can remove the blockage with a bent wire, but if this does not work, you will have enough space to pour a small amount of Drano down the drain to eliminate the blockage.
Smoke detector random beep fix
Occasionally the computer chip in a smoke detector gets out of sequence, and it will cause the detector to beep randomly. The fix for this is similar to correcting some PC computer problems: you reboot the system. For your smoke detector, you need to unplug the hard wired power cable and remove the 9 volt battery. Press and hold the test button for 30 seconds. You should hear a somewhat quiet tone at first that then fades away. Continue holding the test button for the full 30 seconds. Now replace the 9-volt battery and reconnect the power cable.
Ordering a Gordon wrench
A Gordon wrench is used to turn the handle on the water inlet valve under each sink and toilet if you can’t turn it by hand. The Gordon Wrench Company is located in Phoenix, AZ and you can order the wrench from them at 541-942-8049 or on their web site: gordonwrench.com.
I recently had a leak in the connection on the inlet hose to a toilet. I had to turn off the water below the toilet to change this hose. Since I turn off and back on each of these valves in the house once a year I was able to easily turn it off by hand. If the valve was frozen or if my hands were compromised by arthritis, I would have reached for my Gordon wrench.
Ace Hardware has a good supply of water inlet hoses, and I was able to change it in about ten minutes.
If you have suggestions for future tips or have questions about maintenance around your home submit them to ask.the.woodchucks@gmail.com.
