Woodchucks furniture repair day
Each year the Woodchucks hold two furniture repair days for residents. One is in April and one is in October. Thirty to forty Woodchucks are available in the shop on these days to repair loose chairs, broken tables, broken picture frames, and other wooden items needing repair. In order to participate you must sign up at the Meadow View Lodge on or after April 1. Only 24 spaces are available. This repair day, called Ask the Woodchucks, will be April 20.
Garage to house door handle
The latch on the door between the garage and the house had become very loose and hard to close after fourteen years. I decided to take the handles and the latch off to inspect them. As I suspected, they were very loose from wear and were moving side to side in a manner that caused them to jam when the door was closed. The dead latch plunger was also broken which meant the door could easily be opened with a credit card.
At the store, I found that the manufacturers no longer make a doorknob set with a round handle on the lock side and a lever on the inside like my original. I could have bought one set of each and used the round knob from one set and the lever from the other set, but I decided to get just the lever set.
The installation was very easy and the directions are good. I did find after I had finished with the installation that there are some very good videos on Youtube that show the whole installation in detail. There is one thing you need to check. The latch assembly can be 2 3/8” or 2 3/4”. Out of the package it is 2 3/8”. Mine needed to be 2 3/4,” so, following the directions, I pulled on it and it opened up to that dimension.
After I got the new handles installed I asked my wife to give it a test. She liked the way it closed easily. She said she really liked the lever on the outside because it was much easier to open when she had her hands full.
Doorbell problem
Question: I have lived in a York model Pulte home since 2010. The doorbell stopped working. I checked the doorbell button by removing it and putting the 2 wires together, and it seems okay. I then replaced the doorbell with the exact same model and still no luck. I finally found the transformer in the attic over the garage. However, there are 2 transformers there. I’m assuming one is for the doorbell, is the other one for the thermostat? I’ve never heard of a transformer going bad. Could it be the wires that were stapled to the wood beams? Any ideas?
Answer: If I understand the test you did, you have found the problem. When you touched the two wires together that is what the button does. If it rang when you did that but does not work when the button is pushed, then the button is bad. Replace your doorbell button and get ready to talk to a steady stream of political candidates.
The second transformer you found is for the low voltage for the lights in your lighted house number.
If you have suggestions for future tips or have questions about maintenance around your home submit them to ask.the.woodchucks@gmail.com
