A few simple solutions to repair your leaky bathtub drain

After a long day's work, settling into a nice, hot bath doesn't sound too bad. But what if you fill up the tub up and the water won't stay inside? The drain leaks, and you wanted to soak for more than five minutes. Well, here are some things you can do to keep the water inside the tub.

There are a variety of bathtub drains out there, so you will need to figure out what makes yours tick. In other words, does the stopper just stuff into the hole? Does it twist and settle down into the hole? Is it actuated by a lever on the side of the tub?

Before working in your tub, cover the area with towels so you don't drop a wrench and damage the tub surface. Next, take every precaution not to drop any small pieces down the drain.

If your drain stopper just pushes down into the drainpipe, then it might be simple enough to buy a replacement. Sometimes these stoppers wear out and just don't seal well anymore.

If yours is the type that turns and settles down into the drain, then it might be a washer on the stopper that is worn or missing. Some of these stoppers twist out, while others have a small, set screw holding the top part in place. Once you get it up and out of the way, you can see what's wrong and replace the part or just replace the whole stopper.

If you have the kind that has a lever on the side of the tub, it's going to be a little trickier. First you need to remove the cover plate over the lever. Once the cover is off, you should be able to work the linkage back and forth and work it out through this opening in the tub. Soak it in vinegar and then take a look at it. If any parts have come loose, you can just reattach them. Tighten any that are loose. You should replace this while you have it out. You will notice a turnbuckle, and this can be adjusted to bring the stopper in tighter or loosen it if it is too tight to engage now. You may have to take it apart and put it back together to test it until you get it adjusted just right.

If all else fails, you can replace the whole mechanism. Or you can just buy a standard rubber stopper until you are ready to make repairs!

Screwdriver does the trick

If you are hanging a plant on your patio or installing a hook for a screen door, there's a little tip that can really make things simpler and get you onto bigger and better chores. Once you get the hook started, then you can insert a screwdriver into the hook and turn it in much faster and easier by just turning the screwdriver. It's much easier on your fingers too. You might even break the world record for getting the job done super fast!

Trash bag protectors

Painting is a quick and inexpensive way to give your home a new look. Painting a ceiling can be tough work, but once you get the basic prep work done, the rest is fairly easy. Dealing with a light fixture or fan doesn't have to be difficult. Just remove what you can, and tie a trash bag around the rest to protect it from the paint. You can remove the blades from most ceiling fans and the glass globe from most ceiling fixtures. Chandeliers are more challenging, because there is little that can be removed. You'll need an extra-large trash bag for one of these babies, but you can do it. Once the paint has dried, remove the bag and you're back in business.

Super hints

• If you can't find a stud or your stud finder, try using a compass. The same magnetic pointer that is used to find true north will also show you where a nail might be when tried on different places on a wall.

• A heavy-duty water-supply line for your washing machine is a heck of a lot less expensive than a new floor or ceiling if the less-expensive ones burst. Consider replacing yours before that happens.

• I always save sawdust when I am working on a project. It has so many uses. One thing that it is great for is bedding for your pets. Put some in the doghouse on the floor. It makes for a softer surface and absorbs moisture to keep your dogs drier on rainy days. Don't use sawdust from pressure-treated or laminated wood because of the chemicals. Wood that smells good can even help your dog smell nicer, too.

Q. Our windows are pretty secure, but we would like to find a way to lock them in a partially open position so we can have some fresh air in the house on cool days and nights. Is there any fairly easy way to do this and still be safe?

A. There are some small, inexpensive locks that sit along the track, which you lock on with a thumbscrew. If the window isn't raised enough for someone to get in or stick their arm through, these would be a good option. No hardware is required to install them, and they work quite well. Check with your hardware dealer to see if he has these in stock and see if they might work for your purposes.

Q. We live on a golf course and have a metal fence in our backyard. Two years ago, I had my fence sanded and painted. Now the rust is coming back, and I have to have it done again. What can I do to prevent this from happening so often?

A. If you have rust again, it's possible that the rust wasn't fully removed two years ago. You should have the metal fencing stripped of rust completely, then primed and painted. If you don't get all of the rust removed, then it will come back every time. There are some great attachments for power drills, or you could have the fence sandblasted.

Q. We are going to be getting a dog soon and are putting up a chain-link fence. Where should the posts be placed?

A. A standard fence would require a span of no more than 8 to 10 feet, but that depends upon the height of the fence and your local building codes. Check on the codes first, then use that as a minimum standard for your project. It's also a good idea to sink the posts in concrete so they are less likely to move over time. Done right, a chain-link fence is a very strong and secure fence to install, and it definitely can be a good investment.

Reader tips

• I found a mouse in my kitchen and decided to put a mousetrap behind the refrigerator. I caught a mouse quickly but couldn't get the trap back out. It took a while to do it, so I came up with a better idea. I attached the mousetrap to a yardstick and pushed it back behind the fridge. The yardstick doesn't stick out, but I can grab it easily to get rid of anything that I catch.

• My wife and I just put in a small outdoor kitchen. We built a small concrete slab for the base. We built the forms but couldn't find any rebar to use as reinforcement for it. We saved some money by using some scraps of chain-link fencing instead of rebar to reinforce the slab. We installed a grill also, and a small table and chairs. It's been great all summer.

• I make jewelry for a living. I love it because I enjoy the work and still have time for my family. I created a great way to display my jewelry in picture frames. I covered the back pieces with velvet and then placed them back in the frames. Then I use pins to place the jewelry pieces on the velvet, and hang the frames on a large display board. Some frames sit on the table with their built-in easels. It's easy to remove a piece to let someone try it on, and to replace it with something else if they purchase it. They are easy to pack up and move around, too, because they stack together easily in a box.

• We made a very clever feeder for our dogs. Our dogs are large, and we looked at some stands that hold the bowls up higher for the dogs to reach more easily. They were all pretty expensive and didn't look very sturdy, so we made our own. We bought an unfinished stool and cut out two holes from the top of it so we could set the dogs' metal bowls down into them. The bowls fit well, and the stool is very sturdy and does exactly what it's supposed to do.

• We live in and own a duplex and rent out the other side. I was tired of hearing the tenants every time they opened and closed the cabinets and drawers, so I bought a jumbo package of felt bumpers and installed them on all of the cabinet doors and drawers. Then I put some in my own home, and it has really quieted things down for all of us. It was well worth the $10 I paid, and since they were the peel-and-stick kind, they were easy to install in just a few minutes.

Shop talk

• If you suffer from night sweats, need to save money on your air conditioning or just want to be more cool and comfortable while you sleep, there is a super new gadget called the Bedfan that can help. It's small, easy to install and designed to send a cool breeze up under your top sheet. You can't even see it on most beds, and there is a remote control used to operate it. You need to see it to get the full picture, so go to the company's Web site and check it out at www.bedfan.com or call them at (800) 738-0477 to learn more.

• "Joey Green's Fix-It Magic" is a super book with more than 1,971 quick and easy household solutions using brand-name products. You will learn how to spackle holes in your walls with S.O.S pads, remove water rings with Miracle Whip and fix a broken dishwasher with Kool-Aid. Everyone should have this book, and it would make a wonderful gift, too. Check it out at your local bookstore or online at www.wackyuses.com.

• Write to Al and Kelly Carrell in care of the Daily Herald, P.O. Box 280, Arlington Heights, IL 60006 or visit the Carrell's Web site at www.thesuperhandyman.com.

© 2008, Cowles Syndicate Inc.