How to keep your drain clog-free

Shower drains seem to clog more than bathtub drains do. Between the hair and the soap, it's hard to keep them open all the time. Here are some tips to help you prevent clogs and to deal with them when they happen.

At the end of your shower, always let some water run down the drain after the soap. This will clear the trap before you leave and prevent soap from settling there.

Also, using liquid soaps or body wash can cut way down on the soap scum, both in the drain and on the shower walls.

If the drain does clog, try the plunger first. Just place it over the drain and pump it up and down a few times to break up the clog.

If that doesn't work, use a plumbing snake. If you have to remove the drain cover, be careful not to drop the screws or any tools down there.

Another super tool is called the Drain King. It's a rubber bulb that you hook up to a garden hose and run down a clogged drain. When the hose is turned on, the pressure builds and causes the bulb to expand, and then the water pulses out at high pressure to help break up a clog. These are available at most hardware stores and home centers, and are great for lots of different drains.

Chemical drain cleaners work well but should be used as a last resort. Read and follow the package directions. Some can be used monthly to prevent clogs. If you have a lot of clogs, this might be something you should do.

If none of these options works, the clog may be further down the line, and it might be wise to find the nearest household clean-out plug for your sewer line and use the snake from that angle. Also make sure rooftop vent stacks are clear, because a clogged roof vent can cause a drain to run much slower.

Those are some basic things you can do to clear a drain, and they will work well for kitchen and other sink drains too.

Gone fishing

Adding a new light switch means you might have to do some fishing. "Fishing" is the term used to describe running a wire through a wall to another outlet. It can be difficult, but knowing some tricks can make it a little easier. Place a magnet on the wire before you start feeding it through the wall. If you are dropping the wire down a wall - which is the easiest way, since wall studs run vertically - the weight will make it easier. Then use another magnet at the other end to grab the first and help pull it out the other side. It will take some of the sport out of fishing but will give you more time for real sports - on TV!

Small drywall repairs

•Small drywall repairs are super fast and super easy with this idea. Put some drywall compound into an eyedropper or a small bottle with a large opening, like a mustard or ketchup dispenser. You can place the top over the hole and put a dab of the stuff right where you need it. There won't be any need for spreading or sanding, and it will take less time to cover it with paint. If the bottle is closed tightly, you can keep it handy to use for quite a while before it dries out.

Super hints

•When screwing on plumbing connections, try a little ChapStick if you can't find Teflon tape. The wax from the lip balm will help lubricate and seal the connection, just as the tape would.

•When traveling in the car on road trips and family vacations, use a large coffee can with a plastic lid to hold your garbage. Even drinks can be placed in this container, and it won't spill or leak.

•I have done some stained-glass work and really enjoy it. Working with a soldering iron does take some practice, though, and you have to be careful where you work and where you set it down. I have found that if I cover my work surface with a heat-resistant ironing-board cover, I don't have any accidents. It helps prevent heat transfer. I also use an oven mitt when I have to pick up a piece that might still be too hot to handle.

Q. I have a large puddle on my floor every time my refrigerator defrosts. I know I have a leak somewhere, but I can't figure out where. Can you help?

A. Check the drain pan, which is probably located under the fridge. It may have shifted and might not be level. It's shallow, so it won't hold much water if it's not level. There is a hose that gets the water to the pan. Check to make sure it's still in place over the pan.

Q. I inherited an old dressing table. It's in pretty good shape, but some of the mortise and tenon joints are loose. What is the best way to fix those?

A. The very best way to fix it would be to take it apart very carefully and clean, glue and clamp the joints back together. You can install screws, but you would take a lot away from the craftsmanship of the piece in doing so.

Q. We have considered installing tinted window film in our game room to cut down on the heat coming in during the summer. We have heard that removing it can be really difficult, and are a little hesitant to install it, considering that. What do you have to say about this?

A. One brand is installed by means of static electricity, so removing it would be very easy. The stick-on type can be hard to remove, but most manufacturers have a removal kit that you can buy, and these make it much easier. They really work well and can really help with the summer heat coming through your windows.

Reader tips

•I live in a part of the country that experienced a lot of flooding. The water came right up to our back door. We were really lucky that it didn't come inside the house, as it did right down the street. We made a dam with expanding foam insulation on our back porch. We put down a thick bead of the stuff around the door. It expanded, and then we put down another row on top of that. The little dam was about 6 inches tall. The water came right up to it and stopped. I know it won't stop a big flood or moving water, but it kept the water from getting in under the door, and I am grateful to Great Stuff for that!

•We live in a part of the country that is in a drought, so water conservation is critical for us. We collect our rainwater in a barrel. The gutters run right into the barrel, and we have a faucet on the bottom of it that we use to water the yard. We also save our bathwater and move it to the rain barrels. Both of these things have enabled our yard to stay alive when neighbors' yards are dying. The low-flow shower heads and sink aerators also help. I sure will be glad when this drought ends, but I might keep the rain-barrel system going. It just makes sense.

•I have been building a playhouse for my kids. I decided to do it from some original plans and have been measuring and cutting and everything else, rather than building it from a kit. I have placed a piece of masking tape on the case of my retractable tape. This gives me a good place to note measurements as I make then. That way, I can't forget them before I get to the lumber to cut it. I know that some tapes have this on them now, but mine is older and the masking tape works fine for me. Maybe my little tip will help others.

•Our front door has a large glass pane in it. In the summer, it lets in a lot of heat as well. To try to keep some of the heat exchange down, I installed a curtain over the glass. The door is metal and I didn't want to drill into it, so I installed a magnetic curtain rod and drape over the glass. It seems to work pretty well.

•Our patio table has an umbrella that fits into the table and sits in a metal stand. It had been knocked over several times, so I made a better stand. I got a large plastic bucket, placed a piece of PVC pipe into it that is the same size as the umbrella pole and then filled the bucket with concrete. After it set up, I removed the plastic pipe and cut the bucket away. The concrete looks OK, the umbrella pole fits in tightly and it doesn't tip over anymore.

Shop talk

•Recently we ran across a new, innovative product called ScanaLog. It's a software product that allows you to scan articles from books, newspapers and magazines and keep them organized in your computer. It eliminates cutting things out and sticking them on a bulletin board or your refrigerator. It's easy to use, saves time and can be used for recipes, kids' schedules and coupons, as well as home repair articles and instructions. To learn more, visit the company online and see it for yourself. Just go to www.scanalog.com.

•The Clydesdale Sawhorse is a sawhorse system that utilizes three specially designed legs to hold up your work. You supply a two-by-10 and a two-by-12 for your top rail and support, and the legs do the heavy work. They come in three sizes to fit your needs and, when set up, can hold more than 600 pounds. The legs have handles on them so you can easily carry them to your work site, and they are super easy to set up by just putting the lumber into the slots. Not only will they create a super sawhorse, they can be used as scaffolding too, and that means you can save money on the extra equipment. They have a one-year warranty, and you can find out more about them by visiting the Web site www.clydesdalesawhorse.com or calling (708) 705-2112.

• 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.