Mike Klimek is a licensed contractor and owner of Las Vegas Handyman. Questions may be sent by email to handymanoflasvegas@msn.com. Or, mail to 4710 W. Dewey Drive, No. 100, Las Vegas, NV 89118. His web address is www.handymanoflasvegas.com.
If the pressure in your sprinkler system significantly drops, water from the lawn can siphon back through the pipes and into your potable water system. This means that fertilizer, weed killer, pesticides and whatever else might be on your lawn could make its way to your faucet. An anti-siphon valve is a one-way valve that prevents this.
If your pool water has gone from clear to yellow, you probably have yellow algae. The pool store will have chemicals to treat the water. When used with super-chlorination, products such as Yellow Out will kill yellow algae.
Pressure washing provides a fast way of getting rid of surface dirt, it’s easy to use, and it makes you feel like a man as you ruthlessly blast away dirt.
Q: My washing machine is about 10 years old, and it has started leaking whenever I do a load of clothes. Should I fix it or buy a new one?
Q: I read your column on draining a water heater and it worked great. However, as I went to turn off the plastic drain faucet, it continued to drip. Is there a washer or something I can replace, or will this turn into a long, drawn-out project?
Q: I was in a model home and saw some beautiful valance boxes above some windows. I found some similar ones, but they were horribly expensive. Anyway, I have decided to try making them myself. Can you give any hints on building these?
When kids splash water out of the bathtub, damage begins at the top front edge of the tub and gets worse as the tub meets the floor. Aside from supervision, you can install splash guards at both ends of the tub to prevent water damage on the wall and floor.
Medallions are a great way of drawing attention to an otherwise boring ceiling or light fixture.
Q: I want to replace the gas cooktop on my counter with a new one. What do I do?
Q: We moved into a new home and need to install a dog door through the wall to our backyard. Where do we install it?
Q: I have an old single-handle shower valve that I want to replace with a modern one. How difficult is this project?
Q: We want to dress up our baby’s room with some accents and install wallpaper border around the top near the ceiling and around a door frame. We tried hanging wallpaper on a wall in the past and the results were disastrous. Please say that wallpaper border is easier.
Q: I had to turn off the water supply valve at the top of my water heater. So I turned it, but it kept on turning and turning without shutting off the water. A neighbor of mine said it is a gate valve and they are cheap. Anyway, I now have to replace the valve. Are there any options for replacing it with the same type of valve?
Q: We just moved into our house and have no idea what shape the water heater is in. I’ve been told it’s a good idea to drain it periodically, but what steps do I need to take to flush it?
Q: I have door problems. One of my doors closes by itself, and it isn’t supposed to. The other door doesn’t latch correctly. How can I fix these?
