Mike Klimek

Q: My toilet is causing me fits. The water from the tank is slowly leaking into the bowl, and I can’t figure out why. I have replaced the flapper, but the problem persists. What else should I do?

To create a kitchen island, buy a pair of base cabinets and screw them together. Look for the right cabinet (or cabinets) so that the look fits the room and doesn’t crowd it too much.

Over time, a threshold can become damaged and need replacement. If you have a gap between the bottom of the door and the threshold, you may be able to avoid replacing the threshold and install a new sweep on the bottom of the door instead.

Flimsy shower doors that need adjusted generate plenty of service calls, and occasionally they need to be replaced. Usually, though, you can make the necessary adjustments by removing the screws, adjusting the channel and screwing it back together.

Making your floor look fresh again is a big chore. You’re going to need to rent a sanding machine, an edger and a buffing machine.

Coffered ceilings are very detailed and difficult to install. Although it looks like the coffers are made from solid beams, they are actually pieced together using lightweight stock.

There are several possible causes for a water heater not working. Check the heating elements, the thermostats and the dip tube.

If you park two cars in the garage and each comes and goes one time each day, the door will open and close more than 1,000 times each year. That squeal you hear is the door’s way of asking for a little attention.

Before you replace the pump on your swamp cooler, check a couple of things. Obviously, you want to make sure there is water in the base of the cooler. Your problem may be a lack of water, rather than a broken pump.

You are limited with what you can do to when the patio door latch won’t lock. At a minimum, you can take the latch apart, clean and lubricate it, then see if it works any better. But you will probably need to replace it.

A junction box (called a J-box) with a cover will hide unprotected wires.

Q: My wife started complaining about a lack of hot water, so I ventured out into the garage to check out the water heater. I took the door off and peeked inside and discovered there was no flame. Following the instructions on the tank, I relit the pilot but as soon as I let go of the button, the pilot light went out. I originally thought a breeze may have blown it out, but now I don’t know what to do.

There are lots of different types of faucets, and they use different methods to control the flow and temperature of water. Over time the parts wear out and you get a drip. You need to replace the washers and springs and, possibly, the ball if it shows signs of wear.

A porcelain kitchen sink repair won’t be flawless, but you can fool most people with it.