 |
|||
|
|||
 |
Common Kitchen FixesBy Jim Sulski Summary: Clogged drains and leaky faucets are common kitchen ailments. Given the hard use most kitchens take, reapirs are pretty common. Jim gives the basics on how to keep your kitchen in good working order. There is no room in a home more utilized than a kitchen. With the wear and
tear that a kitchen takes on a typical day, it's not surprising that it's sometimes
in need of a quick repair. What follows are a few quick fixes to common kitchen ailments. CLOGGED DRAINS Using an old-fashioned plunger is still one the best and most efficient ways of opening up a stuck drain in a kitchen sink. The key here is to plug any overflow opening or additional drains - such as the second drain on a double bowl sink. Otherwise, there will be a loss of pressure and the plunger can't do its job. Neighboring drains can be capped or stopped, while any overflow openings should be plugged with a wet rag. Also, remove any screens over the drain openings. Fill the sink with about an inch or two or water and try plunging several times before pulling the plunger rapidly off the drain opening. Make sure the plunger is centered over the drain and covering the entire opening. If the drain opens, flush the line with hot water for a few minutes. If you have a stubborn clog, pour boiling water and a few teaspoons of ammonia down the drain, which will dissolve any grease. Then give it a minute or two before trying to plunge the drain open. Caution: Do not use a plunger if you've poured chemical drain cleaners into the kitchen sink drain. That can cause injuries if the chemicals splash back. LEAKY FAUCETS Washer less faucets, or seat-and-spring faucets, are one of the most common type of faucets on a kitchen sink. They're usually controlled with one handle that mixes the hot and cold water. Start the repair by seeing where the leak is coming from: Around the handle or the spout. If it's around the handle, you'll need to tighten the body cap on top of the spout sleeve. Use an allen wrench to remove the handle by loosening the setscrew in the handle and pull the handle up. Then, use a pair of slip nose pliers to tighten the cap clockwise until the leak stops. Wrap a piece of cloth around the jaws of the pliers as not to strip the chrome from the cap. There is also a cap wrench you can buy specifically to remove the cap. If the leak is coming from the spout, you'll need to rebuild the faucet. Remove the handle and the cap. Below the cap should be a rubber and nylon cam, followed by a seal, followed by a stainless steel ball with a stem. Pull these out of the spout collar. Below will be two small rubber seals covering a couple of springs. There will also be a pin - more about that later. Remove the seals and pull the springs out with a pair of long-nosed pliers. If you already have a repair kit, place the old springs and seals to the side so you don't get them mixed up with the new parts. Then, pull up gently on the spout until it comes free of the faucet body. Cut the old O-rings with a knife and put new O-rings in their place over the slot at the top and bottom of the faucet body. Then, place the new springs and seals into the seats, with the flared ends of the seals on top. Next, put the new ball in the spout, lining the slot in the side of the ball with the pin in the inside of the faucet body. Replace the spout and put the new cam and seal inside the faucet, lining up the tab on the cam with the slot on the top of the spout sleeve. Finally, tighten the cap and replace the handle. When the water pressure on your kitchen faucet home seems to be dropping, check the filter at the end of the spigot/faucet first. The problem is usually a clogged filter at the tip of the faucet, which costs nothing to check. Use a pair of pliers to unscrew the end of the faucet and check the filter
for build up of mineral deposits and other debris. Flush out the debris and
replace the filter. © by Jim Sulski. All rights reserved. February 3, 2005. NOTE: This column is distributed by Real Estate Matters Syndicate, PO Box 366, Glencoe, Illinois, 60022. This column may not be resold, reprinted, resyndicated or redistributed without written permission from the publisher. © 2005 by Ilyce R. Glink. Distributed by Real Estate Matters Syndicate. |
 |
|
|
|
RSS Feeds
|
