Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2018 i Family Handyman

Easy apple cleanup Bending over to pick up fallen fruit from my apple tree was hard on my back, but I found a solution that works really well. I bought a three-tine frog spear ($3 at Cabela’s) and fastened it to the end of a broom handle. Now I just spear the apples. If I’m careful, I can spear more than one at a time. Mashing small apples with my foot makes them easier to spear. DAN ZAMBON TRASH-BAG DISPENSER You can build a simple dispenser for your trash bags using 1/2-in. pipe and a few fittings. Screw a floor flange to the cabinet, thread in a 3-in.-long pipe nipple, and then thread a 90-degree elbow onto the nipple. Cut the vertical pipe so it’s a bit longer than the…

◾ If you can smell mold, but you can’t find the mold or moisture problem. ◾ If there is so much mold that you can’t remedy the problem easily. ◾ If there are highly susceptible individuals in your home. This could include those with respiratory conditions such as severe asthma or allergies, and those with a weakened immune system caused by HIV, chemotherapy or an organ transplant. Young children and elderly persons may also be more susceptible to mold-related health issues. ◾ If there are other hazardous materials present, like asbestos or lead, that will be disturbed or removed along with the mold. Hire a contractor who is licensed for those hazards. ◾ If moisture has created structural problems. Consult a qualified contractor to do the repairs or a structural…

Planning a retaining wall When you’re choosing concrete block for a retaining wall, keep in mind that some types of block allow more design options than others. There are two key differences: ■ Some block systems allow graceful curves, even tight curves. Others allow only large-radius curves—or no curves at all. ■ Some systems include a variety of options such as capstones to top off the walls, blocks intended for above-ground “seating” walls, matching stair blocks or patio pavers. Others primarily offer plain blocks. Designing a wall and selecting block can get complicated. To start, snap a few photos of the wall site and sketch a rough plan. Then visit a garden center that specializes in hardscaping. That’s where you’ll get the best advice and widest selection. Most stores have…

A SLICE IS NICE All torn up Tearing off trim can often take the paint and even the drywall paper along with it, making lots of extra work. All the wall patching needed to fix this mess could easily have been avoided with just a little more work up front. THE RIGHT WAY When you’re removing trim, take a minute to slice through the caulk or paint between the moldings and the wall or ceiling. Run a sharp utility knife along the intersection between the wall and the trim to separate them. Then you can remove the trim without wrecking the wall. CREATIVE PLUMBING APPLE FLAPPER Given how finicky toilet flappers can be, it would be awesome if an apple would do the job. As for the sock, we suspect…

We’re exposed to mold spores in the air every day, both indoors and out, and most of the time that’s no cause for concern. But given moderate temperatures, a food source (nearly any building material) and moisture, mold can grow on almost any surface inside our homes. Left unchecked, that can mean real trouble. Mold can harm health and destroy the building materials it feasts on. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of misinformation about mold and how to handle it. So let’s separate myth from fact and look at solutions that work. Myth #1 MOLD TESTING IS CRITICAL. Surprisingly, this isn’t the case. Testing gives you a snapshot of the quantity and type of mold present. But all types of mold (there are more than 100,000!) need to be removed, so it’s…

Installing an irrigation system is a great way to keep a lawn green through even the doggiest days of summer. We spent a day with pro installers, who taught us how to pull pipe, make solid connections faster and get it done safely. The result: a well designed irrigation system that sips water instead of guzzling it. We don’t show how to connect an irrigation system to a home’s water supply or install a vacuum breaker/backflow preventer in this story. This crew hires a licensed plumber for those steps. A good plan saves water It takes a lot of know-how to figure out how many zones to install and which sprinkler head goes where. A poorly designed system will waste water—a lot of it! Luckily, irrigation product manufacturers such as…

Here are a few tips that’ll likely require you to do a bit of research online and in your owner’s manual to figure out how to make them work for your setup. UPDATE ROUTER FIRMWARE Router manufacturers regularly update their software to improve performance and speed. Update your firmware even if your Wi-Fi speed is fine, as you’ll get updated security and features. UPDATE COMPUTER SOFTWARE A computer has a Wi-Fi network adapter, which runs on driver software. Be sure your computer is up to date and has all the latest drivers from the manufacturer installed. DUAL FREQUENCY ROUTERS Some routers can operate in 2.4GHz and 5GHz at the same time. Some of these routers automatically choose which frequency is best for a given situation. For example, when you’re far…

It seems like every repair job involves at least one stuck bolt. And over the years I’ve learned that brute force isn’t the best bolt removal technique. Here’s my proven approach for removing the most stubborn fasteners without even breaking a sweat. Start with a rust penetrant Rust penetrants contain a solvent to dissolve rust, a lubricant to lower friction, and a surface tension reducer to get deep penetration. Home brews like Coca-Cola, kerosene and mineral spirits don’t have all those ingredients. Neither do general-purpose lubricants. Those products simply don’t work as well or as fast as actual rust penetrants. You can find penetrants like Liquid Wrench Penetrating Oil, WD-40 Specialist Rust Release and PB B’laster at home centers and auto parts stores. Start by soaking the bolts for at…

Need more Family Handyman? Get our best tips and hints in your inbox. Sign up at tfhmag.com/diytips GOT A DIY QUESTION? Finding answers is easy at familyhandyman.com. Just use the search box at the top of the page to get expert step-by-step help with your projects. GOT A HANDY HINT OR TIP FOR US? To share your information with us, submit a copy of your original contribution, including photos and/or sketches, by email to: submissions@familyhandyman.com Or mail to: The Family Handyman, 2915 Commers Drive, Suite 700, Eagan, MN 55121 Please include your name, mailing address and email address if you have one, and indicate to which department you are submitting. We reserve the right to publish your submission in any appropriate department, or elsewhere. Contributions will not be acknowledged or returned.…