No Drywall Repair Needed

Whenever you have to cut a hole in a basement ceiling to gain access to a frozen/split outside faucet, you can save the homeowner time and money by installing a heat register to cover the hole that was cut. The homeowner won't have to call someone to repair the drywall. Also, it will allow some heat from the basement to travel to the outside faucet and may prevent further freeze-ups.

Joseph Rodriguez
Brothers Plumbing & Heating
Thornton, Colo.

Leveling A Water Closet

An easy way to level and shim while setting a water closet is to use some type of hard putty. Set the closet as normal. Mix up a “stiff” slurry of putty. Push a bead of putty under and around the base. Take a damp rag to wipe off the excess.

This works better than a normal silicone caulking bead as it gives the base of the closet a uniform support, especially on an uneven floor. There’s no more shaving and fitting of shims. Drying time is only about 20 to 30 minutes.

Edward McLinn
Magic Valley Plumbing & Heating Co.
Twin Falls, Idaho

Like Slicing Through Butter

Removing a pedestal lav that is secured to the wall with silicone usually involves drywall damage. A standard wire guitar string can solve that problem. Using a back-and-forth motion above and below the sink deck, the string slices through the silicone like butter, making removal a breeze.

After the lav is safely away from the wall, gently peel the remaining silicone away from the drywall.

Jorge Gomes
Georgetown, Ont., Canada