REPLACING YOUR SLIDING GLASS DOOR ROLLERS

Written by John Rocco


Continued from page 1

Once you getrepparttar slider out, almost all rollers are held in place byrepparttar 100066 same screw that holdsrepparttar 100067 frame corners together. So, you need to setrepparttar 100068 panel on one side, removerepparttar 100069 screw inrepparttar 100070 corner, fliprepparttar 100071 panel over, removerepparttar 100072 screw onrepparttar 100073 other bottom corner. Now, you can take a rubber mallet orrepparttar 100074 wood handle of a hammer, and taprepparttar 100075 bottom frame offrepparttar 100076 glass. This will give you access to your rollers. Take a close look at how they are inserted intorepparttar 100077 door frame. In fact, it's a good idea to only remove one roller to bring with you to match forrepparttar 100078 new ones. Then, when you get back home, you can userepparttar 100079 roller that is still in place as a guide to installingrepparttar 100080 new ones.

Places like Home Depot, Lowes, and Ace Hardware carry about 80-90% ofrepparttar 100081 rollers out there. So, you should be able to find them. However, let's say this just isn't your lucky day, and you can't find your rollers anywhere. You are going to have to have them ordered. Bringrepparttar 100082 roller to your local glass shop. If you're lucky, they will have them in stock. If not, they can orderrepparttar 100083 rollers, but you won't get them for about a week. Don't panic. Just go home and taprepparttar 100084 bottom frame back onrepparttar 100085 door panel, but leaverepparttar 100086 corner screws out. You can even leaverepparttar 100087 roller out that you removed. Liftrepparttar 100088 door back in place, installrepparttar 100089 fixed panel but don't snaprepparttar 100090 bottom piece back in, and don't installrepparttar 100091 inside screws. Then, from insiderepparttar 100092 house, liftrepparttar 100093 slider and pull it closed. You don't want to drag it if you leftrepparttar 100094 roller out. It will scraperepparttar 100095 bottom track. Just lift it enough to takerepparttar 100096 pressure off, and close and lock it.

When Your new rollers come in, take everything back out and installrepparttar 100097 new rollers. Adjustrepparttar 100098 new rollers allrepparttar 100099 way up before puttingrepparttar 100100 door back in. That way,repparttar 100101 new rollers won't interfere with you lifting it back in place. Adjustrepparttar 100102 new rollers down untilrepparttar 100103 door slides good and locks. You want to be sure there is an equal gap atrepparttar 100104 top and bottom whenrepparttar 100105 door is about an inch from closing intorepparttar 100106 side jam. You can adjustrepparttar 100107 rollers to make this dimension even. If you can getrepparttar 100108 job done by a professional for $50 or $60 including parts, it might be worth hiring someone to do it. But, in high population areas such as Los Angeles, it's common to pay $100 in labor only. Then they mark uprepparttar 100109 cost ofrepparttar 100110 rollers, and you could wind up spending $130 for a job that you can do yourself for about $20. Next week i'm going to tell you how to repair your broken or defective window glass.

John Rocco has been installing replacement windows since 1978. To learn more, visit How To Install Windows


Understanding your laundry detergent

Written by Donald Grummett


Continued from page 1

Detergent and hard water ---------------

One ofrepparttar things that affectsrepparttar 100065 cleaning process is water hardness.

When detergent is used in hard water it produces soap scum. Yes,repparttar 100066 same stuff that makes that ring inside your bathtub. The harderrepparttar 100067 water,repparttar 100068 more soap scum.

Water hardness is a measure of its mineral content. So,repparttar 100069 more minerals,repparttar 100070 more soap scum. The more scum,repparttar 100071 less concentratedrepparttar 100072 detergent.

Therefore, if your water is hard you need to compensate by using more detergent per load of laundry. Conversely,repparttar 100073 softerrepparttar 100074 waterrepparttar 100075 less detergent is required to clean repparttar 100076 clothes. If you readrepparttar 100077 detergent box it will usually indicate how much detergent is needed for different water hardness.

Unsure of your water hardness? Telephone your municipality or water provider and ask forrepparttar 100078 water hardness level. It is quoted in grains. That is, 2-4 grains is soft, 4-6 grains is medium, and above 6-8 grains is hard water. If you don't know your water hardness, then experiment. Cut back on your detergent. Ifrepparttar 100079 clothes still come out clean, cut back further.

Detergent quantity per load ----------------

Do not assume thatrepparttar 100080 amount of detergent suggested onrepparttar 100081 box is correct for you.

The manufacturer is offering general guidelines based upon many variable factors. Load size, dirt content, detergent type, machine type, water hardness, or water temperature all effectrepparttar 100082 amount required. Some experimentation is required to find how much detergent you should use per load.

Also, use a measuring cup to dispense your detergent. The plastic measuring cup that comes inrepparttar 100083 detergent box is there for a reason.

Oncerepparttar 100084 perfect amount of detergent required is determined continue to use this same amount for every load. Simply use a marker to draw a line onrepparttar 100085 measure so your amount per load will be consistent.

Remember, simply dumping out a quantity of detergent from repparttar 100086 box is a very bad idea. It is not only wasteful but will contribute to poor and irregular cleaning results.

New products --------------

In recent yearsrepparttar 100087 front-loading washer has become common. They have attracted much attention because they use substantially less water and electricity. A front loader uses about 40% less water and 50% less electricity.

The clothes no longer are suspended in a large tub of water. Instead they roll inside a horizontal tub and only pass through water when atrepparttar 100088 bottom ofrepparttar 100089 tub.

The clothes are constantly being picked up and then dropped intorepparttar 100090 water. This tumbling action takesrepparttar 100091 place of repparttar 100092 agitator used in a top load machine.

Along withrepparttar 100093 introduction ofrepparttar 100094 front-loader has come a new generation of laundry detergent. It is called high-energy, or high-efficiency detergent. Generally referred to as HE detergent. This type of detergent produces very little suds.

A low sudsing detergent is necessary for a front loader washer. If suds were present theywould form a cushion at repparttar 100095 bottom ofrepparttar 100096 tub, betweenrepparttar 100097 clothes andrepparttar 100098 water. This would drastically reducerepparttar 100099 cleaning action ofrepparttar 100100 water.

Also,repparttar 100101 front-loader machines generally require less detergent per load of laundry. Some sources indicate this is because less water needs less detergent to obtainrepparttar 100102 same water to detergent ratio. Other sources suggest it is becauserepparttar 100103 HE detergent is more concentrated, and so less is needed to producerepparttar 100104 same cleaning action.

Although more expensiverepparttar 100105 detergent used by front-loaders can last a long time. For this reason it is often suggested it be stored in a warm, dry location. If exposed to moisture fromrepparttar 100106 air it can clump up. If this is then placed into a front-loaders dispenser it may not break down properly resulting in a poor wash.

The Future -----------------

What willrepparttar 100107 future bring torepparttar 100108 field of laundry detergent and clothes cleaning?

Manufacturers have been hinting at a type of washing machine that requires no detergent. Some think it will takerepparttar 100109 form of a microwave washer.

The dirt is radiated torepparttar 100110 point where it is virtually vaporized. Sounds like something out of Star Trek.

Others suggest washers may use electrically charged particles to dorepparttar 100111 cleaning. The dirt would be given an electrical charge different fromrepparttar 100112 clothing. In this way repparttar 100113 dirt can then be drawn away fromrepparttar 100114 fabric and then disposed of into a filter.

At this point in time these things seem rather far-fetched and theoretical.

Of courserepparttar 100115 same is always said until someone learns how to turn a crazy theory into a practical device.

For more information about detergent check out

http:// www.armandhammer.com http:// www.tide.com

Copyright 2004 Donald Grummett Donald Grummett is an appliance service manager in Ottawa, Canada. In the trade over 30 years as both a technician and business owner. For more information about appliances visit http://www.mgservices.ca




    <Back to Page 1
 
ImproveHomeLife.com © 2005
Terms of Use