How to Install a New Toilet in 5 Easy Steps.

Written by Bridget Mwape


How to Install a New Toilet in 5 Easy Steps.

If your toilet is old and in need of repairs, it is cheaper to replace it by installing a new one. This is quite easy to do and can be completed in an afternoon. However, if you plan to install a toilet in a new location, you will have to extend supply pipes and drainpipes torepparttar desired spot, a job you may want to leave to a plumbing contractor.

Most toilets are sold withrepparttar 138329 necessary gaskets, washers, and hardware for fittingrepparttar 138330 tank torepparttar 138331 bowl. However you might need to buy a few parts. Here is a list of what you need to complete this task:

- Toilet bowl - Toilet tank - Toilet seat - Two 1/4" bolts for bowl to flange - Wax ring - 20" water supply with fitting at valve or floor connection Tools: Pair of channel pliers, bucket, screw driver.

(Many of these can be ordered online at any DIY website such as DIY Tips UK: http://www.diy-tips-uk.com/plumbing/)

1. Shut offrepparttar 138332 water torepparttar 138333 toilet, use a bucket and a cloth or a sponge to removerepparttar 138334 water left in tank and bowl after you flushrepparttar 138335 toilet.

2. Using a pair of channel pliers, or a small pipe wrench (8"), removerepparttar 138336 nut whererepparttar 138337 water line fastens torepparttar 138338 ballcock valve underrepparttar 138339 left side ofrepparttar 138340 bottom ofrepparttar 138341 tank. Next use a small crescent wrench, removerepparttar 138342 two 1/4" nuts holdingrepparttar 138343 bowl torepparttar 138344 floor flange. Remove old toilet. Removerepparttar 138345 water line fromrepparttar 138346 valve or fitting at floor or wall.

3. Now you are ready to install your new toilet. Putrepparttar 138347 two 1/4" bolts inrepparttar 138348 side holes ofrepparttar 138349 flange withrepparttar 138350 bolt head inrepparttar 138351 flange. Put some ofrepparttar 138352 old wax at this spot to holdrepparttar 138353 bolts straight up and across from each other. Put new wax ring on flange, flat side up if tapered.

LOG WALL CHARACTERISTICS

Written by Mercedes Hayes


Looking at allrepparttar beautiful full-color glossy photos of log home in magazines gives us an idealized vision ofrepparttar 137860 perfect wooden house. Like a supermodel, we can't imagine wrinkles and imperfections, but like any natural product, log walls are full of traits that are an integral part of their character.

CHECKING: The new visitor to any log home is invariably struck byrepparttar 137861 cracks inrepparttar 137862 logs, sometimes stretching for several feet.  Initially they might look alarming, but these cracks, or checks, are a natural process that occurs overrepparttar 137863 first few years when logs are still drying and reaching equilibrium withrepparttar 137864 environment. In no way do they weakenrepparttar 137865 integrity of your log wall.

When trees are cut down, there is naturally still some moisture left inrepparttar 137866 cells, especially whenrepparttar 137867 tree is cut down live. These logs are called "green" and will settle many inches if used right away to build a house. Some manufacturers let their logs dry naturally – air dried – while others putrepparttar 137868 logs in a kiln and bake them for 30-45 days, which removes 80-85% ofrepparttar 137869 moisture. However, they can't go any farther without doing damage torepparttar 137870 wood, sorepparttar 137871 logs dry naturally forrepparttar 137872 next few years, and this process can create checks inrepparttar 137873 wood to relieverepparttar 137874 pressure. However,repparttar 137875 heartwood closest torepparttar 137876 center ofrepparttar 137877 tree is so hard thatrepparttar 137878 checks will not go beyondrepparttar 137879 center ofrepparttar 137880 log. As a result, you will not seerepparttar 137881 checks go allrepparttar 137882 way through.

SETTLING: As you may already suspect, there is a relationship between moisture content and settling of your log walls. No, settling does not have to be a "dirty word". As long as your builder knows how to deal withrepparttar 137883 settling and make provisions forrepparttar 137884 windows, doors, plumbing, and interior walls, your house can settle many inches and still age comfortably. Any log home will come with about a 2" gap above allrepparttar 137885 doors and windows, which will need to be filled with insulation. The builder will cut a vertical groove inrepparttar 137886 frame and affix nails torepparttar 137887 windows and doors that will slide downrepparttar 137888 groove asrepparttar 137889 building settles, so nothing gets crushed. Most kiln-dried homes will only settle a couple of inches overall, and much of that will occur duringrepparttar 137890 construction phase.

KNOTS: Depending onrepparttar 137891 species of wood used in your log home, some logs have more knots than others, just as some trees have more limbs than others. The more interestingrepparttar 137892 knot,repparttar 137893 more likely your builder will place it at eye level, since each knot is truly unique. However, don't be surprised ifrepparttar 137894 knots ooze sap onrepparttar 137895 sunny exterior walls of your house. Evenrepparttar 137896 sealant won't stoprepparttar 137897 sap from working its way out. This will not happen onrepparttar 137898 inside ofrepparttar 137899 house, or onrepparttar 137900 shady side. It only happens whenrepparttar 137901 sun is beating down onrepparttar 137902 logs and heating them up inrepparttar 137903 summer time.

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