April 2007

Dear Craig,

My showerhead has a perverse personality. Fussing with its settings makes little sense Sometimes it has good water force, other times it's more like a wimpy spray. Do I need to get a new one?Soapy in Saranac

Dear Soapy,

Maybe yes, maybe no - maybe you even should. Let's assume first that the answer is no and the only problem is mineral deposits that have clogged up the holes or collected anywhere between the aerator that's just inside the connection to the wall pipe and the holes on the showerhead. If that's the case, here's what you do: Use a pair of pipe wrenches, pad them with rags so you don't mar the pipe or the showerhead, and gently unscrew them. Pay particular attention to the wall pipe - you do not want to crack it inside the wall (believe me).

Soak the pieces of the head in vinegar overnight if you see any deposits. Then find one of those old toothbrushes (I know you've saved) and scrub away the gunk. Replace the showerhead, using Teflon tape or joint sealer on the connection.

If there isn't an aerator, there should be. That means you're using way more water than needed and, besides that, you're paying to heat more water than you need to. Today most showerheads have efficiency ratings and the aerators supply good water pressure. Replace any showerhead that uses more than 2.75 gpm (that's gallons per minute in EnergySpeak). Older showerheads use more than twice that much.

Now, does it work better? If not, head for the plumbing department at your favorite hardware store.

Dear Craig,

Help! I need some ideas on how to replace my icky, leaky shower door. I'm sure there's not enough epoxy left in the world to fix it. The shower is all tile and I think the door has been on it for all of the 40 years my house has been in existence. I want something classy, but I can't afford to put in a whole new shower so it can't damage the tile when it's removed.Glassy-eyed in Gallup

Dear Glassy-eyed,

You're in luck. Removing the aluminum frame is easy. It will probably be both screwed and glued to the tile, so work carefully. The holes will need to be filled, too.

The selection of shower doors has never been greater. Today there are sliding doors, bi-fold doors, pivot doors and frameless doors and they come in all sorts of patterns and hues. The aluminum tracks, if they have them, come in everything from bronze tones to bright white.

I like the frameless doors, particularly. They're elegant, thick and have exceptional classy handles and hinges. You didn't say how big your door is, but I'm assuming you want to see if you can do it yourself. You can, but I suggest you'll need some help. Doors are pretty awkward, and can be heavy. My main suggestion is to measure twice (at least) - glass does not bend.

Dear Craig,

I have inherited a battered tile bathroom (along with the rest of the house, naturally). I found some extra tiles in the garage, dusted them off and brought them in to see if they were still the same hue as the ones inside. They were - so now what do I do? Befuddled in Buffalo

Dear Befuddled,

Tile repair is not as scary as most people think. If a tile you're setting in place breaks, the world will still be here and so will your project. Just try again and thank whoever bought the tiles for buying a few extra. (That's also a good tip for when you have tiling work professionally done. Insist they leave you a few of each shape or design.)

Here's what to do. Match the tile shapes you need to replace. Then place the new ones safely out of reach so they don't become casualties before they get set. If the old tile is loose, you're lucky. Just jockey it out of the space and damp clean all the old grout area, removing everything that is loose. If the broken tile is stuck tight, cover it with a towel to save your eyes and hit it with a hammer. If that's too scary, chisel around it, using a small enough tool that you can control it. Clean the space and then spread the back of the new tile with adhesive, letting it set according to directions. After you've centered the tile in its permanent space, grout around it. If you only need a little, standard grout colors come in tube size. "Cure" the grout by reading package directions.

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