30
/BY ROY BERENDSOHN/↓ASKROY
30 June 2019 _ PopularMechanics.com
SIRAPHOLSIRICHARATTAKUL/EYEEM/GETTYIMAGES(TOILET)COLUMNS
Send your home and yard questions to:
[email protected]
@askroypmThere’s a drainpipe
behind where I want
to put a wall sconce.
What can I do?
June M., Brooklyn, New YorkMy go-to guy for these questions is David Shapiro, master
electrician and author of Old Electrical Wiring: Evalu-
ating, Repairing, and Upgrading Dated Systems. The
first thing he said: “Most new wiring, whether it’s do-
it-yourself or professional, requires a permit. A local
inspector will evaluate the work before okaying its use.”
So if it’s not safe to do, you won’t be allowed to do it. He
also had a couple points of advice: When you can’t
mount directly to the structure, try a
shallow pan-shaped “old work box”
that mounts to drywall, such as
Raco’s Old Work pancake box,
which is rated to support a
small light fixture and has
sufficient volume for a single
14/2-with-ground nonme-
tallic cable (protected by a
15-amp breaker). The box
clamps securely to the dry-
wall by a back bracket and its
front lip, so be sure to cut the
box’s hole neatly and accurately.
His last bit of advice? “Spackle tight to
the box, keeping any gap to 1⁄8 inch or less.
In the event of a fire, a large gap permits sparks and com-
bustion gas into the wall cavity.”Is it better to
seal driveways
in the summer
or the fall?
Meryl R.,
Goshen, ConnecticutEither is fine. More important than the season is that the
driveway be thoroughly cleaned and that all repairs be
completed before spreading the sealer, so patch any pot-
holes and cracks. Also, stir the sealer well and apply it in
thin layers. Two thin layers are better than a single thick
one, because this ensures thorough drying and the sec-
ond coat will be more likely to fill in any spots the first
one missed.The T-bolts
on my toilet pop out
before I can tighten
the nuts. Any idea
how to fix it?
Peter M., Milton, FloridaMany people have experienced this, including
myself. In fact, this is such a common problem that
it’s given rise to a cottage industry of specialty toilet-
bolting products.
Years ago, it seems, the head of these T-shaped
bolts was large enough that it was less likely to slip
out of the flange slot. My theory is that with the gen-
eral cheapening of building materials today, that’s no
longer true. A slightly smaller bolt head and a widen-
ing of the slot in the toilet flange is enough to cause
the bolt head to squeak through the flange, especially
if the bolt tilts slightly.
To solve the problem, the bolt must be dead-on
vertical, and its T has to be aligned across the width
of the slot so it bears on the flange. Any bolt rotation
as you tighten the nut will cause the bolt to slip out.
As to the solution, consider Big Foot Toilet Bolts.
They have an extra-large T head that they call the
foot. Their large plastic bellows-shaped washer holds
them firmly in position while you tighten the nut. Also,
they’re made out of aluminum, so they’ll never rust.