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, by Trudy Chuoke Author Article title
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, by Trudy Chuoke Author Article title
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, by Trudy Chuoke Author Article title
Emergency Extreme Tape
- , by Trudy Chuoke Trudy Chuoke
Last week we had a call from a frustrated customer. She wasn’t upset with us; it was a plumber who had installed some new plumbing under a sink in a rental home. Her tenant called late one afternoon to tell her that the PVC plumbing under the sink was still leaking, a small leak …..but still leaking. When she called the plumber – he said he could be there in 2 days. Well two days is too long when someone is paying rent and you’re the property owner. She called us and asked if there was another plumber she could call. We suggested something else.
Extreme Tape is not just ordinary tape. It’s a self-binding wrap originally developed for the Aerospace community. It has an amazing ability to fix plumbing connections, mend electrical wires, and can be used as a clamp for unusually shaped items. For our customer we asked her to locate the leak. Turn off the water under the sink. Wrap the pipe starting two inches above the leak. Then wrap the area moving down the pipe, pulling the Extreme Tape while you are wrapping the pipe. Overlap each wrap on the pipe moving a quarter of an inch with each wrap. It’s the stretching of the tape that will cause the tape to cling to itself. But let me explain, Extreme Tape is not sticky tape, it’s a self-fusing, silicone rubber tape that will flex and span over any PVC connection. We explained to our customer that this fix is a permanent fix not just a temporary answer. But you can use Extreme Tape for other situations.
Use it to seal dishwasher hoses, vacuum hoses, dryer vents, garden hoses and radiator hoses. Keep Extreme Tape in the car, under the sink and in the toolbox. You can use it to add to the grip of a hammer, repair fishing rods, mend electrical cords and cable cords. It will withstand up to 500 degrees F and stay flexible at a -80 – which down in Texas probably won’t be necessary.
The only things you can’t use Extreme Tape on are gas lines, brake lines or fuel lines. You will find it on the website www.happyhandyman.com. Or give us a call at the San Antonio location, 210-341-1573.
Now to the email…..
Question: We have a front door that is unprotected and now is starting to show some rot. Is there a product we can use to strengthen the bottom of the door to prevent any further damage?
Answer: Use a product called Minwax Wood Hardener. Brush it on the soft areas of the door with a foam brush. You need to apply three coats letting dry between. The surface will become shiny when cured. When it is completely cured, the door fibers will be hard again. If you have any voided areas, use the Minwax Wood Dough to fill.
Question: After cleaning my white grout in my tub/shower combination, the grout still looks dingy. Do you have a cleaner that will make it look new again, or will I need to re-grout?
Answer: Grout Aide is an easy answer to the problem. Just go over the grout lines with this marker and it will make those grout lines “pop” look great.
Question: Last week we had so much wind outdoors and it knocked over our birdbath. The bowl part landed flat, but a corner chipped off. What do you suggest to adhere the piece back on the birdbath.
Answer: Use a product called PC11. It’s a strong epoxy. It will even hold under water. It’s perfect for the bird bath. It will dry white.
Question: My vent-hood has a lot of grease build up. I have cleaned it some, but I can’t seem to find a product that really cleans well. What would you suggest cleaning with?
Answer: You could Krud Kutter degreaser. It’s good but be sure and rinse well, and then rinse it again. Now I just went to the Lancaster Show in Orlando and saw a new degreaser and I think that it will be an excellent degreaser. The nice part is that it truly had little smell and it was ECO friendly. If you can wait, I am testing it right now and will write about it soon.