Question: We want to install a ceiling fan in our master bedroom to replace the small ceiling light that is there now.
The fan we purchased has a remote-control unit so the fan speed and lights can all be controlled from the old light switch box without having to redo the wiring in the wall and ceiling.
The fan is right over our bed, and my husband is worried it is too heavy for the old electrical box that the light is in and that the fan may fall on us in the middle of the night.
What should we do?
Your Handyman: Your husband is a smart man and being woken up from a peaceful dream by a ceiling fan crashing down onto the bed could ruin your whole night’s sleep and more.
The metal or plastic electrical box recessed into the ceiling and that now supports a fixture of a lighter weight is probably not going to be able to safely support the weight of your new ceiling fan.
An electrical box that is specifically rated to support a ceiling fan can be purchased at most hardware stores.
If you have attic access above your bedroom, the way to support the fan is to nail or screw a piece of lumber between the ceiling joist over the ceiling opening for the fan. Then, using screws, fasten a 4-inch metal octagon electrical box to the new 2×4 blocking, and it will safely support the fan.
If you do not have attic access at the fan location, you can purchase what is called an “old work electrical box” that fits up through the ceiling opening after the existing electrical box is removed. It has a threaded expandable bracket that, when turned with a wrench, expands out into the ceiling joists, making a compression brace.
The new electrical box then is screwed onto this brace, and it is ready to support the new fan.
This procedure could also be used if you replaced a lightweight ceiling light with a much heavier light fixture.
Be sure to read the manufacturer’s specified weight rating to make sure it is rated to safely support the new weight of your fan.
Both bracing methods will require that the electrical wiring to be disconnected to allow for removal of the old electrical box and reconnected to the new box.
If you do not have experience in correctly making safe electrical connections, you need to call a electrician rather than risk an unsafe electrical connection.
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Question: The toilet in our master bathroom is probably 25 years old but has just recently started slowly leaking where the toilet tank is connected to the toilet base.
Is it time for a new toilet or can this leaky tank be repaired?
Your Handyman: A toilet that leaks at the bottom of the tank where it connects with the toilet base sometimes just needs to have the tank screws tightened up a little and the leak is gone.
Lift the lid off the toilet tank and you should see the tops of two, or sometimes three, screw heads that usually can be tightened with a long screwdriver while holding the nut in place on the other end under the toilet base with a wrench.
Remember that a toilet is made from porcelain just like a dinner plate or vase and it can be cracked if the screw is over-tightened.
If the leak persists after the screws are tightened, the problem probably lies with the large rubber gasket that seals the tank to the base or the smaller rubber washers that seal the tank screws.
Turn off the water supply to the toilet, disconnect the water supply hose from the angle stop valve on the wall below the tank, use a wet/dry shop vacuum or a large sponge to remove all the water from the tank, undo the tank screws, and then carefully lift the tank off the base.
Remove the black rubber tank gasket and the screw washer, then head to the local plumbing store to purchase replacements.
Also be sure to purchase some silicone grease, not plumbers’ grease, which is petroleum based, and thoroughly coat all the surfaces of the new rubber seals before installing them.
Once you have the screws tightened up snuggly, your toilet should be leak free and good for maybe another 25 years of reliable service.
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Question: We live in an older home in San Roque that was probably built in the 1950s and we still have the original wood framed windows.
We are getting ready to have the outside of the house painted and just discovered that we have some minor water damage to the outside windowsill on our big living room window.
Can the damaged wood be replaced or is it time to bite the bullet and have a new window installed?
Your Handyman: Dry rot and termite damage on windowsills and frames is very common in older homes, and if caught early can usually be easily repaired.
If the damage to your window is minor and does not compromise the structure of the window, it can easily be repaired by your painter using a common patching compound called Bondo.
Bondo has been around for many years and was originally used by auto body shops to fill in minor scrapes and dents.
It is an epoxy-based product that is sold in cans like paint and comes with a small tube of catalyst that, when blended together, starts a chemical reaction, causing the Bondo to become completely dry and nonsticky within about 15-20 minutes.
Reaching way back to my high school chemistry class, this chemical reaction gives off a little bit of heat and is called an exothermic reaction.
Once the Bondo is not sticky at all to touch, it can be shaped with a sharp carpenter’s chisel and sanded with regular sandpaper until smooth.
If the hole you are filling is more than a half-inch or so deep, it will probably require two or more layers of Bondo to completely fill prior to shaping and sanding.
This type of minor wood damage is commonly done by painters as they prepare a house for a coat of new paint. A carpenter is involved only when the damage is such that the window is no longer a solid structure.
Bondo is a filler material only. It cannot be successfully used to replace a section of a structural piece of wood that is damaged to the point that it can no longer support the load it was originally carrying.
Bondo is available at most any paint or hardware store, and should always be used in a well-ventilated work area due to the strong epoxy smell it emits while drying.
Latex or nitrile gloves should be worn while mixing and applying and, as always, take the time to read the manufacturer’s instructions on the label.
