ASK THE HANDYMAN : Replacing Stripped Door Screws Means Adding Wood Plug

Q. I’ve got a pine china cabinet built in the 1920s that’s in need of a repair on one of the doors. The screws on one of the hinges have become stripped over time. I’d like to do the job myself if it won’t take much work.

C.M.,

Santa Ana

A. “The best way to repair it is to drill into the stripped screw holes and glue wooden dowels into the new holes,” says David Moyes of Moyes Custom Furniture in Anaheim. “Use a chisel to make the dowel even with the door’s surface, and use sandpaper to smooth it out. After you let the dowels dry for about half a day, you can screw the hinge in again.”

Q. I’d like to clean the chimney in our house before winter. What kind of equipment do I need? And what’s the best way of going about it?

A.J.,

Yorba Linda

A. “It’s really a filthy, messy job, you’d better think again before doing it yourself,” says Judy Kocher of Don’s Chimney Sweep in Santa Ana. “Professional chimney sweepers use a special high-powered vacuum designed specifically for the chimney. It has a high-density filter that’s able to catch the dust, which is so fine it passes right through any ordinary vacuum.

“A chimney sweep will spread drop cloths around the hearth and carpets, then work from the top down, trying to brush debris down. He then reaches in and vacuums around the smoke shelf, which is the U-shaped wedge in the damper area, then wire brushes and checks the operation of the damper. It’s about a $60 job, and you should figure on having it done whenever you burn a full cord of wood.

“A homeowner can do a lot to keep a chimney and fireplace clean. Don’t burn newspaper or new wood, since they tend to be very dirty. And the composite easy-burning logs you get at the supermarket are also bad; they leave a wax deposit along the walls of the chimney that’s hard to remove. Burn dry seasoned wood from a reputable wood dealer--that’s the best advice.

“And never clean a chimney with water. It deteriorates brick and cement and rusts metal.”

Q. Our asphalt shingle roof leaks in one of our bedrooms when it rains. How do I go about finding and stopping the leak?

T.P.,

La Palma

A. “Roofs tend to leak at perimeters and projections,” says Don Coulson of Lee Roofing in Costa Mesa. “Check around the vents or antennas that protrude from the roof to see if there’s any damage.

“You can also look in the attic space above the bedroom and see if there are any water stains above you. To patch it, clean the area with solvent, patch it with fiberglass or mesh, then seal with mastic or roofing cement. If the patch is in a conspicuous place, you can get gravel to match the granules on your shingles at a roofing supply store and sprinkle it on the mastic.”

Q. Our garage door springs are about 20 years old and have some light rust in places. How long are they supposed to last?

S.D.,

Orange

A. “It depends on when and where they’re made and how much they’re used,” says Don Phelan of Phelan Door in Orange. “The important thing is that if it doesn’t have a safety rod, it should be changed immediately.

“Sometime in the early 1970s all springs sold had to have safety rods built into them so they wouldn’t shatter when they broke, but there are still a number of springs out there that don’t have them.

“An important thing to remember is that the pivot points on the hardware must be oiled once a year to keep them operating feely. If the top arm should snap away while the door is closed, it can swing down with the power of a guillotine. Use a spray-on lithium grease, available at most hardware and auto parts stores.”