Silicone Sealant Can Help Mend Hairline Cracks

Question: My wife lost a ring down the kitchen drain and fortunately, after removing the elbow joint underneath we were able to salvage it, but I’ve found that I can’t reconnect the joint without leakage. Any suggestions?

H. M.

Seal Beach

Answer: “Oftentimes when people tighten those nuts, they break the nut and leave a hairline crack that will leak,” says Greg Yates of Springdale Hardware in Huntington Beach. “When making that kind of connection, you should use a silicone-based sealant. You should also replace the slip joint washers, since these wear out after a few years of use. If this doesn’t work, you might want to replace the entire trap with one made of PVC, which just needs hand-tightening.”

Q: I’m planning on remodeling a bathroom, and I want to know what I can put on the toilet nuts, studs and screws to keep them from corroding. A friend who recently did the job at his house last year already has to deal with corroded parts.

N. C.

Tustin

A: “You could try coating them with some white zinc grease before setting in place and before connecting the seat,” says Lee Sist of Tile and Plumbing Gallery in Huntington Beach. “You can also use petroleum jelly, but I think you’ll have better luck with the grease, which tends to last and stick to the metal to keep the metal from rusting.”

Q: We have old-fashioned linoleum tiles in our kitchen that I’d like to replace with a one-piece vinyl floor. Can I safely put the new flooring over the tiles or will I have to pull them up?

T. Y.

Santa Ana

A: “Since it’s an old tile floor, there’s the threat of asbestos being released into the air if the tiles are pulled up,” says Patrick McKenney of Anaheim Centsible Tile. “Usually old flooring should be pulled up, since it can telegraph through to the new floor, and as it breaks up, it can poke through. The manufacturer may recommend that a leveler be applied to create a smooth surface for the floor. The leveler is a cement product that is troweled on to create a smooth, even surface.”

Q: We have plastic molding in our kitchen that has chair and shoe scuffs. I’d like to save it by painting it, but how should I start and what kind of paint do I use?

R. F.

Mission Viejo

A: “Since that kind of plastic generally has a glossy finish, you have to tone it down a little,” says Charlie K. of Tustin Paint Mart. “Use some light sandpaper and then coat it with a vinyl acrylic primer. After letting it dry thoroughly, you can use almost any kind of finish paint on it. The key is in the preparation; you don’t want to paint over any shiny, glossy surface.”

Q: We bought a home last year that has one living room wall with a brick veneer surface. How do we get this off so we can paint the wall?

L. Y.

Huntington Beach

A: “If it’s been put up with just a simple adhesive, it’s just a matter of going up and scraping it off with a big putty knife and using an adhesive dissolver,” says Don Rickard of Imperial Paint Co. in Anaheim. “To fix the gouges, if the wall is plaster, you can fill them with plaster of Paris, or if it’s drywall, use drywall mud. If mortar’s been used, you’ll have to scrape it down the best you can and maybe rent an electric grinder to get it as smooth as possible before skip-troweling the wall.”