Category archive for ‘Ask the Woodchucks’ rss

  • May 23, 2013 | By

    A solution to the ‘water hammer’ problem

    Question: We recently purchased a new front-loading washing machine and everything is great except every time the washing machine turns off the water, there is a loud banging noise. It even rattles the pipes in the wall. Is there any way to quiet this down?

  • May 9, 2013 | By

    Make the smart choice and install a carbon monoxide detector

    Do you have carbon monoxide detectors in your house? If you do not, you are in violation of the law. Effective January 1, 2007, Illinois Public Act 094-0741 required carbon monoxide detectors in all buildings that contain sleeping units.

  • April 25, 2013 | By

    Testing your water expansion tank

    Q. Our house was built approximately six years ago. On top of the water heater is a black something with a small tank, pipe that goes into the ceiling and a hose that leads into the floor drain. What is this for? It makes a loud siren-type noise that is getting louder. What can we do? Thanks.

  • April 11, 2013 | By

    Refrigerator tips

    Your refrigerator has probably been running for a few years with no problems. Here are a few things you should check to make sure it continues to perform.

  • March 28, 2013 | By

    Changing smoke alarms

    I finally got around to taking my own advice and changed my 10-year-old smoke alarms. Smoke alarms have a 7-10 year life, so if yours are older than that there is a good chance they are no longer working. My original ones were Firex brand model ADC.

  • March 14, 2013 | By

    Shower temperature adjustment

    Most Sun City homes have Moen shower faucets. These faucets have a feature called Posi-temp that allows you to set the maximum temperature. The temperature was set on installation so that when the handle is turned all the way counterclockwise, the temperature is ideal for showering.

  • February 28, 2013 | By

    Have you forgotten to do some important home maintenance?

    We all get busy here in Sun City, so it’s appropriate to remind all residents of some preventative maintenance that should be done on a regular basis. Skipping this simple and inexpensive maintenance could result in hundreds of dollars of repairs in the future.

  • February 14, 2013 | By

    Corian countertop maintenance

    Many of the homes in Sun City have Corian countertops. Over the years, many of these have developed stains and scratches that need to be removed.

  • January 31, 2013 | By

    Readers pitch in on securing basement windows

    A short time ago, a reader wrote in to ask if we had any ideas on how to secure the well covers over basement windows to keep burglars out. We discussed the problem at the shop and could not come up with an acceptable solution that still allowed for easy exit in case of an emergency. We asked our readers if they had any ideas, and they did. They sent us several excellent ideas.

  • January 1, 2013 | By

    Cleaning a flat screen TV

    In the old days, TVs had a large glass picture tube. Cleaning it was easy: just spray on a little Windex and wipe away the dirt. Modern flat screen TVs are bigger, and the surface of the screen is much more fragile.

  • December 20, 2012 | By

    Some feedback from our readers and temperature tips

    A resident wrote to us a few months back about a problem she had with her oven. She is a self-described baker and had noticed in the past year that cookies and cakes were not baking through like they used to. We answered her question and just received a follow up confirming that our advice fixed her problem.

  • December 6, 2012 | By

    Replacing a worn-out garbage disposal

    Last week my garbage disposal gave out after 11-plus years. Several times over the years it has jammed and would not start. When that happened, I took the wrenchette tool that came with the disposal, plugged it into the hole at the bottom, and rotated it until the jam was cleared. This time there was no jam, just bad bearings that made it hard enough to rotate that the motor would not start.

  • November 21, 2012 | By

    How to identify and trap Norway rats

    One of the Woodchucks noticed a strange, medium-length, furry animal on his bird feeder. After patiently watching, he was able to get some good pictures of the critter. He sent the pictures to the McHenry County Extension Services, who told him he had a Norway rat.

  • November 1, 2012 | By

    Don’t get ripped off with air conditioner repairs

    Question: I have a Mackinac model that was built in 2002 with a York air conditioner. We moved into it in 2005. Twice when I have had the AC annual checkup done (I have it done every two years), I have been told by the repairman that I need to replace a rusted capacitor 40/50MFD-370V at around $130 each time. Has this been the normal practice for this type of AC or have I been taken to the cleaners each time?

  • October 25, 2012 | By

    Heading south for the winter? Follow this checklist first

    As many Sun City residents pack for warmer climates, it is important to spend an hour or so to prepare your house for the winter.

  • October 11, 2012 | By

    Fall maintenance and Q&As

    The master gardener in our neighborhood advises that because of the severe drought we had this summer, the trees and bushes in your yard are highly stressed. They could easily be lost over the winter if they are not well-watered before winter sets in. You should run your hose at about half flow on each tree for about an hour once or twice a week until the first freeze. The bushes will need one-third of that amount.

  • September 27, 2012 | By

    Smoke alarm tips will help to keep you safe and sure

    If the smoke alarms in your residence are more than 10 years old, there is a good chance they will not warn you of a fire. There are parts in the alarm that wear out, and all smoke alarm manufacturers warn on their websites that their alarms should be replaced after 10 years. The National Fire Protection association also urges replacing home smoke alarms after 10 years.

  • September 13, 2012 | By

    Garage Access to Your House

    Did you ever want to give temporary access to your house to a visitor or a service person? If you have a keyless entry keypad on the outside of your garage, chances are it can be programmed to activate a four digit PIN for a programmed number of hours or number of accesses, after which it will expire and the PIN will no longer open the door.

  • August 30, 2012 | By

    Preventative maintenance to keep your fridge running cool

    There are several areas of a refrigerator that need to be maintained to keep it operating properly.

  • August 16, 2012 | By

    Fix a leaky sillcock and change a shower light bulb

    We have received two questions about leaky sillcocks; particularly the one in the garage. This can be a real nuisance because the water puddles on the garage floor. If a sillcock leaks when the water is on, you are in luck, as the fix is relatively easy. This leak is caused by a loose packing nut. To tighten it, remove the handle by taking off the screw. It is usually a Phillips head screw.

  • August 2, 2012 | By

    Is you clothes dryer performing poorly?

    If it seems to take a lot longer to dry clothes than it used to, it may be because you have neglected some important maintenance.

  • July 19, 2012 | By

    How to handle the GE dishwasher recall & when to fill up

    General Electric dishwashers built between 1997 and 2001 were found to have a wiring problem that has caused fires. Many of these were installed in Del Webb houses built before 2003. In May of 2007, GE issued a recall on these dishwashers. The owner is given two options. Option 1 is a $150 rebate on a new dishwasher. Option 2 is a repair where they replace the wiring harness in the door of the dishwasher.

  • July 5, 2012 | By

    Cleaning and caulking a shower

    Question: How do we remove the black mildew that is building up on the caulking in our shower? The shower has marble slabs on the three sides opposite the door that are caulked at the bottom and sides.

  • June 21, 2012 | By

    Mold, moss, mildew, algae elimination

    I have heard lately from several people that there is a problem on some Sun City houses with mold, moss, mildew, and algae stains on the siding. The problem only occurs on the side where the sun doesn’t shine on the house, primarily the north side.

  • May 31, 2012 | By

    How to fix almost anything

    There are hundreds of things you may want more information on when it comes to home repairs. The answers to many questions are right on your computer if you know how to find them. Two sources are Google and YouTube.

  • May 17, 2012 | By

    Simple home tweaks that make a world of difference

    If your 911 light switch – the one that flashes the outside light to help the 911 responders find your house – stops working, it may not be broken.

  • May 3, 2012 | By

    A look back on the first Woodchucks repair day of 2012

    This is the start of the eleventh year the Woodchucks have been working in the Millgrove Woodshop. We are very happy with our facility, and as a way to give back to the community, we open the shop twice each year and invite residents to bring broken wooden furniture and other objects to the shop that need to be repaired. Thirty to forty of our most experienced woodworkers volunteer a day to repair these objects.

  • April 19, 2012 | By

    Patio Paver Sanding

    If you have a paver patio, walkway, or driveway and the sand needs to be replenished between the pavers, there are two alternatives. The best alternative is to use polymeric sand, which bonds the pavers together, keeps out weeds, and is less susceptible to ants. Before you go out and buy a bag of polymeric sand, read on so you know what is involved in getting the sand into the joints properly.

  • April 5, 2012 | By

    Cleaning Garage Floors

    Spring is finally here, and there is a rather lengthy list of traditional spring cleaning tasks that must either be done or avoided. Winter has a way of making a mess in the garage. The concrete floor has an accumulation of sand with salt residue mixed in. If your car has any leaks, there may be some oil spots. Another problem may be rust stains.

  • March 22, 2012 | By

    Securing Your Home, part 2

    As most of you know, there have been a number of break-ins in Sun City. These have been daylight events where the front door was forced open, and money and jewelry were taken. On many of the homes, there is a double pane window the full height of the door on one or both sides of the door. Since the deadbolt on the doors of these houses is a single cylinder, i.e. there is no key lock on the inside, a burglar can break the window, reach in and turn the knob on the deadbolt to open the door.