Disposal dilemma part 3: the conclusion

In the last episode, we left off at the point when I picked up my new KitchenAid disposal. If you need to catch up, read part 1 and part 2.

When I woke up Saturday morning, I couldn't wait to get the old disposal out and the new disposal in. I'd pored over the instructions the night before and gathered the necessary tools so I'd be ready to go when Mrs. Handyman and our daughter left for mommy & me dance class and to meet up with a friend.

First up: getting that useless InSinkErator out. While the instructions that came with the new disposal were helpful, this video from This Old House made my life much, MUCH easier. (It didn't hurt - nor do I believe it was a coincidence - that they were replacing an InSinkErator with a KitchenAid.)

Removal was pretty straightforward, with one exception. Why is it that one stubborn bolt always seems to derail a project? And why is it that I always fight with it for too long before coming up with a perfect solution? In this case, it was one of the bolts (located in the rear, naturally) that connects the disposal's drainpipe (the black pipe on the far left in the above photo) to the main drainpipe (white pipe above). The solution: get out a hacksaw and cut through the plastic pipe. I could have saved myself at least 15-20 minutes of fighting while crammed into the small space under the sink.

Another thing worth noting is that when I removed the metal access door at the bottom of the InSinkErator to disconnect the electrical wires, I found that compartment almost completely full of water. It's a miracle that thing never shorted out - or worse.

The installation wasn't quite as easy as installing a switchplate, but it was pretty easy. Once all the pieces and bolts were in place, lo and behold, it actually worked. And it's much more pleasing to see "KitchenAid" stamped on the sink drain than it was looking at "InSinkErator."

Here are the lessons I learned, which are helpful for much more than installing or replacing a disposal:

• When something goes on the fritz, deal with it immediately. Don't wait for bad things to happen (see "electrical compartment filled with water" above).
• By "deal with it," I don't mean rig a temporary solution. I mean fix it properly. If you do have to find a temporary solution (i.e. bucket), don't let it become your permanent fix.
• Read the directions, if only to determine which tools you'll need. It's no fun to stop mid-project to hunt for a bigger wrench. Or have to run to the hardware store for supplies you don't have on hand. Luckily, I didn't have to do that - this time.
• Search online for a video that shows the process. Words are good, but pictures (especially moving pictures) are better. Much better. This Old House and eHow are excellent resources.
• When you hit a snag (such as an impossibly stuck bolt), step back for a minute or two and look for another solution besides what the instructions or video say to do.
• When working in tight, cramped spaces, get out of that space at regular intervals. Otherwise, you're going to pay for it the next morning.
• Last but certainly not least: If you own an InSinkErator, check it regularly for leaks. You've been warned.

Most of what you need is included with the disposal. Here's a handy list of the necessary tools you'll want to gather before diving in. You may not need all of them, but it's good to have them on hand just in case. Keep in mind that these are the tools for replacing a disposal. If you're installing one from scratch, you're on your own.

• Phillips and flat-head screwdrivers (preferably with short handles)
• Adjustable wrench
• Ratchet and sockets
• Pipe wrench or large vise grips
• Plumber's putty
• Wire nuts (2)
• Hacksaw (optional)

Disposal dilemma part 2: the solution

Note: If you missed part 1, you you can catch up here.

My first stop was to research the problem of a near-constant leak from the bottom of our InSinkErator disposal (which was exacerbated by running the dishwasher). Turns out it's pretty common and apparently happens to other models. Not surprisingly, I found nothing about the problem on the company's website. But I did find the name and number for the only authorized service rep in Maine, so I gave him a call.

Entertaining as it was, I'll paraphrase our conversation: Yes, it's a common problem. He could come look at it the following week, but the cost of the visit alone (forget any necessary parts) would most likely be more expensive than a new disposal. Is that hard, I asked. "Can you swap out a switchplate?" (I can). I thanked him and hung up.

I found a well-reviewed KitchenAid from Lowes, but it wasn't available in any nearby stores. No problem. The bucket could stay in place a little longer, so I ordered it and had it shipped to my local store. Delivery was a little delayed, so it arrived last Friday. I was so excited I planned my entire Saturday morning around installing it.

I'd done my homework and found that while installing a disposal isn't quite as easy as swapping out a switchplate, it's not much more difficult.

Even though it wasn't challenging skills-wise, the installation is best told as a standalone story - which I've told in Part 3: the resolution.

Disposal dilemma part 1: the problem

Welcome to the latest chapter in what's becoming a continuing saga of appliances, fixtures, etc. outliving their usefulness in our home. This episode is sponsored by the InSinkErator Badger 1/3 HP disposal that's lived under our kitchen sink for nearly six years.

When I replaced our kitchen faucet in March of this year, I noticed a small amount of standing water on the bottom of the cabinet under the sink. I cleaned it up and made it a priority to find out where said water was coming from. It didn't take long (one running of the dishwasher) to locate the slow leak at the base of the disposal. I placed a small tin flowerpot underneath and again monitored the situation.

Over the next few weeks, there was only a small amount of water in the pot, so I continued to monitor. Eventually, water stopped showing up, so I decided it had been a fluke, perhaps linked to the problem of the dishwasher overflowing (which we'd had repaired). I left the flowerpot in place - just in case - and lined the bottom of the cabinet with some old plastic placemats.

Fast forward to September. We were gathering cleaning supplies for the woman we hired to give our place a good top-to-bottom cleaning every two weeks when my wife noticed some dampness on the bottom of the cabinet. No biggie, I thought, the pot must have gotten pushed out of the way of a small leak.

I saw just how wrong that assumption was when I went to sop up the water. The placemats were practically floating on a bed of standing water, and their undersides were covered in an oozy slime. The veneer on the cabinet's lower shelf had almost completely peeled off. Once I got the mess cleaned up, tossed the placemats and dealt with the wrath of Mrs. Handyman (who rightly said I should have dealt with the problem in the first place), I placed a larger bucket under the disposal. Before calling someone, I needed to be absolutely sure it wasn't a pipe that was leaking.

It wasn't. That first night, after running the dishwasher, there was at least an inch of water in the bucket.

Next up: Part 2: the solution (which wasn't what you might think.)

It's not that easy being green, part 2

Finally, as promised, here is the saga the wall-hung boiler. I know you've been eagerly anticipating this, so thank you for your patience.

As you recall, the developer who transformed an old shoe factory into 34 condos (one of which we own) was very forward-thinking. He went out of his way to use a few energy-efficient and eco-friendly technologies in every unit. One was the power-flush toilet. Another was the Baxi Luna tankless wall-hung boiler, which operates on natural gas. These types of boilers have been popular in Europe for years, but at the time we moved in, they were relatively new to the U.S. According to the manufacturer, the Baxi is "from 86 to 98% efficient" and "can heat a home or office space from 600 to 6,000 square feet."

As with the toilet, the boiler has been, to put it mildly, a challenge. Heating has never been a problem, and we've been nothing but pleased with our gas bills over the last five winters. Hot water is a different story.

Less than a year after we moved in (about a year after it was installed) our Baxi began struggling to keep up with our hot-water needs. When the temperature dropped, we'd get about five minutes' worth of hot water before the boiler would reset and start over. With no tank to keep hot water in reserve for just such an occasion, the water would go from comfortably warm to ice cold within seconds. Showering became an adventure. (As an aside, others in the building have had similar issues. As a result of my "pioneering" adventures with repair, I've been called on more than once to help someone fine-tune their boiler because of "Cold Shower Syndrome." Ditto with the toilet.)

Knowing nothing about boilers - let alone space-age ones - I called in the professionals from a local plumbing company that supplies and services Baxi (and other) tankless boilers. On their first visit, they replaced a rubber bladder on which dust, dirt and other particles had accumulated. The next day, the shower went cold.

Their second visit involved replacing the mother board inside the boiler (cost: $175). This worked. Temporarily. Within a few days, the boiler was back to its old tricks. The pros came back and found that the board had shorted out. They replaced it at no charge. Cold showers resumed the next day.

Fourth visit: replaced a part inside the Temptrol shower control. Bet you can't guess what happened the next day.

Fifth visit: the tech adjusted the temperature control knob, turning it from all the way up to about halfway. Naturally, I was skeptical. He explained that the Baxi was apparently having trouble keeping the cold water coming into it at the highest temperature. With the temperature set halfway, we'd lessen its workload and still have water hot enough to shower. In the spring, when the water coming in warmed up, we could turn the temperature back up.

This "fix" worked, but for the last four-plus years, we've dealt with a different problem: water pressure. While the Baxi worked, someone could shower while the other washed their hands, for example. Now, if hot water is turned on in two places, the water pressure drops to a trickle. And guess what? Even in the dead of summer, if that temperature knob rises a half-inch above halfway, cold water "rains" supreme mid-shower.

Call me crazy, but I expect the things I buy to actually work, especially when they're as pricey as a Baxi. But instead, we've learned to just deal with its shortcomings. Does that seem right to you? (Aside #2: As explained here, this is apparently a known issue with the Baxi.)

It's more or less an accepted fact that using green technologies is more expensive, but that the good that comes from using them is worth it. That may be true in monetary terms (and if the products actually do what they're supposed to do for more than nine months), but in terms of reliability and inconvenience, I'll quote one of my 2-year-old's favorite sayings at the moment: "No way, Jose."

It's not that easy being green, part 1

When converting our building from a vacant shoe assembly plant to lofts, the forward-thinking developer installed a couple energy- and water-efficient technologies. In theory, this would seem like an excellent decision. In practice, however, each has provided more than their share of headaches. In part one of a two-part post, I'll talk about the first of these: The toilet.

We have a power-flush toilet, which uses air pressure to quickly (and loudly) drain the bowl, eliminating the need for excess water to be stored in the tank. The trouble started within

six months of move-in.

Part of it was my fault. Never having seen a power-flush before, I dropped a sanitizing tablet into the half-inch of water that accumulates under the flushing assembly. This actually caused the chain from the handle to the activator button to corrode and break. My wife was not amused when this happened while I was in Florida on business. Upon returning, I was able to fish the majority of the mostly undissolved tablet out of the tank and replace the chain.

The next headache was with the assembly itself. As a result of our water coming into the building through old pipes, the small amount of sediment it contains builds up over time and causes the stopper to stick in the open position. With this open, the system can't re-pressurize - and the toilet won't flush. Luckily, the sound of running water accompanies this, so I know when to fix it. While this is annoying, it's easy enough to take apart and clean.

The major problem is that I've taken that assembly apart so many times that at least four of the eight screws that hold the cap in place have stripped the plastic holes they fasten to. This also prevents re-pressurization and is more difficult to fix. To seal the tank, I put silicone around the rim of the cap (on top of the rubber O-ring) to hold it in place.

So far, my solution has worked (knock on wood), but I know it's only a stopgap. I've scoured the Internet for a more permanent fix, and so far, the only solution I've found is to use fatter screws. Having no other ideas, I'll try it.

So while our toilet is taking care of the Earth, it's certainly not taking care of us.

Next up: the wall-hung boiler.

I (heart) how-to sites

Our bathroom sink has been running slowly for days. I've been meaning to dump some Liquid Plumr (or equivalent) down there, but keep forgetting to buy some. So we've lived with it (and the consequences, none of which are good).

Brought some home last night and did the old pour-and-pray thing this morning. Half a bottle did little, so I wondered if there was something solid blocking the drain. What I found was a thick lining of black sludge that had gathered on the bottom part of the stopper. I tried scraping it out (fighting dry heaves the whole time), but it did little. I needed to be able to get at it easier.

I've tried to pulling the stopper out before, so I know it's held in there by something. So how do you take it out?

You know those iPhone commercials that say, "There's an app for that." Luckily, when it comes to home improvement or repair, "there's a website for that" - no matter how gross or arcane your job is.

Within minutes, thanks to the well-written instructions at The Natural Handyman, I found and removed the pivot nut (which I'd never heard of), pulled the stopper out and (mostly) cleaned off. I was also able to pour the rest of the Liquid Plumr down the open drain. The stopper's going to need a good soak in bleach.

Unfortunately, there's still a slow leak, indicating a more substantial clog. Next stop: removing and cleaning the trap. Luckily, The Natural Handyman has an article for that too.

Quick and easy (yeah, right)

The faucet is in. According to everything I read, swapping out a faucet is one of the easiest DIY projects you can take on. I'm sure that's true ... if you read the instructions and make sure you have everything you need.

First snag: I didn't have a basin wrench. "Who needs one of those?" I asked myself. Me, apparently. There were these little nuts (see left) up behind the basin (what else) that connected the old faucet to the sink. So it was off to Home Depot at 9 last night. Got home at 10 and removed those nuts with no problem.

That's when I realized that when you replace a single-control faucet with a dual-control one, you need hoses to connect the faucet controls to the water supply. Home Depot was closed by then, so secured the faucet in place, then gave up and went to bed.

Off to the Depot again this morning, returning triumphantly with flexible water supply hoses and plumbing joint compound. I attached one end of the hose to the bottom of the faucet. That's when I hit snag #2: They were too short. By about six inches.

Back to HD(trip #3 if you're counting). I returned the 12-inch hoses, picked up some 20-inchers and headed home. Ten minutes later, we had running water. Success!

Lessons learned:
1. Read the directions (see below - notice the handy drawings of both a basin wrench and flexibe water supply line)
2. Make sure you have the right tools and supplies - BEFORE removing the old faucet.
3. Measure, measure, measure
4. Expect at least one flesh wound. Or battle scar, if you prefer. (See below. I have a matching one on my right hand)

5. Save the Guinness until AFTER you're done.

About that faucet ...

I'm really doing double-time to get a lot of work done today. Why? It's that faucet. I just can't wait to swap out the old one. And if I don't have any leftover work tonight (for a change), then I get to do it.

Stay tuned ...

(Before & after pics to come)

Finding a balance

The last couple of weeks have been crazy busy. Between work and life in general, there hasn't been much time for any home projects. Sadly, it looks like work is going to keep me away from DIY until at least Saturday.

I'm itching to get back to my list, especially since the FedEx guy just delivered our new faucet. Installing it should be an adventure, since plumbing is not a strength of mine. Not yet, at least.

For now, it's going to have to sit on my desk, still in the box. Don't think it won't be taunting me every time I walk by.

Bring on the weekend!