How To Replace a Flush Valve

August 22, 2020August 21, 2020 economiccommanderLeave a comment

Thought I would mix things up a bit with this for those who are DIY-inclined. If you don’t have a stomach for plumbing then I’d advise skipping the pics.

Shut off the water by turning to the RIGHT, assuming the original plumber knew what he was doing.

Place a bucket underneath the spot where the valve is connected.

FLUSH the toilet to drain water out of the tank.

You’re left with a mostly-empty tank. This will get fully drained on account of the bucket.

Now the white nut gets unscrewed (Good for him).
(Expect water to drain out into the bucket at this point).

And the old valve comes out easily enough with that step complete.

Next, remove the clip from the lever hole.

The flapper comes off next. You’ll have to unclip it from the hinges on the overflow cylinder.

It’s pretty nasty. This thing was probably over ten years old.

Ahh, the fresh flapper in connected, easily snapping into the hinge piece.

Add the rubber washer to the new flush valve, screwing in so the ring part is pointing down. This will go into the lower tank hole.

One side of the tubing goes into the tower nozzle.

Things looking a bit clunky now, but a fix will come.

Quick trim plus gets the tube size down, allowing for smooth install. Also note the clip on the opposite side of the cylinder.

Now put the new nut back in place, screwing till it’s tight, but don’t wrench it on.

Now you can turn the water back on a take a flush!

Restoring Goldberg Manor: Part II

May 31, 2020May 30, 2020 economiccommander2 Comments

Things are coming along smoothly enough. This past week has been a lot of electrical work, plus some other aesthetic improvements. I also have a larger paint job lined up for the next several weeks, one of two major changes planned, the other being Central Air, which will likely be a fall project.

Painting Walls In the Sunroom Plus Electrical Additions

Before:

After:

Two of these installed. You’ll note how the ground is on top, which is the correct way to install them, although the popular style in the U.S. is to invert the receptacle.

New motion activated light:

Scraped and Painted Pump

Before:

After:

This will probably get a second coat, along with the chains and buckets to make it functional.

#VanLife · Personal Finance · Self-Improvement

Restoring Goldberg Manor: Part I

May 23, 2020May 22, 2020 economiccommander7 Comments

As many of you know, I have ventured out into the great boomer unknown and purchased a house. My goal with this series of posts is to give a sense of the improvements and changes which the building has (and will) suffer through in the name of preservation and stability. In certain cases I didn’t take a picture before changes occurred, so we’ll have to employ our active imaginations.

New Water Heater Plus Drain Pan: