Solving Home Problems

Permanent Fix For Leaking Standpipe Boots


Screw-down boot seal from Creative Composites.

It's inevitable; the water stain on the bathroom ceiling that tells you the rubber seal around the standpipe is leaking. You can tackle the problem yourself with silicone caulk or electrical tape, you can replace the seal, or you can pay a roofer hundreds of dollars to do it for you.

Water on the ceiling is a bad thing. I have a deep seated hatred for mold in structures, and I'm no fan of falling plaster either, so when I saw this simple installation device from Creative Composites [click to read] I was intrigued. After a trip onto the roof to measure the standpipe diameters, I placed my order.

Two days later, a small package arrived with the seals nested inside. Installation of three seals took less than forty minutes (including photographing the installation and setting the ladder twice). I referred to the video on Creative Composites' website before installing (no instructions were provided in the shipping box).

Most houses will require less than $50.00 (including shipping) to equip with the devices. Be sure to measure each of your standpipes before ordering. The result is a professional looking installation that will outlast all other options.


Be sure to clean off your old caulk and electical tape where the new seal will meet the pipe and the flange. Slide the new seal over the pipe and tighten the top collar to install.

Solving Home Problems

Make Your Own Funnel at a Gas Station


If they don't have paper funnels...

You know the problem. You go to a 'self serve' gas station and need to put in some oil. Usually they have tose paper funnels handy but sometimes not. I've even seen a time when there were not only no funnels available but they wanted to SELL you a pack of cardboard ones.

No problem though, here's how to make your own.

1. Take your water bottle empty and recycle it in a new way by cutting out the bottom.

2. Shake it out well and wipe dry with one of the paper towels at the pump island. If none are available in the dispensers there, get a napkin from the donut area inside. You don't want water in your oil. Hold it in the sun [if available] to dry completely.

3. Use the funnel in the normal manner.

4. Wipe clean with one of the paper towels at the pump island. Put it with your car tools in the trunk for 'future reference.'


...make your own!

Solving Home Problems...

How to 'Replace' a Missing Window Sash


"Before"...


..."After."

A friend of mine and his wife are hosting my son's wedding at their farm. He asked me what could be done to make this window look better. The 19th Century house had a new kitchen put in in mid-twentieth Century and the counter top ran across the bottom lights so the installer simply replaced them with plywood. Time and peeling paint on the plywood sort of added to the feeling that something was missing.

"Could you PAINT on windows or something?" he asked. Here's what I came up with. He prepped the board but I did the faux windows in about 3 hours [including drying times and a gloss top coat]. Can you guess that my future daughter-in-law likes daisies?


Find the faux windows in this picture.