For questions regarding the room where one bathes or uses the toilet.
15
votes
7answers
780 views
Which home improvement projects produce the highest return on investment when selling?
I am looking to put my home on the market in the next few months (in Ohio). Which home improvement projects produce the highest return on investment when selling?
Should I invest in exotic ...
13
votes
3answers
2k views
Is there a device that will allow a bathroom fan to run for 5 minutes after it is switched off?
There is one switch that controls the lights and fan in the bathroom. Users turn the light/fan on when they enter, and off when they leave.
I'd like for the bathroom fan to run for a time after they ...
11
votes
5answers
461 views
Is it dangerous to run electrical cords through heating vents?
I'm living in old apartment and my roommate has fed electric cords through heating vent from living room into bathroom. I see this as a double hazard and illegal. The heating vent exits on wall behind ...
11
votes
2answers
721 views
What kind of caulk should I use around my bathtub?
I would like to recaulk between the bathtub and the ceramic-tile wall, but there are many kinds of caulking for sale. What kind should I use?
10
votes
2answers
515 views
How do I fill in around waste pipes?
Broke the concrete in my basement to run new pipes for the basement bathroom. The plumber put sand under the pipes to support them at the correct angle. I asked him not to glue the vertical sections ...
9
votes
4answers
9k views
What is the purpose of a bathroom exhaust fan?
Okay I actually do understand the purpose of the bathroom fan; it gets the steam out of the bathroom after a super hot shower, right? Well turns out I NEVER turn it on. I suppose I don't shower in ...
9
votes
6answers
422 views
How can I alter these wooden towel hooks so that the towels don't fall off?
We have this rack of towel hooks in our bathroom, but the hooks are so smooth that the towels easily fall off.
How can I alter it so that the towels don't fall off?
I'd rather not roughen up the ...
9
votes
3answers
16k views
Does a bathroom exhaust fan have to vent to the outside?
Is it normal and\or up to code where bathroom exhaust fan just vents to attic?
I've seen this a couple times now, and the first time I saw this I thought it was very odd.
But I mentioned this to a ...
9
votes
5answers
6k views
Why does my shower switch keep burning out?
I have a Mira Shower 10.8 kW.
My switch is a 45A switch. I have a 50A fuse for the shower. The shower uses 10mm2 cable.
9 months ago the switch sparked and refused to turn off and the fuse ...
9
votes
2answers
4k views
How should I address my bathroom's flickering lights and GFCI tripping mysteriously? (Schematic included.)
So I inherited a bit of a nightmare for wiring in my bathroom. I'll be calling in an electrician, but wanted to have an understanding of the problem first, as not to be ripped off, lead astray, etc.. ...
8
votes
3answers
694 views
Should a bathroom fan vent to a separate duct system?
Is it acceptable to route a bathroom exhaust fan to the return of a central air system? I'm afraid this will cause mold to grow in the air return ducts. There is currently a fan in our bathroom and ...
8
votes
2answers
1k views
What is the practical difference between cement board and greenboard?
When installing tubs I've mostly used cementboard. I find it a bear to work with though.
A guy I know uses the water resistant greenboard; he claims that for home applications it is entirely ...
8
votes
3answers
327 views
How do I remove hard soap scum on my shower door?
I have a problem with regards to my frameless glass shower door because I don't usually clean it regularly. What happens is that the lower edge of the glass door is already very cloudy and is very ...
8
votes
3answers
963 views
Should I create my own faucet aerator?
I installed some new "fancy" faucet, and am quite happy with it, except it lacks an aerator, and water easily splashes out of the sink. Obviously, this faucet is calling for an aerator. Unfortunately, ...
8
votes
2answers
4k views
What are my options for venting a bathroom exhaust fan?
I would like to install a fan in our bathroom which currently has none. However, I'm very confused regarding the best approach for this.
Above the bathroom is an attic space. I have read that ...
7
votes
8answers
3k views
How common are wet rooms in the US?
I have a half bath to which I'd like to add a shower. It is quite small; currently, the smallest shower pan I've found (32"x32") is too large to fit. I've considered turning the entire room into a ...
7
votes
3answers
3k views
Why does my toilet intermittently run continually?
I've pretty much fixed up my bathroom since moving in. The last bit of annoyance now is this:
Not every time, but every 10 or so flushes, my toilet will run continually. It'll sound like it's water ...
7
votes
4answers
4k views
How can I sound proof bathroom walls?
I'm trying to figure out the best, least intrusive way of sound proofing the walls of a bathroom. The bathroom shares a wall with my bedroom, and my 3 yea old's bedroom. The main problem is the sound ...
7
votes
4answers
1k views
Is there a home made solution that will clean drains?
Not sure if this counts as "Home Improvement", but it's worth a shot:
I'm currently in an apartment where I'm not supposed to use chemicals to clear drains, like in the sink/tub.
I've cleared out ...
7
votes
4answers
599 views
Is a timed electrical switch causing vent fan to run slower / with less power?
I bought this timed electrical switch and used it to replace a standard switch that turned on my bathroom vent fan (I'm always forgetting to turn it off and it often will run all day.) after the ...
7
votes
1answer
200 views
How much vent fan throughput do I need for my bathroom?
What minimum size (CFM) vent fan do I need per cubic foot of bathroom?
Consider a bathroom that is 10ft. X 4ft. X 6ft(height). What is the minimum throughput rating for a vent fan? I want a vent fan ...
7
votes
3answers
5k views
Why is water leaking near my bathroom's exhaust fan?
This weekend when the snow started melting on my roof, I noticed a small water spot developing around all three bathroom exhaust fans in my house. I'm guessing the water leaked in around the exhaust ...
7
votes
1answer
1k views
New Vanity: Sink Won't Drain Completely
My wife and I just replaced the vanity in our bathroom. To fit the new sink, we had to cut some new PVC. Here's a picture.
All the plumbing works, without leaks, except that it will not drain ...
7
votes
2answers
929 views
How can I remove stuck anti-vandal rings in tap head?
Most of the taps in my new house are fitted with so-called "anti-vandal" screws in the tap heads, as shown in the image. These screw into the tap head to tighten them onto the stem.
I can't remove ...
7
votes
2answers
790 views
How do I sound-proof a bathroom?
I think most people would agree that sound proofing a bathroom is a swell idea. Since bathrooms are special rooms (high humidity), what are some tips and techniques you can use to sound proof one ...
7
votes
2answers
872 views
Why won't my new water valves turn on?
Alright I just replaced my bathroom sink and faucet had some problems but managed through. Turned my water back on and the went back to the bathroom sink to turn the valves on but they won't turn. ...
6
votes
3answers
1k views
Should I put caulk/silicone at base of toilet on hardwood floors?
When installing a toilet in a bathroom with hardwood floors, should I put a bead of silicone or caulk around the base to finish things up? Is this necessary, or is it merely aesthetics? I have heard ...
6
votes
2answers
1k views
Can I vent my bathroom exhaust fan into a plumbing drain vent?
I installed a bathroom fan in the ceiling. My bathroom is in the room right next to the laundry room. The washing machine has the standard drain pipe vent of a pvc pipe venting to the outside ...
6
votes
4answers
710 views
Toilet paper to the left or right?
I just repainted my bathroom, and at the same time decided to replace the toilet paper dispenser. I patched the holes from the previous TP holder, so I'm starting with a clean slate.
I'm at the ...
6
votes
3answers
270 views
Stink in Washroom - Possibilities?
I had a previous question about my toilet leaking in my washroom. For some strange reason, the washroom has a strong, persistent stink despite everything we do to remove it. What are the possibilities ...
6
votes
1answer
278 views
How do I stop grout in the corner of a shower from cracking?
I moved into a newly remodeled home. The walk-in shower walls are grouted. Now the corners have started to crack.
How do I slow down the cracking? Should it be caulked, or would that be a bad idea?
6
votes
1answer
174 views
Why does it take a long time for water to start draining from my tub faucet?
Sorry for the awkwardly worded title, I couldn't really describe the issue in one sentence.
My shower has a handle that controls both pressure and temperature. To begin showering, I turn the handle, ...
6
votes
5answers
261 views
Which floor should be done first when updating a multi-family residence?
I'd like to renovate a 3 family rental property but don't know which floor is best to start on. The house was built in 1896. The electrical was recently updated prior to purchasing it in 2008. The ...
6
votes
2answers
499 views
Wet Room walls, is plasterboard (Gyproc or Drywall) OK to use?
Looking to build a new wet room style bathroom. Is it better to use cement sheeting for the walls that will be tiled, or will plasterboard (Gyproc) just as good to use? Obviously whichever surface is ...
6
votes
3answers
6k views
How can I fix a Moen faucet that is still leaking after replacing cartridge?
I had a leaky Moen faucet (Moen 4600) so I removed the old cartridge and replaced it with a new brass replacement cartridge (model 1200.) Since replacing the cartridge I now have a leak from the valve ...
6
votes
2answers
3k views
What are the pros/cons of using porcelain over ceramic tile in a bathroom?
I'm planning on tiling a bathroom floor and a walk-in shower (including the ceiling). I haven't looked into pricing yet, but I've heard that porcelain would be a better, yet more expensive material to ...
6
votes
3answers
570 views
Easy way to get crayon out of grout?
My daughter decided to get a little artistic in the bathroom and colored the grout with yellow crayon. Does anyone have a simple way to clean this out?
6
votes
1answer
498 views
How can I fix an uneven and damaged transition from drywall to tile in the bathroom?
We recently replaced some old, cracking shower walls in a bathtub area with tile. Looks great. However, on one wall the drywall next to the tile bows out so it's not even with the tile in the middle ...
6
votes
2answers
725 views
Why do I have to hold the handle down to flush the toilet?
I have to hold the handle down to flush my toilet completely. I took a look inside and I am wondering if it has something to do with the chain or the flapper. I am noticing that the flapper does not ...
6
votes
3answers
5k views
How do I retrieve a detached plunger from a bathtub drain?
I have an old bathtub drain assembly that is similar to this:
As far as I can tell, the linkage broke off completely due to old age. If I unscrew the trip lever and cover, it's not attached to ...
6
votes
2answers
498 views
What could cause water hammer after changing a valve cartridge?
I fixed my delta 1400 series shower faucet the other day by replacing the valve cartridge with a non-delta brand.
Everything went well, until I turned it on, now the shower pipe is hammering. The ...
6
votes
1answer
565 views
Why is my bath tub plug hole bubbling?
Recently (in the last few days) the drain of my bath has started to 'bubble' occasionally. This mainly seems to happen at night when we are in bed and no one or nothing is moving in the house. The ...
6
votes
1answer
773 views
Will my pocket door affect my installation of a tub surround?
My wife and I have decided to install a tub surround around our tub (best place to put it!). We are planning on removing the tile and the drywall behind the tub and installing one of the surrounds ...
6
votes
2answers
2k views
How can I easily fix or replace the broken knob handle on bathtub faucet control?
DIY amateur here. The single handled plastic knob that controls the bathtub faucet recently fell off, along with a screw from its interior and a cap covering the screw. I wish I could post a picture, ...
6
votes
4answers
658 views
Should I install an inline water heater for my bathroom?
It takes 3-4 minutes of the shower running before the hot water reaches my upstairs bathroom. I'd like to not have to waste all that water and time. My initial though was to install an inline water ...
5
votes
4answers
12k views
Why won't my shower's temperature handle let the water get hot enough?
Whenever I go to take a shower, I have to turn the handle to the absolute hottest setting just to avoid freezing. I know the hot water works in my house, so that's not the issue. It just seems like I ...
5
votes
2answers
285 views
Is installing crown molding a DIY project?
My wife has lately been thinking about ways to improve our home, and has settled upon installing crown molding in our 3 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms as one of the things she would like to do. My ...
5
votes
3answers
2k views
What kind of wall material should be used in wet areas in a bathroom?
I'm replacing a one piece fiberglass tub with a two piece (tub + surround) unit. In the bathroom right now, there's just drywall, no special material. Should I replace the drywall with greenboard, ...
5
votes
3answers
3k views
What are the advantages of various bathtub materials?
We're going to be putting in a new tub, and I'm not sure what to get. Cast iron? Enameled steel? Acrylic?
My concern with the cast iron (other than lugging it up the stairs) is the rust problem.
How ...
5
votes
2answers
916 views
Bathroom vent terminates to attic not outside.
Bathroom vents terminates to attic. The Inspector recommended that it terminates to the outside. What is the best way to do this. Should I just place the bathroom vent next to the roof vent opening.
...
