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A Bitter Pill To Swallow

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By MARK HETTS Universal Press Syndicate

The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 16, 2008

Dear Mr. HandyPerson,

I own a home that was built in 1949. My wife has always wanted to use the toilet-cleaning tablets that you put in the tank. I have discouraged it, because our drain plumbing is cast iron. Would the chlorine in the tablets harm the pipes?

Greg

Kingsburg, Calif.

Dear Greg,

Not to be disagreeable, but Mr. HandyPerson doesn't think much of those kinds of in-tank cleaners.

But first, they won't harm your cast-iron drainpipes. There's a reason they've been used for centuries: They're durable.

Mr. HP avoids the in-tank cleaning tablets for two reasons. The first is that a number of them have caustic chemicals, dyes and other ingredients that end up being dumped into the waste stream. While some seem to clean and deodorize toilet bowls adequately - and some these days are less caustic than in the past, they don't completely eliminate the need to occasionally swab out the insides and rims of the toilet bowl. Also, the chemicals and dyes can cause some parts of the toilet tank workings to corrode or deteriorate, particularly rubber and plastic parts. And even if the chemicals were utterly benign, the cost measured against an occasional swabbing with white vinegar and baking soda seems an unnecessary expense.

The second reason is more esoteric. In the event of earthquakes or other disasters that can cut off the local water supply, the toilet tank provides a source of a few gallons of potable drinking water for people who have not set aside an emergency supply of clean water for disasters, as we are all instructed repeatedly and most of us ignore (not Mr. HP, and not you, of course, Greg, but some other people).

Dear Mr. HandyPerson,

We have vinyl windows with good locks, but we like to sleep with the windows open a bit, and I've been unable to find locks that work on open windows.

Our bedroom windows are very close to the ground. We've planted shrubs (with thorns), but it will be awhile before they provide any security. We've considered drilling nail holes at various heights, but we'd rather not damage the windows.

R.H.

Raleigh, N.C.

Dear R.H.,

Mr. HandyPerson wonders why you don't just let your trained attack Dobermans sleep at the foot of the bed?

Don't have any? Never fear, here's another solution. Visit your nearest hardware store, and amidst the window hardware and fixtures, you'll find inexpensive sash stops. They are very simple to install, consisting of a small, curved metal plate that screws to the upper sash and has a little steel knob that can be moved to stop the lower sash from being lifted beyond the point where they are attached.

They often are sold in pairs, one for each side of the window, and the knob can be moved to allow for fully raising the lower sash. Simple directions and the necessary screws are usually included in the package.

If you have trouble finding them, collar a store clerk to help you. If the emporium does not carry them, they can order them for you or direct you to another local source.

Last time Mr. HP purchased sash stops, they were about $3 a pair. They work most securely with two on each window, so you'll need a set for each of the windows you wish to leave open at night.

The last time Mr. HP installed these for a friend, he installed two sets on each window so that the friend could open the window either a few inches, or up to about 7 inches for greater ventilation. As a security measure, it doesn't make much sense to install them so the window can be "locked open" enough to allow a sneaky cat burglar to crawl under the sash (or a sneaky neighborhood cat, for that matter).

Mr. HP likes your idea of planting shrubbery with thorns as a long-term discouragement to burglars. There are varieties of roses that grow to eventually create an almost impenetrable fence dense enough to repel even small animals like rabbits. Thieves tend to choose "targets of convenience," and fighting through a thicket of thorny shrubs is decidedly less convenient!

Share your home repair problems, interesting questions, funny experiences and useful tips by writing to Mr. HandyPerson, c/o Universal Press Syndicate, 4520 Main St., Kansas City MO 64111.

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