EPISODE #52- SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2010

Hope everyone had a great Labor Day weekend. We had a great week off and are now starting to think about the fall. We are visiting some nurseries this week to celebrate the GardenPalooza: The Tour event; we are gearing up for the cooler weather and the return to fall. If you are looking for plants to bring indoors your local garden centers can help you out. We are also thinking about those projects around the house. We have a great one in today's show, replacing your faucet. Enjoy!!

Bar Cart Table

We did a 'presto-change-o' this week at Ste. Maine (503-232-1880) in the Westmoreland- Sellwood area this week. We met with Erin who showed us how to set up a portable bar on a cart that they carry. She recommended that you use a two-shelf cart to hold all the items you need to entertain. Organize the items you would use the most on the top shelf and everything else underneath. This will make your work of entertaining easier.
 
But this cart can have other functions as well. With a few changes you can change the cart into a bedside table. We removed the glasses and alcohol from the cart and replaced them with a lamp, clock, books and accessories. This is a great example of using a piece of furniture for 2 uses. This cart can be used for your bedside then pulled out for the next party! What a great idea from the 'idea' people at Ste. Maine.

Watermelon Tomato Salad

It is the end of summer and that means watermelon time, but you may be tired of having your watermelon the same old way all the time. Chef David came up with a tasty recipe that uses watermelon and some of your other garden veggies in a salad! He started by marinating diced cucumbers and onions in a mixture of vinegar, salt, sugar and cayenne pepper. While that is resting you can prepare the rest of your ingredients. David showed us how he slices the watermelon. He cut of the ends and shaves the sides off the melon. This gives him an entirely pealed melon to work with. He then sliced the melon into 1 inch squares. He also sliced up some tomato and olives for the final assembly. Now you can put everything together. We mixed the tomatoes, melon chunks, olives and some diced basil and mint leaves in a big bowl. That was topped with feta cheese and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. David recommends that you make this right before you serve it. The watermelon doesn't store well and can break down over time. It is a tasty treat made with an old summer time favorite. Check out the recipe here.

Replacing Your Faucet

Robin is looking for a change! In her bathroom, that is. She was tired of the 'look' and she wanted to change the décor, and one of the easiest ways to change a bathroom is by changing the plumbing. We mean the faucet. Replacing a faucet is easy, or so we've been told. To learn how to do it we stopped by George Morlan (503-224-7000) to get some tips from Dave Charvet. Dave had a lot of questions for Robin before she made her decision. First what type of sink did she have? There are different combinations of holes in the top of the sink for the pipes. There are 4 inch, 8 inch and single hole models of sinks. Know your measurements! Second, determine the finish of the faucet. What style do you want, and don't forget the rest of your hardware; towel bars, tub and shower fixtures may also need changing.

Next we moved to tools. There are specific tools that will help make the job easier. Dave met with David in the parts department to help him find the right tools for the job. The first tool we saw was a 'basin wrench'. This will allow you to tighten and loosen the nuts around fixtures in those tight spots. You may also need to replace the shut-off valve under the sink and the water supply tubes. Check the condition of those before you make your first trip to George Morlan. Know the size of those tubes as well by measuring the connector. You will also need some Teflon tape, silicone sealer and plumber's putty to help seal your connections when you install everything.

Now, time to install our new faucet. First shut off the water under the sink and disconnect the water supply tubes. Use a bucket to catch the water that leaks out of the tubes. Next disconnect the pop-up assembly which operates the drain. Remove the clips and screws that hold the old faucet on to the sink and lift it out. You should have the faucet removed now, but we still need to remove the drain. The new drain will have the same finish as the new faucet so you need to do this so they both match. Remove the trap from under the sink. There will be a lot of water in this so make sure you have a bucket handy. Take the rest of the pop-up assembly off and then loosen the nut and remove the old drain assembly from the sink.

The sink should be bare of all hardware now. Use some cleaner to remove the hard water stains before you begin to install the new faucet. To start, insert the new faucet in the hole and line it up so it is straight. Then make sure your fittings are ready for the water supply lines at the bottom of the faucet. Next, install the new drain. Be aware of the opening for the overflow. It has to line up with the overflow discharge holes in the sink. Adjust the drain so it fits snug and use some plumber's putty to create a watertight seal. Install the new pop-up assembly and we are ready for the next step; reconnecting the water supply. Use your Teflon tape on the new connectors and then attach them to the water supply tubes. Install the new drain at this time as well. Once everything is assembled and tightened you can turn on the water. Run the water for 1-2 minutes and check for leaks. Tighten nuts and use more putty if you see leaks.
This is a job that can be done by one person in a weekend. If you want to try doing this we recommend that you stop by George Morlan to get the faucet, tools and tips you need for the job. They really made it easy!

 

 

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September 17, 2010.