Home Sense
With Mike McClintock
Thursday, March 6, 2003; Noon ET
Have questions about how to keep your home fit and trim?
Home Sense columnist Mike McClintock is now online every other Thursday at Noon ET to answer your questions about home building, remodeling, repairs and the wide range of home-consumer issues. If it has something to do with the place where you live -- from home security to the latest on appliances, energy-saving and a lot more -- just ask. Mike has the answers.
McClintock's column appears in the Post Home section every Thursday.
The transcript follows.
Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control
over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.
Mike McClintock: Hi: a couple of offbeat but connected buildings to track down if you like in the posting to start (answers around 1p as usual), then your questions.
HOMESENSE - TWO SOUTHERN BUILDINGS - QUESTIONS
1- 706 Union Avenue, big windows and brick facade, three big letters over door?
2- Bought in 1957 for $102,500, buyer paid half in cash,
named after the original owner's daughter?
HINT: very non-architectural hint that will get you on the right track is to remember the description of the large arch enemy in one of the mad max movies.
Silver Spring, Md.:
A couple of weeks ago in your column you said not to run the exhaust from a bathroom ceiling fan into the attic. Why not? My electrician vented the fan into the attic and attached a 6- or 7-foot flexible duct toward the middle of the attic. Was this wrong? Should I reposition the duct to the edge of the roof? Won't this cause ice dam problems? Thanks.
Mike McClintock: You donÕt want to dump a lot of warm wet air in the attic (assume weÕre talking about unbfinished space with ducts snaking through and all) because it will condense there. Attics should be ventilated, and divided freom the living space below by insulation. So warm moist air eventually will create all kinds of mold problems, encourage rot in wood, etc. And yes, you're right, that the extra warmth could very well encourage ice dams by warming the underbelly of the roof (that creates melt from the bottom up and starts water running until it hits the overhang where there is no heat). So should be an easy fix: connect duct to an exterior outlet;
McLean, Va.:
How can I tighten a loose bannister?
Mike McClintock: These get combined strength from all the parts that connect to the structure. Generally, they comne loose near the bottom post where there is no extra support-- and a lot of stress. The most practical tip is to add screws from beneath the stairs (depends on the design) and by setting angled screws up therough the spokes into the main bannister; basically, you tighten up everything you can with glue and screws
Indianapolis, Ind.:
How much weight can stock cabinets take? I'm thinking about putting some canned goods and bottles of dried food (beans etc) on the top of my stock cabinets -- but wonder about the weight they can handle. What do you think?
Mike McClintock: Have never seen a load limit (like capacity in an elevator) but guess it would be the cabinet-to-wall connection that would go first. So you could check the backs of th4e cabinets where they are screwed to the wall studs and add more screws. You could also add a support strip of trim against the wall under the back of the cabinets
Bowling Green, Ky.:
What is the best way to ventilate a home?
Mike McClintock: AS conmbination of vents is the best bet, for instance, vents in the roof overhang to let air in, plus gable end louvers and.or ridge vents to let it out. Idea is to ventilate all spaces not for living and enclosed with insulation; remember to backscreen vents against bugs, and, generally, that you need the same area of outlet as inlet
Alexandria, Va.:
We have a recurring ant problem in (of all places) the third-story master bathroom of our townhouse. We've sprayed and laid ant traps, but those have only proved to be temporary fixes. Oddly enough, there are ants nowhere else in the house -- not even the second-floor kitchen, where you'd expect them. Any advice? Thanks.
Mike McClintock: They have found some food source (no cracker in bead, huh?) so you just have to keep at them; several types but some may be liking rotten wood from an old or active leak; did a couple of columns a few months back that list an excellent pest control book- Common Sense Pest Control
Gaithersburg, Md.:
Mike: I have a shop in the cellar and get
complaints from upstairs when I run
power tools. I stuffed batt insulation
between the ceiling joists, but will it help
more to nail up foam panels across the
joists?
Mike McClintock: Foam is an excellent insulator that retards tempreature flow and muffles sound. (Some types of foam have an R-value per inch much higher than fiberglass or cellulose batts.) And it comes in large, lightweight panels that are very easy to install so the panels have many applications, including the one you mention. But while you can leave standard batt insulation exposed, you have to bury foam panels under 1/2in drywall (itÕs a safety restriction of fire codes) because foam burns fast and can produce a lot of dense smoke and lethal gasses including carbon monoxide. Case in point-- saw a recent AP story on the club fire in Warwick, R.I. (almost 100 killed and more injured) about exposed polyurethane foam applied on walls as soundproofing when people in nearby buildings complained about noise. Seems it may have been painted but not coevered with drywall, which is a condition that onlyu makes things worse in a fire.
Washington, D.C.:
Mike --
Recently, my hot water radiator furthest from our boiler went cold. I tried bleeding it as I have done successfully in the past, but this time, even though a good deal of air came out, no water ever spurted out. I've tried several times but still no water and, at best, only the bottom of the radiator seems filled. I'm unsure about how new water is supposed to enter the system -- should the cold water valve near the boiler be always open, closed? The pressure guage seems to be on the low side -- below 10. One other clue: prior to this problem, the system was very noisy for a few nights in a row -- lots of clanging of the pipes. Any ideas? Thanks.
Mike McClintock: At this point it could be several things, so you should have a service call. If you bleed the radiators in turn you might get out more air, but the noise may mean too much is getting in. You also might have circulator problems (maybe the pump is older and needs oil, etc)
Gaithersburg, Md.:
I have a cherry dining room table that was ill-advisedly given a coat of what I guess is polyurethane. Over the years, the surface of the table has been exposed at times to hot dishes and has turned white in spots UNDER the poly. If not for the poly, I'd be able to remove the white marks quite easily with toothpaste or some such substance, but it looks like what I'll have to do is remove the poly. Is there some solvent I could use, or must I sand it off.
Mike McClintock: Solvents don't really remove poly (or anything else) but thin it and spread it around. So at some point to you may want to go from scratch, sanding with the grain, finishing with very fine garnet paper, then steel wool, etc. There are fancy applications (french polish) that take a lot of time, but wax is fine, and serviceable
Silver Spring, Md.:
Mike
Your advice please! Just moved in to the house -- hideous wallpaper everywhere! We've been steaming it off room by room -- but we've discovered in one bedroom that it would appear that the drywall was put in backwards. When we steam off the wallpaper great huge strips of wallboard paper are coming off, too! We're trying to spackle (huge patches!) -- but is painting an option? Will paint hold on the "backside" of wallboard? What would you do?
Mike McClintock: Fairly bizarre that someone should have gotten it backwards only in one room (maybe reusing damaged sheets? who knows) but you could be spackling forever and even then probably get iffy results. For durability, either apply a new layer or cover that one with 3/8 board
Washington, D.C.:
We are ready to have our basement finished and turned into a family room. This will also include a bathroom and laundry area. How do we go about finding a reliable contractor?
Mike McClintock: This deserves a long and detailed answer that there justr isn't time for here. So the nutshell is by asking friends and neighbors for names, and solicitring trade associations, and contractor groups, and building a list that you interview, evaluate. Then look for three to bid on the same set opf plans and evaluate more. The more work you do at this stage (and it is time consuming) the better off the job will be later
Portland, Ore.:
My husband and I are thinking of rebuilding our small wooden porch next year. Is this a project that is doable by relative neophytes? If so, what would be some good books to check out, and what kinds of projects would give us some useful experience in the meantime?
Mike McClintock: Rebuilding is generally easier that goijng from scratch because you have the plan in place (assuming it was built to code. Should be able to get help from the local bldg dept (here in Fairfax Co. they publish complete construction details for common projects like decks that would apply to a small porch) Main thing is to be sure that your concrete footings reach below frost depth to prevent heaving
Atlanta, Ga.:
Just moved into a house with a gas fireplace. I used it once, but it smelled funny -- not of natural gas, but maybe some combustion by-product. Called a plumber to inspect, and it's intalled correctly and there are no leaks. Plumber thought maybe stuff was "burning off" since the fireplace hadn't been used in a while. What do you think?
Mike McClintock: He's probably right, but don't disregard your senses. However, because gas does not have a detectable odor naturally, it contains an additive called mercaptan-- specifically used because it is noxious (like burned or rotten eggs to most people)
Southern Maryland:
Isn't 706 Union Avenue the New Orleans HQ of the Free Cuba Movement -- Lee Harvey Oswald and cohorts hung out there? I was watching "JFK" recently and that address rung a bell.
Mike McClintock: Fairly easy to rule that one out, as Homesense has not even one percent to do with politics (what a relief)
Centreville, Va.:
Our 15-year-old heat pump finally gave in and now we need to replace it. We have a gas furnace for the main level of our home, and we're trying to decide which is better:
Get another albeit new-tech and more efficient heat pump for the upstairs?
OR
Replace that old broken heat pump with a second gas heater and have "dual zone gas"?
Think either one will have an impact on the value of our house when we look to sell it in the next 5 years?
Thanks.
Mike McClintock: Probably need a bit more info: like if you have radiators, best bet would be to use one big and very efficient gas furnace (some are in the 95% range) and split the delivery pipes to provide at least two zones controllable with their own thermostats. That's the kind of whole-house improvement that will modernize the system. BUT, mechanicals are sometimes lost on buyers, i.e. the airplane has strong wings as they expect, while slicker and more obvious improvements have higher returns
Somewhere, USA:
What about these home improvement companies that telemarket and then send someone out?
Mike McClintock: Iffy, but you could try the contractor referral services on the web. I would keep looking until a I had a personal recomendation, as consumers generally will not pass on a bad apple to a fellow consumer
Arlington, Va.:
Our 50-yr old bathtub is a disgrace -- all pitted and peeling on the bottom, which I make worse every time I clean. I have seen adds for "replacement" tubs, that are plastic shells put over the original tub. Is this a viable fix? How difficult is it to replace a tub? The tile, both wall and floor, is in great shape, so I don't want a total re-do. Just the tub, which is starting to bug me.
Mike McClintock: I have never seen drop-in liners, but hard to imagine they would look too much better than your "disgrace" it's really that bad? So you could do the nail polish fix, or look into reglazing if removing the tub would be difficult/impossible
SUN:
#1 = Sun Studios! Elvis, U2, and good old grilled cheese, in good old Memphis!
Mike McClintock: Pretty good for #1, as I though you guys would glom onto #2 first; had no idea of U2 there, but the list of older folks is impressive
Laurel, Md.:
How can I be sure that the sump pump is
working and will handle the water I’m
expecting in the big melt and spring
rains?
Mike McClintock: Typical sumps are located in a small pit at the low point of the basement. When water starts to fill the pit it raises a float and triggers the pump motor. To be sure it will work just pour in enough water to make the float rise. If the floor has been dry for a while, corrosion can form along the rod on which the float rises and it can get stuck part wayup. If that happens during your test (pouring water in graduallyy) temporarily cut power (circuit breaker or fuse) to the sump and check for corrosion along the vertical rod and clean it if necessary until the float moves freely.
Bubbling toilet:
My toilet erupts when I flush it. It's not an overflow but a sort of giant erupting air bubble. What's causing it and, short of calling a plumber, what can I do to fix it?
Thanks.
Mike McClintock: Think we saw one close to this a while back, and it turned out to be a water-saver air bag in the way. It's an easy fix (just remove it) so try that first
Vienna, Va.:
I've attempted to hang an interior door without much success (it ALMOST closed after initial attempt, but subsequent fixes have left it all cockeyed!) any suggestions on how to get it right, or -- if all else fails -- what is a fair price to pay to have someone else do it for me?
Mike McClintock: Maybe you should keep at it, as askiong someone to do it now is asking them to deal with all the trouble you've caused, which can get expensive as they know you don't know what's what (you'ld need to find a very honest guy)
Problem could be the opening, of course, which can be cocked in several ways so that a flat door just won't close. Generally, you can offset hinges (by slightly deepening the mortise or by adding cardboard under a hinge) to finagle the door close to correct, and then plane down the offending edges
Annapolis, Md.:
My bathroom door is sagging off the top hinge. It looks like some of the screws are coming out, but after repeated re-screws, I am thinking that the holes are somewhat stripped. Is there a quick repair aside from installing a new jamb?
Mike McClintock: Remove the old screws, clean out the holes, then fill them with a wood dowel and glue (so you have to tap in the dowel. When the glue sets, new screws should have plenty of solid wood to bite into. (Toothpicks and other similar fixes may also work.)
Atlanta, Ga.:
Is there any good way to remove a huge block of concrete? I have a stoop on the front of my house that I'd like to remove to make way for a porch, but it's far too heavy to pull out in once piece. Can you recommend a way to break it apart, short of a jackhammer?
Mike McClintock: Renting a small jackhammer probably would be the best solution. If not, you could drill a line of closely spaced holes and split off sections with hammer and chisel, but that would take a long time. I'd do the jackhammer (plus goggles, gloves, etc)
Rockville, Md.:
Hi Mike,
I hope you can help me.
Last night, we found a pinhole leak in our plumbing (clean water, not waste water). Fortunately, the hole was reachable and I used gold old duct tape to seal it and have turned the water off. I realize it is a temporary fix and a friend told me that an almost permanent fix would be to use an elastic to cover the hole and then encase it in a coupling.
Are you familiar with this? What should we do (I've already called a plumber but who knows when he'll come)?
Mike McClintock: The best fix is to replace the section, swetaing a new length between new couplings. BUT, there is a very durable temporary fix: cut a piece of garden hose, clean mating face, apply over hole (after cleaning pipe) and close with two stainless steel radiator clamps (type used on cars)
Shepherd Park, Washington, D.C.:
Mike,
My question involves water heaters. My gas water heater is, I think, about 15 years old (it was there when I bought the house). It seems to be working OK, but should I consider replacing it? How do you make a call like that?
Thanks.
Mike McClintock: 15 years is about or slightly over the typical lifespan, but if it's not broken don't fix it (who said that first?) unless you need more hot water. Flushing the tank almost always improves efficiency so the heat isn't percolating a lot of deposits before it heats the water. Chances are it won't just let go in a gush , and that you will see a few rusty trickles first.
Answer for #2:
Graceland.
I didn't make the connection until I say the answer to the #1.
Mike McClintock: se enough to 1p to allow you to kill the suspense, but some offbeat info about the place still coming
Annapolis, Md.:
We just received a one-piece kitchen countertop from Lowes. It is sitting in my garage waiting to be moved into place. We are going to install it this weekend. Any advice or pointers would be most appreciated.
Thanks!
Mike McClintock: Egad big question, but picking out some highlights, make sure you use screws (up through the carcass into the top) that won't poke through, and include glue, and plan on some trim to cover gaps where the square unit doesn't quite fit exactly against a not totally square wall. (Lowe's give you some help on installation?)
Virginia:
The temperature on my second floor is 5-10 degrees higher than that on the first, no matter how I try to close/open vents to adjust for the season.
Can this be adjusted any other way?
Mike McClintock: Heat rises, uh huh, so either call in a contractor to rebalance the system, or install a damper or two yourself that can cclose the flow to downstairs ducts when needed. There are slick motorized dampers than can do thisa automatically and allow you to create twpo zones, as the dampers are controlled by thermostats (also can improve central AC)
Alexandria, Va.:
Post flood question: We're going from carpet to tile in our townhouse basement. With respect to possible future flooding, any reservations about getting ceramic tiling? What about the laminate tiles? Thanks
Mike McClintock: Tile set on solid concrete should not lift from surface water. Consider the extra very painstaking step of sealing the grout in a potentially damp location. Thin plastic tiles are more likely to pop and require a very smooth base.
Somewhere, USA:
Wouldn't a blocked air vent also cause a toilet to bubble?
Mike McClintock: Yes but less likely and harder to check-- like thermos gurgling because you don't open the vent that allows air in as the lighuid pours out
McLean, Va.:
Mike, love the chats! I removed the wallpaper in our kitchen, and it took off a layer of paint in some places, leaving the surface "splotchy." I plan to paint soon, but what should I do to get a smooth painting surface? Thanks in advance for your help!
Mike McClintock: Have to spackle, and then spackle. Over larger areas you might have more success using dryall compound (it's easir to spread). Make sure any fresh material is sealed or it will soak the water out of the paper adhesive and leave bubbles
Washington, D.C.:
Mike,
I have an unfinished basement room. After a rain, there is a small amount seepage at the floor/wall junction on the outside wall. A recently installed sump pump takes care of water during major rains, and chiseling out the corners and filling in with hydraulic cement do not eliminate the seepage -- it still occurs, but is minor. (I've also regraded the ground around that portion of the house and moved the raingutter downspouts to mitigate rainfall runoff.)
Question: Since there is poor ventilation in the room, I am reluctant to install terra-cotta tiles, but instead am thinking of laying paving bricks, and gluing them to the cement floor with liquid nail or some other odor-free cement. I don't need a fancy finished space, just something to move the racks up from the ocassional dampness. The room will eventually become a wine cellar so some humidity is OK. Is this a good plan?
Mike McClintock: I'd fix the leaks first, instead of making do downstairs. (You could easily mount storgae racks up on blocks, but if the room gets damp, and even soaked, better to make it livable by fixing the leak. Aside from the good steps you've takenm, consider a drywell that takes all the roof drainage. To see if that would help add temp extenders to downspouts taking all water well away from the roof. A drywelll woudl also give the yard more drainage capcity in general. If the groundawater comes mainly from one direction, also consider an area drain.
Mike McClintock: Lot of heavy-duty and good questions this time; hope you can save them up for next time. Meanwjile we're at ther 1p bnoundary, so here are the answers (including the oddbal hint answer) and some info on the buildings
HOMESENSE - TWO SOUTHERN BUILDINGS - ANSWERS
HINT: very non-architectural hint is to remember the description of the large arch enemy in one of the mad max movies.
HINT ANSWER: in the road warrior, the lord humongus was the warrior of the wastelands, and (a great line that sounds good to say out loud) the ayatollah of rock-and-rollah.
1- 706 Union Avenue, big windows and brick facade, three big letters over door?
ItÕs the Sun Studios in Memphis ("SUN" being arched over the door as it is on the records), the early rock and roll production headquarters for Elvis (he made his first record there), Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and many others (plus Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash and many country singers); still in business-- plus tours, merchandise store and website of course.
http://www.sunstudio.com/
2- bought in 1957 for $102,500, buyer paid half in cash,
named after the original owner's daughter
ItÕs Graceland, on the national register of historic places since 1991, and a Memphis landmark visited by over 700,000 people a year; bought by Elvis when he was 22 (in 1957 100grand was a lot to pay for a house); built in 1939 with 500 acres of horsefarm and named after the original ownerÕs daughter Grace. Many websites show it, the official one
http://www.elvis.com/graceland/
being wildly commercialized by mega-corporation Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. (i.e. you can rent the place, get married in the chapel in the woods next door, buy a line of Elvis furniture etc.). Some offbeat pix on extensive unofficial sites such as http://www.ibiblio.org/elvis/elvishom.html
include the somewhat gaudy interior, an overhead shot of the kidney-shaped pool, shrine and other elaborations, and of course Elvis with a pink Cadillac out front by the two-story portico.
Specific connection between the two buildings? He started recording at Sun, but finished at Graceland where RCA set up a studio in 1977 (the year he died) after Elvis missed a recording session.
See you next time, mike
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