Home Sense

Mike McClintock (For The Washington Post)

Have questions about how to keep your home fit and trim?

Home Sense columnist Mike McClintock is 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. He is the author of 10 books, including "Alternative Housebuilding."

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.

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Mike McClintock: Hello again. Nice spring weather- something like 26 this morning. Anyway, have columns upcoming on a classic spring topic (residing) starting with a two-parter on vinyl next week: one of those "space-age" products that's very much still with us). So I've been rummaging around other products from the late 1950s and early 1960s (several companies claim to have invented vinyl siding in that time frame)- thus the quiz this week.

HOME SENSE- TOYS and GAMES -QUESTION
Many unusual and wildly successful products (the Hula Hoop and Hacky Sack) come from Wham-O, a company that took it's name from the sound made as a missile (often a BB) hit home when released from the company's amazingly powerful and reasonably accurate (if you were good) hand-held slingshot. Can you sort out the fakes and name the real Wham-O products?

- Pluto Platter (it rotates)
- Superball (it bounces)
- Instant Fish (add water and see fish born in your aquarium)
- Creepy Gummi (make revolting rootbeer-flavored eyeballs in 10 minutes)
- Big Boppers (jump a mile high with spring-loaded shoes)
- Baby's First Chemistry Set (demonstate the mysteries of life)

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Fairfax, Va.: We're in the planning stages for a whole house interior paint job, and my spouse and I are in disagreement about prepping the trim. I say that we need to caulk where the trim pieces are separating at the corners and he says we need to use wood putty. Can you please tell us which we would use and would we use the same thing for molding that meets the wall with separations?

Thanks!

Mike McClintock: Use caulk only if there is a trouble spot, i.e. a seam that won't stay closed no matter what you do with the trim. Some houses have these hinges that won't stay closed, and wood filler just cracks and falls out. Otherwise, wood filler is for wood (makes sense), and if you use one like water putty it's easily sanded, painted, stained, whatever.

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Washington Grove, Md.: Mike,
We bought a 1960s rancher with wall to wall carpeting that the old owners stunk up pretty well. They had a big dog, lots of stains, trapped dust, etc. After living in the home for a couple of months, we realized that there were hardwood floors under the carpet. So, we pulled it up.

The house looks and smells MUCH better. The floor is still sealed well in nost places, except right in front of the hall bathroom. Also, there are a few stains we'd like to get out.

Is it necessary to refinish the entire floor, or can we spot sand? Can I take a palm sander to the stains, then refinish just the small area? Do I need to use something to strip the sealer off before sanding? I know I'll need to blend the finish when I'm done, and then reseal. How can I figure out what kind of seal to use after staining?

The hallway where the seal appears to be gone is another matter. If the wood is in good shape, do I need to sand at all, or can I clean it up and reseal it?

Thanks. Keep up the great column. Us DIYers really appreciate it.

Mike McClintock: It's better if you refinish everything, but when damage is really limited (and sounds like that here), give patching a try. In a nutshell, sand, steel wool, clean, use bleach to clear the stain and all that. Then do some very light sanding and steel-wooling around the edges of this area, allowing for some blending.
The real trick, of course, is to match the stain and finish. You may want to do some testing to get it right.
You could finish the limited area with polyurethan (a few coats. But this will almost certainly leave an obvious lap. Usually, finishing the patch with paste wax and a lot of buffing makes a better blend.

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Silver Spring, Md.: Where can I buy made-to-order sliding wire drawers? We made our front closet into a pantry for our kitchen, but it's so deep we can't get to the stuff in the back. The Container Store cannot custom-make sliding wire drawers for us, and the ones they had were too narrow and too short. We need drawers that are 19 in. wide by 24 in. deep. The closet organizer websites we looked at were no help at all. Thanks!

Mike McClintock: Locally, who knows, but the Web has many sources- 19" being fairly standard, though if you have trouble finding something the full depth (or it's just too expensive to get a few made, which is often the case with small custom orders), consider mounting a rack on the back of the door, then mounting a pull out rack further in the cabine. You would just reach in a few inches to pull it out.

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Fairfax, Va.: Submitting early: I just bought a brand new house and was told by the next door neighbor that the contractor poured my home's foundation on the coldest day of the year (something like a 20 degree day). My neighbor seemed to think this is very very bad. How bad is it? Will the house be standing very long?

Mike McClintock: Concrete can be poured on cold days- and dry days and windy days so long as the mix is adjusted for the conditions. One also hopes that the footing depth was what's required(it should be as that calls for a building dept. inspection) and that the base was compacvted.
Sometimes freezing can make the bottom of the footing trench seem firm, even though it is loose dirt just frosted in place. That could lead to problems as the ground thaws and the great weight of the building compresses the soil- usually unevenly causing faults.
Don't be surprised or alarmed to see little hairline cracks on the surface of the pour, but keep track of anything bigger, specially is it opens more or spreads further.

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Alexandria, Va.: Hi Mike. What's with the "popping" noise in our bathroom? When the toilet's flushed this noise happens in the pipes behind the wall. Is it just air, or could it be something more serious? I hate to come home to burst pipes!

Mike McClintock: It's probably air pockets, or could be pipe movement, though that is more often a sort of scrape or squeal. If the pipes are on an inside wall, they won't freeze unless the furnace is off for quite a while.

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Washington, D.C.: I am going to be having construction done in my cooperative unit, and workmen will be in and out of the unit all day, for several days, while I'm at work. I don't want my apartment to be empty while I'm at work and the workmen are there. So, I'd like to hire someone to simply sit in the apartment during the work period. Do you know of any companies that provide this kind of hourly "house-sitting" (hopefully, employees who are bonded and insured)? I don't need anybody to actively supervise the quality of the work (the coop managers will do that), only to be a live body in the apartment. I've looked and can't find anything. Thanks.

Mike McClintock: I tink it's called a friend- a very good and patient friend who doesn't have or need a job and likes to read a lot and doesn't mind distractions.

Can't imagine anyone making money with a business like that- and wouldn't the coop managers supervising the work count as sitters anyway, at least part time?

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Baltimore, Md.: Hello! We have a large tree in our small backyard that makes us nervous everytime there's a storm. It's spread out into 3 large trunks that are now supported by a wire near the top-half. My husband wants to take this tree down himself. Of course, I want a professional to do this. What kind of professional should I be looking for to cut down a large tree in a tight space? A landscaper? A handyman? And any ideas on cost? Thanks!

Mike McClintock: We should have pictures (it will happen at some point) than icould give you a better answer, because it depends on two things: how good you (he) is at removing trees, and how nig the tree is.
If he's not so handy and doesn't have a chain saw and can't explain in a few words that make sense how the tree will be cut and how/where it will fall- and the multiple trunker is higher than the house- I'd vote for the pro- a tree surgeon if it's big, a handyman with a chainsaw if it's not.

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Takoma Park, Md.: I have a rotting threshhold on a old back door -- I've put it off far too long. Am I going to have to have someone replace the whole frame (and door?) ? It's an old house (1920s), so the frame is sort of sitting on top of the rotting threshhold. I'm sort of stumped as to who to call -- a door replacement company, a carpenter, a handyman? Are there door fixit people out there?

Mike McClintock: It's standard carpentry work- and if the frame and door are ok, not too hard to dig out the rotten sill and install a new oak sill. Trouble is that you may find more rot underneath and nead to replace or build up some floor framing, add some flashing, etc, which can make the basic repair a full-day's work.

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Derwood, Md.: We are think about remodeling our kitchen, but have a debate about cooktop/wall oven versus conventional stove. The cabinets are the original builder installed ones when the house was built in 1983 with a dead corner I would like to use by installing a lazy susan cabinet in the corner. Any comments on cooktop versus stove and installing the lazy susan cabinent?

Mike McClintock: Lazy Susans (there are many configurations) are the best way to rescue dead space. Many new counters incude double-hinged doors and other features to make access easier. That's a no-brainer, but then you have to remember what you store on the dark side of the moon back there.
I have a conventional stove with oven and broiler, with a nuker built in above; works pretty well; don't have a sense that one plan is really better than the other you mention.

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Arlington, Va.: Hi Mike. I have a brick duplex. The previous owner put metal doors in front and back. They are white and dirty. Can I just hose them down? Need to scrub? Do other people notice this kind of thing or do I only need to really clean the doors/stoops if I want to sell?

Mike McClintock: If you mean white-painted metal-clad doors, try washing with soap and water without abrasives. And sure, buyers come and go there, so it's good to make the entrance fairly spiffy.

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College Park, Md.: Real Wam-Os:
Pluto Platter
Superball
Creepy Gummi (I've had them, not too bad)

Mike McClintock: That's preety good pretty early in the chat, but one of the i think three others that all seem fake isn't; so you're one short. And the ad copy for the "revolting" rootbeer eyeballs goes on- as you'll see end of hour with the answers.

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Falls Church, Va.: I live in a townhouse built in 1983. The living room has an exposed, painted beam dividing the ceiling in two. I noticed a horizontal crack in the beam. Is this normal? Is it a problem? Sorry I can't describe the problem better...

Mike McClintock: Assuming it's wood, let's assume it's checking, which is tearing of the surface wood. But you should measure the crack so you can keep track of it, and also precisely measure the space between the lowest part of the beam and the floor- and even more so keep track of that.

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Richmond, Va.: Some of the grout in between the tiles in my bathroom has cracked and come loose. Is there an easy way to repair it short of mixing up a batch of grout? I don't have any experience with tiling. Thanks.

Mike McClintock: If it's cracked and come loose, the only decent repair is to remove it, let the seam dry, sweep or vacuum, then regrout. Almost always (with tile and just about everyting else) if you make a thin cosmetic repair over an unsound base, the repair is very temporary, and eventaully you have to do the hjob thoroughly the way you should have in the first place.

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Rosslyn, Va.: I just bought a carpeted one bedroom apartment. The carpet is in decent condition. I know that there are parquet tiles under the carpet. How hard would it be to refinish the parquet floor once I removed the carpet?

Mike McClintock: Depends completely on what you find. Sometimes people just prefer carpet, or wanted it for noise reduction or comfort. Sometimes it's installed to cover a badly worn, stained floor.
If the wood is in good shape, usually a light, finish sanding will do before staining and sealing- a few days of work allowing for drying time.

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Baltimore, Md.: What's the best way to find a reputable contractor to rehab my home?

Mike McClintock: It's a common question, and of course one of the most difficult to answer. But some tips:
-best bet is word of mouth, someone you trust, and you get to see the job and ask how it went in all respects
-use the manby professional sources, people you know such as mortgage bankers, real estate agents, home insurance agents, etc, who, at least in theory, have your interests at heart because you're a client
- try the many trade associations such as NAHB and NARI that provide lists of memebers who subscribe to the association's standard and have gone through at least some prescreening
In the end, you have to do a lot f interviewing, checking on licenses, inurance and the rest.

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Alexandria, Va.: We have regular, non-low-E windows, and don't want to go through the expense of replacing all of them. Are there any products, like window film or something, that will make them more comparable to a low-E window glass? The house gets a lot of light and I'd like to do something, but not sure what.

Mike McClintock: Only thing i can think of that would qualify is heat-shrink plastic. It's a tin, clear film sort of like Saran wrap, that you apply to the frame (leaving as much air space as possible) and then draw out the wrinkles with a hair dryer. It's easy to install.
Next up would be basic storm windows, but at that point your on the way to replacements.

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Silver Spring, Md.: Hello,
How many vents can you close in a heating system before it is too burdensome to the whole system?
We moved to a 65 year old oil heated house and find that the ducts on the exterior walls of the house must be totally uninsulated and thus we get cold air forced through. The vents in the interior walls have nice warm air coming out. Can we put vent covers on the exterior wall vents without causing any damage to the heating system? Thank you.

Mike McClintock: Interesting question because there muist be a point of no return, i.e. when you close down so many registers and still can't develop any extra airflow to the ones left open. BUT think that's the wrong approach, particularly closing down ducts on exterior walls where you need heat the most.
Maybe not now while it's still cold, but at some point you should open up the basement ceiling, or maybe an overhanging floor soffit, and insulate the ducts.

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Potomac, Md.: Hi Mike. Question regarding my basement, which has a drop ceiling that I am considering having replaced with drywall to gain extra height and a more finished look. I know that a negative of doing this is the limited access to pipes, wires, etc. How big of a negative is this? Would you advise against it for this reason?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Mike McClintock: I know some houses where there is a nearly permanent repair hole in the drywall ceiling- and easily removable tiles would have been so much better. But if the mechanicals don't cause trouble, yes, drywall generally looks better. You might still find that parts of the ceiling have to be dropped, for instance around major ducts and beams.
So iffy answer- and there are some new suspended ceilings that look better than the old spongy ones.

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Washington, D.C.: I am looking for someone to build a table for me based on a photo I found in a book. Do you have an recommendations?

Mike McClintock: No, but maybe use the Web to send out the photo and ask for quotes from a lot of furniture and woodshops. If a chatter knows a good guy we;ll certainly post it.

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Bangor, Maine: Hi Mike: Up north we've had snow on the roofs for a while now, piled fairly high in some places. On the few sunny days some of it melts, mainly around the edges and along the gutter. What I'm worried about is the ice I see in the morning when the sun isn't out and the temperature had dropped. How can I deal with that before it brings down the gutters or starts lifting the shingles?

That's to start with, but how about a weekly chat as my question list is pretty long?

Mike McClintock: It aint exactly speing here yet either. But gather you have piles of white satuff still, SO to answer, often it's when the weather moderates that you start to notice the problem- specially when the ice has bnuckled gutters or lifted shingles and water begins to seep in. Fixing them long term generally reuires a few improvements (and keeping the gutters clear), but most dams are triggered by a temperature difference between the main roof over the heated building and overhangs that have no heat beneath them. Heat rising through ceiling insulation into the attic warms the underside of the main roof, and starts to melt blankets of snow from the bottom up. Protected from freezing winds, water trickles down the roof until it reaches the colder overhang and freezes.
The best fix is to reduce the temperature differential between the main roof and overhangs, first by adding more insulation in the attic floor, and second by increasing the amount of ventilation (inlets and outlets) so any heat that does seep through will be carried away.
If all else fails (or the next time you reroof, consider a rubberized waterproof barrier like Ice and Water Shield installed on the plywood roof deck, then covered with shingles. It seals around nails and sheds any water that gets through the shingles down to the gutters.

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Washington, D.C.: I like the look of granite countertops, but not the shiny surface. To me it seems a little severe. Is it possible to get a granite coutertop with a matte surface? Or is there another type of stone that would be better for this?

Mike McClintock: But it's the shineir surface that helps keep them low maintenance. Unfinished stone is not very good at resisting grease pops from bacon and eggs. But you ought to be able to find a dulled version, or an instalkler who would run a buffer over them to kill some of the shine.

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Alexandria, Va.: I need to caulk the tub in my bathroom. The problem is -- I just did it a year ago! This will be the third time in 3 years. Is that normal? I don't remember this from previous homes. Any tips on making it last longer?

Mike McClintock: Strip out all of the old stuff, let everyting dry, sweep out the dust, spray in bleach and let that dry, then go with exterior-grade silicone- and you may be back next year in any case. It also would probably help to have more ventilation, maybe a bigger, better fan, or one you could run longer by installing a timer switch on what's there now.

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Bowie, Md.: When I shut off the shower water, I sometimes hear a banging noise from the shower head. What is going on and what can be done?

Mike McClintock: For waterhammering, you can install a damper in the line. If it's loose pipes, you would have to find the nearest avaiable access and add better fasteners, maybe damped fasteners. Or, (isn't there so often another possibility?) it could be the mixing valve in the shower.
Sometimes the little mixing plugs get stuck and then slam shut. You may be able to remove, and clean them, and replace their washers- or install a new mixer.

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South Fla.: Hot water heater question. We have a small heater, about 3 or 4 ft tall int he back of a utility closet. It has a timer in the circuit, and currently the timer's set to turn the heater on at 5am and 5pm for 5 hours each time, then turn it off. Are we saving much money this way in electric bills? Thanks!

Mike McClintock: You're saving a little. But a relatively new, well insulated tank doesn't use a lot of power, so unless you guys lead an incredibly regimented life and never want hot water at off times, i would increase the time on. Mine is on all the time and my electric bill is very modest- but then i sometimes work late and climb into the shower at 4am.

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Granite counters: Why are granite counters so popular? It seems to me that they are too high maintenance for most people who buy them. I would guess that in about 5+ years, they will be ugly with stains, etc. We chose corian for its low maintenance qualities. Just curious...

Mike McClintock: Who knows; i don't. But sometimes there are a few big spreads in slick sheltermagazines and away we go- something new. And rock had the extra appeal of being natural- and so easy to break glasses on, as well. They sure look nice new.

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Reston, Va.: Mike please help! Yesterday's wind did a number on my brand new Pella storm door. When I got home from work, it was dragging the bottom air pump back and forth as the wind blew. It basically ripped the bottom pump out of the frame of my also new front door and almost ripped the top pump out of the frame as well. Any ideas how I go about fixing this or getting someone to come out and fix it? I can't envision spending another $700 so soon.

Thanks!

Mike McClintock: Someone left the door open, crash, bang. But depending on the amount of damage where the closer tore away, you might try your home insurance agent, and Pella, too, if it's a new door. In theory, you could pop rivet some kind of mounting plate to reinforce the torn section and allow remounting- or just move the closer. If the breakaway was where the pump attaches to the door frame, it should be much easier to fix- either by filling the stripped holes and using longer screws, or by moving the closer to a spot where you can get a secire connection and then patching the old spot.

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Arlington, Va.: Mike, we're contemplating doing a two-story wraparound addition to our Arlington colonial. Cost estimates seem to vary widely. Estimates I've seen in Washingtonian or remodeling magazines say that a 2-story addition runs on average around $120K, but I'm hearing quotes from builders closer to $300K. What is the average going rate these days?

Mike McClintock: There is no average- and though it seems helpful it's bogus to publish them as though that number is what the number will be in your case. I did it for 12 years: houses, but lots of additions that were similar and even more decks and porches that were veryt similar. And still each one is different for so many reasons.
When most or all of the bids are in the same range you're on the right track. But you can also ask for cutbacks. Kitchens, baths, and extra mechanicals in general really drive up the price.

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Maryland: Here's question I havent' seen before. What kind of mintenance is associated with the first year of owning a new construction house? I was told to be diligent about watching for water leaks, but that's about it.

Mike McClintock: If it's new you should watching just about everything, bearing in mind what is covered in the warranty and what is normal wear and tear- things that might have been on the checklist once, but not anymmore.
WQater leaks, sure. But i guess major structural movement would be high on my list, too.

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Maryland: I have granite countertops, and I certainly wouldn't call them "shiny." If they have been sealed, they might be shiny, but finished granite isn't necessarily polished to a high gloss. talk to a installation professional with samples -- you'll be happy you did. Granite is a great material in the kitchen.

Mike McClintock: Other point of view, you bet; but not so hot on stains that wipe up pretty easily from corian and other synthetics. On the other hand, you can't burn granite.

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Re: custom table: Tom Von Fange of Antiques tables made daily will take a photo and make a table from it -- he is now taking orders for May:

Mike McClintock: who knows; there are bound to be more.

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Minneapolis, Minn.: In a couple of rooms in our recently purchased house have ceilling tile over what I presume is a regular dry wall ceilling. Can you shed any light on why the tile would be up there in the first place and how difficult it might be to remove?

Mike McClintock: I wouldn't be presuming there's drywall underneath.

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Granite countertops: Yes, I know glasses break easliy when falling on granite, but so true of Corian!; What are the special maintainence probs. with Granite not shared with Corian?

Mike McClintock: Mostly stains, particularly grease.

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Clifton, Va.: I have had my black granite countertops for five years and they are low maintenance. No stains and I am messy. Corian can melt if set a hot pot on it. Granite doesn't care. Corain stains too!

Mike McClintock: I've found corian stains with juices- reds, if you will, and that granite spots from stains, mainly greases- but black would help with the messy part, for sure.

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Silver Spring, Md.: My guesses for the authentic Whamo's

Pluto Platter
Superball
Big Boppers

Mike McClintock: No big boppers- remember, big bopper was an early rocker; answers in a minute with some cool facts attached.

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Arlington, Va.: Hi. I am going to tile new drywall around my shower. Is there any prep work on the wall that I need to do before I start tiling? Thanks.

Mike McClintock: Be nice if it were cement backerboard, and second best greenboard to resist the water. Otherwise, just normal spackle and then the adhesive bed.

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Mike McClintock: HOME SENSE- TOYS and GAMES -QUESTION
Many unusual and wildly successful products (the Hula Hoop and Hacky Sack) come from Wham-O, a company that took it's name from the sound made as a missile (often a BB) hit home when released from the company's amazingly powerful and reasonably accurate (if you were good) hand-held slingshot. Can you sort out the fakes and name the real Wham-O products?

- Pluto Platter (it rotates)
- Superball (it bounces)
- Instant Fish (add water and see fish born in your aquarium)
- Creepy Gummi (make revolting rootbeer-flavored eyeballs in 10 minutes)
- Big Boppers (jump a mile high with spring-loaded shoes)
- Baby's First Chemistry Set (demonstate the mysteries of life)

HOME SENSE- TOYS and GAMES -ANSWER
Many unusual and wildly successful products (the Hula Hoop and Hacky Sack) come from Wham-O, a company that took it's name from the sound made as a missile (often a BB) hit home when released from the company's amazingly powerful and reasonably accurate (if you were good) hand-held slingshot. Can you sort out the fakes and name the real Wham-O products?

- Pluto Platter: This was the original name (based on, back then, the country's obsession with UFOs), later changed to Frisbee with more than 100 million sold.

- Superball: A giant Superball, produced as a promotional item, was accidentally dropped out of a 23rd floor hotel window in Australia, bounced back up 15 floors, then down again into a parked convertible car, totaling it.

- Instant Fish: On one of the Wham-O owner's trips to Africa in the early 1960s, he discovered a species of fish that laid eggs in mud during the dry season, then hatched, producing live fish when the rains came. Plan was to sell chunks of mud, add water, and make an instant aquarium- an idea that garnered millions of dollars in orders. But the fish brought back to America wouldn't mate and the money had to be refunded.

- Creepy Gummi: Product copy says you can make blood-red tongues aside from those revolting rootbeer-flavored eyeballs. "Yuck! You'll have disgusting fun creating freaky treats." More at wham-o.com, if you want to.

- Big Boppers: a fake

- Baby's First Chemistry Set: better be another fake

See you next time

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