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: Hi. Some housekeeping, i.e. with more holidays upcoming looks like next chat will be two weeks as usual (thursday december 16), then not until january 6th, but you can always check the online schedule to see who's on when.

So before the questions and answers start scrolling today, a brief quiz on what people want most in the bathroom of a new house, from a survey by the DC-based National Association of Homebuilders.

HOME SENSE- BATHROOM PRIORITIES -QUESTION
Can you match up the most wanted bath features with the survey answers, shown as a percentage of people rating the feature as desirable or essential?

- dressing room area
- separate shower
- whirlpool tub
- ceramic tile walls
- a linen closet

You think about that and i'll think about your questions

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Silver Spring, Md.: Mike --
We're installing a new shower in our bathroom. We've been told our only options for the shower floor are fiberglass, acrylic, tile, and something called Swanstone. We currently have fiberglass, which cracked and does not seem durable -- acrylic seems similar to that. We were told by a guy at home depot that Swanstone is hard to clean and a bad company. That leaves us with tile. Are those really our only choices? Of those, which do you install in a shower stall
Thanks for any advice!

Mike McClintock: Tile is tradidional, and generally the most expensive-by far, which is why many people use synthtic, preformed substitutes like fiberglass or acrylic. Trick is to find a thicker version, if poissible, and then tp support the floor as you install it. I've done this with tub-showers, basically, pour a big mound of quick-setting plaster, plunk dowen the unit, which squishes out the mix, then pack in some by hand, and you have all sorts of extra support.
It also helps to have a good pan as backup, just in case.

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Sound proofing: I would appreciate any insights that you could share. I have a small condo on the first floor, build in the 1920's with lovely wood floors. The upstairs neighbors also have nice wood floors which they seem rather reluctant to cover up. So, I was wondering if there is a way I can add some type of sound proofing to the ceiling of my apartment. I have 10 foot ceilings, if that makes a difference. Thanks for all the help.

Mike McClintock: Can't blame them, really, and at least you have the height to work with. The solution is a combination of insulation and dead airspace- as much as you care to give up. For instance, if you hung a dropped ceiling 6 to 8 inches down (it doesn't have to be ugly tile these days) you could add thick batts above, which would reduce sound a lot.
If i'ts a big deal in your life there, there are special sound absorbing systems that are too complicated to go into here, but basically have suspensions frames that isolate sound, plus insulation.

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Washington, D.C.: Hello, thanks for taking my question!; I'm about to buy a studio condo that requires a complete makeover.. bathroom, kitchen, floors, all need to be updated/changed. My real estate agent brought a contractor in to give an initial estimate of how much remodeling would cost. He said to expect up to $23,000 (the place is 532 sq. feet total). My questions are first, is this a good price? and second, if it's not, what is the normal procedure for finding a contractor? This project requires knocking down, putting up walls and replacing all appliances. Should I find a designer first? Thanks!;

Mike McClintock: There are no reasonably precise answers to your questions, sorry. On most projects, you can expect a huge variation based on tons of factors, like contractor reputation, time of year, if the guy is busy or not, where you live, and more. You have to comparison shop. Then, there are p[ast columns and lots of websites (like the FTC) that go over in great detail all the steps for hiring, but aside from checking several things like insurance, license, they boil down to conduxting many interviews till you find someone who is highly recommended and answers your questions, an, and--

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Alexandria, Va.: Hi Mike,
Always enjoy your column and these chats! We moved into a 1956 cape cod about 1.5 years ago. I have a plumbing question about our upstairs bathroom. In the past week, when my husband turns on the hot water in the sink to shave, the pipes make an awful racket. He shaves immediately after showering.

If he turns the sink off and waits a minute or 2 and then turns the sink on, it's fine. Any idea why this is occurring? He's been showering and then shaving for months so we're not sure why we have the new noise.

Mike McClintock: Sound as though you're getting some water hammering, which is due to air pockets in the line. Try replacing the washers in the bath fixture first.

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Gonzales, La.: I replaced a diverter faucet and showerhead because the showerhead was leaking. This did not fix the problem. What else could be wrong?

Mike McClintock: That's strange, unless it was plumbed incorrectly (like no tape on the threads) both times.

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Frederick, Md.: With winter approaching, what are some effective ice melt products that I can use on my driveway that won't eat away the concrete or cause damage? Thanks!

Mike McClintock: I use regular old rock salt, sort of sparingly, early on in the storm. This sets up a brine slurry under what falls and makes removal a lot easier- and it's the way the town road crews do it; that's why you see them out salting early.

There are embedd heat cables and such. But the salt works for most people- and most towns.

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Washington, D.C.: Thanks for your great Live Online. I have beautiful wood floors with major squeaks, which have become worse over the years. How can I (or someone I pay) fix this? Do I have to break into the finished ceiling in the room below, to access the squeaky area?

Mike McClintock: Step one: try adding more moisture (incvreasing the realative humdidty) and see what happens. Then you can either work from below and fix the damage, or screws and glue down from above and plug the holes. But try more humidity first.

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Alexandria, Va.: Mr. McClintock --

Do you know if there is a particular type of padding or underlayment/moisture barrier that is recommented for concrete floors with radiant heat (circa 1956 -- pipes in the concrete slab)? We're putting in hardwood and don't want the heat system to work too hard. Thanks!

Mike McClintock: Think standard padding is all you need, thjough there are many types and ranges for thickness, softness and all. The heat will still come through; it will just take longer to reach the air, so if you can stand it, less paddingh will get you more heat sooner, though with slab pipes the heat is pretty steady and works it's way through just about any finished surface.

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Powhatan, Va.: What is the life expectancy of basic builders grade roof shingles?

Mike McClintock: Depends on the builder, but assumer you're talking about the thinnest on the market, but not quite a reroofing shingle, so something like 10-15 years, depending on the climate, tree scraping and how they are installed. Thicker is more work (mainly carrying up the ladder) and more bundles per square, of course, but longer warranties, too, sometimes 20-25 plus.

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Sound proofing-again: If were to put in a dropped ceiling, what type help would I enlist? Do I call a contractor or are there people who specialize in this type of work? The apartment is only about 500 sq.ft-any ballpark figures for how much work of this type may cost? Thanks again!;

Mike McClintock: Any general contractor can put up a dropped ceiling; they're very easy once you decide on the layout; it'sd not a specialty like siding or roofing.

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Bowie, Md.: What technique do you employ when you need to use an extension ladder on an unlevel surface?

Mike McClintock: You can buy an adjustable support foot that attaches to the ladder to make up the difference, though most people (and pros) simple build up a sturdy level surface, say, with concrete block and scaffold planks, and work from that.

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Washington, D.C.: Are there affordable keyless entry systems made to fit locks on security bars on doors that would have cobination locks (or some other technology) on both sides?

Mike McClintock: Last i looked some of the slickest used you credit card, and another your fingerprint, but they were $500 and one was $900; probably not what you had in mind. Think for price (as well as reliability) a keyed like ain't a bad deal.

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Fairfax County, Va.: Hi Mike: Do any of the gutter covers work well enough to invest in them? And what's your tool of choice for cleaning gutters and downspouts? I've about had it with the ladder and leaf bag and crawling around on the roof.

Mike McClintock: Theree's more than enoiugh rain here (about 36 inches annually) to carry just about any stray leaf or twig into the gutters. And though some people swear by them, i've never had any luck (and heard too large a percentage of negative reports) to suggest the plastic shields, screen covers, louvers and other systems. In theory, they keep debris out of the system, and the piles of leaves and all dries up and blows away- or maybe it gets cold and the stuff freezes there creating a major ice dam.
Some people who are even more fed up with the cleaning project than you are take off the gutters completely. That solves one problem, but often creates a worse one: a lot of water dumped straight down, which quickly creates a hollow, that then drains down against the foundation.
There are several specialized tools, like extension wands that work off a shop-vac. The jet (at the lowest pressure setting) from a pressure washer also can sometimes dislodge debris from the offset fitting in the downspout that would otherwise have to be disassembled.

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Alexandria, Va.: Hi Mike,

My 30-year-old condo has popcorn ceilings that have developed deep cracks over time. I am wondering if it's possible to repair them or if it would be best to remove them? Can you recommend anyone in Virginia who removes popcorn ceilings? Would I need to be concerned about asbestos? Thanks!

Mike McClintock: Removing a popcorn finish (typically sprayed on- and who knows over what in your case) is very difficult, so you might take a crack at finbger-splackliing some of the worst offenders and seeing if it holds.

Really can't recommend one contractor over another; thjere are way too many variables and it's something consumers have to do to suit themsleves, which means you may want one or two contacts while someone else wades through 10 bnefore finding some acceptable. There are several places , like NARI, that represent contractors.

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Greenbelt, Md.: I have a beautiful apartment, built in the 1930s, that grows mold on the ceilings. What can I do to stop this problem, and how do I clean off the existing mold so that it doesn't come back?

Mike McClintock: Use a soluton of water and household bleach, typically 50-50, and scrub and rinse to remove. Then lower the humidity and increase the ventilation.

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Fairfax, Va.: The question about the diverter faucet got me thinking. I need to replace mine on the tub (it no longer diverts very well). Is it just a matter of unscrewing the old one and screwing on a new one, or is there more to it? Thanks!

Mike McClintock: On older dioverters it's often the mixing mechanics that go and you don't need to replace the emtire valve, which may involve tearing out some tile.

Your may be different, but i've dissassembled a few where there are two plungersinside, fitted with O-rings. They have to slide back and forth to regulate the flow, and can easily get gummed up, even more so if you have hard water. So long story short is try pulling the plungers, cleaning them and replacing the o-rings.

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Pipe question again: Sorry, I'm a neophyte to all of this. Is the washer in the showerhead? The plumbing should all be new because we had a plumber replace everything due to a diverter problem in the tub and ended up switching from a three handle to a single handle on/off switch in the bath.

Mike McClintock: If this is you about the showerhead leak, try taking it off and wrapping several turns of thin plastic plumber's tape around the stem, threads before installing the head again. It's unlikely that you bought two defective showerheads that leak on their own.

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Gaithersburg, Md.: Can a humidifier be hooked up to a gas furnace? I hav a small humidifier in my bedroom, but I would like humidity on my whole house. Thank you.

Mike McClintock: Sure. Fiel source doesn't matter, it's just that you need a forced-air system to install a central humidifier. They generally fit onto the main plenum over the firebax, and are wired to the fan motor so when it kicks on moisture is added to the airflow. Several types of systems, but you might look at one with easy-to-clean filters, like the old AprilAires (or some spelling like that)

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Rosslyn, Va.: Mike,
It takes the water in my upstairs shower and faucets a "million years" to become hot. Is their any way to speed up this process? Thanks

Mike McClintock: There are two things to try. First, slip foam tubes around the hot water supply pipes (they are slit down the side and clip on pretty easily.) Idea there, of course, is to keep the standing water warmer longer, but it also helps keep up the temp on the hotter water coming the million miles from the water tank.
The other fix is more raidcal- to install a circulating linbe and pump. Step one is to install a return line, so the feed to the fixture is now a loop. In the line you also install a verty small pump (so needs to be wired) that sits in the line and gradually stirs the supply. That send standing water in the pipe back to the heater, and brings formward hotter water, which will be there at the tap waiting for you.
It's not a bad idea even in a new house where a bath is far away from the water heater- and eventually pays for itself by saving all that cold water you have to run while waiting for hot.

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Richmond, Va.: My downstairs floors squeek like crazy when I walk over them. The house is only 8 years old. I can feel the boards underneath move slightly up and down when I walk over them. Suggestions?

Mike McClintock: Fixing them is easy if the ceiling below is unfinished. You can add nailers between joists- like a 2x4 or so on the flat, glued with construction adhesive and screwed to the joists. Then screw up through it into the subflooring and most but not all of the floorboards.

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Burke, Va.: We've decided to redo the kitchen as a pseudo DIY. We'll contract out the electrical and counterop installation, but install the cabinets and sink ourselves. We'd do it on weekends, plus take days off work here and there. Are we nuts? And even if we are, are there some tips you can give us?

Mike McClintock: You're only nuts if you need dozens and dozens of tips. But if you have time to spare- that mean eating out more, what a shame- why not. Sinks are fairly easy and with cabinets it's mainly very careful planning and more so measurments. The tricky part is if your house is a little cockeyed, which means a lot of scribing to make the squared-up units fit in.

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Springfield, Va.: Hi Mike, We had new gutters installed on our house almost a year ago and they already have a low spot in the middle of the run. Is this something that a reputable contractor would come back and fix or will I have to pay to have them re-hung correctly?

Mike McClintock: After only a year the contractor should be willing to rectify the droop, specially as the middle is supposed to be the high point.

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Manassas, Va.: We light a fire about once a week and go through a fair ammount of wood so I'm looking around for a chainsaw and wonder if an electric model is ok, or if I should buy a more powerful gas model?

Mike McClintock: There is a lot of crossover among chainsaw models, both gas and electric- for size, bar lenmgth and other features. Between the two types, generally, electrics are less expensive and less powerful. On the other hand, they're much easier to use. You do need chain oil but no gas; just an extension cord and pull the trigger.
As you are tethered to a power source, electrics work well for cutting near the house, say if you have bulk wood delivered and then set up a cutting buck where you can make smaller sections. I sort of prefer mid to hefty-sized electrics, but i travel to get wood.

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Arlington, Va.: Dear Mike --

We recently broke a ceramic tile on our kitchen floor. Of course, we don't have any replacements (bought the house last year, and the prior owners didn't leave any). Doesn't seem to matter -- I haven't gotten a call back from any tile guy interested in a repair job. Is this something we could DYI?

I know matching the tile will be next to impossible, but we ordered a box of what we hope is a good match. Are we asking for heartache?

Finally, if repair isn't an option, do we live with the crack or save for a new floor?

Mike McClintock: Living with or waiting is up to you and the crack. If you step around it or stare at it every time in the kitchen, though, better lose it. But if it's very stable and just cracked you might try some instant glue, or nail polis for a color match and see if that makes the dark line go away enough.
Replacing one is pretty simple DIY. Shorttake is: chisel out the grout, or drill holes along the crack to make it easier to remove the tile, then grout; then scrape down old adhesive, add more, set in new tile, keep the grout borders even and after it sets regrout. Geez, that was easy.

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Silver spring, Md.: Hi Mike --
We're having our small bathroom (shower stall only) completely remodeled -- new tile, fixtures, etc. What is the order of work? Is electrical first (we're adding outlets and a fan), then drywall, tile, cabinet/sink and finish with the toilet? When should a fan be put in? The guys do good work, but we're kind of our own general contractors.
Thanks.

Mike McClintock: Framing and structural is first, then mechaical that need access to walls (including the fan), then basic finishing like cement board and drywall, then hookups, then final finishing like tile.

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Building Falling Apart?: I have a weird question—I work in an end-unit brick townhouse in DC. It's not in great shape but its fine and cheap for my non-profit to rent. There has been extensive rehab and construction in the unit next to us, and there has been LOTS of construction involving large condo buildings on the surrounding blocks. Often, our entire building shakes as the foundations of these buildings are constructed—steel being driven into the ground, digging, large dump trucks, etc. Since the construction, we have seen lots of cracking in the ceiling and walls of our building. Like thin cracks or wrinkles all the way across the ceiling on each floor, and similar cracks in the walls under windows on each floor, etc. Seems to me like foundation shifting, no? My question is: should I bother to tell my landlord about this? If it were my house I would be worried, but I'm not sure what anyone could really do about it. I keep wondering if I will show up at work one morning and see a pile of rubble….Thanks for your advice!;

Mike McClintock: It's probably more vibration than your foundation shifting- and, yes, i'd be telling the landlord about the cracking- and documenting it. Understand in the end it's his headache, but sounds like yours for now unless you make some fuss- but backed up with evidence

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Alexandria, Va.: Mr. McClintock:

Following on the gutter question. How does one properly hang gutters? Can a DIY do this kind of job?

Mike McClintock: On most homes the best plan is to install a downspout at each ened with a single run (seamless is contracor only as they shape in on site), to a high point in the middle.

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Speaking of popcorn ceilings..: Our popcorn ceiling desperately needs repainting, but the job intimidates me. Should I hire a professional? If not, any tips for me?

Mike McClintock: Makes sense for you to do the prep and some of the shileding, the hire a pro to spray. Popcorn is a nice solution for builders and some remodelors, but i think it looks crummy, and often doesn't last, and is nearly impossible to repair, and hard to remove.

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Alexandria, Va.: We recently ripped up some parquet flooring and discovered underneath a skim coating of some sort of black material -- somewhat pebbled, almost like a very thin fine grainted sandpaper that was affixed directly to the concrete. The parquet panels were glued to that black material, and when they're popped up, it lifts the material where the glue was applied. It can be scraped easily, but not swept. Could this be asbestos? We have radiant heat, in the a concrete slab -- house was built in the mid 1950's. Before we try to remove the material, or cover over it, we want to know what we're dealing with. Thank you!

Mike McClintock: To be extra safe i have to tell you to have it tested, but can't imagine whu a builder would want top insulate over a radiant slab; doesn't make any sense, so it's probably some type of vapor-moistuire barrier, i.e. asphalt based tarpaper.

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Herndon, Va.: Mike, I have what I suppose is a common problem -- a concrete "porch" at our front door, and the one step down which ends at the sidewalk is separating from the porch. Will just repairing the widening crack work?

Mike McClintock: It will keep out some water. but those big icebergs of concrete go where they want to- too often because they aren't poured along with the foundation as they easily could be.

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Reston, Va.: This is a very novice question, but is it difficult to change the lockset on an exterior door? Can I just swap out the hardware, or should I expect to do some drilling or chiseling?

Mike McClintock: Most locksets change out with new ones; the holes ahve been standardized for a long time now- unless it's really old hardware and a rim lock. But it's a reasonable DIY.

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Mike McClintock: HOME SENSE- BATHROOM PRIORITIES -QUESTION
Can you match up the most wanted bath features with the survey answers, shown as a percentage of people rating the feature as desirable or essential?

- dressing room area
- separate shower
- whirlpool tub
- ceramic tile walls
- a linen closet

HOME SENSE- BATHROOM PRIORITIES -ANSWER
Can you match up the most wanted bath features with the survey answers, shown as a percentage of people rating the feature as desirable or essential?

- a linen closet 88%
- separate shower 69%
- whirlpool tub 58%
- ceramic tile walls 55%
- dressing room area 52%

See you next time- and it's the last time i'll have this year to say thanks for tuning in, thanks for sending questions- and if you have a cat consider putting all the wrapping paper and ribbon in a big pile and lacing it with catnip, and if you have a dog, specially a big one, pick them up and let them sit on your lap for a while; they really like that.

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