Home Sense

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 washingtonpost.com's Home and Garden section .

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Mike McClintock:

Hi there: The way to look for a house or apt. these days is on the Web- the way most people do it at least to accumulate candidates- on real estate agency sites and more so through multiple listing service (MLS) sites. You can take virtual tours or see several photos and read about the particulars without driving around forever discovering dead ends that aren't even close to what you want. But the Web presentations can be, let's say, optimistic.

Thus, the quiz this week about house listings- the optimistic presentation versus the raw reality. It isn't based on an official survey or national statistics, just personal experience- so the correct answers are utterly real in every respect. (I'm answering Qs while you're quizzing.)

HOME SENSE- HOUSES ON THE WEB -QUESTION

1. When a house photo is off center and cropped very closely on one side of the building it means:

- there is another house almost within arm's reach

- there is a neighbor's driveway overflowing with cars and trucks

- there is an electrical substation and buzzing transformer nearby

2. When a house photo of a "quiet, rural, county setting" shows a stand of trees from the side so you can't see through them it means:

- there is a dilapidated trailer park next door

- there is a car graveyard next door with 40-plus rusting crates

- there is a go-kart track next door

3. When a wide-angle lens leads you to believe that the front door is at the end of a 50-feet stone walkway and set well back from the road:

- the walkway is actually about 10 feet long

- the street not shown is wide and a truck route

- just off camera that road intersects another so you're on the corner in the best place to hear trucks winding through the gears.

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Fairfax, Va.: What is your opinion of laying a tile floor over an existing tile floor? The current floor is in good shape. I know that I would have to use a special adhesive.

It would save a lot of time and mess, but I don't have experience doing this and don't know if there are any negatives to consider.

Mike McClintock: The main problem is loose or flexing tiles that will disrupt whatever tiles you lay above. If the floor is clean and rock solid0 that means a change for purely cosmetic reasons- scuffing the surface and laying new tile that misses the old grout seams will work. But first look for clearances at dishwashers and doors. Building up the floor can create some unexpected problems with level changes.

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Ann Arbor, Mich: Mike - you were kind enough to answer my question last time - however, I omitted one very important piece of information. So here it is again, I hope you can help me again.

The floor in my SECOND FLOOR bedroom makes a tin-ny sound when I walk over one area. Sounds like the floor hits the duct work when I step in that one spot. Is there a way to fix this, since I can't get to it from the bottom?

Thanks.

Mike McClintock: Without access you might be able to wiggle a duct from the nearest register, or insert a wedge to try to lower it just a bit. If that iffy fix doesn't work and the nnoise is really getting toyou, it's a choiuce between which surface to remove, the ceiling below or the floor above.

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Capitol Hill, Washington, DC: When I bought my rowhouse, 6+ years ago, I noticed a musty damp smell in a base kitchen cabinet adjoining the wall. That smell has now spread to the adjoining cabinets in the row. At the same time, I have noticed the floor sinking on the exterior wall of the house (opposite side from the cabinets). We filled the floor gap with caulk. I fear that hte smell (and the gap) are coming from a rotting floor joist. Is there any way to diagnose this short of ripping up the kitchen floor (which I'd like to replace, but can't afford to now)? What type of service should I even call for this? How serious is it?

Mike McClintock: Guess i would clean and disinfect like crazy, the caulk or insulate or both, then try to keep track of any movement by drawing some reference lines and measuring. Then, if things continue to deteriorate you would have to rip up some material to see what's at the root of the problem.

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Arlington, Va.: We have a shower that has small ceramic tiles on the floor. Some of the grout is coming out and water appears to be going underneath the tiles. (The grout is still wet after 2 days in a couple areas and when we first noticed it when you pressed down on one section a small amount of water would come up through the cracks.) What do we need to do? Do we need to pull up all the tile and see what's underneath or let dry and regrout? If it makes any difference the house was built in 1972 and I believe it's the original tile.

Mike McClintock: It probably won't suffice- there's a great start to an answer- but you could try letting the area dry completely (and help that with a hair dryer) then scrape out loose grout and regrout. But if the tiles seem loose or squishy, you'll have to pull them up, which should be easy, and see what's up. Properly installed showers have a pan underneath designed to catch any water that gets through, but that could be gone, too. The ultimate fix, of course, is to pull the entire base, install a new pan (these days it's a rubberized sheet folded up the sides instead of metal) and retile. If you haven't (yet) seen eveidence of leaks below the shower the pan may be intact and save you the messiest and most expensive solution, i.e. you would just retile and regrout the floor. (And the tracing leaks column recently might help.)

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Reston, Va.: We have an ancient, inefficient dryer. Does it make sense to spend the money to replace it with a newer, energy star model, or should we wait until it actually kicks the bucket?

Mike McClintock: How do you know it's ineffienct? If you keep the system free of lint (the screen and duct) you should have good airflow and effective drying, or maybe the exhaust is curved through elbows and you could shorten and straighten it. Anyway, it's wise i think to follow the rule: if it's not broken don't fix it- specially if you have other parts of the house thart could really use some help. And commercial dryers (front loaders) are more efficient than typical household models- if it comes to replacement- but cost a lot more, too.

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Gaithersburg, Md.: Any thoughts on oil heat? We just bought a home with a current oil heat system. I want to convert to gas, husband says oil is fine. I have no idea of the differences. The oil drum was replaced a few years ago, so no leaks, or history of any. ALso, it's in the backyard.Thanks!

Mike McClintock: Oil is fine. I'd prefer gas if there were already a supply line in the house. It can be expensive to have that installed from the street. There's some downside, i.e. new gas furnaces are somewhat more efficient than new oil furnes (5+ percent or so), but that's splitting hairs. As to fuel costs, who knows. Saw a recent DOE prediction that they will be up 30 percent or more and that typical homeowners may spend an extra $375 or so this winter. There will be lots of advice about sweaters, no doubt.

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Fairfax County, Va.: Hi Mike,

I'm a realtively new homeowner. Our fist annual termite inspection found evidence of two small carpenter ant nests. The inspector outlined a yearlong strategy for getting rid of them. I'm not that fond of the idea of using pesticides indoors (children, cats, and chemical sesitivity). Do I need to do anything about them? If so, can I do it myself or do I have to hire the pros?

Thank you!

Mike McClintock: I have never liked the idea of annual service contracts- too often for a problem that no longer exists. I would either pay for a one-time treatment (youi can always check the sites again now that you know where they are), or- what i would actually do, is consult my 'Common-sense Pest Control' book (taunton press) and try several home remedies. That book follows a least-toxic approach and i've found it on target time and again; try the library.

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Soldering: How difficult is soldering? I have an outside faucet that is no longer connected to the pipe. My home inspector suggested soldering the two back together. There's a beginner's soldering set at Home Depot. I understand the concepts of soldering and the instructions on the package look logical, but am I being overly optimistic? I can do basic home repair things (replace thermocouples, install programmable thermostats, etc.) Thanks

Mike McClintock: You might try a test conmnection on two pieces of copper (assuming that's what you're working with). But the main idea is to scuff up the connected surfaces so they are bright and clean, then wipe on some flux, then fit them together, then apply heat until the flux bubbles and darkens, then touch the solder coil to and around the joint until it flows over. Good plumbers make neat joints (and wipe the excess) but no one will score neatness point (or demerits) if the fitting holds and doesn't leak. Take a shot.

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Philadelphia, Pa.: Mike, I've been in my house for two years. The house is 30 years old and the attic is insulated with blown in insulation. If I wanted to beef up the insulation, is is alright for me to layer strip of insulation over top of this? I would make sure that the backing is removed. Thanks for the help.

Mike McClintock: That's fine, caveats being the one you mentioned (no vapor barrier between layers), and not to block the eaves where there are air inlet vents, and not to cover any recessed lighting. It generates a lot fo heat that needs to escape.

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Washington, DC: Hi MikeWe have double front doors, wood, one of which is showing a gap at the top, clearly an energy drain. The other door is fine, and I'm concerned if I put in weatherstripping on the one, it will look unbalanced. Is re-hanging the door an option? Any other suggestions?

Thanks

Mike McClintock: Rehanging a dorr is difficult, specially when the problem is the cockeyed jamb and not the door. Weatherstipping would be a better first choice.

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Washington, DC: Thanks for your informative chats.

Our attic has lots of space that could be used for storage (empty suitcases and the like). The insulation extends 4-6 inches above the joists. What's the best way to build a "floating" platform that will be solid and well-supported but doesn't compress the insulation?

Mike McClintock: Interesting, and good idea. Guess i would screws some 2x4s or 2x5s to some of the joists, then frame them around the perimeter, then install a few slats to keep the weight down, or 1/2 plywood if you would be storing smaller items. If you spread the light storage load over several ceiling joists (specially any doubled joists) you should be fine, as attic joists are designed to take a storage load in any case.

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Anandale, Va.: Hi,

I have one of those attic stairways in my hall that fold up into the ceiling. The seal isn't particularly tight and I think I'm losing a lot of heat out of my house. Do you know of an effective way to get a tighter seal?

Mike McClintock: Along the same lines of attic insulation, I'd try to tighten the springs, or install a positive lock so you could push the door fully closed once it's close to get a better seal. There areinsulation kits made specially for attic pull-down stairs. But you can get by with thicjk weatherstripping around the edges and tacking a blanket over the cover the cover panel (on the attic side). You have to keep it back a bit so the door will still close, and might want to use the encased batts, normally sold to prevent fiberglass from drifting during instakllation.

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Laurel, Md.: We are considering adding a brick patio and would like to relocate the A/C unit. This would require extending the electrical and refrigerant connections about 15 to 20 feet. Will that have an impact on the performance of the unit?

Mike McClintock: It might slow up the initial process, and will inevitable cut down a bit on efficiency unless the exposed lines are insulated.

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Herndon, Va.: We are dividing up a large den into two rooms. We've hired a contractor to put up a wall and we suggested he put insulation between the joists to help control sound transmission between rooms. He said it would make little if any difference and wasn't worth the extra money. Is he right?

Mike McClintock: Nope. Insulation is typicall left out of interior partitions, and then when someone in the next room sneezes, you say bless you. It can be even more helpful in bathroom walls. The costs is marginal, the labor hardly anything extra (it's just a few minutes) and it will curt sound transmission. If you want real sound separation, chewck a recent home sense column on sound transmission. But adding more drywall, using furring and more, ytoiu can almost eliminate sound transmission between rooms.

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Washington, DC: Hi Mike. You mentioned that you're not a fan of annual termite contracts. What do you think about annual service contracts for heating/cooling systems, under which a person comes out twice a year to check (and, I assume, perform basic maintenance)? The big advantage I see is that they call you twice a year; you don't have to remember to call them. Thanks.

Mike McClintock: I would do, and do do annual furnace cleaning and tuneup, specially as the unit ages, to keep it close to maximum efficiency. And opening up the system and things like gapping the el;ectreodes on an old oil burner are nmot a DIY job. So yes for those contracts- mainly for safety, but also for fuel efficiency.

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Silver Spring, Md. : We have 1940's Colonial with an unfinished basement that we would like to finish. When it rains hard, we often get some water in several locations, not inches but enough that the current contents of the basement are strategically placed. Aside from working with one of the basement internal "waterproofing" companies, what can be done externally without removing the large and lovely azaleas (not an option)? We haven't been able to totally diagnose the problem.

What else do we need to think about? This is not a walkout basement by the way. Thanks!

Mike McClintock: I'd try all sorts of things outside before paying for an interal system, which is not much of a banaid. The idea is that your basement leaks, but that you'll coillect the water and funnel it to a sump pump. So outside look into extending the leaders, grading more of a slope aroujd the building, and if the yard puddles generall installing an area drain and dry well.

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Bowie, Md.: What would you recommend as the most reasonably priced solid surface for kitchen countertops?

Mike McClintock: For price it's still got to be Formica, available in nearly endless colors and patterns, easy to put down, easy to create a neatly trimmed edge and backsplash. It's not a very trendy answer (oh, i feel awful now) and of course you could debate about granite and concrete and marble and corian and, and. But in an older home some retro Formica (that's just one trade name) fits right in. On some house i have installed a ceramic inset (trimmed like a self-rimming sink) next to the stove to guard against burns.

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Purcellville, Va.: Hi!

After living in our house for 5 years, we are finally ready to put in hardwood floors on the first floor, finish the basement, purchase new furniture and window treatments, paint, etc. Do you think it is worthwhile to get an interior designer? My husband says No and I say Yes--it would be worth it in the long run.

Mike McClintock: It will never hurt to hear another voice, but you can do that in a way by thumbing through decorating magaine and touring kitchen, bath and other centers. Besides, i like to have things the way i like them, not the way some stranger thinks i ought to have them, so guess on this one I'm on his side.

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Dryer vents: I have a plastic flexible duct on my gas dryer. My home inspector said that for gas dryers, the venting duct should be made of metal. My question is - should I get hard metal tube (the pipe would have to make one elbow turn, 1 3' straight piece and 1 final elbow turn out the basement window) or can I get the metal flexible duct (which, according to what I've seen at Home Depot, is fire-retardant)? Thanks

Mike McClintock: The inspector is on target there. Typically, you need a rectangular boot and duct to get out of the dryer without moving it miles from the wall, then the straightest, shortes run to the exterior vent.

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Mt. Vernon, Va.: Mike - I have a ceiling fan that was wired improperly by the previous owner. As it is now, if you turn on the light, the fan comes on and you can't turn it off using the chain. You can turn off the light with the chain, but not the fan. The fan can be operated by 2 wall switches. What do I need to do be able to have the light on and the fan off?

Thank you.

Mike McClintock: I read it twice but it makes my brain hurt. Think you would be experimenting without an electrician, or short of that a wiring diagram from the manufacturer- that's assuming you know about wiring, working safely, etc.

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Brooklyn, NY: Hi Mike-

I mistankenly taped a sign to my bedroom door (cheap composite wood), when I took it down, it ripped the paint. I tried painting over the hole but you can still see it. Any suggestions?

Mike McClintock: use some spackle or drywall compound to fill in, let it dry, sand lightly, then apply two thin coats of paint, brushing out the final application with light strokes to blend the repair- and what did the sign say? not 'keep out'; i'm hoping for something better, and need to know

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Silver Spring, Md.: Mike,I've got a long crack line running along the ceiling in my living room that was caused by leaky pipes. I had a painter patch and repaint this area but a few months later, the crack is visible again. Any suggestions on how to better hide/fix this? Thank you much!

Mike McClintock: The next step up is to do some heaveir sanding (to create a slight trough) then apply compound, inset a strip of fiberglass mesh tape, then compound to cover. If the movement cracks that you might think about some trim design for the ceiling that will let things move unnoticed.

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That "musty damp smell": Re the "musty damp smell" in the kitchen base cabinets. It sounds like something is leaking. If he/she has a dishwasher, that's the prime suspect. I have replaced two old dishwashers in two houses (each dishwasher about 10 years old) and the floor underneath was soaking wet.

Mike McClintock: Could be; there is usually a clamped hose connection down there.

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New York, NY: Okay - I feel kinda dumb asking this question, but what is the best way to bleed radiators. And why should I be doing this?

Mike McClintock: You do it because it's the hot water that carries the heat, not air, and any air in the system cuts down on the water's ability to move and transfer heat. Some radiators or baseboard units can become so airbound that little o no water enters. You might have this done by a contractor once and park on his shoulder; it's fairly simple. You hols a can under the bleed valve, turn it to let air escape, then close it when you get water.

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Washington, DC: Hi Mike, thanks for chatting. How important is the brand of a replacement window? We've received an attractive quote from a well-regarded firm to replace our windows with "American Jewel" windows. It would no doubt be more expensive to go with Pella or Andersen; are the bigger names worth the premium? Thanks.

Mike McClintock: Think witrh replacement windows it's almost the installation that weighs more heavily than the brand. You should look for U-factor ratings and compare. But the key is getting a demo of exactly how the windows will look, be trimmed, and if they will be downsized to fit.

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Washington, DC: So we spent all last weekend putting plastic on the windows and blow-drying it, only to discover a few days later that some edges are peeling up and coming loose. Can we augment the seal with some other tape, like duct or even gaffer's tape? What about in the bathroom, where the tape won't even stick it's so damp? Any alternatives for in there?

Thanks!

Mike McClintock: You've discovered that to work, and stay, the surface taped has to be clean and dry. I've applied heat-shrink many times and had the problem rarely. Sure, you could tape over the loose edges, but heat-shrink i've found tends to shrink a lot less the second time around with heat.

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Rosslyn, Va: Hello Mike, already my old house feels cold (even when it is pretty nice outside). Everyone keeps talking about keeping the house very low temperature when they're at work or sleeping but how much of a temperature can you reasonably drop to have the house ever feel cozy? I guess I'm asking if it's at 60 at night, how long do most systems take to recover to lets say 70? And conversely ,how long does it generally take a house to cool down? Are there just too many variables? thanks for your expertise. Bill

Mike McClintock: Many people opt for 55 overnight, and it depends on many factors (insulation, drafts, etc) to know how long it takes the system to recover, but you'll know that after a few tries. That's where a setback thermostat really helps. You can keep the house very cool overnight, but the thermostat can call for heat in the 15 minute or whatever gap before you get up- and then shut down just before you leave, and then bring up the temp again just beofr eyou get home. Whenever you're using less heat you'saving money, so the trick is to save a lot when you not there and be comfy when you're home. Saving systems have to work day to day in real life or people won't use them- and setback thermostats make that poissible.

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Washington DC: I'm thinking about doing blown-in insulation in the attic of our DC rowhouse. However, the attic is cramped to say the least, and some parts are inaccessible or obstructed (low roof, ducts, etc..). Is it possible to just snake the blower hose to the out-of-reach areas and hope for some reasonable coverage? Most of the attic is largely uninsulated and this seems like our only option. Is it worth the hassle, expense and a lost Saturday?

Thanks!

Mike McClintock: That works excpet for the eaves, and blowing insulation over the vents there can create severe moisture problems because the attic will no longer be ventilated. The real-world solution is either to crawl in there and install batts that don't block vents, or install insulation0blocking badffle, or to keep the insulation in the main area only.

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Shepherd Park, Washington, DC: Mike, thanks in advance for taking a simple plumbing question.

I need to change the washers in my dripping bathroom faucet, but I can't turn either shut-off valve far enough to shut off the water. They turn part way. So far, I've only used my hand to turn them.

Should I use a wrench to push them farther, or should I try something else? If need be, I can shut off the water from the basement.

Mike McClintock: That's a dicey propostion, because when you use a wrnech or other cheat-bar you risk applying enough firce to break the fitting. I probably would try a little wrnech assistance to get more than my hand could provde, but if that didn't work use a main cutoff to be sure i wouldn't have floods and replcement valves and other headaches.

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Syracuse, NY: Mike,

Since I live in the Northeast, and since heating costs are expected to skyrocket, I am thinking of using plastic over several bedroom windows (the kind you attach with tape and a hair dryer). However, I am worried about the potential for damage to the window trim come spring when I remove the plastic (I have both painted and stained trim).

Are my fears unfounded?

Thanks...

Mike McClintock: Not unfounded, as sometimes the two-sided tape pulls off some paint. If the new paint is fully cured and hard it should not be a major problem, but it happens. So, sort of depends on how much you want to be warmer and fell fewer chills -and use less fuel- this winter, versus some touch up paint work in the spring.

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Takoma Park, Md.: Hi Mike,I have a teeny tiny bungalow with a teeny tiny closet in my bedroom. Problem is, I can't use the closet because of the terrible musty smell. I tried washing the walls down with a bleach solution, battery-powered air cleaner, volcanic stuff in a mesh bag they sell at home depot for musty closets, nothing works. I desperately need the space. I thought of removing the door and putting a curtain up to keep fresh air coming in, but nixed the idea when I was trying to air out the closet one day and one of my cats went inside and used the floor as a litter box!! And no, that's not the smell! Thanks for any advice.

Mike McClintock: You might use a louver door that looks like a door but lets air circulate more freely. Also, after all the washing i would paint the walls with stainkiller (provide plenty of ventilation doing this as it's potent), which will better seal the surfaces. You can paint over it if you want.

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McLean, Va.: Mike--I'm re-doing part of a finished basement that has water damage/mold to one wall. What is the best way to attach pressure treated furring strips to cement block? I don't want to create any avenues for water to come in, so I'm hesitant to used tapcons or nails. Will construction adhesive be strong enough? Thanks!

Mike McClintock: It's atradeoff, but you're right to want to minimize the nailing. I'd rely mostly on construction adhesive over a really clean wall, but sink a few cut nails or masonry nails just to be sure. Also, adhesive can be troublesome iof you need to insert shims here and there to creta a level surface over a somewwhat waffling masonry wall.

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Mike McClintock: That's an hour in a hurry, so time for some answers

HOME SENSE- HOUSES ON THE WEB -ANSWER

1. When a house photo is off center and cropped very closely on one side of the building it means:

- there is another house almost within arm's reach

- there is a neighbor's driveway overflowing with cars and trucks

- there is an electrical substation and buzzing transformer nearby

2. When a house photo of a "quiet, rural, county setting" shows a stand of trees from the side so you can't see through them it means:

- there is a dilapidated trailer park next door

- there is a car graveyard next door with 40-plus rusting crates

- there is a go-kart track next door

3. When a wide-angle lens leads you to believe that the front door is at the end of a 50-feet stone walkway and set well back from the road:

- the walkway is actually about 10 feet long

- the street not shown is wide and a truck route

- just off camera that road intersects another so you're on the corner in the best place to hear trucks winding through the gears.

Yes, you skeptics, it's all of the above for every question- and guaranteed true from first-hand experience. The go-kart track was probably the most glaring omission of Web presentations- like you wouldn't notice when you visited the property. A big sign by the track proclaimed (aside from karting) that the place had a golf driving range, pool and was available for day and evening birthday parties. That's going to be a nice, quiet summer evening on the porch next door for sure. And out of several hundreds I've seen only one listing that included a photo titled "nearest neighbor", which ought to be part of every presentation.

There are more disclosures these days than there used to be- many about environmental concerns. But more candid photos would help you zero in and also signal that the seller and agent were forthcoming. Meantime it's buyer beware in just about every drawn and convoluted step of homebuying- even if you've done it before, even if can spot a go-kart track through the trees.

See you next time

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