This is the first issue of the weekly Ask the Builder newsletter that is now going to be part of my RSS feed. I just thought of doing it moments ago. This newsletter went out via email yesterday. Here is the newsletter:
Several times a week I get emails from very polite people who ask me if it is okay to create a link from their website to mine. Frequently these people are employed in the real estate industry. These professionals tell me the reason they want to add the link to their website is they want to help their clients after the closing. The real estate agents recognize that home ownership involves care and maintenance of the property they just sold.
My response is always the same. I tell them I am indeed honored and appreciate the link. At the end of my Thank You! email I add a quick comment that I know how tough their job can be as I have been a licensed real estate broker in the state of Ohio for nearly 15 years. I first got a sales license in 1975 to help me save money as I bought and sold old homes during the rehab boom of the late '70s. The reply email I get back from the agents and brokers usually makes me laugh as the folks say, "What don't you do?"
To be honest, these days I don't practice real estate at all. Getting a broker's license requires lots of extra education and work and I am very reluctant to let it lapse. My license is kept active by taking continuing education classes every three years. The license will come in very handy when my kids decide to buy their first home.
If you want to create a link from your website to mine, I would appreciate it. I can provide you with a cool small photo of me dropping a plumb bob into the camera lens if you need an image. In return, I will *gladly* add a link back to your website on a special page on my website that I will title: Ask the Builder Friends.
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BRING THE SKY INTO YOUR OFFICE OR HOME
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Each week I also get new product news. Some of the press releases make me yawn. But more often than not my reaction is, "Hey, that is a great idea!" Three weeks ago I got an email *out of the blue* from Ed Littell in Arizona. He sells these very unique and colorful panels that transform your standard 2 foot by 4 foot fluorescent office lights into skylights! No, you don't cut a hole in your roof and create leaks.
Ed sells diffuser panels that replace those yellowed and cracked clear diffusers that came with your lights from the factory. These durable diffusers allow all the light from the fixture to stream into the room. But they change the look and feel of the room dramatically. Your light fixtures look like the sky when you lay on your back on a blanket. There are six different scenes and the one with the palm tree fronds reminds me of being at the beach.
You MUST go to Ed's website and see these things. Ed sent me a few to make sure I was satisfied with their quality. These diffusers are top notch in my opinion. I guarantee you these panels will generate lots of interest and put everyone in a better mood in your office or finished basement. I don't get a sales commission from Ed. I just want you to be aware of a cool product! Be sure to click the "Catalog" and "Pictures" links on the top navigation bar. If you are a dentist, these things are a MUST in the rooms where you treat patients!
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WEEKLY ASK THE BUILDER COLUMN
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<<< Toilets are Getting Better and Better >>>
DEAR TIM: I am looking at toilets for my new bathroom. Our current toilet measures 23 inches from the back wall to the front edge of where the toilet touches the floor. Many of the measurements in brochures seem to start at nearly 27 inches. Space is valuable in this small room. We also have a flushing problem with our current toilet. It seems to always require two or three flushes to rid the bowl of waste. Karen N., Williamstown, NJ
DEAR KAREN: I don’t think you are comparing apples to apples. You measured the foot extension of the toilet. The foot is the actual surface dimension and shape of where the toilet bowl base contacts the floor. Bathroom planners and plumbers are rarely interested in that dimension. The most critical dimension is the distance from the front of the bowl where the toilet seat contacts the china bowl to the back of the toilet. My guess is that if you measure your existing toilet, you will quickly discover it extends 27 or even 28 inches from the back wall.
An often overlooked measurement is the rough-in dimension of the toilet bowl. This measurement is the distance from the back of the toilet to the center of the waste outlet hole on the underside of the toilet bowl. The most common dimension is 12 inches. But many toilet manufacturers also offer two other sizes in case mistakes are made during construction or a pesky floor joist gets in the way. It is not unusual to find toilets with a 10 or 14 inch rough-in dimension. Be sure you purchase a toilet bowl that has the correct rough-in dimension to match your current drainage pipe location.
Toilet technology has made significant advancements in the past seven to ten years. In fact, certain manufacturers continue to devote significant research and development resources to toilet design and functionality. There are millions of consumers who are disappointed with the performance of toilets since the low flush water savings law was enacted in January of 1994. You are a perfect example of how that law has backfired. The intent was for toilets to save water by using less water per flush. But if you flush twice or even three times, you may end up using even more water than with an older 3.5 or 5 gallon per flush model.
Flushing toilets is all about physics and stored potential energy. The water that is at rest in the tank just before the flush has the ability to do work because of its weight and the pull of gravity once the flush handle is activated. For the flush to be complete, this water needs to enter the bowl as rapidly as possible and encounter as little friction as possible as it leaves the bowl on its way to the drain. You can buy toilets that have enormous three and one-quarter inch flush valve openings at the bottom of the tank. These same toilets have fully-glazed trapways so the water and waste slips through the toilet with minimal friction.
Certain toilets are so well-engineered they can flush solid waste with just 1.4 gallons of water per flush instead of the industry standard of 1.6 gallons of water. This small savings per flush can add up to big savings over time. A family of four using one of these toilets can save nearly 2,000 gallons of water per year. Imagine how much water could be saved if an entire subdivision or city used these toilets.
The advancements in toilet design do not stop at the toilet bowl. You or your plumber can now buy new toilets that take the hassle out of connecting the tank to the toilet bowl. In years past, I and many others struggled with bolts and washers that passed through holes in the bottom of the tank. Tighten the bolts too much and you risk cracking the china. If the bolts were not tightened enough water would leak through the bottom of the bowl.
A new tank design eliminates these holes by using a hidden steel plate on the underside of the tank. The bolts lock into the steel plate and then pass through the holes in the back of the toilet bowl. It is an ingenious concept that will save both time in installation and service calls created by leaks.
SIDEBAR CONTENT: # # #
Low quality toilets can have a hidden defect that is often very hard to see. Toilets have a colon inside of them that is simply the path of the trapway. The trapway is the internal sealed tube that connects the bowl with the drain exit hole at the base of the toilet. It serves the same purpose as the trap drains one sees under a standard kitchen or bathroom sink. This colon used to be hidden on many older toilets but it is now common to actually see the convoluted pathway the water and waste takes as it travels from the bowl to the drain hole in the floor.
Toilets that are hard to flush or that clog on a frequent basis may be the victims of poor colon design. The bends within the colon may be too tight. The actual interior size of the colon may be small. Try to buy toilets that have a two inch minimum trapway/colon or those that have even large diameter colons. Ask the plumbing supply sales person to show you different toilets with exposed colons so you can see how some have better streamlining than others. (Photo at the website column shows an exposed colon toilet. I *urge* you to click the link above to see it.)
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EXTREME HOW-TO MAGAZINE
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You should consider getting a great new magazine - Extreme How-To. I am the Editor-at-Large of this publication. Getting in on the ground floor of a new magazine launch is very exciting. You should come along for the ride! Click this link:
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EMAIL Q & A
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Dear Tim,
I recently had to replace the shower handle body of my shower. I cut the copper lines and re-soldered a new shower assembly in. This was my first time to ever solder anything and everything appeared to be OK. Well, until we tried to use the sink in the same room. When I turned off the water at the main, I would leave the sink on so as to help drain the water and to verify it being off. But when I turned it back on, it was very low pressure, then nothing no air no water. Later as I repaired another fixture, I turned on all faucets before turning on the water. I systematically turned each one off and I got water to return to the sink but it is still very low pressure. I have verified that the main meter was turned on fully. Any other ideas as to what happened and how to fix? I greatly appreciate any help you may offer
Kenny Anderson
- - -
Kenny,
Whenever you or someone else works on water lines in a house or out in the street, pieces of sediment get knocked loose off the sides of the pipe when the water rushes back into the pipes after the repair. The flow restrictors in the tips of faucets as well as the cartridge bodies themselves in the faucets can get clogged with these fine pieces of rock, grit and sand. Soldering flux also makes a mess of the faucet aerators and flow restrictors.
The first thing I would do is just take off the aerator tip of the faucet and turn on the faucet. Be sure you get the rubber washer out of the faucet body before you turn the water on. If you have lots of water exiting the faucet, you know exactly where the problem is. Start to carefully dis-assemble the aerator and you will find the flow restrictor and a fine mesh screen. Clean all of these components and put everything back together again. You should be back to normal.
Tim
Dear Tim,
I have installed two four foot florescent light fixtures in my kitchen and both have a very irritating buzz or hum that seems to be coming from the ballast. I replaced one ballast, both bulbs and the connectors but still have the same problem. How do I get rid of this?
Lynn L.
- - -
Lynn,
Hum from florescent light fixtures can almost always be traced back to the ballast. Several years ago I switched out all of the regular ballasts in my office light fixtures with electronic ones. These quiet blallasts provide instant on and I have never had a hum issue since they were installed. I suggest you try one and see what you think. The electronic ballasts cost more money, but I feel they are worth it.
Tim Carter
www.askthebuilder.com
W3ATB
Dear Tim,
I recently had to replace the shower handle body of my shower. I cut the copper lines and re-soldered a new shower assembly in. This was my first time to ever solder anything and everything appeared to be OK. Well, until we tried to use the sink in the same room. When I turned off the water at the main, I would leave the sink on so as to help drain the water and to verify it being off. But when I turned it back on, it was very low pressure, then nothing no air no water. Later as I repaired another fixture, I turned on all faucets before turning on the water. I systematically turned each one off and I got water to return to the sink but it is still very low pressure. I have verified that the main meter was turned on fully. Any other ideas as to what happened and how to fix? I greatly appreciate any help you may offer
Kenny Anderson
- - -
Kenny,
Whenever you or someone else works on water lines in a house or out in the street, pieces of sediment get knocked loose off the sides of the pipe when the water rushes back into the pipes after the repair. The flow restrictors in the tips of faucets as well as the cartridge bodies themselves in the faucets can get clogged with these fine pieces of rock, grit and sand. Soldering flux also makes a mess of the faucet aerators and flow restrictors.
The first thing I would do is just take off the aerator tip of the faucet and turn on the faucet. Be sure you get the rubber washer out of the faucet body before you turn the water on. If you have lots of water exiting the faucet, you know exactly where the problem is. Start to carefully dis-assemble the aerator and you will find the flow restrictor and a fine mesh screen. Clean all of these components and put everything back together again. You should be back to normal.
Tim Carter
www.askthebuilder.com
W3ATB
Tim,
I am having a new home built with an ADA shower seat to be installed on the tiled shower wall. It can fold up against the wall when not in use. I ordered the seat online from Specialty Seats and they said to use 1/4 inch stainless steel bolts and to secure them from the back side. I want to inspect the installation by the builder, but I do not know how the builder should be properly reinforcing the wall to secure this seat? What should I look for? Mrs. Gladden
- - -
Mrs. Gladden,
I would make sure the builder has installed solid 2 x blocking in the location where the seat shall be. This blocking can be scrap pieces of 2 x 8 or 2 x 10 Southern Yellow Pine or equivalent wood. I would want it placed so the bolt locations are not closer than two inches to the edge of the blocking on any side of the blocks. The blocking must be securely screwed or nailed into the wall studs. If it is toenailed or screwed, be sure holes are drilled in the blocking to prevent splits in the blocking wood.
The back of this wall must remain open until the seat is installed. My guess is the stainless steel bolts must be through bolts that have nuts and washers. I would not use lags bolts for this seat.
Tim Carter
www.askthebuilder.com
W3ATB
Tim,
I just moved into a new home in Maryland, but the builder did not pave the driveway due to the cold weather. According to him he said it was impossible to do the driveway. This has turned living in our new home into a nightmare.
Can you tell me when it is too cold to lay asphalt? When can I expect to stop tracking mud and debris into my house? Thanks,
George
- - -
George,
Cold weather does have a serious adverse effect on asphalt or blacktop. First, the plants that make it shut down in cold weather. Typically they will close the first week of Decemebr here in the lower Midwest. If the weather holds and daytime temperatures stay in the 40-50F range, it is possible for the plants to extend their season. They will open in cold weather for special jobs, but at a very high cost. If the ground has frozen, you never want to install new asphalt until such time as the ground thaws and is compacted.
But your weather can be mild in Maryland during the winter, so maybe the asphalt plants stayed open. You can find out easily by calling them. Open your Yellow Pages and look under the heading "Asphalt - Blacktop". You will eventually find the names and numbers of the plants that make the product.
If you want a smooth driveway that looks like velvet, then you should install asphalt when the air temperature is above 60F and the ground temperature is nearly the same. Cold temperatures cause the liquid asphalt cement in the mixture to solidify before the rollers have a chance to close the surface. The finished surface of the driveway can look horrible if installed in cold temperatures.
Why can't the builder come back and dress the top of the drive with two inches of crushed gravel to help minimize the mud problem until such time as the drive can be paved? This extra gravel can be removed just before the installation of the asphalt in case it raises the driveway level too high.
Tim Carter
www.askthebuilder.com
W3ATB
This morning I went to the grocery store to get some things for breakfast. For years it has been a loosely-followed tradition that I make Sunday breakfast. Many of the people at the grocery store know me and ask me questions about their homes on a routine basis.
This morning the woman at the checkout counter asked me about furnace and air conditioning annual checkups. She was lamenting that she failed to read the fine print when she had her new furnace installed 18 months ago. It seems that for the warranty to continue, this woman must have annual checkups that cost $95 each.
My personal opinion is that it is unnecessary. There are several reasons for this. As for the equipment itself, most furnaces and air conditioners are built to run with very little maintenance. If you regularly clean or install new return-air duct filters, that is all you typically need to do to make sure your furnace operates well. The only people who must do annual work are those with oil furnaces. It is a great idea to install a new in-line oil fuel filter and a new atomizer nozzle to get maximum efficiencey. Natural gas or propane furnaces need very little service.
Think of your car's heater and AC. Each year millions of people get in their cars and turn on the heat and AC. Almost always they work fine. I have never had to have my car's AC serviced. If the connections are tight and the parts are reliable, it works. Your house AC is similar.
The bottom line is that if you do minimal care yourself, you can avoid annual checkup calls. I *guarantee* you this is a topic where there are vast differences of opinion. There are furnace people who will tell you an annual service call saved a life. This is true. Check your chimney for blockages, make sure the flue pipes are in great shape. Simply look over your equipment and see what it looks like. A service call perhaps every three years is often enough to catch things before they become problems.
Tim,
I want to marble the counter top in our new home. After cutting some pieces I am left with a matte finishe edge. What is the best way to polish it? Gill
- - -
Gill,
You need to have a spinning grinder type tool or you can use a drill. You must equip either tool with a round disc that accepts a fluffy pad as you might use to polish a car when using an orbital polisher. Once you have the tool and disc, you need to go to a marble fabricator and buy a stick of polishing rouge or polishing compound. You apply this abrasive compound to the disc pad and polish the rough surface of the marble with a careful back and forth motion.
The marble fabricator will possibly sell you two different polishing compounds. One being finer than the other. It is very easy to polish the marble.
Tim Carter
www.askthebuilder.com
W3ATB
Hi Tim,
I was wondering if it was possible to turn my single light switch in the garage into a light switch with a single outlet? I removed the switch from the wall and noticed that there were only 3 wires inside the wall. A red, white and black.
The new switch that I purchased has 5 screws on it. 2 on each side and a ground at the top.
What would have to be done in order to wire up the new switch and outlet?
Katy
Saint Augustine, Florida
- - -
Katy,
It may be possible. For this to work you must have a continuous hot wire - it is called *line* in the trade -, a neutral wire and a ground wire inside the switch box. Typically the line wire has black insulation, the neutral is white and the ground is either bare copper or green.
The current light switch may work just fine without a neutral wire at the switch. The reason being this important aspect of the equation may be present already up at the light fixture. When the light is fed with power in this manner, an electrician simply drops the power(continuous hot / line) wire into the switch box and then provides a return leg back up to the light fixture. The switch obviously interrupts the power turning the light on and off.
The continuous hot wire is connected to the brass screws that feed the switch and the outlet on the device. The neutral wire gets connected to the silver screw on the outlet and the return leg of the light gets hooked to the other screw on the switch. Hopefully you have a green ground screw on the device. Connect the ground wire to that.
So, you must determine using a voltage tester if you have a neutral wire in the switch box. We already know you have a line wire there as that is what is powering the light. If you have any doubts about this, it is best for you to hire a professional electrician.
Tim Carter
www.askthebuilder.com
W3ATB
Good Day Tim,
I’m a trained artist who wants to create some carved plaster accents for my garden. The garden is being built to resemble a ruined Tuscan castle, and I’d like to add decorative embellishments that I carve myself. Unfortunately, I can’t find anything on plaster formulae for exterior use, other than wall finishes, which isn’t what I need at all. Can you help?
Mark
- - -
Mark,
The plaster experts in the USA happen to be the folks at USG Corporation.
But I think you will have far greater and more long-lasting results if you use clay. The key of course is to have these carved finished art pieces fired in a kiln. Use the right clay, fire it at the right temperature and time and you will have objects that will last hundreds of years in all sorts of weather. This is exactly what terra cotta trim is on old buildings and the like.
Tim Carter
www.askthebuilder.com
W3ATB
Tim,
My husband and I are looking at buying a house and the description of the basement says poured walls. What does that mean? Is it good or bad?
Chrissy K.
- - -
Chrissy,
Poured walls refer to poured concrete foundation walls. They are a great thing so long as they are built right. The best ones are the correct thickness for a given height and they contain reinforcing steel that prevents hairline shrinkage cracks from growing into giant fissures.
I would absolutely give this house a serious look, but if you submit an offer to purchase be sure you include a contingency in the contract that allows you to back out of the deal and get a full refund of your earnest money if an ASHI home inspector does not produce a report that you find satisfactory.
Tim Carter
www.askthebuilder.com
W3ATB
Hello Tim,
I am building a house in North Port,FL. I need a mildew resistent shingle that will last longer than 10 years, because I am told that an asphalt roof only lasts 10 years in this region.
Connie
- - -
Connie,
Whoever told you asphalt shingles only last ten years in Florida has been out in the sun way too long. Turn this person over as they are done on the top side.
The trick to long asphalt shingle life in tropical climates is a steeper pitched roof than normal. Many Florida roofs I have seen seem to be only a 4/12 pitch. A 6 or even 7/12 pitch roof allows water and dew to get off the roof sooner. This will help to a slight degree. Keeping the roof deck as cool as possible also helps extend the life of asphalt shingles. If your building codes permit them, install 4 or 5 turbine vents. These devices work well in your breezy climate and will move lots of air through the attic space so long as you have continuous soffit ventilation.
As for the shingles, simply buy a top-of-the-line shingle that contains the copper granules that prevent roof algae.
Tim Carter
www.askthebuilder.com
W3ATB
Tim,
This may be way off limits but I am a teacher and want to build a timeline wall in the hall of my school. I was wondering what material would be substantial enough but lightweight, etc. If this is way out in left field for you, then thanks for your time.
Otherwise, I would love any advice you could provide. I want to have a service that I could hang from the ceiling or wall that would look 3 dimensional (maybe), the children could paint events or adhere informational tags on. I sound a little unclear as I don't know what is available. Thanks for any help you could offer.
Regards,
Phyllis
- - -
Phyllis,
The ball is hit deep, Carter races to the warning track...he makes the catch! This is a complicated problem. There are serious safety issues involved here. Some things come to mind, but weight and fire hazards flash in front of my mind. I think you need to contact your local fire department fire prevention officer and the local building department official. The wall must meet all fire codes and it must not be a collapse hazard. Those are going to be two very large obstacles if you are looking for a temporary surface.
I am very inclined to think of just regular drywall that is screwed to metal studs. This sounds nuts, but I would not finish the drywall. With the screws exposed, the drywall can be quickly removed if it gets damaged. If it is time to paint a new scene, simple gray primer can be applied over the entire surface to create a new canvas. staple holes can be readily filled.
Tim Carter
www.askthebuilder.com
W3ATB
Tim,
I would like to build a cabinet system in my garage, however, I am concerned about moisture and "pests." Would medium density fiberboard (MDF) be a suitable material for this project?
What would be the best sealer (paint, etc.) to use to help with the "pest" issue and the moisture issue?
Peter (Chicago, IL)
- - -
Peter,
I am very partial to 3/4 inch thick A/C Douglas Fir plywood. This product has one superb face, the A side, and one somewhat rough surface - the C side. When finished with three coats of water-based urethane, it will perform as well as any material I can think of. I just finished building my lovely wife Kathy a custom sewing center and some open shelves in our laundry room using this plywood. 3/4 inch wide by 1/4 inch thick screen molding glued and nailed on the exposed edges of the plywood does a great job of finishing off the plywood. The look is fantastic.
I am not a big fan of MDF in damp areas as it can develop sags.
Tim Carter
www.askthebuilder.com
W3ATB
Tim,
Do you know of a switch I could use to plug a freezer and a refrigerator on the same line? I'm looking for one that would cancel the current to the freezer when the fridge is on. Yes, I keep tripping the breaker. Thank you.
Ron
- - -
Ron,
It is time for you to run another circuit to one of those appliances, before you and your family become a *statistic* and cinders at the same time.
The circuit breaker that continues to trip is SCREAMING at you. Can you hear it?
Tim Carter
www.askthebuilder.com
W3ATB
Tim:
I have a two-story home in Florida with two central AC units. The
downstairs handler is installed in a hall closet and the upstairs unit is in
the attic. They were both recently serviced and it seems the attic unit is
not doing as well. It's about 5 years old and according to the service man
is in pretty bad shape. The unit has lots of rust from being exposed to the elements in the attic. The unit is located in area of the attic were you can standup. This large space, however it's unfinished. Do you have any
suggestions on what I can do to improve the AC life in the attic? Thanks,
Paul S. Alvarez
- - -
Paul,
The humidity levels in the attic can soar in the summer months because the hotter that air gets the more water it can hold. Higher temperatures also increase the chemical reaction of the oxidation of steel - that is what rust is.
I think you can get better life by installing superb soffit ventilation strips - continuous ones - in conjunction with two or three powered attic ventilation fans. These powered fans will pull cooler outside air through the attic in an attempt to keep the attic temps at or about 100F instead of the probable 140 - 150F it gets now.
Tim Carter
www.askthebuilder.com
W3ATB
Hello Tim!
Are you familiar with "Dry Vapor Steam Cleaners"? I'm kind of a gadget guy and have been reading about them on the web. They're pretty expensive, about a thousand dollars, and I'm pretty sure I don't really need one, but I'm kind of intrigued by the concept of steam cleaning around a residence. The literature promotes them for cleaning showers, tile floors, wood floors, etc., and I'm sure I could come up with a few more things, such as the "gunk" that accumulates on shower doors. I like to clean! Anyway, just wondering if you know anything about them that you might pass along to me. I enjoy your website, hope ya' have time to respond.
Greg
- - -
My first gut reaction is that the name is a huge sales gimmick, but I have been wrong in the past. Dry steam - what is that? Steam is vaporized water. How can that be dry?
I am not a huge fan of steam cleaning things for lots of reasons. Water can get injected into things where it should not be. Steam can delaminate things as many adhesives are not formulated to be exposed to such high temperatures. Remember, steam is hot - just run that bad-boy cleaner at full-tilt across your skin!
If you want to clean hard-water deposits from showers, use white vinegar. If you want a fantastic non-toxic all-purpose cleaner, then consider Stain Solver. It is the most powerful oxygen bleach sold in the USA. I know because I make it! The best part is all ingredients in my Stain Sovler are made in the USA. Go to www.stainsolver.com. You can't say that about the other major brands you see in stores and on cable TV infomercials.
Tim Carter
www.askthebuilder.com
W3ATB
Tim,
My husband and I are building our first new home. We are considering having
a stucco exterior, but I am a little concerned. We live in a very humid
city. Will this affect the stucco? My friends keep telling us to reconsider
due to all the recent problems with stucco homes. Please advise. Thank you.
Tyra
- - -
Tyra,
We first have to define stucco. Stucco, as far as I am concerned, is cement stucco. Cement stucco has been used for thousands of years and it a superb building product that wears like iron and breathes. If it gets wet, it liberates the moisture readily back to the atmosphere. The Portland Cement Association has a wonderful manual showing you exactly how to install it.
But there is another product - Exterior Insulating Finishing System (EIFS) - many people call stucco. This is a plastic-based product that blocks the movement of liquid water. I am not in love with this product for all sorts of reasons.
Tim Carter
www.askthebuilder.com
W3ATB
Tim,
In September I put a high performance vapor barrier down in my crawlspace. It was 15 mil Stegowrap covering 100% of the ground and taped to wood strips
around the perimeter.
Now here it is February and I have noticed that the wood in my hardwood floors in my foyer and den is starting to separate. I can probably stick a thin dime in the cracks. Someone once told me never to cover 100% of the crawlspace for just this reason, but my Internet research suggests otherwise.
What should I do? Cut it back? Get rid of some of it? All of it? Please let me know. Thanks!
Bruce Korn
- - -
Bruce,
Do not remove the vapor retarder! The floor is reacting exactly as it should. Prior to the installation of the vapor retarder, the wood had swelled. Now that you are three or four months into the heating season, the floor is losing that moisture. Shrinkage is an unfortunate by-product of this moisture loss.
You can fill those cracks with special products available at any business that sells and installs hardwood flooring.
Tim Carter
www.askthebuilder.com
W3ATB
Dear Tim,
My husband and I just recently moved into a new home and had a concrete driveway poured in December. Since then, we have had a terrible stretch of winter weather in the last couple of weeks. Our builder advised us not to use rock salt on the driveway. We instead used a salt substitute that claimed to be safe for concrete. However, we noticed the concrete appears to be flaking in a few spots. Is this due to the de-icer or do you think there is another cause? If we did damage the concrete, is there anything that can be done to avoid further damage or is it too late??
Sincerely,
Mary L.
- - -
Mary,
It is very possible the salt hurt your driveway. In most cases, deicing salts will not hurt concrete that has been installed correctly. But your concrete could not have been installed at a worse time! Concrete installed in cold weather can suffer frost damage if it is not cured under insulated blankets. If the concrete got cold too quickly, the hydration process could have stopped or slowed to a crawl.
Concrete placed late in the season also can retain lots of moisture. This can freeze and pop the surface under the right conditions. The salt you installed can increase the freeze-thaw cycles. You need to go to my website and read many, if not all, of my past concrete columns. If you do have to repair the damge, be sure to read the concrete overlay column.
Tim Carter
www.askthebuilder.com
W3ATB
Dear Tim
I am laying a tile floor in my backyard for my parents. It will be exposed
to rain and so on. What kind of thinset mortar should I use to lay it down?
I was told to use epoxy mortar because it is the best for high moisture areas.
Is this true? Thank you so much,
Ron
- - -
Ron,
Epoxy is a great choice, but traditional cement-based thinset will perform as well if you install it correctly. This means the surface you are working on is dust-free and slightly moist as you spread the thinset. You also must cover the thinset with the tile within 5 minutes of spreading. This prevents the thinset from developing a skin which can affect how it bonds to the tile. Finally, damp cure the tile for 24 hours so the thinset does not dry too quickly. For example, if you were laying the tile in blazing sun in the South or Southwest, the water in the thinset could evaporate in several hours and it simply would not be as strong as possible.
Be sure the tile you are using is approved for outdoor use. Not all tile can withstand freezing temperatures and exposure to weather. Those that can are made from special clays and are fired in the kiln at higher temperatures. This turns the clay into rock for the most part.
Tim Carter
www.askthebuilder.com
W3ATB
Dear Tim,
I am at my wits end! I removed the wallpaper in my bathroom and destroyed the drywall. Is there a simple way to repair the drywall or do I have to replace the sheetrock?
Thanks,
Liz Z.
Waveland, MS
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Liz,
You didn't destroy it. The idiot who wallpapered before you did the damage. That person failed to apply the correct primer/sealer on the wall before the paper was installed. When you have the correct product on the wall before you paper, the adhesive can't penetrate the paint and grab onto the paper of the sheetrock. All too often people use cheap paint and feel that is a good sealer to prevent damage.
I have written a column about this exact problem. I also tell you in the column how to go about repairing the damage. It is not as hard as you think. It will simply require some patience and a pinch of hand-eye coordination.
Tim Carter
www.askthebuilder.com
W3ATB
Help me Tim!
I am in the process of having a house built and the foundation was poured just before Thanksgiving. There has been a delay and since that delay, the soil around the poured foundation has not been replaced leaving the outside walls exposed since that time. My question is: Will this have any adverse side effects? The temperatures have been extremely cold and we have had several small snowfalls. Any guidance will be extremely helpful.
Brian
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Brian,
You should go read my past column about Cold Weather and Concrete. The biggest concern I always have is frost heave damage. When you leave foundations and footers exposed, the soil beneath them can freeze. Depending upon your location and the soil type, the heaving may be minimal. If everything heaves at once and then settles at once - and it probably will since there has yet to be any backfilling - then you should be fine.
The bigger concern in my mind would be pre-mature backfilling before the concrete has gained sufficient strength. I talk about this in the column. Fortunately you are in the clear here as well.
Tim Carter
www.askthebuilder.com
W3ATB