When vendor offers free replacement parts, take advantage

Q. When we built our house 11 years ago, we had installed a 26-gauge standing seam metal roof. In the years since, two things have happened: The seams adjacent to the valleys have been bent by ice, and I have found small areas of rust in the valleys, scattered over the entire roof and along the drip edge.

It is a large roof on a custom-built house. There is Grace membrane over the decking. We have had no water leaks, and the house has remained very tight and energy-efficient otherwise.

The supplier of the roof material has agreed to replace the metal at no cost, as the coating has a 30-year warranty. The original installer has given us a bid for labor that is twice what we paid him for the roof and material and does not include hauling away the metal (which we would recycle). We will get other bids.

My question is, is replacing the roof as I have described it necessary, or do we have a cosmetic problem on a roof with years still left on it? I am more concerned about the rust than the bent seams, which remain intact.

A. Since the roof deck is covered with Grace Ice & Water Shield, you are unlikely to develop leaks.

The bent seams problem in the valleys is likely to be repeated with a new roof as long as ice develops. The rusting in the same places is probably caused by the ice scraping the coating off.

The ice issue should be addressed. What is causing it? Convection of warm, moist air into the roof? Insufficient insulation? Lack of adequate ventilation - which is difficult to obtain in valleys?

You may want to consider an energy audit to find out what is happening there.

But the larger issue is the rusting of the metal. You have paid for a 30-year-warranted metal roofing, and it should last longer than it has. The fact that the roofing material manufacturer is offering to replace it free should be taken advantage of.

Has the original roofer given you an explanation for such a very high charge, considering the original cost of the installation? It does not sound logical. You are right to solicit other bids.

Q. I am the owner of a 1928 center hall colonial in Burlington, Vermont. It has the original slate roof, which has been maintained over the years and appears to be in good condition. There is an unfinished attic, and the spaces between the rafters have been insulated with paper-faced fiberglass insulation mats; this was likely done 30 to 40 years ago by their appearance.

I have noticed that there is diffuse leakage at multiple, random locations. This is evident by dried brown stains or drip and splatter marks on objects stored in the attic, and we have learned to cover everything to prevent staining. This appears to be mostly on the westward-facing side of the roof.

There has not been any evidence of large quantities of water penetration; nothing to show stains on the second-floor ceilings, etc. There is also no evidence of moisture, puddles, etc., although I haven't been there immediately after a rainstorm.

I suspect that the underlayment has degenerated and is no longer watertight, allowing water to penetrate between the slates. I am worried that there may be the potential for mold or rot developing between the insulation and the sheeting.

Roof replacement will be very expensive, and a roofing contractor's opinion on whether the roof needs to be replaced or not is naturally conflicted.

Do you have any advice? Can this be monitored or is it time to get a new roof?

A. Is there any reason to keep the old insulation between the rafters? Insulating between rafters is not usually the best practice; it should be between the floor joists. If you remove the insulation, you may be able to monitor the situation when it is raining, since prevailing winds come from the west.

Q. Can you recommend a product, or perhaps a remedy, which will remove urine stains from the tiled floor in a bathroom? I've tried a number of possible ways but nothing seems to work. The Internet does offer some ideas, but here again, I can't seem to find a solution. What would be your thoughts?

A. You haven't said what you used, and you may have already tried fresh Clorox bleach. If not, make sure that you apply it only to the urine stains and at full strength.

Ventilate the bathroom with a fan aimed at an open window. Wear appropriate clothing and other skin protection. Protect surrounding areas so they will not risk damage from the bleach.

If this is not successful after one or two applications, try Urine-Erase. You can buy it online at protectivebedding.com, or bedwettingstore.com.

Q. We have a camp overlooking a lake in northern Vermont. We are installing Douglas fir wood flooring in our weather-exposed porch. Could you please advise us as to the best way to waterproof the flooring and still enjoy the look of the wood grain?

Also, you have previously mentioned a cleaning solution that helps eliminate spiders from vinyl siding. Would you please tell us the name of the product, again?

A. Probably the best way to waterproof the Douglas fir would be to apply several coats of marine varnish on it. After the first coat has cured, sand it lightly and apply a second coat. Repeat for a third coat. To reduce gloss, choose a semi-gloss or matte finish.

Be aware that the varnish may make the porch floor slippery when wet, unless you mix some antiskid material in the third coat. A paint store can sell you the right kind.

An alternative is to apply a couple of coats of a penetrating stain, following the directions on the can. A good choice would be Amteco TWP (www.amteco.com, scroll to Products and choose the one you will find most appropriate).

There are a number of vinyl siding cleaning products in paint, hardware and big-box stores, but my favorite one is a mix of equal parts OXY-Boost and Deck & Patio Cleaner from www.ecogeeks.com. I recommended this formula to a client, who asked his painter to use it on wood clapboard siding. The results were so successful that I was told that the painter said it was the best product he had ever seen.

But I do not recall saying that it would keep spiders at bay.

Q. I enjoy your column and the advice you give, so I'm forwarding you a question about my home. Fourteen years ago we hired a contractor to put on an addition. On the main floor, we added an office, but we only have a sloped roof on top. Our bedroom is above the area too, but most of the space is roofing. Recessed lights were installed in the ceiling, but apparently little or no insulation was used.

In the colder months, the room gets so cold from the air blowing in around the lights that we have to use an extra portable heater in that area. Is there any way to take out those lights, blow insulation above the ceiling and put the lights back in? We just aren't sure how to correct the issue since we have no way to access the area above the ceiling.

A. You haven't given me much information. Do I understand correctly that the bedroom is above the office? I am not sure what you mean by "but most of the space is roofing."

Cold air coming from the recessed lights does not necessarily mean that there is no insulation in the roof assembly. There may simply not be any around the cans because, unless they are IC (insulated ceiling) fixtures, insulation must be kept three inches away to avoid overheating.

If this is the case, the fixtures can be removed, insulation properly installed and new IC or surface-mounted fixtures put in.

If you want to make sure that the rest of the roof is adequately insulated, consider infrared thermography next fall when the differential between indoor and outdoor temperatures makes it possible. It is likely to be costly. Thermography will also show if there are any other problems, such as condensation, that can greatly diminish the effectiveness of the insulation.

Q. Our 16-year-old home has started to get a leak in the wall of the basement. I have tried hydraulic anchoring cement to no avail. There is a concrete patio on the side where water is seeping in.

A. Check the pitch of the patio; if it has settled and leans toward the house, rain will run to the foundation and seep down at the patio's joint with the foundation until it finds a weak spot and enters the basement.

Some corrective measures will have to be undertaken to change the pitch in order for water to run away from the foundation.

Assuming that there is enough room below the door sill, the corrective measures can be pouring new concrete of diminishing thickness on top of the existing patio, or covering the patio with slates or bricks laid on a mortar bed thicker at the foundation and tapering toward the far end.

There could also be settlement of the soil on either or both sides of the patio near the foundation, allowing water to get under the patio and run down until it finds a weakness in the wall. New soil will have to be tamped down to fill the depressions.

• Henri de Marne was a remodeling contractor in Washington, D.C., for many years, and is now a consultant. His book, "About the House," is available at www.upperaccess.com. His website is www.henridemarne.com. Email questions to henridemarne@gmavt.net, or mail First Aid for the Ailing House, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

© 2015, United Feature Syndicate Inc.