Old gutters can be replaced with larger ones
Q. The rains this summer are creating many headaches for us. This current deluge has prompted me to get some help with two problems. We have a soil-erosion problem in the back of the house where there is little gutter assistance. The rain comes off the roof in buckets and is gradually sending our soil down the hill. In the front of the house, our current gutters that were installed years ago - improperly I might add, as the rain falls between the house and the gutters - cannot handle the rain, causing other problems. What would you recommend?
A. Consider having your gutters and downspouts replaced with commercial equivalents. Commercial gutters are 1-inch wider than regular gutters, and commercial downspouts have twice the cross section, 3-by-4 inch instead of 2-by-3 inch. They should handle any volume of water from your roof and will never clog. My Maryland metal subcontractor told me in the 1950s - when all gutters and downspouts were either copper or galvanized and custom-made on the job - to: "Always use commercial gutters and downspouts, even a dead pigeon would flow through them."
To prevent rain from getting between the gutters and the fascia, consider using Lamb & Ritchie's (L&R) Positive "Rite Flow" Drip Edge at the eaves. There is no need to make any changes at the eaves. This drip edge is simply inserted over the existing drip edge and under the bottom shingle course. Its 1-inch projection and dropped leading edge clears roof water away from any wood and - where there are gutters - discharges it into the gutters. You can order sections of the "Rite Flow" Drip Edge through a local building supply store or check to see whether Home Depot or Lowe's carry it.
Q. Do you have an opinion on a product called Musty Basement Solutions? I have a 1951 ranch-style house that I have been renovating, with a cement-slab basement. It does not take water as far as I can tell, but does have a musty smell that I want to get rid of. The prior homeowners left an older dehumidifier that ran 24 hours a day but did not completely remove the odor. Rather than invest in another dehumidifier, I wanted to check out this product. Do you have any advice for me?
A. The product's Web site indicates that the Musty Basement Solution draws air from the basement or crawl space and exhausts it outdoors. This creates a negative pressure in the basement or crawl space that is equalized by drawing air from the upper levels of the house. The manufacturer states that, in turn, the negative pressure that is caused by this is equalized by drawing air from the outside through all the cracks and crevices that are found in most homes. So the system acts as a sort of air-to-air exchanger.
My concern is that if the door to the basement is closed and reasonably tight - in the case of a crawl space where the heating appliance is located - there is a risk of backdraft of the combustion gases drawing carbon monoxide (CO) from the venting system and distributing it into the living quarters. For today's tighter homes, they offer a fresh-air intake system to balance the air pressure. Interestingly, the Web site does not include costs of their various units; you have to send your personal information and wait for a dealer who will undoubtedly call you for a hard sell. The company offers a number of testimonials, but these testimonials are often made up. Caveat emptor.
New dehumidifiers are efficient and have a relative-humidity control that you can set to the desired level. By generating some heat, they also raise the ability of the basement air to hold more moisture, reducing mustiness.
Q. I have a house that has already been hit by lightning - luckily, it only blew out an electrical appliance. I've installed a whole-house GFI. Should I also install whole-house lightning rods, which will run through my attic? In a previous house, I had a simple cable attached to the chimney that ran down the outside of my house into the ground. I'm not sure which system is better. Can you provide some advice?
A. How can the protection system you mention be installed without making holes through the roof at every rod placement? This is not desirable and does not sound right to me. I have never seen a system installed that way. Lightning-protection systems are best installed by UL-listed, certified members of the Lightning Protection Institute. These professionals can assist you in determining how many lightning rods - air terminals - should be installed across your roof and on other protruding structures, such as chimneys and antennas. Two essential components of the system are its grounding, which depends on your soil, and total surge protection. For a list of certified contractors, check the institute's Web site, www.lightning.org, and click on Membership Directory.
A number of readers have asked about products to clean various roof, siding, deck and patio conditions and get rid of unpleasant odors. So here is a list of some of some products or methods that I have used successfully. You may want to clip this and put it in a safe place for future reference.
Roof algae are black, dark gray, brown, green or even purplish discolorations that form on various roof coverings and are caused by moisture the roof coverings have absorbed. You will not see algae grow below any copper or galvanized metal roof structure, such as plumbing vents, cupolas, weather vanes, flashings, etc., because the ions that leach out of these metals poison the algae.
To remove algae discolorations, spray the roof with a solution of three parts fresh Clorox bleach to one part water with a garden sprayer on a windless day. Work from a ladder and do not walk on the roof, as it can become slippery and can damage the roof surface. Wear goggles, old clothes and rubber gloves. Spray only enough to wet the shingles and avoid as much runoff as possible. One gallon of the mixture covers 50 square feet of roof surface.
Before you start, thoroughly soak any vegetation below the roof and cover it with plastic. If you have metal gutters and downspouts, keep running water in them while spraying until all runoff stops, as the solution is very corrosive. When you are finished spraying, wash the plastic thoroughly with your garden hose and spray the plantings again. It will take several weeks before you see results. This will not prevent future growth. To prevent recurrence, install special copper or galvanized strips on each side of the roof directly below the ridge vent. An easy way to find and install these strips is to get Shingle Shield strips online: www.shingleshield.com. Or you can buy Shingle Shield by calling the company toll-free: (800) 942-3004; fax: (800) 606-2028; mail: 2710 North Ave., Bridgeport, CT 06604. Shingle Shield strips are installed under the top course of shingles below the ridge, so the zinc leaching out runs down the roof, preventing the formation of the algae that discolors the roof covering. It will take several weeks for the results to show.
Shingle Shield Zinc Strips are effective in preventing the growth of algae, moss and lichen on several types of roofs (asphalt, fiberglass, wood, tiles, etc.). They do not remove existing growth very well; that may take a very long time. Try removing existing growth by spraying the roof with Roof Deck Cleaner, which can be ordered from the same source. You can also buy Shingle Shield from several sources on the Internet. ZincShield is another choice, (800) 440-3010, which also sells LiquidZinc for treatment of existing growth. Once the roof is cleaned, any zinc strips applied by following the instructions carefully should prevent further growth. Moss and lichen can be removed from roofs with a solution of three parts white vinegar and one part water. Using a pump-up garden sprayer, spray enough to saturate the growth but not so much that it runs off the roof. Do this from a ladder on a calm day.
To remove mildew and other pollutants that have grown on siding, wash them with a solution made of one cup strong detergent like TSPPF, one quart fresh Clorox bleach and three quarts clean water to make a gallon. The growth will recur once the solution has stopped being effective, and you will need to treat the siding again from time to time. This also works on wood decks and masonry surfaces.
To clean wood decks, brick walks and patios, concrete driveways and walks, you can also use Wet & Forget, a product of New Zealand that is biodegradable, nonacidic, non-caustic and contains no bleach. It removes molds, mildew, moss and general grunginess from any exterior surface, including pressure-treated wood and comes in concentrated form. The 1.32-gallon container makes eight gallons of solution that covers from 1,000 to 3,000 square feet, depending on the porosity of the surface. Follow the directions very carefully.
According to the manufacturer, it has unlimited shelf life and is reactivated after each rainfall for many months, especially when used on porous materials - a great advantage. I applied it on a very slippery brick walk several weeks ago, and it gets better with each rainfall.
It is applied with a garden sprayer and does not require any scrubbing or other harsh application method under most circumstances. It can be purchased in participating Costco warehouses and Ace and Do-It-Best hardware stores in the United States. At this time, Wet & Forget is not sold in stores in Canada, but can be ordered online at www.wetandforget.com.
To get rid of odors, try Magic-Zymes (formerly Knock Out). The manufacturer claims that it will even remove skunk spray from dog fur. It can remove mustiness from furniture drawers, kitchen cabinets, etc. It is distributed by PTB Enterprises of Southfield, Mich. PTB's Web site is www.ptbent.com. The product is said to be completely biodegradable and harmless to people, pets, fabrics, etc.
I use their gel in our bathrooms with great success. You can order Magic-Zymes on their Web site or by calling PTB Enterprises' toll-free number, (866) 478-2368. Another product with which I have had very good luck is Nok-Out, manufactured by Amazing Concepts. It is only available from the distributor, Neo Products, at P.O. Box 190, Holly, MI 48442. Their toll-free number is (888) 977-4848. You can also order it online at www.nokout.com. In Canada, the distributor is OdorTech, located in Midhurst, Ontario. OdorTech's toll-free number is (877) 466-5688. Nok-Out works differently - it seems to have a chlorine-base - but it is effective.
I heard from a Vermont reader who suffered a severe oil spill on which she used NILodor with great success: NILodor Inc. in Bolivar, Ohio, (800) 443-4321, www.nilodor.com. Among its many uses, the Web site recommends it for carpet cleaning. For all these products, follow directions in order to ensure success and avoid any possible negative results.
• Henri de Marne's column appears Sundays. He was a remodeling contractor in Washington, D.C., for many years, and is now a consultant. Write to him in care of the Daily Herald, P.O. Box 280, Arlington Heights, IL 60006, or via e-mail at henridemarne@gmavt.net.
© 2008, United Feature Syndicate Inc.