Circulating pump can deliver instant hot water
Q: The hot-water pipe from the basement hot-water heater to the kitchen sink is quite long. Consequently, it wastes a lot of water as we wait for the hot water to reach the faucet. Insulating the pipe should help, but not all of it is accessible through the finished basement. Insulating the part that is exposed helps, but can you suggest any other way to reduce the time and amount of water wasted?
A: Talk to your plumber about installing the Laing AutoCirc pump. Installed under the fixture farthest from the water heater, it circulates hot water using the cold-water line for the time period at which you set the pump's timer. Ours is under the kitchen sink and gives us instant hot water at every faucet in the house. It is a real water saver. The Laing AutoCirc needs only a 115-volt plug.
Q: I live on the second floor of a three-level condo. The den is 10-by-10 feet with two outside walls. One wall has a single window, the other a double. The windows are double pane (not the best). During the winter, this room is very cold, and I cover these windows with plastic sheeting. The walls are plaster wallboard with metal studs and are very cold to the touch. There is insulation in these walls, which I can see when I put the draft foam in the electrical outlets. The room has one hot-air heating outlet in the ceiling. This room is four to five degrees colder than the other two. Other units in the building have the same concerns. What can I do to get this room warm?
A: The den has two exterior walls and three windows. This probably represents more exposure to the outside than the other rooms in your condo. The heating system was not laid out properly. It should have been engineered to provide more heat in the den, considering its greater exposure. You may want to have an HVAC contractor see whether it is possible to balance the system to provide more heat in this room. If it isn't, an alternative is to plug in an electric space heater when you use the room or to have an electric baseboard installed on one of the outside walls, preferably under the double window and controlled by a wall thermostat. Another choice is to cover the exterior walls with 1-inch thick rigid insulation and new drywall. All trim will have to be altered, but any skilled carpenter or handy person should have no problem with that.
Q: When you open a door to my daughter's linen closet, there seems to be a smell of a dead animal behind the wall. We sprayed and bought a bag of Gonzo lava rocks, but the smell is still quite bad. Please recommend a product or course of action to take to solve this problem.
A: By now, the smell may be gone. Dead mice or small birds will only smell for a few days - a week at most. Larger animals, like squirrels or large birds, will smell for several weeks. To get rid of odors, try Magic-Zymes (formerly Knock Out). The manufacturer claims that it will 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. You can order Magic-Zymes on their Web site or by calling (866) 478-2368.
Another product with which I - and other readers - have had very good luck with 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, northwest of Toronto. OdorTech's toll-free number is (877) 466-5688. Nok-Out works differently - it has a chlorine-base - but it is effective. I also heard from a Vermont reader who suffered a severe oil spill that she used NILodor with great success: NILodor Inc., Bolivar, Ohio, (800) 443-4321, www.nilodor.com. Their Web site lists many uses, including carpet cleaning. For all these products, follow directions in order to ensure success and avoid any possible negative results.
Q: In 1999, we had put GAF Class A Fiberglass roofing shingles (Timberline 25) over the existing shingles. On one section of the roof, facing north, there is a blackish discoloring, particularly where a downspout discharges water from an upper roof. However, this is also the case on the same section somewhat removed from this downspout. I have noticed that other houses in our area have a similar problem. What is causing this selective discoloration? What can I use to remove it without affecting the integrity of the shingles?
A: Here is a reprint of my answer to a similar question from a reader several months back. I've added some additional information. The black streaks are caused by algae growing on the asphalt shingles. To remove them, 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, not by walking on the roof, as it can become slippery when wet. 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, and until all runoff stops, as the solution is very corrosive. When you are finished with the spraying, wash the plastic thoroughly with your garden hose and spray the plantings again. It will take several weeks before you see results. You can buy ready-made formulas to remove algae. Roof Deck Cleaner can be purchased through the Shingle Shield Web site mentioned below. 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. ZincShield is another choice, (800) 440-3010; they also sell LiquidZinc for treatment of existing growth.
Q: Do you know if there is anything specifically made to insulate pull-down attic stairs? I've been to several home-improvement stores to no avail.
A: The Energy Lid Attic Stairway Cover can be ordered from Moore Products Inc., 1327 Northbrook Parkway, Suwanee, GA 30024. Their toll-free number is (800) 241-5807. They do not have a Web site, but are referring inquiries to www.service-partners.com. Once there, click on "Catalog," located on the far right of the page, then scroll to page 35. Halfway down the page, you will see a photo and details of the Energy Lid. It looks very easy to put together. The cost is $23.44 plus shipping. I am told the number should be accessible from Canada as well, but if it isn't, the regular number is (770) 448-2501. The Energy Lid is the most economical way to insulate an attic pull-down stairway I have found; others like the Attic Tent cost over $200 and does not look as practical or energy-efficient.
Q: I have an elegant outdoor birdbath that poses a problem. It will dirty up with hard-to-remove black scum. It is made of porous plastic and poses a maintenance problem. Is there any white paint or anything that can prevent this unsightly staining?
A: Only an epoxy paint is likely to withstand constant immersion in water. The best kind to get is from No Skidding, a Toronto-based company with a U.S. shipping warehouse in Buffalo, N.Y., for U.S. customers. Their Web site is www.noskidding.com, (800) 375-0571.
• 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.
© 2009, United Feature Syndicate Inc.