Leaky shower could lead to social problems

Q. I have a big problem and I hope you can help me. I have a terrazzo base shower stall that has a couple of hairline cracks. So when I take a shower, it leaks. Is there any way to repair the base without removing it? Please help! I won't have many friends left if I can't take a shower.

A. Replacing it is the best solution. Short of that, you can have a firm like Bath Fitter put in a new pan over the existing one. Be aware that you will not be able to use abrasive cleaners. The least expensive fix is to buy a clear caulking compound and to squeeze a small amount on top of the crack, after cleaning it thoroughly and letting it dry for a few days (or drying it with your hair dryer). Wear a plastic glove and rub the caulking deep into the cracks. This will be a temporary fix at best, but it may take you through a few months until you decide that you want a permanent repair made.

Q. As heating costs rise, our volunteer fire department needs your advice. We presently heat the garage with oil and use about 2,000 gallons a year. Our building, built of 10-inch concrete blocks with a brick exterior, is 40-by-60 feet and 15-feet high. The roof is flat and covered with a rubber membrane.

A few years ago, we did insulate the ceiling, as was recommended by an insulation contractor. Geothermal heat is out of the question since we are on a high water table. Could we go solar?

A. You haven't said what type of insulation and how much was put on the ceiling; it is important to know. To decide whether or not solar is a good option, you should find out how much solar gain there is in your area and how much snowfall you get over a winter. The local weather-channel people should be able to tell you. If there are too many days with heavy cloud cover, the cost of installing solar panels may not be desirable. Solar panels covered with snow do not contribute much heat.

It would take a huge array of panels to heat such a poorly insulated building.

A much better option is to work on making the building more energy-efficient by insulation the walls. This can be done in one of several ways: 1) Have closed-cell polyurethane foam sprayed directly on the block walls and fireproofed as required by building codes with a flame-retardant coating; 2) Have steel studs installed 1 inch away from the block walls, closed-cell foam sprayed to fill the gap behind the studs and the cavities between them. Fire-code gypsum board, screwed to the studs, provides the fireproofing required; 3) Hang fabric-covered fiberglass blankets against the walls; 4) Adhere two staggered layers of 2-inch rigid insulation to the walls, and cover them with fire-code gyp board.

I am sure there are other ways, but that is all I can think of right now.

Q. I am writing about having little gray moths. I have gone through my cabinets for unopened flour, grains, rice, etc. Please help me!

A. You may have an infestation of Indian meal moths. The best remedy is to buy Revenge Pantry Bug Trap from Gardener's Supply Co. in Williston, Vt. The traps attract the males and they die, interrupting the breeding cycle. The toll-free phone number is (888) 833-1412, or, if you have access to the Internet, their Web site is gardeners.com. They sell these traps in sets of two, item No. 32-599, for $8.95. I know they work, as I have tried them. Indian meal moths may have been brought in with your groceries in an already-infected product or may have come from a store that had an infestation. The immature-stage larvae may have attached itself to some packaging.

Q. We have a walkout basement ranch with a water problem. Because of reasons too long to go into, I am going to dig out the foundation and have a spray membrane put over the 8-inch concrete blocks. I also plan to stud out the basement and have spray foam applied.

After putting in a good drain tile system outside, would it be beneficial to put 1-inch insulation board over the Tuff-N-Dri outside, or would that trap condensation in the blocks? Would a continuous 6-mil piece of plastic over the membrane help?

A. The most important thing to consider is to backfill with coarse, granular material to facilitate drainage and lessen the risk of frost pressure on the block walls. The final grade should be made of native soil, slope gently away from the foundation and be planted with grass.

Adding insulation to the outside over the Tuff-N-Dri membrane would not trap condensation in the blocks if the membrane works as claimed and keeps hydrostatic pressure at bay. On the contrary, by keeping the outside surface of the blocks warmer, it would reduce the risk.

If there is no water penetration, the only potential for condensation would be from inside warm, moist air convecting through the porous blocks and reaching cold surfaces. Condensation would be more likely to occur close to the grade, as the earth temperature there is colder than it is as we go deeper. The membrane, being waterproof, would prevent any moisture passage through it, so whatever moisture that works its way through the blocks would be trapped there. The exterior insulation should prevent this.

If the sprayed foam that you plan to apply on the inside surfaces of the blocks is closed-cell polyurethane, it is not only a vapor retarder but also an air barrier - two important elements to control the passage of moisture from warm to cold. You should be fine.

Putting a plastic sheet over the membrane is like wearing a belt and suspenders.

Q. My neighbor rerouted the water that comes off her roof and it now empties into the side of my house. The area is always wet.

I showed her what was happening, and she told me it was her house and she could do whatever she wanted. So much for a good neighbor. I called the township; they sent a man out and he told me to get a lawyer. Why does everything have to be settled by a lawyer?

I can't dig because the telephone, cable and gas line are all underground on that side of the house. I had two landscapers look at the area. The first one said to build it up with dirt, mulch and plant shrubs. The second one said to build a brick wall and fill it with dirt, mulch and plant shrubs. I don't mind paying the money, but I am asking you if that will work for me.

A. There are generally laws that govern what can't be done to create a nuisance and conditions with potentially serious consequences for neighbors; that is why the town official suggested that you get a lawyer, although I am surprised he did not act on it himself, as a town has the power to do under these circumstances.

If you are reluctant to insist on the town doing something about the problem or to get a lawyer, the first landscaper has offered you a viable solution, but I will suggest some changes. There is no need to build a brick wall (or planter), or to do any digging.

Since he has suggested adding soil against the foundation, you must have quite a bit of the foundation exposed, as no soil should be closer than 8 inches from the siding or any non-pressure-treated wood by code. I would go ahead and build up the soil as high as possible, sloping it away as far as possible. This will create a swale between your house and that of your uncooperative neighbor. It should keep the water from her roof away from your house until it evaporates or percolates. But I would not mulch it and plant shrubs, as it would keep the soil moist and encourage bugs. Instead, I would plant and maintain a healthy stand of grass.

Q. Every week, I read the questions that people ask and your answers. I have a question and I hope you can help me. I drink a lot of perk decaffeinated coffee and would like to know if the coffee grounds can be reused for something. It seems like a waste to throw them down the drain. Thanks for taking the time and your thoughts.

A. Coffee grounds are one of the best things you can compost. Although they are quite acidic and should not be put directly into the ground unless it is too alkaline and needs to be made more acidic, they make a great soil conditioner once composted.

Q. We have a terrible mold and mildew problem in a living room coat closet. After Christmas, I got in there to put away some decorations, and what a mess I found! It ruined a couple of coats. Our son washed the walls with equal parts Clorox bleach and water; it came out clean for now. Is there anything we can do to eliminate the problem? Is there some kind of paint you can suggest to cure this problem? The affected wall is on an outside wall of the house.

Our son got very sick after using the Clorox bleach solution. We had to use fans and open all the windows to clear the air. I hope you can help.

A. I hope your son has completely recovered from the exposure to the fumes from the Clorox bleach; it's pretty nasty stuff in that concentration, particularly in a confined space.

You can paint the closet walls with Zinsser Perma-White - a paint guaranteed against mildew for five years, but this will not solve the basic problem.

Builders should never build closets against outside walls for that very reason; they should be surrounded by heated spaces. The outside walls of closets are prone to such problems, as they are much colder than the adjacent rooms, since the door is usually kept closed and they are full of clothes, preventing air circulation. Having a louvered door can help, but the best way is to provide heat to the closet or additional insulation to the affected wall or walls. This can be done by removing the rod and shelf and all other trim. Apply a minimum of 1-inch-thick rigid insulation from floor to ceiling, and cover it with new drywall, taped and painted. Reinstall all trim, rod and shelving, and replace the door with a louvered one.

Another option, if you have a hydronic heating system (hot water baseboards), is to have a small section of baseboard installed in the closet against the outside wall to keep it warm. Do not use an electric baseboard, as it can get too hot and could cause a fire.

Interesting basement solution: Warren, N.J., readers have solved their basement musty and mildewy air by using to advantage the fact that their house has two stairways to the basement: one in the center hall and the other at the far end of the house. They placed a fan at the bottom of the center-hall stairs to suck air down from the first floor. A second fan is used to force the air across the basement floor and up the far stairs. They report that not only did it cure the musty and mildewy smell, it also cooled the first floor on hot days by circulating the basement's cooler air to the first floor. Ingenious, and great if you have two sets of stairs to the basement.

• 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.