Now is not the best time to reseed lawn
Q. When spreading the topsoil from the house to the curb at the appropriate grade, how should I deal with the "lawn" of thatch that's there? Should I kill off and remove the weeds that are my lawn, then dump/spread the topsoil and reseed the entire thing? I have read that one shouldn't just cover weeds with new soil and grass because of mold and because the weeds will work their way back through. Should I rototill the lawn as it is now and dump the new soil on after it is churned?
A. Now is not the best time to redo your lawn, according to the Master Gardener's expert I consulted. The best approach is to let the weeds grow this summer. In late summer/early fall, apply Round Up to kill the entire lawn. Two weeks later, apply new compost and topsoil, if you wish. Then rototill the area, as it is important to integrate the compost and new topsoil with the existing soil. Reseed the lawn at that time. You shouldn't do the project now because it is very difficult to give the lawn the proper watering for the seeds to thrive, as the days will get hotter fast. However, if you can't wait until late summer or fall and are able to be diligent about the care the new seeds require, you can try now.
Q. I'm hoping you can help us out. We have a raised ranch. In the bathroom off the master bedroom, the hot water barely comes out. There is very low pressure compared to anywhere else in the house; even the shower hot water is fine in the bathroom. My husband says we should replace the faucet to see if that helps. Before we go out and buy a new faucet, is there anything else we should try? We checked the connection to the wall and both valves are wide open.
A. You mention that the warm and cold output is normal on that faucet; that's strange since the hot-water faucet only has a trickle. Try this: Close and open the shut-off valve to the hot water several times to dislodge any grit that may be causing the problem. If that does not solve it, switch the hot-water supply line with the cold. (If you have a copper supply pipe, consider replacing it with a flex-pipe.) If you get a good supply of hot water coming out of the cold-water faucet, the problem is the faucet. But if you still get little hot water at the cold faucet, call a licensed plumber to check the system out. There may be an obstruction - such as a piece of solder - in the line.
Q. I live in a Northwest suburb of Chicago and have been following your column for a long time. I am planning on re-siding my house. I currently have aluminum siding with 1/4-inch or 1/2-inch foam insulation glued to each panel on the inside. Under that is a layer of old horizontal 3/8-inch or 1/2-inch-thick fiber siding. Under that is felt tar paper, which covers the sheathing. I plan to remove the old stuff down to the sheathing. I want to put on 4-by-8-foot, 3/4-inch extruded polystyrene tongue-and-groove Foamular insulation panels (by Owens Corning), Gorilla housewrap (by Johns Mansville) and .044-inch vinyl siding.
I cannot seem to get a consistent answer with respect to whether or not I should: 1) put the housewrap on the sheathing and then the foam board on top of that; 2) put the foam board on top of the sheathing and the housewrap on top of that. After two calls to Owens Corning, one representative told me to do it the first way, and the other rep told me to do the second way.
If I put the housewrap on the sheathing and then the foam board on top, will I lose the breathability benefit of the housewrap? Will any water vapor that goes through the sheathing side of the housewrap be trapped between the outside surface of the housewrap and the inside surface of the foam board? Is this anything to worry about? If I put the foam board on the sheathing and then the housewrap on top of the foam board, is there any danger of water vapor or condensation forming on the sheathing? I found two of your columns in the Daily Herald that addressed this re-siding issue, but they seem to contradict one another.
A. I can see why you would feel somewhat confused. But the answer is simple. It does not really matter which sequence you use. It's a question of practicality. The breathability of the housewrap under either one of the above scenarios is moot, and you should not encounter any problem with condensation as long as there is a functional vapor retarder on the inside surfaces of the outside walls. Plaster or drywall without any breaks or loose tape are effective if painted with an oil-based paint or wallpapered with solid vinyl paper. Moreover, the addition of the XPS keeps the temperature of the walls warmer, which leaves them subject to less condensation. It is a lot simpler to staple the housewrap to the sheathing than it is to the XPS onto which it would not hold. Installing the housewrap over the foam insulation provides the weather barrier specified by the vinyl-siding industry, but, as I mentioned in the second column you are referring to, XPS is almost nonabsorbent anyway. As long as the tongue is up, there should be no water penetration. I hope this answers your concerns.
Q. I have attached three pictures of our jammed flagpole. High winds caused our American flag to become twisted around the pole. Attempting to free it made matters worse. We're seniors and cannot climb high. We've allowed time to pass, hoping that rot might allow the jam to free up when we tried to work the ropes. All attempts have failed. Must we hire someone to put a ladder up and manually work on the mechanism, or is there anything we can try from the ground?
A. I am afraid that you will need someone to climb up and free the flag. It needs to be someone aware of the meaning of the flag and the respect it deserves. Judging by your photos, the badly damaged flag should be turned over to the proper authorities for appropriate disposal. The local or state police or National Guard unit would be organizations to contact.
Q. We have a pressure-treated wooden deck that has become weathered and gray. I want to preserve it. I was thinking about pressure-washing and sealing it. Is this a good idea? What should I use to seal the wood?
A. Buy a 5-pound container of Deck & Patio cleaner manufactured by Pacific Sands/Natural Choices Inc. of Racine, Wis. It will clean between 750 and 1,250 square feet of deck, depending on how much cleaning it needs. You can buy it online at www.ecogeeks.com, (877) 492-8123. Be sure to follow the directions on the container, which caution against use with acid cleaners and chlorine bleaches. The manufacturer does not recommend using a pressure-washer, but suggests applying the solution - which is made from the powder mixed with hot water - with a mop, sponge or pump sprayer, then scrubbing the treated surface with a stiff brush or broom. You may need to repeat the process. Thorough rinsing can be done with a garden hose or pressure-washer - if you use the lowest pressure setting that won't damage the wood. Once cleaned, the deck can be treated with one of the special coatings for pressure-treated wood available in paint, building-supply and hardware stores. Do not paint a pressure-treated deck; it's a prescription for huge disappointment and hard work to repair the peeling surface. Penetrating coatings are needed.
Q. I read about your recommendation for commercial gutters and am very interested. We are in the process of building a new home, which is being raised 12 feet in the air (flooding), along the Delaware River. So efficient gutters are very important for us. I mentioned your article to my builder and he had two thoughts: He said the commercial gutters are not as nice-looking as the residential, and he wondered how the commercial gutters don't clog. My builder said the article never mentions what specifically makes them not clog. Can you please give me some feedback?
A. Commercial gutters are only 1 inch wider than regular gutters. They don't clog because their downspouts have twice the cross section of residential gutters. Rain will eventually wash the residue from leaves, needles and spring bloom from the gutters.
I became acquainted with commercial gutters and downspouts in the 1950s when I was a general contractor in the Washington, D.C., area. In those days, seamless gutters didn't exist. The choices were galvanized metal or copper and all our gutter work was done by a metal subcontractor who sold me on the idea of using these gutters and spouts with the comment: "A dead pigeon would wash right through them!" How could I ever forget such an endorsement? I haven't used anything else since. I don't think you should be concerned about the looks of commercial gutters and downspouts, especially on a house elevated 12 feet off the ground. You will probably not notice the difference.
Q. I love your column and read it every Sunday in my local paper. I've learned new things and have had old ideas reinforced. I wish to inform you that in the western Pennsylvania area, the Department of Agriculture frowns on overflowing wells that run into local streams. I worked for a well driller from 1987 through 1990, and we had two wells that they called artesian. They overflowed constantly. The DEP made the homeowner plug the well because they claimed it contaminated the local streams because of the high iron content of well water. One well I personally helped drill, and about a week later the overflow water turned red on the edges. So overflow can be blessing and a curse - at least in western Pennsylvania.
A. Thanks, Chuck, for your interesting experience. I guess it depends on the soil conditions found in different locations and the take from the various state authorities. Local well drillers are aware of their state's requirements.
• 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.