It's best to dig new post holes to repair fence
Q. My daughter is replacing her backyard fence. The installer claims that he cannot use the same post holes and has to move the new fence several inches away. Is he correct, or can the same post holes be used?
A. It depends. If the old posts were set in concrete, it may be difficult to remove the rotten parts that are embedded and to insert the new ones in the same holes, presuming that the posts have the same cross section (were the old posts square or round? Are the new ones the same?). And it would not be advisable to do so, as water would collect in the open joints between the concrete and the wood posts. If the old posts were set directly in the soil, the remnants should be able to be removed. The installer may not want to bother, as it will take him more time. If the new fence is vinyl, that's a different story. The installer may need to dig new holes to install them and stabilize them with what he chooses.
I had a new 30-year architectural roof put on in 1995, hoping that it would last me the rest of my time in this house. Unfortunately, this is not the case. I had a contractor do some work on the house recently, and he pointed out that the shingles are disintegrating. They are curling, some pieces have broken off and the shingles are in a general state of terminal cancer. I pulled out the estimate and the warranty the roofer gave me at the time. The shingles are IKO. What recourse do I have?
A. You are not the only person who is experiencing premature failure of IKO shingles. I have seen two premature failures of IKO shingles in the last few months, and a contractor I often work with has had the same experience for several years and no longer uses that brand. He recommends CertainTeed or BP. You may file a claim with IKO, but be prepared for a real hassle. One class action lawsuit is in court now. The other person experiencing the same problem is going to replace the shingles without trying to have IKO honor any warranty.
When I moved to my home 37 years ago, hedges were growing in the 2-foot-wide patch of dirt between me and my neighbors. The old neighbor cut the hedges since he owned them. The new neighbor decided that my gardener could do it and pushed them my way, so they lean on my driveway. I guess he got tired of doing them. Please settle this for me. I am 82 years old, live alone, and he is about 40 years old. My gardener thinks he has a lot of nerve. The hedges have grown to over 9 feet. What do you say?
A. I am a little confused. Although you don't say so, I gather that the old neighbor is gone and you have a new, younger neighbor. Does the new neighbor know that they are on his property and that they are his hedges? How did he push them your way? They are still on the 2-foot strip of land, aren't they? He has a responsibility to maintain them so that they are not a nuisance to you. If he refuses, go to your town hall and ask them what your options and rights are. You may have the right to cut them down if you prefer not to spend the money to maintain them.
Ten years ago, I used a total of seven Pella windows to enclose a porch and make it a sitting room. Recently, while cleaning the undersides of the windows to get rid of leaves and dust (the windows open outward), I noticed that part of the wood frame (a piece of wood-strip component) is emptied and hollowed out, leaving just the shell of the wood strip in the frame. The integrity of the wood window frame as a whole seems intact. This happened to three of my seven windows and of course, the warranty for the windows has just expired.
What causes this puzzling problem? Is there any product I can use to fix it without the window?
A. You must mean without "replacing" the window. I assume that the rotten pieces you have found are on the bottom of the casement sashes. Pella windows and doors have had a history of such problems. Call the local representative of the Pella store near you and have him or her come to your house to see the problem. It should be warranted. If that approach doesn't work, call Pella directly at (800) 374-4758.
Don't take no for an answer. It may take some forceful discussion for you to get some action, as I have found with several other similar cases.
I'm considering purchasing an Andersen casement window, all vinyl wrapped sills inside and outside, as a replacement for the original Weather Shield windows that were poorly designed and are 22 years old. Water collects on the sills, doesn't drain off and rots the underside of the window frames and other areas of the sills. The sill on the proposed Andersen window does not slant downward, and I wonder if the water will still collect or whether the weatherstripping and vinyl wrapping will be enough to protect the window from the same problem? Is there another brand that you recommend?
A. Weather Shield windows have a history of rot and leakage problems and are poorly designed. I have seen considerable debris and soil on the sills under the casement sashes, indicating that wind and rain can easily penetrate between the sills and sashes. The joint between the clad sill and the inside wood sill is very poorly designed and unprotected. As you have experienced, the wood sill rots. Andersen casement sashes and frames are completely cased in vinyl and do not suffer from this problem. You may want to investigate the whole-fiberglass or exterior fiberglass and wood interior of Marvin Ultrex windows.
Our driveway was installed in April 2007. Based on the advice given in one of your columns, we just had the driveway sealed in two coats (after two years) with an asphalt emulsion containing some sand. How often after the initial sealing of the driveway should the sealer be reapplied? Should it be done every year?
A. I hope both coats of sealer were applied very thin in order to avoid buildup that could eventually lead to alligatoring. Wait until wear tells you that it's time to apply another thin coat, which should be several years from now.
I would love to avoid the expense of having my gutters cleaned twice a year. I hear conflicting opinions about the effectiveness of gutter guards, which purport to end gutter cleaning forever. My neighbor has such a system, which he is happy with. Others have said that the systems are not completely effective. One local company pledges that if one's gutters should ever again be clogged, the company will come to clean the gutters at no cost. I wonder what your view is of gutter guards.
A. Such promises are often impossible to collect on; firms disappear or have some excuse for blaming the failure on you, your trees or whatever else they can come up with. I have dealt with this subject quite a bit. I have yet to find a gutter guard that works satisfactorily under all circumstances, but your neighbor is happy with his, and they have functioned well. Perhaps he is onto a type of guard that works. My preference is to use commercial gutters and downspouts; they never clog and do not need to be cleaned.
We are about to close on a home in Williston, Vt. The walkway is currently some slate pieces laid upon the lawn. I don't believe there is anything under it except the original grass. I would like to replace it with something that won't have grass growing up in it. However, in reviewing information I received from a local provider of pavers, Champlain Valley Hardscapes, I have more questions than ever before. Apparently there are several types of materials including stone, clay, concrete, composite, etc. I noticed that some mention "paver shield" or other types of treatment. Is this something you recommend? The information also mentions terms such as tumbled, untumbled, modular tumbled, modular, permeable, slab. What does it all mean? Help! I would like to put in something that will require little or no maintenance. And since we are looking to replace a walkway in Vermont, I realize that salting to help with ice in the winter months will also play a role in how the walkway wears. Do you have any recommendations on what should be used in this area and the base (stone, sand, etc.) that should be used to install a new walkway?
A. There are many choices, but they depend on how much you want to spend. Your choice will be determined by the various quotes and advice your get from the people you choose to do the work. The walkway can be built with a sand base covered with geotextile fabric to keep weeds from growing between the pavers of choice. Or you may prefer a concrete base poured on a stone bed topped with pavers or bricks set in mortar. A concrete walk is another option, and it can be finished as an exposed aggregate with colored stones, giving it an attractive appearance; red stones shine when wet. There are also prefab concrete pavers of various sizes that can be set on sand. If the soil on which you will build the walk is heavy, like clay or silt, consider having XPS rigid insulation laid in the trench if you choose to pour a concrete walk or base in order to diminish the chances of frost heaves. Instead of salt to de-ice a walk or driveway, use a de-icing compound that will not damage concrete.
• Henri de Marne 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.