Crack in sump may not be a problem if basement is dry

Q. I bought a new home last year, and it seems like there is always something to repair. The house is only eight years old, but I decided to replace the sump pump, as the basement is beautifully finished. I wanted some security with a new pump. While changing out the pump, I noticed the rainwater is not draining into the well from the large, black drainage tubing. Instead, it enters the well from a crack at the bottom of the sump-pump well. Everything else seems to work OK, no moisture problems. I worry there is a big problem under the floor where I can't see. What should I do?A. I don't know why water is not coming through the pipe. You may want to have someone investigate. There may be some blockage in the line. As long as water is getting in the sump and the crack is large enough to handle any surge during heavy rains, there should be no concern.I am interested in knowing what the three letters "TSP" in "TSP crystals" stand for. Can I just go into a local hardware store and ask for TSP crystals? I am not having my driveway sealed with blacktop until the coming spring, but I would like to get rid of the oil stain before then.A. TSP stands for trisodium phosphate. Because of its phosphate content, its use has been banned in a number of states and localities. It has been replaced with TSPPF - an oxymoron, as it stands for trisodium phosphate phosphate-free. If the sale of TSP has been banned in your state, you will be sold TSPPF. Either one can be used to clean the oil off your driveway. Don't forget that it is best to wait a couple of years or more before applying a sealer on a new asphalt driveway. You must let the oils evaporate first and allow the asphalt to turn gray. It may take more than two years if the driveway is not in the sun.We are investigating replacement windows, so we were especially interested to read your recent column, "Marvin a preferred brand of window." You say, "Quite a lot of readers have reported rot problems with Pella doors and windows." Where is this rot, interior or exterior? The cause? Is it an interior wood rot caused by condensation? Is it similar to our problem?We have an Andersen Bow window and use fairly heavy drapes in front of it in the winter. Each morning, I have to wipe the wood molding. Despite varnish, the wood has darkened over time. I have found using clear, silicone caulk works the best to protect the wood. But if I hadn't done that, I do believe there would be rot setting in. Also, any opinions on the subject of fiberglass windows and doors?A. Pella windows and doors suffered huge rot problems some years back because the metal cladding that covered the bottom wood rails was not sealed effectively, and rain, running down the glass, penetrated the joint, and the wood core rotted. The rot was not caused by condensation on the inside surfaces of the glass. I have not had reports of problems with the more recent Pella products. Using draperies over windows during the nights in the winter often results in condensation on the glass, because the air between the draperies and the glass is cooled by the windows. This happens even when the interior indoor humidity is at a healthy level. A tight joint between the glass and the wood components of the window sill and any horizontal muntins will prevent moisture from getting into the wood, which can cause it to darken and eventually rot. A good preventive measure is to remove all finish and apply an additional wood preservative to the affected wood parts before refinishing them. Or, as you did, caulk the joints. Not only are Marvin windows a very good product, but they are very competitive and offer a made-to-order line to fit any replacement windows. Their service is outstanding and has been for as long as I have dealt with them. Their all-fiberglass or fiberglass exterior and wood interior windows are top choices.A number of years ago, we had 11 four-inch recessed lights installed in our family room's drywall ceiling. The family room is between our two-story house and the garage. The space above the family room ceiling is shared with the garage and gets quite cold in our Illinois winters. The current recessed lights are not airtight, so cold air comes from the attic above through the lights into the family room. I looked at an insulated metal accessory box for the current lights but they would have been very difficult to install because of the existing conduit. Another option would be to install IC airtight fixtures, but at $20 each, this is an expensive solution. Any suggestions?A. Years ago, an architect/mechanical engineer friend - highly rated on the national energy scene and author of several books on the subject - offered the following suggestion to solve a similar problem: Make a 2-foot diameter circle with 18-inch stock aluminum coil; use pop rivets or sheet metal screws to hold it together. Cap the coil with the same material. Wrap 6-inch (R-19) fiberglass around the coil and cover the top as well. According to his calculations, there is enough air to absorb the heat from the fixture safely, and the aluminum diffuses it, so there is no risk of overheating. The better choice, of course, is to remove all the recessed lights and replace them either with IC fixtures or surface-mounted ones. Keep in mind that IC fixtures with fiberglass insulation against them will not ensure that you will not feel cold air, as fiberglass is a filter. You would need to have an airtight barrier of some kind to stop the air from getting through.Several months ago, you had a column about defective shingles, and the profile of one reader's trouble fits mine exactly. My house was built in 1996, and the shingles on the east side of the house have raised and cracked, and the top granular surface washes down into the gutters. I thought I was safe in a new house, but obviously not. What were the bad shingles you mentioned, and which do you recommended? To complicate matters, the red squirrels have chewed into the ridge vents, and their claws have created even more damage in the top quarter of the roof, especially near the end of the ridge cap. What can be done to get the squirrels out next spring when we reshingle, and what do you recommend the contractor do to keep them out in the future? A. Ask the builder what brand shingles he or she installed on your roof, and file a warranty claim with the manufacturer. Be prepared for some difficulty, and remain firm in you demands for a settlement. If your shingles were labeled as 25-year shingles, they seem to have failed in 13 years. You should get 50 percent of the cost of new materials. Removal and labor are not generally included, and squirrel damage is not covered by the shingle warranty. If most of the damage is due to their actions, you are out of luck. We recently replaced our roof with BP shingles; they seem not to have a history of premature failure, which is not the case with several other brands. When the new roof is put on, the roofer will also replace the ridge vent. Since the squirrel damage is to the shingles as well as to the ridge vent, it seems as if you need to catch the little monsters in a Havahart trap and take them far away in the woods.bull; 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.#169; 2009, United Feature Syndicate Inc.