Handy tool for stubborn packages

Q. Sometime late last year, you mentioned an interesting tool that made it easy to open all types of packages, etc. I believe it was designed by women, and you thought it was very helpful. Unfortunately, I didn't save the column, as I didn't see any need for it at the time. My daughter has recently moved into her own apartment, and I thought it might make a good gift for her. Could you tell me what this tool is and where I can get it?

A. I believe you are referring to Open It! - a versatile and useful tool designed by women. Its offset jaws are ideal for opening the hard plastic packaging that is so hard to open. Its concealed sharp knife makes it easy to open packaging that is sealed with tape, including the maddening CD and DVD cellophane packaging. It also has a tiny concealed Phillips head and regular screwdriver, ideal for opening battery compartments on electronic devices. We keep it in a catchall kitchen drawer and use it frequently. Its cost ranges between $9.99 and $12.99 and is available at Bed, Bath and Beyond; Walgreens, Target, Home Depot and other retailers nationwide. The Open It! is also available from catalogers and online retailers.

Q. I was wondering if you could refer me to any companies in central New Jersey that conduct thermal-imaging energy audits. I suspect that there are gaps in the insulation and/or heating ducts in my house.

A. You should find a list of them in your Yellow Pages under "Infrared Inspection Service" or a similar listing. Your utility company is also a likely source of infrared thermal-imaging contractors.

Q. I am in need of a repair and update to my garage. The ceiling is "patched up" with various forms (there are pull-down attic stairs installed years ago), but the ceiling needs to be replaced - not sure if Sheetrock is the answer, as I also have a garage-door opener installed. Can you advise what would be the best type of ceiling to install?

(The attic has boards over the rafters over this garage area and is used for storage only.) The inside of this garage has an old cement wall that you can see has been patched over in various spots but also needs a makeover. What is the best type of material to repair the walls with, and also what should be used to hold these various tools? Any ideas/suggestions you have will be greatly appreciated (I would have my carpenter/handyman do this project for me).

A. The paneling on the garage ceiling I see on the photos you sent me is strictly against code. Some of the gypsum boards are also dangling and damaged.

The best approach is to remove the various materials from the ceiling joists and replace them with five-eighths Firecode gyp board. But if your carpenter deems it feasible, new Firecode gyp board may be screwed to the joists through the existing mishmash of unsuitable materials. The folding stairway should also be adjusted to close properly, and its plywood panel should be covered with sheet metal or Firecode gyp board with its edges bound with a metal J-bead - if the springs of the stairway can handle the weight of the drywall and close tightly. The new drywall should not cause a problem with the garage-door opener.

One photo also shows what looks like a ceiling light with its cord plugged into an extension cord. That's also a no-no! You should have an electrician wire it properly and check all other possible electrical safety violations. Why is so much of the ceiling blackened? Was there a fire in the garage?

As to the concrete walls, you should have a mason look at them. It's hard to tell from the photos whether the cracks were caused by frost pressure or are simply due to age or a second-rate job. A competent mason will be able to gauge what is causing them and know how to fix them. Your various tools seem pretty well-organized. You may want to install more pegboard. Good luck with the job.

Q. I have another question about basement waterproofing. Our house is about 60 years old with a cinder block foundation. We are beginning the process of finishing our basement and need to address some water issues beforehand.

In general, our basement is very dry. The previous owner said it had not flooded in the 25 years she lived here, and we've had only minor issues with water/dampness during extremely wet weather in the spring. The walls in the basement were painted by previous owners - I'm assuming with a waterproofing paint, but I really don't know. In a number of areas, the paint has chipped off or been damaged by lime buildup, leaving areas of cinder block exposed. We have not had any water coming in where the old paint is chipped or missing. I was wondering if that would be an indication that there is not likely to be significant water buildup, such as the type you warn against in the cores of the cinder blocks. We have experienced some water seepage when days and weeks of rain have saturated the ground. The seepage occurs in a few isolated locations, and the water comes up from where the wall and floor meet. The seepage is minor, never causing flooding, but resulting in a 6-to-10-foot line of wetness along the wall that is 4 to 6 inches wide.

I would like to know if you thought that an application of a small amount of Drylok cement at the joint where the wall meets the floor would be detrimental and cause the type of mold issues you warn against. If you do not recommend this remedy, what might you suggest to address the water issue before we finish the basement?

A. The paint peeling caused by a lime buildup in some areas indicates that there is moisture coming through the blocks. The lime buildup is efflorescence - salts in the masonry left on the blocks after the moisture that dissolved them has evaporated.

Water does not need to be actively coming through these areas; moisture in the block cores suffices. It may be that there is some water accumulation at the bottom of the blocks that evaporates within the cores and causes the dampness you have noticed. Any trapped water accumulating within the block cores is of concern if it is not allowed to dry up. It has no other way of dissipating than through the upper parts of the blocks and, if there is enough, into the walls of the living space. The relief valve seems to be the minor leakage you experience at the joint of the walls and floor. If you waterproof this joint, you will be trapping water in the blocks, which is not healthy. Since the leakage you experience is minor and only after extensive periods of rain, it sounds as if the soil is able to absorb rain under most conditions until it becomes saturated.

The first thing I always recommend is to carefully check the grade around the foundation. It is surprising how a little defect can cause basement leakage. I once solved a basement leakage at the base of a chimney by filling in a slight depression that a dog had dug under a bush on the opposite side of the house to escape the summer's heat. The water followed the footing until it found the weakness in the foundation wall/floor joint. So don't overlook any flat or negative grade within a few feet of your foundation, and make sure that all downspouts discharge onto properly sloped splashblocks that lead water well away from the house. The grade should slope away at the rate of about 2 inches per horizontal foot for as far away from the foundation as possible, keeping in mind that there should be about 6 to 8 inches of the masonry foundation showing. Grow a healthy stand of grass next to the house. Check the slope on all patios, stoops, walks and driveways to make sure they do not lead water toward the house. Any anomalies need to be corrected. In almost all cases I have handled in my 50-plus years in construction, these measures have solved basement and crawl space leakage in a very inexpensive way, compared to the various pricey waterproofing systems advertised.

Q. What are the pros and cons of switching from a tank-style water heater to tankless? I currently have a 40-gallon gas-fired tank by Reliance, installed July 1994. During this time, I have not had any leakage problems with it, and the thermostat is set at 120 F.

We have one bathroom, one faucet in the kitchen and one faucet each in the bathroom and laundry room. Essentially, there are no water-wasting appliances/gadgets, etc., on the premises. Other than space-savings and slightly lower utility bills, I would like your opinion on this conversion. I have looked at a few different models (Bosch, Rheem, Rinnai) and honestly can't place one above the other, but the Rinnai Web site touts its product as high quality. One week ago, I spoke to a local plumber who was very keen on the Rinnai product line, having installed several in my area, including one in his brother's home, which I was invited to observe. Based on the size and type of home, he quoted me $2,200 for parts and labor, which is quite a bit higher than a typical tank installation. As in the past, you've always provided much appreciated practical feedback.

A: Your water heater has served you well, mostly due to the lower temperature setting you are using. Here is a reprint of the extensive answer I gave another reader last year: On-demand water heaters are very efficient, as water is heated only when you need it. They are very popular in Europe. The most important consideration is to buy the proper size unit for your intended use, or you will be very unhappy with the results. Tankless water heaters need to be sized properly to provide adequate domestic hot water when more than one usage is in effect, such as two showers at a time, or a shower along with a washing machine or dishwasher, so if you plan on using hot water in several fixtures at the same time, you need to buy an on-demand unit that can handle such a load or you will not get enough hot water at any of the points of use. The Web site tanklesswaterheaterguide.com should help you sort out the many considerations you need to be aware of. You can also Google "Tankless Water Heaters" for a list of manufacturers, and you can check this Web site: boschhotwater.com. It will provide you with a complete list of choices, locations and tax credits.

Rinnai makes fine tankless water heaters, as do Bosch and Rheem. Most tank-type heaters do not last 15 years and start leaking after anywhere from five to 10 years. Today's well-insulated plastic tank heaters, such as the Marathon, will not be subject to rust and should last a long time. Considering the high price of the tankless water heater and its installation, it will take you many years to recover any energy savings that you might realize over replacing the existing heater with a similar tank type.

Q. I run a dehumidifier in my basement just to remove any moisture in the air to make the recreation room more comfortable. What do you think of the Humidex in terms of saving money?

A. If you have researched the Humidex, you must have noticed that it claims to replace pollutant-laden, moist basement air also containing gases and other toxins with healthy, dry air from the upper levels.

It also claims that the Humidex will dry the entire structure. So where does this healthy, dry air come from? The outdoors, through all cracks around doors and windows, etc., as the manufacturer says while forgetting to mention chimney flues! Unless you live in a very rural area, far from the pollution of coal-fired generating plants and other sources of chemical pollution, you are unlikely to be bringing in healthy dry air. Especially during the summer, when you are most likely to turn the Humidex on, hot, moist air will be drawn from outdoors into the house, adding to the air-conditioning load. It also brings this warm, moist air into the basement, where condensation can occur on the lower parts of foundation walls that are kept cool because they are in contact with soil whose temperature does not change much from season to season. I would have to see a Humidex in action and talk to someone who has used one satisfactorily for several seasons to be convinced that it is better than a dehumidifier, which simply removes the moisture at the source. By the way, if you need distilled water for a steam iron or any other purpose, a dehumidifier will provide you with all you can use.

• 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.