Two bathroom chalks are best, but each have a disadvantage
Q. We clipped your column titled “Silicone caulk doesn't stand up to polyurethane,” knowing that we would need the product you recommended Sikaflex-1a which we couldn't find at Home Depot or any local supply houses. And since our clipping is missing the bottom of the column, we can't make out the other product you recommended. We intend to use it in our shower to caulk where the wall tile meets the shower base.
A. The best answer to your question is a reprint of my advice regarding my experience with bathroom caulks: Over the years, I have been asked many times what is the best caulk to use to seal the joint of a bathtub and the wall above it. For years, I had been recommending Sikaflex-1a polyurethane caulking, which I have been using in construction and home maintenance since the 1950s. A couple of years ago, I experimented with a different caulking, because several readers wrote to tell me that Sikaflex-1a was turning pink or yellow. I tried DAP Kwik Seal Plus Premium Kitchen & Bath Adhesive Caulk w/Microban and wrote that it seemed to work well. It remained sparkling white and did not mildew. Since then, I have noticed that it is peeling off the wall on the long and faucet sides of the tub, whereas the Sikaflex-1a left on the opposite short side of the tub is as solidly attached to the wall as it was when I put it on years ago. The DAP is still very white, while the Sikaflex-1a is slightly gray.
The reason some of you had the bad experience of Sikaflex-1a turning pink or yellow is because it was subjected to moisture too soon. Sikaflex-1a needs to be allowed to air cure for seven days before getting repeatedly wet something that's not easy to accomplish if the tub in question needs to be used daily. You would need to use another bathroom for a week, and that may not be feasible. So the choices are Sikaflex-1a with minor discoloration and tough adhesion or DAP's color retention and loss of adhesion. Choose your poison. I will stick with Sikaflex-1a.
I hope this helps you decide which caulking compound to use. If you choose Sikaflex-1a, you can purchase it from A.H. Harris (www.ahharris.com), a construction-supply company that has stores throughout the Northeast, including several in New Jersey.
Q. I recently read your article on the roof cricket and was wondering if you might be able to help me or be able to share a referral regarding a leak in the house. After 25 years in Lake Zurich, we had a water leak after a major rain and we cannot figure out how it happened; nor can a friend of mine who deals in construction. Of course this happened after we did a little remodeling, so the large brown stain in the living room ceiling looks a little out of place. I liked the way you thoroughly addressed the cricket issue and was wondering if you might personally take on a troubleshooting project or offer a recommendation for a leak specialist.
A. There is nothing I like more than a challenge. Unfortunately, I only do my consulting close to my home state of Vermont. If you send me photos of the area where the leak is, which I assume is where the remodeling took place, I'll see if I can figure out what caused it. Otherwise, call an experienced roofer or home inspector. Check the ASHI (American Society of Home Inspectors) website (www.ashi.org/) to locate someone in your area.
Q. I live in a 50-year-old ranch house that has a two-car garage on the street level and a two-car garage underneath said garage in the basement. The winter road salt appears to have gone through the concrete floor and rusted out much of the corrugated metal ceiling on the downstairs garage. In a couple places, pieces of metal fell with a piece of concrete and exposed the re-bar. Can I replace the concrete that fell and put a rust retardant on the corrugated ceiling? Is there a danger the floor may collapse?
A. You may have a serious problem. I am afraid that more concrete may fall, or you may suffer a major collapse unless the steel was only used as a form and all four walls support the concrete. The loss of concrete chunks exposing re-bars is a bad omen. Call a structural engineer to investigate and suggest a repair plan.
Q. We have a flat roof on our house with a 33-inch overhang and exposed beams. The top of the soffit is the roof; there is no attic over the soffit. I had the fascia covered in aluminum and would like to do the soffits. Can I attach the material to the underside of the roof (the soffit) or do I have to leave an air gap? Can I use a solid material or do I have to use a vented material?
The contractor wanted to lower the soffits and enclose the beams. I don't want to enclose the beams that support the large overhang, as it detracts from the look of the house. The roof (including soffits) is 2-inch-by-5-inch, tongue-and-groove lumber. Do you have any suggestions on material?
A. I agree with you. Your house has beautiful lines, and enclosing the beams supporting the overhang would be a serious architectural mistake. However, I disagree with you wanting to cover the boards that comprise the overhangs with metal. Not only would that be an architectural mistake; you may find that the metal or vinyl soffit panels may also mildew and not improve the existing conditions. I understand your desire to reduce the maintenance, but you can add a mildewcide to the paint or stain used to coat the overhang boards. A quality product should last several years.
If you insist on covering the boards with metal or vinyl, there is no need for an air space or for perforated metal, although perforated soffit panels would look better than solid ones. My guess is that your house was built in the late 1950s or early 1960s, as the roof construction sounds like the Uni-deck system, similar to that used on one of my houses when I lived around Washington, D.C. In those days, we didn't worry about energy use, and that roof construction was an energy waster despite the fact that the manufacturer insisted that the wood was enough insulation. In the summer, the house was untenably hot until we installed air conditioning. We moved to Vermont before the energy crisis of 1972, so I never added rigid insulation to make the roof less of an energy hog.
Q. I noticed that you always recommend an externally baffled ridge vent when the topic of roof ventilation comes up. I am planning to do that with the roof on my house, but I am baffled after visiting three major home-improvement stores in my neighborhood: Home Depot, Lowe's and Menards. The ridge vents they sell do not specify on the package whether they are externally baffled. I noticed that there are two types: one that is pliable and comes in a roll, and another that is hard plastic and comes in four-foot sections. Which are externally baffled, and what brand would you recommend? Is there any other important information I should be aware of before tackling this project?
A. I wish you had mentioned the brand of the ridge vent that comes in four-foot sections. An externally baffled ridge vent has an outer lip or curb for lack of a better word that deflects the wind upward over the vent, preventing rain and snow intrusion into the vent while increasing the airflow from the attic (Bernoulli's principle). Non-externally baffled ridge vents, such as the one that comes in a roll, suffer from rain and snow intrusion unless they have a flap that the wind closes, or blockage from that flap, thus stopping the airflow from the attic on the wind side. The most popular externally baffled ridge vent is ShingleVent II, and the hard plastic you saw may be ShingleVent II. If not, any lumberyard should carry it or be able to get it for you. Be sure to order end caps.
Q. We are planning to have a new roof installed. We have a two-story home with approximately 2,300 square feet of living space and an attached garage. I read an article about metal roofing, particularly aluminum and the benefits of keeping the house cooler. The article mentions that the total solar reflectivity is greater than standard asphalt roofing. I haven't had an estimate yet, but understand it is quite a bit more expensive. What is your opinion on metal roofs, and do you believe they are worth the extra cost? We are not planning on moving anytime in the near future, but in today's economy, who knows?
A. Quality metal roofs are long-lasting and offer some advantages over shingles. There are two basic types of metal roofs: standing seam and screw on. Standing-seam metal roofs come in two classes: 24-gauge, double-lock seams are the best; and 26-gauge, single-lock seams. Spend the extra money for the double-lock seam, but make sure that whoever is going to put it on includes the insertion of a sealant and a tab that is folded over the bottom part of the seams at the eaves. This is essential to keep the weather out.
I recently investigated a roof made of 26-gauge, single-lock seams without sealant and tab, which resulted in water penetration and rot of the fascia boards. The screw-on-type metal roof is far less expensive and can be installed by anyone skilled with tools. It is not as attractive as a standing-seam roof. Both types come in a variety of factory-coated colors. The lighter the color is, the better the metal will reflect the sun's heat. If you can afford it, a standing-seam roof is worth the price, but it is not made of aluminum.
Ÿ 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.
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