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Looking for great advice on home repair, home improvements and many do-it-yourself projects? Then look to Tom Feiza, Milwaukee's "Mr. Fix-It." Tom has helped millions on a broad range of home-related topics. The right column contains a list of chapters from Tom's book "Just Fix It". If you find this information useful you will enjoy Tom's book. If you are looking for the How to Operate Your Home website, click here.

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Energy Savings in Window Replacement

June 7th, 2013 by admin No comments »

QUESTION:

I have an old farm house with some updates. The first floor has double-pane windows (15+ years old), and the upstairs has old single-pane windows. We replaced 11 windows with Energy Star-rated windows. I reviewed my energy use, and found that it did not decrease at all. Could I have been sold bogus Energy-Star windows?

–STU

ANSWER:

Evaluating any energy improvement in a home is difficult. You need to compare energy use based on similar heating degree days. Degree days take into account the dramatic variations in temperatures. But you also need to consider wind, interior temperatures, heating plant performance, air leaks, ventilation, use of fireplaces, and other variables.

New, Energy-Star rated windows with thermally insulated glass will normally perform better than old wood windows. If they are rated and certified, the window should not be an issue. But on-site installation and air sealing is a key detail affecting the window and wall system performance.

If your old single glazed windows were tight fitting and you had tight fitting wood storms, the actual change in the heat transfer through the new windows will not have a large effect on your energy usage. The replacements just don’t save much money if the original windows were in pretty good shape.

If you were given some type of guarantee or promise from the window installation company, I suggest you contact them with your concerns and read all the claims and fine print.

In my mind, the biggest reason to replace old damaged wood windows is lower maintenance, ease of operation, appearance, comfort, and finally energy savings.

–MR. FIX-IT

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Posted in air infiltration, energy efficiency, heating, insulation, windows

Roof Leaks Every Time it Rains

May 21st, 2013 by admin No comments »

QUESTION:

I have a roof leak which has ruined the dry wall in one of the rooms. I had a new roof put on by a local company, and spent thousands of dollars trying to get the leak repaired. The roofing folks have visited many times. However, every time it rains, the leak continues. Can you give me any advice?

–CHRIS

ANSWER:

First, try to have the roofing company address the issue, and inform their insurance company. Water damage that results from the workmanship of a roofing contractor should be covered by them, or their insurance policy.

You’ll need to solve the problem. Look for any penetration through the roof. Often, the roof does not leak; it’s just the holes in the roof. For example, look at the chimney, chimney flashing, valleys, vents, and plumbing vent flashings. If you have a masonry chimney in the area of the leak, the problem could be the chimney.

If you can’t get the contractor to respond, I would contact a home inspector from the American Society of Home Inspectors, or an independent roofing consultant. You can find an ASHI inspector by using the search tool. Quiz the inspector about his background in roofing and roof inspections.

–MR. FIX-IT

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Posted in leaks, roofing, water

Tree Roots in the Drain Line

May 6th, 2013 by admin No comments »

QUESTION:

Our basement floor drain backs up. We had a plumber clean out the drain, and they found tree roots. What can we do?

–JOE

ANSWER:

The typical problem with a sewer drain line from a house to the street sewer is tree roots. The symptom will be water backing up into the lowest drain in your home. The tree roots are looking for moisture and can enter any little gap in the sewer drain line. Once the roots find the moisture and the gap in the line, they grow inside the pipe.

Your only realistic solution is to periodically have the line cleaned with a sewer machine by a professional. You could also consider cutting down the offending tree in the area. A final option is to have the sewer line checked with a camera, potentially replace it, or line it with a custom sewer re-lining system. The actual repair will depend on the condition and age of the line.

–MR. FIX-IT

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Posted in basement, cleaning, plumbing

Insulating Hot Air Ducts – Energy Saver???

April 30th, 2013 by admin No comments »

QUESTION:

Does it save energy to insulate hot air ducts in the basement? I have long runs of ductwork, and work in the basement often.

-DAVE

ANSWER:

Insulating the heating ducts saves very little energy in a home with a full basement, and the heat ducts in the basement space. Essentially, the basement is within the heated space of your home. The answer would be different if the ductwork was outside the heated space (e.g. the attic).

I would be concerned with any major air leaks in the ductwork – those should be sealed or caulked so the heated air moves to the correct area of your home. With most full basements, a heated space above, and some ductwork leaks or supply vents keeps the basement a few degrees below the heated space. Allowing some heated air to leak helps heat the basement, and tempers the air below the fully heated space – not a bad thing.

For energy-saving and comfort, look at insulating/sealing the area above the basement wall, up to the sub-floor. That area is a potential for a huge heat/air loss to the outside. The best insulation and sealing here would be a spray foam, from the top of the basement wall to the sub-floor (if it is allowed by local code officials). Also, check the basement windows – are they efficient?

–MR. FIX-IT

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Posted in air conditioning, air infiltration, basement, energy efficiency, heating, insulation

Wood Finishing and Repair

April 22nd, 2013 by admin No comments »

(For more information, see the article Wood Finishing and Repair)

QUESTION:

We built our house six years ago. In some areas the woodwork looks dried out, especially in the bathrooms. The woodwork has never looked very shiny. It’s almost like it wasn’t properly varnished to begin with. Is there any type of product that I could wipe on to repair this dried out look? I did see a product offered over the internet called ‘Restorz-It’. Do you know anything about this product? I was hoping for an easier solution than sanding and re-varnishing the woodwork. I appreciate any help you can provide.

–KIRT

ANSWER:

In most newer homes today, the clear finish is a spray-on lacquer. This is done because lacquer is very clear, durable, attractive and dries quickly. If your finish has always been dull, perhaps they only applied one coat or it was a satin finish. Unfortunately, lacquer is difficult to repair. We “do-it-yourselfers” don’t use spray lacquers – 25 years ago oil based varnish was brushed on as a finish coat in homes.

There is no easy way to correct the dried out look. I don’t know anything about the product you mention, but I suspect it may be one of those too-good-to-be-true products.

Your best bet is to clean and dull the finish with a liquid sandpaper solvent or wood cleaner. Most of these products are a strong, oil-based solvent. You scrub the surface with steel wool, or synthetic steel wool. Once the surface is clean and dull, you can try a wipe-on oil clear coat finish.

For a clear coat, I suggest General Finishes Brand, Arm-R-Seal. This is a wipe-on oil finish that will stick to most existing finishes. It comes as a semi-gloss or gloss, and is applied with a rag. It is low odor, dries quickly, and is very durable. General Finishes makes a finish cleaner to prep the surface.

A second excellent finish to try is ZAR Brand Ultra Max – waterborne oil-modified polyurethane. This finish is also applied with a rag and is a satin or gloss finish. It is quick drying and durable, plus water based so limited odor. ZAR also makes a cleaning, surface prep product.

With either finish, you need to test a small area first. There is always a potential the new finish may not stick to the existing clear finish and you should experiment with the look of the finish. For preparation, if you don’t like to scrub with a solvent, you could lightly sand the surface with fine sandpaper. The surface must be roughened for the new surface coat to stick.

Good luck – nothing really easy here. The “oils” that restore wood don’t work.

No comments »

Posted in paint, wood, wood finishing

Smell Coming From Sump Pump

April 18th, 2013 by admin No comments »

QUESTION:

We have urine smell (or worse) coming up from sump pump cover. I was told that we didn’t have to get the septic tank cleaned out until next year. I think air is coming up through the sump pump. Is this natural?

–DAN

ANSWER:

Failure to pump the septic system should not cause a smell. There should be no smell with a typical sump pump system. The sump pump pit collects clear rain water from the drain tile system, and ejects to the outside or an underground septic system. You could flush out the sump crock with lots of clear water if you have a smell problem. At times, there could be a smell from rodents or other debris.

Since you mentioned a septic system, I suspect the pump and crock you are referring to is a gray water or septic pump. It will look just like a sump pump and crock, but it collects water from the floor drain or basement laundry tub and pumps the water up into the septic tank line. The sewer ejector pump could be an open crock for an older system.

The ejector in all newer systems is sealed with a cover and will have a vent pipe connected. This system with an open crock can develop a smell and again you can flush it out with lots of clear water. If you have an open crock, consider changing to a sealed, vented crock. Finally, air should not enter either type of crock through the sump pump, so I don’t know what is happening there.

–MR. FIX-IT

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Posted in basement, odors, plumbing, toilet, water

Candle Soot: Shadowing and Ghosting

April 13th, 2013 by admin No comments »

QUESTION:

Two years ago, we installed a new roof with ridge vents. Recently, we have noticed shadows on our ceilings in places where the roof trusses run. The house has cathedral ceilings as well as flat ceilings, and these “shadows” show up in all rooms. Also, along an exterior wall in our kitchen, we can see (from end to end) the outline of the roof truss, as well as vertical markings of studs. The markings in the ceiling and the walls look like someone lightly penciled in shadows of the trusses and studs. Can this be a result of the ridge vent that was cut in the roof?

-TOM

ANSWER:

What you are describing is textbook “shadowing” or “ghosting ” from candle soot. Does someone in your family burn those nice aromatic candles in glass jugs? Those are great soot producers.

Candle soot is about as heavy as air. It moves throughout your home, aided by the forced air furnace. Outside walls and attic ceilings have plenty of insulation, but there is much less insulation on the framing edges. As a result, framing edges and fasteners are slightly cooler than the surrounding drywall.

When the air moves across the cooler surfaces, it slows slightly and deposits soot. The dark soot stains outline the framing with a shadowy or ghostly appearance.

So, stop burning candles! Or at least burn only very high-quality candles, and keep the wicks trimmed to 1/4 inch or less. Don’t burn candles in jugs – their combustion is starved of oxygen, so it produces lots of soot. You can find more information at misterfix-it.com in the Free Articles section; look for the article, Soot, Ghosts and Ugly Stains.

-MR. FIX-IT

No comments »

Posted in cleaning, interior, lighting, stain removal

Fixing Squeaky Floors

March 17th, 2013 by admin No comments »

QUESTION:

I read your article about squeaky floors. My floors in the upstairs master bedroom squeak terribly. They don’t squeak below your feet – you will hear the squeak elsewhere in the room. The house was built in 2003. I’ve talked to the builder, and he immediately knew about the problem. They used floor-joists that were not large enough for the size of the room. He told me that it will be a costly endeavor to fix, requiring tearing up the floor and strengthening the floor joists. Would that be your assessment, as well?

BRIAN

ANSWER:

There certainly could be a structural problem that causes floor squeaks. Undersized floor framing will result in a bouncy floor, squeaks, and potential angle cracks at wall openings. All floors bounce and move under load, but they are typically designed to limit the bouncy movement. Movement does not always indicate structural failure.

See if the builder is willing to do the repair for free or at a reduced cost – apparently it was his mistake. A typical repair could involve:

Doubling up on the floor joists
Bolting a steel plate to the joists
Gluing and screwing plywood to the underside of the joists
Adding a beam and post in the center of the span
A variety of combinations

The fix is expensive because the floor above or ceiling below needs to be removed. Furniture in the area needs to be removed and there will be a big mess. Fitting the new joists or any repair is also time consuming.

MR. FIX-IT

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Posted in noise, squeaks, structural, wood

Discoloration on Wood Windows

March 6th, 2013 by admin No comments »

QUESTION

We have a black discoloration occurring on the wood windows in our house; I was wondering if you knew what it was, and how to get rid of it. The windows are double-hung, and the house was built in 1995. I assumed it was mold and moisture-related, because I noticed it in the bathroom. But, I have since found it in small patches on other windows, both upstairs and downstairs. I have tried many cleaning solutions, including TSP and a bleach/water mix, but none seem to work. Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

BURNS

ANSWER

If the stains are a dark discoloration that cannot be removed from the surface, you have water damage in the wood of the window. If the TSP removes the stain, it may be dirt or mold. Once the surface finish is damaged by water, the water will discolor the wood. So, if the finish is gone and you have a dark stain, you have water damaged wood.The fix is to refinish the wood by sanding, bleaching, and more sanding. Then, stain and varnish to back to the original finish. Not an easy job.

MR. FIX-IT

No comments »

Posted in bathroom, cleaning, condensation, moisture, mold, wood

More Insulation … More Savings?

March 1st, 2013 by admin No comments »

QUESTION

I am building a commercial building with a rubberized flat roof. I want to go to R45 insulation on the roof, but my friends say that after R23 you don’t see a return on your investment. Is that true?

Also, what is the best way to insulate the walls of a commercial building? What is more efficient – an exterior HVAC system, or an interior in a basement? I am looking to save cost for natural gas, so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

PAUL

ANSWER

In most cases, an insulation value of R38 is recommended for roof or attic insulation in residential and commercial construction for northern climates. But, the insulation will also depend on the usage of the building, and how warm it will be kept. The wall insulation is dependent on the type of construction and finishes.

A heating, ventilation and air conditioning system is always more efficient if you can keep the complete system (and the ductwork) inside the building’s conditioned air space. Units are much easier to service if they are in the space, and if duct leaks occur, they will leak into the space. Roof-mounted units are often used to save interior space, but are never as efficient.

Contact the folks at Focus on Energy. Check their programs for energy efficient construction. They are residential and commercial experts who have lots of experience with saving energy. They also have rebate programs for energy efficient construction. With our economy, and the increasing cost of energy, it will be a good payback to build an efficient building.

MR. FIX-IT

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Posted in air conditioning, air infiltration, energy efficiency, heating, insulation, roofing

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