April 11, 2020
Dear Ken: I have a two year old home. When my furnace shuts down, we get a very loud sound--like a vent slamming shut. Can this be fixed or quieted? Sandra
It sounds like one of the main ducts is flexing too much. When the blower shuts off, the air inside the metal duct is suddenly depressurized, and as it collapses slightly, you can get that "drum head" metallic sound. There may not be enough metal straps holding the ductwork to the wood floor joists, or maybe the existing straps aren't screwed extra tight. In either case, the company who put the furnace in can help, and in a house as young as yours, this may be under warranty.
Dear Ken: We live in a 50's home and want to remodel the kitchen--maybe take out some walls, change the cabinets and appliances. Do you have some ideas how we can plan the project and get started? Liz
There are dozens of great software packages you can check out online. Also, Lowes has a free module that is amazingly flexible. You can add or delete walls and rearrange your cabinets and appliances as you desire. Keep in mind that the plumbing is the hardest system to move and that in a 50's house, your interior walls may or may not be load bearing.
Cabinet companies usually have designers on their staff that can help, too. These folks are pretty good at turning the wistful into the possible. Sooner or later, you’ll probably end up with an architectural drafting outfit, which can do the layout in a form that will allow you to pull a city permit. According to remodeling magazine surveys, you're concentrating on the most fruitful change--in terms of getting your money back--that you can do to an older home.
Dear Ken: The paint on the bottom of our water heater is peeling. The heater is working fine. Is this OK? George
It’s probably ok. Condensation in and around the tank jacket is normal, and usually reveals itself as minor rust spots. It's probably from the vapor produced by the burning of natural gas. On the other hand, rust and corrosion blemishes accompanied by water spots on the floor (whether a gas or electric model) usually means it's time to replace the water heater itself.
Dear Ken: I'm getting too old to clean the gutters. What about gutter screens or covers? Jim
I know the feeling. Gutter screens, which are touted to be self-cleaning will work for a year or two, then they, too, will clog up with leaves and needles trapped in the mesh.
The gutter cover systems work pretty well. There are several versions, but basically thy all operate on the principle that because of surface tension water will drop off a curved metal edge and will plop into the gutter—while in the meantime the leaves, needles and twigs fall overboard. They are a little pricey, but are quite effective except in the fiercest storms (but what’s price compared to the danger the jeopardy you are in every time climb on a ladder?).
The only drawback is that on the north side they can encourage icicles and ice dams to proliferate. You can obviate this by adding heat cable later if you need to later on.
Dear Ken: We have an older Genie garage door opener with a plastic track. During cold weather, it shrieks when it runs. Is there a lubricant you can suggest? Silicone? Wd-40? 3-in-1 oil? Mitch
Try a white silicone grease stick. It looks like an oversized lip balm tube. You simply push the stick out from the bottom and rub it along the opener track. A few other lubricants I prefer at my workbench are lithium grease (vs. axle grease), Teflon-based spray (rather than WD-40), and light sewing machine oil.
Dear Ken: I used some Drano to unclog a bathroom sink. I forgot to rinse it for about an hour, so now I have a smell in the sink that won't go away. Do you think it may have eaten the pipes? Debbie
I doubt it. You may have simply disturbed the clog but didn’t eliminate it. There is no substitute for pulling the pipes apart and rinsing out the trap and the under-sink piping.
And don’t forget that overflow drain in the front of the sink. Use a turkey baster to squirt some hot soapy water down the hole.
Dear Ken: I have two pull cord light fixtures I want to rewire to a wall switch. Which wires go on the switch? Mel
We always interrupt the black, or "hot" wires--never the neutral (grayish white color). Attach the black on the light side to one of the brass screws on the switch and the feed side wire to the other. It doesn't matter which is on the top or bottom of the switch. Then twist the neutrals together under a plastic wire nut to complete the circuit. If you have a third (ground) wire in your house, we also twist these together and attach them to the green grounding screw of the switch.
