December 28, 2009
Dear Ken: I had a technician recommend replacing the furnace soon because it has a small beginning crack in the heat exchanger. What do you think I should do? Bev
A licensed heating contractor has a professional and moral obligation to report any furnace they think is defective to the gas company or the building authority. It will then be "red-tagged" as unsafe for use. That it wasn't done in your case probably means that it isn't dangerous--so we can assume that the tech, bless his heart, simply wants to sell you a new one. I would get another heating company (or your fuel supplier) to break the tie by reexamining the heat exchanger. As long as you have a good, working carbon monoxide detector, you have a little time, but don't delay more than a few days in getting that second analysis.
Dear Ken: We have a whole house humidifier. Trouble is, it doesn't keep up, and rarely gets the humidity higher than 20%. How can we get better results?
Remember that the humidifier only runs while the furnace fan is running. So, most of the time, it's off. You could install a new thermostat that includes a FAN-ON-AUTO switch. That way, you can leave the fan on all the time, regardless of whether the system is calling for heat. It will cost an extra $25 or so for the electricity to run the fan, but you may find it's worth it. Alternatively, you could install a special controller that senses the relative humidity level. It then turns the fan on until it reaches whatever you've set it for, say 40%.
One other idea is to supplement your whole house humidifier with portable cold steam units in the bedrooms. They add humidity just where you need it, but they are a bit of a maintenance headache.
Dear Ken: The hot water supply to my washer won't flow, although the cold side is OK. Is this a major problem? Wendy
Hard to say. Disconnect the hot water hose and clean the strainers at both ends-or, better yet, buy some new ones if they are badly clogged. Do you have a set of those flood-safe hoses? If so, the hot side may need to be reset. Unhook the upstream connector end and re-install it. Finally, try switching hoses: hot to cold and vice versa. If the hot water still won't flow, you may have an electrical issue with the solenoid that lets water into the washer, or the master controller may need to be replaced. In either case, you'll need a service call.
Dear Ken: We have two toilets that won't flush and won't respond to a plumber's helper. Could they be frozen? Gary
It's not all that common, unless you left the heat off in the bathroom or have flat sewer pipes in the crawl space. There can only be a frozen clog where there's standing water. The trap under the toilet is one suspect. If the heat is off, that water will gradually freeze, and can sometimes crack the porcelain. The second area to check is a sewer pipe in the crawl space that runs uphill a little, so it, too, collects standing water. If that pipe extends out into the yard and isn't deep enough, the frozen earth this time of year will create ice in it in no time. Once you find out where the frozen clog is, you can wrap the pipe with heat tape-but realize that it may take 12 to 24 hours to thaw it out.
