February 8, 2010

             Dear Ken:  Two concerns:  You've talked about draining the water heater every once in awhile.  Could we have the details on that?   Also, one of our exterior walls creaks, and it doesn't seem to have anything to do with the furnace coming on.      Kathleen & Dick

            It's a good idea to drain your gas water heater once a year.  That will remove accumulated solids and sediment, which could be impede heat transfer from the burner into the water.  It's especially important if you have a well or are on a small community water supply.  First turn the gas totally off, including the pilot.  Then take your morning showers and do a load or two of laundry to use up the expensively-heated water.   Next, turn off the cold water inlet to the tank and drain it all the water into your floor drain.  Finally, blast jets of cold water on-off-on-off into the tank to roil up the sediment.  When the drain runs clear, reverse the process.      

            As to your creaks, houses are built of several kinds of dissimilar materials, like  wood, stone, brick, concrete and stucco.  These all expand and contract at different rates when the sun rises and sets, or when there are sudden temperature changes, as when a cold front roars into town.  Bottom line:  These noises are normal as the days and seasons come and go.

            Dear Ken:  We have a new Pergo floor.  Lately, we've getting shocks whenever we touch something metal.  Do you think it's us or the floor?   John

            Frankly, I think it's you.  You need to establish some kind of correlation with your footwear.  Remember when, in high school science, we used to rub a silk handkerchief on a glass rod?  You'd build up a pretty jarring static charge in no time.  The same thing is going on here, as you walk across the plastic surface of the floor.  Try to figure out which shoe or slipper soles result in the least static.

            Humidity also plays a role.  You may have noticed that this problem is much less prevalent in the summer time, when there are more water molecules in the air that tend to drain off the static charge.   So, install a whole house humidifier to get you through the winter.  Ask the installer for a humidistat control which will override the thermostat--so you get moisture when you need it, regardless of whether or not you need heat.

            Dear Ken:   My doorbell sometimes rings on its own.  What do you suspect is going on?        G.U.

            There are three components to your door bell system:  the chime, the transformer and the push button.  Let's tackle the button first, because it's the easiest, and is usually the culprit in a situation like yours.  Remove it from the outside wall or door jamb.  If it looks worn out and has loose connections, replace it-very cheap.  Otherwise,  If possible, clean the metal contacts with an emery file, tighten the two wires and reinstall it (don't worry about a shock-we're only dealing with about 16 volts here). 

            The door bell transformer is usually found clinging to the same electrical box that serves the furnace on/off switch.  In pre-1970's homes, it may be inside the guest closet, or attached to the attic side of your main hallway light.  Wherever yours happens to be, check it out and tighten its wires, too.  The chime is almost never part of the spontaneous ringing problem, but you could check its connections, also.      

            Dear Ken:  I have a 1960's house.  There are some black stripes on the ceiling that seem to coincide with the rafters.  Any ideas what this is?    Rod

            In a nutshell, it means it's time to paint.  Over the years dust accumulates under the roof trusses;  you may have noticed that the lines are exactly 24 inches apart.  The dense 2x4's conduct more heat that the surrounding insulation and drywall.  That produces condensed moisture on the surface, which attracts a line of dust particles. 

            Gently shop vac off all the obvious dust and cobwebs on the surface.  Then dilute some good latex interior house paint 1/3 with water .  Spray on a generous coat;  the paint will cover all the blemishes and brighten up the room for another decade or two.