July 20, 2009

            Dear Ken:  You recommended a certain type of carbon monoxide detector on your show a couple of weeks ago.  Which one was that?

            I prefer the plug-in style of CO detector for several reasons.  When activated, it sits at roughly the same level as your head while you're sleeping-the time when you're most vulnerable to this insidious gas.  Even though carbon monoxide is a little lighter than air, it tends to accumulate near the floor first as the hot air from the furnace scoots across the floor on its way to a cold air return. 

            I like the Night Hawk brand because it contains a historical record of prior CO exposures, and it's easy to self-test.                                                            Kyle

                        Dear Ken:   My father has a non-metal swamp cooler-maybe fiberglass?  I'd like to find one, too.  What do you think?                                           Randy

            Your father's cooler enclosure is probably polypropylene, a heavy duty plastic.  It's a great idea, because a steel evaporative cooler's greatest vulnerability is rust and corrosion.  The innards-pump, float, hoses, and pads-are easily replaceable, and cheap, too.  So, a plastic swamp cooler is basically a lifetime investment.  One of the brands that pioneered the use of this material is Trade Winds.  You can also ask your friendly HVAC contractor for their recommendation.

            Dear Ken:   I have a humidifier and I run the furnace fan 24/7 to add moisture.  Is this OK in the summer while I'm running the A/C system?                        Ellen

            Absolutely not!   Air conditioning dehumidifies the air-notice the water dribbling down the drain while it's running.  So, your humidifier adds to the cooling load, and you also risk a coil freeze-up.  Turn the little dial to OFF for the summer.  Also, if your humidifier has a big duct leading to another part of the furnace, there should be a damper lever labeled "summer/winter".  Set it on summer" for now.  In the winter, open it to allow damp air to circulate through the humidifier pads.

            Your question reminds me of a way to mitigate A/C operating costs.  The basement contains a reservoir of cooler air that's been saved up all day long.  So, turn the furnace fan on the thermostat to the always ON  position when you get home from work.  That will draw cool basement air into the system, so the compressor won't have to run as long to get the house to your given set temperature. 

            Dear Ken:  I've got a colored and patterned concrete patio that I spilled fertilizer on.  How should I get it off without problems?                                            Robert

            Ordinarily l  would recommend a remover chemical, like CLR or one of the concrete rust removing products powders you can get at the hardware store-perhaps combined with power washing.  But, in your case, I'm concerned that they might remove the decorative finish on your patio.  Instead, let's wait for our strong UV sunlight to "cook" it away.  It may take several weeks, but be patient.

            Dear Ken:  I have a kitchen/family room that only has two small windows, so it's quite dark.   How can I brighten it up without spending a fortune.        Barbara

            There are several brands of so-called tubular skylights you can install for a fraction of what a regular skylight would cost.  They slip in through a hole in the roof, down into the attic and terminate on the ceiling with a diffuser lens.  The tube is lined with a high-tech reflective material that is extremely effective in capturing sunlight and bouncing it down the tube.  It's so bright-even on cloudy days-that it will remind you of a powerful halogen bulb light fixture, but with zero operating costs.   Also, you can add an optional light kit above the diffuser which will simulate daylight after the sun goes down.