July 26, 2010
Dear Ken: I live in a very windy area east of the Springs. We have wind and dust coming in under the walls, through the outlets and also the heat vents. I'm afraid we're wasting lots of energy. How can we get to the bottom of this? Monika
You should investigate the obvious entry points. The gap where the siding comes down and meets the foundation should be filled with spray foam or pink insulation chinked in with a screwdriver. Caulk around the windows and doors if you see even the slightest gaps and cracks in the old material. Make sure the bath fan, dryer and kitchen hood fan vent caps shut themselves when not in use.
Speaking of vents, I'm concerned about wind in your heat ducts. You may have a direct fresh air vent from the outside into the furnace's return air ducts. This was included to make sure the furnace and water heater have enough fresh, combustion- and make-up air so they operate efficiently and safely. Those rules have changed now, so you may be able to get all that air from inside the house. The new schemes are quite arcane, so don't do this yourself-have your HVAC contactor get involved.
Finally, before you start all this, you might want to get a good home inspector to take a look. Inspectors are generalists who can look over the whole house and come up with even more solutions than I've mentioned here. I would choose an ASHI person (American Society of Home Inspectors @ ASHI.org). These folks tend to have more experience than others in the business. Full disclosure: I'm a member.
Dear Ken: How do you adjust the spray pattern on a sprinkler head? Jacquie
You may need to change the nozzle (the little top part) of the head from, say a quarter- to a half-circle. You can tell which is which by reading the letters and numbers on top. It will tell you the pattern and coverage, e.g., "H15" means a half-circle and a 15 foot throw under ideal conditions.
If you have the right head, but want to change the distance of the water pattern, you'll need to adjust the little Phillips head screw in the center of the nozzle. Usually, clockwise will increase the flow and vice-versa. I find that going barefoot and wearing an old bathing suit makes this much easier. That way, you don't necessarily have to turn the zone on and off between adjustments.
Check the water pressure in your system with a small pressure gauge. It should be higher than that on the inside the house, say, 75 lbs. versus 50 indoors. If that's' not the case, a plumber can install another pressure regulator.
Dear Ken: How do I unseal old windows in an ancient house? Kris
It's purely trial and error. The first one is the hardest, but it will teach you little shortcuts for the remaining units. You'll need a wide blade wallpaper blade (it looks like a really broad putty knife), screwdrivers, WD-40 or other spray lubricant, and perhaps a pry bar and a good utility knife. Be patient. Cut the paint or caulking bead along the edges of the sash-inside and out. Then spray lubricant down each side and walk away for an hour. You may need a little help from the pry bar set on a block of wood to ease the window up from the bottom (this works better on the outside sill). After it's free, sand the frames gently and rub with a silicone with grease stick.
