June 14, 2010
Dear Ken: We have a 1974 home. It has the old glitter and popcorn ceiling. Ugly. Is there asbestos on this ceiling? Vicky
Its' hard to say without a definitive test; I probably wouldn't spend the money on one. That was about the time when we started to phase asbestos out of drywall products (the ban was 1977, to be exact.) Your ceiling may contain asbestos particles, or they could be could be little round Styrofoam chunks, also popular back then. I would leave it in place for three reasons: it may asbestos, in which case you're exposing yourself and the family to the particles; once removed, the ceiling may be too rough to paint; and it's extremely messy.
Apply some watered down semi-gloss interior latex paint. That will cover the dust and dirt plus that glitter we thought was so cool 35 years ago.
Dear Ken: Do I need to get my ducts cleaned? I'm getting all kinds of conflicting advice. By the way, the house is 30 years old. Bob
You can check whether or not you need this yourself. After dark, shine a powerful flashlight on to a swivel mirror aimed down the length of the duct. If you see a layer of dust and other crud on the sheet metal, it may be time for a good cleaning. On the other hand, all you may see is metal (albeit dull and non-shiny with age). In that case, skip the cleaning expense and continue using a good corrugated furnace filter changed monthly.
If you do hire a duct cleaning company, choose one recommended by your furnace service company. Why? You see them every year, so they won't steer you to a marginal company that you may never interact with again.
There are basically two ways to clean the duct system. One method is to hook a large vacuum directly into the plenum above the furnace. Then the technician will blow compressed air through each duct. Another uses scouring brushes instead. I like this approach because it loosens material that may actually stuck to the ducts.
Duct cleaning in a new home is totally unnecessary. Granted, there may be some construction trash within a few feet of each vent opening, but most reputable builders use a shop vac to get all the sawdust, wood, and pop cans out before you close. Again, you can check this yourself during the walk-through.
Dear Ken: I have a crawl space and a big part of it is sopping wet. I have no vents, just the access door. How can I dry it out? Rob
You need to get air in there. In our frenzy to save energy at all costs, we have changed the rules to minimize (or even eliminate, in some cases) exterior venting in crawl spaces, especially if there is no equipment installed. It was usual in older ranch-style homes to have four-or even six-screened vents in the box sill along the foundation. They provided combustion air for the furnace and water heater, but, more importantly they helped relieved the natural vapor build-up present in all crawl spaces. Even if it appears dry down there, there is always a little moisture transpiring up from the soil. Crawl space vents provide cross ventilation that removes this excess humid air before it can create mold and dry-rot fungus on the wood floor joists.
In your case, first find out the source of the water-whether it's an errant downspout, misaimed sprinkler head or broken pipe-and fix it. If there is standing water down there, dig a couple of trenches to collect it in a low spot, then pump it outdoors as required. Finally, use a reciprocating saw to install a couple of vents (you can do this from the outside) so we can get some air through there. Put a box fan in the house-side door and run it 24/7 until the water is gone.
