May 18, 2009
Marty has a hothouse: What do you think of the solar-powered attic vent fans?
They're a little pricey, but are the only way to go if you have a cathedral ceiling. In that case, the attic space is usually too cramped to crawl into: maybe only 18 to 24 inches, and that's filled up part way with insulation batts anyway. The solar powered fan is installed on the topside of the roof and immediately starts purging hot air accumulated at the peak of the attic and replaces it with cooler outdoor air pulled through those little soffit vents behind the gutters.
Check with the manufacturer's recommendations, but if allowed, I would cover them with black plastic in the winter, so the passive solar heat gain is retained up there.
How much? You'll pay less each if you order several, but expect a price tag of about $300 per.
One of my listeners has a bad taste in his mouth: I have a 3 year old refrigerator, but lately the ice cubes don't taste right. What can I do?
This is one of those "use it or lose" situations. If you don't run fresh ice through the system, then the cubes will start to take on the flavor of whatever is in the refrigerator-think leftover shrimp scampi; plus, they just get stale and nasty with age anyway, as the chemicals in the original water do their thing. Every few months, I dump all the accumulated ice cubes into the sink. In addition to getting a fresh batch, it allows me to clean out chunks that may be impinging on the inner workings of the icemaker itself and the dispenser.
By the way, how does the water side taste? If it, too, is stale, you might consider an in-line charcoal filter system to sweeten up the incoming liquid (you attach it to the ware line behind the frig). They are pretty cheap, and usually last 4 to 6 months before you have to put in a new cartridge.
PS: Remember: no plastic icemaker lines allowed-use copper (my choice) or a steel braided hose.
Rose has an old well: The one in the backyard has been was covered up. Do you think it's worth resurrecting?
It may not be up to you. These old wells were in fashion years ago as a way to get around lawn watering restrictions. They simply drilled down until they hit the first layer of underground water, dropped in a small submergible pump and used its pressure to soak the lawn and shrubs (you may recall "well water" signs in the front yards in older urban neighborhoods).
Things have changed, though, over the last 40 years or so. Most of these wells were unpermitted by state authorities, and, of course, that's no longer allowed. Besides depleting the water in a give aquifer, that probably belongs to someone else who owns the water rights, these shallow wells can contain chemical contaminants that may be harmful to humans and animals as they are misted through the heads.
The permitting of wells-new and old-is the purview of the state natural resources folks. Check their Web site for further information and guidance.
Craig has a noisy stair set: How can I stop squeaks and pops in the treads. It is finished underneath with drywall.
You could try driving a few 16 penny casing or finish nails directly through the carpet. I know it sounds pretty aggressive, but it can't hurt and you may get lucky and tighten up the right boards that are rubbing together. You can also find breakaway screw sets at the hardware store that can work. You twist them into place and the head eventually snaps off even with the surface.
The best way, of course, is to hire a carpet installer who can expose the wooden treads for you. He can standby while you attack the squeaks with deck screws and maybe some resin-based carpenter's glue.
