May 24, 2010
Dear Ken: We've got a new furnace and air conditioning system. We've just started cooling our house, and are disappointed that the basement is ten degrees cooler that the upper level. Any ideas to even it out? Susan
You need to force more air upstairs by limiting it downstairs. Close off the ceiling vents in the basement-but no more than 25% of the total number in the house (if you limit the air flow too much, you may freeze up the coils). This works well if there is a basement door you can keep closed. If yours is an open floor plan-that is no door at the basement stairs--you'll need some help from a ceiling fan. Run it so it blows down the stairs. That will force the warmer, upper level air back through the furnace so it can be re-cooled.
No matter which style of stairwell you have, it helps to turn the thermostat fan switch to "always on" when you come home in the afternoon. That mixes up the air between the two levels, and moderates the temperature of each.
Do you have a humidifier? If so, remember to turn it totally off at the beginning of the cooling season. That's because air conditioning and humidification "fight "with each other, since one dehumidifies the air and the other adds moisture. If your humidifier has a duct running from it to the furnace, there should be a "summer/winter" damper lever. Turn it in the indicated direction to close off that duct. If there is no damper, have one installed to prevent A/C problems.
I believe in a check of the cooling system at least once a year, just like the furnace. The system will cool more efficiently (at a cheaper cost) once it's serviced. If the system is more than 5 years old, make sure the HVAC technician looks at the cooling coils on top of the furnace. Over time, they get clogged with dust, and are a major cause of improper operation.
Dear Ken: The kids pulled on a towel bar, and one side came loose. Can I fix this myself? Delores
Sure. If there was no wood stud available, the installer probably used some small plastic plugs to bind the screws to the drywall. These aren't very strong-whether the kids yank on them or not.
Turn the two bracket screws counterclockwise to remove them from the plugs, which can then be eased out of the wall. On the other end, the plugs will stay put, so use a small nail punch or awl to pop them back into the wall. You'll be left with four small holes that will be just right for new anchors. Visit the hardware store and get their recommendation for whichever style of fastener they like. There are lots of choices of small mollies and expanding anchors that will work. My favorite is the toggle (some say butterfly) anchor-with the two small "wings" that flip open inside the wall.
Dear Ken: I'm in an old house. I have a pocket door that came off its track. Is it easy to fix? Norris
It's not as difficult as it looks. As you look at the tall slot that receives the door, you'll see pieces of trim on each side of the opening. You'll have to gently prise these off to access the inside mechanism and the door itself. Once they are removed, you can reach a ways inside to manipulate the door panel towards you. Whether it's totally on the track or not, it will ease out of the wall.
The track is usually not the problem with pocket doors. More often than not, the rollers may be broken, or their metal arms are bent. You can find generic replacements for them at the hardware store. Before you put everything back together, spray a little silicone- or Teflon-based lubricant on as much of the track as you can reach (and the emphasis here is "a little") .
