May 4, 2009
Brain says, "I need to replace my rain gutters, what would be best recommended for replacement, vinyl or metal or something else? I will be doing the work".
If you want to this yourself, you can buy steel gutters, either pre-painted or with a galvanized finish, or colored vinyl, in 10-foot sections you join together. But, personally, I wouldn't do it. You'll have innumerable seams all around the house, and each one represents a potential leak.
To avoid all that extra maintenance, I think you should choose aluminum. The company will bring a machine to your house and extrude custom lengths of gutter to fit each drip edge. That way, the only seams will be in the corners and at the end of each run. Choose 5-inch-the most popular style for asphalt shingled roofs. If you have tile or thick shakes, pick 6-inch. And insist on primary aluminum-not recycled-because it's stronger and more reliable. There are 20+ colors available, and, since they are baked on at the factory, they are maintenance-free.
Finally, since virtually anyone can buy an extrusion machine and bolt it to a pickup truck, check homeowner references for the company you're considering.
Richard has an older house: "I found out that the bathtub (metal tub) was painted an egg shell color. Now the paint is peeling. What options do I have? Is there a way to remove the paint, or will I have to replace the tub?"
There are two ways to go here. You can install an acrylic liner in whatever color turns you on. They make an exact shape to fit your tub-no matter how old it is, they'll have a mold for it. The cost? Maybe $1500 or so, but you'll get a 25 year warranty. The other option is to etch and then spray on an epoxy or acrylic resin coating. Again, you can choose from an almost limitless rainbow of colors, so in either case, you could pick out a new toilet and sink to match, and have yourself a brand new bathroom. The coatings cost about 2/3 less than the liner, but you'll have a much shorter warranty period-most are only 5 years. So, part of your calculation should include how long you expect to stay in the house.
Doris writes, "Stucco damage (about 4 tennis ball-sized areas of damage) caused by wood peckers. What do you recommend to repair the stucco? How do we get a good color match?"
Buy a pre-mixed or powdered material in the basic gray color. This is pretty easy to do yourself. Use a trowel to plug the hole at first. Then let that dry and crack a little for about a week. Use the same material for a second coat that you stipple with an old sponge or a rag. Why not use colored stucco in the first place? Because you'll never get an exact dye-lot match to what you have now. The sun and weather have faded it into a non-standard color.
Its' better to get a gallon of an elastomeric (rubberized) paint mixed to match your existing hue.
Jim has a mystery leak: "There is water coming from the center of the disposer and dripping under the sink. Do I need a new one?"
Water leaks are funny. They can originate one place and then fool you by showing up someplace else. Grab a strong light and a roll of toilet paper before crawling underneath the sink. As you wipe them away and chase the drips upward, you may find that the origin is that drain collar that sits in the sink hole and holds the disposer in place. If that's the case, remove the collar, clean it and re-bed it in some new plumber's putty.
If, on the other hand, the drips are coming right through the exterior metal casing, you're dealing with old age corrosion and rust-and so you'll need to replace the entire unit.
