November 16, 2009

     Dear Ken: The linoleum around the toilet is starting to swell and discolor. There's no evidence of a leak downstairs or water on the floor. What's going on?    Florence
     Two causes are possible here. The toilet may be leaking small amounts of water underneath the vinyl floor. That will eventually show up on the ceiling downstairs. The fix here is relatively simple. Remove the toilet and install a new wax ring. I like the style with the built-in plastic "throat".     The other-more likely-problem is the tub. Over the years, small amounts of water can leak down the side of the tub. If the flooring is not well-caulked at the tub edge, then the moisture ends up between the clear and colored layers. It usually shows up as a light gray stain that can't be cleaned. If left long enough, the wood flooring under the vinyl tile gets involved. And that can mean rotting and mold issues. The only sure-fire fix is to replace the flooring and then add a shower door. They have a metal lip which catches errant water and runs it back into the tub.
     Dear Ken: I have an 18 year old wood fireplace with an added gas log set. Can I use my gas log to light a wood fire above it? John     I don't think you should. For one thing, the controls for the gas log aren't designed to have burning embers dumped on them. Also, the tiny holes in the burner itself will soon plug up with soot. You may be thinking of the so-called log lighters. These consist of a steel pipe with holes drilled on one side shoved directly into the firebox under a log grate. The valve is outside, perhaps mounted inside the wall. You simply turn it, throw in a match, then WHUMP-a gas fire to light up even the dampest log. Trouble is, you may have a hard time convincing your local building authority that it's safe. There are very few approved and labeled versions-especially for indoor use.
Speaking of fireplaces...
      Dear Ken: The pilot light in my gas fireplace comes on then goes out, over and over. Can I fix this myself? Larry     You can try. There is a thermocouple tip that protrudes into the blue pilot flame. It can get dirty with scale over time. Carefully remove the glass door-with one person on each side-and lay it on some newsprint. Use an emery file to scratch the thermocouple tip so it's clean and shiny. Also, make sure it's bracket is straight and parallel with the pilot light tube.      Dear Ken: One of the springs on my garage door is broken. Is this something I can do myself? Mark I wouldn't. Those springs are wound up to a really high degree of tension so they can lift the door (actually the electric opener contributes only a small portion of the lift-the springs do almost all of the work). When they are installed they are wound up with a steel bar hand-over-hand. One slip or a moment of inattention, and you've got a broken arm-or worse. So, leave this job to the experts. By the way, you need to replace both springs when one breaks, so the lift is even on both sides. Also, there are heavy and light duty versions; the ratings are based on the number of cycles you can expect before it breaks again. Sometimes the garage door company will throw in the heavy duty version at the same price if you catch them at a weak moment.