November 23, 2009

 
             Dear Ken:   I have a tri-level house.  The lower room is always maybe 10 degrees colder than the rest  rest of the house.  What to do?                     Sharon
 
            Tri-levels are unique because their stairways are always out in the open.  Heat rises, and so accumulates up in the bedroom area.   The key here is to mix up the air masses on all levels.   Start with a ceiling fan in the upper hallway, blowing downward in the winter heating season.   That will force air down the stairwell.  Also, keep the bedroom doors shut as much as possible.  Is there a cold air return at floor leveling that lower room?  If not, it's relatively inexpensive to add one.  That will suck air into that space on its way back to the furnace.  It also helps to turn the furnace fan to the always ON setting.
            You may another heat source in the family room.  If it has a gas log set, add a fan underneath.  If not, buy a high-efficiency portable electric heater.   Either of these solutions can save money-since you can turn down the heat in the rest of the house while you cuddle in that lower-now warmer-room.
 
            Dear Ken:   I have a septic tank-and I also have a sewer odor.  You talked about extending the events. How high can you go?        Steve
            Septic tanks are also a unique situation.  Unlike us city folks, your sewage stays "at home".   So the vents on the roof can bring that nasty smell out of the tank and send it floating all over the yard.  Try extending each vent pipe-starting with the most likely culprit-a foot at a time, by gluing a coupling and short piece of pipe on to its end (stop at about three more-at the most).  Don't mix up varieties.  If you have black (ABS) pipe or white (PVC), stick with like-for-like.
            Be patient:  you'll have to wait awhile after each fix to see if it can handle a variety of wind directions and velocities.  One other alternative:  go to www.sweetvent.com to check out a charcoal filter system you can glue on these same vent pipes.  But first, check with the plumbing code authorities in your area to see if this method is approved.
 
            Dear Ken:   I have scheduled a company to come upgrade my attic insulation.  I have a cathedral ceiling, and they want to blow in new stuff all the way to the top of the rafters.  Is that OK?
            I would prefer a little air space (say 3 inches minimum) above the top of the new insulation.  Why?  We don't want to trap excess heat under the shingles.  Captured heat from the sun-especially if yours is a darker roof color-will get caught under the roof sheathing and slowly "cook" the shingles.  That loosens the substrate than holds those little grit particles on the surface.  And that leads to blistering-thousands of little bare, black spots that considerably shorten the life of the roof system.     Dan
 
            Dear Ken:   When I flush or wash on the top floor of my house, the 1st  floor shower drain starts to smell bad.    Do I need a sewer company?
            Maybe not.  First, is the lower bath a seldom-used facility?  If so, you should run a couple of quarts of cold water into the shower and lavatory drains once a week.  That will fill up the traps so they can seal out city sewer gas.
            If that's not the case, you may need a good drain cleaner.  Shower drains get full of hair strands and other gunk that siphon that same trap water out of the way.  I like to use plumber's acid (a strong sulfuric variety).  Look for a brand called Liquid Lightning some Wal Marts and Home Depots.  There are also some new, so-called biodegradable versions of enzymatic drain cleaners that are more sewer-system-friendly, but, alas, may not be as efficacious as the acid.           David