May 15, 2021
Dear Ken: My house needs a new water heater. Mine is about 12 years old, and I seem to remember that you recommend replacing a 40 gallon with a 50. Is that right? Charles
I think it’s a good idea. You’ll only pay about $100 more for the larger size; it’s worth it to have that extra supply of hot water if you’re doing two things at once, like taking a shower and perhaps washing a load of clothes.
But why replace it at all right now? I don’t believe in throwing away a perfectly operating water heater until it actually decides to give up the ghost. Twelve years old is decidedly not ancient for any name brand water heater. So I would wait until the tank starts dribbling out of the bottom before you replace. You’ll still be able to get hot water for a few days, but the puddle under the tank will tell you it’s time to shop around for a new one.
Dear Ken: I have stubborn appliqués stuck to my shower floor. I’ve tried WD-40, Goof Off and bleach. Any other ideas? Diane
Why not try heat? Wave a hair dryer set on LOW over the stick-ons (don’t linger in one spot too long, or you risk cracking the shower base). They will probably release after a while. For whatever residue is left, try a little Goo Gone brand solvent.
Dear Ken: I want to update my wiring. I have two outside outlets. Can I use just one of those as GFI outlets or do I need two? Gary
If you can figure out which way they are fed—that is, which outlet is “upstream” (closest to the panel)—you can insert a GFI into its opening, and wire the second to the load side of the new one. That way you’ll have protection for both. How can you figure all this out? You’ll have to disconnect the wires to each one and see which one is “hot”. It’s fairly complicated and a little dangerous, so if you’re at all uncomfortable around live wires, please call an electrician.
GFI (ground fault) outlets weren’t required in new homes until about 1974, and then only around bathroom sinks, in the garage and on outside locations—including garden sheds. Gradually, we added kitchen and bar sinks plus the laundry and sump pumps to the list. So if you don’t have these safety devices controlling the outlets around all these “wet” areas, it’s a good idea to install them now. It’s pretty cheap protection; you can buy them in a 3-pack for around $10 each.
Dear Ken: I’ve heard you talk about using a whole house fan plus central A/C. Do you run them both at the same time? Alan.
Not unless you like to waste money. Here’s the most cost efficient way to use them both. Monitor the outside temperature in the evening. When it gets lower than the setting on your thermostat, then start your whole house fan. That way, the house will be kept at or below your temperature preference without running that expensive compressor. In addition, the attic will then be cooled down from its daytime high. Remember, the whole house fan only has to run for twenty minutes or so to get the job done.
One precaution. The whole house fan pulls hundreds of cubic feet of air per minute into the house. But if the openings aren’t sufficient, it might seek to pull it down through the water heater, which can suck fumes into the living space. So provide plenty of incoming air for the fan to circulate—the patio and front doors plus the windows in other rooms you want to cool down
Dear Ken: Our deck faces southwest and I’m having a problem keeping it looking good. Stains just don’t last that long, so I’m thinking of a gray carpet over it. What do you think? Mel
I’m against it. Carpeting absorbs and holds moisture almost year around. That means the wood underneath it never has a chance to “breathe” and dry out. That will prematurely age your deck boards and the joists underneath. Even redwood has a hard time surviving these wet conditions, and it, too, will eventually start to deteriorate.
Plan on using a good oil- or water- based stain (not a water sealer) each spring (choose a tinted version, not clear). Every third or fourth year you’ll have to strip off the finish with one of the deck brightening chemicals before you recoat.
Alternatively, you could install one of the composite (plastic) deck systems. They are fairly pricey, but virtually maintenance–free and come with warranties of 20 years or more. Before you install the new boards, apply some Ice and Water Shield tar paper to the top of each joist to eliminate that perpetual wet spot that also leads to rotted wood.
Finally, it’s a good idea to use pump sprayer on the underside of your deck every few years to protect those same joists from water dripping through the deck boards.
Dear Ken: You had said you had a homemade daily shower cleaning recipe. Could you repeat it? Ellen
This was an entry into our Tip of the Week contest on the radio show. A listener uses a spray bottle filled with water and some liquid dishwasher detergent plus that rinse agent you put in the dispenser in the door. It performs the same wetting agent duties as the pricey daily sprays you buy at the grocery store, but at essentially no cost. He was a little unsure of the proportions; just “a squirt and a dash” kind of thing. So you’ll have to experiment. I would start with ½ teaspoon of each in a large spray bottle. Let me know how it works.
