Home Improvement : If Toilet Tank ‘Sweats’ Link to Hot Water Line
QUESTION: All summer long our toilet tank sweats and drips water, especially when it’s humid. We’ve tried several products, but they only work for short periods. One plumber suggested that we hook up the tank to the hot-water line, but others had never heard of this. Who’s right?
ANSWER: The plumber knows his business. When warm, moist room air hits your water-cooled tank and bowl, condensation forms. Tell your plumber to install a mixing valve that will flush your toilet with room-temperature water (not straight hot water). The valve can be adjusted to maintain the correct water temperature without wasting hot water.
Urethene Foam Not Recommended for Attic
Q: My insulation installer recommended urethane foam in my attic. He claims that 1 inch of urethane will equate an R-30 value. He claims that’s a lot better than fiberglass because 6 inches of fiberglass can’t get anywhere near that R-value. But I have heard that plastic foams should be avoided.
A: You’d better change installers. Never even consider using foam in the attic. The material was developed for use in walls or on flat roofs (mainly commercial ones). By the way, don’t confuse all “foams” with urea-formaldehyde, which the Consumer Product Safety Commission has deemed harmful to your health. Most foams, however, are flammable and certain precautions must be taken.
Interior Room Vapors Cause Blisters on Siding
Q: We installed redwood siding 26 years ago, and painted it with the best exterior oil paint. Every spring since, paint blisters and red stains appear. We’ve sanded the siding and applied latex paint over the best undercoat available. But we still have the same blistering, peeling and red stain problem. Any ideas?
A: I believe interior room moisture (vapor) is passing through your walls and popping the paint. You need to treat the interior walls so warm, moist air won’t pass through to the outside.
Apply an interior paint designed to minimize the flow of moisture, or place a polyethylene vapor barrier between the studs and the drywall. Once you’ve corrected the moisture problem, scrape off the blistered paint and sand the wood bare. Prime the blistered area with an oil-base primer, then repaint the entire area. Note: Primers containing zinc are sensitive to water and should not be used on redwood.
Latex or other water-base primers should not be used on woods containing water-soluble extractives (natural moisture that can be drawn out), such as redwood or cedar. The water in the primer base will cause bleeding stains. Latex top coats may be applied over an oil primer.
Seek Engineer’s Advice Before Moving Column
Q: A support column in my basement is right in the way of my new pool table. Is there any way to remove that column without causing a sag in the floor above?
A: As your drawing shows a girder joint over the column in question, I believe that removing the column would cause total collapse. Your problem can be corrected, but to make absolutely certain you should seek the services of a professional engineer.
For further information on any home problem, write to Popular Mechanics, Readers Service Bureau, 224 W. 57th St., New York, N.Y. 10019.