Home Improvement : Tire Does Trick in Unsticking Parts

QUESTION: I would like to re place some worn parts in my washing machine, but the agitator is just about impossible to remove. I don’t want to force and possibly break anything. Do you know a way to get out the agitator?

ANSWER: To remove a tightly fitted agitator or one that has become firmly glued in place by soap residue, first unplug the washer and remove the agitator cap. Then, if there is room between the bottom edge of the agitator and the tub bottom, work a completely deflated bicycle tire in underneath the agitator. Distribute the tube as uniformly around the agitator as possible. Leave the valve stem sticking out and attach a hand pump or mini-air compressor to it.

Gradually pump up the tube. It shouldn’t take much pressure because the agitator’s surface area is large. The agitator will let go with a pop. This method won’t harm the agitator, since the force is not concentrated and is fairly evenly distributed around its circumference.

Of course, this method can also be used to separate other stuck parts on appliances if applied carefully. It is certainly far less likely to damage parts than attempting to pry them apart would.

Whole House Fan Size Easy to Figure

Q: I own a Cape Cod house with a full rear dormer for the two upstairs bedrooms. My low-pitched roof restricts clearance so that I can’t use a gable-end whole house fan.

I’d like to have an airflow of 8,400 cubic feet per minute, which is the volume of livable space both upstairs and down. Can I install a permanent fan or window unit that would provide the airflow I want?

A: Your 8,400 cubic feet of livable space must be divided by 2 because you have a two-level house. (To help vent it, open the lower windows during the day, and the upper windows at night.) Thus, you’re really venting only half the livable space at a time. Multiply this 4,200 cubic feet by 30 (changes per hour for good summertime ventilation) and divide by 60 (minutes per hour). This accounts for a required flow of 2,100 cubic feet per minute.

A much simpler way of figuring required fan size is to use square feet of area. Dividing your house’s volume of 8,400 cubic feet by a room height of 8 feet would give you 1,050 square feet of house.

You can install a ceiling fan in the space over your stairs in the upstairs hall. You could use a 24-inch fan, but we would suggest a 30-inch fan, since it runs at lower revolutions per minute than the smaller unit.

This makes for quieter operation, minimizes motor wear and saves electricity. However, the 30-inch fan requires air-discharge openings (gable-end and soffit vents) totaling 6.8 square feet. The 24-inch fan requires fewer openings.

Aside from the electrical work, which may be a little tricky, this is definitely a do-it-yourself job. You can hire a licensed electrician after you’ve installed the vents.