Sealant Should Throw Ammonia Off the Scent

Question: Some time ago we stripped off the wallpaper in our guest room and weren’t able to get all of the old paste off the walls. We used solvents and scraped it, but finally we just painted over it with latex paint. Now, there’s a strong scent of ammonia in the room that comes and goes. What can we do?

C.K.

Newport Beach

Answer: “The odor could be caused by a chemical reaction of the solvents and the paint,” says Jim Livingston of Paint & Paper House in Placentia. “If you still like the paint job in the room, you may have some success by applying a sealant. Available at most paint stores, you just apply it with a brush and it will seal in any odors coming from the wall.”

Q: I bought a 33-year-old house last summer that has pretty good insulation, except for the old-fashioned jalousie or slat windows in the bathrooms. How can I keep the weather from getting in?

L.T.

La Palma

A: “Unfortunately, those windows are common in homes about that age and they do waste a lot of energy,” says George Holleran of Maley’s Glass in Anaheim. “There is some special weatherstripping available to correct them. It’s a clear plastic strip that you attach to the edge of each glass slat. When you crank the window closed, it creates a fairly tight seal that insulates much better than a slat window without weatherstripping.”

Q: I bought some redwood patio furniture two years ago that’s developed a dark finish. I’m interested in buying more of it, but what will keep it from turning color? Should I bring it in the garage at night?

B.C.

Huntington Beach

A: “Taking it inside all the time sounds like a lot of trouble, and probably won’t help much,” says woodworker Alan Nater from Orange. “Redwood and cedar are very soft woods and anytime they’re exposed to the elements, they’ll decay if they’re not properly sealed. On your new furniture, you can apply a clear finish to protect it from water. Since you probably have more salt in the air in Huntington Beach than in other cities, you might want to use one of the sealants recommended for marine use.”

Q: I want to install a new toilet in one of our bathrooms, but the old bolts are rusted and locked down, and I don’t see how they’re going to be screwed off the studs. Any suggestions?

A.G.

Fullerton

A: “You might try some old-fashioned penetrating oil,” says plumber Matt Evans of Santa Ana. “Put a few drops on the top of the bolt, then take a small wire brush and try to brush the threads clean, and keep repeating that a few times. What you’ll be doing is creating some space for that nut to come up, but you’ll also be creating some vibration in the bolt, which will help work the oil down into the threads at the bottom. Keep working at it like that and you should be successful. Remember, anything is better than having to cut those bolts off.”