Right Tools Make It Easier to Chip Off the Old Block
Question: I have some used red brick from the 1800s that I’d like to use to build a sidewalk. However, I’m having problems chipping the mortar off the bricks. It doesn’t chip off like cement does. Any suggestions?
N.A.
Fountain Valley
Answer: “Unfortunately, chipping it off is the only way it’s going to come off effectively,” says Steve Sink of Angelus Quarries Building Material in Santa Ana. “Make sure you’re using the right tools. Get a brick hammer, which has a chisel-like edge on one end that you can use to scrape off the old mortar.
“You’ll probably break a few of the bricks but after a while you’ll get the hang of it. After you get the majority of the mortar off, you can use some muriatic acid on the brick, which will burn away the rest of it.”
Q: I have two bathrooms next to each other and both toilets overflow when flushed. I’ve removed the toilets and checked them, as well as the stack for obstructions. I’ve also had the primary and secondary drain lines and vents cleared and have adjusted the floats to the fill line, all to no avail. These are the original toilets in the house, which is 45 years old. Any suggestions?
R.K.
Fullerton
A: “From all that you’ve done, you’d expect the problem would be solved,” says Joel Gwartz of B.J. Discount Plumbing and Heating Supply in Garden Grove. “I’m wondering about the drain lines to the sewer. You have to be sure that whoever cleared the lines did a good job, because there still may be something in there causing an obstruction.
“If you’re sure the lines and vents are clear, the problem has to be in the toilets. Older toilets will get build-ups of lime and scale deposits that prevent a strong flush. It’s a matter of going back and checking your work.”
Q: My 2-year-old cast-iron bathroom sink is beginning to rust around the drain. Why is this happening and what can I do?
H.B.
Garden Grove
A: “That sounds unusual for a cast-iron sink that’s so new,” says Dennis Rysdam of Faucets N’ Fixtures in Orange. “Generally, they don’t rust unless they’ve been abused and something has broken the porcelain. However, if you said the sink was made of pressed steel, I would say that’s a fairly common problem.
“You may want to call the place you bought it to see if it actually is cast iron and not pressed steel. To remove the rust, try using some naval jelly, which is available at most hardware stores. You can also try using a rust inhibitor that will prevent it from spreading.”
Q: We have a 10-year-old brass-plated headboard that is in need of replating. We are wondering whether it’s more cost-effective to replate the headboard or buy a new one.
D.C.
Huntington Beach
A: “Unless it’s an antique or it has some sentimental value, I’d recommend buying a new one,” says of Brett Pio of Hixson Metal Finishing in Newport Beach. “Much of the brass plating that’s done is cheap, and it tarnishes or nicks easily. People think that replating will hide dents or scratches but it doesn’t. It would cost around $225 to replate a headboard, which may be much more than it’s worth.”
Q: Our kitchen cabinets in our 15-year-old townhome have a horrible musty odor. They’re varnished wood, but they are the original cabinets, and I don’t think they’re made of very good quality wood. We tried sanding the insides and varnishing them, which worked for about a year, but now the odor’s coming back. Any ideas?
J.L.
Huntington Beach
A: “It sounds like a mildew problem,” says Charlie K. of Tustin Paint Mart. “This isn’t uncommon in areas where you have a lot of dampness on pressed wood, which is often used to make the insides of many cabinets. Try taking a solution of bleach and water and a sponge and washing the insides, taking care to let the cabinets dry out.
“If possible, you might want to drill a few holes through the bottom of the cabinet or anywhere they won’t be conspicuous to help air circulate inside to keep the mildew from forming.”
