When Gas Burners Don’t Automatically Ignite, Try Cleaning

Question: We have a 10-year-old gas range that has worked fine except for one problem that’s recently developed. All but one of the burners don’t automatically ignite, and I need to light them with a match. What could be keeping them from starting?

H.D.

Los Alamitos

Answer: “It’s going to depend on whether it’s a range with a pilot light or if it has an electronic ignition,” says Tom Houlihan of Orange County Appliance Parts in Garden Grove. “If it’s a range that has a pilot light, and the light is on, there could be a blockage in the spud or in the holes, and this can be cleaned out. When it’s dirty the head then fills with gas and it isn’t being ignited by the pilot light. If it were pilotless, you may need to clean off the electrodes and take off any grease or dirt that may have accumulated.”

Q: We found an inexpensive Berber throw rug at the swap meet that we’d like to use on the wood floor in our den. I’d like to use some kind of padding underneath it to make it seem thicker, but a friend warned against using any kind of rubber padding on wood. Does rubber damage wood?

F.F.

Costa Mesa

A: “Foam rubber padding is fine for wood,” says carpet installer Jay Rodgers of Santa Ana. “In that situation, your main concern should be to find a pad that’s thick enough to give the rug some bulk, but not so thick that it lifts the carpet from the floor too high and looks unnatural. Check with carpet shops about remnants they may have to fit your rug, and get a pad that’s about an inch short in width and length.”

Q: We recently bought a townhome and need to replace the washers in the bathtub and shower. However, I haven’t been able to locate the water shut-off valves for these. Where are they?

T.Y.

Placentia

A: “Unlike detached, single-family homes, condos and townhomes often have their water shut-offs in a common location,” says Ted Blanke of Central Plumbing and Heating Supply in La Habra. “First, check in your garage to see if the water pipe leading to your unit is there. If not, you may want to call your property manager or check with a neighbor to see if they can help. Generally those fixtures don’t have separate shut-offs and you need to turn off the main water valve leading to the house.”

Q: I did some painting in my house three years ago and I’m getting ready to do more this spring. In looking over my equipment, I noticed some of the brushes have become a little stiff. I flexed them back and forth and got rid of some of the old paint, but I was wondering if there’s any way I can make them like new again.

D.W.

San Clemente

A: “I hope they were inexpensive brushes, because you may just have to throw them away,” says painter Steve Hernandez of Huntington Beach. “A good brush needs to be absorbent, and when paint dries on a brush it takes away that absorbency. Not only that, the brush won’t be putting an even coat where you need it. It’s always a hassle cleaning brushes, but it’s really necessary. A good brush should last a lifetime if you take care of it by spending 10 minutes or more at the sink washing a brush with soap and water to get all of the paint off.”

Q: To prepare for earthquakes, I’m in the process of securing cabinets and large pieces of furniture to the wall with hooks and chains.

In a couple of spots, I’ve put hooks in armoires right through knots in the wood. Is this safe, considering all the shaking that goes on in a quake?

W.S.

Santa Ana

A: “I think I would have avoided the knots,” says woodworker Ed Staley of Westminster. “Unless the base of the hook screws in deep enough so that it connects with the wood underneath, I’d move them just because for strength you want to go into the base of the wood, and you’re not getting that by securing just the knots.”