Sewer Vents May Be Cause of OdorsQuestion:...

Sewer Vents May Be Cause of Odors

Question: There is a musty odor throughout my mobile home, particularly by the door in the kitchen, and I don’t know where it’s coming from. All of the drains seem fine and the carpet is new and we have no pets. Any ideas?

J.W.

Santa Ana

Answer: “It’s not uncommon to find odd odors in a mobile home, but tracking them down can be a problem,” says Beth Land of Midway Mobile in Anaheim. “After several years, there’s usually enough sludge buildup in the sewer vents that, with the heavy night air, the fumes remain down near the roof and are picked up by the furnace or air conditioner, which circulate it throughout the coach. This is often solved by raising the vent pipes up higher on the roof, or cleaning out the sludge.”

Q: My concrete garage floor is sloped lower than the asphalt driveway, and when it rains, water rolls into the garage. I had a rubber seal placed on the bottom of my new garage door, but this doesn’t seem to be helping the problem. Are there any solutions besides replacing the driveway or garage floor?

C.L.

La Habra

A: “It’s going to depend on the severity of the slope,” says Bill Sink of Angelus Building Supply in Santa Ana. “If it’s no more than a half-inch, you may be able to build the area up so that it falls away from the garage with a combination of cement, sand and concrete adhesive. However, if the slope is too great, the driveway or garage will have to be redone so that water isn’t draining through the door.”

Q: I have a 14-year-old home with a nice brick patio and barbecue. I’d like to put up a low brick wall with the same ridged bricks, but haven’t had any luck finding them. Would it be worth finding someone to make what I need in this pattern?

B.M.

Yorba Linda

A: “You may want to check with some brick outlets first,” says Ken Newland of Tustin Block. “Ridged bricks are available, it’s just that you won’t find much of a selection of them at the local hardware warehouse store. An independent brick dealer will have a wider selection of brick styles available. Having a particular brick made will be very expensive, and if you find that it’s not sold anymore, you may need to get a brick that matches.”

Q: A year ago when I installed a new water heater, I had a hard time hooking up the vent that fits on top. I noticed that the vent has come off, but before I put it back up, I was wondering that since the water heater is in the garage, do I really need it to be vented outside?

S.S.

San Clemente

A: “Absolutely,” says Ted Blanke of Central Plumbing & Heating Supply in La Habra. “You’ve got a monoxide gas being released, which can be deadly. If the garage is attached to the house, the gas could find a way into the living areas. The best way to install a vent is to hook it up and connect it together with sheet metal screws at each joint so that it doesn’t separate. Many times people will store boxes or material near a water heater and these could bump into the vent pipe and disturb it. Check to see that the area is clear.”

Q: I want to spray-paint my mailbox white, but in my previous experience with spray painting, I’ve never been able to get good, even coats. What should I do to get it right?

R.C.

Seal Beach

A: “The key is to spray multiple, thin coats,” says Jim Grant of Dutch Boy Home Decorating Center in Santa Ana. “Many people make the mistake of applying a thick coat of paint thinking they won’t have to spray it again, but when you do it that way you’ll have a problem with runs and missed areas. You’ll have to spray over the area, let it dry according to the manufacturer’s instructions, and then re-spray.”