Repairing Vinyl Floor Seams Is an Easy Job
QUESTION: Our vinyl floor is separating at the seams in some areas. What’s the best way of repairing this condition?
ANSWER: You can close simple tears and separated seams in vinyl flooring by buying an inexpensive seam-sealing kit. Make sure it’s the same brand as your vinyl. In some cases you’ll need to re-glue the vinyl to the floor. While this is easy enough to do, it’s usually not required. In any case, you simply apply a little flooring mastic to the undersides of the separated vinyl and press it back in place. To keep it there while it dries, set several books or a brick on the seam or tear for a day or so.
With the vinyl stuck firmly in place, insert the applicator tip of the sealer bottle into the seam or tear, and pull it along until the entire seam or tear has a coating of sealer. Allow it to dry completely before resuming traffic in that area.
How Much Ventilation Does Attic Fan Need?
Q: I am considering installing an electric attic fan in my roof. I’ve been told that because I have only small openings in the gable ends of my house, I’ll need more ventilating holes for the fan to work properly. How much venting is needed for the turbine vents which are turned by the wind? Would this be a better solution to my problem?
A: The FHA Minimum Property Standards require that 1/150 of the ceiling area be free ventilating area. A 20- by 30-foot ceiling equals 600 square feet. Multiplied by 1/150, that equals 4 square feet of vents. You can reduce this to 1/300 of the ceiling area if 50% of the ventilators are in the upper portion of the roof. They must be at least 3 feet above the eave or cornice vents. You can also reduce the square footage area by the same amount if there is a vapor barrier not exceeding one perm on the warm side of the ceiling. An electric-powered fan will move air more effectively than a wind turbine.
What’s Causing Painted Clapboard to Blister?
Q: I had my clapboard siding painted about three months ago and the paint is now starting to blister. The boards were scraped, sanded and primed before painting, and a good quality paint was used on the job. What could be causing this problem?
A: Paint blisters are caused by two factors--painting when it’s very hot or in direct sunlight, or by moisture. In the former case, the blisters form very quickly--no more than a couple of days. Your problem is more likely caused by moisture in the form of water vapor that is trapped inside the walls. The moisture, which originates from cooking, baths, showers, etc., seeks to escape by penetrating right through your siding and pushing off the exterior paint in the process.
Allow the moisture to escape through a path of lesser resistance by opening windows after you shower, installing exhaust fans and installing vents in the siding.
