INSIDE & OUT : How Filters Make Water Come Clean

Q: We spend about $10 per month buying bottled or vended drinking water. I’d be interested in knowing if installing a water-softening or treatment unit would be worth doing.

D.C.

Orange

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A: There are many types of water treatments available, it just depends on what your budget is, said Joel Gwartz of B.J. Discount Plumbing & Heating Supply in Garden Grove. The best type of water treatment is a reverse-osmosis system, in which water is pushed through a membrane to remove minute particles, odors and minerals and then stored in a tank. However, it’s not an efficient process.

For every gallon of pure water that’s created, about three gallons are poured down the drain. It’s not practical, of course, for your entire house to be hooked up to a system like this because you don’t need pure water to bathe or wash clothes. Expect to pay at least $200 for a reverse-osmosis system.

If you don’t like the smell and taste of your water, which is usually because of the chlorine that’s used, you can install a charcoal filter, generally for less than $100, that will improve your water’s taste.

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Q: We bought a house last year that has a fairly new, good quality ceiling fan in the family room. It’s controlled by a four-speed wall switch. We recently noticed that only two of the speeds now work--low and high. How do we find out if this is a problem with the switch or the fan?

J.C.

Lake Forest

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A: It could be in either unit, but start with the switch, said Bob Owenby of A-1 Fans in Anaheim. It could be that the switch is burned out on the two medium speeds, or it could be a problem with the transformer. Some of the newer switches are run by a computer, in which case a circuit board or the switch itself needs to be replaced. It’s not going to be easy finding a four-speed switch now, since most of the manufacturers are making simpler three-speed switches.

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Q: I’m going to be doing some painting and minor remodeling in one of my bathrooms, and someone told me I should make sure I use a silicone caulk around the windows, toilet and the medicine chest. Is that really necessary?

H.J.

Santa Ana

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A: There are so many different types of caulk on the market, it can be confusing when you’re trying to figure out what type you need, said Frank Eckert of Arrow True Value Hardware in Orange. Silicone caulk is generally very flexible and durable, making it a good choice for exterior use. You may find that a simple tub-and-tile caulk will work well for use around the medicine chest and window. Look for a caulk that can be sanded and painted and is recommended for the projects you’ll be working on.

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Q: We’d like to put Mexican paver tiles in our bathroom, but are these OK to use in an area where you’ll find lots of moisture?

K.P.

Huntington Beach

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A: They’re fine for use in a bathroom, as long as they’re properly sealed, said Gloria Richey of Tile Importers in Anaheim. Without sealing them, you may find they’ll easily collect stains and mildew. Some people choose not to because they think sealing them will give their pavers a glossy finish. However, there are some excellent low-sheen sealers available that protect without leaving much of a shine.

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Q: I recently put a wallpaper border across the top walls in my bedroom. After it dried, however, several little air pockets appeared. I tried getting them out by popping them with a pin but that didn’t work. Any ideas?

P.Y.

Yorba Linda

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A: Take a sharp razor blade and carefully etch an ‘X’ in the center of the bubble, said paperhanger Shirley Emmons of Westminster. Apply a little paste to the inside edges and smooth it out, taking care that you’re not wrinkling the pattern.

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If you have a question about your home or garden, A Helping Hand will help you find the answer. Send questions to: John Morell, Home Design, The Times Orange County, 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626.