Leaking Water Can Be Heard but Not Seen

Q There’s a sound of dripping water that comes from my guest bathroom even when the tap is closed. I’ve had plumbers check for leakage, but they’ve found none, and the sound seems to be getting worse. The house has a slab foundation, and all the plumbing is underground. Any ideas on what this could be?

W.F.W.

Corona

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A When you hear the dripping and your water heater isn’t refilling with water, check your water meter, says Ron Albright of Albright Plumbing & Heating Supply in Los Alamitos. The dials will be moving if any water is flowing through the system, and that will confirm it’s a drip.

In a worst-case scenario, what you may be hearing is a slab leak, in which water is dripping from the pipes in the wall onto the slab. Double-check to make sure no water is inside the cabinets or on the floors. Plumbers have sophisticated equipment to detect slab leaks. You may need to have this done to your home.

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Q When installing new glass into a wooden window, how do professionals apply the putty around the edges so that it doesn’t smear?

E.A.

Newport Beach

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A After the putty is mixed properly, take a blob and roll it until you have a long “snake,” says Katy Jackson of Maley’s Glass & Mirror in Anaheim. Force it into place along the window edge with your thumb. Take a wide putty knife, slant it and run it firmly and cleanly along the edge just once.

You could also try dipping the putty knife in water before running it along the edge, because that might make the process smoother. Don’t make the mistake of going over the putty line over and over again, and be sure to let the putty set at least two days before cleaning the window.

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Q How does one remove perfume and cologne stains from dresser tops? Is there a way to do this without refinishing the surface?

L.M.

Newport Beach

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A That is determined by how deep the stains are, says Mark Bausman of Bausman & Father Furniture Refinishing in Huntington Beach. If the stains have penetrated the finish, you may have to refinish the piece to remove them. If they’ve just left white spots and rings in the finish, that means that moisture has gotten under the surface of the finish.

You might want to try a product designed to remove white spots, such as Howard’s Restore-a-Finish, which is available at most hardware stores and which penetrates the spots and recolors the wood underneath.

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Q Our doors have brass hardware that has tarnished over time. What’s the best way to clean the lock, hinges, handle, etc.? Removing them and taking them to a metal polisher is expensive, and they become tarnished again quickly.

M.S.

Costa Mesa

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A If your hardware is made of solid brass, you may want to have them polished again and then have them clear-coated, says hardware installer Andy Gerwitz of Fullerton.

Cheaper brass-plated hardware won’t hold up to polishing, and it’s probably best to use a brass cleaning product on them and then coat it. A polyurethane clear coat won’t preserve the look of your brass forever, but it will protect the finish for a longer period than just leaving it exposed to the elements.

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Q We had cultured marble installed over our bathtub and on a wall adjacent to the tub five years ago. We’ve noticed that the marble has separated from the wall. We’ve tried gluing the panels with a spray contact adhesive, but that didn’t hold. What else should we try?

T.L.

San Clemente

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A First, you’ll want to figure out why they came off in the first place, says contractor Dave Stieg of Santa Ana. On panels like that, the usual cause is moisture getting in through the top or sides, or from the other side of the wall.

It’s probably best if you pull the panels off to see if water is coming in from the other side. If everything looks dry, sand down any old mastic on the panels or wall and reapply new mastic in its place. Firmly set the panels against the wall, and when dry, use a good silicone waterproof caulk around the top and edges to prevent moisture from getting to the wall.

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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.