Paneling Can Be Painted
QUESTION: Several years ago, I paneled three rooms with dark, low-priced paneling. Now, I would like to paint the paneling a lighter color to brighten the rooms. Will this require a special paint? What treatment, if any, should I give the paneling prior to painting? Should I use a brush or a roller?
ANSWER: Prior to painting, the walls should be cleaned thoroughly. If these are kitchen or bathroom walls, they may have become grease- or scum-coated. Wash them down with a detergent solution on a nearly dry cloth to remove the coating without delaminating the paneling.
If the walls are dry, make sure they are dust-free to avoid lumps in the paint job. They should then be covered with an oil-base paint primer--one that will not allow the stain on the panels to bleed through. Some stains contain a dye that can be dissolved by paint or primer and dark stains like yours can show through the primer coat.
Before priming, try out a small, obscure area to see if the stain bleeds through. If it doesn’t, then prime all the walls using either brush or roller. Let the primer coat dry completely before applying the finish coat because even slightly damp primer cannot seal properly. Once the walls are sealed with primer, put on a finish coat.
If the stain does bleed through the primer, you will have to use a stain-suppressing primer. There are several brands of these. One is called Under Cover, manufactured by Parks Corp., (800) 225-8543. It costs about $17 per gallon.
The Toilet Tank Sweats: A Pair of Solutions
Q: How come our toilet tank sweats? It gets so bad it forms a puddle on the floor. Leaving the lid up or down doesn’t seem to matter. Any suggestions?
A: A toilet sweats because its surface is cool and moisture in the air condenses on it. The wall of the toilet is cooled by the water standing in the bowl and the tank.
There are two ways to prevent sweating. One is to install an insulation kit available at hardware stores and home centers. The insulation is rigid foam, and it’s placed along the walls on the inside of the tank. By preventing the cool water from touching the wall of the tank, the insulation keeps the tank’s surface temperature warm enough to prevent condensation from forming. These kits do not solve the problem of condensation that forms on the bowl, however.
The other method is to have a plumber install a valve and pipe to introduce a small amount of hot water into the cold-water feed line to the tank.
Water Heater Goes Bump in the Night
Q: Our 8-year-old propane gas-fired water heater has been making crackling and bumping noises. The noises start when hot water is drawn and continue for a time after the flow stops. Can you help?
A: Your appliance has a condition that is common among old water heaters: the formation of sediment and scale on the base of the tank.
Manufacturers suggest that a few quarts of water be drained from the heater periodically to help remove the deposits. But this is not always effective, and if sufficient deposits accumulate, a rumbling or pounding sound can be heard when the heater is firing. It’s not dangerous but can be annoying. Also, the deposits reduce the heater’s efficiency.