Plug in Dryer Vent Can Reduce Drafts

Question: We are trying to tighten up our home for the winter and are tracking down and eliminating sources of drafts. The doors and windows were no problem, but we noticed a draft coming from our clothes dryer vent. What’s the best way to handle this situation?

Answer: An open dryer vent leading to the outside of the house can be a significant source of drafts and heat leakage. If yours is an electric dryer, check with a heating expert about the possibility of connecting the dryer vent to the furnace return duct, thus saving the heat generated by the dryer, which is otherwise lost out the vent.

Do not vent the dryer directly into the laundry area, as dryer air is damp and you risk an indoor condensation problem.

Gas dryers should remain vented to the outdoors.

To seal off the dryer vent permanently or for occasional use, merely disconnect the flexible dryer exhaust pipe from the wall opening and pack the opening with fiberglass insulation. Enclose the insulation in a small muslin sack if it is to be removed often. Remove the insulation and reconnect the pipe each time you use the dryer.

Fixing Door’s Veneer Requires Careful Work

Q: We had to trim the bottom of our hollow-core door so that it would clear new carpeting we had installed. We tried not to damage the veneer on the door by first scoring the cut line with a sharp utility knife guided by a straightedge. In spite of this, we did break away some of the surface. What’s the best way to fix this?

A: To fix the splintered area of the veneer, you’ll need to first lift the broken wood away from the door with a putty knife and apply glue to re-secure the veneer.

Use a small tube of white carpenter’s glue or buy a glue injector with a needle applicator at a wallcovering store. The needle applicator will let you reach well under the veneer without damaging any delicate slivers of wood.

After applying the glue, clamp the area until the glue dries. Use a strip of wood as a clamping pad to distribute the pressure evenly and cover the veneer with a piece of scrap plastic sheeting to prevent the wood strip from becoming glued to the door.

When the glue has dried, remove the clamp and apply a coat of latex wood patcher. The patcher shrinks a bit when it dries, so you may need to repeat this process once or twice to achieve a level surface. Avoid spreading the patcher beyond the repaired area.

When the patcher is dry, sand with fine sandpaper. Use a sanding block to ensure that the surface stays flat. Check the job for smoothness by gently sliding your hand across the surface.

If the door was originally stained and varnished, buy a stain that matches the original color. If you have a scrap piece of the veneer, take it to the store to help make an accurate color match. Apply the stain and wipe it with a soft cloth to blend with the existing finish. After the stain has dried, apply a finish coat of varnish to the area.

Air Exchanger Helps Dry ‘Sweating’ House

Q: Our 16-year-old painted redwood house has a terrible mildew problem, even during periods of bright sunshine. The inside of the house seems to sweat, and the inside surfaces of the window frames are peeling. We would eventually like to have aluminum siding, but first we must solve the mildew problem. What do you suggest?

A: You have probably checked the obvious sources of moisture such as a lack of kitchen and bath fans and poor exterior landscaping that may allow rainwater to run into your basement and crawl space. Moisture rising from these areas is a common source of this problem.

If you do not know the source of excessive moisture in the house, you should introduce some dry air from the outside. There are a number of air exchangers on the market that are designed for do-it-yourself installation and are reasonably priced. These units usually have fans that move fresh air in, over or through ducts that are heated by air from the interior of the house moving out through the same unit.

This is not only a solution for excess interior moisture but an answer to super-tight houses that suffer a lack of fresh air.

Removing Stains From Carpeting

Q: My carpet has become stained over time thanks to my two young children. What is your recommendation for removing stains from carpeting?

A: Any number of the commercial stain removers available will work satisfactorily. In any case, when removing stains, always apply the solvent to the rag first, not the carpet. Solvent can damage the back of the carpet. Also, make a point of using a white or nearly white rag, so that dyes from the cloth don’t bleed into the carpet.

Before using the solvent on solid or sticky substances, like gum, try scraping as much of the material from the carpet as possible. It often helps to freeze solid substances with an ice cube before breaking them up.

When pulling stains from carpet fibers, use a wet-and-dab approach, always rotating the soiled area of the rag away from the carpet. This method may be a little tedious, but it works well.

*

To submit a question, write to Popular Mechanics, Reader Service Bureau, 224 W. 57th St., New York, NY 10019. The most interesting questions will be answered in future columns.