May 18, 2013

Dear Jerry: The toilets in our 1952 ranch style home are driving me to the peak of frustration. When we bought the home 12 years ago, every toilet had unsightly brown rings at the water line. I tried everything to get rid of the stains. We finally ended up replacing all of the toilets because of my embarrassment with their appearance.

For the past several years in the new toilets, I am beginning to see brown/orange rings appear at times. If we are away and the toilets are not used, we often return to find these rings beginning to form.

Now I think I know why the original toilets became so stained! Usually I pour Clorox into the toilets when we go away. The chlorine smell we return to is better than the rings! Can you explain why this is happening and what can be done? Thanks.

D. M. H. via email

I think it has to be the water that’s causing the stains. Brown stains mean iron in the water. If you are on a well or if you live in a town with hard water, that would be a major clue.

According to plumber Steve Howe of Howe and Bassett Plumbing Co., if there are streaks down the bowl from the top to the water line after you’ve been away, the tank is leaking slightly and water is escaping into the bowl. If there is simply a ring around the water line, then it is the standing water in the bowl that is causing the problem.

Clorox in the bowl will help as you’ve noted. There are also products that you can put into the tank that will automatically bleach the water every time you flush the tank. These are available in both clear and blue-tinted. The blue color will help mask any stains that cannot by scrubbed clean. I recently bought 2000 Flushes and Clorox tablets to put in the tanks of toilets that are not used often. I suggest you try these as well. They are available at supermarkets and hardware stores.

Dear Jerry: I have four skylights in my great room and one apparently has a small leak. I say apparently because there is a small stain in the drywall of the ceiling just below the skylight. The house was built in 1994 which means, according to those who sell skylights, that they are at the end of their life. Being the skeptic that I am, I have a hard time believing that there is no fix to this problem. I did have a new roof installed three years ago but there was no question about the skylights at that time.

I’d appreciate your take on this issue. Any information you might share about locating reputable people who might offer an honest assessment would also be appreciated. Thanks for all you do for us homeowners every week.

J. M., via email

Several things come to mind. One, the small stain (and stains on the lower portions of the skylight window frame, are often due to condensation on the glass during winter months. If you have a furnace humidifier or if your home is humid due to cooking, plants, etc, then this may be the cause of the staining.

The flashing around the skylight frames is also suspect. Sometimes it is installed improperly or it becomes damaged with the installation of a new roof. (Red flag here in your case given that the new roof was installed 3 years ago.)

Finally, there are skylights of varying qualities. High quality units will have a curb that sits above the roof, integral flashing (which can be replaced if necessary) and a sound warranty and dealer network. Velux units come to mind as one of the best available. According to Pat Clancy of Morse Sash and Door, a local Velux dealer, the units are warranteed not to leak for 10 years. The glass warranty is 20 years. Forty or fifty years or more is not an unusual life span for these units.

Regardless of whether or not the warranty has expired, Clancy told me Velux will stand behind their products and you should be able to have a dealer-recommended installer or Velux representative come out and inspect your units. I suspect the problem may be with the flashing, which should be able to be repaired at moderate cost.

If your skylights were not made by Velux, I would hope the manufacturer is still around and that a local dealer can provide the service needed (or recommend someone) to repair the window that leaks. If the company is out of business, then repairs may be more complicated, but are still worth a try.

May 11, 2013

Dear Jerry: I have a problem and I do not quite know where to turn. We live in a 2000 sq. ft. 1955 “Mid-Century Modern” ranch house in Rochester. It has a low-sloped, compound roof covered with gravel, which is largely covered with moss.

We recently replaced skylights (one of which is leaking, which has brought the whole roof issue back into the foreground), and the roofer said that these roofs are close to indestructible and that after an inspection he thinks it is in pretty good shape. He also said the moss is good on this kind of roof because though it keeps things more damp, the gravel allows drainage and the moss keeps the temperature more constant which will lengthen the life of the roof.

I actually called green roofing companies in Wisconsin, Florida, and Oregon, and they all basically agreed with that assessment. The ceilings in the house are yellow pine tongue-in-groove, so I worry about water damage from a deteriorating roof.

How can I get a reliable inspection of the roof–not many people really seem to know about compound roofs? What kind of materials options should I consider for replacement?

T. G. G., via email

Built-up roofs or tar-and-gravel roofs as they are sometimes called are primarily used on commercial, public and institutional buildings with flat or low-slope roofs. The layers of membrane, coated with a liquid such as hot asphalt, provide the waterproofing. The top layer of gravel provides protection from the sun’s rays, minor foot traffic and from small falling tree limbs and other debris. In some cases, this type of roofing system has been used on low-slop residential roofs.

My first inclination was to call friend and former roofing contractor and now roofing consultant Tom Hamilton (www.advancedroofconsulting.com). who stated that “Typically a gravel surfaced roof is either an asphalt built up roof or coal tar pitch. If the roof has small round black balls in the gravel surfacing, it is probably coal tar pitch. This can be confirmed by putting a small sample into lighter fluid or paint thinner. If the liquid turns a greenish yellow, it is coal tar. If it turns black it is asphalt. If the roof is the original roof, it is probably coal tar as it would be over 50 years old.

“The growth of moss on the roof surface is usually due to a combination of dirt to hold moisture and/or poor drainage to slow the run off of the water. Typically moss has little effect on the service life of the cold tar built-up roof.

“I suspect that the skylight was installed with a flashing material that is not compatible with the coal tar. It is also possible that the surface of the roof, especially the gravel, moisture and dirt, was not sufficiently prepared to provide an acceptable surface for the new base flashing to adhere. Also, coal tar is not compatible with most flashing materials readily available.

“If this is the original roof from 1955, the insulation is probably 1″ to 2″ of perlite or wood fiber. The combination of the wood deck and minimal insulation would provide an [energy rating] of an R-8 to R-10. You may want to have additional insulation installed to save energy.”

Hamilton told me that although it was state-of-the-art in 1955, this type of roof is not likely the best solution for 2013. There are few reliable contractors can do a roof of this type, and installing one involves the use of caustic materials. Plus, it is a costly process.

The EPDM or rubber membrane roof can provide a quality roof that will last 25 years or longer with little or no maintenance, and this is what Hamilton suggested that you install. He also stressed the need to remove ALL of the existing roofing materials, including insulation, down to the roof deck. The deck should be carefully inspected for damage and areas repaired as needed. Then new insulation and the new rubber membrane can be installed. Skylights may need to be modified (or replaced) in order to accept the new thicker insulation sheets.

Carlisle rubber roofing is one of the leading brands of the EDPM roof. Unfortunately, since most are designed for commercial structures, warranties do not extend to single family residences. For this reason, it is imperative that you select an established, qualified roofing contractor to install the new roof. Local experienced architectural firms or a roofing consultant such as Hamilton may be able to help you select such a contractor.

,May 4, 2013

Dear Jerry: First, thanks for good advice on two prior occasions for our main home. The new problem concerns the wood (tongue and groove spruce) floor of our family’s 40 yr. old Adirondack cabin. This original floor was constructed and sanded by the builder; my wife and I applied stain and then a high gloss polyurethane finish. This held up well under hard use for many years.

However, in recent years, high use areas have become pock-marked with large spots that appear to have lost both the gloss finish and the underlying stain, so that these spots looks like untreated wood.

Is the best remedy to use a power sander to remove the old finish and start over with stain and polyurethane? Would you recommend a chemical stripper? We want to avoid health risks with certain kinds of stripper but also recognize that use of a power sander would require wearing effective masks, on which we would value your advice.

John, email

I’m not how widespread the problem is, but if there are not too many areas that need attention, you may be able to touch them in and avoid refinishing the entire floor. You can at least try a small area to see if the touch up scheme will work.

Take some fine sandpaper and lightly sand the area around some of the pock-marks. This is to blend the edges of the polyurethane. Then wipe down the area with mineral spirits or turpentine to remove any wax or cleaning compounds.

Now comes the tricky part. You will need a few various colors of wiping stains to blend the sanded areas with the original finish areas. Pick a light colored stain to start and dab a bit onto the sanded part with a rag. Wipe off any excess and check how the color looks. If it is close, you may want to let the stain dry and recheck it. If it is too dark, then gently wipe the area with mineral spirits to remove some of the stain. If it is too light, then add some more of the original stain or try a darker color.

Once you have a match, apply the stain and let it dry thoroughly and then apply a coat of polyurethane. I suspect the original gloss finish has faded and worn to the point that a satin finish urethane would be more appropriate. Even this may be too shiny. If so, it can be lightly rubbed with fine steel wool to reduce the sheen.

If this procedure works, you can then try a larger area. If it does not, then you really have not lost much other than time and effort. Keep in mind that cabins usually did not have high-gloss floors. And also keep in mind that spruce is a relatively soft wood. Because of this, a brittle finish such as polyurethane, is not my first choice to use on the flooring. A better choice would be floor varnish, such as Pratt & Lambert #38 varnish which has a bit more “give” to it.

Assuming that you do want to refinish the entire floor, then do not plan on sanding it yourself. A professional floor finisher should be called in to sand and finish the floor. In the wrong hands, a floor sanding machine can turn a smooth floor into a wavy one that you will not want to look at.

You could finish the floor yourself once it has been professionally sanded. Keep in mind that dust is potentially a huge factor in how the finished floor will look and for this reason alone, you may want to leave the finish up to a professional. And after 40 years, one’s knees and back may not be as forgiving to a lot of hands and knees time as they once were.

Because the floor is a relatively soft wood, it may take a varnish finish unevenly. Therefore, start with a coat of varnish or shellac thinned 25% using a thinner recommended by the manufacturer. Once this coat has dried, you can tell pretty much what the final result will be. A coat of stain (similar to what I described above) can be used to even out the finish if necessary. Paint expect Steve Jordan recommended wiping the floor with water once the stain has dried. This will mimic how the floor will look once you’ve put on a finish coat of varnish. If there are areas that are too light or too dark, now is the time to make corrections, not after you’ve applied the final coat or coats of varnish. I’d suggest a low-sheen varnish rather than a high-gloss product.

If this sounds like way too much work, then I suggest leaving both the sanding and finishing to a floor professional.

Column # 17-13

Dear Jerry: I’m getting two different replies to my future project.. We have a 1999 Skyline doublewide manufactured home, which has a roof that I will be replacing in the near future. The roof has one layer of supposedly 25 or 30 year shingles. The roof is 28 ft wide X 56 ft long.

We lost about 5 year’s worth of the granules or stones off the roof due to a hail storm about five years ago. The roof looks still o.k. to me but I am not qualified to know the answer. I believe the rafters are spaced every 24 inches.

My question is, here in the Victor area, would we need a tear-off first and then go with architectural shingles or can one go over the existing first of shingles with a second layer? I am told the ceilings inside will sag after about 6-8 years. Is this true? I am also told that these rafters are maybe one and three quarter’s inches, not 2X4s or 2X6s. I am told the weight of 2 layers of shingles and heavy snow would be problem, others say no.

Your answer will be greatly appreciated.

Rolando, via email

First let’s make the distinction between a manufactured home and a modular home. Both types are made in one location and then shipped (usually on the road) to another location.

The modular home is built to regular building code standards. Thus, depending upon where the house is to be located, the same standards will apply to it as to a stick-built home. Although the house arrives on a trailer or trailers, it is designed to be placed on a permanent foundation, just like a conventional built-on-site home. The trailer or trailers are taken back to the factory and used to transport the next home. Normally, the house will not be moved once it is in place.

The manufactured home (or trailer home or mobile home) is built to federal standards. It is designed to be moved on a trailer to a location and then anchored in place. The trailer frame stays with the house so that it can be moved again if necessary. Building construction, lending standards, warranties, etc. may well be different for this type of dwelling than for a conventionally built home.

In both cases, the houses are designed to be built to certain standards. And one important part of those standards is the roof structure. The roof must be able to withstand the weight of shingles as well as a snow load. Shingles typically weigh between 200 and 300 pounds per square. A “square” is 100 square feet. Thus, the shingles weigh about 2-3 pounds per square foot, less than a bag of flour. Any roof that would cave in with an additional 2-3 pounds of weigh is obviously not safe. This past winter’s snow would have certainly done it in.

I talked with Dan Mayock, of G & I Homes, a Skyline dealer near Syracuse, and he stated that from a structural standpoint there should be no issue with adding another layer of shingles. Again, as I noted above, manufactured homes do have to meet federal code standards.

From a practical standpoint, as long as the shingles are in good repair, I think you can add another layer. If they are curled or significantly deteriorated, then a tear-off might be warranted. But, from your description I don’t think that is the case. New York building codes allow for two layers of shingles on the roof.

A simple, low rectangular roof should not cost much to re-roof. I suspect that whoever is telling you that you must remove the existing shingles wants to increase the cost of the job. If you want another opinion, I recommend hiring an independent inspector to look at your roof. Whoever installs a new roof for your home should follow the shingle manufacturer’s installation instructions carefully in order to maintain their warranty.