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The Kohler Moxie shower head has a waterproof Bluetooth speaker held in place by magnets and can stream audio from a nearby smartphone or tablet.
The Kohler Moxie shower head has a waterproof Bluetooth speaker held in place by magnets and can stream audio from a nearby smartphone or tablet.
Dear Ken: I have a spooky shower that goes on and off by itself at random times. Any ideas about what’s going on? — Sallie
Answer: Check the water pressure first. You can buy a pressure gauge (about $10) at the hardware store. Screw it into the cold water faucet serving the washing machine. If the pressure is above 65 PSI, you’ll need to adjust the regulator on the incoming city water line (I prefer 55 PSI).
Sometimes an expansion tank will help with over-pressures created when the water heater kicks on. This is a gallon tank with an internal rubber bladder that you attach to the cold water line just before the tank.
If everything checks out OK, pressure is not the problem. In that case, unscrew the shower valve and replace parts you’ll find in a readily available rebuild kit. With brands such as Moen, simply replace the internal cartridge and you’re all set.
Dear Ken: I have a granite kitchentop. How can I remove scum and scale around the faucets? And do I need a special sealer for my countertops? — Jerri
Answer: You should use granite- specific products such as a neutral stone cleaner and a plastic scraper. Granite is a natural material and thus much more delicate and vulnerable to harsh chemicals and stains than you might assume. So avoid most household cleaning products for routine maintenance. Simple soap and water followed by polishing with a dry rag is best.
To see if you need to seal your countertop, sprinkle water droplets on the surface and see how long they stay put. If they haven’t soaked in after about five minutes, then sealing is optional. Again, you’ll want to use a liquid sealer specific to the material, applied every year. Sealed or not, you must wipe up colored liquids such as wine and Kool-Aid immediately.
Dear Ken: I’m adding a second layer of insulation in my attic. I already have a blanket up there, but I want to add another 6-inch batt. Which way do I put the paper backing to avoid moisture problems? — Matt
Answer: You don’t want to end up with two vapor barriers. That’s the paper backing (facing) on the rolls that helps keep moisture from traveling through the insulation and into the attic space. Although unlikely in a dry climate, there’s a chance the presence of the second paper layer will trap unwanted moisture somewhere in between the batts and ruin the insulation’s effectiveness (water is an enemy of any insulation as it can diminish its thickness and, hence, reduce its ability to block heat transfer).
If you can’t find unfaced insulation batts, you can slash the facing of the new material with a sharp knife or peel the paper off. Go slowly so you leave most of the pink stuff on the batt and not on the removed paper.
Dear Ken: Please give me the pros and cons of cleaning a sewer line. Do the mechanical root-cleaning machines tear up the lines? What about root killers? — Chris
Answer: Using root-discouraging chemicals is not that helpful. These are usually copper sulfate crystals that are supposed to kill off, or at least irritate, the root ends so that they don’t continue to grow into the pipe. But if you think about it, the liquid in a sewer pipe only comes up about a third of the way, which leaves the remainder of the pipe untreated. The only sure-fire chemical way to eradicate roots is to have a foaming chemical added by a sewer cleaning company. The foam fills the entire diameter of the pipe with the root-repellent chemical.
However, there is no substitute for a mechanical scouring of an older sewer line once or twice a year. But first, you might want to hire a company to “TV” the pipe. They’ll send down a small fiber optic set-up camera to see what’s going on. For example: Is it normal root infiltration or a blockage? It’ll cost $150 or so, but it’s worth it.
Houses built before 1960 might have cast iron or tile sewer pipe with a bell joint every 4 feet or so. It’s the breakdown and deterioration of these joints that allow trees to send roots into the moist sewer line. A root-cleaning machine will cut them off and also remove any sludge that has collected in the line’s low spots.
Occasionally, a blade will snag on a crack or other discontinuity in the pipe. Sometimes that can lead to a permanent blockage or collapse. Thankfully, that’s quite rare so if you’ve had success with a root cleaning machine up to now, I’d continue on a regular schedule — every four, six or 12 months depending on the severity of the root infestation.
Dear Ken: We are on a money- saving kick at the office. Our break room is lit by several fluorescent light fixtures, and we want to know if we’ll save energy by flipping the lights on and off when we come and go? — Cheryl
Answer: You will save money but, just as with kids and their bedroom lights, it’s unrealistic to expect everybody to remember to do it every time. A motion detector switch is just the ticket. There are fluorescent-specific, heavy-duty motion detector switches you’ll have to look for. They are somewhat more expensive than the homeowner-type switches but will ultimately pay for themselves.
The life of a fluorescent bulb is shortened the more it’s turned on and off. However, it sounds like your fixtures are lit with those 4-foot tubes, which are relatively inexpensive. So try the detector switch and the boss will think you’re a genius!
Ken Moon is a home inspector in the Pikes Peak region. His call-in radio show airs at 4 p.m. Saturdays on KRDO, FM 105.5 and AM 1240. Visit aroundthehouse.com
Dear Ken: Several times during the night we hear sounds of water flushing. Should we be concerned? — Margo