Henry Harrison 7/8/2002

HGTV: Welcome to HGTV's hosted chat room. Henry Harrison, home improvement and repair expert and host of Help Around the House, is here to help you with your home improvement projects. Good evening, Henry!

Henry Harrison: Good evening! It's a warm night across most of the nation but we hope to come up some very cool answers tonight! We're set and ready to go!

Question: How do you remove a screw in a shower knob that has been stripped?
HH: Well there are a couple of options. If you can grab the head you can use a pair of locking pliers. Grab the head and turn the screw counter-clockwise, after first saturating the screw with a penetrating oil that will remove and loosen a considerable amount of the rust. If you cannot get a grip on the head of the screw, you can file the screwhead flat and use a titanium drill bit that is just a little bit smaller than the diameter of the screw to drill it out.

Q: How can I get rid of mildew on the bathroom wall -- old porcelain tub wall? What is suggestion on keeping the mildew off the walls?
HH: The removal is simple. Just mix a solution of 3 parts water to 1 part household bleach. Spray this solution on the affected areas. Let it soak for at least 15 minutes. Then rinse thoroughly. To keep the mildew from returning, always run a small fan in the bathroom while taking a shower / bath. Lack of ventilation is the number one cause for mildew growth.

Q: When tiling a room that already has wooden floor why do I need to use backer board?
HH: The purpose of the backer board is to minimize floor movement. Wood floors, whether we realize it or not, are constantly in motion because the wood fibers expand and contract, depending on the atmospheric conditions. Backer board material is usually a cement composite that is very stable and is not affected noticeably by changes in temperature.

Q: Have poured a concrete foundation for a brick walk -- can I place the brick pavers on this concrete foundation with approx. 1/2" spacing, then fill in with sackcrete -- cement and sand -- and wet with fine spray to form bond? Will this work for a permanent walk or must I mix and put mortar under each brick, them go back & fill in between brick with mortar from a mortar bag??
HH: Well, it sounds as though you're trying to make the bond with bricks on concrete. That's not a good choice--concrete is too hard and will cause the bricks to split. or the faces may chip off. A better choice for bonding the bricks with 1/2" spaces is a type N mortar.

Q: Do you have to hook up a direct water source to a hot tub?
HH: Yes.

Q: What is a good brand of wallpaper sizing that dries white so it will cover a bright wallpaper that already exists?
HH: Any of the major brands--Zinser is very good and I use it all the time.

Q: Are there colored cinder blocks for chimney use?
HH: Well, first of all, it's not a wise idea to use cinderblocks for a chimney. You want fire-rated brick. In addition to a flue for safety and efficiency. Cinderblock is much too porous and will not handle the heat well at all.

Q: With oak windowsills, is Butcher's Bowling Alley Wax the way to go?
HH: If it's a windowsill I would not use a wax. I would use a polyurethane, with a satin finish... it will look like a wax but will be much more abrasion-resistant and will last longer when exposed to ultra-violet rays from the sun. Wax will crack, harden and deteriorate in a very short period.

Q: What is the best way to remove old caulk from around the tub?
HH: The best way is to first use a sharp utility knife to cut along the seams and then use an old, dull screwdriver to pry up a section, and the remainder can be pulled away in rope form since it's already been cut.

Q: I have some small holes in the top inside of my kitchen cabinets and think that a bee might have come in that way. What is the best way to patch /seal this? Thanks.
HH: Well, you can use a high-performance wood putty made by Minwax. It's a two-part solution. There is a liquid hardener, which is first spread onto the surface. It basically petrifies the wood. Once this dries to a tacky consistency a wood filler can be applied. Allow the filler to dry and then sand flush to the surface. One note of warning however, if you believe there are bees, I would suggest calling in a beekeeper to check the wall cavities. They will return unless they are relocated.

Q: Two of the planks in my Pergo interlocking floor have a buckle in them. We have taken the floor up in that area and there is no condensation underneath. When replacing the floor we made sure we left room for expansion at the wall. What else could it be?
HH: That is interesting... The only other thing I can think of is if the room is wider than the recommended limit, usually the limit is in the range of 20-35 ft wide, if it's wider than the suggested limit, buckling will occur. Call the manufacturer, take accurate measurements, and make them aware of the problem.

Q: To protect the oak windowsills from the suns rays, can I use furniture polish? Th windowsills are about 4 years old. I want to continue to protect them from the sun's rays.
HH: Actually, furniture polish is OK, however, for long-term protection, take it a step further by using a marine-spar varnish. It's used by boat builders on all work that is exposed to the sun. Furniture polish is best for furniture and it's really only superficial.

Q: What is your background?
HH: I'm a student of the game! Home repair has always been my hobby. It's always been a labor of love. However, my background is in television news. I'm an old news warrior... I was also affiliated with a group in TX, called the Nehemiah ministry, and we restored 48 churches over a period of 8 years.

Q: Hello, I am looking for the old square door locks for the old wooden doors that they used in old houses. can you tell me were to look for them on the net or in some kind of store?
HH: Yes, Rejuvenation Hardware...you can find them on the net... Or, your local historical foundation may operate a salvage warehouse. The website for Rejuvenation Hardware is www.rejuvenation.com.

Q: Going to replace the carpet on my staircase two levels with a landing. Have never done this what do I need, besides the carpet.? Should I start at top or bottom?
HH: I would start at the bottom and work up. Carefully tucking and tacking all the way.

Q: Do I need one of those kickers? [for carpet installation]
HH: You can rent one... They usually rent for about $15 a day. Also, get a stair tool, which looks like a heavy-duty putty knife that is all plastic with a long handle and a ball on one end.

Q: How do you remove old caulk if it does not come off in rope form and comes off in small pieces instead?
HH: Just go ahead and use either a putty knife or a screwdriver that has dull rounded edges. It can be softened with denatured alcohol and this will help remove most of the stubborn pieces.

Q: I am remodeling my kitchen, but still can't decide on a countertop or sink. What do you recommend?
HH: As far as countertops, the big thing now is concrete. However, it is pretty expensive. But it's a wonderful material to work with. Concrete was popular as countertop material about 80 years ago, and now it is back in the forefront. It can be colored, decorated, shaped in just about any configuration that you can imagine.

Q: Is it possible to get discounted prices or builder cost on appliances, fixtures, etc , without going through a builder, when building a custom home?
HH: I seriously doubt it. However, most of the large home centers are very competitive when it comes to pricing. In fact, most of the time the prices are less than the builder's cost. One of the places that an individual can compare price-wise is at one of the new Home Depot Expo centers... There are a few across the nation.

Q: Are you married? Have children?
HH: Yes, I'm married, and I have 3 grown children. They're not very handy...but I still love them!

Q: I have a toilet that the flapper gets stuck. What can I do to have it fall every time it is flushed?
HH: The best thing to do is to install a new flapper. What usually causes a flapper to stick is residue or scum that builds up around the neck and at the bottom of a flapper.

Q: I have a wood window in my shower that gets a lot of water on it. What can I do to keep the window but keep it from water damage?
HH: Make sure that the windowsill has a slope. It should slope slightly in toward the shower. A 3-5 degree angle is good. Otherwise, you will always have standing water on the sill. The sill can be sloped by removing it and placing shims on top of the supports that hold it. Then the sill can be reinstalled.

Q: I just bought a 101 yr. old home that has tons of paint on all of the wood crown molding and doors. I have considered doing the job myself, I know that this may be a long process. Should I buy a heat gun to remove the paint, or use a solution to remove the paint. I would prefer to do it myself since the house needs other work that require professionals, but I don't want to do any damage to the wood. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
HH: First of all, that molding is going to contain lead. I don't suggest sanding it or using a heat gun. Sanding of course will put lead particles in the air and the heat gun will cause lead vapor. One option is to remove the molding, label the back of the molding, then take it outside and use a chemical stripper. Or you can take it to a furniture refinisher who will dip the molding and strip it.

Q: I need to replace part of a bathroom floor, due to mold. How do I cut out the piece of floor after I've remove the toilet and floor covering? Thanks for tonight's chat!
HH: The easiest way is with a reciprocating saw... You can rent one at a home center for about $35 a day. It will allow you to get into tight spots and make quick accurate cuts where needed. It will also allow you to cut through embedded nails. You can cut straight lines, circles and right into corners and tight spots with it.

Q: I just bought my home and while I was removing some wallpaper that the previous owner had up, I realized in some corners she used rubber cement to keep the wallpaper up. Now I have used Kilz to cover the color of the cement but I can still see the impression on the wall. Is there a painting technique or something that I can use so it won't be so obvious?
HH: Sometimes it takes at least two coats of Kilz to cover and block a stain. Also, Kilz now has four different products that all apparently do the same thing. However, the original Kilz, with its awful smell, is an oil-based product. In my estimation, it's the most effective of all the products when it comes to blocking stubborn stains. It's a pigmented, white shellac. So use two coats of the original Kilz.

Q: What is the difficulty level of installing a ceiling fan where NO fixture exists?
HH: If you have access to the attic or a crawl space and a nearby electrical junction box or switch or outlet, the difficulty level is about a 3. You will also have to install bracing to support the weight of the ceiling fan in addition to new electrical...so it's about a 3 on a scale of 1 to 4.

Q: My sister just purchased an old home with wallpaper in every room. She wants to remove the wallpaper but the walls underneath are plaster. Do you know how to remove wallpaper from plaster without ruining the plaster?
HH: You can try one of the strippers, like the Zinser product, in conjunction with a paper tiger, or you can rent a steamer and remove it with steam. Even if you do end up with nicks and scratches in the plaster, it can be repaired easily with drywall mud.

Q: I bought a house last year that has an attic which was converted into a loft with a small bathroom. I had it all inspected before I bought the house, and it is built to code, but unpermitted...I am the 3rd or 4th person to own this house since the remodeling was done, so I really don't have any plans as to what the place was like before. Do you know what I am in for if I plan to go "legal"? I noticed a house a block from mine for sale that lists the fact that they have an unpermitted "office". I live in So Cal and I know ordinances vary, but I am kind of curious as to what kind of fines, fees and other costs I might be in for...
HH: I don't really know all of the codes and regulations in Calif... However, there are disclosure laws in every state. It should have been mentioned in writing before the sale that the attic / loft was not "permitted." Also, in some states there are grandfather clauses that will allow new homeowners who inherit situations like this to be exempt from certain permitting processes. I would suggest going and making contact with an official in your city planning department or building code enforcement division.

Q: What's the best way to tone down a brightly painted (yellow) room without having to repaint
HH: I just recently painted a room in my house yellow and we installed a dark green carpet and picture rail molding that is an antique white. The ceiling is a subtle lime green....it's a key lime, light pastel green... it does have an effect of toning down the bright yellow. Maybe experiment with different colors on trim, carpet, molding and ceiling color. One other thing that we have that really draws attention away from the walls is a six-bladed mahogany ceiling fan.

Q: My family has a home on the coast and have had tremendous problems finding a paint that will withstand the salt air. We have read and put into practice all of the advice about preparing the exterior wood and using what we believe is a high quality paint (Ben. Moore) but we still have to paint the house every 2 years or so. Is there a paint that you can recommend that is the best at withstanding the elements on the coast?
HH: Not really. We have the same problem here... However, if you wash your house down every six months on a regular schedule you can extend the life of your paint job from 3-5 years. The salt deposits, sun, wind, rain and heat all take their toll on the finish on the exterior of your home. Also, if the home is ever re-sided, all of the new siding should be painted on the back side also. This will definitely help extend the life of the paint job.

Q: What is a paper tiger
HH: It's a little device with three little wheels that have teeth... It fits in the palm of your hand...the three wheels rotate and perforate the wallpaper so that the remover is sprayed over the holes, it has a place to enter the wallpaper and break down the adhesive. They're widely available in home centers... Check out www.zinsser.com.

Q: We are planning to put in a drainage pipe near our driveway where the water puddles. Do you have any tips that might help? We have an area to drain into.
HH: Just make sure that the pipe is embedded in gravel and sand and perforated black pipe is normally what's used on drains.

Q: We have had 2 contractors recommend PVC pipe. Would it be better than perforated black pipe?
HH: It's the same thing. PVC is great. The perforations are at the bottom of the pipe. The water will disperse towards the bottom, and since it will be in the gravel the water will percolate in the gravel and sand, then down through the soil. The sand and especially the gravel help keep the perforations from getting clogged.

Q: Your show is great! Will you be doing anything different in the future?
HH: Our niche is repair. It's a lot of fun and at the end of the day we have a completed project, a problem that has been solved... everyone's happy, they invite us back...so at this point the format will remain the same.

Q: My son recently painted his baseboards and other woodwork. he used a latex semi gloss paint. however the latex paint was applied over the existing oil based paint on the woodwork. I thought I read somewhere that this is a "no-no". does he need to remove the latex and repaint with oil based paint? If so, any suggestions on removing the latex?
HH: One thing about latex over oil--it will be very easy to remove it. Remove it first, then come back with an 80-grit sandpaper and sand the baseboards very good until the oil-based paint is dull. Then, prime the areas with a top-grade primer and then apply the latex. The key is paint, whether it's latex or oil, will not stick to a shiny surface. Oil and latex are a better combination if you have an interface-- and in this case, the interface is the primer. The primer will stick to the oil-based paint after it has been dulled, and the latex paint sticks to the primer.

Q: Have you ever heard of putting a dimmer switch on the switch that turns the ceiling fan on and off? The fan has a light fixture but when the dimmer is down on low the fan really struggles to go. I just bought this house and this is only one of several "unique" things I've discovered.
HH: That's a big problem. On a ceiling fan, you want to install a speed control in lieu of a dimmer switch. They're not the same thing. Make sure you get a speed control for the ceiling fan. Unfortunately, most speed controls and dimmer switches look the same. The differences are behind the scenes... just look at the package very carefully.

Q: Henry, you always use or have handy a 5 in 1 tool. I have one too. But what are the 5 uses?
HH: First of all, on the backside of the handle there is a metal plate that can be used for hammering. Then, the little hooked area is used to clean a paint roller. Also, you can use the tool as a scraper or putty knife. There is also a blunt point on one side that can be used as a flat-head screwdriver. And, some of the five-and-1 painter's tool have a little teardrop in the middle of the blade and that is used to remove nails. It's my favorite tool and I never go on the jobsite without it.

Q: I am new to this chat. Please tell me are there any special considerations to having a concrete patio added to my home- anything I should be aware of or watch out for?
HH: Just make sure that it has rebar, wire mesh, it's carefully laid out, it's poured and finished properly and allowed to cure effectively. Part of the curing process is left to the homeowner by coming out everyday and lightly misting the slab with a water hose. This will keep the new slab from drying too quickly and it will help strengthen the slab. This is especially important when the weather is hot.

HGTV: Well, everyone, our chat hour has ended. Thanks for joining us tonight. And thanks, Henry, for answering our questions.

Henry Harrison: Thank you very much and I just wonder where the time has gone! I'll be looking forward to our next chat and until then may all of your home improvement projects be successful!