Wood laminates can be refinished
Q. We had a hardwood laminate flooring installed eight years ago in our kitchen and family room. The make was “Award Ash Expressions - Item #6B’’. In the family room we have had an area rug covering a large part of the floor all these years. Two days ago, we lifted the rug and discovered that the flooring is two-tone - the exposed laminate (including the kitchen) seems to have weathered a darker shade while the laminate under the rug is still the original lighter color. I am told it is an effect of UV in sunlight. What can we do about it - particularly as we plan to sell the house soon - short of replacing the whole floor?
SID, via e-mail
A. If the laminate is real wood, find out from the maker if it can be sanded and refinished. Some wood laminates can be sanded, some cannot. If it can be sanded and refinished, it is the only way to even out the color. If the laminate is too thin and cannot be sanded, the only choice is to replace the floor with a hardwood floor thick enough (three-quarter inch) that can be sanded if necessary. The only other answer is to put the rug back and sell it with the house.
Q. My central air-conditioning coils are in a 34-year-old hot air furnace, and the A.C. system leaks a lot of water. The dealer said that the coils are too small and leak because the condensation simply floods the furnace, and that there is not enough head room to accommodate a bigger coil. He suggested selling me a new furnace with a new A.C. that has bigger coils. Is that a good idea?
NOT SO COOL
A. Normally I would not recommend a new anything, because an A.C. can often be adapted or bought to provide enough cool and not leak, as I was able to do some years ago. But since the furnace is 34 years old, it is way beyond its life expectancy, so I think everything new would be well worth the expense.
Q. I have a combo light-exhaust fan in my bathroom, but its duct goes 20 feet to the outdoors. The fan does not work well, with little air going out and the flapper door flapping all the time. How can make I make it work? I put in a bigger fan without success.
DON ROCKETT, Abington
A. Whew! Twenty feet is way too long for an exhaust fan. That duct run probably has a turn or two, which aggravates the problem. The only fix is to install a new duct through ceiling, attic, and roof, and put a weatherproof cover over it. That 20-foot run is a good example of builders ignoring the rules of common sense.
Q. Two callers asked if there is any reliable way to get rid of a musty smell coming out their A.C. units. One is a window A.C., and the other central air.
A. To Tom Woodbury of Arlington, whose cental A.C. is in the basement, I suggest having the metal ducts cleaned by a professional, who might also use a disinfectant to eliminate the mustiness. Another thing Tom can do is to ventilate his basement. If it is kept closed, it can build up a musty odor, which will get into the A.C.-hot air system, even though it is a closed system, it is not so tight to keep that humid basement air out of the system.
Perhaps the owner of the window unit could have a professional clean it. But here is what one caller told me he did: He sprayed the filter of his central A.C. with a bleach-water solution, then left the house for a day or so while the bleach did its work. When he returned the musty smell and the bleach smell were gone. The Handyman does not recommend this. Bleach is very bad stuff. Even the fumes are toxic. You can search Google for mustiness in air conditioners.
Q. I bought my circa 1960s house in 1981. Since I plan to sell it, a real estate agent asked me if the wall shingles are asbestos cement. I didn’t know. How can I tell? The shingles are painted green, with many vertical striations, and are about 12 inches wide with a 12-inch exposure. Some have vertical cracks.
LINDA
A. I’m sure they are wood shingles, called shakes, that were popular in the 1950s and ’60s. In fact, I sided my garage in Connecticut with them in 1960. Here’s how to make sure you know what they are. The vertical cracks indicates to me that they are the wood shakes. Wood will split vertically. Asbestos cement will shatter if hit, like a piece of glass. Take a utility knife and cut a bit of the shingle. If it is very hard, it is asbestos cement. If you scratch the surface and see wood, it is a wood shake. Also, asbestos cement shingles are generally 16 to 20 inches wide with a 10-to-12-inch exposure. I don’t think they are asbestos, but if they are, they are safe if left alone. Otherwise it is very expensive to remove them.
Globe Handyman on Call Peter Hotton is also in the g section on Thursdays. He is available 1-6 p.m. Tuesdays to answer questions on house repair. Call 617-929-2930. Hotton also chats online about house matters 2-3 p.m. Thursdays. To participate, go to www.Boston.com. Hotton’s email is photton@globe.com 
