Captain’s stairs are tricky to handle
Q. There is a very steep stairway in my old house in Newport, R.I., with pie-shaped steps that taper from full depth of 10 inches to just 2 inches as they turn a corner. I have a rail on the narrow side, but still people have fallen. What can I do to guide people away from the narrow end?
BARBARA MADDEN,
Walpole
A. It’s called a captain’s stair (not ladder) and is indeed hazardous and illegal, although yours is grandfathered because it was built before the law prohibiting such stairs went into effect. The wedge shaped treads are called pie steps or winders. The only way to make them legal and safer is to rebuild the stair so that the very middle of each tread is at least 10 inches deep or equal to the depth of the untapered treads. Or eliminate them by installing landings at each turn.
This is what will work: Install a handrail on the side where the pie steps are widest. The railing will guide the climber or descender to the safer side. You can take down the other railing but that is not necessary. You could also paint a white strip on the edges of the pie treads, which will help but not much. It’s funny. I looked up stairs in the Brosco catalog, the biggest distributor of household stuff in the Northeast, and it has everything you want in a stairway - except pie treads.
Q. I rebuilt my house completely after Katrina. I am happy with the result, except for one thing. The tub surround is three pieces of cultured marble glued to the wall with hot glue. One end keeps falling off, and has been reglued three times. I want something done before the one-year guarantee expires in November. What is wrong and what should they do to make it right? The other two walls of the surround are okay. The end which keeps failing is where the plumbing is.
MERLENA DAVIS,
New Orleans
A. That plumbing end wall may be damp or wet, from condensation of moisture on the pipes inside the wall. I suggest you replace it with cement board whether it is wet or not. Then put up the marble with a thin-set mortar. If you keep the plasterboard there now, and it seems dry, glue on the marble with a thin-set mortar or construction adhesive such as Liquid Nails.
Q. The retaining wall of 20-year-old railroad ties in my backyard was beginning to look shabby, so I had them power-washed. They are in good shape but now they look rather washed out. What should I do?
ANTICIPATING
A. It sounds as if the creosote, or what’s left of it in the ties, was washed out, so you can apply a single coat of a semitransparent stain. Pick any earth color you like, but it contains a preservative and should be good for maybe five years before needing another coat.
Q. I bought my house 35 years ago. It originally had oil heat, and there was a tank in the basement, which is on a ledge. The space is so small the tank is on its side. The previous owner switched to electric heat, and drained the oil tank. It has been empty for 40 years. The house was virtually built around the tank, so there is no practical way to remove it. There is no oil smell in the crawl space. My question: Is it legal to keep an empty tank in the basement?
CURIOUS
A. If the tank is empty, with no oil residue in it, I see no reason to take it out. But call any oil dealer to get his opinion. Most laws concern tanks with oil in them, and are aimed to prevent leakage. If you have to remove the tank, it could cost upward of $1,000. Or, call one of those basement cleanout companies that will take all kinds of stuff away.
Q. My hot air furnace is 40 years old. My oil man said I need a new furnace because my old one is old. Is that so?
ANGELA,
Stoneham
A. It may be so unless your furnace is a Thermo Pride. But you need a better explanation from the oil man. For instance, most hot air furnaces are warranted for about 20 years before they need replacing. Yours lasted a lot longer than that , so it wouldn’t hurt to put a new one in. And opt for a Thermo Pride, one that is copper lined and warranted for a lifetime. I have one, and it is a good piece of equipment.
Q. I have some wonderful old leather luggage that is very heavy, and in good shape, except all the leather handles are gone or broken. Where can I find replacement handles?
HANDLELESS
A. Call the Rockler Catalog, which used to be the Woodworking Store but carries a vast mass of goods, including leather strap handles and leather handles made for briefcases. Give them a call at 800-279-4441.
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 
