Leaching lime a sign of water in bricks
Q: My brick row house is 90 years old, with a new roof, new gable vent, and leaks on the upstairs ceilings near walls that face northeast, and on some of the interior walls, walls that are shared with my neighboring house. The leaking generally occurs when a northeaster hits with winds coming from the northeast. A man power-washed the northeast bricks, and I did see some efflorescence (leaching of lime out of the mortar by water), but I am not sure there were any leaks from the power-washing. Other than the efflorescence, the bricks look in reasonably good shape. The leaking is worst when the wind blows horizontally. What should I look for to stop the leaks?
RHONDA BURNIM, Fairfield, Conn.
A: The leaking when the wind is horizontal is a dead giveaway that the water is getting through the bricks; they are 90 years old and rather absorbent. The efflorescence also indicates that water is getting in the bricks.
I think this will solve the problem: have the bricks sealed with a special sealant called Chimney Saver, a water repellent that seals the outside of the brick but allows water vapor to pass through, allowing so-called "breathing." This sealer is applied only by certified chimney sweeps and other professionals; I think it is a proprietary item, not sold to the public.
If a regular masonry sealer was applied it would seal the bricks OK, but would not allow breathing, so if water vapor and water are trapped inside or behind the brick surface, it would freeze in winter and cause spalling, the chipping of bits of brick, big and small, from the surface of the brick.
Q: My church and parsonage in Dracut are plagued with spiders and spider spots on the vinyl siding of the buildings. They gather and make their nests in the lighted areas where security lights shine on the building. Why are they only in the lighted areas, and how can we get rid of them and keep them away?
BOB CONNOLLY, Burlington
A: There's got to be a reference to a plague of spiders in the Bible (Old or New), but Peter Hayhow, one of the many capable copy editors at the Globe and my biblical expert, doesn't seem to find any such reference. But since spiders are so often maligned or feared or both, the Handyman is thinking of starting an SOS society (Save Our Spiders) to keep them around for another few million years. They are predators, and insects and other wee critters are their meals.
Where there are bugs, can spiders be far behind? They congregate (pardon the pun) in lighted areas because insects are attracted to lighted areas. Remember how moths are so attracted to light? You can't turn off the security lights, so simply hose and sweep them down as often as possible or as often as you have the energy to do so. The spiders will not like it, but like most insects and arachnids (which spiders are), they will always come back to confound the believers and eat the bugs. But there is no malice in their hearts, only a gnawing feeling in their bellies.
There are ultrasound devices for use against insects and arachnids, but they are not very effective outdoors. The problem with bug zappers is that they kill too many beneficial insects.
Q: I have three sliding doors and a sliding screen door in my ranch house, and they are starting to bind as I open and close them. Is there an adjustment that I can make or is the header beam over the opening beginning to drop?
D.M., South Yarmouth
A: Whenever sliders start to bind, you have to think of two things, as you did. If you know the brand, call the dealer and have him check it out. Or, try to make an adjustment. Sliders generally have wheels at the bottom, sliding in grooves. You may be able to make adjustments with the doors in place, but if not, lift the door and adjust the wheels by lowering them a bit to stop the binding. Sometimes the wheels get a little out of round; if that happens, they must be replaced.
If adjustments don't work, the header beam may be dropping a bit, but this is highly unlikely unless the house is ancient. But since all four sliding parts are binding, it may just be a drooping beam.
Q: My tiled shower has beige grout that looks pretty good, until it started to turn gray. A man sealed the grout for $200 but it is was still gray. I tried bleach but that made little difference. I had it sealed again but the gray persisted. There is no exhaust fan, so the shower area is often wet or damp.
VICKI BRESLIN, Virginia Beach, Va.
A: I think the dampness contributed to the graying grout, which may be a form of mold that was unaffected by the bleach. Besides, the bleach will not penetrate the sealer. Put in an exhaust fan exhausting to the outdoors, and use it lavishly during and after each shower. If the graying persists, dig it out and put in a darker grout.
Q: A large (2-by-3-feet) section of concrete on my sidewalk has heaved a few inches, due to big tree roots under it. I thought I would build a sort of concrete ramp at one end of the heaved section, so people will not trip over it. Would that work?
JOE LICARE, Revere
A: I think that little cove will work, but make the slope gradual, the longer the better. Or, remove the concrete slab (several young husky men can do that), then cut the root that is giving you trouble and put the slab back in place. Big trees can spare a root or two, so there will be no harm done.
Here is another idea: take out the slab and build a little arched bridge of pressure treated wood to span the root. If the span is too short, making a very steep-sided bridge, take out another slab of concrete. Then paint the bridge and pretend it's a bridge over a Japanese garden. Better yet, let the wood weather. You can still pretend.
Q: I am replacing the linoleum in one of my bathrooms. Thirty years ago the installers lifted the claw-foot tub just a bit to install the linoleum; it has been pretty good for those 30 years. But the installers of the new linoleum said they will have to take out the tub and put it back in after the linoleum is laid. Is that necessary?
VERA GROPPER, Somerville
A: I guess they don't make installers these days like they used to. No, I do not think it is necessary to remove the tub; such a tub can be lifted a few inches (and that is all that is needed) and the linoleum slipped under. The plumbing should survive. Of course, there is always a chance of breaking that ancient plumbing, whether you lift the tub or remove it. I still say, go for the lift, if you can get the men to do it.
Q: I am having a new roof installed on my summer house in New Hampshire, after 22 years. The roofer said he would install architectural shingles, but did not tell me why. I don't think I want architectural shingles. Was there a reason why the roofer suggested such shingles?
N.McC., New Hampshire
A: It certainly was not to make extra money. Architectural shingles do not cost much more than standard ones, but they do have a pretty long warranty. They are mostly cosmetic, and if you cannot see much of the roof from the yard, forget about them, and settle for 30- or 35-year tab shingles. You might also opt for new shingles that contain bits of zinc and other metals which help prevent the growth of mold, algae, and lichen.
Globe Handyman on Call Peter Hotton is available 1-6 p.m. Tuesdays to answer questions on house repair. Call 617-929-2930. Hotton also chats on line about house matters 2-3 p.m. Thursdays. To participate, go to Boston.com Hotton's e-mail is photton@globe.com
