Old storm door needs tightening
Q. My aluminum storm door has developed a gap at the top and is getting harder to close. When I open the door, it moves when I lift it. Should I get a new one, or can the old one be fixed? Also, how can I clean 30-year-old aluminum storm windows, where the frames are pitted and pretty sad looking, and some of the latches are broken.
RICHARD SCHAFER, Woburn
A.That door has racked from old age, turning from a rectangle to a parallelogram. First, check to make sure the hinges are tight. Check the corners of the door to see if there are any bolts or screws that can be tightened to restore the squareness of door. The corners may be crimped or riveted, canceling any thoughts of tightening.
There is another thing you can do: Put a turnbuckle on the door. This is a steel rod that goes from the top corner of the latch side of the door slantwise to the bottom corner on the hinge side. It is connected in the middle with the turnbuckle. You can turn this device to shorten the rod and bring the door back to square.
As for the windows, they are probably not anodized, so you can clean them by dipping steel wool into paint thinner and rubbing. And since they are old and latches are missing, they are probably loose as a goose and you can buy new, high quality ones such as Harvey's True Channels.
Q. My concrete steps have low railing-like concrete structures at each end, giving the steps a finished look They are now cracked and are developing shallow chips from wear and tear. Is there something I can do to fill the cracks and smooth over the chips? The man at the store offered a sand mix, but I am not sure about that.
ELIZABETH HARMON, Saugus
A. That sand mix is basically concrete (Portland cement and sand), but it is not good to use in thin layers. You could use a Mortar Mix, which will stick better, but best to use is Top 'n' Bond, which I have found to stick very well in thin layers. If the cracks are hairlines, there is little you can do about them. If they are larger, you can try pressing Top 'n' Bond into them. Caulking will also work, but it will give a definite patched look. If you have to patch the surface, and it looks pretty raggedy, you could coat it with Drylock, a cement based paint, for a more finished look.
Q. My daughter has sliding doors on her closet, the kind that roll on wheels on a top rail. One door is sticking. How can make it work again?
LOU, from Framingham
A. First, check the wheels to make sure they are not loose. Check to see if any part of the door is scraping on the floor or the side of the companion door. If everything seems to be OK, then spray the wheels with
Q. I am remodeling my modern 1950s house in Ann Arbor, Mich. I want to replace the shower valve and the head. When we remove the cover of the old valve, we were dismayed to find all the internal parts cemented, and the plumber cannot work in such a small area. He wants to cut away more to gain more working space. We can only access the valve from the front. The room has tiles in mint condition, so I am unwilling to touch them. The tile is irreplaceable. Potentially we could cut the tile around the old valve and cover it with a bigger escutcheon plate, but I have not found one. I am trying not to do patch work with different tile, since that would really accentuate that area. What should I do?
ANN ARBOR READER
A. There are two things I suggest. Maybe three. How about keeping the old valve, if it is working? Short of that, you could have a large escutcheon plate made of stainless steel, plastic "chrome," or ceramic. Or, bite the bullet and make the opening bigger, then put up new backer board and put in a square of contrasting tile. I know that is not what you want, but the three ideas may be worth considering. With the large escutcheon, you will have plenty of room to work in if the valve fails.
ArmorAll, where?
Whoa, the Handyman messed up when he suggested using ArmorAll on a plastic (Trex-like) deck floor. Don't, several readers said, because it makes the deck slippery and therefore a hazard.
Phil e-mailed: The manufacturer of ArmorAll would not recommend the use of this product in areas where traction or friction is necessary for safety. The product cautions the use of it on any auto control surface (ex. steering wheel) or home use where slipperiness (ex. decking) would be a problem.
From Harvey Flashen of Kennebunkport, Maine: I think you made a slight error on the advice to D.S. in Methuen, regarding algae on decks. Treating the steps with ArmorAll will make them extremely slippery, especially on nonporous surfaces. Also, I've had to remove algae from lots of decks for clients (I have a property management/caretaker business) and have found that bleach isn't needed. Just some water and a scrub brush, and then rinse with a hose works great.
Slight error, heck! It was a gaffe.
Thank you, gentlemen, as the Handyman dines on fried, roasted, baked, sautéed, broiled, and boiled corvus.
Q. When I had new gutters installed, I noticed there does not seem to be an incline to them. I can see small puddles of water here and there in the gutter, not more than 1/8-inch deep. Should there be a slant?
CONCERNED
A. There should be a slight slant, and your gutters probably do have a slant. I don't think there is a rule in the code books about how inclined gutters should be, but it is generally agreed that a slope of 1/16-inch per foot is adequate. In fact, a level gutter will drain. The small puddles in your gutters may be due to a slight sag. But as long as that water evaporates between rains, there is nothing you have to do or be concerned about.
Q. I have flies in my bathroom and on other walls in the house, and on windows, where they tend to cluster. How can I get rid of them?
DISGUSTED
A. Your referring to them as clustering is the clue to their identity. They are cluster flies, not house flies, and they breed in the ground in August, which is a terrible time to be born, because right away they have to seek shelter when it turns cold. So they gather inside houses, generally around windows in attics and other places where it is warm. They overwintered and are very sluggish. Sweep them up and throw them away; do not use insecticides in the house. If they are a real nuisance, you can put out old-fashioned fly paper, those rolls of sticky tape that trap the flies so they can be easily disposed of.
Q. My foundation is poured concrete, I think, but it is extremely rough and bumpy, like a sand casting. It is equally rough on the inside, and a small area is crumbling a bit, emitting a sandy material. What can I do?
J.M., Wellesley
A. I don't see any reason to do anything about the looks of the foundation; any fix would be tedious and expensive. Live with it. Or, put up granite or concrete statuary to disguise the ugly look. As for the crumbling interior, it is due to defective concrete, but if it is minor, forget it. If it becomes a hazard or more than a nuisance, you can cut it out and fill in with a concrete patch.
Globe Handyman on Call Peter Hotton is also in the Styles 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 Boston.com. Hotton's e-mail is photton@globe.com.
