Renovation & Design

Renovation & Design

May be simple solution to mould problem

Question: I have a question about the water in my home. Anywhere there is standing water, whether it is hot or cold, mould grows. For example, the rim around the washing machine is growing black- and pinkish-coloured mould. In addition, we recently purchased a humidifier for our son's bedroom and within a few days the entire canister had grown thick, black mould. I filled it with cold tap water as per directions. Two years ago we had a new hot water tank installed, but the problem persists. We live in Transcona, in a house that was built in the 1970s. We have copper pipes, from what I can tell. Can you help us determine what the problem is, and what we can do to fix it? Do we need some type of water filter?
-- Audrey Pinette & family

Answer: Your question is a good example of something that appears to be a moderate to major concern in your home that may not be anything out of the ordinary. I will offer some advice for minimizing the mould growth, while attempting to explain the reason for its appearance.

The first thing to address is the water quality in your home, in relation to mould growth. I can say, with much certainty, that the growth of mould in your home has little to do with the water quality. Our municipal water is treated with chlorine, as well as fluoride and other processes, to prevent the growth of bacteria and other micro-organisms that can be harmful to the end users.

Moulds are present in varying quantities in most of our exterior and interior habitats and the majority are harmless or even beneficial to our health. Regardless, some types have been identified that may be potentially toxic in an indoor environment and their spores can be easily transported by indoor forced-air heating systems.

These spores may remain dormant for long periods of time, until the right environmental conditions occur that enable them to grow. For this to happen, mould needs three main things to thrive. The first and foremost requirement is moisture. The second requirement is a cellulose-based food source, and the final variable is heat.

Your perceived link between the water source and the mould growth is natural, as this component is critical for the fungus to grow. As you have stated, this can be anywhere water is allowed to remain stagnant, due to the other two requirements. If water is kept cool and moving, such as in your pressurized water pipes, there will not be sufficient introduction of heat or food for the mould to grow.

Also, airborne spores will not be able to enter the water, eliminating the possibility of growth. Once the water leaves the cool, copper water supply pipes, it will instantly begin to warm due to the ambient temperature of your home. Not only will mould spores be able to enter the water from passing air, so will other food sources. As previously stated, any cellulose-based material can be fuel for mould growth.

Most of the building materials in your home, as well as organic items, fall into this category. This may include drywall dust, pet hair, skin flakes and other small materials that regularly circulate in our homes through the forced-air heating systems. Normal household dust can contain all the food required for easy mould growth, but this will only occur if enough moisture is introduced to dormant mould spores.

The solution to your problem is not to worry about contaminants in the water, but to strive to eliminate two of the three above requirements for mould proliferation. While you don't want to remove heat from the equation, you may be able to minimize both the sources of moisture and food. It is quite common to see small amounts of mould and mildew form in washing machines and bathrooms, as they may have consistent, small quantities of standing water as well as residual soap from washing, which provides an ideal growth medium.

The first thing to do is to eliminate both the water and the soap residue. Wiping down these areas after use with a towel or rag may remove enough of these two components to minimize the problem. Allowing sufficient ventilation by opening shower doors or curtains, or the washer door, will also promote evaporation of the standing water by improved air circulation.

As for other areas in your home, avoiding excessive dust and dirt build-up will help prevent small amounts of mould from growing in areas like humidifiers and water-filled flower vases.

Additionally, the furnace filter should be changed every one to two months, especially if you have pets. Purchasing higher-quality, pleated air filters may also help reduce dust and can help trap airborne mould spores, preventing easy circulation throughout your home.

Unlike some health and safety concerns in our homes, prevention of excess mould growth may be as simple as maintaining a two-stage prevention strategy. Avoid allowing damp, poorly ventilated areas or stagnant water to develop while removing excess dust, dirt and soap scum accumulations with regular cleaning. Simply put; no water, no food, no mould.

Ari Marantz is the owner of Trained Eye Home Inspection Ltd. Questions can be emailed or sent to: Ask The Inspector, Box 69021, #110-2025 Corydon Ave., Winnipeg, MB. R3P 2G9.

trainedeye@iname.com

Ask The Inspector: Ari Marantz
April 5

Renovation & Design

Old arborite counter losing battle against stains

QUESTION: My arborite counter is almost 14 years old. When the counter was new it resisted all stains (to my joy). Now that it is older, stains seem to be more powerful and harder to clean. I am not willing to replace the countertop; do you have any suggestions for renewing the surface? Tracy, Winnipeg

ANSWER: High-pressure decorative laminates such as Arborite brand are popular however, stains on laminate are sometimes tricky because they have a tendency to seep into the plastic and become part of the fabrication just as dye stains on fabrics. Begin by making a paste of baking soda and water. Leave for 15-30 minutes and scrub. If that doesn't clean it use a product called Countertop Magic. This is a spray cleaner made to clean and restore the lustre of Formica and plastic laminates; it's available at home-improvement stores.

QUESTION: What is your trick to get crazy glue off of fingers? Gloria, Erickson, MB

ANSWER: When this happens soak (and I mean soak for at least 15 minutes) your fingers in one of the following; Coke or the hottest water that you can stand or acetone. Gently pry the glue off of your fingers and wash.

QUESTION: We have a granite cutting board that matches our counter tops. The top of the cutting board is finished the same way as the counters, therefore it is shiny, smooth and sealed. The bottom however, is rough and unfinished. Over the past year the bottom of the cutting board has developed a rank smell. It smells like algae or mould. I have tried everything to clean this, as we really do not want to throw the expensive cutting board out, but nothing takes the smell away. Is there anything I can do to fix this problem? Thank you. Sarah, Steinbach

ANSWER: This is not a very common occurrence. However, all stone, even granite, is porous to some degree, and will absorb moisture over time. Some stones are more porous than others, so it is important to use a penetrating sealer on the working surface (just as you have) to prevent stains from oil, wine, or other liquids from soaking into the surface. While unusual, stone can absorb odours. Here are a few solutions, be careful not to allow the substances to touch the sealed top area of the cutting board as it will eat away at the sealer. Put about one quarter cup rubbing alcohol into a bottle and then fill the rest with water. Add a few drops of dish washing soap. You can use this to spray underneath your cutting board. Other options are spraying or soaking the underside of the counter with 50/50 three per cent hydrogen peroxide and vinegar or wipe with tea tree oil. The liquids will seep into the stone and should kill the mildew smell.

You can seal the underside of the cutting board however sealer is not a permanent fix.

QUESTION: Is there a problem using homemade fire starters made of sawdust and wax or dryer lint and wax in fireplaces. I am concerned about wax creating a coating in the chimney? Thanks for your help. Jean, Brandon, MB

ANSWER: Dryer lint, egg cartons, pencil shavings, empty toilet paper rolls and saw dust are suitable fire starters used for an inside fireplace. Wax additions are better left for outdoor fireplaces because as you said wax build-up in chimneys can become a problem over time. An alternative to homemade wax fire starters is to save old newspapers and layer one loosely over top of another. Following many layers, leave to dry for several months. Toss in the fire as a fire starter; be sure to use black and white ink paper only.

QUESTION: I've got black stuff building up along where the top of the tub meets the tub surround. I'm assuming that it is mould of some type and I've tried bleach with no success do you have any other suggestions, as it is very unappealing. Thanks so much, Parker, Winnipeg

ANSWER: Due to their small size, mixture of surfaces and the fact that bathrooms generate tremendous amounts of moisture and humidity, this room is a natural breeding ground for all types of bacteria and mildew. There are an amazing amount of mould cleaners on the market, which could take care of your challenge. However, my favourite solution is to combine a spray bottle full of vinegar with a few drops of tea tree oil (much less toxic and does a good job). Scrub with an old toothbrush or a pumice stone. If the mildew remains, sprinkle borax or baking soda to make the area more abrasive, scrub and rinse. One other suggestion that many people attest to is applying a small amount of car wax to areas that tend to grow mildew as a preventative measure.

Reena Nerbas is the author of the national best sellers, Household Solutions 1 with Substitutions, Household Solutions 2 with Kitchen Secrets and the soon to be released book Household Solutions 3 with Green Alternatives available on-line and in stores across Canada.

Check out my web site!
www.householdsolutions.org

Fabulous tip of the week

Use a paste of cigar ashes or cigarette ashes on furniture to remove watermarks or scratches.

Reena Nerbas
March 29

Renovation & Design

Look in the attic for source of dripping

QUESTION: I'm hoping you can help narrow down our "attack" solutions. My husband and I live in an 1,100-square-foot bungalow in East Kildonan. When my husband bought the house a few years ago, he had a couple of roof vents added. This winter, we have noticed a problem. When we run the fan while taking a shower in the main washroom, once complete, we hear dripping behind the wall in the ensuite washroom, which is directly beside the main washroom. Once the fan is shut off, after about 15 minutes, the dripping stops. I should note here that one of the new roof vents was placed beside the toilet vent.

My husband has been very active in removing snow from the roof, as we have a relatively low roof pitch. At first, we both thought that snow was entering the toilet stack, melting, and that was the dripping that we heard. However, the other day I was running the kitchen fan and water started dripping from the kitchen light. Once I shut the fan off, the dripping stopped within 15 minutes.

We both have a few ideas as to what is causing the dripping, but before we start calling for services which could add up before all is said and done, I thought I would get your take on the problem and see where we should start.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Let me know if you require any further information.

-- Genafer Mehner-Adam

ANSWER: Before answering your question, I just want to state that you are one of many homeowners who have experienced unusual leakage into their homes this winter. For some reason, likely due to the unusually long period of very cold weather following a mild fall, moisture intrusion from attics is happening in homes that never had this issue before. Your home may be in that category, but I will explore some possibilities for your water problems.

The first thing I would recommend for your "plan of attack" would be to locate the attic access hatch and look into the attic with a powerful flashlight or portable trouble light. I would look for any unusually large amounts of frost on the underside of the roof sheathing, large stains, or wet rafters, insulation, or sheathing. If any of these issues are present, it is more likely that you are experiencing the same problems as the numerous other homeowners who have called or emailed me in the last month or so.

If no visible problems of this nature are evident, entering the attic to get a better look may be required. This may be quite difficult due to the low pitch of your roof, so consultation with a building envelope specialist, general contractor or home inspector is the next step. If access is possible, and you are physically able to climb around in the attic, inspection of the area above the bathroom and kitchen is the next step. If the insulation is excessively wet in these areas and no signs of active leakage seen, remove the insulation and check for openings in the ceilings or light from the living area. If you find any gaps, they should be sealed with polyethylene air/vapour barrier or polyurethane foam. If nothing is readily visible and the top of the insulation is damp, the problem may be simple air leakage into the attic.

Without going into a long explanation of technical issues, the problems in your home are most likely due to excessive air leakage into the attic. This warm air from the home will condense after it passes through the insulation and comes in contact with the cool wood framing or sheathing in the attic. This condensation may freeze and form frost in the attic.

There are two possible explanations for the leakage occurring only when your bathroom or kitchen fans are turned on. The first explanation may be simple to diagnose by looking at the exhaust fan ducting in the attic. If the ductings from the fans to the roof-vent hoods are uninsulated or damaged, they may be capable of leaking large amounts of warm, moist air into the attic, or simply radiating heat if the ducting is metal. This warmth will melt the frost in the area adjacent, causing water to drip onto the insulation and leak in through low points in the ceilings such as light fixtures. If the ducting is well-insulated and the insulation and roof sheathing are dry, this can be ruled out.

Whether the problem you are experiencing is directly attributed to poorly insulated exhaust-fan ducts or simply from typical air leakage and funny weather, the solution to your problem will be found in your attic. Air-sealing of penetrations in the ceiling, such as the exhaust-fan housings, light fixtures and wall top plates may minimize future condensation.

Ari Marantz is the owner of Trained Eye Home Inspection Ltd. Questions can be emailed or sent to: Ask The Inspector, P.O. Box 69021, #110-2025 Corydon Ave., Winnipeg, MB. R3P 2G9. Ari can be reached at (204) 291-5358, or check out his website at www.trainedeye.ca

Ask the Inspector: Ari Marantz
March 29

Renovation & Design

Painting oak panelling can be a bit tricky

If you are ready to tackle your own oak panelling (and yes, I know the very idea is a topic of serious spousal debate in some '80s-era homes), then professional painter Allan Wirzba is ready to help.

Wirzba, the proprietor or AW Painting (www.awpainting.ca), has been doing this for 20 years. He says wood panelling presents a unique set of challenges.

"It can be a little tricky," he says. "There's not a lot of room for mistakes." Still, the results can be spectacular.

Wirzba says to start by evaluating the condition of the wood. If it's from the '80s, it's likely to be dried out and showing some micro-cracks, possibly even separating at the edges. You'll know as soon as you start applying primer, when the wood soaks it up and the fissures are revealed.

"At one time that wood was solid and sealed," Wirzba says. "But when you're going from a lacquer look to a paint, there will be blemishes."

The solution? A flat paint finish; it's better at hiding the irregularities. This is especially important in a sunny room where light will be bouncing off the paint surface.

The easiest approach is to spray the wall, but Wirzba says that the paint won't fill the cracks that way. He often uses a combination of hand-held brush (on the mouldings) and flat finish roller (inside the flat panels).

Both methods allow him to create a "silky smooth finish" and bring out the grain of the wood.

For the edging, he recommends a high-quality synthetic brush. For rolling, a flat-finish roller, which has a low pile, so leaves less "texture" on the wall.

Wirzba also uses a high-quality paint such as from Aura from Benjamin Moore.

-- Canwest News Service

By Pamela Fieber
March 29