Glenn Haege: Ask Glenn

More air could help reduce building's humidity

Dear Glenn: My husband's office building, which is approximately 2,000 square feet, has a constant humidity problem along with a musty and damp odor. The building is on a cement slab. He constantly runs and operates a dehumidifier, even in the winter. We recently installed a Humidex and have not seen much improvement. We have been told the pipes are under the cement. We have sealed everywhere to inhibit water penetration. Any suggestions you might have would be very helpful. The furnace is older, but the central air seems to operate fine.

Mary, via e-mail

Dear Mary: You could use more combustion air. Installing an Equaliz-Air, (734) 462-1033, www.equaliz-air.com, to bring in more air might be the answer. The dehumidifier should be big enough for the square footage of the building. It should be about 50 pints and have an Energy Star rating. They are made for very damp areas.

Dear Glenn: I will be replacing my carpeting and padding in my family room soon, as it is stained from dog urine. The padding sits on a cement floor and I was told that to get rid of the odor I have to treat the cement before replacing the carpet and padding. If this is correct, what do you suggest and how long does it take to dry before carpeting?

Lou, via e-mail

Dear Lou: Use two rolled coats of B-I-N Shellac Sealer, (888) 855-1774, www.zinsser.com, either the clear or white. Wait 24 hours after you apply the paint to put down the padding and carpet. Each coat needs one hour to dry.

Dear Glenn: An old bag of potassium chloride was sitting on the concrete in the basement and absorbed moisture from the air. Then the liquid solution leaked onto the basement floor and soaked in. I flushed the area for 15-20 minutes with water, but the dissolved salts are still in the concrete. Any suggestion on how it might be removed?

Bruce, via e-mail

Dear Bruce: Set up a dehumidifier. Let it run close to that area for about a week. Check it daily and use a wet/dry vac to pick up the powder as it appears on the concrete. When the powder is gone, so is the potassium chloride.

Dear Glenn: My home is about 15 years old, so all of the plumbing is copper. Whenever I turn the Jacuzzi tub on in my bathroom, the water is black with granulation. It takes nearly a whole tank of hot water to clear it. Then I have to clean the stuff out of the tub. I do have another tub that is never used. When I turn it on, I get a small amount of black water. None of my other fixtures or faucets has this problem. How do I get rid of this black stuff?

Rose

Dear Rose: Start by cleaning your tub using WhirlAway by Chemique, (800) 225-4161, www.chemique.com. It is designed to eliminate that problem. It is available at Universal Pluming Supply, (248) 542-3888, or visit www.universalplumbingsupply.net, in Oak Park.

Dear Glenn: I am badly in need of a roof. During March this year, I started to notice how moisture was accumulating in three different spots in my home. Cash estimates are ranging from $5,500 to $7,250 and $10,000 to $18,000 if I have to finance. The square footage of my house is 1,600. So the roof measurement is, of course, larger. Do you have any suggestions or articles I can read or any other information I need to make a structurally sound and financially reasonable decision?

Regina, via e-mail

Dear Regina: My articles on roofing detail what to do.

"My Roofing Replacement" guide will guide you through. It's free at www.MasterHandyman.com. Just type roof in the "Get Help From The Handyman" area. Click to open the articles and print the ones you want for free.

Ask Glenn If you would like to suggest a question for this column, e-mail askglenn@masterhandyman.com. If you want to talk to Glenn Haege personally, call his "Handyman Show" on WJR-AM (760) at (866) ASK GLENN, (866) 275-4536 between noon and 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. The show can be heard on more than 130 radio stations nationwide.