Cleaning & Protecting Your Travertine Tile

By: Handy Andy

Travertine in the residential construction is a natural stones that is used commonly for paving patios and garden paths. Depending on your region, sometimes the stone is also called travertine marble or travertine limestone.  Travertine is classified properly in the geotechnical realm as a limestone product. The stone is characterized by uneven holes and cribs in its surface. Although these ribs occur naturally, they suggest signs of considerable natural wear and tear over time. Some tile layers use a grout to fill the holes, whereas others leave them open go give it the natural look. Travertine can be purchased with the holes and ribs filled or unfilled.  One can also purchase the tile polished to a smooth and shiny finish.

Travertine is most commonly used as flooring.  One has to be mindful of this stone since it is relative soft in nature and with the combination with its holes and ribs, it make travertine flooring difficult to finish and maintain.

Travertine tile cleaning is the same as cleaning any natural stone.  As with all natural stones it is always recommend too use a neutral cleaner. The absolute most important thing to remember when cleaning travertine tile is not to use strong chemicals or your typical house hold cleaners. Not even a mixture of vinegar or bleach with water is recommended with this stone.  Vinegar is acidic while bleach is alkaline based.  Acidic and even alkaline chemicals will etch the travertine. You do not want to clean travertine with either one of these cleaners. When cleaning your travertine floors, mop the travertine tiles with your neutral cleaning solution.  If you don't have a neutral cleaner, use warm water to clean you travertine surface.  

We recommend you dust mop the floor using a non-treated dust mop or vacuum with a glider (with no plastic beater bar) on it. Then mop the travertine floor with the neutral cleaner.  After mopping, use a dry cotton or microfiber cloth to dry the surface of the travertine.  The last step will not only pick up the excess water but also any dirt particles still left in the water.

 

Travertine will etch easily since it is a soft stone. Sealing travertine has nothing to do with and won't prevent etching. Sealing travertine and the grout yearly is to guard against staining. Travertine can stain when honed or tumbled.  Polished travertine is nearly stain-proof and usually doesn't need sealing.

If your polished travertine floor tile is looking a little dull, it probably needs more than a cleaning. It may need to be re-surfaced, or honed and polished.

The Big Do Not’s…

DON'T use vinegar or others acid cleaners on stone floors

DON'T use cleaners like bathroom cleaners, grout cleaners, or tub & tile cleaners as many are known to contain acid.

DON'T use abrasive cleaners like soft scrub or Ajax

DON’T let acidic spills remain on the travertine. Remember, travertine is a porous stone, and any spills left standing for some time will dull the finish and may stain the surface.  

Here are some tips…

Seal your travertine tile annually. This will help preserve the travertine and help protect it from dust and stains.

Wipe spills immediately. Particularly, if the spill is acidic in nature like wine, juice, or coffee.

Use a neutral cleaner or stone soap to clean your travertine tile.

Use coasters under glasses and bottles

Put down an entry mat in entryways to protect your travertine tile floor from scratches that could potentially be caused by dirt coming from your shoes. Hall runners and rugs also give additional protection.

Dust mop your travertine tile floor regularly to keep it free from dust and debris that may scratch its surface.

You trusted handyman Handy Andy

Visit us at www.HandyPro.com
January  2013

Home Repairs Everyone Should Do!

By: Handy Andy

Every year we encounter the same standard home repair and maintenance items that so many homeowners ignore.  Many home owners ignore the obvious deferred maintenance items that can save them money and improve the appearance.  Here are 10 repair and maintenance items that every home owner should pay attention too:

 

1. Light Bulb - Change your old indoor light bulbs to the newer compact fluorescent lamp.  A 13W lamp has a 10,000 hour life and replaces a 60W lamp.  In 2013 the olds 75W lamps will be taken off the market.  In 2014, we can expect the old 60W lamps to be taken off the market too.

 

2. Furnace Filter - Changing your filters every 30-90 days, can increase the life of your appliances and keeps your air clean. Depending on your system(s), you may not only have air filters in the common return air in the walls or ceiling but you may also have a filter in your furnace in your attic or crawl space.

 

3. Running Toilet - You may hear dripping or running water in your toilet bowl.  This commonly means that the flapper may need cleaning or replacement.  It may also mean that the floater arm may need adjusting. 

 

4. Leaking Faucet - Dripping faucets can run up your water bill.  Over time some of the internal parts of the faucet can corrode.  Most home improvement stores sell faucet repair kids.

 

5. Shower Head - Over time shower heads clog with mineral deposit and sediment over time. Older models are not very energy efficient while newer models have low flow designs that can save you money without sacrificing the spray strength.

 

6. Weather Striping - Doors open and close. They are under constant stress of warm and cold weather, rain, snow, ice, etc.  The weather striping wears out and goes flat.  It's recommended to change these out every 3 to 5 years.

 

7. Shower Caulk/Grout - It's important to remove worn and mildewed caulk and grout.  By removing the damaged or moldy caulk to can prevent potential deep water damage that can get in through the failing caulk or grout.

 

8. Ceramic Tile - Floor tile can break. Cracks in the tile, can allow water to enter and cause damage to the subfloor. Damaged tile is relatively easy to replace.

 

9. Dryer Vent - Clogged dryer vents can cause your dryer from not running efficiently.  The clogged vent line, if not cleaned regular can be a potential fire hazard. 

 

10. Drywall -  Fix small holes and dents and reattach loose drywall tape.

 

You trusted handyman Handy Andy

Visit us at www.HandyPro.com
January  2013

How to protect your exterior door from dog scratches

By: Handy Andy

We are so happy to have our little pup - Bailey and Tucker. They love to go outside and play in the backyard.  They also like to make it known when they want to come back in. Bailey and Tucker scratch on our patio door and frame until we let them in. It's their means of communicating with us that it is time to let them in.

We hadn't found a good solution to this problem until this weekend. We fixed all the scratches, primed and painted the door and frame.  It looks like new. We then cut three pieces of Plexiglas to the size of the door jamb and kick and mounted them to about 18-inches above the threshold. We made the Plexiglas just wide enough so that it would lap the weatherstripping so they would not scratch it. Since the Plexiglas is clear, it appears to be an integral part of the door and frame. The dogs can scratch now without damaging the wood or the weatherstripping. If they get a little mud on the Plexiglas, no big deal, we just wipe it off.

You trusted handyman Handy Andy

Visit us at www.HandyPro.com
November 2012

Foundation Vent Open or Closed?

By: Handy Andy

There is a lot of confusion surrounding this matter and by following the wrong advice you can make problems worse.

Let's clarify something right from the beginning...  controlling moisture in the crawl space, optimzing foundation vents are proven not to work as you may have hoped for. Vents not only fail to control moisture, they actually contribute to aggravate the problem.

City-Data.com asked it's Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, NC residence in 2009 what they do with their vents during the winter months.  The result was quite interesting - 60% said they closed the vents while 40% indicated they open the vents.

Greenville Utilities , in Greenville, NC, recommends to follow the North Carolina Uniform Residential Building Code on the number and placement of crawlspace foundation vents. The utility company recommends placing a polyethelene ground cover in the crawl space, which allows for the net free ventilation area to be reduced by 50%.

In past years, the home building industry pretty much always recommended to close the foundation vents in the winter to reduce the exposure of pipes freezing and to avoid cold air in the crawl spaces. During the Spring through the Fall months, the industry alway suggested to leave the vents open .

After much research the utility companies suggests that a change in this procedure is needed for most homes. It has shown that too much ventilation occurs during our hot and humid summers.During the hot and humid weather the warm, moist air migrates into the crawl spaces and through the vents and condenses on the metal ductwork, duct insulation, floor joists, floor insulation and curtain walls. This moisture can rust and damage ductwork and contribute to mold and mildew. The moisture also negatively effects the insulation of the duct and floor and can contribute to potential wood rot.

The final verdict may read like this... Let the crawlpsace dry with natural air movement in the Spring and Fall and leave the vents closed during the hot, humid Summers and throughout the Winters to prevent the moisture problems mentioned above.

You trusted handyman Handy Andy

Visit us at www.HandyPro.com
November  2012

Gutter Guard or Not!

By Handy Andy

Only a few weeks ago I talked with my buddy Donny about cleaning his gutters.  He told me that he was really contemplating of having a gutter guards system installed on his house. Now be mindful, Donny has some large evergreen and deciduous trees all around his house that drop needles and leaves onto his house.  Not a very pretty sight and I am sure this is very frustrating to him.  Donny also admitted he wasn't quite the buck he used to be on climbing the ladder. 

When I told Donny he could count on someone quoting him $20 -45 per linear foot for installed gutter guards, he almost fell out of his chair. Let's be realistic, don't you think the companies that sell these gutter guards play upon the frustration the homeowner experiences when faced with cleaning the gutters a couple times a year.  It all sounds so good and wonderful... a system that won't clog and no more cleaning. Really?

Tim Carter with Ask The Builder notes that he tested different systems for years at his own home and they all fail in one way or the other. Tim said that all gutter guards do stop large leaves from entering gutters, but they all allow small organic debris to enter the gutter system or this debris clogs the gutter guards causing water to cascade off the roof. Just as I told Donny, Tim confirmed that if this organic debris that does enter the gutter is not cleaned out on a regular basis, you end up with a layer of goo and muck in your gutters. Eventually even the layers of goo and muck need to be removed.

Tim also advises that if you must install gutter guards, then you should make sure you buy ones that allow you to easily see through them to the bottom of the entire gutter. Avoid gutter guards that have solid tops and small slits near the front edge. Look for gutter guards that have a larger mesh-type open structure that resembles a fishnet or even a chainlink fence. These systems allow you to aim a garden hose nozzle through the guard so that water can easily flush away the organic goo that will collect in the gutter.
 
It is imperative that you sit down and do some calculations before you decide to sign a contract for gutter guards. I told Donny, let's assume he paid someone $3,000 to install gutter guards.  In the past, Donny paid someone $85 to clean his gutters. Let's assume, Donny had his gutters cleaned 3 times a year. The initial gutter guard investment would be equivalent to 12 years of gutter cleaning. There is also the factor to consider that you will have to clean gutters with the gutter guards every few years.  During this process you will have the gutter guard company come back out to remove the guards.  I am sure they will not remove and reinstall them for free.  The other aspect you need to look at... how long are you really planning to stay in the house before you up-or-down grade.

Ask The Builder suggested to be aware of salesmen who tell you all of the organic debris is washed away by rain or blown away by the wind. It is not true. At the last local home show I test what Tim suggested. I went to the small gutter guard setup with water cascading down a little roof, across the guard and into a gutter. I tore off a small piece of paper and drop it onto the running water. As Tim guarantee, the paper was carried into the gutter. 

 

You trusted handyman Handy Andy

Visit us at www.HandyPro.com
October 2012

My Window Glass is Foggy or Cloudy... what do I do?

Can You Fix My Cloudy or Foggy Window Panes?
 
By: Handy Andy

We receive many calls during the year from our valued customers asking to clean their foggy or cloudy windows.

 

One Saturday morning you noticed your double pane window in the den has a light cloud or is a little foggy.  You got your Windex out and started wiping the inside and then the outside of the window pane. It's not long thereafter you find out the cloudiness is still there. You may decide to try a different window cleaner like vinegar and water. The result is the same.

 

The other story we hear a lot is that you are starting to wonder since last night the cloudiness on the window was not there.  Where did it come form. The next day it is gone and then it comes back later in the day. Over time the cloudiness becomes larger and thicker.  You hardly can see through the fogginess of the window.

 

The cloudiness you are experiencing is between the two panes of glass. As the seals fail, the system will allow moist air between the glass panes, where it then condenses.

Insulating glass seals have to withstand rain, cold, wind, heat, and even impact. Manufacturer's testing prevailed that the failure rate of these types of windows is only 1 to 3 percent.  With that said, there is a good chance at least one glass pane in your house will be part of the 1 to 3 percent failure rate.

 

When windows fog and fail, the only viable option is replacement. It's extremely difficult to separate the old panes (in most cases people will break the glass during the attempt), clean them up and reseal them again: The glass becomes etched from minerals in the moist air, the old seals are difficult to remove in order to get a tight new seal and a repair is just not cost effective.  

You trusted handyman Handy Andy

Visit us at www.HandyPro.com
October 2012

Cleaning Vinyl Siding

By: Handy Andy

Over the years vinyl siding has become a referred building product for many of the builders.  It is relatively low in initial cost and it is relatively maintenance friendly.  Vinyl siding resists most common household stains, but it will become dirty like any product exposed to atmospheric conditions.

In areas not exposed to direct sun and rain, periodic washing with a soft bristle brush and clean water from a garden hose may be necessary to remove surface dirt. Chalk may also accumulate on the surface. This is a normal condition for pigmented materials exposed to the elements. For best appearance, clean vinyl siding at least once a year.

To remove soil, grime and chalk from your siding, use a garden hose, a soft bristle brush and a bucket of soapy water. There are other over the counter cleaners available.  For best results, start at the bottom of the house and work up and rinse the cleaning solution completely before it dries. If your house has brick facing, cover the brick so that it is not affected by the runoff. Thoroughly rinse the siding with clean water from a garden hose.

Manufacturers recommend avoiding prolonged or high pressure rinsing. Keep cleaning solution off surrounding fixtures and surfaces not scheduled for washing.  This doesn’t mean you cannot use power washers. Before using a pressure washer you should read the washer instructions carefully. Cleaning vinyl siding is not a science but requires but it requires you power washer straight at eye level so that you keep the water on top of the siding where it can clean most effectively. Do not aim the power washer upward as water may be driven behind the siding.

You should follow the siding manufacturer’s recommendations.  Many of the manufacturers don't want you to pressure washers on their products.  Others allow them, but have limitations on the amount of pressure and the cleaners that can be used.  Most will caution against the use of pressure washers.

You trusted handyman Handy Andy

Visit us at www.HandyPro.com
October 2012