Posted on: Friday, October 25, 2002
HOME HANDYMAN
No sure-fire solutions to ash borer infestation
Q. I have four ash trees on my lot. Two have turned yellow. Two trees still look OK.
I have been reading about an ash borer infestation problem. Do you have a handyman solution? Is there any way to save my trees?
A. In areas where there is an ash borer problem, some professionals are attempting to cure trees through injection of chemicals that are effective against other borers. This remedy has not yet been proven to be successful, so there is no guarantee that the technique will be effective.
Do everything you can to see that the trees have optimum food and water so they are not under stress.
Q. My wife and I heard that there is a clothes dryer on the market that is ventless, that is, it does not have to be vented to the outside. We have been looking for this at various stores but have never seen it. Do you know about this machine? Is it good? What is the brand name and where can it be purchased?
A. I have never seen a ventless clothes dryer and would never recommend it. Basements have very poor air circulation. There are chemicals from the cleaning process that are off-gassed during the drying process that should not be kept indoors. They have to be directed out of the house for health reasons.
Q. How should I go about cleaning aluminum siding and gutters? Should I powerwash?
A. Alumin-Nu, (www.aluminnu.com) makes Nice N' Easy aluminum siding cleaner and gutter cleaner. The products also appear under the Power brand name. Powerwashing gutters is not a good idea. You should be able to find the products at many good hardware stores.
Q. I have a very annoying problem. I have a very bad, stinking, almost fecal smell that appears to be coming from somewhere behind the access panel for my shower controls. It also appears to get worse after I use the shower. What is it and what can I do about it? Please help. The smell gets so bad I don't even want to be in the house.
A. 1. You could have a water leak and wood rot. 2. A small animal might have gotten trapped in there and died. When you turn on the hot water, the smell just gets more aromatic. Either way, you need to have someone get in there and fix the problem. Call a licensed plumber to survey the problem.
Q. What can you tell me about maintenance of Pergo laminated flooring? It spots badly and shows all kinds of water marks. Even if people remove their shoes and they have sweaty feet, it leaves marks. I used three mops of different material before I could find one that really worked. What am I doing wrong?
A. Your problem is probably your cleaning technique. A phone consultant at Pergo says that all you need to use is a cleaning solution composed of half a cup ammonia to one gallon of warm water. Put the water in a spray bottle and mist the floor. Wipe immediately with a terry-cloth towel. If you do not like the idea of using ammonia, substitute one cup of white vinegar per gallon of warm water.
You can get more cleaning tips on the Pergo Web site, www.pergo.com, under the warranty section.
Glenn Haege writes this column for the Detroit News. Contact him at editor@flashcom.net. Visit his Web site at www.masterhandyman.com.
