Ask the Pros

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Ask the Pros

Q: The paint on some of our radiators is pretty old, cracked and flaking. Is it possible to have them removed, sandblasted and then repainted and reinstalled? With 2 little kids around, I worry that there could be lead chips, though I don't know for sure.

A: With little kids, you definitely want to check that paint.

But adults count, too; while we may be less likely to munch on paint chips, breathing lead dust can create serious health problems for all of us.

You can pick up a home lead paint test kit from any hardware store. Be sure you test all the layers of paint that are exposed. That means if you’re taking something apart and cleaning it, you’ll need to check all layers down to the bare metal. Some studies have called into question the reliability of these do-it-yourself kits, though, so think seriously about hiring a professional to evaluate your home. A certified lead based paint professional will use a portable x-ray fluorescence (XRF) machine, and conduct surface dust tests as well as lab tests of paint samples. Check this D.C. Department of Health list of local professionals for risk assessment, renovation and repair assistance.

When hiring this kind of contractor, you’re looking for a clear assurance they know how to handle lead paint. This should be a “yeah, we do this all the time” kind of response, not “sure, we can do anything.” EPA has excellent guidance for homeowners and contractors on dealing safely with lead paint; it’s all in the details.

In the meantime, be scrupulous about cleaning around the radiators. Follow EPA’s guidance on proper cleaning methods.

If you’d rather talk to someone, call your state’s lead coordination office: in Maryland, 800.633.6101; in DC, 202.535.1934; and in Virginia, 804.367.8595.

Lead Resources

D.C. Department of Health

Environmental Protection Agency

Lead-Safe Virginia Program

Maryland Lead Poisoning Prevention Program

National Lead Information Center (NLIC)

Q: I’m considering solar panels for my home. Are there tax incentives that will help cut the cost?

A: You bet.

Although federal tax incentives for many energy upgrades expired last year, the tax credit for solar water heaters and solar panels remains in effect through December 31, 2008, so it makes sense to invest now. The government will reimburse you 30% of the cost, up to $2,000. The state of Maryland offers up to $2,500 per kilowatt installed with a cap of $10,000. The District of Columbia promises to offer grants for renewable energy demonstration projects, but the program is undergoing revision. Virginia does not have a program. Check DSIRE, the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency, for local government incentives in your state.

Q: How can I get rid of the ants without getting rid of my family?

A: Get an aardvark.

Or—not. This is quite the problem this time of year. Ants are attracted to food--but then, of course, so are we. So you don’t want deadly chemicals around something as important as, say, the sugar bowl. What you need is something safe for the whole family, including your pets.

Some exterminators are beginning to offer eco-friendly options. They can use plant oils made from herbs like rosemary and garlic to distract the invaders. Better yet, use one of these tried and true ways to deal with the ants mano a mano.

Dusting their pathway with baby powder will keep ants away. This even works days after you sweep the powder up. Dusting around your sugar bowls and honey jars is a good place to start, and it won’t interfere with the food. Another option is to use black pepper.

Want to keep the ants from marching in while cleaning your house at the same time? Wash your kitchen with white vinegar and 20 Mule Team borax. It’s non-toxic and inexpensive. The vinegar (which you won’t smell after you wash with it) distracts the ants so they can’t follow a trail, and it keeps your kitchen fresh and clean.

In fact, it seems that almost any strong smell will deter ants. So things such as lemon peel, peppermint leaves or oil, and even a dryer sheet can keep them out of your food. See how easy that was?

If you prefer a more Clint Eastwood approach, use white chalk to draw a line at the place where they enter the house. (Muttering “Make my day!” as you do this is optional.) The ants won’t cross it. Just remember, you learned it here: ants do not have boundary issues.

Q: Too much rain! My basement is flooded again.

A friend recommends we install a sump pump, but that seems like a big procedure. Any recommendations for simpler ways to keep the water out?

A: A sump pump could be a good idea,

but for most homes that aren’t already equipped with one, it would be a very big investment: jackhammering a pit and building a sump, buying and installing a pump and the associated electrical connections, and probably having to resurface the basement floor to get it to slope toward the new sump.

I wouldn’t invest in one until you’ve tried other low-cost methods for keeping water out of your home:

Clean your gutters and downspouts. Do it now, and again every winter, after all the leaves have fallen. For roughly $70, you can get a gutter company to do it for you. This is one expense you won’t regret. Take a look at the gutters every few months and do a quick cleaning whenever there’s buildup.
Grade away from the foundation. Create a gentle slope of compacted soil that flows away from the house. Don’t use mulch, which is the perfect fodder for termites. Also, make sure water doesn’t pond anywhere near the house. Fill depressions near the house that might hold water and make sure any water that flows down a hill toward your house can freely flow around your house.
Install splashblocks at downspouts. Be sure they’re connected to the downspout and in good condition, and that they direct water away from the house. Better still, attach drain piping (inexpensive and available at any hardware store), which should ideally stretch 5 feet from the foundation, directly from the downspout.
Adjust sprinklers so you’re not watering the house along with the lawn.
Check for leaks at outdoor faucets. If they leak, replace the washers. Water from leaking hoses can run straight down your foundation wall.
If you have a gravel driveway, fill the ruts and restore the "crown" to keep water from ponding on the driveway. A driveway crowns when it is highest in the middle and slightly slopes downward on both sides, which ensures good drainage. You can usually achieve this by raking the driveway so the wheel ruts are filled with gravel.

If these low-cost methods don’t work, talk to a contractor about providing better foundation drainage on the side of the basement that leaks. It can be expensive, but is often less expensive—and a better fix—than installing a sump from scratch.

If you need to dry your basement out, a very good investment is a dehumidifier, which will keep mold at bay.

Q: Are these ugly white nests in my trees going to unleash gypsy moths? Can I control them without pesticides?

A: Put the pesticide down.

Nobody needs to get hurt.

If you see white nests or tents appearing in the forks of trees around your home, you have eastern tent caterpillars. As pests go, they are strictly bush league. Heh, heh. Just a little garden humor. A very little.

Anyway. Your caterpillars. They’ll grow up to be common brown moths. They like to eat the leaves of wild cherry trees, but they aren’t that picky. They’ll gnosh on crabapple, plum, hawthorne, willow, peach, beech and birch leaves. If it’s an unusually severe outbreak, the caterpillars can pick a tree clean, but even then the tree will bounce back.

Take a look around and you’ll probably see the caterpillars on the tree and maybe on sidewalks around your home. Their feeding period is ending now, so they won’t do any further damage to the trees this year. They’re looking around for a good place to pupate; the moths will emerge in early summer.

Gypsy moths, on the other hand, are invasive bad boys that don’t mind eating to the death—of the tree, that is. Gypsy moths prefer hardwoods like oak, and they don’t stop eating until late June or even July. Last year was a bad year for gypsy moths around here. All the rain we’re having, along with Maryland’s spraying, should lessen their abundance this year. If you should find gypsy moths, burlap banding on affected trees can help you lessen their numbers, provided you check the flaps regularly.

Q: My wife and I are buying our first house

and my Realtor recommends we get a radon test. With all the costs of buying a house, it just feels like one more thing. Should I pay the $160 now, or is this something I could do later when we get around to it? Even if the test found radon, I don’t think we could afford to pay to get rid of it now.

A: How likely is it that you'll get around to it later? For the health of your family, do it now.

Radon is a natural radioactive gas that has no warning signs and is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, it kills about 20,000 people a year. Despite these dangers, the number of homebuyers (and existing homeowners and renters) who actually have their homes tested is very small.

The good news: you don’t need to hire a radon testing firm. Just buy a do-it-yourself radon test kit, which is less than $20 at most hardware and big box home improvement stores. The price includes a radon sampler bag, detailed instructions, an information card, and return mail envelope—and, most importantly, the laboratory analysis. If you live in DC, you can also apply for a free radon test kit.

Don’t put it off. Learn more about radon or find a remediation contractor at www.epa.gov/radon.

If your test does reveal radon gas, remediation is fairly inexpensive: a few thousand dollars for a contractor to pour some concrete and add some gravel, piping and a fan--versus a few hundred thousand for cancer treatment.

Q: I need to replace my old toilet and I’d like to save water, but I can’t afford one of the new, high-efficiency models. Can I just put a brick in the tank and be done with it?

A: Toilets account for almost 30 percent of indoor water consumption in most homes,

so reducing their water consumption is a great idea—for your wallet and the environment. But don’t use bricks. It was the 70s solution to reducing the amount of water in the tank, but over time, bricks will often disintegrate and clog up the tank.

Here are two other options:

• Fill two small plastic bottles with water and an inch or two of sand or pebbles. Screw on the lids and place the bottles carefully in the tank so they don't touch any of the operating mechanisms. Be sure at least 3 gallons of water remain in the tank so it will flush properly. This could save ten or more gallons of water a day.

• Purchase a dual-flush retrofit device, available at local hardware stores for a little as $50. This device gives you the option of a full flush or half flush, depending on the water you need.

Retrofitting your exisiting toilet is more resource efficient anyways, but if you decide to replace the toilet at a later date, so consider a high efficiency model. According to EPA, a family of four will save more then $90 per year in water utility bills and $2,000 the lifetime of just one of these toilets. Learn more about high efficiency models at www.epa.gov/watersense.