Question: My wife and I recently bought a house in central Pennsylvania where the three bathroom fans are vented into the attic. There are no vents coming through the roof.
We notice unsightly black mold growing around the gable vents and believe it to be from moisture in the attic. What would be the best way to tie three fan vents together and vent them? Through the roof? Through the soffit?
Was venting fans into the attic common in the late 1970s through 1980s?
Answer: There is considerable debate on venting through the soffit, since many experts believe there is a chance for moist air to find its way back inside through soffit intakes or cracks.
There is less debate over roof venting, except not many people want to cut holes in a roof. Roof venting needs to be done correctly to prevent leaking.
I've never heard of anyone purposely venting bathroom fans into an attic.
From a reader: I read your article this morning on rubber-backed rugs staining vinyl floors. We had a different problem with the pads underneath area rugs to protect the hardwood floors and to prevent the rug from slipping.
These pads are sold at big-box stores, department stores, and specialty flooring stores. We've stopped using them because they leave an imprint on the floor.
We discovered this when we lifted up an area rug and pad in preparation for refinishing the floor. The entire floor underneath showed the waffle pattern on the pad. This was in a room that didn't receive direct sunlight so it wasn't caused by heat or light.
We have replaced all the ones made of foam, urethane, or anything with a rubber backing with pads made from wool without any dyes added.
We've also checked other rooms where we have large Orientals and removed the pads from those and we're hoping the dark marks fade with time.
Q: We have a contoured acrylic shower stall. What is the best way to give it a good cleaning - soap scum and the like - and make it shine too, if possible?
A: The experts recommend a nonabrasive gel that won't scratch the surface of the stall. They also suggest that cleaning it every couple of weeks will prevent soap-scum buildup.
Q: I have a 13-year-old kitchen floor made by Pergo. It is cream with pastel flowers and very pretty. However, it has grooves to simulate wood which collect dirt. The only way to clean it is with a Mr. Clean sponge, which dulls the finish.
I have been in touch with many floor-restoring companies, and no one has a solution that has proven successful.
