Yes, our government has sanctioned it, so it must be true, right? But I have yet to locate anyone who can testify under oath that it has happened to them personally. It's always someone's brother-in-law, or neighbor's cousin.
Giving full credence to believers, what exactly should a person do if you spot a rat having a leisurely swim in the johnny? While the written word on this subject is a bit sparse, here's where the technology is today: King County suggests squirting a little dishwashing detergent under the lid (presuming you have hastily closed it), let it marinate for a few minutes, then flush away while cursing your water-saving toilet. King County neglects to mention what to do when the rat carcass plugs up the toilet. Personally, I say keep flushing until you stop screaming, or the clawing stops, whichever occurs first.
To prevent future close encounters, the recommendation is one cup of bleach (or one cup of baking soda and one cup of vinegar) and a chaser of boiling water. Never pour grease down the sewer, and keep the toilet lid down! For more information: 206-205-4394 or www.metrokc.gov/health/env_hlth/rats.htm
Q: I have a copper plumbing line in my 10-year-old house serving the hose spigot at the front of the garage. The pipe runs through about 10 feet of an unheated wall that is covered with drywall on the inside. The pipe doesn't have any insulation on it and has frozen twice. I've had to solder up the leak both times, despite the protective foam I put over the end of the spigot. Without busting into the drywall to add heat tape or insulation, do you have any ideas?
A: Foam protectors won't do much in your case, as you have what is known as a "frost-free" spigot. What this means is that the actual valve is located several inches back inside the wall. Older spigots stuck out from the wall, leaving the valve and water vulnerable to freezing. Newer spigot valves are located inside the warm wall. The handle is on the outside, but the valve is located further inside — which is why the units are so physically long. But this is moot, as the entire wall is cold anyway. Without busting in to insulate or add heat tape, your only options are to heat the garage or shut off the water before it gets to the unheated wall.
Adding a shutoff valve at the edge of the unheated portion is common and effective. If the new shutoff valve is located above the spigot, simply turn off the new valve and open the exterior spigot during cold weather, draining water from the line. If the proposed valve is to be located below the external spigot, buy one with a "bleed" function. Close the shutoff valve, open the external spigot, and then open the bleed valve — with a bucket under it.
Q: I have several high-water marks along the foundation walls in my crawlspace. The dirty water and mud left differing lines during different years. I need to determine which years each of these lines represents. Do you know of any way to conclusively determine age of mud and water stains on concrete?
A: I do not, but I suspect someone does. Readers?
Q: I have a support beam in my basement that I would like to move over about 3 feet. There is another support that's 8 feet from it. By moving it I would then have 11 feet between them. Can this be done without damaging anything?
A: Beams and posts are set with specific distances between them in order to be aligned with supporting members below, and to be able to carry the weight above. It sounds like you want to move a post, rather than a beam. The simple answer would be no, you can't do this without possibly overstressing the beam it carries. But increase the size and strength of the beam and it is possible. But you won't know how much increase is needed until a load calculation is done.
Moving a beam: In addition to the possibility of overstressing, a joint in a joist above could correspond with its location. Moving it three inches, much less three feet, could be disastrous.
But this doesn't mean you can't move or eliminate beams or posts. Far from it. Adding flush beams, shifting weight to adjoining members, and many other options are possible. Every one of these options needs evaluation by a trained professional, such as a structural engineer. You will need a building permit.
Darrell Hay answers readers' questions. Call 206-464-8514 to record your question, |
