Q-I am doing some wiring in my house and find that I have difficulty stripping the insulation off the heavy 12-gauge wires that are required for most circuits.
At first, I used a pocket knife for the stripping, but it was slow going. Then, I used a pair of diagonal cutting pliers. It was a lot faster, but I often nicked the wire as I was cutting through the insulation.
Is there a better method for fast wire stripping, or is there a different tool I can use?
A-Your best bet is to buy a combination lug-crimping and wire-stripping tool. The jaws at the end are used for crimping solderless lugs and connectors at the end of a piece of wire, but these tools are also widely used for stripping off insulation at the end of a wire.
The tool has a set of knife-edged holes that will strip wires of various gauges without danger of nicking the wire. The jaws cut deep enough to go through the insulation without actually touching the wire on the inside-as long as the wire is inserted into the proper set of openings.
After you squeeze the handles together to cut through the insulation, hold them tightly together while pulling the tool back to strip off the insulation.
Sweating toilet tank
Q-Our toilet tank in the downstairs bathroom “sweats” so much during hot weather that it drips water all over the floor. Can anything be done to stop this?
A-The water coming into the tank apparently is quite cold and the air in your bathroom is obviously warm and humid, so condensation forms on the outside of the tank.
There are two alternative cures. One is to line the inside of the tank with Styrofoam or similar insulation that will keep the outside of the tank from getting so cold.
The other solution is to have a plumber put in a mixing valve that will allow a small amount of hot water to flow into the tank along with the cold water. That way the outside of the tank won’t get chilled. This valve can be closed during cooler weather if sweating is not a problem then.
Double-pane glass leaks
Q-My house has double-pane insulating glass in the windows. Some of these windows have moisture between the two panes. Does this trapped moisture affect the efficiency of the windows and is there any way to correct this problem?
A-A lot depends on the brand of insulating glass used. Some brands have the glass edges bonded together, in which case they cannot be repaired-they must be replaced if leaks develop.
Other brands consist of two separate sheets of glass set into a sealed frame with a desiccant sealed inside. Some of these can be repaired by a professional; others cannot.
Small amounts of condensation that form between the panes of glass will have little effect on their insulating efficiency.
Bricks turn white
Q-Our brick patio has developed mildew several times. Each time we used a solution of one part bleach and three parts water to wash it off.
During the winter the bricks turned a whitish color and this would not wash off. We don’t know whether this loss of color is from the bleach we used or from efflorescence. What can we do to restore the original brick color?
A-I doubt if the bleach caused your problem. More than likely it is efflorescence, which is caused by dampness. Efflorescence can almost always be washed off with a mild solution of muriatic acid and water.
Mix one part acid with four parts water and scrub over the bricks with a stiff brush. Allow to stand for about five minutes, then flush off with lots of water. To prevent a recurrence, you should do something to improve the drainage around and under the bricks.
If trees or shrubs block out the sunlight, trim them.
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Have a question about home repair problems? Write to Bernard Gladstone in care of Your Place, Chicago Tribune, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60611. Questions of general interest will be answered in future columns. Sorry, letters cannot be answered personally.
