Q My wife and I recently bought a house 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?
A 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.
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.
Using a steam machine could buckle the flooring. Using brushes and water could ruin the floor. And no one recommends sealing the floor afterward to keep out the dirt.
I’ve heard that a manufacturer is coming out with a refinishing product within six months to a year, but in the meantime, all I can do is clean with the sponge, which is very uneven (I’ve tried it) and hard on the body to be on your hands and knees all that time.
Do you have any ideas, other than ripping out the floor, which I don’t want to do because I love the pattern?
A Pergo says its LusterGard surface protection “ensures dirt and dust will not adhere to your floor and guarantees it will not stain or fade like other flooring surfaces.”
For day-to-day maintenance, an occasional damp mop, quick sweeping, or light vacuuming using hard-floor attachments can keep the floor clean. Do not use soaps, detergents or cleaners with wax because they may leave a film, dulling the floor.
Difficult spots like nail polish, markers, tar and cigarette burns can be easily removed with Pergo’s Laminate and Hard Surface cleaner. Another option: Mix 1 gallon water with 1 cup vinegar or 1/2 cup ammonia per gallon of water.
Pergo floors must never be waxed, polished, sanded, or refinished, and never use a wet or jet mop when cleaning.
More rug problems
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.
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.
E-mail your questions for Al Heavens to aheavens@phillynews.com.
