Spring is in full bloom throughout thePacific Northwest, but not everything green is in the garden. As the rains subside, we see green concrete everywhere – walkways, driveways, and patios. Looking closely at the house, we’re even likely to see the telltale sign of moss on the roof and mildew on our siding. This time of year, the most frequent request I get is to pressure wash something. But, thanks to modern chemistry, getting rid of moss, mildew, and slime molds isn’t nearly as tough a job as it once was and many times I don’t even need the pressure washer.

There are several really good products available at all the big box stores, department stores, and most hardware stores. In fact, Lilly-Miller introduced a new moss remover designed just for concrete last year. The product I’ve been using very successfully for several years is 30 Seconds Outdoor Cleaner and I guess I’m reluctant to change just because it is so darned effective. In many cases, all I need to do is spray it on the concrete or siding, agitate it with a stiff bristle brush, and rinse it off with a hose. And, it’s effective at killing slime molds and mildew as well as the moss. The same company has just released a new product which promises to be as effective, but with even less work. It’s called Spray & Walk Away. Mix the concentrate in a 5 to 1 ratio with water, spray it using a garden sprayer, and Mother Nature will wash away all the black and green yuk over time. This is also the only product I know of that will deal effectively with lichen. Best part of all, both of these products are manufactured right here in Troutdale, Oregon.

Occasionally, I do have to break out the pressure washer to deal with really tough jobs. It’s important to remember, though, that just washing moss, mold, and mildew from the surface is usually not enough. The “roots” are still embedded and remain alive in any porous surface like concrete or roofing materials. They will continue to grow and do damage, unless a chemical is used to kill them before using the pressure washer.

While the power of high pressure water can really speed up the cleaning process, it’s important to remember it can also do extensive damage very quickly. It will cut through vinyl and cedar siding along with composition roofing materials like a sharp knife. Be sure to use a wide enough tip angle (usually 25 or 40 degree) to disperse the water while still getting the surface clean.

As a final note, when it comes to removing the “green” of springtime, remember to always wear personal protective clothing and equipment. Read and follow all the warning labels on any chemicals and always wear close-toed shoes along with eye and hearing protection when using the pressure washer.

When I got home earlier today, I found this little guy (gal?) in my back yard pecking at the plants. I couldn’t tell if he was eating insects or the tender tips of the plants. I thought it was a guinea fowl, but all the photos I’ve been able to find make the guinea look more like a small turkey, because of the wattles and the cap. If you’re a real birder, I’ll bet you would know what it is. how ’bout sharing your knowlege with the ol’ handyman?

Every day is unique in each of our lives, but some days are more special than others. I celebrated a milestone yesterday, when I turned 65 years old. But, I wasn’t alone for the celebration; I broadcast my radio show live from a Rodda Paint store in Portland, Oregon. It was a special occassion for them, as well. Each year they are one of the title sponsors of Paint the Town Clean, a project that brings about 100 volunteers together to paint over grafitti that is spoiling the appearance of local businesses. So, with the help of Alpha Broadcasting, the parent company of our flagship radio station, Newsradio 101FM KXL, and the City of Portland, the volunteers went out, saw the graffitti, and conquered it.

There is another way in which I wasn’t alone in the celebration. I’m part of the Baby Boomer generation, people born between January 1946 and December 1964 – 70 million people! If you do the math, that means 10,000 people are turning 65 years old every day for 19 years. If you don’t believe the Social Security system is in trouble, just re-read those numbers. In very few years, without significant changes being made, there will be only two people paying into the system for every one person drawing income from it. That is simply not sustainable! Not unless each of the two people paying are willing to pay hundreds of dollars each month into the system. It’s time for our Congress to get their heads out of the sand and solve the problem. Maybe it’s time you wrote a letter to your senators and representatives, and just as a suggestion, address the letters, Dear Employee. It seems to me they have forgotten that they work for us.

In an email from Sheryl:

Hi Handyman Bob,

I listen to you regularly, but have not heard this question come up.

I recently moved into a townhome with an adjoining (firewall) wall with the neighbor.  Before hanging a large mirror, I drilled a small hole to see if I was on a stud.  It wasn’t, so I attempted to screw in a corkscrew shaped anchor.  It went part way in, then hit what I’m guessing is the firewall.  Do you have any suggestions on how to hang pictures on that wall?  Or does that side of the house need to remain empty?

Thanks so much,

Cheryl

And, my reply:

So, here is the second installment of the exploits of Johnny. If you missed yesterday's installment, be sure to view it first at The Great Wall of Heather. Once you've been there, you really have to see how he created the illusion of a gold mine alongside the new wall using an old mining car given to him by his dad, along with a bunch of timbers and some fabricated metal angle iron. I've seen amusement parks with less realistic displays. Check out the gold mine by Clicking Here.

People frequently ask me how to build a retaining wall and, of course, the answer is totally dependent on the conditions of the hill to be retained. Last Saturday, Johnny called my show to discuss a deck he had built and followed up with some pictures by email. The conversation continued and he sent some pictures of a retaining wall he built. I've watched the Oregon Department of Transportation build lesser walls than this one. Check it out and be sure to check back tomorrow to see the gold mine he constructed as his follow-up project.

Click Here to see the Great Wall of Heather

This week’s radio show was broadcast remote from Shur-Way Building Centers in Vancouver, WA where we had a great time!

My engineer, Phil, looks like a rock star with dark glasses and all!

And, the KXL Street Team came loaded with prizes and enthusiasm!

With support from Brent, JJ, and Bryan, we took phone calls for two hours and for the first time in 3 1/2 years, every call was on the same topic – decks. Some people wanted to know how to build a deck, others were having problems with the finish, and others were simply looking for advice on hiring a contractor. If you want to listen to the show, it’s podcast free at i-Tunes (Around the House with Handyman Bob for July 30, 2011), and at http://www.kxl.com (KXL Shows, Around The House).

This information was included with my water/sewer bill today and I thought it was worth passing along:

"Water usage varies widely from household to household. It depends on the number of people, the type of appliances and fixtures, and the behavior patterns of the household. 10 CCF per person per quarter is considered normal." CCF is shorthand for one hundred cubic feet which is equivalent to 748 gallons.

In Portland, Oregon 7,480 gallons of water per person per quarter is considered normal and for every gallon we pay one cent in water and sewer fees. So, $74.80 per person per quarter is consider the normal bill. How does your water and sewer rate compare? I'd love to hear from you on this one.

Please, don't throw that American flag into the trash!
 
Do you have a old, frazzled flag that's no longer fit for display, that's laying around your office or home and you just don't know what to do with it?  Then send it to us! We will properly dispose of it according to federal laws.
 
Who are we? We are the Kitchen Table Gang; visit our website  for details about us and what we are doing to help veterans and our soldiers overseas, plus giving proper respect for ol'glory.
 
The Kitchen Table Gang Trust will retire your tattered, worn out and frayed American flags with full honors! Anything else is desecration!
 
Just send your flags to the not-for-profit Kitchen Table Gang Trust, 42922 Avenue 12, Madera, CA 93638-8866 and we'll dispose of your flags in a proper and dignified manner with full honors and dignity pursuant to the United States Flag Code Section 8K (PL93-344), TITLE 36, CHAPTER 10, UNITED STATES CODE . The Kitchen Table Gang (formed over 16 years ago) is a "rag-tag" bunch of patriotic military types helping hospitalized veterans and our soldiers and Marines overseas with "Care" packages.
 
Our flag retirement ceremonies are held on Flag Day, June 14th each year and are conducted by MGySgt Daniel Kelley USMC and an all volunteer military honor guard with Eagle Boy Scouts assisting. The Kitchen Table Gang Trust also has a nationally recognized educational program for our young people and students, teaching them the history, traditions and respect for our national emblem.
 
When you send us a flag, please enclose a donation for this service which allows us to continue and expand our many patriotic programs. We do good things with your contributions (just ask any veteran or military service organization).
 
We are located at the junction of Highway 41 and Avenue 12 just down from the world famous red, white, and blue barn (with the fifty golden stars on the roof) on the way to Yosemite National Park.
 
Please, send us your flags!
 
Charles Taliaferro
http://www.kitchentablegang.org
KITCHEN TABLE GANG TRUST
PACKAGES FOR OUR SOLDIERS
http://www.soldierpackages.org
42922 Avenue 12
Madera, CA  93636-8866
 

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” No, I didn’t make that up; that’s a quote from Leonardo da Vinci, as used in a brochure for Indow Windows. And, it certainly describes their new product very precisely.

Before I tell you what an Indow Window is, let me take you back more than fifty years, to a time when one of my chores each winter was to “weatherize” our drafty, old, wood, double hung windows. You see, when I was a boy, those windows were already more than fifty years old. So, with pre-cut strips of lath in hand, along with a roll of heavy weight sheet plastic and a pair of scissors, I would “seal” the inside of each window. This involved cutting the roll of plastic into pieces larger than the window and then attaching it to the inside of the window frame with lath strips and nails. Needless to say, come spring, my chore was to remove all of the plastic and the lath as well as fill the holes and touch up the paint. I don’t remember which part of the chore I dislike the most! What I do remember is that try as I would, I simply couldn’t stop all the air leaks and some of the cold still came in around the lath and plastic I had installed.

Today, there are much more sophisticated solutions available, like vinyl and wood replacement windows or storm windows. Of course, each of these has a drawback or two. Replacement windows are expensive! And, they frequently don’t match the period of the home. Storm glass, while less expensive, is a nuisance to install and remove each season, especially on upper story windows.

These are exactly the issues Sam Pardue faced a few years ago with his hundred and six year old home in Portland, Oregon. It had single pane windows with divided lights that were actually better looking than anything he could find in replacement windows. The problem is, they were drafty and let the cold air in during the winter and the hot air in during the summer. He knew there had to be a better solution than storm windows and that’s why he invented the Indow Window.

So, just what is an Indow Window? Going back to the quotation from da Vinci, it is sophisticated in its simplicity. Sam reasoned that if a storm glass attached to the outside of a window could stop the drafts, then there had to be something he could attach to the inside that would do the same thing, but would be a whole lot easier to install and remove. The product, as it has evolved, is a sheet of acrylic glazing, cut to very precise dimensions, and edged with a patent-pending, silicone, spring bulb. When you press the Indow Window into place, the spring bulb compresses, holding the glazing securely, sealing out cold drafts and hot summer air.

But, wait, as Billy May used to admonish us, there’s more! Not only will the installation be quick and easy, it turns out that Indow Windows reduce the noise coming through the original windows by 50%! Just imagine how much more pleasant your home would be if you didn’t have to listen to the traffic or the yapping dog or the neighbor’s lawn mower.

Finally, unlike my lath and plastic attempts to seal out the drafts, Indow Windows are actually good looking. They are completely unobtrusive and simply provide a crystal clear barrier to everything but your vision.

Indow Windows are currently only available in the Portland market, but the company is rapidly moving to take distribution nationwide. For more information and to see just how they work, visit the Indow Windows website.