INSIDE & OUT : Some Warm Wishes for Their Fireplace
Q. We usually build a fire in our den fireplace every evening in the winter. It looks great, but we still have to run the furnace when the weather gets very cold. Is there a way to increase the efficiency of a fireplace?
D.S., Placentia
A. Use well-seasoned wood, says George Moelter of Anaheim Patio & Fireside in Brea. This type of wood gives off more heat when it’s burned. Burn the wood as far back in the firebox as it will go. This will heat up the bricks and provide some radiant heat to the room.
You can also use a metal plate in the back of the fireplace, since this will give out even more radiant heat.
Many fireplace shops also carry heat exchanging tubes, which fit into the fireplace and give heat out to the room.
If you get tired of building a fire every night, you might want to consider the new gas logs. They’re now designed to give off more heat than the older styles, and they put out more heat than wood will at half the cost.
*
Q. We have a 3-year-old wood floor in our kitchen and though it still looks nice, when you look at it closely, you see dents and deep scratches in some areas. Is there a way these can be fixed without going to the trouble of refinishing?
S.P., Fountain Valley
A. There is a method of repairing a dent used by furniture repairmen, says Steve Guenther of Wood Floor Wholesalers in Orange. They’re basically able to fill it with a clear patch and then seal it. The effect is that the dent disappears without a trace.
If the scratches and dents are relatively minor, you could lightly sand the surface and apply a finish coat. Ideally, especially in a kitchen, you should use area rugs in places where you have pots and cans dropping to the floor, such as near a sink or a refrigerator. This will prevent dings and scratches.
*
Q. Like most people who do some painting in their house, I hate having to clean brushes and rollers. I’ve heard that on a multi-day job, I can put my paint-filled brushes and rollers in the freezer and then thaw them out the next day when I want to use them. Will that work?
M.J., Laguna Niguel
*
A. It will work, but only if it’s done right, says Charlie Kaczorowski of Tustin Paint Mart.
The reason a brush or roller gets ruined if it’s not cleaned is because the air dries up the paint and makes the tool useless. If you seal the brush or roller with plastic wrap or a plastic bag to prevent air from getting to it and put it in the freezer, it should be fine the next day. One downside is that, if you’re working with an oil-based paint, the strong odor could permeate the freezer.
*
Q. I’ve got an old mirror with some nicks and discolorations in it, and I’ve heard that if it’s resilvered, it will look like new. Is that true?
B.I., Irvine
A. Resilvering can make an old mirror look wonderful, says Debbie Mundt of College Glass & Mirror in Anaheim.
Basically, you’re removing the back, scraping off the old silver back and reapplying a new one. If the mirror you have is an antique or has some interesting detail work, it may be worth having it done.
However, there is a downside. Because of the labor involved and the fact that one has to work with harsh chemicals, resilvering is expensive. You can usually buy a new replacement for much less than the cost of resilvering, which is why it’s probably best to have it done only to a family heirloom or an antique.
*
Q. My bathroom vent fan is extremely loud. Is there a way to quiet it down?
L.S., Anaheim
*
A Take off the grill and see if the mounting screws are loose, says electrician Dan Young of Santa Ana. This often causes a lot of extra noise. If that doesn’t work, it may just be old. When looking for new ones, have it plugged in before you buy to check the noise level.
