By Monte Leeper
Q.
My bathtub is about 35 years old. Everything on the outside and the top of the tub is in good condition. But around the faucets, at the bottom of the tub, there is rusty coloring. Is there any way I can get rid of those stains?
A.
Rust stains are caused by metals that can easily corrode and usually are found where water has a high mineral content. It sounds like a problem with faucets that were plated metals over tin, galvanized metal, or steel. You can remove the rust, but unless you continually clean with a mild abrasive, the rust will return. Replace the faucets after you get tired from using a mild abrasive such as Softscrub or Comet, to name a couple.
Look for faucets with brass fittings and solid metal exteriors. You can get plated faucets, but verify their warranty and the quality of the plating. And the better the quality, the higher the price will be, of course. Experience has taught me that brass and nickel finishes work best for plumbing installations. I also recommend using an in-line water filter that will remove some minerals, if you find that you need it.
Q.
My husband and I have been looking into central air conditioning (CAC) for our second floor only, which consists of three large bedrooms and one bathroom. Our main concern is efficiency and cost. One CAC installer told my husband that our taxes would increase. Is this true? Other than cooling off the bathroom, I cannot see an advantage to the CAC over having individual AC units in the walls of each bedroom. Can you convince me the CAC is the better selection?
Our first floor is all open - kitchen, dining room, living room - and is kept comfortable by one AC unit in the living-room wall. This is why we are interested in CAC only for the second floor.
A.
Central air conditioning is quieter, more uniform, creates little noticeable breeze and therefore is more pleasant. It is also taxed at a higher rate than wall or window units, requires a thermostat, wiring, ductwork that takes up valuable attic space and more parts, is more costly to repair or replace, and can be difficult to get service for when you really need it on a sweltering hot night in the middle of the summer. Central air requires more electricity, costs much more over the life of the system and will not pay for itself.
But with all the negatives, more people enjoy the quiet and convenience of not setting a unit's fan speed and temperature each time they leave or enter a room. They also like the fact that those ugly boxes no longer protrude from their house. Unit air conditioners are less costly, easier to replace, and less aggravation because servicing is rarely needed, and a substitute unit can be slid into place if a repair has to be done.
For the second floor of your home, the choice is yours, of course, but if you do not mind the protruding box, want to save on taxes, and can stand the sound and breeze, both of which are minimal in the newer models, avoid the expense and plug in a box unit. I am sure to get angry mail from AC experts and dealers, but experience has taught me that dealers have to fight to reduce the taxation on central systems. It also wouldn't hurt if they could cooperate with homeowners who don't want to lose their most valuable attic space to a huge duct running up the middle instead of off to one side. And those answering services that promise repair that doesn't come until the following day are not exactly great public relations either. I think they get the idea and I hope this helps.
Readers are encouraged to send
questions to: HERALD Homes, 379 Central Avenue, Lawrence, N.Y. 11559
Attn: Monte Leeper, Architect.
