Fixing Angels
Last week we had a windstorm about 9 at night. I always know that it’s bad outside because my dog leaves his place on the floor and joins me on the couch. He’s very cautious. If he only knew I’m a bigger “chicken� than he is sometimes. Well, the next morning I noticed a lot of damage outside. Most of it was hanging solar lanterns that I didn’t have secured. They were lost. My neighbor caught me out in the yard and showed me a concrete angel that had lost a wing. This angel was very special to her and she asked me how to repair it. So let me talk to you about PC products.
PC stands for protective coatings. There are several types of PC...PC7, the strongest. PC11 is white and works underwater, think swimming pool or spa. PC Metal, PC Fahrenheit, PC Plumbing, PC Lumber and the one I am going to use is PC Crete. PC Crete will look more like concrete and blend better with any concrete repair projects. My neighbor’s angel really was an easy fix in that the break was pretty clean and there were no missing pieces. But if you have missing pieces in you concrete, PC Crete can be molded to form missing pieces.
The PC Crete I wanted to use is the putty formula. The product comes in what looks like an old film canister. Remove the product and cut off what you need. Remember this is an epoxy so it is really two parts. It reminds me of a Little Debbie Roll. With gloves on, knead the product between your fingers. Once the product is all one color you are ready to apply it to the broken concrete. I put an amount on the statute and then on the wing. I pushed them back together and held them secure for a couple of minutes. Then we put the angel in a protected area so it could cure for 24 hours. That was it, and my neighbor was happy.
TIP
Have you ever thrown something heavy into your pantry garbage can only to have the bag follow right behind? Me too! One of the best tips I have seen is to attach a Command Strip Hook to the sides of the plastic can and attach the ties of the bag to the hooks. Now your bag will stay in place.
Now to the email….
Question: During Covid I put a metal can out on my tile in my entryway. I have tried everything to remove the stain, and nothing removes it. What do you suggest that works?
Answer: As long as it’s ceramic or porcelain use Delete Germ. With gloves on, a Scotchbrite sponge, and a water hose ready for action. Squeeze a stream of Delete Germ on the stain. Immediately start cleaning with your sponge, and then rinse with water. And then rinse it again, maybe one more time! Don’t leave any residue on the tile, it might etch the tile surface. Your rust stain will be gone.
Last week or so we talked about mold on AC vents...a reader added his experience and I want to share it with you because it’s great!
We had two ceiling vents that used to drip condensation and develop mold/mildew on both them and the adjacent ceiling every summer during the A/C season.
Last winter I was doing some work in the attic and noticed that the duct supplying these two vents had partially separated from the A/C plenum. I re-fastened the ducts to the plenum with sheet metal screws and further sealed the plenum/duct connection with caulking.
This past summer, neither vent or ceiling close to them had mold/mildew grow on them, and there wasn't any condensation dripping from the vents.
I suspect that when the A/C turned off, moist air and dust from the attic was getting into the ducts, and when the A/C turned on and hit the warm moist air in the leaking ducts with conditioned cold air, condensation formed on the vents, which was conducive to mold development.
Your reader might want to check the A/C duct work supplying the moldy vents to make sure they're tight and sealed at the plenum. Better to solve the underlying problem than have to keep treating the symptoms every year.
