High-wind vent will keep pilot light burning

GLENN HAEGE, GANNETT NEWS SERVICE

Originally published Saturday, March 9, 2002

Q: I live in a ranch condo and the stack from my gas hot-water tank is vented through the roof. My problem is this: the wind blows down the stack and continually blows out the pilot light. Is there such a thing as a wind cap to prevent this, possibly one with a baffle that lets the hot air escape, but keeps the wind from going down the stack?

A: You go to the front row of the Home Improvement class. You need a high-wind vent top such as one offered by Simpson Dura-Ventline. This is a specialized product for extreme wind and weather conditions.

Q: I've been looking for help on this matter for some time, but no one seems to know what to do. My house has aluminum wiring. Should I be concerned? Is there a fire risk? Is there anything I can do? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

A: I was concerned enough about your question to take it to Don Collins, the president of Budget Electric. Don's company does more residential electrical work than any company in Michigan, and I was certain that he would know all of the potential problems you could encounter with old aluminum wiring.

He says that you have two potential problems. First, you have to make certain that you have the proper size breaker or fuse with the proper size wire. A number 12-aluminum wire only takes a 15-amp circuit. With copper, the same size wire could take 20 amps. A younger electrician or a do-it-yourselfer might not know this and create a fire hazard.

Second, aluminum wire is not UL approved for use with any of the new receptacles or switches. If you wish to upgrade to any of the newer wiring terminations, you have to pigtail a 6-inch copper wire onto the aluminum before you can attach it to the termination.

The copper and aluminum wire are connected with a relatively expensive wire nut that is specially made for that purpose and found only at electrical supply stores. The good news is that many of the houses with aluminum wiring do not really have aluminum wiring throughout. Many times the contractor used aluminum only for the kitchen and laundry, where 20-amp circuits were needed. The rest of your house may already be copper wire. If this is the case, you could have the kitchen and laundry upgraded to copper for a relatively small amount of money.

Q: I was so excited today to see a story about the Hoover Floor MATE for hardwood floors. I was going to go buy one, but my husband is concerned as to what could happen if water gets in the cracks between wood flooring planks. Currently, I just damp mop the floors with vinegar and water. Please let me know what you think.

A: Your husband is right on. The product is for sealed surface flooring. If water gets in the cracks, it could hypothetically soak down into the wood. The same is true when you use a sponge mop and water. The one place where the Floor MATE is better than a mop is that it vacuums up the moisture, thereby leaving the floor squeegee dry and clean. Ask yourself how much water you leave on a window after you squeegee the water off. Your floor should have the same amount of residual water -- in other words, very little.

Glenn Haege, who writes this column for the Detroit News, also hosts "Ask the Handyman," a syndicated radio show heard on 195 stations nationwide. You can contact him via e-mail: editor@flashcom.net. Visit his Web site at www.masterhandy man.com. Volume prohibits personal answers.

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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