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Mildew Spots!

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By MARK HETTS Universal Press Syndicate

The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 2, 2008

Dear Mr. HandyPerson,

Rain and humidity have caused mildew to grow on the ceiling in our entryway. It looks like grease spatters. What can we use to clean or kill it, and what type of paint should we use to prevent that from happening in the future?

Tina

North Granby, Conn.

Dear Tina,

For purposes of clarity, Mr. HandyPerson is understanding that your "entryway" is an exterior area, and not inside the house - that matters because paint used for exterior surfaces is different from interior paint.

The easiest way to remove mildew is to fill a bucket with hot water, a quarter cup of laundry detergent and a cup of liquid bleach, and use a sponge mop to scrub off the spots. Then use a second bucket of warm, water and the sponge mop to rinse .

If the mildew is a recent phenomenon, the spots should come off quickly and easily, and you may not need to repaint the ceiling area - but keep your eye on it next summer when humidity returns.

If it does not come clean easily or if it has stained the paint, you'll want to talk to a paint dealer about a good-quality exterior primer and paint that contains a mildew-cide. Factory-blended paints with mildew-cides seem to be a bit more effective and durable than those to which someone adds a mildew-cite.

The paint will not prevent mildew from recurring, but will slow it down, probably for many years.

And, Tina, if by chance you were talking about an interior hall ceiling, the suggestions are exactly the same except you would want an interior paint with mildew-cide.

Dear Mr. HandyPerson,

I have extremely hard water. I have a water softener, but the hard water still causes periodic problems with my water heater. It appears I will soon need to get a new water heater and I have heard that the tank-less type, although more expensive, may be best. What are the pros and cons?

Trish

Hartford, Conn.

Dear Trish,

Mr. HandyPerson is not a technical expert on water heaters, but his general understanding of tank-less water heaters is they are very effective in certain kinds of installations, especially in new construction where plumbing can be designed to work efficiently with the tank-less, on-demand water heater.

Because they require different gas and electrical connections than your existing water heater and are more expensive to purchase and install, it can take many years before it pays off.

Mr. HP suggests you discuss the matter with a couple of reliable plumbing contractors, and help you calculate whether installing the more expensive tank-less heater will save you money.

Write Mr. HandyPerson, c/o Universal Press Syndicate, 4520 Main St., Kansas City, MO 64111.

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