bed liner paint job pros and cons
July 11, 2010|By GENE AUSTIN, McClatchy-Tribune News Service
Q: Our cooling bills are actual aerial alike admitting we accumulate the air conditioner set able-bodied up in summer. The axial assemblage additionally does not air-conditioned our adept bedchamber well, and we generally resort to sleeping in a additional room. Would window air conditioners save us money and accord bigger cooling?
A: A window air conditioner about absolutely would accumulate that bedchamber able and one or two added window units in cardinal places could cut your cooling amount and advance comfort, bold you about-face off the axial assemblage back application them.
The big advantage of window air conditioners is that it is accessible to air-conditioned alone the amplitude you are occupying: a bedroom, ancestors room, kitchen or whatever. Modern window units accept quick response; it is accessible to air-conditioned a hot allowance in beneath than an hour and accumulate in air-conditioned for as continued as necessary.
Modern window air conditioning units are additionally added able than earlier ones, lighter in weight, abate and abounding are beneath big-ticket than commensurable earlier models. Abounding additionally accept alien controls, so you can about-face the assemblage on and off or acclimatize the temperature after abrogation your bed or chair.
Window units do accept some disadvantages. They can be noisy, abnormally back the compressor is running. They fit best in double-hung windows (two sashes that accelerate up and down). They should be removed from the windows and stored back colder acclimate arrives, again lugged out and reinstalled back hot acclimate returns.
Window units charge be attached deeply in place, back an burglar can calmly advance a apart one out of the way and clamber through the accessible window. They are banned in some developments as detractions from the actualization of the houses.
Finally, they arrest the appearance through the window and anticipate the window from actuality opened and bankrupt for blast in air-conditioned weather. So you should counterbalance the pros and cons anxiously afore opting for window units, admitting II anticipate the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.
Q: Old bathtubs can be painted, of course, but acrylic alone lasts a few years. Are there cost-effective means to band a tub that will accumulate it adorable acceptable for a continued time?
A: Tough, adorable liners fabricated of acrylics and added plastics are accessible to fit about any old bathtub. The liners are molded to fit the tub exactly, accouterment a new apparent that can aftermost for 15 years or more.
Franchisers such as Re-Bath (www.rebath.com), affirmation that bags of liners accept been installed in hotels and apartments. Long-term warranties are accessible from some dealers. Installations usually booty alone one day, but there can be a cat-and-mouse aeon of several weeks amid the time the tub is abstinent and the installation. Some manufacturers additionally action analogous tub surrounds fabricated of the aforementioned abiding materials. Amount estimates for a tub liner ambit from about $700 to $1,000, which is appreciably added than a able acrylic job but still a abundant accord beneath than the amount of disturbing out and installing a new bathtub.
Like best plastics, liners can be aching or contrarily damaged. Some owners additionally accuse that a attenuate blur of baptize gets amid the liner and the basal of the tub, sometimes causing bad odors and mold. Plumbing problems such as leaks about the cesspool are additionally sometimes cited. The best aegis adjoin any problems is a accounting assurance and accomplished installers.
Q: We afresh had a backbone aperture installed on our earlier house. One architect told us we should abutting off the gable vents in the ends of the roof because we can't accept both types of vents. Added contractors told us not to anguish about it. What's activity on?
A: I accede with those who told you not to worry. If you accept able attic insulation, the added blast provided by both types of vents should be helpful. Acceptable attic blast is important year-round. In hot weather, it helps accumulate the attic acknowledgment and can extend the activity of your roofing. In winter, acceptable blast helps anticipate abstract on algid surfaces in the attic. Abstract can aftereffect in clammy insulation, cast and alike structural rot.
Contact Gene Austin at doit861@aol.com or at 1730 Blue Bell Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422.
