Apr 27, 2013 5 min read

Q. I have a number of cast-iron radiators on the first floor of my house (circa 1929). For those that are in the bathrooms, where there really isn’t room for a radiator cover, the paint is in tough shape. Short of removing them, and sending them out for refinishing (would this involve sandblasting?), what is the best way for a homeowner to prep and refinish? Obviously, there are many hard to reach areas on a radiator that would make prep and repainting difficult, so any tips are welcome. Also, any thoughts on how to clean (or make more presentable) the steam pipes that come up from the floor into the radiators?

A. You have a pretty extensive job to do, so do one room at a time. Taking them to a restoration company is prohibitively expensive, but you can do a pretty good job this way: First, check for lead paint; if any is found, the paint must be removed professionally. If no lead, sand and wire-brush the radiators as thoroughly as possible, then paint them with a Krylon paint formulated for cast iron, no primer needed. Krylon specializes in aerosol sprays, but also make paints for brushing, which I suggest you use. Choose any color except the old familiar silver and bronze, which are not good because they make the radiators less efficient. So, what color? Any one you like. Black is best, because it maximizes efficiency. You could make quite a fashion statement with black radiators and pipes.

The same goes for the steam pipes. Since all are a part of a steam system, one question to ask the paint people: Is there a need for a high-heat resistant paint? I don’t think so, but the sellers of Krylon can tell you. Krylon also makes an HHR paint.

Q. Batts of exposed insulation placed between the joists in my 20-year-old house basement ceiling are not pretty to look at.

Instead of installing a Sheetrock ceiling, can I staple up Tyvek or other such material to neaten up the appearance of the basement by covering up the insulation?

A. You certainly can. It will not only neaten up the ceiling, but its white color will reflect light. And, if you want to put up a plasterboard ceiling, just do it.

Q. Help, I found a bunch of bugs in my kitchen. What can I do with them?

A. Chances are they are roaches, no fault of yours. Or beetles, which have more species and types than any other critter. You can have an exterminator handle them, or sprinkle boric acid powder along baseboards. If you have pets, keep them away from the boric acid.

Q. The neighbor above my condo is complaining about vibration/humming from ceiling fans in my unit, first just one, now all four of them. Three were installed 10 years ago, one (a $300 fan) in 2010.

I have had two electricians and two knowledgeable men check them, and all agreed that they are installed properly, and there is no vibration or humming detected.

Is there anything an electrician can do to cap, insulate, or cover the parts of the fans that are in the space between our units? She is now demanding that I remove all the fans. She’s also complained about my bathroom fans and is seeking legal action against me.

A. It’s just your luck to have that benighted soul above you. But there is something you can do to make things quieter. Ceiling fans are hung from special electric boxes made for ceiling fans. Yours are attached to joists that are directly touching that woman’s floor, so even tiny vibrations are heard and felt in her unit. It will not work to insulate that space, because the electric box is still in contact with the joist.

Here’s something you can do. Have an electrician or sound control person take down the fan(s) and the electric boxes. Then fill the ceiling cavity with blown-in fiberglass or cellulose in the cavity between joists. Then put up a piece of sound-absorbing board and plasterboard to fill the gap, with the wire sticking down, and finish the plasterboard patch. Then screw into the joists a wood medallion sort of cover that is separate from the ceiling. Then, the electrical box and the fan will be completely in your unit. A sound engineer can do this right.

Q. All the blades on my six-blade ceiling fan in a cathedral ceiling have sagged and I can’t find anyone who knows why this has happened. One opinion was that they had absorbed moisture and were too heavy. But I think the blades are dry. It also has a reverse mode, but I can’t get it to change so that I can bring all that hot air down during the winter.

A. I too can only guess that the arms of the blades have bent for some reason. Just for the heck of it, I Googled “sagging ceiling fan blades” and came up with numerous ideas, including tightening screws that hold the blade to the shaft and hold the shaft to the unit. It may indeed be a matter of tightening screws. Not feasible? Call an electrician, who also reverse the blades.