Seal flooring deal before it becomes a big problem

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 29/12/2010 (5564 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Q: Our house was built in 1993, it has in-floor heating in the basement floor. We have rubber backed carpet glued to it. I’ve noticed in about a three to four foot line where there is a small rise in the carpet that is crunchy when you walk on it. I opened the carpet about one inch and noticed the concrete has crumbled in that strip. You wouldn’t notice it if you didn’t know it was there. What would cause this and how do you fix it?

A: The problem is more than likely due to the fact the concrete was never sealed before the carpet was installed. You have a water wicking problem, which is bringing the alkaline up from the concrete and “spalling” on the top of your concrete. It’s not a difficult problem to resolve. First remove the carpet and clean the concrete with my Home Cleaning Formula. Once it has been cleaned and allowed to dry, fill with floor leveler such as a bonded topping mix. After leveling the floor, seal using Aquaseal, which is an acrylic concrete sealer. Wait a week to replace the carpet so it has a chance to dry properly.

Q: I recently upgraded my furnace and hot water tank and no longer need the brick chimney. How do I remove it or block it off? I need to prevent cold air from coming into the house.

A: I would not suggest having the chimney removed, it’s labour intensive, and does not really serve a purpose. Many people like the looks of a brick chimney being part of the home. Have a metal chimney cap made for the top of the chimney. Before you install the metal chimney cap, put a batt of glass fibre insulation in a green garbage bag and stuff it into the top of the chimney. Make sure to cap off the bottom of the chimney as well with a note saying the chimney is no longer useable, that way the chimney won’t be used by accident.

Shell Busey can be heard every Saturday morning from 8 to 10:30 a.m. on Winnipeg’s CJOB 680. Go to www.TheHouseSmart.com for more home improvement tips and information.