Q. Some time ago you were kind enough to provide information on placing snow rails on my rubber-roofed second floor dormer, all of 30 feet wide. One roofer wanted $4,000, and another roofer said he would not do it, for fear that gluing or screwing on the rails would cause leaks.
The only suggestion that seems reasonable is to have wood boxes built over skylights or roof windows we have on our family room below to protect them from snow crashing in. The boxes would be temporary, of course.
GUEST, in Hotton’s chat room
A. I think the rubber roof is shallow enough to prevent built-up snow from going over the edge and crashing down on the skylights. That usually happens when the roof is steep and the roofing material is slippery, as with slate or metal. All things considered, I’d leave well enough alone, and keep an eye on the roof when the snow gets deep. I think it will melt before it gets hazardous. Put on the boxes if you are concerned.
Q. My condo is in a 1960s brick building with some bad sliding windows. I have mold growing on the inside, where I can touch it, so it is not between the two layers of glass. I had the glass replaced, and now in cold weather the inside glass is wet. I can wipe it off, but it comes back. How can I fix that?
MARIS GROGER
A. What you have is excessive moisture in the house, which is condensing on the cold glass. The first time around, mold grew. The second time, with new glass, you just got condensation. What you can do to stop the water is to ventilate the house. Open windows for five minutes in the morning and five minutes in late afternoon, to release that moisture to the outdoors. If you have a humidifier, turn it off and see what happens. Another way to reduce moisture is with a dehumidifier. The dehumidifier is expensive to run, but once it takes out the moisture, it can be shut off.
Q. I have an old, never painted basement concrete floor which I would like to make a uniform color. I believe in the past you have recommended a semi-transparent stain. Do I remember correctly? It already has a number of unintentional stains.
JAY, in Hotton’s chat room
