Question: The fan on my water heater is making a very loud noise. I shut the water heater off. Have other Sun City residents had this problem? Can you suggest a repairman to fix the problem?
Answer: The fan you describe is a vent fan. The loud noise is the fan failing. It is probably the bearings that are failing. When the fan fails, your water heater will shut down. Your water heater is probably about ten years old, so it only has a couple of years of life left. A new fan is about $600 installed, which is about half the cost of a new water heater. Your best alternative is to replace the water heater.
We have very little experience with repairmen since most of us do our own repairs. We therefore can’t recommend a repairman.
Question: I had solid oak flooring installed several years ago and made the mistake of having it sealed with oil-based polyurethane, which has turned yellow. Short of a deep sanding, is there any way to get rid of the yellow cast?
Answer: Oil-based polyurethane has a tendency to yellow as it is exposed to light. Water-based polyurethane does not exhibit this problem but it can make a floor look lifeless. The solution to this is to apply an oil-based polyurethane for the first coat to make the oak look its best. Then apply two coats of a good water-based polyurethane over that to block light from getting to the oil-based poly and making it yellow.
Since you already have your floor coated with oil-based polyurethane, you can sand this lightly with a rectangular vibrating sander (the one quarter sheet size) with 180 grit sandpaper. Sand until the area is uniformly dull but take care not to sand through the finish. Vacuum well to remove the sanding dust and then wipe with a slightly damp cloth. When the floor is dry go over the whole area with a tack rag to remove any residual sanding dust. You are now ready to apply the water-based polyurethane.
You should apply the finish with a synthetic bristle brush, such as polyacrylic. You might want to complete this process on a couple of square feet of floor in an inconspicuous location before doing the whole floor.
If you have suggestions for future tips or have questions about maintenance around your home submit them to ask.the.woodchucks@gmail.com.
