A.D. CONSTRUCTION One Call Does It All

Tips

Unlike us,
most Construction companies will give you tips after you paid them thousands of dollars. They basically tell you not to ruin or damage something. “Don’t slam the doors. Don’t close the windows hard. Don’t do this, don’t do that.” Most of their tips are common sense.

We are completely different.

We give you tips in order to help you save your hard earned money. Our tips are based on answers to people who have submitted a question by clicking the Ask A Pro button. Below, we have posted the solutions for some of the problems you may have been experiencing.

We hope you find them helpful.

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How to a...
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How to remove stains from Granite

“REGULAR CLEANING”
Depending on the finish and sealer applications (if done properly) granite is pretty match a maintenance free counter. Hot pans may be placed directly on the surface without fear of cracking or marring. There are a few products that may temporarily darken your granite, because granite is a natural stone. When this happens, immediately place a solution of laundry chlorine bleach and hot water on the area. Allow to sit for approximately 15 minutes and wipe clean with warm water. Cleaning should be done with a mild natural soap and water. Do not use general-purpose cleaners or products containing ammonia, such as Ajax, as these will damage your stone or the sealer applied. Do not use products that contain lemon, vinegar or other acids, as these may damage the polish. If the spot has been sitting or it is deeper and did not disappear with the bleach and water, a simple poultice may be used.


“THE HOMEMADE POULTICE METHOD”
A general poultice can be made from laundry bleach, acetone or hydrogen peroxide, combined with an absorbent material that forms a paste the consistency of yogurt. Absorbent materials that can be used are: molding plaster, untreated flour, chalk, and baby powder, etc. Commercial poultices are also available.

First, moisten the surface of the granite with the same liquid that made the paste. I always use hydrogen Peroxide (HP) and baby powder – they are safer to use than bleach or acetone. Once you wet the surface with HP, then apply the poultice paste to the granite surface about a ½” thick and make sure you cover the entire stained area. Tape plastic sheeting (saran wrap will do) over the poultice area. Allow to sit for 48 hours. Then dampen the poultice with clean cool water. Remove poultice with a wood or plastic spatula and rinse the area with clean water. Wipe off excess water and allow the surface to dry. Sometimes a second application is necessary.

"OIL STAINS"
Granite has a high tolerance with kitchen grease and oil. Again, wash with hot water and a mild soap to help loosen the oil base. Most oil stains will disappear within a few days. Olive Oil will stain granite if left for an extended period of time, and an acetone poultice must be used in order to remove this stain.

"ORGANIC STAINS"
Organic stains are pinkish-brown in color and take the shape of the staining object. Often these stains will disappear without treatment after the substance has been removed. Fruit and other acidic foods, such as lemons, etc. can cause organic stains. Wash the surface with clean water and apply a poultice with a liquid base of hydrogen peroxide in a 6% hair bleaching solution. Tobacco stains usually respond to the same treatment.

ETCH MARKS & SCRATCHES
With the normal wear and tear, granite cannot be etched unless extremely harsh acids or abrasives have contacted the surface. If this occurs, the granite will have to be professionally re-polished and sealed or replaced.

RE-SEAL
Under normal use of your granite countertops, you may need to re-seal every three to five years. If you begin to notice a water darkening spot that dries out, this is an indication that it needs to be re-sealed.
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How to Stop a Leaky Faucet

Water leaks will consume between 5 and 10 percent of all residential water consumption. Most of the leakage is due to worn out faucet washers and faulty toilet tank valves. One drop per second can waste seven gallons per day. A steady drip will waste 20 gallons per day.

Faucet leaks are easy to repair. Installing a new washer will usually correct the leak. I f the faucet begins leaking after the washer is changed, it may be necessary to replace the valve set.

A more serious type of leak that occurs in toilet tanks can waste up to 200 gallons of water a day. A simple way to check for a toilet leak is to remove the tank cover and place food coloring in the tank. This should be done when the toilet will not be used for several hours. If the color seeps into the bowl, the flush ball needs to be replaced.

The average life of a flush ball is seven years. As it becomes older the possibility of a leak increases greatly. If the toilet tank continues to make noise after the flush and fill cycle is completed; the flush ball not fitting properly into its valve seat usually causes the problem. The problem may be a bent or corroded guide wire. A replacement for the flush ball is available that uses a flapper assembly eliminating the need for the guide wires.

Two other common causes for loss of water are easily detected. If the water l evel in the flush tank is above the overflow tube, water will continually run out. This problem occurs because the float is set too high or the ball cock is leaking. The water level in the tank should always be at least one-half to one inch below the overflow tube to avoid leakage. If the ball cock is leaking, water may run directly into the overflow through the refill tube. Lowering the float or repairing the leak in the ball cock will prevent these losses.

Another reason for water running out of the tank continually is a defective float. If the float leaks, it will not rise high enough to shut the water off after the tank refills and water will overflow into the bowl.

Test the float by taking it off and shaking it. If you hear water inside, replace it.

After the faucets and toilets have been checked for leaks, there is one more thing that can be done to be positive there are no leaks. The water meter should be read both before and after a period of several hours when no water is being used in the house.

An ideal time would be overnight particularly if the family is warned in advance not to run water during the night. If the meter reads exactly the same in the morning as it did the night before, there is no leak.
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How to stop leaky Roofs

My dear friends,

Keep in mind most leaks are very hard to locate because water can travel alone the rafters from one side to another. In other words the actual leak can be on the east side of the roof and the drip or leak on the west side. Follow these four simple steps. Who knows may be you’ll get lucky.

Step 1:
Try to find the exact location of the leak. This is best done by looking up from inside the attic when it's raining. If you are fortunate to see the leak, shove an ice pick up or a point divise through so it may be seen from the roof side later on. The sealant you will apply will seal this hole so don't worry about making a hole in your roof. It's more important to find where the leak is. Another way to find the leak is to run a garden sprinkler on the roof and try to get it to leak. The leak always stops when the rain stops then it is impossible to find it. Once you locate the leak, mark the location by shoving the ice pick up through the roof or drive a long nail so it can be seen later when you get up on the roof. A product called Tri Polymer Sealant can be applied in the rain but this is not advisable due to safety concerns of slipping off the roof. It can also be applied in freezing conditions. Once you have the leak located and marked it is best to wait for good weather before getting on the roof.

Step 2:
Using a sturdy ladder you or a friend will need to get up on the roof and locate the ice pick or nail. Mark the location and go back down to remove the ice pick or nail. Go back up on the roof and spread the Tri Polymer Sealant around the area. It is clear and about the consistency of honey so it will run down into your nail hole and the hole that has been leaking. Since the sealant is clear it can be used on any color of roof without looking offensive like tar might.

Step 3:
Even though the Altho Tri Polymer Sealant is indeed waterproof, it's best if you wait a day or two before testing the leak again with the garden sprinkler.

Step 4:
If you cannot accomplish this procedure yourself, hopefully you can find a handyman and explain to him/her how to do it. Or you can hire us and ask us to give you more tips. The key to the fix is the Tri Polymer Sealant. I have fixed many roof leaks with this method.
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How to clean hardwood floors

(Pet owners will like this one)

Many people are under the impression wax or oil cleaners do the best job on hard wood floors. Wrong, very wrong. Wax and oil creates build up. Build up on hardwood floors means more scratches will appear on the surface. After a while, the floors look dull and there you go waxing and oiling again.

I will bet anything you already have the best cleaner and best hardwood floor preservative right in your kitchen. It’s called white vinegar. That’s right, good old VINEGAR. No, I don’t want you to make a salad. I want you to try cleaning your floors with it.

Vinegar is not harmful to your pets.

Step 1:
Mix two parts of room temperature water with one part of vinegar.

Step 2:
Take a cotton cloth and dip it in the solution. Squeeze excess solution.

Step3:
Wrap the cloth around a swiffer and start mopping your floor parallel to the grain of the wood.

Recommendations:
Open windows for ventilation.
Wear cloves if you have cuts and nicks on your hands. Mop floors once a week.

Your floors will always look like new. If your floors have a wax build up, it will require more washes before you see them being restored to their original clean look.

Remember to only mop your floors once a week.