Ask the Remodeler: What is staining this vinyl siding?
Plus, is it worth it to add a heat pump to a turn-of-the-last-century home? Get more home improvement advice at realestate.boston.com.
Q. In the past couple of months, I have noticed a stain on the west side of my house. I tried to clean the stain with just Dawn and water; I was afraid chemicals would bleach the color and make the stain worse. The Dawn-water mix seemed to make the stained area bigger. Can you tell me what is causing this stain and what I can do to get rid of it? The vinyl siding is about 10 years old.
J.D.
A. I am guessing, but I think the dryer vent that is just below where the staining is located is pouring a lot of hot, moist air that is staining the vinyl siding. I can suggest only that you clear the vent line regularly so the air gets discharged with appropriate force and doesn’t wash up the wall. Keeping the vent line clear also reduces your risk of a house fire.
Q. We have a home built in 1900. It is well-maintained and updated: The windows and the roof are new, and the home is fully insulated. We heat it with oil and a pellet stove, which costs us $1,300 annually combined. We use one air conditioner in a bedroom in the summer. Would the new splitters be worth it? We are getting older, trying to make things easier. Thanks.
S.M.
A. I assume we are talking about mini-splits here, which we are using more and more nowadays for a number of reasons, including the energy savings, the reduction in greenhouse gases, and air conditioning. With summers getting hotter and muggier and energy costs rising, they are very much in demand. They have wall units and ceiling units, which makes them more versatile. Since they come with heat pumps, they are also good for heating the space, although I would not abandon the oil heat just yet. It’s possible you may still need it in the depths of winter. Antique homes can be a challenge with any type of new system given how thin the wall framing is and the lack of closets and wall chases. Mini-splits, however, are easier to integrate into a home than a fully ducted system.
Related story Everything you need to know about adding heat pumps to your home
Mark Philben is the project development manager at Charlie Allen Renovations in Cambridge. Send your questions to [email protected]. Questions are subject to editing. Subscribe to our free real estate newsletter at pages.email.bostonglobe.com/AddressSignUp. Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter @globehomes.
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