Jerry Ludwig: We can all use a fix for cold-air-returns

Jerry Ludwig
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Dear Jerry: We have several metal cold-air-return grates/grills that were painted some time ago and now need to be cleaned and repainted. I was wondering if you would have any recommendations as to where to take them to be sand-blasted and the best kind of paint to use when they are ready. I look forward to hearing from you and thanks so much for your time.

— D.N., Penfield

Answer: You can either have them sand-blasted or you could use a paint stripper and clean them yourself. Since spring is coming, this might be better done outside. I’d use a paste stripper such as Zip Strip.

The Rochester Yellow Pages list several sandblasting companies and some auto restoration shops may also have sand blasting equipment. Some companies use various media materials to act as an abrasive during the “blasting” process such as walnut nut shells, glass, sand, etc. Depending upon how much paint is on the registers and how aggressive the blasting needs to be, the blasting company will choose an appropriate media to do the job.

Once cleaned of paint, the registers should be thoroughly cleaned with soap and water to remove excess debris left over from the cleaning process.

I would then spray the registers with a metal primer such as Rust-Oleum and then follow this with an appropriate finish coat or two of Rust-Oleum enamel. Some metal floor returns were painted brown to blend in with hardwood floors; others, especially the cast iron units, were painted black. I think for the black, I’d use a satin finish, the brown could be glossy.

The blasting shop may also have painting services available. A few years ago, when I had some vintage truck wheels cleaned and painted, the company powder-coated them with a black finish that turned out just fine (and still look that way). Powder coating is the process of electrostatically applying a powdered color material and then curing the coated material under heat. The result is a very durable finish. This service will obviously cost more than the DIY spray can approach, but should last longer as well. If the grills/grates are not in a heavy floor traffic area, the spray can option should be fine.

Dear Jerry: I read an article regarding the possibility of frozen water pipes bursting during our recent cold spell. It warned of possible electrocution when stepping into a flooded basement. Is that true? My water heater burst during the night a few years ago, and I waded through several inches of water to turn the main water inlet off. Was I just lucky? What is one supposed to do when the basement is flooded, and the water is still flowing in? The article was vague on that, and I haven’t been able to find a clear answer.

— C.M., via email

Answer: I posed your questions to electrical inspector Tim Thomas. Here is his reply:

“The short answer is a few inches of potable water from a leak is not normally an issue. I assume he or she just turned off the water valve to stop the flow from the leak. Be very careful turning off circuit breakers standing in water.

“All receptacles in an unfinished basement must be GFCI protected. When in doubt, have the power company turn off the power.

“Most on-line articles address a flooded basement which, in many cases is several feet of water from an outside source. Flood waters are nasty and dirty. They may contain gas, oil, sewage and all sorts of corrosive chemicals.

“Once flood water enters energized electrical equipment, it can become energized as well, i.e. a shock hazard. Flood-damaged wiring and related equipment must be replaced.”

I recommend that all homeowners of houses that may have had wiring alterations or that are older and may not have ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protection, have the electrical systems checked by a licensed electrician and repaired and/or upgraded as necessary.

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