Each year, thousands of Arizona residents email or call Rosie Romero’s radio show with questions about everything from preventing fires in their chimneys to getting rid of tree roots invading their sewer system. His goal is to provide answers that suit the specific lifestyle wherever someone lives in Arizona.
Q: I’m upgrading the plumbing fixtures in all three bathrooms in my house. What I need to know is can I attach a Pfister shower handle on the Delta valve that’s already in my wall from my old shower fixtures?
A: Probably not. There is very little compatibility among different brands involving plumbing valves and fixtures. In order to make this kind of change, you may have to remove some of the tiles and cut into the dry wall in the shower to pull out the old valve and replace it. Sometimes that’s even necessary if you make this kind of change when working with different models of the same plumbing brand. In any case, you need the help of a professional plumber to make the switch.
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Q: We have pine trees that shed a lot of needles and eucalyptus trees that shed lots of leaves. Is it possible to use those needles and leaves for composting? Can I use these materials as mulch on some of the other plants in the yard?
A: Yes, they can be used that way, but you don’t want to use them all by themselves for that purpose. You want to crush the needles and leaves first and mix that debris with other materials; then you can thoroughly compost them. You want to remember to turn that compost pile regularly and aerate it frequently during the process, which could take a while.
Q: I had a new air conditioner installed at my house about three years ago. After I had a number of problems in the beginning with the coil, the company finally replaced that. But now when the air conditioner starts up, there’s a loud boom and a lot of vibration in the system. What could be wrong with it?
A: This kind of problem can sometimes be fixed by installing a new jump starter on your compressor. But it’s also probable that the compressor itself is breaking down and needs to be replaced. Hopefully, this type of problem is covered by the warranty for your AC. However, if you had a lot of problems with the original installer, you might want to call another company to look at your system.
Q: I finally saved enough money to go home-shopping and am ready to buy a house that I picked out. However, the house I like has a well and a septic tank. I’m wondering if I should be nervous about that situation. Do I have to set aside a lot of money for repairs?
A: Both wells and septic tanks are very common in Arizona; there shouldn’t be any special problems if both the well and septic tank belong to your property. You might want to avoid a situation where you’re sharing a well with another property owner, however. Have both the septic tank and well inspected and tested before you buy, of course. As for possible repairs in future, you should keep the names of service companies handy just in case.
Q: A couple of years ago, we remodeled our house, and at the time, we had a hard-wired smoke alarm system put in. But it’s always going off intermittently and constantly. After hauling out ladders over and over again to fix the situation, we turned the entire system off. Right now, we have no smoke alarms.
A: That doesn’t sound like a good idea. So probably you should call another security or alarm system company to visit your house and make some changes. It sounds as if someone could have installed some very cheap and defective alarms. Check as well to see if your alarms are still under warranty.
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. An Arizona home building and remodeling industry expert for 25 years, Rosie Romero is the host of the syndicated Saturday morning Rosie on the House radio program, heard locally from 8-11 a.m. on KNST-AM (790) in Tucson and KGVY-AM (1080) and -FM (100.7) in Green Valley. Call 888-767-4348.
