What Is That Black, Dirty Stuff That Keeps Coming Out of Hinges?

QUESTION: What will clean off my walls and doors that have all that black dirty stuff that keeps coming out of the hinges?

ANSWER: That black sooty stuff that seems to come out of the door hinges is graphite. Some folks swear by it as a lubricant for those hinges, but we don’t like it because of the end result. It tends to get all over everything and won’t come off.

If you have a serious problem with graphite spreading extensively, you may have to clean the hinges as well as the messy spots. You should probably wear protective gloves for this chore because you’re going to use a light solution of trisodium phosphate or TSP to thoroughly wash the area stained with black residue.

First, remove the hinges, one at a time; then wash them in the TSP to remove graphite residue. Then lightly wipe down and rinse any spots on walls or doors with clean, damp cloths to make sure the TSP is gone.

When you reinstall the hinges, dry them and apply a very small drop of oil to each one. That little bit of oil should be sufficient to lubricate the hinge for a long time to come. It’s possible that the washing that you do with TSP will take off the stains. If not, you may need to repaint.

Q: I just bought my home and discovered that during rainstorms water accumulates on a patio slab that was probably poured by the previous owner. I want to put a drain in the slab that would require cutting through the slab along the house to install the drainage pipe. My question is: Is it safe to cut through this slab along the outside of the house? What is the best way to go about this? Should I get a general contractor to do this?

A: Although you don’t need a general contractor to construct or install the kind of drain you are planning, a licensed contractor may be able to help you design a system that will fix the water accumulation problem. A contractor can also assess the safety issues you mention. A landscaper would also be a good contact, as landscapers are typically the trade that is responsible for grading and damage issues. They can help design a path to drain the water away from your patio.

Q: Is December too late in the year to repaint the outside of my house?

A: Generally, it is not too late to repaint. However, the ideal time of year for exterior painting is when it is about 80 to 90 degrees outside. That’s because you can be fairly certain on warm days that there will not be much moisture in the air. If weather forecasts indicate it will be dry for about five days after your paint goes on, you should be good to go, as long as the temperature is within the paint manufacturer’s recommended range.