Microwave Needs Bigger Breaker

Question: I would like to turn a spare bedroom into a fully equipped entertainment center, but I’m worried that adding a great amount of electrical equipment to one circuit will require a bigger circuit breaker. I’ve noticed that the microwave oven that came with our condo has its own large breaker. Is it possible to switch this with a smaller one and put a breaker for the new room there?

R.A.

Anaheim

Answer: “There’s a reason your microwave has a large breaker switch,” says Joel Gwartz of B.J. Discount Plumbing & Electrical Supply in Garden Grove. “Microwaves eat up a lot of energy. This is evident to people who just plug a microwave into one of their kitchen outlets and run it while the blender, dishwasher and toaster are on. The breaker trips, and they have to turn some of the appliances off.

“You may be able to find a twin breaker that matches the amps of the old one for the microwave and gives you a new breaker for your entertainment center.”

Q: The people from whom we bought our townhouse never used the small living-room fireplace. We understood it couldn’t be used for real fires, yet there is a gas outlet in there. Shouldn’t it be OK for burning?

D.D.

Tustin

A: “Before trying it, I’d have the fireplace and chimney checked out,” says fireplace and mantel builder Chuck Bream of Fullerton. “If there are nests or some obstruction in the chimney, you could have a problem when you start a fire.

“There are ‘decorative’ fireplaces that were made just for the appearance or for use with gas logs. Since it’s a townhouse, I’d also ask other owners about their experiences and find out if they’ve had any problems.”

Q: In the house we just bought there are four recessed floodlights in the kitchen. They work fine, but I’d like to know if they can be adjusted. Each of the bulbs is low, set down to the ceiling surface. Can they be pushed up into the ceiling without buying new cans?

W.C.

Cypress

A: “You may be able to. The first thing to do is to turn off the power to the lights at the circuit breaker and remove one of the bulbs,” says lighting designer Cal Renthrow of Newport Beach. “You may see screws on the side of the can that fit into a sliding slot. Loosen them and push up against the can, toward the ceiling, and you should get more room. If not, it’s possible there’s a beam, conduit or other obstruction that would have to be moved, or, if the can is already at the top of the slot, you may need to remove it to see if a larger, longer can can replace it.”

Q: The heavy oak handrail on our staircase is getting loose and detaching from the wall. What’s the sturdiest way to secure it?

S.K.

Irvine

A: “Assuming the handrail is connected to the wall with metal brackets, which you see in most cases, your first step is to remove the handrail entirely,” says carpenter George Valdez of Santa Ana. “It’s not uncommon for the screws holding it to the wall to loosen up. You’ll need to remove them and fill the holes with some type of spackling putty. When you reset the bracket, use some type of anchor screw to hold it and the handrail tight against the wall.”

Q: Please help settle a bet between my wife and me. Whenever we paint, I always want to strain the paint through a fine screen before starting, while she insists it isn’t necessary. Who’s right?

E.Y.

Seal Beach

A: “It depends; sometimes you’re both right,” says house painter Roger Milton of Huntington Beach. “New paint doesn’t need to be strained. It’s pretty much uniform. If a can has been sitting in the garage for a year, though, it may be a good idea to strain it through some fine cloth or women’s nylons to remove any dried bits or impurities.”