Quick Tip

If your door slams shut with a bang, place some short beads of clear silicone caulk along the door jamb at a few of the contact points. This will soften the blow. Be sure to prop the door open for a couple of hours after application, to allow the silicone to dry completely.

Roses on High

Hi Andy, I wonder if you could help. Several years ago some UK lads set up a company supplying ceiling roses and corner covings made of plaster of Paris. They use to advertise on the TV and in the local papers, but now that I need a ceiling rose I cannot find their address or even if they are still in business. Don’t suppose you have the address or a company in Pattaya who make them.

Regards Eddie.

Suppose I do, Eddie? Your probably asking about Ornate Plaster Craft—a father-son team from Britain. They manufacture ceiling roses and corner covers right here in Pattaya. Their showroom is on Theprasit Road, across from the weekend market. On display are the products you want plus cornices, fire places, marble suites, dado rails, wall panels and many more decorative items. Gerry and Darren are on hand at the shop 9 am until 5 pm Monday through Saturday. You may reach Gerry at 087 067-7834.

Grunge Plunge

Andy, you recently explained the best way to clean and maintain a stainless steel cook top. Well, I’m ready to plunge into a proper cleaning of my ceramic cooking top. Can provide any tips for how to keep the ceramic grunge free? So far I have found success with Brasso, but am afraid it might scratch the top and it has a very strong smell. Best wishes in the New Year. Richard

Ceramic cook tops usually are easy to clean simply with a damp cloth (no soap or detergent) after the surface has cooled. ALWAYS remove any spills immediately. If that does not get all spots out, you may use a little dishwashing liquid in warm water. Rinse thoroughly and wipe dry. For more difficult stains, scrub with baking soda on a damp paper towel or a non-treated plastic or nylon pad. Do not use any regular scouring powders, metal pads, or oven cleaners. Again, rinse thoroughly and dry. Your owner’s manual (if in English) probably suggests special cleaners which you should use, if only periodically and always after scrubbing with even a mild abrasive (such as baking soda). Those special cleaners leave a protective coating on the cook top. Follow instructions from the cook-top manufacturer or on the cleaning-product label.

Cat Crap

Any idea how to stop cats from using our lawn as a toilet?

Nigel

It’s an oft asked question, Nigel, that I had no answer for, so I put your question to The Cat Lady (mskitty@catlover.com) and she suggested that you should first ask he owners of the cats to control their pets. If the owners are unknown or the cats are strays, try these repellants: Install uncomfortable items such as pounding small stakes into the ground, or lay down chicken wire—either of which will hurt the cats’ paws without damaging them. Distasteful odors also tend to repel cats. For example, they don’t like citrus, so spread some orange or lemon peels, or citronella candles around your property. Finally, The Cat Lady suggests trying mothballs. However, some cats don’t mind moth balls, while others simply cover them in dirt or with their own crap. Beyond which, you also would have to endure the smell of moth balls whenever relaxing in your yard.

Pattaya Dangerous

I read your column every week, Andy. Great. I am building a large property for myself using Thai builders and have been warned by other expats that the electrics in properties in Pattaya can be very dangerous. Is there any advice you can give me, as I am not sure what to do and I have a language problem.  Any advice would be appreciated. Regards.

Ken

The most important piece of advice I can offer, Ken, is that anyone involved in construction here must be on site as much as your schedule allows. Make sure the workers are doing all work correctly. If you can find a qualified electrician, have him oversee all electrical work. And most importantly as regards electricity, ensure that the wiring is grounded (even if your electrician objects). That said, I admit (as I did in this column recently) that I do not know much about electricity, and neither do most Thai ‘electricians.’ With that caveat in mind, I would urge you to find a good, reliable, highly- recommended and experienced electrician who speaks English. Talk to friends, farang building consultants, anyone whom you respect and trust. I concur that electrical wiring here can be dangerous. It also can damage appliances. This usually is due to poor or nonexistent grounding and wiring issues. The most common complaint throughout Thailand is getting shocked on electric stoves, washing machines, computers and hot water showers. The solution is proper grounding (or earthling as it is called here and in some western countries). Most electricians here do not ground wiring or they ground it incorrectly (they do not run wiring back to the grounded breaker box in the wiring closet). Also, many reverse the load-neutral wires. You admit that you are not sure what to do. I suggest that anyone who deals with electricity should know what he is doing, and be careful. Even a certified electrician in Thailand is no assurance of safety. They have often been taught the wrong, cheap way of doing things. Improper grounding—true of most homes in Thailand–not only presents safety issues (sometimes fatal), it also means higher electric bills. Also ensure that “breakers” and/or “fuses” are properly installed. These devices cut off the electricity and thus prevent a fire or other serious injury. They are not good protection against getting shocked, but in some cases can keep a shock from being fatal. To properly ground your home’s electrical system, a wire must be connected to an uninterrupted metal electrical conductor that penetrates the ground two to three meters deep. Drive a 2-3 meter copper rod (about 2 centimeters thick) down into the ground. It may be copper coated with lead, or just copper, depending on what’s available. Once the rod is driven, it’s just a matter of running the wires from the rod to the outlets. The wires are simply clamped to the rod. Make sure the connection is strong and stable. Then, of course, your home must be fitted with three-prong receptacles (electrical outlets)—the third prong being for the grounding. For each receptacle, it is important to get the “polarity” correct. A three-prong receptacle has a round hole and two slits. The hole is for the ground wire. The slightly wider slit is for the neutral. The slightly narrower one is for the wire which provides alternating voltage +/- 220 V. Don’t ignore these proper outlets and don’t force plugs into the wrong holes.

–Handy Andy