Q. The ceiling in our living room is in pretty bad shape. Rather than go to the great expense of fixing it, we plan to install a lowered ceiling. Are there any guidelines as to ceiling height?
A. The height of a new ceiling should be no less than 7 feet 6 inches. In some cases 6 feet 6 inches is acceptable under beams or bay windows. You can construct a slightly lower ceiling in a kitchen, provided at least half of it is at least 7 feet 6 inches.
In a roof space, the ceiling height should be a minimum of 7 feet 6 inches for at least half the area of the room. However, this area might not represent the whole floor. Mark all the sloping ceilings to the desirable minimum height above the floor, then use a plumb line to mark the floor directly below. The area of the floor within the marked lines represents the actual area used to calculate the ceiling height.
Q. We live in an area where there is a water shortage. Consequently, watering our lawn is often prohibited, and our water bills, when we are permitted to water the lawn, are high. Is there anything we can do to keep our lawn green and healthy and still conserve water?
A. There are some steps you can take that will help you maintain your lawn by using less water. The first step for conserving water is to mulch everything. Buy or rent a shredder to turn lawn waste into mulch. Spread a layer at least 4 to 6 inches thick around trees, shrubs, and in flower or vegetable gardens. Mulch helps hold moisture, reduces moisture loss from evaporation in hot weather, and discourages weed growth. Making and using mulch can also reduce the amount of lawn waste you generate, important in these days of overloaded landfills.
The average lawn needs about 1 inch of water per week to keep grass green and healthy. This total includes whatever rainfall you’ve had during this period. It’s best to water less often but deep. Keep track of the rainfall in your area for two weeks, then water the lawn enough to bring the total up to 2 inches. If you have an underground sprinkler system it will have a meter that will let you gauge exactly how much water you want to apply to your lawn. If you use a hose and sprinklers, paint marks inside plastic pails or in coffee cans at the 1-inch and 2-inch levels. Set the pails or cans about the lawn and check when you have the right water depth in the container, then shut off the hose to avoid wasting water.
Other things you can do to reduce water lawn usage: In hot weather, set your mower height at 2 inches. Taller grass will help the lawn hold water and avoid evaporation from the soil by shading it. On very hot days, sprinkle the lawn lightly at sundown. This practice, called syringing, will cool the lawn and help the grass survive during hot weather.
To submit a question, write to Popular Mechanics, Reader Service Bureau, 224 W. 57th St., New York, NY 10019. The most interesting questions will be answered in a future column.
