Here are answers to some home-repair questions from readers.
Let tile floors lieQ. Our playroom has 30-year-old vinyl tiles on its underground concrete floor. Some of the tiles are coming loose around the edges and some are breaking. We want to install new flooring. Must I remove the old tiles? Should I put down tiles or sheet flooring?
- Edward Jusko, Briarcliff Manor, N.Y.
A. Old flooring is usually dangerous to remove. Except in rare cases, the material and the adhesive beneath it contain asbestos fibers, crystalline silica or both, which can cause cancer and respiratory disease if inhaled. Only professionals licensed to work with hazardous materials can work with the tiles safely.
Unless old flooring is loose, it is better to install new flooring on top of it. Have the old flooring prepared for a new covering.