Weekly Columns

Both current and archived weekly newspaper columns. The date of the column and a teaser of the column appears below. Click on the date to see the entire column.

March 28, 2020

     Dear Ken: My friend has a dimmer that is hot when the lights are on. Is that OK?                Dave  

     All dimmers produce heat when they're energized--especially at lower settings (lights low). Warm is OK, too hot to touch is not. Sometimes the dimmer is overloaded. Add up the total wattage of the light bulbs, then make sure the dimmer max rating is no more than 80% of that value...

March 21, 2020

     Dear readers: I’m indebted to a listener named Barbara for sharing a tip with us on the radio show. She had a shower door with hard water stains that resisted every effort she made with powered cleansers, bleach containing liquid products and plastic scrubbers. You name it. She finally grabbed a magic eraser, and it worked like a charm.

Magic erasers are basically a plastic that in foam form contains millions of microscopic hard-as-glass fine points that grab on to the soil and foreign...

March 14, 2020

     Dear Ken:  I have spilled some wax on my couch. Is there any way to get it off?                             Peter

     Wax is always best handled when it's cold. Dry ice works best here, but it’s become quite hard to find. Big box discount stores used to have it, but I suspect it became a liability issue. You could call...

March 7, 2020 Column

     Dear Ken: What is your opinion of professional air duct cleaning? A local company is guaranteeing that the cleaning will reduce duct leakage to less than 5% and back their word with a 10 yr. performance guarantee. It’s a lot--about $2500. Is this necessary and does this deal sound legit? Our home was built in 1963. Phyllis

February 29, 2020

     Dear Ken: We have a floor drain in the basement and sometimes get a sewer odor through it. Is there some kind of drain we can install to block the smell? Pam

     There is a small, U-shaped pipe under the floor called a 'P' trap that holds a cup of water or so and provides a seal against sewer gases coming into the house. Trouble is, it evaporates in a few days, allowing the odors in. Pour a bottle of mineral oil (available at the grocery store) into the hole. It...

February 22, 2020

    Dear Ken: For the first time ever last year we had fleas at our house. Even our dog got them. Naturally, I don’t want them again this year. I suspect they are coming from rabbits living under our deck. Any relief for this? Janet

     I think there is a possible connection between wild rabbits and a flea infestation. And yes, if your dog lies around on the deck he’ll become a home for them also.

February 15, 2020

     Dear Ken: Help, we have a mouse in the house! We believe it's only one, but he does damage and creeps us out. Please tell us how to snare him before we consider more lethal methods. Debbie

     Just snaring and releasing might allow it to come back into your house or a neighbor's. The traditional spring traps you buy at the grocery store are the most humane, in that they are instantaneous in their effect. Most folks spread a little peanut butter, sticky cheese, or...

February 8, 2020

     Dear Ken: The dryer vent in my house runs into the crawl space. I've gotten several opinions from friends about this. Some say it's good for the house and others say it's not. What do you think? Bob

February 1, 2020

     Dear Ken: I have one of those inexpensive bookcases from a discount store. It's made from pressed wood covered with some kind of a plastic skin. Can it be painted?        Brenda

     Once you prime this surface, you can apply virtually any kind of top coat that suits you. Wipe down the piece with some TSP or other strong detergent, lightly scuff sand the surface before you start—220 grit sandpaper will do, then apply a couple of...

January 25, 2020

     Dear Ken: I'm thinking about getting my bathtub refinished. What do you think of this and how long will it last? Is it caustic? Melissa