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.

February 25, 2019

     Dear Ken: I have a new home, and the stairs squeak a lot. I've tried pounding in those little wooden wedges from underneath, but that doesn't help. Any ideas? Jake

     Try dipping your wedges in glue first. That may help tighten up the treads. Otherwise, you need to treat this as you would a regular floor squeak. Snug down the offending treads with several well-placed, two-inch drywall screws.

February 18, 2019

    Dear Ken: I what an icemaker, but there's no way to get at it from below, since the basement is finished. Got any ideas? Like through the cabinets? Julie

     I have such a configuration in my home. We ran a 1/4-inch copper line through the back of about 20 feet of cabinets--even behind the stove! Make sure that the line hugs the back of each cabinet box and isn't impacted by drawers opening and closing.

February 11, 2019

     Dear Ken:  We're about to buy a 1971 house. The current owners thought they saw termites, so they had a pest control company put in a perimeter bait system. Do you think I really need it? Chris

February 4, 2019

     Dear Ken: I have a new garage door which I like, but the problem is there is a gap at one side and I can see daylight. Do I have to live with it? Gary

January 28, 2019

 

     Dear Ken: Should I do anything with my central air conditioner over the winter? Chris

     I would shroud the condensing unit to protect it from winter weather. Theoretically, it will be OK regardless, but if you cover it for the several months when it's not in use, it will probably last an extra year or two on the other end. Most hardware stores sell a kit consisting of a plastic shroud and a bungee strap.    

January 21, 2019

 

     Dear Ken: I have a musty smell in the basement, even after sealing the concrete floor with KILZ and re-carpeting. Should I try a dehumidifier? Gene

     Unless the humidly level is extraordinarily high--which may indicate a drainage or ground water problem--you may simply need to provide more air exchanges, either from the great outdoors or the upper level of the house. Concrete floors always exude a little water vapor from the underlying...

January 14, 2019

     Dear Ken: Six years ago we had a shower door put in. He used some sort of sealant that is dirty and needs to be replaced. How can we get it off? Julie

     I'll bet he used rubber silicone. Sometimes with age, it will discolor and collect all sorts of filmy dirt. Silicone is hard to remove once it's cured. Lift it with a putty knife and try peeling off all that will come; sometimes it will release in long strings. For whatever residue remains, try some mineral...

January 7, 2019

     Dear Ken: Is it OK to close off heat registers in the winter?  If so, how many?  What about in the summer when we air condition? Also, we were advised that it's OK to block the cold air return in the basement. What's your opinion on all of this?  Brenda

     You need to be careful. If in the winter you starve the furnace of its required air, you risk overheating it and shortening its life. In the summer, the result can be a freeze-up of the evaporator coils (the ones on top of the furnace...

December 31, 2018

     Dear Ken: I have mostly oak floors in my home. During the winter, I hear a lot of creaking sounds. Could it be the floors? Would a humidifier help? Donna

     Houses make lots of odd noises in cold weather as wood components expand and contract with temperature changes. Wood floors are particularly susceptible because they are also affected by lower wintertime humidity. As the boards react by shrinking ever so slowly, they can indeed creak and pop. Bottom line: I think a...

December 24, 2018

     Dear Ken: I had my basement finished recently, and I have just become aware that no permits we're obtained. I can't find the guy who did it. What do I do now? John  

     You may be stuck, unless the city or county building authority in your area will do after-the-fact-inspections. If you can talk then into it, you'll probably be charged a penalty fee--like double or triple the normal inspection tariff. Then they may ask you to tear into walls so they...