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.

August 29, 2020

     Dear Ken: I have a stinky dishwasher. We use it rather infrequently and so it smells.  Is there a trap inside that dries out? Should we fill it? Pam

August 22, 2020

 

     Dear Ken: I have a 900 SF apartment. How can I pick a window unit air conditioning unit that is quiet? How about a timer or thermostat? Laura 

     Have the store demonstrate the units you’re interested in. They will all be about equally noisy, and they all come with a built-in thermostat. Trouble is, if the air conditioner is on the sunny side of the house, it may heat up and come on even if the room is cool.

August 15, 2020

     Dear Ken: We installed a new 3 ton A/C in June. We have a 1600 SF ranch home, but the system doesn’t always keep up. Do you think it’s big enough? Liz

     I think so. But there are a few tricks you can try to get ahead of the heat on the warmest days:  

August 8, 2020

     Dear Ken: My twelve-year-old windows have condensation between the glass panes.  Is there any way to fix them besides replacing them? Marty

     There are sites online which discuss procedures to evacuate the moisture by drilling two small holes in opposite corners of the outside window pane. Then, the theory goes, the sun will heat up the window to drive out the excess moisture. Even if it were successful, you’ll still be left with a hazy residue layer on the...

August 1, 2020

     Dear Readers: How’s your lawn making out these days? Here in the Springs we are under the Water Wise rules that allow irrigating only three days a week. For most bluegrass or fescue lawns, that should be enough to get through the season, providing we make some common sense adjustments to our lawn care regimen.

July 25, 2020

     Dear Readers: Have you had your air conditioning serviced yet this season? This can be an every-other-year procedure at your house. Why? Our cooling season is so short here that our A/C systems aren’t especially overworked. (Your furnace, however, is another story. If it goes bad, it can let dangerous fumes into your house, so it needs an annual check, clean and service). Incidentally, some HVAC companies will give you a special price—usually less than $100—if they can service both systems in one trip....

July 18, 2020

     Here's an anthology of home-grown cleaning remedies and recommended commercial products we've discussed over the years on the radio show. If you've any to add, please let me know.

 

July 11, 2020

    Dear readers:  Let's take a moment to discuss that electric circuit breaker box of yours. Pretty boring, you say? Well, let's see.

     It's the control and distribution center for virtually all the energy usage in your home, and so it deserves a little attention.

July 4, 2020

     Dear Ken: I have an old patio, and I need to give it a facelift. Should I patch it? Re-pour or replace it? Pete

     Most of these attached concrete patios end up settling, cracking or both. They're ugly and in many cases, let water drain toward the house. It's quite expensive to tear out and replace them since the old---and the new---concrete are heavy and difficult to get through the backyard around landscaping and fences. And so-called cosmetic coatings usually...

June 27, 2020

     Dear Ken: The floor under our kitchen sink cabinet has gotten wet, and now it sags.  Is there an easy way to fix it? Pam

     It's probably made from particleboard, which doesn't do very well with moisture. To avoid the mess of a tear-out, you can leave the old wood in place and glue down some AC plywood--at least 3/8-inch thick (AC is finished nicely on one side). Finally, purchase a scrap of linoleum at a tile store, cut it to fit, and then loose lay it on...