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.

November 23, 2015

                 It’s time to start thinking about a gift for those handy folks in your life.  And don’t forget the kids. Boys and girls beginning around 1st grade age, a college student in your life, or a young couple just starting out can all benefit from familiarity with tools.

November 16, 2015

            Dear Ken:  When our kids bought their home, one of the rooms downstairs had been closed up for about a week. It had a strong cat odor from a litter box they had kept there. What is the best course to make sure the smell is permanently eliminated?  Rachel

November 9, 2015

            Dear Ken:  We have a 900 square foot basement that we want to finish. I have no idea how to hire someone. Please help! Sarah

November 2, 2015

            Dear Readers: With our first frost just around the corner, remember to winterize your outside watering systems. Remove hoses from spigots—even if they are labeled “freeze proof”—or you they may ice up and spilt this winter. If you have a finished basement, one forever solution to this rick is to cut a hole—say, 4” x 10”—in the ceiling joist below the spigot pipe. Then cover it with a metal, louvered grille. That arrangement will...

October 19, 2015

     Dear Ken:  I'm from Florida where landscaping is different than here.  Do I really need to aerate the lawn, or is that overkill? Calvin

     It's a good idea, especially if you live in an area with denser, clay soils--like near the foothills.  And, anyway, as all lawns age, the turf gets more tightly entwined and compacted. Aeration lets some more oxygen, nutrients and water get deeper into the roots. They then go deeper into the...

October 12, 2015

     Dear Ken: Every time we run the hot water tap in one upstairs lavatory, we get a loud chattering.  What should I do? Doug

October 5, 2015

            Dear Readers: I know many of you blow out your sprinkler systems this time of year. But I don’t. If it's a dry winter you should water the lawn every three weeks or so to keep the roots from drying out. Desiccated roots are the principal cause of those brown winter-kill spots you see in the spring in your lawn—plus they increase its susceptibility to disease, weeds and insects next year. 

September 28, 2015

      Dear Ken: What was the name of the drain clearing stuff you have mentioned on your show? Lisa

September 21, 2015

     Dear Ken: What do you think of those plug-in devices to scare mice and bugs away? Bob

     Not much. Feedback on my radio show indicates that they work for the short term, but eventually the unwanted critters come back. Traditional traps and bug sprays are better (and less expensive) choices.   

  

     Dear Ken: I have a brownish strip between my driveway and the...

September 14, 2015

 

            Dear Ken: Our builder says to use the cheapest filter we can find (about a dollar). Our size, 14 x 20, is hard to find. What do you think? George   

            I disagree with your builder. The pleated variety of furnace filter is much better. They capture much smaller particulates than an ordinary, inexpensive fiberglass version. They are especially helpful for family members who have...