Columns

     Dear Ken: We have two big windows in a sunroom which gets quite hot, and we want to know what you think of window film? Does it last? Is it good for privacy?—Cheryl

     It's mostly good for saving energy. It can help reflect heat inside in the winter, saving heating dollars—and back out in the summer, lowering your air conditioning costs. You can apply it yourself if you have a little help—and a lot of patience. The process is...

     Dear Ken: I’ve been picking up apples on the lawn and driveway for what seems like half the summer. I’m tired of the mass. I hate to cut the branches off, because the tree is well-shaped and provides good shade. What can I do next season to avoid this? Mark

     There are growth inhibiting chemicals—like Florel—that will kill the blossoms if sprayed on at the right time. It produces ethylene—a chemical that plants produce for themselves if they are under stress—and that gas...

     Dear Ken: I’m wondering what’s wrong with my central air. We have it set at 72, but the house stays in the 80’s. Do we need to get it checked?—Marti

     Probably, but here are some things to do first. Make sure your furnace filter is clean; it needs to be changed no less often than once a month in the summer. Also, check that you haven’t blocked any of those cold air return grilles. Sometimes they get behind a sofa or bookcase and we forget...

     Dear Ken: I have a dancing washer. It’s a front-loading unit that literally moves several inches across the floor while it’s spinning.  How can we keep it in its place? Matt           

     These low-water-using washers spin at hundreds of RPM’s—much faster than their traditional top-loading cousins. I hear complaints not only of waltzing around the house, but also of excessive noise when they are installed on the...