| Subject | Date Asked |
|
| Flexible waste lines | 9/28/2008 |
Q: As a home inspectoer I fail any drain pipes under bathroom or kicthen sinks that are flexible. I was ...
A: TO GARY RE: FLEXIBLE DRAIN PIPES. Gary-- I guess you referring to the corrugated drain ...
|
| Unconventional bi-level | 9/26/2008 |
Q: I live in RI in a 1965 bi-level home that my father-in-law built. It isn't exactly like other ...
A: TO JOANNE RE: REMOVING WALLS IN A BI LEVEL.. Joanne--You can remove any wall in a ...
|
| drainage for a retaining wall | 9/25/2008 |
Q: I'm writing from St. Louis, MO in regards to a residential property built in the late 50s. The ...
A: TO VINCENT RE: DRAINAGE AROUND THE HOUSE.. Vincent -- I don't quite understand your layout ...
|
| changes to a 1970's bi level | 9/23/2008 |
Q: i live in a bi level from the 70's is there a way to make this home a colonial? take the bottom ...
A: TO STACY RE: CHANGING THE HOUSE DESIGN.. Stacy--Sorry about the delay..Chest surgery as ...
|
| Rafters and interior walls | 9/22/2008 |
Q: This summer I built (framed and mechanicals) a 21 x 28 Maser suite on our home. The exterior walls ...
A: TO JIM RE: TRUSS CEILING TOO HIGH. Jim--Houses are not or any way near your .001 of an inch. ...
|
| House with scads of problems | 9/22/2008 |
Q: Expert, My house has a few issues, so this may take some time to get it all out. I'll start with ...
A: TO BRIAN RE: WATER IN BASEMENT.. Brian-- You have to go with these ideas about most older ...
|
| Bullnose Corner Bead | 9/21/2008 |
Q: Fred, I would like to replace the standard corner bead in my condo in two sliding glass doors and ...
A: TO CHRIS RE: REPLACING DRYWALL CORNER BEAD. Chris-- I don't think the results will be worth ...
|
| Residential basement drainage | 9/21/2008 |
Q: I had a newly constructed home in a rural area. The basement and drains around the perimeter have ...
A: To Steve Re: Second answer about drainage.. The 2 ft. of elevation simply means that ...
|
| drywall patching and repairing prices in Indianapolis | 9/19/2008 |
Q: I have contacted a drywall contractor to propose coming out to repair drywall mold and etc to my ...
A: TO LORETTA RE: COST FOR DRYWALL REPAIRS. Loretta--I'm sorry to say,, but you violated the ...
|
| Please help asap | 9/19/2008 |
Q: Me and my spouce are looking into buying a home, we came across this nice home we really like. I ...
A: To SHANNON RE: HOUSE FOUNDATION.. Shannon-- I would like a lot more description of the ...
|
| brick wall/slab foundation | 9/19/2008 |
Q: After rains water seeping in and wetting carpet at floor level. How do I best waterproof on the ...
A: TO MITCH RE: WATER SEEPAGE INTO HOUSE.. Mitch--They didn't build the house correctly.. It ...
|
| window / window sill replacement | 9/19/2008 |
Q: I'm looking to buy my first home, and I think that I've found one that I love. However, I'm using ...
A: TO CHRISTINA RE: OLD WINDOW SILLS REPLACEMENT.. Christina--Old window sills can be replaced ...
|
| gas piping | 9/18/2008 |
Q: i would like to run a gas line from my meter to a gas pool heater and need to know what type of pipe ...
A: TO RICK RE: NEW GAS LINE.. Rick-- Sorry about the delay,, Chest surgery is still slowing ...
|
| crawl space odor | 9/17/2008 |
Q: My cat was using my crawl space for a litter box, the space smelled musty but never like cat urine. ...
A: TO MARY RE: CRAWL SPACE ODORS.. Mary-- Please excuse the delay.. My chest surgery is still ...
|
| Add insulation to cathedral ceiling | 9/16/2008 |
Q: We recently purchased a ranch style house which has a cathedral (or vaulted) ceiling in the living ...
A: TO ED RE: ADD MORE INSULATION TO CATHEDRAL CEILING Ed--More insulation can be added as ...
|
| water treatment | 9/15/2008 |
Q: I have a well with an acid neutralizer system. The media is 80% calcite and 20% magnesium dioxide (I ...
A: TO RICHARD RE: WATER TREATMENT.. Richard--Who said the water is acid?? It's very unusual ...
|
| hooking up to public sewer with septic property | 9/13/2008 |
Q: I have several quick questions. If I currently have a house that has septic and well system, do you ...
A: TO ELIZABETH RE: NEW SEWER INSTALL Elizibeth--Don't you worry about all these items.. Get ...
|
| How do I cut Lexan? | 9/12/2008 |
Q: How do I cut Lexan? Is there a hand tool available? Thank you
A: TO S RE: CUTTING LEXAN Cutting Lexan depends upon the thickness.. If it's a normal ...
|
| Victorian house remodel | 8/4/2008 |
Q: I think this will be an unusual problem, but I really hope you can answer it for me. I share with ...
A: TO PREMA RE: ADDED LOADS IN AN OLD HOUSE.. Prema-Sorry about the delay.. I've had some ...
|
| Vinal Siding | 7/5/2008 |
Q: Before having someone come to my house for an estimate, I just want to know ROUGHLY how much it ...
A: TO MARK RE:COST OF VINYL SIDING.. Mark--The vinyl siding today runs about $70-80 per ...
|
| Utility Shield rolled attic insulating material. | 7/3/2008 |
Q: This insulation is made from pure aluminum with woven HD polyethylene fabric tarpaulin.The bonding ...
A: TO RANDY RE: ALUMINUM TYPE INSULATION.. Randy -- These aluminum type insulations were ...
|
| Rental Issue... | 6/28/2008 |
Q: I have attached a letter I have written and to no avail I have not been helped. can you please ...
A: TO DANA RE: BAD LANDLORD.. Dana--Run don't walk to get out..This landlord is a typical ...
|
| dark spots on ceiling | 6/28/2008 |
Q: I have dark spots on the ceiling which is now spreading to the upper wall. It seems to be at the ...
A: TO PATRICIA RE DARKENED CEILING.. Patricia--This type of ceiling discoloring is usually the ...
|
| BATHROOM MEDICINE CABINET MIRROR | 6/28/2008 |
Q: We had to take the mirror off of our medicine chest as it was starting to slide down the metal that ...
A: TO PEGGY RE: CLEAN UP MIRROR.. Peggy--Any thing you do to the mirror backside must be done ...
|
| chain link fence | 6/27/2008 |
Q: I cemented in my terminal posts for my 12' gate, 3" too far, what can I do to latch the gate, to ...
A: TO STEVE RE: FENCE POST OFF MEASUREMENT. I would like to know the diameter the concrete ...
|
| Asbestos - Yorba Linda CA home built in 1979 | 6/26/2008 |
Q: we are having someone come out to remove the acoustic on our ceiling. This guy is doign it as a ...
A: TO RACHEL RE: CEILING TILE REMOVE.. Rachel--At that age there really wasn't any asbestos ...
|
| Sump pump runs constantly | 6/25/2008 |
Q: I just read one of your responses about sump pumps but still have a question. My house is probably ...
A: Tamera-- Try people like septic installers or good sewer men The county extension people may be ...
|
| exterior glass block window | 6/23/2008 |
Q: We are replacing two large pane windows with two smaller glass block wdws in a 2x6 wall (vinyl ...
A: TO JUDY RE: GLASS BLOCK INSTALLING.. Judy--The best thing to do is check with the block ...
|
| Remove Small Load Bearing Wall | 6/23/2008 |
Q: I have 2 - 9' 3" wide rooms at the front of my 1 story Shotgun House, total Width is 20' wide and ...
A: TO BOB RE: REMOVING LOAD BEARING WALLS.. Bob almost any center load bearing wall can be ...
|
| Sump pump runs constantly | 6/21/2008 |
Q: I just read one of your responses about sump pumps but still have a question. My house is probably ...
A: TO TAMARA RE: SUMP PUMP EXCESSIVE RUNNING. Tamara--This type of pump running in a rural ...
|
| Cost of Sump Pump System | 6/21/2008 |
Q: Generally, how much does it cost to have a sump pump and perimeter drain system installed in a ...
A: TO LISA, RE: COST FOR SUMP PUMP WORK. Lisa--The cost for jobs like this can vary a lot. For ...
|
| creosote | 6/18/2008 |
Q: do you have any experience with turn of the century buildings that used creosote soaked beams? I own ...
A: TO JODY RE: CREOSOTE BEAMS. Jody--Beams that old shouldn't have any strong odor left in ...
|
| Water in crawl space | 6/17/2008 |
Q: I recently bought a small home. 1300 sq. ft. in poor condition and started fixing it up. The house ...
A: TO REGGIE RE: WATER IN CRAWL SPACE. Reggie--All the water in a crawl or basement comes from ...
|
| kitchen sink spray nozzle | 6/15/2008 |
Q: I recently replaced a broken spray nozzle on our kitchen sink. Since then, whenever the water is ...
A: TO GARY RE: CLANKING FAUCET.. The spray heads are controlled by a little check valve.. The ...
|
| interior door | 6/12/2008 |
Q: I need to replace an interior door but don't know how to cut the groove for the hinges. Is there a ...
A: TO DAVE RE: CUTTING SLOTS FOR HINGES.. Dave--Number one, line up the doors hinge side up,, ...
|
| defective Broan 732 part | 6/11/2008 |
Q: I am a professional engineer, 36 years in design and muanufacturing, Honeywell Aerospace. Perhaps ...
A: PHILIP RE: FAN SPRING.. Philip--I looked up the pages of Broan on the Internet. They had a ...
|
| water coming into the basement | 6/10/2008 |
Q: Lauffer, I have lived for 3 months in a 8 year old town house. After 2 heavy rainfalls at 3 week ...
A: TO CARL RE: sump pumps. Carl-- Try any of these-Zoller, Davis, Mighty mite, Gould, Burks.. ...
|
| water coming into the basement | 6/8/2008 |
Q: Lauffer, I have lived for 3 months in a 8 year old town house. After 2 heavy rainfalls at 3 week ...
A: TO CARL RE: WATER IN BASEMENT.. Carl--All the water that gets into a basement comes from the ...
|
| Wall Board | 6/5/2008 |
Q: Fred, What do you call the type of wall covering that is created by using chicken wire over the ...
A: TO MIKE RE: OLDER STYLE PLASTER. Mike--This type of plaster is simply one of the older ...
|
| drywall mud over paneling? | 6/5/2008 |
Q: I'm remodeling the living room which has "paneling" that has been painted. When I asked for bids ...
A: TO CHARLOTTE RE: LIV. ROOM PANELING Charlotte--A new coating on a surface like paneling is ...
|
| handiman problems | 5/6/2008 |
Q: My handyman came with good references from my realtor. He did beautiful work at a fair price for me. ...
A: TO RENEE RE: BAD CONTRACTOR.. Renee-- From what you said I'd say you were "taken" by one ...
|
| water in basement | 5/5/2008 |
Q: I RECENTLY MOVED INTO AN 8 YEAR OLD TOWNHOUSE IN FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA. YESTERDAY I REMOVED SOME ...
A: TO CARL RE: WATER IN BASEMENT. Carl--You have to work on the idea that all water in a ...
|
| Sump pump | 4/28/2008 |
Q: I have an older home (1930) and when we get alot of rain I get water that seeps up from the ground. ...
A: TO DAVE RE:NEW SUMP PUMP.. Dave--In a house of that age,, If there is footer tile it is ...
|
| refrigerator ice maker | 4/27/2008 |
Q: We just bought a house and it came with a refrigerator that has an ice maker. The ice maker isn’t ...
A: It's about 2in. in dia. and about 6-8 in long TO RICK RE; FREEZER LINE.. Rick-- Those small ...
|
| Holes in wall around steam heat pipes/cigarette smoke comes in there | 4/27/2008 |
Q: I am ill from cigarette fumes that enter my apartment from other apartments. What can I do to block ...
A: TO MS. R RE: FUMES FORM SMOKE. MS. R -- The holes can all be blocked with various filling ...
|
| Heating to A/C changeover | 4/24/2008 |
Q: This is a very general question (for now): We moved into a 20 yr old home a few months ago. We live ...
A: TO LEN RE: STARTUP FOR A/C SEASON Len--It sounds like you may not have had your house ...
|
| Modular homes/slab foundation | 4/13/2008 |
Q: My husband and I are considering building a home. We would like to keep the cost down as anyone ...
A: TO JULIE RE: COST AND NEW HOME.. Julie--Modular homes, I think are a good way to go.. ...
|
| laying vinyl tile over vinyl tile | 4/8/2008 |
Q: Can I install vinyl tile over vinyl tile ??? Is it recommended to do this ?? Thanks.
A: TO CHUCK RE: VINYL TILE OVER.. Chuck--- There are lots of glues that will hold vinyl tile ...
|
| splitting the electric between two apartments | 4/2/2008 |
Q: I have an apartment on my home and want to add a seperate meter box so the tenants pay for there own ...
A: TO ADAM RE: SPLITTING ELECTRIC SERVICES.. Adam---Please excuse the delay on responding.. ...
|
| Tie into clay-tile drain? | 4/1/2008 |
Q: I live a sixty-odd-year-old house in West Virginia,and it's a "unique" setup! Need some help with ...
A: TO STEVE RE: CLAY SEWER PIPE CONNECTING.. Steve---- I'm sorry about the delay in ...
|
| foundation/jack repair | 3/30/2008 |
Q: I am currently in the inspection period of purchasing a new to me 100 year old home. I am located ...
A: TO MICHEAL RE: FOUNDATION Micheal -- Please excuse the delay in responding.. I had the ...
|
| Replacment windows in a brick home | 3/26/2008 |
Q: Mr. Lauffer I read your answer to the posting titled “replacement windows with brick exterior” ...
A: TO RICK RE: REPLACEMENT WINDOWS I'm sorry about the delay.. I was in a big "pickle",, I ...
|
| Corian | 3/20/2008 |
Q: I recently moved into a 7 year old home which has a bluish Corian countertop, which I dislike. The ...
A: TO LINDA RE: REMOVE COUNTER TOP. MODERN COUNTER TOPS ARE USUALLY GLUED TO THE CABINETS WITH ...
|
| dent/scratches in gas hot water heater | 3/17/2008 |
Q: I recently had a hot water heater replaced - the plumber had a hard time getting the into the ...
A: To carol Re: dents Hot Water Tank. Carol--There should never be a dent in the sides of a ...
|
| Major Water Intrution Issues - Basement and Garage | 3/16/2008 |
Q: I have quite the pickle of a problem.. I'll try to explain it best I can. We live in a development ...
A: TO TOM RE: HOUSE FLOODING. Tom-- The flooding is really the results of poor or bad design ...
|
| wallboard | 3/14/2008 |
Q: in jacksonville, florida,duval county,what is the minimun requrements when installing new wallboards ...
A: TO JAN RE: SHOWER WALL BOARD. Jan-- Sounds like your are going with ceramic tile,, right ?? ...
|
| well pump system | 3/14/2008 |
Q: just one last thing and ill leave you alone :) if the pump continually runs when the hose is going ...
A: SIMMIE RE WELL PROBLEMS (3) Simmie-- All the problems and things you mentioned are still ...
|
| plastering | 3/13/2008 |
Q: Can I plaster over greenboard, and is that a good idea for a bathroom?
A: TO DAVE RE: GREEN BOARD PLASTERING. Dave--Green board is good material.. It will take ...
|
| COUPLE WELL PUMP QUESTIONS | 3/12/2008 |
Q: but i answer printer/plotter questions, and alot of them :) so i know your time is valuable and i ...
A: TO SIMMIE RE: WELL PROBLEMS.. Simmie-- The foot valve is way down in the bottom of all the ...
|
| Raised Ranch - Structural | 3/11/2008 |
Q: I just purchased an "adams" style raised ranch outside Chicago. There is a center wooden beam in the ...
A: TO DEBRA RE: GARAGE BEAM. Debra-- This house sounds like a typical Bi-level.. It's a ranch ...
|
| sump pump | 3/10/2008 |
Q: Fred, We have lived in our home since fall of 2004. Sometimes after a period of heavy rain we might ...
A: VINCENT RE: FOUL WATER IN SUMP CROCK.. Vincent--The most likely way the smelly water get in ...
|
| Steps to lower level at doorway | 3/9/2008 |
Q: Live in an old wood-frame building that was once a staff cottage to an old estate. I am currently ...
A: TO PETER RE: STEPS TO LOWER LEVEL Peter-- You can make steps start at the upper level down ...
|
| COUPLE WELL PUMP QUESTIONS | 3/8/2008 |
Q: but i answer printer/plotter questions, and alot of them :) so i know your time is valuable and i ...
A: TO SIMMIE RE: WELL PUMP Simmie -- Your pump is big enough to handle a normal household.. ...
|
| COUPLE WELL PUMP QUESTIONS | 3/7/2008 |
Q: but i answer printer/plotter questions, and alot of them :) so i know your time is valuable and i ...
A: SIMMIE RE: WELL PUMP PROBLEMS. Simmie -- A 1/3 HP,, two pipe,, pump should be OK for a ...
|
| mold/mildew problem | 3/4/2008 |
Q: I recently had a severe mold and mildew problem in my rented apartment built in 1912. It's ...
A: TO LIZ RE: MOLD WINDOW LIZ..-- I'm impressed by you picture,,It really helps.. A very ...
|
| Mold in a new home | 3/3/2008 |
Q: I've put a bid on a house. We knew there was water damage when we looked at the house (wood floors ...
A: TO TRICA RE: MOLDY BASEMENT. Trica -- I'm sorry about the delay..I had this one 90% ...
|
| retaining walls | 3/3/2008 |
Q: I'm building a house on a block (beach sand) which is level for the home pad but only 2m from a 40 ...
A: TO TERRY RE: BUILDING ON A HILL Terry -- Your engineer is 150% correct.. We have a ...
|
| Mold in a new home | 3/1/2008 |
Q: I've put a bid on a house. We knew there was water damage when we looked at the house (wood floors ...
A: TO PATRICIA RE MOLD IN BASEMENT.. Patricia-- Mold removal is not very difficult..This ...
|
| Petition wall | 2/26/2008 |
Q: What is petition wall?
A: To ARIE RE: WORD PETITION.. Arie--The words together are incorrect. "Petition" is a ...
|
| Exterior wall / insulation | 2/23/2008 |
Q: I am working remodeling my attached garage. I have taken down the drywall on the outside wall of my ...
A: TO MARK RE: GARAGE WALLS (2) Mark--The blown does a better job in the attic where there ...
|
| Exterior wall / insulation | 2/22/2008 |
Q: I am working remodeling my attached garage. I have taken down the drywall on the outside wall of my ...
A: TO MARK RE: GARAGE WALL SHEATHING. Mark -- You can take your choice.. It's either the old ...
|
| help | 2/20/2008 |
Q: we bought a home in ga in june 2007. We had our pre-inspection and was told repairs would be done. ...
A: TO JOAN RE: LOT HOME REPAIRS. Joan -- Time to get nasty,, legal,, and mean. Get the health ...
|
| crawlspace insulating | 2/18/2008 |
Q: I have a duplex with a crawlspace. It is dry and has the plastic covering over the dirt. It is ...
A: TO BARB RE: WINDOW AIR LEAKS.. BARB __ Air leaks through or from windows,, depend on the ...
|
| moisture problem | 2/18/2008 |
Q: I had my home built 3 years ago and now there is two light switch covers that are showing some kind ...
A: TO MIKE RE: WATER MARKS Mike -- Start by opening the boxes..Take the covers off and look ...
|
| Cracking noises in attic | 2/17/2008 |
Q: Our house is about 20 yrs old and we always hear cracking and popping noises, sounds like it is ...
A: TO PAM RE: ATTIC NOISE. Pam-Try to call Bill Murray and his crew(Ghost Busters)..They can ...
|
| crawlspace insulating | 2/16/2008 |
Q: I have a duplex with a crawlspace. It is dry and has the plastic covering over the dirt. It is ...
A: TO BARB RE: INSULATION IN CRAWL. Barb--If I catch you putting insulation up in the ceiling ...
|
| Remodeling - Gas Safety | 2/10/2008 |
Q: I live in an old house (~115 years) which was a two-family over-under home that has been converted ...
A: TO DAVE RE: GAS LINES. Dave- First I apologizes for the delay..Too much on the road.. ...
|
| Floor Question | 2/1/2008 |
Q: My house was built in 2000 and has always had some squeaks in the floor. I assumed this to be ...
A: TO JOSEPH RE: FLOOR SQUEAKS.. Joseph-Floor squeaks can be a bad problem..Mostly only ...
|
| Cement Block Basement Walls | 1/29/2008 |
Q: What paint should I use to paint the walls? These walls have been previously painted. They were ...
A: TO GEORGE RE: WET BLOCK WALLS. George-You hit on one of my favorite subjects. concrete ...
|
| my water heater | 1/28/2008 |
Q: I am getting strong smelling exhaust fumes from a kenmore miser gas water heater. It is the one for ...
A: TO KEVIN RE: BAD GAS FUMES Kevin-This whole scenario has the sound of the chimney is ...
|
| Remove small section of double top plate | 1/26/2008 |
Q: Fred, Planning to reroute sewer vent (DWV) up outside wall and reconnect with vent stack out roof. ...
A: TO FRED RE: PLATE CUTTING. Fred- ( A good name)-- First you have to be able to get at the ...
|
| Question of fairness? | 1/25/2008 |
Q: I just finished a bathroom remodel with Bathrooms Now of San Marcos Ca. We had a relative small job ...
A: TO MIKE RE: BATH TUB REPAIR. Mike-This tub problem is bad..Those ""clowns"" can't make a ...
|
| wood paneling | 1/19/2008 |
Q: I need a source for two sheets of 1970's style wood paneling for a repair. Any help you can give me ...
A: TO WAYNE RE: 1970 PANELING. Wayne-try the Internet,,could be lots there. Go to the big ...
|
| Should I stud out plaster walls? | 1/19/2008 |
Q: Fred, I bought a residential rowhome in Philly (80 years old)that has plaster over brick on the ...
A: TO STEVE RE:STUD FOR WALLS. Steve-Don't waste time and money on 2x3s. They cost a much as ...
|
| Refacing a fireplace | 1/5/2008 |
Q: I am looking to reface a currently brick fire place. The brick goes from floor to ceiling approx. ...
A: TO STEVEN RE; FIREPLACE REFINISHING.. Steven--Sorry about the delay in responding...Too ...
|
| Replacing a kitchen sink | 12/14/2007 |
Q: I am replacing our old single bowl sink for a double. It is top mounted and will be sealed with ...
A: To IAN JOLLEY RE: NEW KIT SINK. Ian--Whats a air lock "gizmo"??? I think you mean one of ...
|
| Space behind toliet tank and wall | 12/12/2007 |
Q: We recently had a new toilet installed and have 4 1/2" between tank and the wall. Is there something ...
A: TO LORENE RE: TOILET POSITION. Lorene--I'd like to find the DUMBBELL that set the toilet ...
|
| Ceiling cracking very fast | 12/12/2007 |
Q: About 4-5 weeks ago I blew about 6' of additional insulation into my attic. 5 days ago, I noticed 2 ...
A: TO MIKE RE: CRACKING CEILING I'm guessing that your ceiling is one where the heating ...
|
| Raising a basement | 12/11/2007 |
Q: Fred, Noticed you responded to someone in my similar situation and ironically in Tacoma, WA also. ...
A: TO DARCI RE: HOUSE RAISING.. Darci--The best people are the house movers..The good ones ...
|
| Toilet smell | 12/10/2007 |
Q: I have an older toiler. About 1 month ago I installed a rebuild kit, replace the wax ring with a #3 ...
A: TO TOM: RE TOILET SMELL. Tom--It's highly unlikely that your odor is coming from the ...
|
| New home water supply issues | 12/6/2007 |
Q: I purchased a newly constructed model home about 5 months ago in Ohio. The house is built in a ...
A: TO JEFF RE: WELL BAD WATER. Jeff--You need the legal help on your side..Contact the local ...
|
| Toilet Issue | 12/5/2007 |
Q: I have discovered tonight that I have a toilet issue. Normally when the toilet is flushed it works ...
A: TO MANDA RE TOILET PROBLEMS. Manda--These sluggish toilet are a REAL PAIN.. I'm ...
|
| carpet water damage | 12/4/2007 |
Q: My carpet got water damage(shower overflow), should I replace it or steam clean it.
A: TO DING RE: WET CARPET BATHROOM.. DING--Carpet in a bathroom is generally not a good ...
|
| Avoiding frozen pipes | 12/3/2007 |
Q: Last winter my pipes froze in my home after days and nights of sub-freezing weather. I've lived in ...
A: TO LISA RE: FREEZING PIPES. Lisa-- No pipes behind walls in Chicago..It sounds like you ...
|
| Base board heating | 12/1/2007 |
Q: I started a project that I thought would be fairly simple and now has turned into a larger ordeal. I ...
A: TO CHIP RE: FIX THE HOT WATER RADIATORS If you fly me out there I can fix it for you.. A ...
|
| Garage gas line | 11/30/2007 |
Q: I am running out of time before the ground is going to freeze here in the Midwest. I want to at a ...
A: TO RUSTY RE: GAS LINE TO GARAGE.. Rusty--Go and get some of the modern plastic that's used ...
|
| Sliding Shed Door | 11/27/2007 |
Q: We are making half of our pole shed into stalls for horses. We plan to put in a large sliding door ...
A: TO EMILY RE: BARN SLIDING DOORS. Emily--There are many types and styles of barn sliding ...
|
| butting joist ends to joist sides | 11/25/2007 |
Q: How do I attach joist ends to joist sides? I am cantilevering an 18"X4' juliet balcony. ANSWER: ...
A: TO TONY RE: NO 2 response. Tony--The way to connect two joists at right angles is to use ...
|
| anti-scald valve | 11/25/2007 |
Q: Whenever we go to my father-in-laws house we have to make sure no other faucets are running when ...
A: TO LANDON RE: ANTI-SCALD VALVE.. Landon-- this is an age old problem in older piping and ...
|
| butting joist ends to joist sides | 11/23/2007 |
Q: How do I attach joist ends to joist sides? I am cantilevering an 18"X4' juliet balcony.
A: TO TONY RE: CANTILEVER JOIST. Tony--I read your dimensions and it seems wrong.. Are you ...
|
| Studor Vents | 11/14/2007 |
Q: We have a new construction home in the state of North Carolina. We have three studor vents - one in ...
A: TO CINDY RE: PLUMBING STUDOR VENTS. Cindy-- I don't think much good about these types of ...
|
| vibrations on 2nd story room addition | 11/13/2007 |
Q: I just finished building a 2nd floor addition over and existing house in Downey, CA. It was ...
A: TO ROGER WHEELLOCK RE: HOUSE VIBRATIONS.. Roger-- It's very possible to have a building ...
|
| floor joist drilling | 11/7/2007 |
Q: My son wants to install a heavy punching bag in the basement of my home which was built in 1985. He ...
A: TO STEVE RE: HANG A PUNCHING BAG FROM JOIST... Steve-- hanging a 100 lb. bag from the ...
|
| Connect a gas pipe to the main gas line. | 11/1/2007 |
Q: My work shop currently uses a 1/2" gas (black) line that was clamp directly to the main pipe at the ...
A: TO JOE RE: GAS LINE PROBLEMS. JOE--SEND THE TANKLESS HEATER BACK TO WHERE EVER YOU GOT ...
|
| Draining sediment from a hot water heater. | 10/29/2007 |
Q: I have a oil fired hot water heater. (not that oil fired would make any difference) I turn the cold ...
A: TO ROBERT RE: SEDIMENT IN HOT WATER TANK Robert--If I catch you playing with the relief ...
|
| gas line repair | 10/28/2007 |
Q: i have poly gas line runs to my garage underground and the gas is plugged, i don't use the gas out ...
A: TO LAURA RE: GAS LINE REPAIR. Laura-- I'm guessing that the line is one of the approved ...
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| exhaust fan | 10/27/2007 |
Q: I am finishing a bathroom in my basement. How far awy fro a window should the exhaust outlet be I ...
A: TO BOB RE: FAN CLEARANCE Bob--from the consensus of the codes,, I've found that 3 feet is ...
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| Interior framing | 10/25/2007 |
Q: Fred, I have a 3 year old ranch. One of the bedrooms has an opening for a closet and all I have to ...
A: TO MARK RE:DOOR FRAMING. Mark--how can you have an opening with out some framing??? I'm ...
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| Ringing is not in my ears | 10/22/2007 |
Q: In My son's room there is a high pitched ring i removed all toys and it is still there could this be ...
A: TO KIMBERLEE RE: RINGING NOISE. Kimberlee--is the noise continuously,,once in a while,, ...
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| Ceiling Cracks | 10/20/2007 |
Q: Respectfully asking: I have a ceiling crack in the upper level (right under the attic) of my 3 ...
A: TO CHRIS NO.2 RE: CEILING CRACK. Chris--I think you" hit the nail" on your crack..Those ...
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| Ceiling Cracks | 10/19/2007 |
Q: Respectfully asking: I have a ceiling crack in the upper level (right under the attic) of my 3 ...
A: TO CHRIS RE: CEILING CRACK. Chris-- cracks in ceilings, especially up on a 3rd. are ...
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| house rumbles nightly | 10/19/2007 |
Q: My 2005 built home makes a very loud, scary rumbling noise every night around 10:00 that shakes the ...
A: TO STEVE RE: HOUSE NOISES/ Steve-- You better call "Bill Murray" and the rest of the ...
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| Unknown Ringing Noise | 10/18/2007 |
Q: The last couple of days,my Wife and I have noticed a High Pitched Ringing Noise(much like when your ...
A: TO DAN RE: HOUSE NOISES. Dan-- Noises can be very difficult to trace.. The ringing type ...
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| Expanding Main Beam | 10/13/2007 |
Q: The main structural beam of my two story house expands and contracts with the seasons on one end of ...
A: TO DAVE RE: MAIN BEAM PROBLEMS 2nd Dave-- from what you have said I don't think the beam ...
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| BASEBOARD PLUMBING | 10/11/2007 |
Q: I HAVE A FLASH WATER HEATER/RADIANT FLOOR HEATING SYSTEM THAT I WANT TO CONNECT BASEBOARD (HOT ...
A: TO DMITRI RE: ADD ON FOR BASEBOARD HEATING. Dmitri--You should go all the way back to the ...
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| stairs creak.. | 10/9/2007 |
Q: I have an older house with wooden stairs and a couple creak. I have no access underneath, but there ...
A: TO DAVID RE: STAIR SQUEAKS David-- getting squeaks out of an older stairway is usually a ...
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| shower installed incorrectly | 10/6/2007 |
Q: I live in a single family house in Indiana. We have a stand up shower in our master bathroom that ...
A: TO RACHEL RE: BAD PAINT PEEL SHOWER Rachel-- I need to know more about the ...
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| 1960s interior wall construction | 10/5/2007 |
Q: Fred, I have recently purchased a home that is in Yorba Linda, California that was built in 1961. ...
A: TO KEITH RE: FOLLOW UP Keith-- from your 2nd. question this sounds like it's the old ...
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| 1960s interior wall construction | 10/4/2007 |
Q: Fred, I have recently purchased a home that is in Yorba Linda, California that was built in 1961. ...
A: TO KEITH RE: BAD WALL BOARD Keith-- That type of board was used a lot by the companies ...
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| caulking | 10/2/2007 |
Q: I have a client who installed a free standing electric stove/oven in-between 2-cabinets so it looks ...
A: TO RANDY RE: CAULK STOVE SEAMS Randy yes you can do it...You can only use the black ...
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| steel pier & beam foundation | 9/29/2007 |
Q: I live in McKinney TX where the soil plays havoc with foundations. I have an 1890 pier & beam house ...
A: TO MARCIA RE:BAD LEVELING OF HOUSE Marcia-- Lets start with what that contractor is ...
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| quary tile | 9/28/2007 |
Q: I’m doing the design work for an Independent seniors facility remodel. The building was built in the ...
A: TO LINDSEY RE: FOYER TILE Lindsey-- these types of tile are usually very strong and laid ...
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| slant on 2nd floor of my home | 9/25/2007 |
Q: I have a new construction home on a cement slab foundation in Jacksonville, NC. We noticed when we ...
A: TO CINDY RE: HOUSE TILTING Cindy make sure your checking people look at the slab area ...
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| Expanding Main Beam | 9/25/2007 |
Q: The main structural beam of my two story house expands and contracts with the seasons on one end of ...
A: TO DAVE RE: MAIN BEAM CHANGING. Dave--I need some more info..What type beam,,age of ...
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| slant on 2nd floor of my home | 9/24/2007 |
Q: I have a new construction home on a cement slab foundation in Jacksonville, NC. We noticed when we ...
A: TO CINDY RE: BAD LEANING IN HOUSE. Cindy-- this house is in trouble..I guess some very ...
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| Chipped cast iron pipe on my old toilet floor base | 9/23/2007 |
Q: When I removed the old fixture from the floor, I found out that the cast iron pipe, 4 inches, was ...
A: TO RONALD RE: PLUMBING PIPE CRACK. Ron-- I really need to know more about the size of the ...
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| low water toilets/septic back up | 9/22/2007 |
Q: Since we purchased a low water use toilet, our septic pipe outside the house, but before it reaches ...
A: TO JOHN RE: BAD TOILET DRAINAGE John-- these 1.6 gal. toilets are really bad news.. Most ...
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| What to Do about interior Staircase | 9/20/2007 |
Q: I live in SF Calif and have lived in a home built in 1929 for the last 15 years. One of the ...
A: TO GREG RE BAD STAIRWAY GREG-- In CA. aren't you supposed to have an inspection prior to ...
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| sump pump outside in a crock | 9/20/2007 |
Q: We live with wetlands in our back yard, we had a fiberglass inground pool put in. They dug a crock ...
A: TO LINDA RE: BAD SUMP PUMP CROCK.. Yes,, Send the sheriff out after those "dumbbell" ...
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| toilets | 9/19/2007 |
Q: I work as a janitor..there are some very stubborn rings in some of the toilet bowls. Some of the ...
A: TO MR. JANITOR RE: FIX RUST IN TOILETS... I've seen rust stains like these before..Most ...
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| Well water pump won't shut off | 9/17/2007 |
Q: We live in a 2400 sq. ft, two story single family home in south central Michigan. Half of the home ...
A: TO TYLER RE: WELL PROBLEMS Tyler-- I'd like to know you have a deep well or a regular ...
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| Furring out brick wall | 9/17/2007 |
Q: I am furring out a brick wall inside of a detached building that we are converting to a guest house. ...
A: To joshua Re building frame wall.. I lost my first response to you from a power failure ...
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| empty house | 9/15/2007 |
Q: I live in eastern canada. I am going away to work. My house will be empty for the winter. I am ...
A: TO JEROME RE: WINTERIZING HOME Jerome-- I'm a strong believe believer in leaving some heat ...
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| Remove a Load Bearing Wall | 9/14/2007 |
Q: I am remodeling our kitchen and need to remove the load bearing wall on the first floor (two story ...
A: TO JAY :RE MAIN BEAM IN HOUSE 2nd Reply A cantilever main beam is not a good idea.. It ...
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| Basement Finishing | 9/14/2007 |
Q: I am in Tacoma Washington, my home was built in 1948 and is approximently 1500 sqft. It has a large ...
A: TO TONY RE: BASEMENT FINISHING. Tony--- before you get too far into this project, check the ...
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| Remove a Load Bearing Wall | 9/11/2007 |
Q: I am remodeling our kitchen and need to remove the load bearing wall on the first floor (two story ...
A: TO JAY RE: BEARING WALL Any wood frame load bearing wall can be removed...You must ...
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| sump pump | 9/11/2007 |
Q: My wife and I are thinking about buying a home in staten island ,ny which is only 2 years old. We ...
A: TO PAUL RE: SUMP PUMP IN NEW HOUSE Paul-- most of the time a good sump pump is a good ...
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| removing a corian countertop | 9/9/2007 |
Q: I need to remove the corian countertop from my kitchen island so I can get a new island cabinet. ...
A: TO CAROL RE: CORIAN TOP REMOVAL Carol,,, the most common method of securing a molded ...
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| shower in bathtub | 9/2/2007 |
Q: we rcently moved into a house that was built around 1965. We have an in tub shower with ceramic ...
A: TO MILT RE: DRILLING CERAMIC TILE You indicated using a core drill...These types of ...
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| shower in bathtub | 8/30/2007 |
Q: we rcently moved into a house that was built around 1965. We have an in tub shower with ceramic ...
A: TO MILT RE: CERAMIC TILE MOUNTING BARS Milt---the older ceramic tile installers use some ...
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| mobile home vapor barrier | 8/29/2007 |
Q: I have a mobile home in Covina, Ca. The home has been inspected and I am told I need to replace the ...
A: TO SCOTT RE : VAPOR BARRIER A vapor barrier for mobile home use, is supposed to be ...
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| lead paint | 8/18/2007 |
Q: We just bought a house that was built around 1940. When the inspector came I asked about lead paint. ...
A: TO SUE RE: LEAD PAINT IN KITCHEN.. Sue.. a 1940 house was painted everywhere with lead ...
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| bathroom tile grout | 8/15/2007 |
Q: I live in Boston,MA in the 3rd floor of a triple decker built in 1903. My condo was renovated just ...
A: TO JESSICA RE; TILE GROUT I think your fellow tenant is probably in error...There are a ...
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| window question | 7/30/2007 |
Q: I have a window that i want to replace. The old one, is a trditional wood window. There are bricks, ...
A: TO CHUY RE :NEW WINDOW.. Chuy,, the easiest way is to use a standard replacement ...
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| Intermittant Leak | 7/29/2007 |
Q: I have a Kohler cast iron tub with wet bed tile on the walls. The tub has been caulked recently & ...
A: To DESGNR RE: TUB LEAK These leaks can be tough to find...The ultimate solution starts with a ...
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| Metal Sheds | 7/27/2007 |
Q: I have put up a steel shed in my yard. How do I level it?
A: TO MARIE RE: LEVEL METAL BUILDING Marie, the simplest way is to use a 4 ft.level setting ...
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| HVAC | 7/23/2007 |
Q: Why is my duck work sweating in my crawl space.
A: TO MICHAEL RE; SWEATING DUCTS IN CRAWL... Sorry about the delay with this answer,,Too much ...
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| Basement Contractor | 7/22/2007 |
Q: We had a contractor put drains in our basement. Paid the guys when they were done. They did a good ...
A: TO JEN RE; BASEMENT WARRANTY PROBLEMS. Jen sorry about the delay in this response,,Too ...
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| Dryer Vent installation | 7/2/2007 |
Q: I'm installing a dryer vent at an Non-profit Animal Shelter (Dogs/Cats). I'm concerned about the ...
A: TO TAMMY RE: DRYER VENTING Tammy for dryer vent pipe use the pvc pipe that's called schedule ...
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| Home repairs with unlicensed handiman | 6/26/2007 |
Q: I hired my neighbors son (41 years old) to help yank some old carpet out of my house. Never met ...
A: TO WAYNE RE USING A HANDYMAN Wayne.. count your good luck on finding good mechanic that can ...
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| Basement Drain | 6/25/2007 |
Q: My husband and I are looking into purchasing a home in Massachusetts. It is about 50 years old and ...
A: TO MARIE RE BASEMENT DAMPNESS.... Marie- basements at this age are usually built with ...
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| Bathroom Fixture Replacement | 6/17/2007 |
Q: Do I need to obtain a building permit if I am replacing existing plumbing with new fixtures? I am ...
A: TO NANCY... RE: PLUMBING INSPECTION Nancy in most jurisdictions that have inspections, they ...
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| Gas line for natural gas grill | 6/12/2007 |
Q: What type of gas line should be used for underground natural gas applications? I installed the black ...
A: MARC RE: GAS LINES Marc sorry about the delay in a response to you... Bad news using ...
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| garage doors / codes | 5/31/2007 |
Q: We're interested in purchasing a home in Ventura, CA. that has a remodeled garage. The garage door ...
A: TO CATHY BARROCA RE; NO GARAGE DOOR. Cathy, big old barn and garage doors (60-100 years ...
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| Dishwashers in multiple dwelling building | 5/26/2007 |
Q: I live in a pre-war multiple dwelling condominium in New York City. I want to remodel my kitchen ...
A: TO D.. RE: ADD A DISHWASHER TO KITCHEN. D... It's a lot "fun" dealing with these self ...
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| Repairing concrete steps | 5/22/2007 |
Q: I have railings on my step. On 2 corners, a block of concret has fallen off exposing the railing ...
A: TO SALLIE, RE IRON RAILING Sallie, this sounds like a typical steel railing that uses ...
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| Contractor didn't do control joints in bball court | 5/18/2007 |
Q: I hired a Contractor to make a 40x60 bball court with cut lines. He poured in 3 sections (1 per ...
A: TO TY RE; Bad concrete work Ty,,, a good concrete job should never crack in that short of ...
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| Permits | 4/29/2007 |
Q: I live in South Jersey (camden county) and i was just curious about a fence im having replaced on my ...
A: TO RICHARD RE; FENCE REPAIR Richard ,, your best procedure would be to simply call your ...
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| Permits | 4/26/2007 |
Q: I live in South Jersey (camden county) and i was just curious about a fence im having replaced on my ...
A: TO RICHARD RE: FENCE REPAIR The general rule for permits in most areas,,is repair of parts ...
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| permit? | 4/19/2007 |
Q: I realize you wouldn't know all of my local codes, However in your experiences is it necessary to ...
A: TO RYAN RE; BASEMENT FINISH+ PERMIT Most code areas will consider "decorating",, no ...
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| expert testimony | 4/17/2007 |
Q: DCA court April 26 10am lower manhattan, general knowledge of all aspects of home improvement and ...
A: To Mr.Smith: I really don't under stand your question..It's not really a question...I have ...
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| Insurance claim / Contractor Obligation | 4/15/2007 |
Q: Fred, I recently had a legit contractor come to my house chasing a hail storm's damage for possible ...
A: TO TODD; RE STORM REPAIRS Todd , under no circumstance deal with your "legit" ...
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| Oil fired hot water heater | 4/7/2007 |
Q: My oil fired hot water heater is starting to fail because our water isn't staying as hot as long. ...
A: TO FRANK RE: oil H/W TANK This sounds like your tank maybe has some combustion problems... ...
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| Moving a bearing wall | 4/4/2007 |
Q: I have a ranch home built in 1988. I want to move the wall running down the center line of the ...
A: To ROB: RE: wall moving. You can always move any wall in a regular wood frame house..The ...
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| duplex wall removal | 4/2/2007 |
Q: I own both halves of a Duplex in Alberta Canada. How do I go about removing the wall between the two ...
A: To TONY.. RE: wall removing The wall can be removed,,,but must replace the load carrying ...
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| Hum/vibration from well | 3/27/2007 |
Q: I live in a new mfg. home in Florida and have well and septic. The well pump is a submersible and ...
A: TO RAY RE: PUMP NOISE IN HOUSE I"m guessing that your in a mobile type home , one with the ...
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| tired old house | 3/9/2007 |
Q: Fred, I have a 1937 Florida bungalow with a 2' crawlspace underneath, supported by concrete block. ...
A: TO CHRISTINA RE: poor shape of house I'm not "seeing' your house from the description... ...
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| sump pump makes outlet pop oout, won't run | 3/5/2007 |
Q: My sump pump was making a strange loud continuous noise, so I unplugged it. When I plugged it back ...
A: TO karen RE: SUMP PUMP I'm sorry about the delay in answering for you, too much travel...I ...
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| basement wall framing... | 3/1/2007 |
Q: I am in the process of painting, plastic-ing and inserting 2 inch foam boards(code) in our 2 yr old ...
A: TO MIKE RE; BASEMENT WALLS Your doing most thing right so far... A good cement type ...
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| Problem Toilet | 2/26/2007 |
Q: Here's the deal.... The toilet is clogged for no *obvious* reason. I've plunged til I can't plunge ...
A: TO AMANDA RE: TOILET PROBLEMS Amanda your toilet should be a problem for your landlord,, ...
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| Removing Kitchen Wall | 2/23/2007 |
Q: Fred first thanks for taking my question. I have kitchen wall that I would like removed. (actually ...
A: TO ERIC RE; KIT WALL REMOVE This sounds like a one story or ranch. You want to remove ...
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| kithchen | 2/16/2007 |
Q: How to run wiring from disposal to switch
A: TO MARTY RE: DISPOSAL WIRING Disposal wiring today should have a regular duplex plug ...
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| House smell | 2/13/2007 |
Q: Several areas in my house (down stairs full bath and an upstairs bedroom on the opposite side of the ...
A: TO PETER RE: SMELLS IN HOUSE The heating system--You said --baseboard-- Do you mean regular ...
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| Bathroom Remodel | 1/8/2007 |
Q: I recently had sewer problems, which required demolishing my bathrooms thus prompting a remodel of ...
A: TO ANNA RE: FLOOR CRACKING ANNA This sounds like concrete slab type of house...the ...
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| Nails bending when installing moulding | 12/28/2006 |
Q: We're using a nail gun with brad nails to install prefinished ceiling moulding. However, every time ...
A: TO CARYN RE : nails bending This sounds like an older house with the harden cement ...
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| odor in old home | 12/26/2006 |
Q: Fred- My home was built in 1929 (Cleveland area). We moved in last DEC and proceeded to put a ...
A: TO GREG RE; bad smell.... GREG IN HOUSES IN YOUR AGE BRACKET, THE MOST COMMON SMELLS ARE ...
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| sheet rock | 12/23/2006 |
Q: I remodeled a house. I elevated the ceiling. Went from 8 ft to 10 ft. The contractor installed the ...
A: TO HENRY RE; DRYWALL SAG.... Henry--1/2 drywall will sag if you breath hard on it..Were the ...
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| Air Nailer | 12/19/2006 |
Q: What are the best brands of a good Air Nailer? I would need it for sheet rock, roofing and for deck ...
A: TO DIANA RE: AIR TOOLS... Your mixing up two types of air powered tools... One is for ...
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| Mobile Home Drywall | 12/18/2006 |
Q: I was wondering how often should drywall in mobile homes be replaced or how do i put in my ...
A: to KISHA RE : Drywall in a mobile... You should never need to replace the drywall in a mobile ...
|
| swanstone shower base | 12/17/2006 |
Q: A contractor installed a swanstone shower base in our new shower. It "squeaks" and "groans" when ...
A: To BET: RE Shower base.. The Swanstone bases in our area are a manmade stone product..They ...
|
| hiring a general contractor | 12/9/2006 |
Q: I just met a general contract that I have a great rapport with and feel very comfortable (after ...
A: TO JACLYN RE CONTRACTOR CHOICE... Please excuse the delay in this response--Too much ...
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| Shower ceiling drywall | 12/8/2006 |
Q: My house in Michigan is 2yrs old. In the master bath there is a drywall seam even with the wall of ...
A: To JULIE RE: DRYWALL PROBLEMS Wheres the water coming from???...Julie,, when a drywall seam ...
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| bad smells | 12/7/2006 |
Q: my name is Jon. I have a problem with a recurring smell that I cant find the origin or cause of. I ...
A: TO JON... RE: SMELLS IN HOUSE Smells are tough to find and to locate the source.. Since ...
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| Room finishing | 12/6/2006 |
Q: Thomas, We have a finished basement and a room off of the finished basement that is not finished ...
A: TO HARRISON RE: BASEMENT FINISHING HARRISON. don't finish the room...It sound like you ...
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| sump pump | 12/5/2006 |
Q: I have recently moved into a new constuction home in NJ. Our home is approx 150ft. away from wet ...
A: TO ALLY RE SUMP PUMP PROBLEMS... The sump pump is doing what it's supposed to...It's job ...
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| plumbing | 12/5/2006 |
Q: I have well for water to my house with a submersible pump that feeds a one inch pipe in my house. I ...
A: TO ROY LEHMAN RE: plumb problems The water hammer can be reduced with the use of a ...
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| load bearing walls | 12/4/2006 |
Q: I live in a 25x45 ranch home, built in 1985. My stairs are currently located in the middle of the ...
A: TO DAMIAN-- STAIR MOVING.. Can be a tough job, Not a normal job for amateurs All ...
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| Bathroom paint | 12/4/2006 |
Q: I just painted my bathroom and as I was taking off the tape, the paint also peeled right off. I ...
A: TO MARTHA RE:BATHROOM PAINTING Martha bathrooms have a nasty problem of coatings on the ...
|
| Windows covered by drywall | 11/28/2006 |
Q: I purchased an 86 year old home 5 months ago, and just noticed yesterday that 3 windows on the ...
A: TO ANDI RE: COVERED WINDOWS. Covering over a windows in a tub area is an old procedure...If ...
|
| Mobile home remodeling | 11/25/2006 |
Q: What's the best way to find a reputable contractor to do some remodeling on the inside of a mobile ...
A: TO MARY RE remodel Mobile home If you are interested in just the interior, then a good ...
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| water issues... | 11/17/2006 |
Q: The well casing sticks up about 16 inches and it is a 95 foot well. Electrician set up electric and ...
A: TO MIKE RE; BLUE-GREEN WATER.. Sorry about the delay,,I had this 80% answered and lost it Try ...
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| Basement Insulation | 11/16/2006 |
Q: We are in SW PA. The house is about 50 years old, the basement is concrete block. The basement is ...
A: TO JAY RE: basement finish.. First check the block walls for bending and bowing... ...
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| drywall | 11/15/2006 |
Q: We did a do-it-yourself basement finish on our home and now we've been told by city building ...
A: To K. RE: drywall vs. elec repairs You can cut open the drywall in the finished area as ...
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| Basement Insulation | 11/15/2006 |
Q: Can you check out this article? http://www.rd.com/familyhandyman/content/18185?trkid=tfhplus_nov_06 ...
A: TO JAY I need some more info...Where are you,,What type of basement walls are there.."French ...
|
| water issues... | 11/14/2006 |
Q: I wondered if you had any advice to offer about a situation we've been dealing with. Our Central NY ...
A: TO MIKE RE: Blue staining of water This color is a sign of some copper Electro-plating or ...
|
| glass block window | 11/14/2006 |
Q: I am planning to use the glass blocks in an exterior wall. It's a one story house, 2 x 4 ...
A: TO COBIE: GLASS BLOCK. 2ND ANSWER TO install glass block above grade in a wood frame ...
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| New home problems | 11/12/2006 |
Q: 1 I have an inspector coming out w/ some solid credentials. He is going to make a pre-warranty ...
A: TO MARK RE; 2nd answer Condo problems... About your concerns,, Next to last sentence,This ...
|
| glass block window | 11/10/2006 |
Q: I am thinking of replacing an older single pane window with glass blocks. The instructions that ...
A: TO COBIE RE: Glass block I need some more info ..Are talking about the 1st and 2nd floors ...
|
| New home problems | 11/10/2006 |
Q: Fred, Thanks for your time! I am having some issues w/ a new condo I purchased in June of 2006 ...
A: TO MARK RE : New house problems Mark No.1 get a good ,,NASTY,, MEAN,, Attorney that does ...
|
| abandoned fuel oil tank | 11/8/2006 |
Q: I have a underground fuel oil tank that I stopped using about 25 years ago when I switched from to ...
A: TO AUSTIN RE: oil tank The prescribed method is like what you said... You bash in the top ...
|
| Skylights | 11/5/2006 |
Q: My home has two skylights (home is 3 years old). I am guessing that they are acrylic and they are ...
A: TO LISA RE: Skylites The plastic skylites are for the most part JUNK,, TROUBLE,, BAD,, ...
|
| Is it too late to seal my Concrete driveway? | 10/30/2006 |
Q: I had my driveway poured in May of 2006 is it too late to seal my driveway?
A: TO tony: TONY If you the water based matl. You need about three days of no freezing.. Make ...
|
| hot water | 10/29/2006 |
Q: It is a hot water heater and it is gas. Flow to the sink is great, good pressure. Where do I look ...
A: TO SANDI: Hot water tank... I'm still wondering about an 80 gal tank,,,Very unuseul for a ...
|
| hot water | 10/28/2006 |
Q: I have a 5 year old home with hydro heat(gas) and a 80 gal hot water heater. My bathroom is one ...
A: TO SANDI: RE hot water flow.. I'm guessing that the HW tank is one of those big elec. ...
|
| Wiring Crawl Space | 10/20/2006 |
Q: Nope--it's a crawl space (not a basement--we have one of those two). It's about 3.5 feet high, ...
A: TO DOUG RE: Crawl space wiring. The wiring in a crawl space today can be done with out ...
|
| Skylights | 10/19/2006 |
Q: I am replacing the plastic dome skylights in my parents home. The old skylights are really thin, ...
A: TO Brent. RE skylights Almost all plastic skylights have double layers,,so this not an ...
|
| Wiring Crawl Space | 10/16/2006 |
Q: I want to finish one section (11 x 13) of my crawl space (18 x 13 total) for my kids as an extra ...
A: To DOUG: RE Add on wiring... First ,,are you referring to a basement and not a crawl ...
|
| Gap cut into exterior brick wall | 10/12/2006 |
Q: We live in Iowa and have a brick home built in 1965 but are not the original owners. On 2 sides ...
A: TO DAVE: Gaps in house sides Dave this doesn't sound good...If the gaps would go all the ...
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| repairing a toilet holdownwitha concrete floor | 10/3/2006 |
Q: I need to know the easiest way to repair a toilet hold down and be able to get the screws to go into ...
A: TO STEVEN W: Toilet on concrete floor.. Plumbing and concrete floors can be a lot of "FUN" ...
|
| What to ask when Hire | 9/30/2006 |
Q: I would like to know what (their certification, license and insurance) I should ask for when I hire ...
A: TO JZ: Contractor qualifications.. Please forgive this delay in getting back to you. Too ...
|
| corner of the house is rotten..what to do? | 9/11/2006 |
Q: i'm hoping you could give me some guidance. our house dates from 1968 and is a 1700ft garrison ...
A: T0 CHRISTINE RE; ROTTEN WOOD I love those woodpeckers.. They really let you know when ...
|
| oil stains on interlocking brick driveway | 9/4/2006 |
Q: fred Is there a way to remove these stains from the car I have been working on?
A: BARRY ---RE: OIL STAINS Barry-- trying to get oil out and off of a masonary surface ...
|
| a problem | 9/3/2006 |
Q: We had a storm in staten island, new york recently, where my house is located and my neighbor has a ...
A: TO BOBBY: RE: TREE PROBLEMS The old rule is---any thing, or part of a tree or ...
|
| redesign | 8/28/2006 |
Q: well, after watching zillions of desgin n build shows on HGTV and PBS, I see, homeowners on TV ...
A: Sandee:... I'm sorry this is somewhat out of my fields...The last time I checked on this ...
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| brown water | 8/14/2006 |
Q: In north carolina. House built in late 60's Brown water runs from bath, only for the first few ...
A: TO HEIDI. RE: BROWN WATER Brown water is almost always caused by a bad plumbing mistake... ...
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| Mold smell in bathroom after it rains | 8/13/2006 |
Q: I live in North Alabama in a roughly 65 year old, 1000 sq. ft. frame house. I have noticed that I ...
A: TO LAURIN WALLER RE: BATH WALL SMELL I don't like to give bad news , but your ...
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| Point load and engineering problem | 8/9/2006 |
Q: I have a truss design that my local buildiing permit approval architect says will put an excessive ...
A: TO ERBEST TUFFT RE: Loading a foundation... When your building something big or small ...
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| cellar egress | 8/5/2006 |
Q: No underground celler exit. added room first floor eliminated the exit. sister owns house in S ...
A: TO CHARLES LEA RE: ADD ON BASEMENT STAIRS: I'm sorry about the delay benn out and ...
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| Attic Insulation | 8/3/2006 |
Q: I think you missed the point, all I want to know is Q.Can I lay it over the electrical romex that ...
A: TO JEFF: RE ATTIC INSULATION NUMBER #3 ANSWER.. The answer is yes to both questions... ...
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| Attic Insulation | 8/1/2006 |
Q: I want to add more insulation to my attic but have a question. Q.Can I lay it over the electrical ...
A: TO JEFF. RE: ATTIC INSULATION I just typed this whole thing and it vanished into ...
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| deck ledger | 7/31/2006 |
Q: This is a follow up. Thanks for your previous answer. Very detailed, thanks. Just wondering ...
A: TO CARL Re: deck information Ok if you want, connect to house like you want. You only ...
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| deck ledger | 7/26/2006 |
Q: I am attaching a ledger board to the joist of my house. There used to be an overhang(along the ...
A: TO CARL BERNSTEIN RE: the deck attatched to the house... This sounds like a bilevel house with ...
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| replacement windows with brick exterior | 7/20/2006 |
Q: I have new vinyl repacement windows being installed. The old windows have been completely removed, ...
A: I think I under the Question It's about the gap behind the brick veneer. I'm sorry about the delay ...
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| False charges by Contractor | 7/10/2006 |
Q: I am a homeowner currently in a contract to have my basement remodeled. The contract includes ...
A: It sounds like you didnt do a good job of "builder" research. If your in an area that has licences ...
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