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Home Improvement--General/Questions Answered by Expert Leo Luczak
| Subject | Date Asked |
| Basement Egress Steps | 6/9/2009 |
| Q: I am trying to install a set of egress steps in my aunts home. She would like these steps to enter ... A: First off in the basement are there any sleeping rooms without a proper egress out of the rooms? ... | |
| Creating a shower in our current 1/2 bathroom | 2/10/2008 |
| Q: The house is a raised ranch (bottom floor in on a concrete slab). There is currently a 1/2 bath with ... A: Yes - a shower has a lower fixture unit number than a tub so it should be possible. When you get ... | |
| band joists and porch over basement | 6/27/2007 |
| Q: I've actually two questions... The outer band joist on the front of my log cabin rotted from a ... A: Definitely PTL lumber would be the best here... watch out which nails and hangers you use as the ... | |
| Genie Garage Door Opener | 6/14/2007 |
| Q: I was having a problem getting my garage door to open with the Genie screw drive opener. Upon ... A: I think the honest thing to do would be just to tell the new home owners that the garage door only ... | |
| drywall | 5/21/2007 |
| Q: we had a house fire in our circa 1914 home. plaster and lathe construction, etc. Is 5/8" ... A: I have never even seen 3/4 sheetrock on a job... it would be a custom order I would bet. I don't ... | |
| Covering a plaster ceiling with drywall | 5/20/2007 |
| Q: We have a 1890 house and the lathe and plaster ceiling in the living room is starting to pull away ... A: putting an addition layer of ceiling finish over the lath and plaster would add substantial ... | |
| drywall | 5/18/2007 |
| Q: we had a house fire in our circa 1914 home. plaster and lathe construction, etc. Is 5/8" ... A: Is you are talking sheetrock/drywall it generally comes in two sizes 1/2 and 5/8 5/8 is ... | |
| Unidentifiable odor | 4/28/2007 |
| Q: My house was built in 1953 and has been completely remodeled. New everything. I have lived in in ... A: This might work... next time the smell occurs remove the trap on the bathroom sink and smell the ... | |
| Electrical Plans | 4/26/2007 |
| Q: I am trying to get a hold of the electrical plans for our home. Our outdoor power outlets are no ... A: I assume that you have already checked the circuit breaker for a tripped breaker. Try reseting the ... | |
| Window/Door/Deck Flashing | 4/22/2007 |
| Q: Leo, I live in an valley where high winds/driving rains are frequent. I have problems water entering ... A: If the contractor is reputable I would suggest meeting him half way in costs... alaska is damn ... | |
| Use a water heater blanket? | 3/9/2007 |
| Q: Should I use a water heater insulating blanket? I have an approx 10-yr old Kenmore gas water heater ... A: Seeing how the expected life of a water heater is 8 - 10 years I would put a garden hose on the ... | |
| insulation | 3/1/2007 |
| Q: Is there a way to check on my insulation? It seems unreasonably cold inside and I am wondering if ... A: The best way would be to hire someone with a thermal imaging device to scan your home and see where ... | |
| 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: Sounds like you need to run a 'snake' down the toilet; ... | |
| Windows in cold climates | 10/16/2006 |
| Q: I'm looking to try to build a new home in Northern Idaho where it is a bit cold during the weather, ... A: Pull down insulated shades are the most efficient addition to a window I can think of, some even ... | |
| Front door material | 10/15/2006 |
| Q: I am remodeling my home in the San Francsico Bay Aear (moderate climate) and can not decide if I ... A: If the existing solid wood door didn't have any problems I would replace it with another solid wood ... | |
| Stucco workmanship & Replacement Windows | 10/5/2006 |
| Q: I had my house sandblasted and stucco colored in August of 2005. I also had replacement windows put ... A: I forgot to mention that you should check to see if the contractor is licensed and bonded.... if he ... | |
| house wrap | 9/10/2006 |
| Q: Leo, My husband & I live in Eagle River, Ak & are in the middle of a huge remodel on our house. The ... A: We use it here in Southeast Alaska with no problem. Don't know about Eagle River though. If you ... | |
| truss built ranch | 9/10/2006 |
| Q: I have a truss built ranch style house. Trusses run front to back.The house is 34 feet deep. My ... A: Did you get a building permit for the house? If so then the Building Department may have a truss ... | |
| Fixing ceiling and floor after leak | 9/8/2006 |
| Q: Ok I popped the bubbles but no water drained out .Some stuff came out with the knitting needle I ... A: It depends on whether the sheetrock ceiling firms up when it dries. (This is very possible). I ... | |
| Fixing ceiling and floor after leak | 9/8/2006 |
| Q: So glad to have someone that can answer my question. First I'll give you a layout of the ... A: First off I suggest you pop the bubbles in the ceiling and also poke a two holes around the bubble ... | |
| DOOR LENGTH | 9/6/2006 |
| Q: WE ARE PUTTING IN CEREMIC TILE AND THE DOOR DRAGS, HOW DO WE CUT IT SHORTER, IT IS METAL A: I thought I answered this already but, look underneath the door.. does it have a metal sweep or is ... | |
| Soundproofing | 8/21/2006 |
| Q: I will be soundproofing a basement ceiling to create a suite for family occupancy. Elimination of ... A: I built a dormatory for cannery workers once and we used something simular to Option C with good ... | |
| A crack in the foundation. | 8/3/2006 |
| Q: Hopefully you can help me out with this! Me and my boyfriend have found a house that we love, but ... A: If you are thinking of buying the home I recommend that you hire a good home inspector prior to ... | |
| how far apart do i need to put 6x6s | 7/31/2006 |
| Q: pressure treated syp 2x10s bands and joists snow load for virginia i guess/ that ok? thanksim ... A: at 40 lbs per square foot for the deck I figure the 'band' will have to support 200lbs per ... | |
| Strange smell in room...... | 7/30/2006 |
| Q: Could it be the paint after all this time? It's been months. Could it be something they used on the ... A: I am wondering why the previous owner ran the humidity up so high that it caused water to run down ... | |
| Concrete Rot | 7/26/2006 |
| Q: I assume you used some kind of form to create their own blocks. The blocks in the basement that ... A: I think the concrete in the blocks is failng. I had a simular condition with my chimney at home we ... | |
| New windows - BC Cabin | 7/21/2006 |
| Q: That was fast! The guy sells LBL windows. They are made locally. Apparently they make them up at ... A: Never heard of them... I would go with Home Depot. In my case I went with ... | |
| New windows - BC Cabin | 7/21/2006 |
| Q: I think you are the perfect guy to answer the following questions! My wife and I are starting ... A: Did you say that the guy was a salesman??? chuckle Home Depot would not keep selling windows ... | |
| Bathroom remodel | 7/18/2006 |
| Q: The tiles in our bathroom came out. It's an old condo and seems like they did a very crapy job. ... A: If it was my bathroom I would replace the tub and fixtures. It sounds like you are going to gut the ... | |
| Garage door (remote) opener | 7/12/2006 |
| Q: Leo: My remote garage opener suddenly stopped working (Stanley TR300). It is about 8 or 9 years old. ... A: It seems like it might be worth trying the universal remote to see if it is the remote that has ... | |
| Door installation, differences | 7/11/2006 |
| Q: I have to replace an exterior outswing door. The door I want to use is an exterior steel clad 36" ... A: Yes - you are missing something. The face of the door where the latch from the door know has a ... | |
| Wood siding/ Beam sag | 7/10/2006 |
| Q: Should the bottom of exterior wood siding ..... be almost touching grade (dirt) be considered an ... A: The bottom of wood siding should be; minimum 6 inches above grade a likely spot for rot and wood ... | |
| Concrete Patio | 7/7/2006 |
| Q: I just had a new home built and I now have decided to pour a small concrete patio slab outside my ... A: I could venture a guess but first I want to ask of you have asked your local building inspector ... | |
| Soil subsidence | 6/2/2006 |
| Q: We just moved into our new house a year ago and recently the soil surrounding our front walkway has ... A: First off I recommend you call your builder because something was definitely done wrong. Check to ... | |
| Increasing R-value of home insulation | 5/13/2006 |
| Q: Leo, We are in NJ. It's some program they call "Energy Star" I read about. SharonHi, My husband ... A: I don't know much about the new Jersey program we also have a program in alaska but it is specific ... | |
| center beam and floor joists | 5/10/2006 |
| Q: The floors in my 33 year old ranch sag. 2 years ago, someone put in new supports to the center beam ... A: This is too difficult to determine from afar. My recommendation is that you hire a home inspector ... | |
| bathroom fan duct roof jack | 3/26/2006 |
| Q: I am installing a Broan bathroom fan. The instructions say to use a 6 inch duct. I have a flat ... A: They do sell adapters to reduce the 8 inch duct to fit a 6 inch duct. Easiest way to deal with ... | |
| Bathroom ventilation | 3/18/2006 |
| Q: I have 3 bathrooms, 2 of which are windowless and both have ventilation fans installed. The master ... A: A bathroom fan generally has a little flap that is supposed to flap down and block the exhaust pipe ... | |
| bathtub caulking | 3/15/2006 |
| Q: I'm replacing the caulkng around the shower/bathtub. It has become black and moldy. How do I ... A: I would remove the existing caulk by scraping it off with a putty knife (if the tub surround is ... | |
| concret foundaton repair | 3/12/2006 |
| Q: i have 2 fairly large verical cracks (1/4" wide)in my foundation. any suggestions on how to fill ... A: Hydraulic cement is often used to repair cracks in concrete foundations; ... | |
| Drainage issue | 2/27/2006 |
| Q: I have a friend that bought a house in a low spot and there is no drainage of the run-on except ... A: I agree with your approach of contacting the neighbor and trying to work something out... maybe a ... | |
| Radon gas | 1/25/2006 |
| Q: We built our home in 1984. It is an “energy efficient” home with double 2x4 walls, doublepaned ... A: The first thing I would do is to get a third test performed - preferably by someone with top-end ... | |
| Windows | 12/14/2005 |
| Q: My basement has replacement windows. The windows are the Home Depot version of Silverline. The ... A: I think you would have to use replacement windows as they are designed to be installed in existing ... | |
| driveway sealer | 11/4/2005 |
| Q: I am selling my home. A condtiton of sale involves connecting my sewer system from septic to ... A: It really depends on the specifications of the product. I would read the labels on the cans ... | |
| window replacement | 11/2/2005 |
| Q: I want to replace 3 large windows in my 1948 built home. Seems I can go Anderson (wood) or vinyl. ... A: The reeplacement windows should be rated for energy efficiency making it easy to compare - if you ... | |
| Home Fixing | 10/17/2005 |
| Q: I am a journalism student at Sacramento State University. I have an article - that is open to ... A: Your question is way too involved... let me just say that each situation is different and it depends ... | |
| fan & attic ventilation | 9/17/2005 |
| Q: I have a problem with a bathroom exhaust fan that vents into the attic, and I don't think I have ... A: A bathroom vent should never exhaust into an attic space.... it should always vent directly to the ... | |
| Basement smell | 8/19/2005 |
| Q: i hope you can help me or put me in the right direction. How do you get rid of musty smell on the ... A: First I would look for a floor drain where the water in the trap has evaporated and this would allow ... | |
| Deck permit problem. Looking for your opinion. | 7/30/2005 |
| Q: Hey Leo. I have an interesting situation and was seeking your opinion. Years ago, we had a septic ... A: Yes they can make you remove the deck and they probably will feel obligated to pursue this if you ... | |
| Curvaceous rim joist | 7/22/2005 |
| Q: Hey Leo: It's me again. You've helped me b4 with this project.I am building a 28'width x 15' length ... A: ... you could take a string line and stretch it from side to side and recut the joists to fit... ... | |
| Deck Posts too short | 6/13/2005 |
| Q: Your deck advice the other day was a success. Thanks. On another issue-I installed 2 beams on top of ... A: I would recommend cedar shims.... they sell some cheaper shims made of softwood but for an outside ... | |
| Bad splice | 6/8/2005 |
| Q: It's me again. I am trying to attach the end rim joist to the side rim joists on a 28' x 15' deck. ... A: I would either break the rim joist joint directly on a joist or make it land about half way between ... | |
| Removing Wallpaper | 5/4/2005 |
| Q: Leo, How's Alaska? What town do you live in? I used to be a guide in the Bristol Bay area, primarily ... A: I am in Petersburg.... in Southeast down by Juneau. Here is a webpage on wallpaper removal; ... | |
| kitchen cabinets | 4/10/2005 |
| Q: ..thanks well its not the paint is chipping or isnt in good shape. Its just that its dark brown ... A: Sounds like youmay wish to just strip off the brown finish. Here is a weblink that describes how ... | |
| House wrap | 3/30/2005 |
| Q: I would like to have the back and sides of my home wrapped with Tyvek or some other house wrap. I ... A: The Tyvek might help to cut some of the air infiltration but I don't imagine the gaps in the ... | |
| Asbestos Abatement/Removal | 3/15/2005 |
| Q: I got a great deal on it, but unfortunately the old furnace has five 10 inch dia. tentacles coming ... A: Have you had the material tested to make sure it is really asbestos? There are other products ... | |
| Lot with construction in future | 3/13/2005 |
| Q: We are purchasing a lot in AZ (desert), which we will not buid on until we retire (7-10 years). What ... A: I would check with the local building official and a contractor to make sure you are planning this ... | |
| Foam in place insulation. | 2/6/2005 |
| Q: ------------------------- Hello: I am not sure what kind of insulation is the walls,but in speaking ... A: We have a simular program here in Alaska and I encourage you to work with them. Please let me know ... | |
| Foam in place insulation. | 2/6/2005 |
| Q: I suspect you are the right expert to ask this question of,as we both live in regions with very cold ... A: It's hard to give you an opinion without knowing what insulation in the wall cavities now. Is ... | |
| Concrete Grinding | 2/5/2005 |
| Q: In my hometown, the property owner is responsible for sidewalk upkeep and replacement, if necessary. ... A: I would suggest that if you have to do much grinding to smooth off the edge that you go to a tool ... | |
| blocked gutter | 2/1/2005 |
| Q: Irecently bought a house here in pittsford,ny (suburb rochester,ny). about 8-9 days ago we received ... A: It sounds like you have an ice damn problem. If it was me I would sprinkler some snow melt ... | |
| Painting concrete | 2/1/2005 |
| Q: I'm asking you this question as well as others just to get a variety of input. As I write, I'm ... A: It is important to remove all the loose paint and have a clean surface before repainting. And to ... | |
| insulation/leaks and vinyl siding | 1/3/2005 |
| Q: Leo: I have a side split with brick and vinyl siding exterior. The house is 19 years old, and we ... A: Have you checked whomever sealed the starter strip? Maybe he has an idea of where the cold is ... | |
| Crack in Poured concrete wall | 12/21/2004 |
| Q: We live in Ontario, so we have 4 seasons...the house is 8 years old...we notice a horizontal crack ... A: If it goes from top to bottom wouldn't it be a vertical crack? I mantion this because it could ... | |
| Leak in Ceiling | 12/1/2004 |
| Q: Our son flooded the floor in the bathroom which is on the top floor of our home. This bathroom is ... A: In my experiance mold does not develop due to a one time leak. Mold occurs when there is a ... | |
| request assistance | 11/2/2004 |
| Q: I have a 7 year old colonial. We would like to add a porch to the front of the house. To do this, ... A: I suggest that you have your contractor apply for a building permit and see if your plans are ... | |
| Vinyl Siding | 11/1/2004 |
| Q: I had vinyl siding installed on my brand new garage two years ago. Now I have cracks and holes in ... A: Sorry maybe I wasn't very clear. Ideally your would replace the whole 10 piece but you can replace ... | |
| Vinyl Siding | 11/1/2004 |
| Q: I had vinyl siding installed on my brand new garage two years ago. Now I have cracks and holes in ... A: I just reviewed the weblink I sent you and it isn't clear on one point... when you nail the new ... | |
| Water leaks at top of basement windows | 10/28/2004 |
| Q: ------------------------- Followup To How do you repair the flashing above the windows(if this is ... A: Creating a weatherproof flashing joint against masonry can be challenging, but is essential to seal ... | |
| Water leaks at top of basement windows | 10/23/2004 |
| Q: OK here goes. My ranch house is 5 years old. I have Vinyl windows in my basement. There are 8 ... A: I would think that the problem is that the windows weren't installed properly ... the flashing ... | |
| heating question | 10/16/2004 |
| Q: We have a tri level home in Colorado, about 40 years old. Gas Hot water heat, baseboard heaters. ... A: I would add another baseboard heater.. that would be the lowest cost and most effective option. ... | |
| INTERIOR STORM WINDOWS | 10/15/2004 |
| Q: WHICH PRODUCT PREFORMS MOST EFFECTIVELY TO RETAIN INTERIOR WARMTH, AND DEFLECT OTHERWISE INTRUSIVE ... A: I can't say that I can recommend any interior storm window. If the existing window is leaky then ... | |
| Sealing Concrete Driveway | 10/3/2004 |
| Q: I had a new concrete driveway installed about 4 months ago and used a Cure & Seal product on it ... A: I have never found a need to use any type of sealer on concrete - if concrete is properly installed ... | |
| driveway sealer | 9/30/2004 |
| Q: "Help! I am in the process of having to seal a newly asphalted driveway 60X7 ft. Can you help in ... A: Here are some websites that describe it better than I could; ... | |
| Oil & Chip | 9/29/2004 |
| Q: I did not see a specific category for my issue so I am putting this out to the general home ... A: Here are two good explanations of the process; ... | |
| Wndow Frame Replacement | 9/24/2004 |
| Q: The wood under several of the windows in my home is starting to rot. The windows and the wood ... A: I would take a wonderbar and remove the interior and exterior trim and then run a sawsall with a ... | |
| window | 9/9/2004 |
| Q: i recently put up a window in my house, from the inside, because the room overlooks the livingroom ... A: yes you can use silicone. If the gap is large you can buy backer bead which is a round foam that ... | |
| Converting Attic Space? | 8/24/2004 |
| Q: We recently purchased a Colonial Gambrell built in 1920, which is about 2150 sqft including a ... A: You certainly have the headroom to use this area as a living space, but you would need stairway ... | |
| concrete resurfacer | 8/23/2004 |
| Q: 10 years ago we had a new concrete balcony and stairs redone. They're starting to get slightly ... A: Sorry I don't know much about this as we don't use salt where I live here in alaska... we just use ... | |
| Cuprinol Green | 8/17/2004 |
| Q: Neighbors of people we know in Maine say the best way to preserve outdoor wood is with Cuprinol ... A: I don't believe that any product that you apply to the surface of wood can adaquately protect the ... | |
| Studding the corners of an angled wall | 8/13/2004 |
| Q: We finishing our basement and we want to put together two walls that will meet at angles. I'm ... A: Whatever you do you want a solid nailer at the corners... two methods come to mind; 1) take a ... | |
| garage drainer | 8/5/2004 |
| Q: Do you know what would be the steps (and description) of putting a drain and a grill on top of it ... A: Concrete work is tricky... I would suggest that you hire someone with a deeper concrete saw that can ... | |
| garage drainer | 8/4/2004 |
| Q: Do you know what would be the steps (and description) of putting a drain and a grill on top of it ... A: What you need is to rent a diamond bladed wet cut concrete saw. It cuts concrete very evenly and ... | |
| General Contractor or T&M | 7/23/2004 |
| Q: I was first planning on buying all the material for our kitchen renovation and then bidding the ... A: It sounds to me like you are doing all the work a general contractor would do by coordinating the ... | |
| framing and window | 6/22/2004 |
| Q: Hey Leo I have a quick question and i will try to keep it simple. Basically, we bought a house ... A: This should be relatively simple as the garage door opening should have a large header spanning the ... | |
| Hi Leo, Can a cement walkway... | 5/25/2004 |
| Q: Can a cement walkway (28 feet by 3.5 feet), be made while it's raining? Thank you, Randy A: Yes - as long as you take precautions. You don't want any standing or running water in the sidewalk ... | |
| Insulation? | 5/12/2004 |
| Q: I own an apartment that I rent out. When the bedroom was added on to the apartment (ground floor), ... A: The thinnest insulationI know is is closed bead styrofoam. 3/4 or a 1 inch sheet would give you a ... | |
| Trusses | 5/11/2004 |
| Q: I am going to replace my roof. I have a 3 1/2x12 pitch now with w-trusses on 24" centers. I'm ... A: Trusses are engineered to support the roof load and they should be installed per the manufacturers ... | |
| Concrete Driveway | 4/21/2004 |
| Q: I plan on having a concrete driveway installed in my home (in the Chicago area) to replace my ... A: If your current driveway 'sunk' I would say that the problem is that the soils weren't compacted ... | |
| garage drywall | 4/19/2004 |
| Q: I live in Anchorage and have an attached garage with no second story over it. It is a finished ... A: The building codes require that you have a fire barrier on the common wall and ceiling between the ... | |
| Screwing down subflooring. | 4/6/2004 |
| Q: I would like to know what the standard or code is for screwing down plywood subflooring before the ... A: The code calls for a 6d fastener spaced a minimum of 12 inches on center along each floor joist. ... | |
| inspection | 3/21/2004 |
| Q: Are plumbing inspectors real strict, will they help coperate when building a new home? I am a ... A: I would guess that it's much like electrical inspectors... it all depends on the inspector but ... | |
| Basement walls | 3/7/2004 |
| Q: Greetings. I have partitioned one corner of my large basement to create a family room. Now I need ... A: 2x2's or 2x4 are typical...especially if you will be installing electrical boxes inside the walls. ... | |
| Basement insulation and finishing | 2/15/2004 |
| Q: I want to finish the basement in my house. The house is 3 years old with poured concrete walls that ... A: I was just reading this month's Fine Homebuilding's "Built Wrong From the Start" and they say that ... | |
| insulation | 1/29/2004 |
| Q: I had planned to install blown cellulose insulation in my attic this weekend, but I read some things ... A: If your attic is vented and your roof isn't leaking the cellulose should never get wet. I do not ... | |
Home Improvement--General
Answers by Expert:
Leo Luczak
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
I am a Certified Building Official, and I am certified by the International Conference of of Building Officials as a plans examiner and as a commercial and residential building and plumbing inspector.
Experience
I have been the Building Official for a small town in Alaska for the last 14 years. I also spent 20 years working in construction.
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