Home | Thursday, September 14,2006

Mind in the gutter

Regular maintenance will help avoid clogs

Dear Gene: I recently had my rain-gutter covers removed because they did not keep out small debris. These covers had two rows of slots that got plugged up with fine stuff from my trees. Is there some

Home | Thursday, September 7,2006

Cleaning hardwood floors

It all depends, of course, on the type of finish

By Gene Austin

Dear Gene: What is the best way to clean finished hardwood floors? Should we use plain water, vinegar-water mix, oil soap or what? I get a lot of conflicting advice. How you clean depends on the type

Home | Wednesday, August 30,2006

Squeegee it

How to keep a glass shower door clean

By Gene Austin

Dear Gene: I have a relatively new glass shower door. I also have hard water. What is the best way to keep the door clean? After every shower, wipe the inside of the door dry with a squeegee, just as

Home | Wednesday, August 23,2006

Sticking it to the bricks

Here’s how to repaint your fireplace

By Gene Austin

Dear Gene: We have a brick fireplace that was painted white but has become sooty and drab. We want to repaint it. I have had different opinions on whether I can use regular paint or must buy expensive

Home | Thursday, August 17,2006

Restore your floor

If you use the right sander, it’s not a chore

By Gene Austin

Dear Gene: We have older wood parquet floors that look shabby and need treatment. We have been told that we can “screen sand” them and refinish them easily. I have always heard that it is

Home | Thursday, August 10,2006

Removing algae from decks

Use a bleach-type cleaner

By Gene Austin

Dear Gene: Our deck is shaded and regularly turns green with algae. We have pressure-washed the wood twice in three years to remove the stuff. Is there a better way? You should be able to remove the

Home | Wednesday, August 2,2006

Venting a range hood

Using your attic is a very bad idea

By Gene Austin

Dear Gene: I plan to vent my range hood into the attic. Is this a good idea, or is there a better way? It is definitely not a good idea. Ideally the range hood should be vented to the outside, usuall

Home | Wednesday, July 26,2006

Rule No. 1: Avoid cheap paint

High-quality paint can last up to a decade with proper care

By Gene Austin

Dear Gene: If we paint our siding, how long can we expect the paint job to last? It is impossible to say how long a given paint job will last, because so many variables are involved, but the question

Home | Wednesday, July 19,2006

In a jam with a door

There’s a simple way to keep it from slamming shut

By Gene Austin

Dear Gene: Our front door won’t stay open. It keeps swinging shut on its own. What’s wrong, and how can we fix it? The door or its frame is slightly out of plumb (not perfectly vertical),

Home | Thursday, July 13,2006

Repainting aluminum siding

Don't live with a fading, deteriorating exterior

By Gene Austin

Dear Gene: My house has aluminum siding. The finish is faded and deteriorated. Can I successfully repaint the siding? — M.K. Aluminum siding can be successfully repainte