Our house has plaster walls with many minor cracks. Is there a special paint that will camouflage these cracks? I can’t afford to replace the walls. Texture paint, a heavy-bodied paint that leaves a much thicker coating than regular paint does, will conceal some blemishes in walls or ceilings — but if the cracks widen […]
Gene Austin
Posted inSpecial Issues
More cricket-catching ideas
Untitled Document A recent item on dealing with an infestation of crickets in a basement brought so many ingenious tips from readers that the subject seems worth a follow-up. My favorite tip comes from Bruce. “I had an infestation in my previous home,” he says. “Just suffered with them until someone suggested taking a young […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
How to improve ventilation
Dear Gene: My townhouse sometimes has a stale odor. I can’t open the windows for ventilation because they have no screens. What do you suggest? I would certainly take steps to install screens in some of the windows. There are some options, however, if this is impractical for some reason. One option is to install […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Pile on the insulation
Dear Gene: Our house, built in the 1960s, has several inches of insulation in the attic. The upstairs rooms get warm in summer and cold in winter. Should we add new insulation to improve the comfort? “Several inches” of insulation in the attic of a house is not enough in any climate of the United […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Drive away crickets
Dear Gene: Our basement is infested with crickets, and for years they have resisted our efforts to control them with sprays. We are considering trying an ultrasonic device because we do not like to use strong chemicals in the house. Do ultrasonic devices really work? Are there better ways to deal with this problem? I […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Insulating basement walls
Dear Gene: I want to insulate a cinderblock basement wall. I want to avoid any moisture problems in the insulation and thought of using foam panels, but I’d like the highest possible R-value. Can you help? Among foam panels, polyisocyanurate foam has the highest insulating value, about R-7 per inch of thickness. A 2-inch-thick panel […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Keeping mold off the roof
Dear Gene: I have heard that zinc strips can keep mold from forming on asphalt-shingled roofs, but how are the strips installed and where can I get them? Zinc strips are available in 3-foot lengths and in roll form. The manufacturer’s specific instructions should be followed when the strips are installed. In general, however, a […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Hitting the bricks
Dear Gene: I live in a 50-year-old brick house. The material surrounding some of the bricks has disintegrated, and the surface of some bricks also shows damage. How can this be fixed without replacing the damaged areas? The damage is caused by the penetration of moisture into the wall resulting from deterioration of the mortar […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Patch driveway cracks
Dear Gene: Is it really impossible to patch a concrete driveway? A couple of contractors want to replace the entire driveway, at high cost. The largest crack is about 8 inches long and 1 inch wide. It is certainly possible to patch concrete. There are dozens of special products made for this purpose, and I […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Water, water everywhere
Dear Gene: A few years ago the pressure-regulator valve on our main water line failed and some water pipes in our home burst, causing considerable damage. We have a new valve, but I worry that it will fail as well. How will I know if it fails, and is there anything else I can do […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Mind in the gutter
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 type of gutter cover that will work better? I prefer screen-type gutter covers to keep out the fine […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Cleaning hardwood floors
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 of floor finish. Here are some guidelines based on recommendations by NOFMA: The Wood Flooring Manufacturers Association (www.nofma.org), […]
