Home & Garden

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 […]

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 […]

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), […]

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 if you were cleaning a window or automobile windshield. I have used this system for […]

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 high-temperature paint. What do you say? You should be able to use regular water-based paint unless you […]

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 very difficult to resurface floors. What do you think? Whether you can screen-sand depends on the condition of the floors. […]

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 algae rather easily with a bleach-type deck cleaner such as Olympic or Wolman. These cleaners are sold at […]

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, usually through the roof. This requires the installation of some ductwork but is worth the […]

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 is certainly worth some discussion. Some manufacturers offer long-term warranties on exterior paint — some “lifetime” […]

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 repainted, but there is some controversy about how to do it. I have seen instructions that call for using an acrylic paint and no primer except on bare spots, […]