How to Protect Exterior Wood A week ago, my lovely wife and our 2-year-old American Dirus dog were on Mt. Desert Island in Downeast Maine. We rented a tiny cottage just 12 feet from the shoreline of Bass Harbor. If you’re not familiar with this part of the USA, I can assure you it’s a […]
Old House Heating and Air Conditioning - Pure Comfort in Every Room My days have been getting busier and busier, and I'm doing troubleshooting and coaching calls with homeowners just like you. Are you suffering from the heat and humidity like the young man I talked with in Chicago last week? If so, you’ll enjoy […]
Crack Repair - Pinpoint the Cause Before Repairing Houses are just like you and me. As they age, they develop wrinkles or cracks. Some people don’t like wrinkled skin. Just as Ponce de León was searching for the fountain of youth, many people look for products to recreate their smooth teenage skin. Home centers sell […]
DIY Home Building - Be Prepared for Delays and Heartache As I look back on the decades of giving advice to homeowners like you, one thing stands out in my mind. I’ve always tried my best to tell you the truth about how hard or easy some tasks might be. That’s the opposite tact of […]
Wood Rot Prevention - There are Many Ways to Prevent Rot The inspiration for this column came to me this morning as I was greeting people at church. My wife and I are the head ushers at the 10:30 AM mass. In between people dashing through the door to avoid the drops of rain falling […]
Blacktop Drive Restoration - It's DIY For Sure You might fall into the trap of thinking my house is perfect in every way. You’d be wrong. I suffer from a condition where I know how to do 99 percent of the projects around my house. A deep inner force within me causes me to tackle […]
Basement Finishing Steps and Process - It's Pretty Simple With home loan interest rates higher than they’ve been in years, you may not be able to move to a larger home. You might be able to obtain the added space you need by transforming unfinished space to delightful finished rooms. Just a few weeks ago […]
Hot Garages and Hot Attics - The Truth About Radiant Heat In just a few weeks my email inbox will begin to overflow. Homeowners just like you will be asking what they can do to cool down their attics, garages, houses, and sheds. After all, the summer solstice is just five weeks away as I […]
Small Retaining Wall Tips - What is Considered Small? Last week I shared with you the news about my recent trip to southern California. I was fortunate to spend time with a dear friend and his wife. I don’t know that I’ve ever met a person who’s more in love with a home than him. […]
Decorative Ceramic Tile Creates Happiness I just returned from an eight-day trip to southern California to visit my youngest daughter and several dear friends. I saw some amazing decorative ceramic tile. The weather was excellent, and although I knew about the June gloom, I discovered there was also the May gray. The sun heats the […]
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