Barbara rents a house or apartment in Guilford, CT. But she's got a problem with her new furnace. "My landlord just installed a gas furnace. When it is running, cold air is leaking into the bathroom through the ceiling exhaust. When the furnace is at rest, no cold air is coming in. Why? and am […]
Troy McWhirter owns a townhouse in Ashburn VA. He's perplexed about what might be under the steps that lead up to his front door. Here's what he sent me: "I own a 1999 Toll Brothers townhouse with a brick second level walk up to front door. I want to know what is under those stairs? I […]
Threasa Brown lives in an Irving, Texas neighborhood that has a perplexing mystery. Many houses have one sole gold brick in the front wall. Here's what Threasa says: "Most of the houses (built in the 1970's) in our neighborhood (including ours) has a single gold brick on the front exterior wall by the porch. I have […]
Dale Hanson is thinking of purchasing a condo in Champaign, IL. His inspector may have given him bad advice: "I am purchasing a condo and the inspector said he could not find a return air duct in the basement. Is it necessary to have an air duct in the basement?" Dale, I assume you mean is it […]
When you think of a man up in the mountains digging with a mattock and shovel, you probably conjure up a vision of a prospector looking for gold, silver or other valuable mineral. I doubt you'd imagine a man creating caves full of sculptured art. When you watch this video, I hope you take away […]
Bob Monninger had a shed built at his Antioch, Illinois home. Let him finish the tale. "I had a shed built this summer by a company called Tuff Shed. It's a very good one, 10 X 14, all wood. It sits on a concrete slab. I have installed insulation on all four walls, the ceiling, and the […]
Sewer Smell When Using Fireplace Tom Grote, who lives in Ivoryton, CT, has an unpleasant experience when he starts a fire in his fireplace. It's not a smoking issue, it's a sewer smell. Read what he sent me: "I live in a two-story colonial with a bathroom and fireplace on the first floor. Every time I […]
Basil Pallone lives just south of me in Sudbury, MA. But he's got a problem with his older home he's trying to improve. Here's what he wrote to me: "I recently installed spray foam insulation in the attic of my two story colonial home, built in 1968. Since I installed the spray foam insulation, the windows […]
Margaret Hilpert, who's got the pithy writing style down pat, lives in North Carolina and wrote to me: "Vapor barrier over studs and insulation. Is that all we need before installing a shower kit and tongue and groove paneling?" Margaret, yes, that's all you need! But be SURE to do it right! CLICK HERE to […]
David Roll lives in a very new home in Battle Ground, WA that had a water line MELT and caused a flood. You'll not believe Dave's story. Here it is unedited: "Hi Tim. I am in a brand new home for 1.25 yrs. House flooded this past weekend, significant damage. Plumber cut open wall to find […]
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