Aunt Margaret “Let’s go visit Aunt Margaret,” my Dad said. If I’d had a mirror in front of me, there’s no doubt my eyes and grin were wider than an airplane-hanger door. Margaret was my Dad’s older sister, and she lived with my Uncle Louie in a majestic old home in North Avondale, an original […]
Garage Floor Drain Ideas - Time Tested Technology The inspiration for this column came from unexpected comments about a brief mention of garage floor drains in my December 1, 2019 AsktheBuilder newsletter. The house I grew up in had a garage floor drain. The concrete floor was sloped like a giant shallow funnel so all […]
Gasoline Fire and Explosion Hazard - Very Dangerous Gasoline is a very dangerous liquid. Using it to start a fire or get rid of ants in your yard is a bad idea. Gasoline fumes are heavier than air and travel across the ground like invisible flowing water. Years ago I made a mistake starting a […]
Natural Discoloration Stains in Granite Countertops QUESTION #1: Tim, we just moved into an existing home that’s got granite countertops. When we looked at the house there were cleverly placed trivets in certain places. I’ve come to discover they were hiding what appears to be rust stains deep in the granite but I really can’t […]
Are you a new subscriber? I'm about to summon my fellow NH wizards and we're going to cast a protective spell on you and all your underwater allies. You'll be able to eat what you want for the next three days with no ill effects if all goes well. If you've been here for a […]
I want you to guess how many cups of coffee I consumed while creating this game. To arrive at the CORRECT answer, you need to answer all the questions and then see what I have to say in the Feedback comments after you answer. Step One: Click each of the following links and STUDY what […]
Two Steps Behind - Gives the Band A Breather You don't need to be a jeanyus to realize that rock bands often need to slow the pace of the show so they can catch their breath. I saw Def Leppard in concert about twelve years ago and this is a great song they do after […]
Dressing Up Vinyl Siding QUESTION #1: The house I grew up in had vinyl siding and the trim around the windows was some thin distasteful vinyl that had an end profile like the letter J. I thought it looked abominable. How can you make the vinyl siding look more like a traditional home that has […]
QUESTION #1: I’m building a new home and because of the booming economy and shortage of great help, I might be forced to hang and finish the drywall myself. I’ve done a few repairs here and there and wonder if it’s really possible to pull off DIY drywall work on a larger scale. Don’t sugarcoat […]
Restoring Rusty Paraphernalia QUESTION #1: What can you tell me about painting rusty metal? I want a fast and easy method to repaint an assortment of things in my garage and shed. Do you have to remove all the rust before you paint? Are there secret non-toxic chemicals that will remove rust? What paint would […]
