February 15, 2010

             Dear Ken:   We bought an expensive new dishwasher because the old one was leaving a film on the dishes.  Now this new one does it, too.   I'm exasperated.  Is there any answer to this?    Janet

            Water can be harder in the winter-especially in certain cities that get their water from a river, or areas on small community systems.   You need to test your water for hardness.  Buy a test kit on line, or at an appliance store.  Once you know the grains of  hardness, go to the Proctor and Gamble website to figure out how much soap to use-it may be a lot more than you think. 

            Also, check your water temperature.  If it's about 120 degrees, raise it to 130 or even 140, but only if there are no little kids or disabled folks in the house.   Also, do you use a rinse agent?  If not, buy a basket type that hangs in the upper rack.  It can be more effective than the liquid injector kind.

            Dear Ken:   I bought a new house, and now I find out that my truck is a little too tall for the 7 foot garage door opening.  What now?         Richard

            If it's just an inch or two, a garage door company may be able to adjust the UPPER LIMIT setting to squeeze out a little extra room.  Otherwise, you'll have to go to the next higher door, 7 feet-6inches.   That may or may not be a big deal.  Sometimes it's easy to cut into the header that holds up the house and roof loads above the opening, and sometimes-especially with a steel beam--it's an engineering nightmare.   Check with a small remodeling contractor or home inspector to see if raising the opening is economically feasible.  You'll have to pull a permit for this work, and that will probably entail hiring a separate structural engineer, too.

            As folks buy taller and longer trucks, it's important to check these measurements  before you make an offer for the home.  The length is easy to check, but the height restriction is problematic.  As the truck comes up a sloped driveway, it's effective height entering the garage can be a little higher that it measures on flat ground.  The only real way to test it is to drive into the garage.

            Dear Ken:   My butcher block is starting to crack.  Should I patch it?  What with?  John

            I'd leave it alone.  Whatever you patch it with won't be compatible with food preparation.  The block is trying to tell you something:  that its' drying out in our arid climate.  Start seasoning it with food grade mineral oil, say twice a month.  The oil will seal that crack and may prevent bacteria from settling in.   Even though butcher blocks are usually made with tight-grained wood, like maple, it's not a good idea to use them for cutting up meat-especially chicken.  Bacteria may overwhelm the wood and contaminate other foods.  Use a washable, plastic cutting board for meats and fish, saving the wood block for breads, pastries  and vegetables.

            Dear Ken:   We live in a 1980's bi-level.  Trouble is, the return air is right outside the bedroom door.  The noise drives us nuts, and we can't sleep.  Can it be moved?   Kyle

            It's pretty difficult to relocate these vents after the fact.  You could have a heating contractor close off the existing grille and install another one at the top  of the wall it sits in now;  that may quiet it down a little.    Perhaps, if there are enough other returns air grilles in the house, it can be blocked off entirely.  Don't do this on your own, however;  have the HVAC contractor OK it first.

            Another answer is to install a "white noise" source-like a clock radio with background noises-like the surf, a waterfall or rain falling off a roof.  They are quite inexpensive and can mask the furnace noises, so you get a better sleep each night.