Weekly Columns

Both current and archived weekly newspaper columns. The date of the column and a teaser of the column appears below. Click on the date to see the entire column.

June 19, 2021

     Dear Ken: I’m wondering what’s wrong with my central air. We have it set at 72, but the house stays in the 80’s. Do we need to get it checked?—Marti

     Probably, but here are some things to do first. Make sure your furnace filter is clean; it needs to be changed no less often than once a month in the summer. Also, check that you haven’t blocked any of those cold air return grilles. Sometimes they get behind a sofa or bookcase and we forget...

June 12, 2021

     Dear Ken: We have A/C, but our 2nd floor bedrooms are hot. Would a whole house fan help? The installers think we’re crazy.—Will

June 5, 2021

     Dear Ken: I have a dancing washer. It’s a front-loading unit that literally moves several inches across the floor while it’s spinning.  How can we keep it in its place? Matt           

     These low-water-using washers spin at hundreds of RPM’s—much faster than their traditional top-loading cousins. I hear complaints not only of waltzing around the house, but also of excessive noise when they are installed on the...

May 29, 2021

     Dear Ken: My window well collects water at the bottom. Can you recommend someone to find the drain and redo things? Daniel

     You may or may not have a window well drain, depending on the age of your house.  You can lean out the window and poke around with a small shovel to see if it’s buried. If it exists it will be a black plastic 3” pipe and cap which usually extends down to the perimeter drain around the foundation. Installing one would be a real...

May 22, 2021

     Dear Ken: My old fireplace is dark red and doesn’t fit in to my color scheme any more. How do I paint it? What color would you suggest? Jan        

May 15, 2021

     Dear Ken: My house needs a new water heater. Mine is about 12 years old, and I seem to remember that you recommend replacing a 40 gallon with a 50. Is that right? Charles

     I think it’s a good idea. You’ll only pay about $100 more for the larger size; it’s worth it to have that extra supply of hot water if you’re doing two things at once, like taking a shower and perhaps washing a load of clothes.

May 8, 2021

     Dear Ken: I love my brand new deck, and I want to keep that pretty redwood color. Can I use a clear stain? Brad

     I don’t blame you. The reddish-blonde color of new redwood is gorgeous. The color components in most tinted deck stains help to reflect UV light from the sun, but in your case, you’ll want the clear version to let the natural redwood tones show through. That’s OK for water and mildew protection, but it will deteriorate faster than its...

May 1, 2021

     Dear Ken: We have a squeaky garage door. What kind of grease should I use? Owen

     Grease is not a good choice. In an open air location like this, it tends to attract dust and grit, and soon the rollers and tracks are filthy. A liquid spray lubricant, like WD-40 or a Teflon product (my favorite) is a good choice. Apply a very thin spray coat to the rollers and the track—especially that curve at the top. 

April 24, 2021

     Dear Ken: I have that old pressed board siding--about 30 years old and the edges are starting to look bad. What about new vinyl material? Or what kind do you like? Brad

     It sounds typical for this material. If you wait too long between paint jobs, the edges start to swell and delaminate. Then they continue to absorb ambient moisture from the surrounding air, and so it goes until it needs replacement. If your siding is barely...

April 17, 2021

     Dear Ken: I got a flyer in the mail that offered to sell me water line insurance for that line that goes out to the street for about $65 a year. Do you think this is a good deal?