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.

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?

April 10, 2021

      Dear readers: I’m often asked for my advice about protecting the sprinkler system from freeze-ups during this transition time between seasons, when the weather’s so erratic and unpredictable. When can it be left on without worry? A hard date rule of thumb that seems to work year after year is to wait until Mother's Day. Before that, there is always a risk of a sudden freeze up.

April 3, 2021

     Dear Readers: I hope you kept up with your winter watering when conditions were dry. These here-today-gone-tomorrow snow storms are fine, but we have had fairly minimal soil percolation. You can tell how your landscape is doing by probing with a simple moisture meter or by poking into the topsoil with your finger. Anyway, this is the time of year when gardens need an extra drink or two, because bushes, perennials and flowering bulbs are just starting to wake up.

March 27, 2021

     Dear Ken: We’re close to the foothills and had about 2 feet of snow on the roof of my 30 year old two story home during that last blizzard. It turned out OK, but I was wondering if it’s a good idea to pull heavy wet snow off the roof in the future. Your thoughts on if most homes can handle this much snow? Kevin

March 20, 2021 Column

     Dear Ken: My house was built in 1969, and the kitchen cabinets are dark and very dated. I want to know if I should paint or stain them. Ethan

     You probably have that old dark, walnut-stained finish that was popular back then.  Painting them will make the house seem younger than its actual age, and will make the kitchen brighter, warmer and more inviting.

March 13, 2021 Column

     Dear Ken: Several times during the night we hears sounds of water flushing.  Should we be concerned? Margo

March 6, 2021 Column

     Dear Ken: I have a granite kitchen top. How can I remove scum and scale around the faucets--and do I need a special sealer for my countertops? Jerri

     You should use granite-specific products, like a good neutral stone cleaner and a plastic scraper. Remember that granite is a natural material and so is much more delicate and vulnerable to harsh chemicals and stains than you might assume. So you should avoid most household cleaning products for routine maintenance....