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.

January 30, 2021

     Dear Ken: I know you should put the carbon monoxide detector somewhere upstairs, but why not in the furnace room, too? Daniel    

January 23, 2021

     Dear Ken: I have a crawl space. When the furnace comes on, there is a blast of cold air through the ducts. Is that OK? Karen

     It happens in all houses. When the furnace starts up it has to push that dead air out of the duct system first. Most of us have ducts that run through “normal” living spaces; crawl spaces, though, are unique. The air is usually twenty degrees or so below room temperature. So, it might be a good idea to insulate the ducts with a rigid...

January 16, 2021

     Dear Ken: We had a new furnace installed, and you can hear the blower all over the house. Is this normal? Jill

     New furnaces are noisier than older ones built earlier than the 1990’s. That’s because there’s an extra motor to kick out the fumes, plus thinner metal is required for greater energy efficiency. Make sure there is a rubber isolation collar somewhere above the furnace which connects it to the main ducting system. Look for a band of leathery-...

January 9, 2021

     Dear Ken: I have turbine vents on the roof: Should I cover them in the winter? It may help you to know that I have those gable vents in the side walls, too. Paul

     It’s a good idea to wrap all the turbines with a plastic garbage bag and secure them, with a bungee cord. Also, cover the most north-facing gable vent with a fiberglass furnace filter to keep wind-driven snow out of the attic—but leave the others alone; you must allow some attic ventilation year-...

January 2, 2021

     Dear Ken: We set our thermostat to 67 degrees in the day and 60 at night. Are we saving money?  Also, it takes about 1 ½ hours to get it back up to 67 in the morning. Is that too long? Sam  

     You definitely are saving heating dollars. I like your temperature spread; a six or seven degree setback at night is about right. If you lower the temperature much more than that, it takes too long to reheat everything. Most modern homes lose about that much...

December 26, 2020

     Dear Ken: How do I know whether my microwave is safe or not? John

     The hinges, doors and seals on older microwaves can loosen up over time and allow some radiation to leak around the edges. If yours is newer--say 15 years or younger—it’s probably OK. You could hire a home inspector to check it out. Or you can buy a leak detector online for less than $30.

December 19, 2020

     Dear Readers:  This is a reprise of a column I first published in 1996. I hope it will help remind you of your favorite Christmas past.

     Allow me to reminisce a little. This the story of my 7th Christmas---way back in the fifties. If you remember those days, you surely recall how little money most families had. Many presents were homemade, and toys weren’t nearly as complex, high-tech and expensive as they are now. We probably...

December 12, 2020

     Dear Ken:  Do you like those little deflectors that stick on to the heat vents with magnets? Danny

     In a word, no. The reason we put heat vents along the outside walls—especially under windows and doors—is to wash warm air over those coldest surfaces. The plastic deflectors you ask about will nullify that design. It’s a perception thing, too; the center of the room may be at, say, 70º, but the diversion of the heat flow will mean that the...

December 5, 2020

     Dear Ken: Can you give me a few tips on how to keep my granite tops in good condition and nice and shiny? Danielle

November 28, 2020

 

     Dear Readers: Here’s another reminder to winter water. We’ve had virtually no precipitation in a while, so your lawn, garden  and smaller shrubs and trees need a drink. When it’s this dry, lawns are particularly susceptible to damage. In addition to desiccated root damage, they can become infested with mites that will suck the life out of your healthy sod.  Now you know why I don’t recommend blowing out the sprinkler system. Modern, well-drained set-ups...