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.

July 4, 2020

     Dear Ken: I have an old patio, and I need to give it a facelift. Should I patch it? Re-pour or replace it? Pete

     Most of these attached concrete patios end up settling, cracking or both. They're ugly and in many cases, let water drain toward the house. It's quite expensive to tear out and replace them since the old---and the new---concrete are heavy and difficult to get through the backyard around landscaping and fences. And so-called cosmetic coatings usually...

June 27, 2020

     Dear Ken: The floor under our kitchen sink cabinet has gotten wet, and now it sags.  Is there an easy way to fix it? Pam

     It's probably made from particleboard, which doesn't do very well with moisture. To avoid the mess of a tear-out, you can leave the old wood in place and glue down some AC plywood--at least 3/8-inch thick (AC is finished nicely on one side). Finally, purchase a scrap of linoleum at a tile store, cut it to fit, and then loose lay it on...

June 20, 2020

     Let's take a look at the care and feeding of your garbage disposal so it stays sweet and purrs contentedly. I’ll assume you have the most common and universal features on yours. By the way, disposals have all the charm of a lawn mower when they're worked on, so be sure to unplug it before you begin!

June 13, 2020

DRAINAGE REVISITED:

     I know many of you have followed my recommendation to run your downspouts into that black, flex pipe--and then buried it to get it out of the way. But sometimes the terminations of those extension pipes get lost or forgotten, so here’s a reminder to expose them to make sure they stay wide open, and so are readily available to handle those sudden rushes of monsoon water we get around here.

June 6, 2020

     Dear readers: This may seem like an odd time of year to analyze insulation, but I'd like you to consider the warm-weather benefits of upgrading both it and the attic ventilation at your place.

May 30, 2020

     Dear Ken: A plumber said I could install a hot water return loop to get hot water quicker in the master bathroom. What do you think? Jim

     Many new home builders install an extra line to the farthest sinks and run it into the bottom of the hot water tank. The heated water then flows continuously around the loop by conven­tion (hot water rises, cold falls). That way, you’ll have almost instant hot water first thing in the morning. Since plumbing is very labor...

May 23, 2020

       As we await the inevitable summer rains, here are my annual reminders about fine-tuning the drainage elements around your house. Really, there's nothing that's cheaper and easier to take care of but---when ignored---can cause such havoc to the house, than water troubles.  

     Remember that most of the soil in our region has a clay component to it, which when it gets wet can swell, causing movement in the foundation and floor slabs. Besides...

May 16, 2020

     Dear readers:

     Homebuilders are fond of saying, “Not only will the concrete crack, but we GUARANTEE it will crack!"  Concrete surfaces around your house are (1) subject to year-round weathering from snow, ice, water and our strong sun, (2) stiff and brittle and (3) structurally lightweight---that is, by themselves they're easy to “push around".  So, it's no wonder they crack, heave, break down and wear out. So, let's examine...

May 9, 2020

    Dear Ken: We've got an older Fiberglass shower base that's worn out, is hard to clean and stains easily. Can we paint it with something? Fran

     First, apply some Easy Off Oven Cleaner (the low odor type in the blue can). Let it sit for an hour or so and then scrub it off with a stiff brush; rinse and repeat till it’s clean. That may be enough.

May 2, 2020

     Dear Ken: My Mom lives in a townhome. The neighboring teenagers play loud music through speakers on that wall. Is there any way to quiet the noise? Sarah

     What she's probably hearing is more likely transmitted vibrations through the floor and wall systems, rather than air­borne sound waves. Suggest that the neighbors move the speakers a couple inches from the wall and set them on thick pads of foam rubber.

     She can...