Do it yourself

Gene, I hope you will pay attention to what I have written below. I mean this sincerely, and know the truth of it from experience. You must change the way you look at the world. If you do not, you will look back on your life with more sorrow, rage and regret than you feel even now.

First you need to determine how bad the damage is. If you have a gap of a half in. or more maybe thy should be re-laid,or the foundaation should be checked. If this is a retaining wall check drain holes.If not we'er going to need some tools. You'll need a hammer, aajoint chisel, abrick trowel,a tuck-point,a striking-iron, and a stiff brush. Wearing gloves and eye protection remove a half to three quarters of an in. of cracked old mortar minimum with hammer and chisel. Clean joint with brush and water. When using pre-mixed mortar dry mix hole bag as it tens to separate with time and never by it on sale. Mix half a bucket at a time so you can take your time and be as neat as possible. Try to match existing work. With half in. of mortar on brick-trowel hold on edge of brick and push small slices of mortar into joint.Justlike scrapping a plate.Pack it tight.Smooth with iron making sure of a good bond on top and bottom. When mud has set use brick-trowel to slice off eases and brush with dry brush. Clean tools, wash hands and drink cold carbonated beverage, you've earned it. Cheers. Mike PS new mortar can be made to math old by adding die.

This is Off topic... But I was wondering has anyone here ever bought one of those water crabs from the pet store? I was looking for an aquatic desk pet and that's what I chose. When I brought it home I read a bunch of stuff on the internet that this is probably a Fiddler Crab and they are not supposed to be completely aquatic and they are not supposed to be in fresh water or they will die. It said that pet stores (like Meijers where I bought this crab) sell them as fresh water aquatic pets! So I'm sad for that fate of my poor little crab. Has anyone had one of these things?

We've put three pages of photos with the projects we have done! We put them on "hidden" pages on our business page. www.fresnophotography.com/house.htm We are so happy to be done with the bath and dining rooms! Next is the bedroom or the office!

Pointing a brick wall is really quite simple but time consuming. Start by pressure washing to remove all of the loose mortar. Mix mortar in small batches and make the mix a little on the dry side. Using a "pointing trowel" push the mortar from a flat trowel into the old joints and force in tight with the pointing trowel. After the mortar has set for about 30 minutes strike the joint so that it matches the original. Dale

Sorry had one other question I forgot to post... 3) Has anyone found a commercially available flexible weather stripping for exterior doors, that comes in strip lengths longer than 84". I have three exterior doors, two of which are 94" tall. I would prefer to not have to make my own stripping from wood trim and foam tape, but I also want to avoid splicing other commercially available products. Slicing the aluminum and plactic varieties never seems to come out just right (to my eye anyway) as well you end up with a whole lot of useless spare material once the doors are complete. Thanks again, Mike

Hello all! I have been watching with group with great interest for the past month or so. My name is Mike, I am from Brantford, Ontario, Canada and own an 1886 double brick two story house. I consider myself very well versed in home improvements ranging from additions, decks, electrical, plumbing etc... My two questions revolve around the house. 1) Some time in around the 50's, the prior owner decided to wall paper all surface of the interior walls not covered by wood trim. This included the ceilings. I can see a number of places where the ceiling plaster has started to separate from the lathe below, so I know that when the wallpaper starts coming down, so will the ceiling. (in those places anyways) I read in the posts last year about someone who had tried removing just the plaster, and wallboarding back over the lathe. Has anyone here personally tried this? What were your experiences? I am most concerned about having to remove the old trim as it is the original, but it is painted then varninshed 'fake' woodgrain. Having to remove it to refit following the new drywall may destroy it and the wonderful effect it lends to the rooms. 2) Has anyone used the dimpled flat stainless steel washers used to pull plaster back to the lathe? They are about 1" in diameter with quite a few small holes all through. When screwed into the lathe, the concept is the washer with the extra surface area will pull and hold the plaster back to the wall without cracking it any further. Supposed to be good for plaster walls with 'soft' spots. I can get a bunch of these for the above project, but am not adverse to 'starting over' either. Thanks in advance for your thoughts!!! Mike

does Charles have a reciprocating saw too??? ROTFLOL..... Did Gene leave the building? He's awful quiet, must be writing up that dictionary for us.....I could use it cause Im running out of names for things although I took special note of your earlier post Liz, you have quite the vocabulary, some of those words I hadnt heard yet! ;-) Brenda

Liz, That was profound! Now everything is hunky-dory! Kudos! Jan "Some days you're the dog, some days you're the hydrant" About your water heater - Since all the self-appointed technical expert people aren't giving you any actual information - there should be a white panel dohicky covering a sorta hole-like area on the side of big tanky gizmo. This is probably just held in with tab whatzits and if you lift it up and pull out the bottom, you should be able to remove it. There will be a temperature wheel thingamajig that controls the thermostat whatchamacallit, if you turn that toward "Hot" or "Hotter" that should fix you right up! See, you can describe everything in your house very accurately without the use of the word thingie!! Let that be a lesson to you!!! Liz list-whatchamacallit

Really? Well, gosh a golly gee.......help us poor little girlies out and provide us with a dictionary describing and naming every single piece on every single item in our homes and then us silly girlies wouldnt have to be reduced to using words like "thingy" or "dohicky".......LOL Brenda <I have PMS and a reciprocating saw......ANY QUESTIONS???

Hi All Welcome newbies! (I'm somewhat a newbie myself). This is such a fun and informative list! Anyway.... I'm wondering if anyone here has any knowledge of Beckett burners--I would like to increase the temperature of my hot water--but don't see any adjusting screws, dials or knobs to turn (I think it might be what's under that little housing thingy).... Thanks! ML (aka Mary-Lee) *~*~*~*~*~*~ "We are coming after you -- and the fury of hell is coming with us...." (Rep. Charles Norwood, Georgia )

can any one help on how to repoint an old garden wall

any hints on how to re- point an old garden wall

I started redoing my son's bedroom and have ran into a few problems and that's why I'm here and maybe I'll learn something new. I had to tape and float the ceiling and had that finished and it looked ok. Then I went to texture the ceiling with joint compound and a little water mixed in to make it look like pancake batter. I rolled it on with a 1/2" nap roller. After applying the texture, in one spot where I taped and floated, the tape started coming off so I had to take that off and redo it. Why did the tape come off? What did I do wrong? That's the first question. Second problem, when I texture the spots that I've taped and floated I can still see the so-called seam. I have sanded it down till it smooth. It's like I can't cover it up. I have added less water to the compound to make it thicker and that doesn't seem to work. Is there something else I need to do to make this work? Any suggestions?? Dustie

I am want to replace my garage door and wanted to know what is involved in removing the torsion spring and how it can be removed. It seems to me that if I lift the door all the way that the tension is removed from the spring, is this true?

I might add that there is a company in Colorado that builds modular homes and offer what in the industry is known as a "Blue Nail Home." This means that you buy the home with the wiring and plumbing intact and the sheetrock is installed or "blue nailed" and it is up to the buyer to finished the interior of the home. I'm not sure that this would amount to much of a savings but would recommend that a visit be paid to the factory before any mobile home is purchased. The cabinets and finish in most mobile homes is little more than paper cover cardboard or particle board. Some may have oak fronts but the rest are pretty much junk. It is seldom that one will be found that has dove tailed drawers but there is a company in Omaha, Neb that was still building a quality home two or three years ago. There used to be a builder in Grand Forks, ND that build mobile homes that were actually intended to be the core of a finished home. Several floor plans were offered and when the home was finished the siding of the mobile portion was removed and the openings for the doors to the rest of the home were already in place. The walls were 2 by 6, with 2 by 10 floor joists and 2 by 6 ceiling joists. It was impressive to watch one of them moved as they often had 6 to 8 dual tired axels under a unit. Some were loaded onto special low boy trailers and then slid off onto the foundation at the location. Of course you might know that any home built for an area that enjoys 40 to 60 below zero conditions would need to be a bit better than the average. Dale

Wow, never heard of those before. Guess we will have to check it out. As of right now, we have no working shower or toilet in the main bathroom. The second bathroom on the other side of the house is working just fine, thank goodness. The plumbing is backed up and even after snaking it a few times and using a power flush attachment on the garden hose.............we still have a blockage somewhere keeping the toilet from properly flushing. We have called and informed the landlord that we have done all we are going to do, and it is up to him now. Hubby told him that I wanted it fixed pronto, so we will see what happens tomorrow while we are at work. Thank goodness my sister lives with us, or Misty (Rottie) would give him a heart attack. She might let him in, but she is not likely to let him get out, LOL. I can put up with alot, but no shower.....NO WAY! Lori Arvada, Colorado

Does anyone know how to increase the hot water temperature on a furnace/hot water heater? Ever since I moved to this house last June, the hot water in the bathroom is just enough to get by.... don't even need to turn on the cold water, but that results in not enough water pressure. Any suggestions???? Thanks.... :-) ML <---- waiting for a snowstorm....YIPPEEEEEE!!! *~*~*~*~*~*~ "We are coming after you -- and the fury of hell is coming with us...." (Rep. Charles Norwood, Georgia )

aloha Lori ~ I've been a carpenter/contractor for just about 30 years... and I much prefer a standard, framed home to any mobilehome... and they always tell me that they're so much better, now. You could persuade me differently, however, if this *mobilehome* was put ten acres of ground and setback a fur piece from the road frontage! There are several questions: * Do you like the home you are renting? * If the price were right, would you consider purchasing it? * Do you want to repair it? Take the $175000 asking price... figure out what it would cost to repair each of the problems, separately. Don't skimp on your repair estimates! I'd rather you figured them high! Figure them as if you were bringing in a Contractor suited to that particular repair even if you can do one particular job, yourself... ie Plumbers to relocate the Water Heater... a Roofer to strip and replace the roofing... a Brick Mason to repair the cracked bricks and so on! There is no reason to discount *any repair* just because you are doing it! Why should you pay the present owner for the right to do any type repair Sit down with a pencil and paper and take your time! Repairing a home can be rewarding, but, it can be tedious... allow for that. Next... add up all the cost of all the repair work... Figure a reasonable counter offer on the Owner's asking price of $175,000... write that figure down! Beneath your counter offer write down the *sum total* of all the repair work (remember this is as if Contractors did the repair) and subtract it from your counter offer. You give this to the present owner... and if he doesn't like it... start planning your move to the mobilehome on ten acres and never look back! aloha, Karl and the Girls It is morally wrong to allow a moron to keep his money. - Murphy -

Hello from Eddie in Pittsburgh. Question: Does anyone sell something like dark sheets of plastic that you can apply to windows for darkening the light in a room? My neighbor has the apartment's floodlight just below her window and even with blinds a fair amount of light leaks into the bedroom. I was picturing sheets that could be cut and placed on the glass (not glue, but made from the kind of material of used in temporary window decals..peels off). It would be a dark material to cut down on the stray light. (If not, can anyone recommend a slingshot?/JUST KIDDING...) Thank you very much..

There are Mobil homes and there are Mobil homes. Some are well build and others are pure junk. I spent a number of years doing factory warranty for several Mobil home manufacturers and it was quite an eye-opener. Some have plywood flooring and others are particle board. There are some of the older models that were wired with aluminum and these are fire traps, though most are now in the land fill. I would recommend several considerations, one being that it has 2 by 6 outer walls. Two, a pitched roof with composition shingles. Some Mobil homes can not be brought into Colorado as their roofs are not approved for the snow loads. Never buy a Mobil home that was build in the south if you intend to live in a cold climate. I would also recommend that you stay away from anything built by "Oak Wood. " Schultz used to build one of the better homes but they have now been bought out by Oak Wood and I don't know if they are still going under the Schultz name or if they are build under the Oak Wood label. I do know that their quality left a lot to be desired in the last couple of years before they sold. And last but not least, never buy a Mobil home that has a metal exterior, as the metal is all that is covering the studs and in case of fire the interior temperatures will soar before the flames can break through the walls. You can find some good buys but it is definitely a "let the buyer beware" market. Many Mobil home dealers make used car salesmen look like saints by comparison. Dale

Yes, I do have a Rottie. She is my big baby (105 lbs.) and my protector. On the 1300 mile trip from Michigan to Colorado, through a very nasty ice storm in Iowa,she watched over me while I slept and also kept me warm when I was cold. She also tried to fend off the 18 wheelers coming up behind us, LOL. Always wanted one, and my second husband wasn't afraid of the breed and got me one for my birthday. Good thing she was for me, she is definitely a momma's girl ! Lori Arvada, Colorado

Yeah, I didnt even want to convert it.....then you're talking about a doctor's home.....LOL....mind you, we live in a rural area, there are few houses in that high of a price range. We had a lot of fairly expensive houses built in the early 90's when a factory near here hired about 1000 new workers......this same factory laid most of that 1000 off last fall, these houses are now selling for less than they were bought for or are bank sales. So if you want a deal on houses (and boats, motorhomes and cottages) move to southwestern Ontario. Brenda

$175,000 buys a 6 bedroom 3 car garage, totally landscaped, brand spanking new, hardwood ceramic floor, greatroom, en suite bath, 4 bathroom, granite countertop kitchen, basement games rooms, several fireplaces type of house here.....matter of fact I would think we were stinking rich to live in a house that cost that much! LOL Just what do people in CO do that can afford to live in house like that???? The house you described would be about $45-55,000 here....tops! Incredible!!! Brenda

Has anyone here done major renovations on mobile home trailers? I am extremely curious because for the moment the cost of housing here in Colorado is sky high. We are currently renting a three bedroom house for $1200. The landlord was not able to sell it, and decided to rent it until they are able to get the needed repairs done so that it does better on inspection. They are kind of hoping that we will end up buying it, since my husband and I could do all the repairs ourselves. But for what they are asking ($175,000), I think there is way too much wrong with the place. We are considering the only other option; to buy some property and have a mobile home set on it and build off of it after that. It is cheaper to start out with and since we can do most of the work ourselves, we would save quite a bit. This is just a part of what needs to be done to the rental (1490 sq. ft.) we are living in: 1)Complete tear down and reshingle roof (already has three layers and English Ivy has grown in through the eaves into attic) 2)Insulation (this house does not heat well-walls are plaster) 3)Upgrade heating (current is 20 gal hot water heat) 4)Upgrade hot water heating (household use has 10 gal tank) 5)Brick exterior has cracks from foundation to roof that need to be repaired 6)Inadequate venting for plumbing, causing it to back up on occasion (which it did twice in the first three weeks we lived here) 7)The family room has pulled away from the rest of the house (it was an addition) 8)Windows (only half have storm windows and even those don't fit right) These are the major things that we know about for now. We haven't looked at things for further damage(scared too). I think it is going to be harder to fix the water heating problem since we only have a crawl space where the water heater is kept. Now keep in mind that the main reason that this house didn't sell was that the potential lending bank refused the mortgage for the sellers asking price after seeing the inspection results. There were 7 different contracts on this house last year and all fell through. Not good for the seller. Do you think that we would be better off building our own home or buying this one and fixing it ourselves? Sorry so long, especially being my first post, Lori Colorado

What is the best way to smooth my stucco ceiling?

Does anyone know how to create a 7 inch step-up floor? My living room and dining room share the same space - a rectangular box. I would like to separate the two living spaces by creating a step-up living room. Seven inches would be maximum height of the step. Thanks.

I'm glad everyone approves of the floors. I'm just glad you can't see them up close... There are a lot of flaws, but they really aren't noticable unless you look really close. ~Allison~

Trinity, Thanks for the comments - I know, I know, I have boring tastes, LOL I am just a wimp, and am to afraid to go out on a limb, for fear that I'll hate whatever I did and waste my time and money, ya know? Now you have me curious about your decorating, I would love to see pictures of your place. :) Thanks for the comments on the kid, he is pretty cute, if I do say so myself. ~Allison~

You could put them in! My inlaws transformed the mobile home on our property into a palace....I wish I had pics to show you..... Brenda

Me again. You could put those two oak? tables side by side, to be a sort of coffee tables! Leave a little space in between them, and they would probably look okay. Or, go with a lower coffee table, and use one table between the two chairs, with a green lamp. Then, put the other green lamp on a table behind the sofa. Do you have another smaller chair? It could go in a corner, or by the fireplace with the other oak end table, with a checker or chess board on it. Kind of a game chair and table, to itself? Oh, stop me.......... Carla

Your wood floors are absolutely BEAUTIFUL!!! You lucky duck! Now....in my humble opinion....here are a few suggestions... Your sofa works great as a room divider. But...pull 2 chairs in closer to the sofa, facing it. Put a coffee table in the middle, and a big rug, that goes under the sofa, coffee table, and 2 chairs. This will make your seating area cozier and more inviting. Your green lamps are okay, if you are trying to pull in some green. I would also bring some green into the curtains, maybe a painted cornice, or even green valance? Also, definitely green pillows on the couch, along with your other colors. Maybe some chenille throws, over the chairs? Your fireplace mantle maybe could use some "punch" of greenery, either with some pillar candles, or maybe some beatiful silk ivy? Do you have any kind of a table to use behind the sofa? That would really dress it up behind there, and be another place to add some "things". Dining are.....another big rug, to go under the table and chairs. Maybe a berber rug in a neutral color? That way it would be easy clean, and low pile? It would not have to match your other rugs in living area and hallway, as this is another room. As long as it did not clash terribly, it would be fine. Again, maybe some color on the window dressings? Maybe some fabric seat cushions? You have a wonderful room to work with! Possibilities are endless. Nice open, clean space. Go for it. Fill the rooms with things that are "YOU". Things that you love and cherish. Give it your own personality. Whatever style is best for you....contemporary, country, primitive, elegant.....you have the walls and flooring to do whatever is "YOU". I am sure it will turn out wonderfully! Just by restoring those wood floors....shows that you have TASTE! Good luck, and most of all, enjoy decorating. That's what it's all about. Creating a room (s) that we can be proud of, and then feel "at home" in, when we are all done. Carla

Once again, I am sending this to a bunch of people, so if I am repeating myself to some of you, that's why. : ) OK I decided to take the rugs back for sure. We will be getting new ones, but we don't know which ones, yet. Anyway, the reason we have the couch not facing the fire place is because the room is really big and we are using 1/2 of it as the dining room. So we were hoping that the couch would act as a divider, you know? I did push the couch back a little, but it can't go to far because when you walk out of the hall way, you would run right into the couch. The 1st picture is taken from the end of the hallway, turned to the left. The 2nd picture is taken from the front door, also turned to the left. The 3rd picture is Andrew being silly. : ) The 4th picture is taken from the far corner, opposite the front door. The 5th picture is taken from one of the doorways to the kitchen. The 6th picture is also taken from the front door, but I was trying to show more of the dining area. So, I included more of the room in these pictures, but not all of it, because it is a disaster in the kitchen. We had the dining table turned the other way, but I turned it to see if I would like it better. It was lengthwise centered with the window, but there is an entrance into the kitchen from there also, so it can't go to far over to the right. Also I switched the end tables and the lamps. The gold lamp over by the dining table is only there temporarily. Ken accidentally pulled OUT the pull string thingie for the overhead light/fan. So now for my new questions... I got LOTS of suggestions about moving the furniture around, so I am still not sure what to do. If we leave the couch there, should I get a table for the BACK of the couch? Maybe a matching one to go against the window sill? I am for sure going to get a longer runner for in front of the closet all the way to the front door. The rug for the living room will for sure be bigger than the other one I had... Do the green lamps help pull the greens together? I know my furniture is pretty boring, but I am trying to add more interest with the pillows and the rugs... I guess I am just looking for opinions/suggestions in general. Thanks Again, You guys have been great at helping so far. :) ~Allison~

OK I am sending this to a bunch of people to see what everyone thinks... I am trying to put together my new living room, and I am just not happy with anything I do with it. I bought 2 rugs today, that match - we wanted a runner near the front door, because the coat closet is right there and we wanted the rug to be big enough to go in front of that also. I'm afraid that the other rug is to small, the one in front of the couch. Should I get one of those room sized rugs and have it go underneath the couch and the chairs? I don't want too much of the hardwood floors covered, because they are really pretty. Then what about the pillows on the couch - should I put them on our other couch? Do they clash with the rugs? Should I get solid colored rugs? Help! Try to ignore the empty curio cabinet, I want to make sure it is going to stay there before I fill it up. Also I was thinking of getting a short table that is long to go under the window. The other thing is that I want a coffee table that is square that has a glass top to go on top of the big rug- so keep those things in mind - would 2 tables be to much? If so, what do I put under the window sill? Also I don't think we will be keeping the little glass end tables, maybe putting some larger wooden ones in the same places... One will go in between the green chair and the fireplace, the other on the window side of the tan chair. Should I move the couch back further? Would it look strange to have it covering more of the fireplace? As I am writing this and looking at the pictures, I am thinking I should get something that has the dark/forest green, because of the chair and the pillows. The rugs still have the tags on and could easily be returned, so maybe I should just get something simpler, with browns and dark greens? (As opposed to the olive greens that these rugs have.) Many Thanks (in advance) for any help anyone can offer, ~Allison~

Yup, they are. After one year of wear and tear, the one I bought is wiggly and keeps getting knocked over. It isn't even one of the fancy ones, and I still think I payed too much for it. I'm thinking if I design storage for cat food, dog food, and litter at the bottom, that would give it a wide, stable base for my "kitten" (18 months old, 20 pounds) antics, but if I place the different platforms and stuff right then my senior kitty should be able to still enjoy the tree too. She's been missing the current tree alot lately, but the first platform on it is 3' in the air. That's the other thing the cat tree does, keeps the cat food out of the dog's way. Anyways, does this seem feasable? Hope that's a great idea. cat trees are way overpriced. it's unreal. i bet my cat would dig one. phil

Hi All, Looking for a little advice on installing new adhesive vinyl flooring tiles over an existing vinyl tile floor. The current floor is probably a 20-30 year old tile of the harvest gold variety in a 11" x 4' kitchen. Wood floor is underneath. The floor does not have much shine or gloss left to it, but it is in good shape (no cracks or chips) and the surface is very flat. Can I place these new tiles down over the existing floor? What do you suggest as far as cleaning/prepping? Thank you, -Mark

I just went to have a shower and theres no hot water....we have an electric water heater, what could be the problem? If I cant deal with it I will probably call my dad over to look at it tomorrow.....of course I feel grungier than ever knowing I cant have a shower! LOL Brenda

HELP!!! I'm trying to replace a spring loaded self closing door hinge. I can't pry it open enough to get a screw in it. The box said that it had a non-removable pin. Any suggestions?

All righty...an update on the shower of mine that continued into the kitchen. My husband did the work on this btw... After testing the shower for leaks itself, and then running a 5 gallon bucket of water down and finding no PLEWP sounds coming down to the kitchen (or rain) my husband's theory of the plumbing for the shower shutoffs having a leak proved to be true. In fact, the plug that sits at the top of the upside down T for the shutoff valves and the shower head was plastic and was not suitable for the job!!!! I couldn't believe that a plastic part would be used--and that is where the water was leaking. So my husband got a whole new valve assembly requiring that he solder on new fittings as the new didn't align with the old horizontal locations and installed new hardware in the shower as well. So now, I am thinking we better seal that shower up to prevent any future showers in the kitchen since it wasn't the problem this time : )! Thanks for all the feedback! Valerie

Yeayyyyyy!!!!! My dad's coming over to wire in a plug for my heater that is in my bright and shiny new horse trough......Ive been waiting for this for years, no more hauling hot water 3x a day!!!!!! Dad asked where the switch is to turn the electricity off in the barn.......we have no idea.....Dad just shrugged his shoulders and said " not the first time Ive worked with hot wires".....that explains the odd twitch he has.....<just kidding Manitoba, my dad helped him as a kid wire houses there when "newfangled" electricity hit the rural areas.....I still laugh when he tells the stories of his dad playing tricks on him......"here, touch these 2 wires together"..... Brenda

Unless a residence is wired either using BX which is armored cable or conduit there is usually no bond available at the box for the ground connection. I'm not sure that two prong outlets are even available so it is usually necessary to use grounded outlets when replacing old worn out units. This then gives you a grounded outlet which is in fact not grounded. Some are tempted to connect the bond or ground to the neutral but this should not be done since the neutral is a current carrying conductor and as such should not be used for the bond. If there is no bond available some GFCI's will not operate properly unless it can be installed as the first receptacle in the string and have a bond carried from the main box to it. Of course you would need to know how the house was wired and in which order the receptacles were connected to one another. This can be determined but is a bit of a pain and then there is the problem of getting a wire to the receptacle. The usual home owner solution is to install new receptacles where needed and let the Devil take the risk. Three prong un-grounded receptacles are no more dangerous than the two prong that were originally in place, its just that they are deceptive. The kitchen and bath are the areas of greatest electrical hazard and if someone is really concerned these areas probably should be rewired. Dale

I'm sure this will sound truly dumb, but I've never while I've replaced outlets before, they were of the same kind and I just wired in the new one the same way the old one was. Now I need to replace some two-prong outlets with three-prong outlets. Any suggestions/hints/warnings, etc? Thanks - Brian

The appraisal on our house was just completed and it's a family friend so he's kind of helping us out. He thinks our roof will need to be repaired within the next year or 2 but he's going to write it off for us anyway so that we can get our financing. The problem is that if the roof is that bad we need to go down in our offering price for what it woudl cost us to replace it. Has anyone fixed an entire roof before? It's a 1922 1000 sq foot bungalow style house. Currently there's a partially finished attack but Rob thinks that if we replace the roof we might as well complete it as a second story. Has anyone had experience with this? Rob's a carpenter and works for a good building company so we should have the resources to do this. But what are we getting ourselves into? How much could a project like this cost? Sarah

I would suppose that the home electrical system is the single greatest source of mystery that the average home owner needs to contend with. This is probably true because other than the wires that carry the current it is invisible but deadly. Please bear with me as I try to give a step by step explanation of the wiring in the average US home. The transformer at the pole or other distribution point ( which is sometimes underground in newer developments) steps down or reduces the main line high voltage to the 240 Vac that comes into the dwelling. The secondary or house side windings of the transformer are center tapped so that there is a voltage of 120 ACV from each of the legs to the tap. The center-tap is tied to earth ground, first at the pole and also at the house site. It used to be very common to use the city water system as a source of ground, but that has become increasingly less common due to the introduction of plastic pipe and the discovery of corrosion that negated the effectiveness of such a grounding source. A heavy solid copper wire is now carried from the common or ground buss in the main electrical box to a copper plated ground rod that is driven into the ground. If we were to employ electrical distribution that did not include an earth ground we would soon discover that everything we touched shocked us because there would be a potential of about 62 VAC between the distribution system and ground. This condition is very common on sea going vessels as they use an above ground isolated system so that the hull of the vessel does not carry any current. Currents flowing through the steel of a ship will cause corrosion, deterioration and pitting of bearings, and produce magnetic fields which effects compasses, gyros and sets off magnetic mines. The 62 VAC is caused by the transformer action that exists between the ships wiring and the surrounding metal of cable shielding and the hull. If you will observe the electrical cable coming into your home from the pole you will notice that two of the wires are insulated while one us normally bare. The bare wire is the neutral or ground. This is called the neutral because there is zero potential between it and ground since it is in fact tired directly to earth ground. It should be noted here that the white wire is always tied to the "neutral" since of course white is a "Neutral Color." In the world of electronics black is ground because ground or dirt is black, but not so in the home, Black Is Hot. Water can be either an excellent insulator or an effective electrical conductor depending of the impurities such as salts that it carries. Pure distilled water will not conduct electrical currents and is circulated through the high voltage sections of some equipments such as high powered radio transmitters for cooling. We are all familiar with the static charge that can be generated by shuffling our feet across new carpet and reaching for the door knob or a lamp. This same effect can be created by water flowing through metal or plastic pipes that have no connection to earth ground. It will be noticed that the condition only exists when the water is flowing but quickly dissipates when the flow is stopped. Clamping a bare ground wire to the metal body of a faucet and attaching the other end to a ground rod will carry the offending currents to ground. It is sometimes possible to carry a current from a defective element in an electric hot water heater to the shower or tub faucets through plastic or ground isolated plumbing. I hope this over simplified explanation might be of some assistance in beginning to understand part of the home electrical service. Dale

im a young future-to-be arcitect. My parents decided to let me install a bathroom ceiling fan and i was wondering if anybody here knew how to install it to a driffrent outlet, so that the fan wont turn on every time we turn on the light. Thanx Jose

Hello All, I am looking to buy a house in Jupiter Farms, I want to know is buying a wood house in Florida is such a good idea. Everyone I have spoken to says never buy a wood house, but nobody knows why it is bad. Can anyone help me by telling me the problems with owing a wood house, i.e. more maintenance, subterranean termites, etc. Thanks. Allegra

Hello all - I'm new; new to the group, new to owning a house...just generally new. I have a question. Our downstairs bath (we have a back split level, 3 bdrm house in Ottawa, Canada)has a fairly cheesy shower stall in it; it is a small, rickety metal thing that we'll likely change at some point, but suits for now. The fixtures are basic metal stainless steel. When I take a shower, whenever I adjust the hot or cold, I notice a tingling that I am convinced in some sort of electrical current. It is not strong (I know what 110 volts feels like, having changed all the light fixtures, but that is another story), but it is quite noticeable. It is NOT there when the water is not running. Anyone have any idea what this might be? The fact that it is not there when the water is off makes me think I don't have to dive right in and take it apart, but I would like to know what is causing it. Is it possible the water flow sets up some weak electric charge, or am I on the way to being electrocuted? Thanks for your help Jamie

Hello All, I am looking to buy a house in Jupiter Farms, I want to know is buying a wood house in Florida is such a good idea. Everyone I have spoken to says never buy a wood house, but nobody knows why it is bad. Can anyone help me by telling me the problems with owing a wood house, i.e. more maintenance, subterranean termites, etc. Thanks. Allegra

I knew Id get someone to bite! I was just teasing... honestly.....although HP isnt present in our house, I personally cant wait to see how they do with The Lord of The Rings...... Brenda

For all those who answered my question about the microwave shelf, thank you. I have decided to buy a new upgraded range hood model and a new under the counter microwave I am placing below another cabinet. Now my next question is, there is laminate on the walls behind the range hood and I want to replace it with ceramic tile. I tore off the laminate which basically just fell off because it apparently wasn't glued on very well or is really old. Now how do I remove the yellow adhesive that is all over the wall? Is there a really good solvent I should use or should I sand it smooth or any other ideas? Thanks for your help. Melissa

Mike, Could you send out another set? This sounds like a great gift for my daughter! Thanks in advance, Valerie vcveggie@...

My dryer has NO heat coming from it whatsoever! YIKES! Anybody ever fix a dryer before? It is a Kenmore, about 7 years old. Surely it isn't ready for the pasture yet?!? Anybody have any ideas for me to fix it, other than calling Mr. Kenmore?? I am thinking the heating element could be the only thing wrong with it, right?? Any ideas wouild be most appreciated. Thanks in advance. Jen in Texas

I sent out 4 sets if you did't get them let me know and I'll try agan. Mike

got my work bench done finally. included is a pic. i put a can of spray paint on it to give a sense of proportion. i guess i will stain it using some leftover baer cedar stain. i am looking for some ideas on what to put on top of the stain. something that will seal and protect the finish. i could go with varnish, shellac, polyurethane, etc... any ideas on what would work best? phil

I didn't understand my husband's urgency that I should run down stairs immediately after stepping out of the shower...but of course it's not every day you actually get rain in the kitchen. It poured out of the recessed light fixture in the kitchen which is below the shower in our master bath. Strange that I heard trickling in the ceiling yesterday while husband was up in the shower but no rain. So do we attack it from the bottom up? tear out the kitchen ceiling for access to the plumbing of the shower drain, etc? The tile/grout of the shower all seems to be in tact but haven't performed a 'leak test' yet. house built in the mid-60s... Anybody had a similar experience? Luckily we do have another bath with shower!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Valerie

I was just over at the local Super Walmart doing some grocery buying and guess what I saw -- a whole pile of DeWalt corded and 9.6V cordless drill/drivers smack in the middle of the (rather generous) Black & Decker shelf space. Now if that doesn't proof the dough, I dunno what else might :-) Steve SnS Computer & Small Business Support Services What You Need ... When You Need It www.ApacheTrail.com Mesa, AZ

Hello Again I have a question. I am going to replace our baseboard trim in all the rooms as we remodel them. The problem is: We are not getting new carpet (in the upstairs) and Pergo (downstairs) until we get the whole house remodeled. I was thinking of replacing the baseboard once the new floor is laid, but a guy here says I should put the new baseboard trim on before we recarpet. Which method do you guys recommend? Thank you Andy

Hello Guys We are thinking of replacing our baseboard heaters with new ones. Is this something I could do alone, or is it more indepth and should require a professional? I can hook up lights and stuff like that. Also, how much does a new baseboard heater cost? Are they expensive, or relatively inexpensive. Thank you Andy

Hello. I just joined this group a couple of weeks ago and this is my first posting. I am trying to do some work on my kitchen and my question is this. Is a range hood necessary over a stove? I have thought about removing it and replacing it with a microwave shelf since I have a small kitchen and nowhere to put a microwave and also installing a ceiling fan/light. I would like to know people's thoughts on this idea. I've seen pictures of others who have placed microwave shelves over their stoves but not sure how viable an idea it is. Melissa

Does anyone know of a good site regarding remodeling Victorian homes?

Suzi, this is fascinating! Dumb question--do you paint right over the grout and then regrout? Also, in a previous post, you mentioned countertops. Is it possible to paint laminate countertops? Thanks, Bonna

For those of you who wanted to know how to paint ceramic tile: First, I scrape the tile with a 4" razor blade scraper to get rid of soap scum. Then I clean it with Lime-Away to remove any residual film. After that I put a wire brush attachment on my drill and scuff up the tile surface. I go over the areas around the soap dish, faucet, etc, several times because these areas collect more soap and mineral deposits. After this, I wipe down the tile with a damp rag and dry it with a lint free cloth.. The first time I painted I used XIM primer. This time I decided to use Valspar Glossy Surface Prep. My son, who is a commercial painter, was very impressed with its adhesion properties. I apply the primer with a 1" x 3" Shur-line trim and touch-up roller, very sparingly. You have to put on a very thin coat the first time or it will run like crazy. You also have to work quickly because these primers are very fast drying. Don't go back over the areas you've already rolled or you will lift the paint and make a mess. It doesn't matter if the color shows through as long as the surface is completely coated. The first coat is just to provide adhesion for succeeding coats. Set up a fan to draw the fumes out of the room because it's pretty heady stuff -- I was trippin' by the time I finished. Although the primer dries very quickly, it actually takes a few days to set up. I waited 3-4 days before applying a second coat of primer. Then I waited another 3-4 days before painting. For a finish coat, you can use any good quality alkyd enamel. Red Devil poly paints would work well, too. Klenks makes an epoxy paint especially for tile and I have used this in the past, but I found that the enamel holds up just as well and is easier to use. (much less expensive, too) Although I used a semi gloss the last time, I am using a satin finish this time round to help disguise any imperfections in the paint. I used the Shur-line roller for the paint as well. It puts on a nice, smooth even coat.and it's small enough to get into tight areas around the toilet, etc. Shurline also makes a 1- 1/2 " trim and touch up pad which I used for cutting in around the soap dishes and in corrners. I used a 1/2" artist's brush for the finicky spots around the faucet, controls, etc. I used 2 coats . Follow the directions on the can which will tell you how soon you can apply a second coat. Some poly paints have a "window" The most important thing I can tell you is to prep the surface properly and don't take shortcuts. Also, you have to care for the finish properly. I use a spray tub and tile cleaner. If you have any more specific questions, I'll be glad to answer them. Suzi

I realize that reciprocating saws aren't exactly the "in thing" for general home maintenance -- or very practical substitutes for fine dinner ware, but I'm in the (immediate) market for one and will appreciate some views on a couple of these rapacious beasts. Ace Hardware has both a Milwaukee & a DeWalt (both 110V plug-ins) on sale for $99. -- sorry, I'm not sure of the particular model numbers of either. Any pros or cons regarding either mfr's unit(s) ? Particular considerations such as weight / ease of handling? "Bang for Buck" -- especially since both are available at the same price (for the moment) ? I suspect the primary "targets" of the saw will be some or all of the 17 trees on my lot that are indigenous to the Sonoran Desert -- as the saying goes, if it doesn't bite, sting or stick, it'll find another way to "getcha" :-) The yellow one goes off sale on Tues - the red one goes off sale a week later. Thanks for sharing your views! -- Steve www.ApacheTrail.com Mesa, AZ

Thanks to everyone who responded regarding the popcorn ceilings. I will probably bite the bullet and go ahead and scrape. If you hold the bucket as someone suggested it does help cut down on the clean up. The other thing is to sharpen the scraping tool. The sharper it is the easier it is to scrape, the less damage you do to the drywall, and you can get a lot of it off without wetting it. Now, for a new question. I want to tile my finished basement. The floor is concrete. Can I put the ceramic tile directly over the tile? It is dry, I have already checked by taping the plastic bag down. I've never tiled before. Thanks. --- Carla Radke --- radke2@... --- EarthLink: It's your Internet.

I have been busy at work on our Garage lately. It had been completely full of junk belonging to one our tenants up until a month ago, so I had never really gotten to tinker out there at all. Its 18' X 24', which is a pretty good size for our neighberhood. Most of the houses here have no garage or just a single car. An aquaintance who is an electrician scored me 8 8' flouresent fixtures from a convenience store remodel they were doing. We got 4 of them installed last weekend, but he had forgotten the end caps for the other 4 so they will have to wait. As it is it is very well lit in there now so I will probably save them for the basement or something. I hadnt been able to figure out why I couldnt get the electricity out there to work until the same buddy helped me trace the circuit and I found it to be one of our many "Mystery Switches" here in the house that turned off the Garage. Doh! Now if only I could solve the mystery of the others... I'm having fun rewiring stuff out there - Its nice when everything is exposed and easy to get at.... I put in a security light on the front and will be installing a couple more in the next few weeks - We had a car broken into last week so Im trying to get everything as well lit as possible (the joys of city living :-) ) Anyhow, I actually have a question! What is a good way to clean a concrete slab floor? It doesnt have to be spotless or anything, but I'd like to try and pick up some of the 30 or 40 years of grease and grime out there. Any suggestions? One last thing... I had been looking at an intro to wiring book at HD today and decided to hold off as it was $25 and I shouldnt really spend the money. I just ordered a used copy of the same book off of Amazon.com for $5.99 +$3.50 S/H. Good deal! They have a lot of home improvement books available used....Its a great way to save cash... Liam

You and I are doing the same thing but I"m a little ahead of you. You start on paper. Draw a scale layout of the basement including the current location of electric, water, etc. and plan the rooms from there. Don't forget to look overhead. If the ceilings are "clean", that is pipes and wires are run through the floor joists rather than under them you can drywall the ceiling. Otherwise, you need to plan on acoustic ceiling tiles which can greatly reduce the ceiling height, or re-route the offending stuff. (Electric is not hard, plumbing can be a nightmare!) Do you want a bathroom? If so, you may want to have a contractor come in and give an estimate to cut your slab for toilet and shower drains so they can be tied into the soil stack. (Still sure you wanna do this?) After this, it's pretty much like making any other room. Another poster was right in that any floor studs need to be treated lumber, but I found a hammer drill isn't necessary to drill for tap-cons. The supplied bit is good for 50 or so holes and they're relatively cheap. A little lube and a lot of patience go a long way. On vapor barriers: a good friend of mine is an R&D Engineer for a famous insulation company (think pink!) and current thought is going away from the concept. If your house was built with warm and dry insulating board (or equivalent) on the outside of the basement walls, the inside needs to breathe. A vapor barrier may prevent that. It has been said there are two kinds of basements: those that leak and those that are going to! I prefer to close my eyes and say:"I can't hear you, I can't hear you." Good luck.

We dont use our Fireplace much- in fact I wouldnt have cared if this house didnt have one but then I live in the Desert. Anyhow what would be the preferred thing to stuff up the chimney from inside to have less cold air come into the room? Do they make something for this? Or should I buy some of that roll insulation and squeeze it up there? Any alternate suggestions? I want it to be easy to pull out because we do make 2 or 3 fires per year. Thanks!!!! Rebecca

The inspector came yesterday and everything went wonderfully! I'm getting really excited about moving in now and making our own improvements. Does anyone know of a good spot on the internet where I can get clippings and colour information like I might find in a magazine so that I can browse a little while I'm at work. I'm trying to get an idea for how we're going to redesign the kitchen. (new paint, wall paper, vinyl etc.) Sarah

Perhaps someone there can help me with some water problems. I recently had both a new water heater and a new water pump installed. Both of them are acting rather peculiar. If I take a shower then the water never really gets hot, but if I fill up the bathtub, soak for a while and then take a shower the water does get hot. Any clues as to what the problem could be? The water pump is also giving us some problems. I turn on the water and it runs for a couple of minutes, then all of a sudden the water stops for about 20 seconds then starts back up. Any ideas? Thanks! Angela

Hi, My house was built about 1980. The kitchen walls are covered with what looks like a "faux" paneling, brown with wildlife scenes stamped into it. This is on the upper part of the walls, separated by a chair rail from "real" wood paneling. The cabinets are brown wood finish. The previous owners added a covered patio onto the back of the house, so we don't get a lot of direct light from the window and door. The whole effect is rather dreary for a kitchen. I can paint the ceiling a nice, bright white, paint the cabinets, too, but my question is, has anyone ever tried to paint faux paneling such as I've described? I've also considered removing it, but I don't know what's behind it and I hesitate to take on such a huge job. Thanks, Bonna

Hi... I just joined this list. My name is Mary-Lee (ML works). I want to learn to do as much of the upkeep of my "cabin in the woods" myself as possible. I'm having a blast so far, but am interested in learning some basic electrical stuff among other things. Right now, my water pump is giving me a hard time... can anyone give me some basic "settings"? Should the cutoff pressure be higher or lower than the "on" pressure? Any advice will be helpful and I really HATE the thought of paying a plumber $100 for something I may be able to do myself.... Thanks... ML *~*~*~*~*~*~ "We are coming after you -- and the fury of hell is coming with us...." (Rep. Charles Norwood, Georgia )

Can ceramic tile....4" square,shiney surface ones used on bathroom walls,counter top and tub surround....be painted and still look good? If not, and it has to be replaced, how do you get the old mastic off the wall? Or do the walls have to be redone too? Dd is moving to a great old house that has lots of this tile in both bathrooms...neither one of which matches her "hope chest" FULL of bathroom towls, curtains, accessories. Thanks for any help you can give. Susie<

I have noticed several posts and questions lately concerning the probability of finishing existing basements. In response to some of these and for the information of others who might have thoughts of such an undertaking in the future, I would offer the following ideas and observations. Unless someone is living in the desert Southwest, I doubt that a really dry basement ever exists, and even in dry arid regions there is some soil moisture to be taken into consideration. Concrete contains pores and these will absorb and transfer some amount of moisture. There is also to be considered the probability that over time minute cracks will develop and these will definitely allow the intrusion of moisture. Now having painted a rather bleak picture of sorts, I wish to advise that the most expensive end game almost always begins by taking the least expensive short cut, and so you say, just what is this guy getting at. I will explain. In order to have a finished basement that does not look, feel and eventually smell like a basement, the outer walls must be kept open so that air can circulate and moisture is not trapped in dead air spaces where mold can grow giving the whole area the smell and feeling of a cave. My personal solution was the following. I built a separate wall out about 6 inches from the basement wall. This wall included openings for windows just as I had in the above ground portion of the home. Prior to standing the studs in place I glued heavy aluminum foil to the concrete where the windows were to be and after putting the studs up 4 foot single light florescent fixtures were put on both sides of each window opening. These fixtures were mounted so that they could easily be brought back into the room for repair should I need to replace a ballast at some future date. This meant leaving some slack in the romex when wiring. I built my own removable windows complete with the small panes and mullions. This method solved several problems all at once. One was the provision for air to circulate behind the walls, second was the ability to light the room with out hanging lights in an already marginal ceiling space, and last the installation of windows and curtains removed the appearance that you had just entered the land of the underworld. I would suppose that some of the murals that are now available would serve the same reflective purpose as the foil and give added charm by being able to draw back the curtains. When wiring for outlets I spaced receptacles just as I would in any other area, with several that were switched for floor or table lamps. I gat a bit carried away with the concept and added a bay window behind the bar and a door at one end which only led to the corner where the main electrical entrance and breakers were located. Styrofoam insulation had not yet become readily available or I would have insulated between the studs to add for extra noise abatement and the cozy feeling. My floor treatment was a bit different. in that this home was in Northeast Coastal New England and wide board floors were all the rage. I carefully coated the floor under each board with a roofing like sealant which was then covered with heavy plastic builders film and then after drilling and screwing each board to the floor, glued wood plugs over the sunken screw heads. Once the floor was sanded, filled, stained and finished the illusion was complete.

We need a doorbell but I have no idea how to buy a doorbell! LOL With 18 "+ thick walls, we have a hard time hearing anyone knock on our doors especially if Im upstairs at the front of the house and they're at the back of the house......sooooo....what does one look for in doorbells? We have 3 doors, can you get ones that chime differently at each door so we know which one to go to? Are they wired in or wireless? And what can I expect to pay for a decent one? We had even debated about getting one of those driveway alarms like they have at gas stations, I dont know how many times people have said they've stopped at our house and got no answer tho I was home! Brenda

I have the honour of sharing Ronald McDonalds birthday.......you have no idea how cruel other children can be! LOL Brenda

Hello everyone, I am interested in painting a small hallway floor in a checker board design, has anyone ever done this? Does anyone know the procedure for doing it, websites maybe? Thankyou for any input, take care April

In one room of our house there's been a slop paneling job to cover old wall paper. The wallpaper underneath looks almost like it's rotting or something, it's bad. What's the best way to remove wallpaper like this and get back to a clean surface so that we can paint? I haven't really tackeled the project yet (we haven't even moved into the house) I just want to get a heads up coz I know it's going to be a bear.... Sarah

What is the easiest way to paint popcorn ceilings? --- Carla Radke --- radke2@... --- EarthLink: It's your Internet.

Hi, I'm new to the group and joined so I could get some advise on a problem I've encountered with my basement floor. I bought this house with an unfinished basement and am in the process of building rooms. Of course, the first room I make has a clean-out plug flush with the floor in the middle of the room! I plan to carpet the room but I want to have future access to the plug if necessary. Question: Is there a 4" chrome or stainless floor flange and cap available? I need to be able to thread it into the existing pipe and raise it about 1/4 to 1/2 inch so I can put down carpet tack strips. I can't seem to find one available locally. Am I even going about this the right way? PS: This will no doubt be the first of many questions. I have a habit of "designing myself into a corner" on a regular basis!

Flatlands Chill: For the benefit of those who have never had the opportunity to experience a winter on the Flatlands of the Central US, I would like to offer the following perspective. The Flatlands are comprised of a strip of land that begins on the western edge of the rolling grass covered Flint Hills in east central Kansas and extend westward to the eastern slope of the Rockies. This relatively uninterrupted expanse runs from the Gulf in the south to well into Central Canada. Our weather systems, which move west to east, build up on the western side of the Rockies and the high plains of Wyoming, then come sweeping down from the upper elevations bringing sustained winds which render otherwise moderate temperatures into bone chilling penetration's. Moisture drawn north from the Gulf raises the humidity causing the temperature to seem far colder than it actually might be. It is not uncommon to experience temperature gradients that might range from the mid to upper 60's at noon to below zero by night fall, these when coupled with common area wind conditions can drive the chill-factor to as low as -50 degrees Fahrenheit. Trucks, which might have become mired in mud during the day, can actually have the tread pealed from their tires when they are pulled from the rock hard earth. Rain and subsequent ice may transform the landscape into a winter wonderland with the tiniest blades of vegetation seemingly dipped in crystal, but as is too often true, beauty comes at a price. Ice burdened trees and power lines collapse under the added weight, leaving rural communities without power for days at a time. Cattle driven forward ahead of the winds and finding the barbs of the fences coated and no longer offensive will push on through to wonder at will. Ice encrusted feed bunks need to be cleaned, livestock waters freeze from lose of power, roads and bridges are nearly impassable and life slows to a crawl. Snow driven mercilessly by high winds creates blizzards that often close the Interstate system creating mini refugee camps as motorists seek shelter in small towns and cities along the way. Cattle drifted in and unable to find food or shelter may in some instances die by the thousands creating not only great financial loss but an instant overload of the rendering and carcass disposal business. I can almost hear the exclamations wondering why anyone would want to live under such austere conditions, let along claim to enjoy it. While the preceding narrative is very true there are also years when little or no precipitation falls in the form of either ice or snow. Christmas day may dawn on a landscape as devoid of the hint of winter as a tropical dessert. Pansies can be seen bursting into bloom when a protective covering of autumn leaves has been pulled away. Cattle can be seen grazing in pastures of winter wheat that appears like emerald seas amidst backgrounds of winter brown. It is this veritable smorgasbord of conditions that molds and tempers those who have chosen to call the flatlands home. Just as the extreme heat of the smelter refines the gold, so do the austere condition of the flatlands produce young men and women that are sought out by business and industry nation wide for their work ethics and can-do attitudes. There is also the added advantage of granting those so inclined the opportunity to catch up on all those little indoor tasks that have for so long been set aside. The indulgent of a good book, catching up on long neglected correspondence, or just an evening's conversation with family and friends. So, do we love the flatlands? Probably not, but we do develop an appreciation for subtle beauties that might not be so obvious in another less demanding setting. Dale

Hi list, am planning to upgrade a oil fired central heating system, and need to calculate the correct sizing of the radiators for each room. Is there a software availiable for to do this, or can somebody point me to a source of the revelant formulas. TIA John

Heard on the radio the other day that in China they have installed a sliding window in between the stalls in the ladies room......since we always go in pairs right? Now, thats fine and dandy but we can already talk between the stalls.....do we really need to SEE one another??????????????? Brenda

I installed a fluid master toilet (the kit from Home Depot) that has a "flapper" to control the water flush. Unfortunately, when I flush, it requires holding the handle down, otherwise the flap falls, before all of the tank water drains. Is there a solution to this? I made sure the slack from the chain to the flapper was only about 1/4", and am not sure what else to try. APpreciate some help on this. joe

Thanks Sarah! The house was built in the 50's, I forget which year exactly. :) But it is 2000 sq ft, 1000 upstairs, 1000 downstairs. There was a ton of paint on the floor of Andrew's bedroom, from when the previous owners painted the ceiling baby blue. I guess it took forever to get it off, but it did come off, woohoo! I am so excited to finish them, they will look so much better! Thanks for looking, ~Allison W~

Hi all, My husband and I just installed a 3" high base molding in our hallway/entryway and family room. The hallway looks great, just some teeny, paper-thin little gaps between the wall and molding that I filled with a bit of caulk and painted... ...the family room has these *huge* gaps that I can't seem to nail in. They are in the corners of the room on either side of the fireplace, and it seems the wall bows in to such a degree that unless I break the molding, it ain't gonna lie flat on the wall. The gaps are not quite 1/4". It's only a section about 1.5' wide out of a 3' piece that has the gap. Now, what's the best way to tackle this? I tried to use a gob of caulk, but I think the durn gap goes down a long way, because I keep getting hollow bubbles. I quit to see what else I should do. If I fill it up with a bunch of caulk, will the caulk crumble and crack? Thanks for any help, Gina

i just wanted to thank all of you for your help and ideas. having the septic pumped this am and pulled the toilet to find many un-flushable items. you guys are a God-sent for a bone-head like me. Thank You Thank You Thank You have a happy thanksgiving and God Bless America jeannie

Liz, Actually, the ceiling is messed up there, too (because of the cabinet that we took out) so it is funny that you say that, because that is what my husband was saying - "Let's just get something tall to put here, put a plant on top of it, and then we don't have to worry about the ceiling" :) And about the kitchen, we are actually replacing the cabinets because we are remodeling the whole thing. We are putting in a dishwasher when there was none before, putting the refridgerator in a totally different spot, and also putting in a short bar. I would send the neato pictures I have, but they are on paper and my scanner is broken. Maybe I will try to take pictures of it with my digital camera, :) But we are trying to salvage some of the cabinets and put them in the laundry room for storage. So far we have saved 1 out of 3, because of the whole sharing sides thing. :) Thanks, ~Allison W~

.....I am not!!! LOL.....Ok, here's the story, our upstairs hallway used to be the kitchen area when the upstairs was a separate apartment so there is a small counter with a sink in it. The men were using this counter as a workbench when they cut the wood to reframe Stephens room.....apparently there was a lot of sawdust in the sink and today when I was done painting I decided to use that sink instead of going downstairs to clean my brushes out.....well it was clogged and the sink was full of painty water. SOooooo I got the ole plunger out and plunged and plunged for about 15 minutes.....I could hear the slow trickle of water draining down ( the pipes run through the wall between the family room and living room) and one more good PLUNGE and I could hear water GUSHING.....but it didnt sound like it was going through a pipe and looking down into the drain I could see the inside of the cupboard!!!!!! By this time my mouth was hanging open and I was doing the "Oh $^%^#!!!!"......By the time I even thought of getting a towel the water was gone.....and it hasnt reappeared anywhere yet.....??? But the pipe is totally disconnected under the sink, after all that work using that stupid plunger and I still had to take my stuff downstairs to wash it out! LOL Brenda

oh man i need help our toilet was running slow but now there is somekinda back wash coming up in the tub and there appears to be water leaking out of the bottom of the toilet. great timing, 2 days before 12 assorted relatives are coming for the weekend. this means every one will be using the masterbath. we have a spetic system...any clues...any help...(other than escaping out of town before they arrive?) jeannie

A pressure washer is surprisingly easy to use and cheap to rent (or borrow). The force of the water gets down into the nitty gritty little crevices and flushes all of the gunk right off, with no harmful chemicals to linger in the soil and kill your plants. Cherie "You must be the change you want to see in the world." - Gandhi

Hi. I'm relatively new to the list. You gals and guys have done some very cool work. I live in an apartment that I don't own. I have a landlord that some people would call a slum landlord. She does not repair things unless I start withholding rent. I am under rent control but if I move she can increase the rent drastically. (she keeps telling me to move so she can jack up the rent). One of my problems is the bathroom. I cannot take a bath without all of the water coming out of the tub and going all over the floor. It is not that the water is above the (forgive me I don't know the correct name) drain midway up the tub. I live ground level so I don't have far to go if the tub one day "gives way". I've noticed when I shower that there is one spot where the water is leaking from but I don't know where the actual leak in the tub is. I'm a want to be do it yourself fixeruper! I have various tools, drills and even a silicone tube with a "gun". The problem is I'm not very good at it. In fact if they gave licences for this type of work, I should have mine revoked. With that in mind, I was thinking of just sealing the base of the tub with the silicone. The problem is I have no idea where the water will go! I'm sure you have some better ideas on how I can figure out where the crack actually is. I would really like to take a long leisurely bath and have the water stay in the tub and not have to mop the floor for 20 minutes afterwards. Regards Janice

In the house we are buying the back wall down stairs is contrete ( cinder?) blocks because it is built into the ground. Right now it is painted brown, because the trim is all brown, and the beams in the celieing are brown too. IS there anything we can do with it? To make it look nice? Any ideas would be apreciated! Thanks! Kellie Warner

Ok forgive me I just joined this group and I know nothing about home improvments. My husband and i are going to take on a project come the spring to tile our master bathroom. My question is I have one of those built in showers. I thinks its plastic. Can I place ceramic tile over this or do I have to have it removed first? can I remove it or should a plumber do it? Also where can i get some great design, color ideas on the internet for my bathroom. I want to use different color tiles and need a starting point. Thanks for all your help.

Does anyone have any idea on the cost of roofing a house? Just the supplies coz we're goign to do it ourselves of course. I see on home depot that shingles are 14.95 for 100... The house inside is about 950 square feet and it's only one floor. Roofs have a good slope.

Ok..the good news is that I have gotten more than half the bathroom tiled. Looks great, btw! Now the bad news, and perhaps somebody will have some advice for me. While attempting to pull up the toilet, we discovered the bolts were so rusted, they are not budging! We sprayed some WD-40 on them, but as of yet...no movement! So...I was thinking two things...hack saw (lol) or a pair of vice grips; one holding the bolt, one holding the nut. Anybody have any thoughts on this?? Thanks Jen in Texas

I just submitted the offer on the house I'm trying to buy.... Wish me *luck*. I'll be able to get started on those repairs if all goes well ******SARAH*****

I'm new here. I thought I'd join because we're getting ready to make an offer on a home that is going to need a ton of Do It Yourself repairs!... Here's a couple to start with... -New Carpet for entire house -New Paint for entire house -New Vinyl flooring for kitchen and bath. -New Cabinetry in kitchen and possibly bath. -Bathroom expantion (to add bathtub) -New Roof -Possibly New Plumbing -Eventual Finishing of the Basement Does anyone have any cost friendly tips for getting this stuff taken care of? Sarah

OK...I have gone and looked at shower curtains. And I must admit, paying $60 for a piece of fabric, really doesn't thrill me...imagine that? So I was wondering if anybody had some less expensive, more creative alternatives? I thought about painting one, but I really don't have the room in my house to do that and I don't have the time either. Does anybody have any other ideas?? Thanks in advance. Jen in Texas

They don't think it was terrorist related. -Other Liz

Hello Group I live in the NE, and in the winter time, it gets pretty cold. I am in the process of stripping all the doors and cabinets in our house, and have to strip them in the garage for obvious reasons. The thing is, it gets really cold in the garage, and I want to have some sort of heat source for when I work, but I don't know which type would work the best, and thought maybe you guys could share some insight. There are basically three types I am looking to get: a kerosene heater, an electric type that looks like a radiator, and a ceramic heater. The one I do not want is a tornado type heat thrower. I think a kerosene heater would provide the most amount of heat, but I am afraid the fire possibiltiy and breathing the fumes while I am working in the garage. It is the most expensive to buy, but might provide the best heat source. The electric radiator is pretty cheap to buy, but I don't know how much it will heat a garage, and might be pretty high on an electric bill, the same goes for a ceramic heater. These are my thoughts right now, but if anyone has some comments / suggestions / experiences, I would love to hear them, to help my decision. Thank you for your time and help Andy

I do believe that I am going through an identity crisis. Two Karl's and Liz's come in pairs now as well, if another Dale joins I'm changing my name to Dudley. Dale

, I was looking at the pictures of your house and noticed your reference to silicone "privacy" treatment. Can you tell me more about it? It sounds very interesting. Liz ********************************************************************* Do not fold, staple, crumple, or mutilate this email message!

Hi all I'm a first time home owner and I need a little help. In my attic (or master bedroom) I have Two crawl spaces that have insolation on the floor but there's nothing on the sides where the roof is. I want to know if I put insolation on the walls do I need to worry about some kind of moister barrier or will insolation against the wood be OK? It gets a little cold up there in the winter... (OHIO here) Thanks Jeff

I have a half circle, dome, window you know the types above a main window.....does not open. Lets in horrid amount of sun and heat. I have seen before, don't know what it is called, something akin to plantation shutters, slates over the half dome. I don't want to pay for plantation shutters. I was wondering has anybody seen what I'm talking about.....or better yet done that to their window?........is it trim work?.........it doesn't have to be functional. It's for privacy and blocking some of the sun. Thanks so much. Terry cdunford@...

How about buying a whole new complete axe??? We priced hammer handles one day to replace one and it was only a couple more bucks to buy the same hammer over again.......used the old hammer head to prop the chicken house door open.... Brenda

You might have but I'm stuck in the middle of a French country mudroom...lol....damn I need some inspiration... Vicki from Oz

OK...I got a question for all of you expert do it yourselfers!... When you tile, do you take the baseboards off?? We have the regular flat baseboard and then a quarter round (attached to the flat board) that meets the floor. I have heard conflicting stuff on this. On one hand, it would make sense to take them off because if you don't then you would need to possibly cut the bottom of the door to account for the extra heighth, but then again, if you take them off, what exactly do you grout TO when grouting towards the wall?? Make sense?? Your thoughts?? Also, any tips and tricks on doing this? This will be my first endeavor in tiling. I have taken a class and done some reading on it as well...but I am still nervous about doing it! Thanks in advance. Jen in TX

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