Tarting up my blog banner

I'm trying to figure out how to tart up my blog banner with a graphic without spending a disproportionate amount in new software. I know it needs to be in .gif or .jpg for Houseblogs.  Ditto to work properly as an "Image Only" header in Blogger.  I've worked something up in Word with an image and text, but of course, that's saved as a .doc. I figure it must be easily done, since I see so many attractive banners on this forum! How do I get from .doc to .gif or .jpg? Any ideas?  Thanks!

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Asked on 2007-05-24 02:13:33

Uploading a blog banner

I am new to this site and having trouble getting my banner on the site.  Any suggestions?  I can't find anyone to contact. Thanks, Amanda "Something Old is New"  

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Asked on 2007-05-22 14:59:53

"Pale" tiles - advice needed

I read a lot about tiles and tiling in different of your blogs and therefore I'm looking for some advice: We have beautiful old tiles (red and grey chequer-board pattern) in our entrance hall, I guess they're about 60-70 years old although I don't really know. In general they are in good condition, but what bothers me is that they're kind of pale or colourless which is obviously not what they looked like originally. I'd like to refresh the original colours (especially the red tiles) but I don't know how to do that. At first I thought it might be some kind of cement residue that makes the tiles look colourless, but it isn't. Of course I tried cleaning them, even with a special tile cleaner (although I have the impression it's just a cool name on a simple general-purpose cleaner), and superficially they're clean now, but the paleness remains. Any ideas out there how I could handle this? Thanks in advance!  Anna

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Asked on 2007-05-19 10:23:31

porch flooring

We have a beautiful new remodel that's almost complete. We live in Seattle, so weather is ... wet. I'm not sure what to use for our porch floor. As I look around, so many houses just have brushed concrete, with concrete steps. Or the new construction has all wood steps and all. We're bid in our contract to have concrete, but I'm wondering what is the best investment, and best looking. What's the consensus out there? Is wood that much of a hassle to maintain? I'm thinking wood stairs are out, since they get slippery. Contractor suggested a stone surface ontop of concrete... like maybe slate, or flag stone, and us this on the path too. But I haven't seen any like this. I'm just wondering what people have liked or disliked about their porch floors? Thanks for any insight

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Asked on 2007-05-18 23:44:30

Sanding Hardwood Under Cabinet

Does anyone have a suggestion for sanding a hardwood , beautiful maple, floor under the cabinet up to the kick plate.  We sanded the floor and the edger did not reach nearly far enough.  Now I have to hand sand about a 4" strip under the cabinets.  We have tried just about every kind of stipper we know of, and nothing has worked so far.  I wondered how many others have had this trouble, and if anyone had any suggestions???  At this point I think I need to pick up a few more cans of elbow grease next time I stop for supplies.

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Asked on 2007-05-14 14:41:45

Bathroom remodeling

We are putting together plans ot remodel 20 year old bathroom.  Does anyone know differences and benefits of onyx versus swanstone?  

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Asked on 2007-05-11 20:10:08

matching switchplates and outlet covers for subway tile

i am installing the "subway ceramics" subway tile as backsplash in my kitchen - we need to find outlet and switch covers.. has anyone found any that match perfectly?

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Asked on 2007-05-08 22:29:02

Any advice for organizing a neighborhood house tour?

I belong to our neighborhood's civic association.  We are trying to organize a neighborhood house tour to show off all of the historic homes in the area.  The problem is that while everyone wants to peep into everyone else's home, no one wants to put their home on the tour - my husband included!  Any advice on organizing a tour, particularly on how to get people to agree to put their homes on the tour?  Thanks!

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Asked on 2007-05-08 19:16:48

Drain line on Pedestal sink

I'm installing a pedestal sink in our redone bathroom.  What I've found is the waste line where it goes into the wall is about 2-3 inches left of center of the sink and vanity mirror.  The result is the p-trap isn't going to be hidden by the pedestal as would be preferred.  Since this part of the sink isn't seen when in the room (it's on an inside corner next to the door) I'm wondering if it is really a big deal.  Maybe a bit tacky, but it would save me from tearing into drywall to line this up.  Any suggestions or experience? -Nick

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Asked on 2007-05-07 14:17:20

Swimming pond

Hello! As described in the second part of my latest blogpost, we are thinking of building a swimming pond instead of/in combination with a garden pond. It would be great if you could share your experiences regarding swimming ponds with us! I'm interested in comments on planning, building and also using a swimming pond. All of your comments would be much appreciated! Thanks Anna

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Asked on 2007-05-02 00:45:51

Please help me with houseblogs directory

I entered as a member and placed my blog info in the boxes, but I don't see my blog on the recent members list.  I don't know what I am doing wrong... Can someone please help me.  I want to enable the automtic feed for blogger also and i'm not sure I did that correctly.  Any help will be much appreciated.  Trudi

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Asked on 2007-05-01 20:41:29

Sewer or Septic - How to tell?! Crazy but true...

We've got a pretty crazy situation which we soooo need to start blogging about, but so far haven't started. Anyway, we now own a 2nd house - a 1920's cottage that has been vacant for 33 years. (Crazy story for another time.) The water was shut off (meter removed) 33 years ago. I called the local wastewater company today to find out what we need to do to get things switched over to our name, etc. It's not a big rush since we've gotta re-do all the plumbing before water will be going down the drains, but anyway. Here's the problem. There are no records indicating that the property was ever connected to the city sewer! Their records show when the sewer was put in and that there's a stub at the property line, but they don't have any record of the house being connected to it. When the house was built, they had an outhouse (i.e. no bathroom) and the water source was a well on the property. At some point they switched over to city water (and put in a bathroom) and one would assume city sewer, but perhaps not. However, one person who grew up in the house has no recollection of a septic system and another person who knows a lot about the property and the history of it can't imagine that it's on septic as he's sure he would've known about it. Any ideas for how to tell where the wastewater currently goes without going to the expense of hiring a plumber? Could it be possible that it is connected to the sewer and they just don't have record of it? The lady at the city engineering dept didn't think so, but suggested that maybe it's connected (illegally now) to the neighbor's house.

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Asked on 2007-04-30 21:41:13

hardwood floor refinishing - traditional versus sandless technique

I am  in the process of researching hardwood floor refinishing techniques for my 100 year old red pine floors.  Some areas of the floors are damaged (nail holes) and worn, other areas are just scuffed and don't need as much work.  Two questions: (1) Has anyone tried companies that use the "Sandless" method of refinishing?  How is the result different than traditional methods? (2) Since the house is old and the current floors have such a nice aged look and patina, what type of finish would be recommended in order to maintain this old-house look?  I do not want the floors to "look like new" (too bright and super shiny I do not want!).  Also, keeping in mind that I have animals, including cats that sometimes "hack" up fur balls. Thanks in advance for your advice!

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Asked on 2007-04-29 10:05:22

Houseblog Splash: how does this work?

Hey, ever since the new makeover here, I noticed that whenever I post a new entry on <i>my</i> blog, my entry is no longer mentioned here on the Houseblogs.net main page "Recent Blog Entries"...I would have to go delving into "Latest Blog Entries: All Entries" sometimes several pages in, even though many <i>other</i> bloggers' entries which were posted quite before mine are still on the main page, as though that list was based on popularity rather than recent-ness. Is this the case, or is there some other reason my blog (for instance) no longer makes it to the spash screen?

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Asked on 2007-04-20 17:13:47

Do you think that the Painter's Pyramid is a helpful tool?

The Painter's Pyramid allows you to "Paint Without The Wait". This durable and versatile tool that allows you to save time and effort by painting an entire object (front, back and sides) without waiting for the paint to dry or sacrificing quality. More information on this product as available at: www.painterspyramid.com

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Asked on 2007-04-18 08:09:32

adding tags?

When I go to my account page, I want to add tags to associate with my profile.  Unfortunately, when I click on the "Enter Some Tags" link, I get a bunch of html gobblygook.  I tried to figure it out and when I hit save, I ended up with "No Tag Edit Permission."  Can anyone help me figure this out? 

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Asked on 2007-04-16 00:39:27

Replacement Windows

Hi all! We are new to this site. After searching the net can't find an answer to our window replacement question. We have a high ranch. We need to replace our old window with a bigger one to comply w/ the egress requirements in our town. Our opening is 6 inches short from what we need. We can't go down w/o having to chip the cement. But we would have enough room if we could go up. We were told we could fit the new window buy doing a blind header. The current header is 7 inches. Removing that and doing a blind would surely fix our hieght problem. Someone tried to explain it to us. But we are looking for detailed instructions on how to do it. Anyone out their familiar or have info on where we could find instructions? Thanks!

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Asked on 2007-04-15 10:24:00

Window replacement in Chicago

My husband and I are about to remodel a Two flat.  It will need replacement windows.  Our home inspector told us that vinyl clad wood was the only way to go for a good window.  We are on a budget and I am worried about the price for such windows.  Has anyone done any research on vinyl versus vinyl clad who could give me some advice.  Can you recommend a dealer or a contractor?  I am in a true quandry!

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Asked on 2007-04-08 13:58:47

How can I clean door hinges and make them look new again?

Not sure how I can clean up old hinges and make them look new.  I know how to remove paint and varnish.  Is there anything I can put on them to make them look new again?

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Asked on 2007-04-05 06:54:23

Insurance When Buying A Fixer-Upper

My burning question, for all of you who have successfully navigated the escrow of your own fixers. How do you get insurance for an older home that you know needs a great amount of work, including the total rewiring of the house? I need to find insurance that will ok the knob & tube wiring, cosmetic wear with the understanding that we will be repair/replacing everything shortly. I don't want to be in a situation that might jeapordize the mortgage approval or negate the whole deal. I think I can get the seller to put an amount for wiring in escrow to be drawn upon when work is begun. Please tell me what solutions worked for you, to get through the purchase and into the house! Thanks everybody, Sarah at Bungalow Goes Nuclear

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Asked on 2007-03-28 07:33:24

Windows... are they worth it?

Are stripping wood window sills really worth it?  I'm really needing some words of inspiration here.  Because I'm looking at 26 window sills and thinking cladding them in aluminum isn't that bad.

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Asked on 2007-03-26 06:40:28

Buying (Or making?) Floating Photo Frames?

My husband have an "enclosed" stairway leading to the second floor, that we're going to be lining with different-sized picture frames with family photos.  I really want to mix the sizes and placement up to give a kind of mosaic effect, but the problem has been finding where I can get (decent-quality) picture f rames for cheap. The ones I really want are the "floating" style frames -- black outer frame with glass in the center, so the photo appears to be suspended within the frame.  I can see getting 50 or more of these in varying sizes, but with a cost of $15 per frame at most walk-in stores... well, needless to say I don't have $800 to spend JUST on the frames. I could probably find some place to order one size in bulk, but not in mixed sizes.  Does anyone have any idea where I might be able to find them like that?  Or for single purchase, but cheaply? Or does anyone have any idea how to MAKE them?

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Asked on 2007-03-22 06:30:34

tall replacement windows

I own a victiorian home with 85" windows & would like to find a supplier of wood and aluminum replacements.

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Asked on 2007-03-18 21:35:58

Kitchen Countertop Repair

Any suggestions on the best way to easily repair a laminate kitchen countertop that is pulling away from the wall and causing a bit of a crack to be exposed?  I've tried shimming it to lift the countertop back into place a little bit so I could fix the crack, but I can't find a good enough place to put the shims where it will lift the back of the counter.  Plus, it's mainly behind the sink area so I'm a bit concerned that the construction is shoddy and the weight of the sink will forever be a problem...

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Asked on 2007-03-18 17:13:05

Request for Ad Space on my blog

So, this morning I received a request from a UK Online company who manages online advertising for some large companies to use some ad space on my HouseBlog.  Has anyone else received a request like this?  Honestly, I have no idea what to do with this... I'm interested, cautiously, in selling ad space but don't know the logistics of it... Does anyone have any experience with this? 

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Asked on 2007-03-13 08:43:59

Prefab home from 1978

Hello all! I was looking at buying a house, just found out it is a prefab home built in 1978.  Any downsides to the prefab back then or now?   Most people i've talked to lean away from them.   Any comments would be very helpful!! Thanks all!!!

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Asked on 2007-03-12 11:25:26

medicine cabinet...?

hi there. now that i've pulled the monstrous plastic-framed mirror and the deadly vinyl wallpaper off of the bathroom wall, i've found the hole where what was presumably a sensible, useful, and to-scale medicine cabinet used to be. my house was built in 1954, and i know exactly what the medicine cabinet must've been like - other people 'round these parts, who have similar little fifties houses, have them in THEIR bathrooms. recessed, plain, small, rectangular. surely, i thought, i can get one at ho' depot. or lowe's. or ace. or... no. apparently our medicine needs have grown since the fifties. the hole in my wall, neatly tucked between two studs, is only 12" wide. it looks like the [flush to the wall] mirror face of the original cabinet was about 1"-1.5" larger all around, judging from the patch of undisturbed pink paint surrounding the hole. it doesn't SEEM to me that such a thing should be so difficult to find, but online searches aren't turning up anything except for really nifty ones from the forties, with lights... that're hundreds and hundreds of dollars. sure, i could make a bigger hole, but it's a teeny little bathroom, and doesn't need some barbaric hinged thing. besides, i am lazy, and i'd rather spend my time re-patching the living room wall, dig? please, tell me i'm an idiot. but do it with links attached. thanks.

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Asked on 2007-03-04 10:44:55

Hot Moldy Water

Hello, We moved into a brand new apartment and the hot water smells like mold. The landlord replaced the water heater, but that didn't change anything at all. Any ideas of where this odor could be coming from? We tried to find a water testing company in this area to tell us what the smell is, but you have to tell them what to test for. We are desperate and don't know how we can solve this situation. Thanks.  

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Asked on 2007-02-26 18:34:13

What is the best poly to use?

I was wondering what poly everyone has used and what you thought of it. I am thinking about using poly for my floors, since I have 5 dogs and cats, and I wanted everyones opinion on what is the best product to use. Now I know HD has the Zinsser and other products, but are these good enough? Is there something else that I could buy from a store that is better? Thanks a lot guys

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Asked on 2007-02-23 15:21:42

How to remove water out of a sears washer

I have a Sears Front load washer that has too much water in it.  How do I remove all of the water from the washer?

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Asked on 2007-02-22 22:49:54

Blog Not showing up

Hi everyone... I'm new, although I have been reading the house blogs since last year. I'm excited to start working on my blog and house but I'm having a technical issues. I created a new blog last week but for some reason my posts don't show up in the recently posted blogs neither on the front page or farther in. This happened with all the posts I've done thus far. Does anyone know why this would be? Maybe I set something up wrong? It sees my blog posts from my user page, but that seems to be the only place on Houseblogs.net and I fear that no one is ever going to be able to find me! Thanks for any help! -Debb

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Asked on 2007-02-16 17:17:12

Seperating Joints

I've got a problem with a new home.  It's a townhouse style condo, less than 2 years old. During the first few months of it's life, the first heating season, the joints opened up on virtually all the door and window casings. The contractor came back in September and caulked the seams and now, four months later, they have all opened up again.  They look worse now because  the latex is cracked.  Does anyone know what would have caused this, and how it should have been, and now should be, repaired? The builder of course is saying that he's done his share and that it is now an "annual maintenance" issue. Any suggestions?

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Asked on 2007-02-16 16:50:48

American Standard Tiolet - Double Flushing

Just installed two low-flow tiolets at my mom's...one is an American Standard Champion, the other is a cheaper brand called Vorten.  We bought the AS one to match the bone color of the rest of the fixtures while the cheap one only needed to be white.  The Vorten one works great (and we have three more at our own house that work great as well) while the AS usually needs to be double flushed. My question is, has anybody else installed the AS champion and do you have issues with double flushing?  If you have fixed the issue, how did you do it ?   There are two screw adjustments in the tank (water flow rate and water level) that I am going to play with this weekend to see if they help at all. Andrew  

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Asked on 2007-02-09 09:12:07

painting the apartment with a 3 month old

Hi, I have a 3-mth old. we bought a new condo. painting the cond is pretty epensive with a profesional. We are planning to paint by ourself little later after moving there. My only concern is I have a 3-mth old baby. Is it safe to paint when you have a baby at home. I mean wont the paint smell is too much for the baby and I am worried about his helath. Thanks Ras

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Asked on 2007-02-09 08:25:39

What are your top 5 MUST HAVE DIY Reference Books?

Hello Bloggers and Readers! We are purchasing a Arts & Crafts Bungalow (b. 1920) and are hoping to get ahead of the game as we will be newby homeowners and DIYers.  We are looking for recommendations on the best all around DIY reference books you own or have read?  What are your TOP 5 books you can't live without? 

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Asked on 2007-02-07 12:36:05

Preventing condensation inside a chimney?

We are having a problem with water coming in through the walls around a chimney.  It has been really really cold here (ie. under 5 degrees for 72 hours).  The one thing we've thought of is perhaps that the boilers that vent through the chimney have some condensation which are seeping through the brick.  We noticed bubbles in our paint on the chimney which attracted our attention.  The wall consists of brick (then I assume lath), the original plaster, a few layers of paint, a skim coatof compound, then latex paint.  I cut the paint, removed a pool of water, and found a bubble of compound.  I removed that, had another pool of water.  Now, the plaster is exposed.  We can remove the plaster and install drywall, but that would be a temporary fix.  I'm unsure of where the water is coming from, and how to prevent this from happening again.  (has never happened before). Any suggestions would be appreciated.

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Asked on 2007-02-06 11:20:15

Rotating pictures

So, I have three pictures.  I want to rotate between the pictures when someone moves to a new page or refreshes a page (like the rejuvenation ad).  How do I write the script for that?

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Asked on 2007-02-02 10:11:19

How to know when someone replies to your comment

Is there a way to track the comments that you make on other peoples pages. I don't always remember the links of blogs that I post comments on and never know if they reply. (Oh, I use blogger)

There are 3 Comments on this Question

Asked on 2007-01-31 12:09:52

Need help on figuring out what style of house I have

I'm fixing up a 1938 home in California.  Problem is, I don't quite know what to call it.   Here's the facade A romantic algom of California Mission and Tudor-like faux stone stucco arches around the window, porch, and side door. The living room The dining room The Kitchen   That linoleum didn't stay around for long, nor did the harvest gold oven.  I love the deco detailing on the cabinets.  And the fact the the prior owners only updated the countertops. I've got all lot of little details, like textured plaster in a bedroom, faux wood painted doors, the curved ceilings, inlaid hardwood under the carpets. It is built along the Arts and Crafts lines, but it doesn't quite jive with my idea of what that sort of home should look like.  It is the typical Craftsman layout, with the joined living/dining great room, and the two bedrooms along the other side, separated by a bathroom and hallway.  The bottom floor of the house, the garage level, is completely unfinished.  Nothing has really struck me as how to describe it, so I've started calling the house a bungalow for lack of a better term.  So what do you all think?

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Asked on 2007-01-28 23:40:38

Knob and Tube Wiring

Has anyone run into having to replace all or part of their Knob and Tube Wiring? This would be in homes built prior to 1940.

There are 25 Comments on this Question

Asked on 2007-01-25 09:53:13

2-story to Ranch - Demolition...renovation...can it be done?

Hi, I'm new to this blog.... Typically, one sees articles about adding a 2nd floor to an existing ranch.  Well, we'd like to remove the 2nd floor of our house.  My husband and I are in our 50s, and want to stay in our home past our retirement.  We love the neighborhood and don't want to move.  Our house is a 2500 sq ft traditional 2-story.  We would like to remove the 2nd floor and add on to the 1st floor, a couple of bedrooms and a new master bath.  I know this may sound crazy, but is this possible?  Our biggest fear is that it would cost twice as much to do this than to purchase another home...

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Asked on 2007-01-21 06:56:22

Fireplace surround

I'm looking for options to deal with a firplace surround of painted brick? or concrete?. Is it original to a 1930's house in northern NJ?  It 's a center hall colonial and this fireplace surround is painted brick with some crude detail in the brick design.  Help?

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Asked on 2007-01-20 04:09:11

Electric "blanket" style radiant heat systems?

Does anyone have experience with electric mats that fit under floor tiles? Things like Nuheat, Watts Radiant, etc. We have a very small, completely unheated bathroom and this kind of system looks like an interesting option.

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Asked on 2007-01-19 23:16:57

dark hardwood floors

Hi.  I have very dark Brazilian Cherry floors in my house.  I am going crazy trying to keep them clean.  Somebody suggested using vinegar and water to clean them.  The problem is, they look great when they are just done, but two hours later they are a mess.  If you walk on them with bare feet, you see every toe mark?  Am I just being crazy?  Does anybody out there have any suggestions?  Should I continue to use just water to wipe them down or what?

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Asked on 2007-01-17 18:44:59

interior house

HI, I have a house built  by my grand father. At that time during the construction they used salt water. Due to that reason moisture comes out of the walls in rainy season. Later my father built another (top) floor using the same walls and painted the lower portion with primer, altec and Emulsion paints. After a month paint is peeling of from the walls and now look very ugly. There  is no scope of giving ventillation. So do you have any remedy for this. what will happen if you fill the walls using tiles? Can they able to stand the moisture present in the walls? Plz mail your remedies to my mail id tariq_354@rediffmail.com.  

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Asked on 2007-01-17 09:33:48

What's my style?

I've been trying to get a handle on the style of my home, which was built in either 1938 or 1940. I've surfed the internet, but all I know for sure is that it's a bungaloid. It doesn't seem to fit a specific style, could it be a combination? I'm new to to this sort of stuff and maybe I'm just looking in the wrong places? I was hoping someone might be able to give me a little direction.

There are 12 Comments on this Question

Asked on 2007-01-15 17:48:03

Finishing your Basement?

I recently go a new position with one of the many Total Basement Solutions Companies nationwide as an installer. The system is mold, fire, flood and stain resistant. Refer to www.totalbasementsolutions.com to locate your local certified installer in your neighborhood. The cost is approx. ½ the price of building a room addition. The basement completion system is aesthetically superior to anything I’ve seen so far. Its been very rewarding working with my new employer and thought I’d post my own person experience.

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Asked on 2007-01-15 09:13:00

MDF interior door options

I am building a house and I'm having a tough time getting good advice for interior doors.  I want a "heavy" feeling door with good thud factor.  My contractor is pushing Masonite pressed doors.  I don't like these.  He said then I should use Masonite Crown Series MDF.  I like the idea of MDF, but is Masonite the best choice?  I have heard good things about TruStile.  What about Phoenix (are they too expensive). Any advice would be much appreciated.

There are 7 Comments on this Question

Asked on 2007-01-15 07:42:31

Fireplaces

We started our project with just the intent to replace an ugly white tile front on our fireplace with something that looked more in keeping with our arts & crafts 1915 bunganow.  After we took off the white tile, we discovered an arched brick fireplace behind everything (which included ugly poorly done brick backing for the white tile).  Now we're wondering if the fireplace was intended to be arched brick to show or if it was intended as infrastructure only.  Anyone out there with insight on fireplace restoration?

There are 1 Comments on this Question

Asked on 2007-01-14 22:08:06

Staircase Spindle Replacement

I would like to replace my wood staircase spindles with wrought iron spindles.  Can this be done without taking down the railing?

There are 2 Comments on this Question

Asked on 2007-01-13 16:01:38

stone patio

Have laid a flagstone patio with pea gravel between the stones.  Trying to find something to seal them that will keep the pea gravel porous for drainage (live on the Gulf Coast).  There used to be a pool decking product that used aggregate to seal, but left the aggregate porous so that water would drain from the pool area - can't find it anywhere and no one seems to know what we are talking about.  Any suggestions?

There are 2 Comments on this Question

Asked on 2007-01-11 21:54:47

grout for plastic wall tile

I'm trying to find a grout or caulk product to use with retro plastic wall tiles.  I'm doing a repair on an old bathroom and trying to preserve the existing tiles which have some type of grout in the joints, though I'm not sure if it is original.  I think I've seen the same tile in other houses with no kind of grout in the joints.  Has anyone succesfully used any grout product in conjunction with plastic tiles?

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Asked on 2007-01-09 13:47:37

Window Replacement?

Most of the windows in our house are original and, while charming in their own drafty, cobwebby, letting-stinkbugs-into-the-house way, we know that they need to go eventually.  While we have at least some familiarity with all of the other projects we've tackled thus far, windows are a complete anomaly to us.  So I have a couple questions that you might be able to shed a little light on.  Keep in mind we'll be having a professional do the window replacement 1.  When the windows are replaced, is that going to cause a lot of damage to the walls on the inside? (ie, are we going to have to repaint, or will the interior be untouched? 2.  About how much can we expect to pay per window (even a ballpark would help -- $150? $300? More?) 3.  We have asbestos siding on the house.  The siding is in good shape, but we want to have the siding updated, and have been told that the cheapest and easiest thing to do is have fiberboard placed overtop, and new siding placed over that.  This is fine, but should we have the windows replaced BEFORE we do that, or afterwards?  4.  Does anyone know if we're likely to run into really costly window replacements because of the asbestos siding?

There are 7 Comments on this Question

Asked on 2007-01-08 15:27:13

My water pressure went low and lower, now I have no water. What happened? How do I proceed?

My water pressure went low and lower, now I have no water.  What happened?  How do I proceed?  I checked the air tank and it was low.  I filled it, then it lost 20 (psi?) within 15 minutes.  After the air was put into the tank and for about 2 seconds I had a tiny bit of water, but that was it.  I live in an older house and I have a well.  Does this mean that the pump and air tank needs replaced?  Please help me; I have three children and no water (and very little money).  Thank you, MMoore1640@aol.com

There are 2 Comments on this Question

Asked on 2007-01-03 08:28:06

Water Softner Alternatives

I am hoping to get some advice on what to do about a hard water problem. We recently purchased a 1950's ranch home that has the old galvanized plumbing. We are on a well, and the water is very clean but very hard. I heard that if you use a salt water softener, the salt can eat through galvanized plumbing and cause huge problems. Meanwhile, after 6 months of this hard water our coffee maker is on the fritz and the inside of our brand new Bosch dishwasher looks horrible. I'm scared that it is going to ruin all of our appliances. Does anyone have any suggestions on an alternative solution....other than a salt water softener? Thanks for your help in advance! Leah

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Asked on 2007-01-02 14:52:48

Does anyone know how to remove vinyl glued to a wood floor?

We have great wood floors but the previous owner glued vinyl flooring to the floor in the dining room. It is glued on all sides and in 2 strips down the middle and I can't seem to get it off without gouging the floor. No glue remover can penetrate the backing that is left after we rip, cut, score, and shave off the 4 layers of vinyl flooring and backing. It's a nightmare.

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Asked on 2007-01-01 02:37:29

Bathroom fan to clear the fog?

Hello, I have a master bathroom (quite small) with a skylight.  The bathroom does not have a fan.  What I have noticing, because its cold outside and warm inside, is that condensation is forming on the skylight.  At times, I get dripping from the condensation.   Question:  Will the fan remove the condensation forming?  Or is this a problem simply due to cold weather and warm interior temperature? cheers, rkanger

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Asked on 2006-12-24 02:53:58

sealing slate in lime mortar

A friend and neighbor of mine recently emailed me the following question- can anyone provide some information for her?  Just email me and I'll pass it along, and I'll also be following the thread.  Thanks! "Have you ever come accross anything written on lime mortar/dust in slate foundations?  I'm having the hardest time finding info on this.  What happens is the lime dust breaks off and forms huge piles of dust on the slate in the basement walls.  Therefore I have to vacuum it up every few months when it gets really bad.  I'd love to "seal" or paint the mortar so that it stays in place but some people have told me to leave it alone becuase it wouldn't be able to "breath" if I did that.  I've heard I can seal it on intererior walls but not exterior??  I'm just tired of vacuuming up this dust on the walls all the time."

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Asked on 2006-12-21 13:16:36

Oil Boiler Chimney Leak

A 25 year old oil fired boiler has started to leak what looks like water from the access hatch in the boiler chimney. I have had the boiler serviced and the chimney swept, all to no avail. Any ideas?  

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Asked on 2006-12-18 11:03:07

Has anyone else had a problem with Angie's list?

I joined Angie's list in Miami and got the name of an electrician who was rated A+.  After the work was done I wrote a thoughtful review saying that a fine job was done although the price was through the roof and I thought some of the reviews were questionable.  I also asked why some company's names came up with an A+ rating with only one review from someone who didn't have any work done.  My review was never posted and any attempt to reach someone from the list was in vain.  Needless to say I'll never use them again.  I was just wondering if anyone else had had a similar experience.

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Asked on 2006-12-13 16:46:28

Front load worth the cost?

I've decided to start my major renovation with...the laundry room.  Kind of unexciting but very necessary.  Anyway, I love the cool looking front load washers and dryers, but are they really worth the additional $$$?  I mean, a regular washer/dryer combo would certainly get the job done.  I'm not sure if the extra investment is worth it. Mei

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Asked on 2006-12-12 11:44:22

belt sander or finishing sander for kitchen redo? help pls.

I'm planning to redo my kitchen cabinets, they have I don't know how many coats of paint on them and I don't know which kind of wood is underneath. Now I'm wondering, which sander would do the job the best. Should I use a belt sander or a finishing sander to get the paint of? The cabinetwalls and doors are plain, exept a little molding on the doors. If I'd do it by hand, it would take me forever, so since I am looking into buying a new sander, what would be the best investment? We just moved into this house, and the kitchen doesn't have to look perfect afterwards, just a little cleaner and fresher.

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Asked on 2006-12-11 18:27:19

Condo heating system

The other day the boiler in my condo building went out and we had no heat...the boiler is back up and running (for my neighbors anyway), but I have no heat!  Does anyone have an idea what the problem could be?  I am one of the few owner/occupants in the building and managment always tells me when someting goes wrong that it is not their problem, "You're the owner!  You'll have to figure it out!"   Please help me...I'm getting very frustrated!!!! Thanks, Honolulukath  

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Asked on 2006-12-10 01:06:02

anchoring screws in fieldstone foundation

This is a more specific technical question - I am trying to replace a door in our stucco-covered fieldstone foundation, the framing to which has rotted away. I tried to anchor new 2x6 lumber (pressure-treated) to the opening with 2.75" TapCon screws ("blue screws") but they just pull out. I'm not sure if the problem is getting a decent hole in the stone, or if I'm really just hitting the stucco and mortar and they're just chipping away. I don't really want to repoint everything right now, but I'm thinking maybe there is some anchoring cement that will hold the screws in. Still, it would seem like a lot of trouble to epoxy in bolts, etc. vs. just being able to drill through the material and drive something in. Any ideas?

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Asked on 2006-12-08 06:28:32

Hello; fireplace cover, fireplace smell

I write first to introduce myself and then to ask two questions.  My wife and I are at the tail end of a very lengthy renovation.  We both have full-time jobs and a daughter, and we are not DIY renovaters, just very involved and thorough decisionmakers.  We used an architect and a GC.  The house is a 3.5 story, 2-family frame semi-attached house in Brooklyn (just a few blocks from blogger 649 6th).  We think the house is about 130-140 years old, and we have tried to have the contractor preserve and restore as much as we could , including the original plank floors, marble mantels, some moldings, room proportions, exterior details, pocket door, railings, etc.  I found this site a few months ago and wish I had found it sooner because I learned a lot, some quite useful, some that would have been useful if I had learned it earlier.  I decided to join the this community, but not as a blogger, to ask the occasional question and join in the occasional discussion, now that I have house thoroughly on the brain.  That's by way of introduction.  Here are my two fireplace questions: 1.  We have four non-working fireplaces, each with an old marble mantel.  Each fireplace has a black metal frame set inside the marble.  Two are square, two are arched at the top.  One frame has a black metal decorative cover that snugly fits the metal frame to clsoe the fireplace.  We have two other covers that don't fit any of the fireplaces.  Where can we find black metal covers to fit each fireplace.  Where can we find covers to fit our fireplaces.  Is covers the right word for what I am looking for?  What kind of a supplier do I need?  What search terms should I use to Google? 2.  One room with a fireplace has a perpetual, but slight, smell that we debate is either sooty, smoky, musty or moldy, depending upon how afraid we are on any given day that it is mold.  We do not suspect that there is any mold in teh walls, etc., and think the smel is coming from the chimney, but are not sure.  Any thoughts on whether we are smelling mold, 100 years of smoke and soot, or something else?  More to the point, any thoughts on what kind of a professional we should bring in to diagnose the smell?  We don't want to bring in someone who has an economic interest in the diagnosis.  thanks for your help.     

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Asked on 2006-12-07 14:46:30

Tool/equipment reviews?

Now that the Christmas is upon us, it is time to figure out what home renovation tool I'm going to get my husband.  At the top of the list is a router table, but I'm at a loss to which would be the best for our purposes.  I thought Fine Homebuilding usually did reviews, but couldn't find anything on their site. Both Craftsman and Ryobi make a table that's $99.  I didn't know if  one is better-or whether really we would need to be getting a nicer table.  From looking at the ones at Sear's, it seems like the more expensive one has a nicer guide and bigger table dimensions. (the $99 Craftsman one has a plastic guide). Any thoughts?  Anyone have a router table that they particularly like?  TIA!

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Asked on 2006-12-06 08:16:26

First time user

I hope I'm doing this right

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Asked on 2006-12-05 15:14:00

Staining Fiberglass Exterior Doors

We have just bought a set of fiberglass doors and have applied Flecto stain on them. The stain does not adhere very well to the door and keeps lifting off the door. Now we have applied the 1st top coat and have lightly sanded per instructions and have wiped the surface to remove any dust. The stain continues to come off. How can i correct this.

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Asked on 2006-12-02 11:50:21

Finishing options for heart pine floors

Does anyone have good advise or suggestions for finishing heart pine floors. We will be installing them throughout our house and will have someone come in to sand them, but we are considering finishing them ourselves. Any helpful insights, warnings, advise, etc. would be greatly appreciated! Thanks, Laura @ www.creekhouseproject.blogspot.com

There are 8 Comments on this Question

Asked on 2006-11-27 12:56:10

Finishing options for heart pine floors

Does anyone have good advise or suggestions for finishing heart pine floors. We will be installing them throughout our house and will have someone come in to sand them, but we are considering finishing them ourselves. Any helpful insights, warnings, advise, etc. would be greatly appreciated! Thanks, Laura @ www.creekhouseproject.blogspot.com

There are 1 Comments on this Question

Asked on 2006-11-27 11:46:18

no indoor plumbing

What a great site! So anyway, 5 years ago we bought a 55 year old cottage on Penns Creek in Pa. One major, major problem--no indoor plumbing! What experience do any of you have positive or negative with alternative toilets? This is NOT an all season site. We turn off the water in the fall and back on in the spring. It has no central heat which is an impediment to all the eco-toilets. Any help is much appreciated. Oh, if anyone has any anti-mouse hints for cottages, too, I would love to hear them!

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Asked on 2006-11-26 16:21:49

Repainting wallpaper over plaster

So ... we were going to paint our bedroom this weekend. I've been planning it all week. I thought I'd spackle up some holes in the walls today and paint tomorrow. But when I got to work, I discovered that the walls are wallpapered under years of paint (over plaster). We can't decide what to do. Should we try to get the wallpaper off or should we get the worst of the cracked part off and paint over it?

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Asked on 2006-11-23 15:26:10

Installing plastic tile in bathrooms

I am adding more tile to a 1950s bathroom (right now there is only a tub and no shower) I can't find any information on how to install plastic tile. Does anyone know how or have an old manual on how to do this?

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Asked on 2006-11-20 12:29:28

Home lighting automation systems

Hello folks, My husband and I are building a new house in February and we are looking in to home automation systems such as Leviton or Radio Ra for lighting solutions. Due to the expense involved, we are looking for opinions from people who either have used these systems in their own homes as to whether they are happy with their system, or even from those who have installed the equipment. Does it work consistently like they say it does (since these are both radio frequency systems rather than hard-wired). Any other comments that might help us would be greatly appreciated.

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Asked on 2006-11-16 13:31:46

Parquet Finishing with Oil

We have just finished laying a parquet floor of black walnut. The blocks were unfinished so I planed them before laying and then finished with a trio sander. I then applied two coats of Osmo Polyx Hard Oil. The problem is that you can see the application marks on the wood, where I have rubbed the oil on, it appears smearey. Does anyone have any advice on how to remove them? I have tried a polisher fitted with a red pad, but this doesn't lift them. Thanks in advance.........

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Asked on 2006-11-15 06:47:54

home studio

I am a new home owner and photographer and I am in the process of converting my basement into a studio and darkroom if any body has any ideas or suggestions it would be great to hear them

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Asked on 2006-11-12 09:44:50

subway tile

Does anyone know where to find subway tile marked National 3+ on the back of the tile?

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Asked on 2006-11-11 12:35:30

How would you salvage original subway tile?

Behind 1970s floor-to-ceiling wood panelling in my kitchen, I have original, 1920s subway tile. When I redo my kitchen, a good portion of the tile would end up behind cabinets. How can I salvage the tile? The contractors say you can't. Anyone have any idea? I'd love to be able to use the tile for the backsplash in areas that no longer have the tile.

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Asked on 2006-11-09 16:43:38

Drywall to Fiberglass Shower Surround

Installed tub/shower combo. Surround is the 3 piece fiberglass type with nailing flanges that go directly to the stud. Directions say to fir out the stud until flush with shower nailing flange surface. Then install green drywall over flange and maintain 1/4" distance from shower surround, then install water proof wall material over drywall and apply caulk at joint. My problem: If I fir the wall out so the sheetrock will lay flat over the nailing flange then it won't match up flush to the rest of my walls in the bathroom. Have thought of using a piece of trim to hide the sheetrock joint but thought it would look cheaply done. I've tried experimenting by shaving off the back side of the sheetrock so it will fit over the nailing flange and stay flush with the rest of my walls. But that leaves the sheetrock very thin at the edge and may break so I'm not convinced it will work. I've seen many pictures on the web of what I'm trying to accomplish but can't find the answer of how to fix it. Any help appreciated.

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Asked on 2006-11-07 17:46:24

Another hot water smell question

We have well water and two hot water heaters, one for each half of the house. The half that is the kitchen, laundry and upstairs bathroom has stinky hot water--the other half (2 1/2 baths) does not. We installed a new hot water heater in the stinky half and the situation is the same. What could be affecting half the house when they both draw from the same well?

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Asked on 2006-11-07 14:35:51

I want to interview you for HGTV.com

I'm a freelance writer for HGTV.com. I am looking for homeowners to interview for a couple of articles I'm working on. If you fit the bill, please e-mail me ASAP at kagranju@gmail.com. And feel free to pass this message on to friends and family. Here are the interviewees I am looking for: -Homeowners who have reglazed or refinished vintage bathroom fixtures rather than replacing them. Doesn't matter if you did it yourself or hired someone, I'd still love to interview you. -Homeowners who have put in a bathroom floor of one of these materials in the past few years: -carpet -hardwood -cork -bamboo -glass tiles -leather tiles -glass mosaic -rubber tiles or rolls Thanks! I hope to hear from you. Katie Allison Granju www.katieallisongranju.com

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Asked on 2006-11-04 13:04:40

Architectural Styles?

I know this is probably a goofy question to ask, but all my Googling and Wikipedia'ing skills have been for naught. I know a lot of people are able to identify their houses by architectural style (American Four Square, Colonial, etc.) but I've been at something of a loss to identify ours. It's a side-by-side twin, but we don't know for sure if it was originally built to be identical to its other half (the porches are different, but this may be due to renovations that were done a long time ago.) We've heard it described as a twin, a townhouse, a duplex, a rowhome, a single-family home, and a partially-detached single-family home -- the house is a mixture of the descriptions of all of these, but not quite accurately described by any one. Philly rowhomes are built in long strips, never just two side-by-side. I always call it a "twin", but when we were shopping around for insurance, none of the companies had any idea what that was. Around here, "duplex" almost always refers to two units on top of each other, not side-by-side. I'm less interested in "twin" vs. "single family" than knowing what style it is. I hear "Colonial", "Edwardian", etc. used to describe facades and whatnot... but I have no idea what ours is. I mean besides "buried under 18 layers of wallpaper." Here's a picture of it... La la la, our house. Please tell me what my house is! Is it a mutt house? I'm okay with that, but I want to know. :>

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Asked on 2006-11-02 14:39:56

Laminate, hardwood, or original wood?

My husband and I are facing a quandry: do we have the original flooring in our house patched and refinished, covered over in laminate, or covered over in new hardwood? We're concerned about cost -- I know that it depends heavily on the type of hardwood and laminate that you choose, but generally speaking, is having original flooring refinished expensive? Our first-story floors look like they're in decent shape, but there are a couple gaps on the stairs, as well as gaps between the floor and wall in the second floor. And the second-floor bedroom floors appear to have been painted over in a few places (sometimes two and three coats of paint.) We'd REALLY like the original floors refinished, but is this likely to be a huge, costly mess?

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Asked on 2006-10-31 08:10:12

Elastomeric Roof Coating

Has anybody ever used an Elastomeric Roof Coating? Thinking about doing the roof of a mobile home with this product http://www.techniseal.com/products.php?Id=20®ion_Id=2&langue_Id=1 Interested in opinions and experiences... Thanks! Andrew

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Asked on 2006-10-30 08:27:21

Houseblogging html code fix?

Okay, I'm trying to add a blogroll back to our houseblog that uses expandable categories. And it works! Except that, no matter what I try, I can't seem to be able to change the font size of the type used by the blogroll. It is so whacked! Any html wizards out there? Here is the experimental page with the blogroll added (it's under the project status bars.) http://www.houseinprogress.net/index-a.html If you have trouble seeing the source code for any reason, send me an email and I will mail it to you. owner [at] houseinprogress [dot] com A million thanks!

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Asked on 2006-10-29 12:07:17

Apartment renting and evicting

Me and my wife recently bought a two family home and have been having trouble with the new tenants that we selected for the 3 bedroom downstairs. When will chose these individuals we had them sign a basic landlord tenant agreement. After two attempts to correct noise levels our lawyer created a more formal month to month tenant agreement and we decided to terminate the month to month agreement with the tenants downstairs. We decided we need to start over, this did not go over well with these tenants and they were upset. We decided to give them another chance with the stipulation they sign the new month to month tenants agreement to which they refused to do saying they found another place to live. Almost 2 weeks into the notice for the tenants to leave,, we had a storm and the tenants offered to put their differences aside to provide any help to us. This in turn created another opportunity for these tenants to see if we could try and work things out. We agreed and had a plan for them to sign the new rental agreement. They said they needed time to look it over and consult with their attorney and would meet with us a week later. Into the day we were supposed to meet the tenants,, they cancelled saying one of them was not feeling well. We agreed to meet the next day and again the one of the tenants cancelled saying his lawyer didnt get back to him and that the agreement was too one sided in favor of the landlord. We were told by our attorney this was a standard rental agreement and the tenants shouldn't have any trouble signing it. We stated to them the notice to leave was still in effect and we were told to leave their apartment after trying to discuss and explain the rental agreeement. We reluctantly agreed to meet the following day and was told we have to meet them downstairs in their apartment because of having to watch their son. We were reluctant because their male tenant has been verbally abusive to my wife from the last notice for them to leave. We told them they could bring up their son and we could discuss the rental agreement, they didn't get back to us and didn't want to to. In a nut shell they will have to leave by the end of the month, in 5 days or we plan to evict them. I am sure we are doing the right thing but we are worried that these people will retailiate against us. With me being a social work major I am having a hard time sending this family to the door so to speak without giving them another 30 day notice. Has anyone else had this situation and how did you handle it???? Thanks

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Asked on 2006-10-28 12:40:48

Interior Brick Veneer

The back wall of the greatroom in our house is covered in a really awful brick veneer (I say awful, only because there's probabaly an inch or more of space in-between each brick, making it look ridiculous... not to mention the fact that it's been painted white.) However, my husband and I are in love with the IDEA of having an exposed brick wall back there, so we've planned to chip / chisel / will the old veneer off, and replace it with a newer, better-looking version. I've read a lot about the dangers of do-it-yourself EXTERIOR brick veneer (because of issues with moisture, underlining, support, etc) but haven't heard much about doing it on an interior wall. Has anyone done it? Is it easy enough for the casual do-it-yourselfer, or are we probably going to have to call in a pro to help us?

There are 5 Comments on this Question

Asked on 2006-10-26 08:35:13

Wood putty?

Can anyone recommend a good wood putty to use? Preferably one that you've tried yourself and had success with and that takes stain very, very well. I'm on my 4th different brand now and still not satisfied. Thanks.

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Asked on 2006-10-25 12:26:45

Silver paint for radiators?

We're picking up our radiators today from the company who sandblasted and primed them for us. We're going to do the finish coat ourselves and we'd like to do them in the traditional silver we see around. (We even have one painted silver in our bedroom already that the PO did.) Unfortunately, I can't find the silver paint. I see that they did it over at This Old Chicago 2-Flat but they didn't say where they got it: http://thisoldchicago2flat.blogspot.com/2006/10/radiator-saga-continued.html Anyone know where we should go? Our preference would be a spraypaint if that's possible.

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Asked on 2006-10-20 10:24:28

Hot Water Smell

For the past 7 months my wife and I have been complete remodeling a 3400sqft log cabin we purchased. I have redone all of the plumbing in the house, switching to PEX instead of copper and now find that whenever we use the hot water it smells like rotten eggs. We have well water (that has been tested) and have installed the appropriate hot water tank and softner, but can't figure this out. Any ideas?

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Asked on 2006-10-18 19:54:47

Laminate flooring

I am looking for an inexpensive way to put in a floor. I am looking to Laminate flooring. There is so many kinds to choose from. Any suggestions ?

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Asked on 2006-10-17 18:35:10

Hand moisturizers

I'm having an increasing intolerance in my hands to plaster, concrete and red oak. Except for woodworking, I usually use nitrile gloves but I still wind up making contact with it somehow. My hands get leathery, itchy, dry out and in extreme cases (like now) get splits in the skin. I've tried a lot of different hand lotions but none really do much for me. If anything, Vaseline's Intensive Care prolongs the healing process. What do you folks use?

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Asked on 2006-10-16 22:33:42

Cleaning old stone tile

I tried this query on the Breaktime forums to no avail, but this is undoubtedly a craftier group. We have some beautiful stoneware tile around our fireplace that has paint drips and some kind of brown sealant from the POs. I've washed the tiles with soap and water but I'd like to find out if I should remove the brown stuff or if it's actually performing a useful surface. The tiles have a sort of soft glaze, which is what makes me hesitant to really scour them (more like flagstones that subway tile). Anyone knwo a good tile/ceramic reference book?

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Asked on 2006-10-08 19:32:53

Mold Remediation

Any tricks for getting rid of mold in a basement bedroom that had water damage?

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Asked on 2006-10-06 11:22:31

subway tile

We are now on the short list of renovating our 1920's Craftsman. We are working on the kitchen. The original owners removed the old tile counter and backsplash and replaced it with laminate countertops &4x4 tile in the 1950's. I am looking for subway tile 3x6 in the green color of that era but have been unable to find any in a green color. Please....Any idea's?

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Asked on 2006-10-05 21:25:30

Recycled Plastic Roofing Shingles

I have a client who is interested in roofing shingles made of recycled plastic. Her current roof dates from 1991. She plans to retire in the next few years and wants to be sure to take care of as many big ticket items as possible before then. I have seen literature on TechLine and EnviroShake, but I would like input and recommendations from someone who has actually installed them and cost vs. traditional fiberglass shingles. We are located in Delaware, so I would want a supplier who is nearby to keep shipping costs down.

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Asked on 2006-10-05 16:17:41

Where to get a tub surround (MN)?

Hey- Especially all you Minnesota/ Midwest Housebloggers... we have a clawfoot tub, and we need a shower surround and a shower riser for it. One that hopefully doesn't cost us the equivalent of a body part. We haven't found any at the Menards/Home Depot kind of stores (and we prefer not to shop there anyway). The only luck we have had are retailers online, where they are pretty pricey. Any ideas? Specialty plumbing stores that you like? Where have folks found any? THANKS!

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Asked on 2006-10-05 11:56:35

High Efficiency Ugliness!

Help! We have a lovely 1955 classic ranch that desperately needed a new furnace. We had a high efficency furnace put in, and I'm glad we are being environmentally friendly. But I'm hating the compromise....we now have a weird spaceship looking exhaust vent at the top of our very classic (and visible) chimney, and what to do with those dreaded PVC exhaust pipes at the back of the house? Does anyone know how to make these things look less dreadful? Can I replace the vent or hide it in any way? Do you know where good sources are to find stuff like this? And what did you do with the PVC?? gr8ful for all your help! gr8flchk in Milwaukee, WI

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Asked on 2006-10-04 17:38:46

A good vacuum for hardwood floors?

Any good recommendations for a vacuum that can be used both on carpet and hardwood? Keeping it relativity affordable ($100-300) would be great too.

There are 13 Comments on this Question

Asked on 2006-10-04 11:17:42

Dumpster size?

Can anyone give me some insight on what size of dumpster we may need? Our back yard is about .15 acres. But when we moved in it was almost completely overgrown with old vines, huge shrubs along all the fence line, etc. Next to is is an "alley" that is about 15 yards wide, and 25 or 30 yards deep, that has the same problem. To compound the poor alleys own growth, we've used it as a dumping ground for all of the material we've cut down and dug up in our back yard. So we basically have a pile of limbs, brush, trunks, etc that's about 15 yards wide, 15 yards deep, and probably averages 4 feet tall. None of this has been particularily "compacted" (We didn't take the time to cut down all branches and limbs to 3-4' long, etc. Any guesses as to what size of dumpster we may need to clean up this? We were thinking about a 20 yard dumpster, but I'm afraid of getting one that's not large enough. :-\ Thanks for any insight!

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Asked on 2006-10-04 09:53:13

Looking for Vintage Green Plastic Tile

I just recently purchased a house that has the original plastic green tile in the bathroom. We sprung a leak and we had to take some down. Of course, no one sells plastic tile anymore. Anyone know where I might get some? I'm thinking we'll need 8-10 tiles and I haven't been able to find anything on ebay or online yet. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

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Asked on 2006-10-03 20:43:56

Non-Yellowing Urethane on porch floor turned yellow

I painted a nice design on my Bungalow's porch floor last year and coated it with non-yellowing urethane to protect it. Well, guess what, its got yellow blotches all over the floor. Does anyone know how to remove the yellowing without having to strip the porch. It took all summer to paint that design, I don't want to have to redo it!

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Asked on 2006-10-01 23:31:58

Insulating a "cold room" below a 4 season room

I'm helping a neighbor out with some work around his house. He has a 4 sesaon room with tile floors. It gets very cold this time of year and I'm looking for suggestions to help him out. The room sits on top of a 10 x 10 contrete "cold room", even the ceilings are concrete. He has an exterior door to the room and a few "basement" casement windows. One wall is common to the basement. He stores things like bikes, lawnmower and such in there. My suggestion to him was to get some 2" or greater pink or blue hard insulation boards and glue them up on the ceiling. Does anyone think that will decrese the coldness of the room above? Another thought was to frame out the room and put regular r13 insulation in the walls and ceiling.

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Asked on 2006-10-01 10:41:14

flexible moulding-quarter round

I am looking for very flexible quarter round moulding to use at the bottom of a bullnose staircase. I have tried a polymer resin flexible piece (3/4"), but apparently the curve is too sharp and it cracks. I only need 3 or 4 ft. Is there a highly flexible quarter round moulding available? Thanks

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Asked on 2006-10-01 10:34:35

Rough-cut flooring

We are planning on installing rough-cut fir as flooring in our Great Room. this material was obtained directly from the saw mill and is pressently curing..(drying).I intend to plane the bottom to get a uniform thickness on all boards, tongue and groove them for fit and use a pneumtic floor nailer to secure them. The "rough" side (top) will be left as is and coated with verathane. I'd appreciate any hints on type of verathane to use, application technique, etc. The room is appx 400 square feet in size.

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Asked on 2006-09-29 11:37:13

Stairway Spindles

We have a kinda craftsman/mission style interior. The front living room and the stairway share a wall that, from plate railing to ceiling are 4 sided/square spindles. Would it look odd to do the same spindles on the stairway? I have no idea if the current spindles are originals, some of them are definately not. I don't think I have ever seen stair spindles like that. We have to replace some right now, they had wood added to the bottoms to fit and look bad. My husband wants to replace them all with the square ones, but I just don't know. Here is the living room: http://www.iwantmorelife.com/HomeImgs/ForLivRoom1.jpg on the left, you can't see at all, is the wall that opens to the stairs and has the square spindles that act like a half screen to the stairs.

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Asked on 2006-09-27 14:07:58

Need help selling my home fast!

We have bought another home, and need to sell this one by Nov.2006! Can anyone help us? Our biggest problem is that people say it's to big! 4,100 SQ FT. for $359,900. Which is $20,000 below the value. How can I get people with large families to come see it? Where do I look? Any help would be great. Thanks to all, Casper

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Asked on 2006-09-25 06:29:18

Replacing Windows

We are in the process of researching replacement windows for our thirty year old ranch style house. Currently all the windows in the house are Weather Shield double hungs, which all have problems with the spring and cable hardware and side rails. We are seriously thinking about replacing with sliders in openings that are roughly 7ftW x 4ftH. We are also considering double hung, casements, and possibly even replacing a couple of the windows with bays. We have looked at Andersen replacements made out of their fibrex material-vinyl clad exterior and wood laminate inteior. Also have looked at Pella Architect Series wood replacements, aluminum exterior. Does anyone have experience with either of these replacement windows or can you give us any other recommendations?

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Asked on 2006-09-24 11:50:45

HVAC design for ICF house

Hi, We are getting plans done for a new custom house, which we hope to build in our backyard while living in our current house (which then gets torn down). We plan to use ICF (Integrated Concrete Forms) which give you an effective R-50 envelope. I'm considering going with a slab-on-grade foundation which will give us a large thermal mass and ground-level living for indoor-outdoor flow. I'm not sure how to proceed for the HVAC system. With concrete floors, I think it would be best to go with radiant floor heating. However, ICF construction is an extremely tight envelope, and I want to be sure that we have sufficient fresh air. Yes, we could just open windows, but one of the reasons for the ICF is that we live on a busy street and then we get all of the street noise back. Is there such a thing as a small heat exchanger that just warms a small amount of outside air to mix in with inside air? I don't mind putting in ducts, as I plan to install them anyway in case we still need air conditioning. Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated. TIA, -pxchamberlain

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Asked on 2006-09-24 11:06:49

About Selling an two family home

My wife and I have recently purchased a two family home and decided that want to sell it. I have heard that some people have sold their homes on ebay for a higher price. Has anyone had any success with this way of selling a home please let me know We don't want to use an agent if possible.

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Asked on 2006-09-23 03:10:42

Sewer line

Our house is 50 years old, and we currently have the front yard totally torn up in preparation for replanting. Several birch trees used to grow where the house sewer line runs to the street. Does anyone know how many years sewer lines last and whether or not we should consider replacing it before replanting?

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Asked on 2006-09-22 16:53:34

Options for Redoing a Shower?

Hi all - I'm new to home owning and home improvement/repairs. My husband and I live in a 40-year-old condo, and we're looking at options for redoing our master shower. It's old, many of the tiles have hairline cracks on their surface, and I'm definitely losing the battle against mold/mildew. If we can avoid it, we'd rather not demo the shower and retile it. We fear the mess and time it will take until everything's put back together, neither one of us have experience with something like that, and I'm afraid the mold/mildew battle will continue. (We don't have an outside vent in the bathroom; instead, there's a very large window in the shower that we don't use.) So, as an alternative, we looked at a couple of companies who do bathroom "makeovers" - using acrylic sheets that are installed over existing tile. However due to the custom shape of our shower, neither one of them can do the job. (Here are our experiences with company #1 and with company #2.) Do you have any other suggestions for what we can do? Are there other companies who do bathroom "makeovers" that we haven't heard about? Or are we left with demoing and retiling the shower? Thanks for the suggestions!

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Asked on 2006-09-21 19:12:22

POPCORNING CEILING / PATCHING POPCORN CEILING HOLE

We just bought a house that soon after we moved in the popcorn ceiling started failing down b/c of a air conditioner leak making the ceiling wet. We scraped the popcorn off in hopes to just patch the leak and then paint the ceiling. Unfortanetly that was too simple! There were so many imperfections in the ceiling we needed to re popcorn the ceiling, and decided to do this ourselves. We bought paint Beyer texture paint from Hoem depot that we roll on. We have the ceiling looking okay, but we have rain into 2 problems the first being we can not get around the edge with the roller or a pint brush it does not saturate that area with the popcorn paint. Is there anything that we could use that would allow us to process this thick textured paint onto the area. Our second problem is 24 hours after we orginally applied the first application we went back and tried to reaply another coat to some dense areas. But the first application is peeling off when we try to add more paint to the first coat. Is this b/c it could still be wet, do you have any suggestions on how to get the paint on without it still peeling? Help I am popcorn paint out, this is horrible stuff to work with. Thanks for any ideas!!

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Asked on 2006-09-20 09:31:19

Cathedral ceiling insulation

We live in Southern California, in a small (700 sq ft) cottage-style house we absolutely love. But this past summers heat was absolutely unbearable. In trying to figure out why the interior of the house gets so hot, and stays hot, I found out from the previous owner that they had only used r13 in the cathedral ceilings of the bedrooms and the living room. The two bedrooms are the worst in the summer, and are on the west side of the property. Any speculation on whether or not the low r value of the insulation is the main culprit? Thanks in advance for any help! Devon

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Asked on 2006-09-17 18:44:38

electric baseboard heaters

I have just bought a great little two bedroom rambler built in 1969. I would like to learn more about the baseboard heaters that it has. I've never seen this type before, and can't seem to find any information on them. I would like to know about safety, replacement if needed, and how energy effiecient they are. The have a metal casing with three horizontal bars across the heating flat heating element. Over that is a glass panel. The entire height of the unit is about 8 inches. It all works and seems to heat the house quickly. My realtor said it was a type of radient system. It looks like that could be true. Does this sound familiar to anyone? Does anyone else have a smiliar heating system? The thermostats look the same as the ones used with the metal baseboard heaters common in the 70's. Thank you, Sheryl

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Asked on 2006-09-17 13:30:27

Has anyone installed an elevator in their home? Or, a stair-chair? Recommendations? Comments?

I have a split level home and the stairs are becoming an accessability issue. Has anyone installed a dumbwaiter for hauling groceries up the stairs? An elevator? How about a stair-chair? Any recommendations? Comments? Thanks!

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Asked on 2006-09-17 11:38:52

How to get rid of damp plaster and re-plaster

G'day all! I have a problem in my bathroom where the tiles have lifted because of dampness getting in behind them and ruining the plaster. Can I remove the bad plaster and re-plaster myself or will I need a pro? Im really short on funds so would like to do it myself if poss. Any tips would be great. Cheers, Scott BJ

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Asked on 2006-09-16 02:44:04

Ideas for hiding baseboard heating pipes

Hello, we have just had an 8 person hot tub removed from our master bedroom. It was an outside (redwood) tub and once the tub was removed we have exposed baseboard pipes that we are seeking ideas for hiding in a decorative way. We have baseboard gas heating covers, but we can't (or don't want to extend these where the hot tub used to be. Does anyone have any ideas on how to hide these in a decorative way. Under the hot tub we now have an unfinished cement floor which we plan to tile and geez, what can we do with these pipes? My husband says we can't extend the baseboard radiant heaters because the pipes are not really heaters but run along the base board. I would rather find something better anyway. Any ideas? Help, help, help, or even point us to a store that might have some ideas?

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Asked on 2006-09-16 00:32:14

Considering pocket door for bathroom

Was wondering if anyone has ever installed a pocket door to replace a regular one in the bathroom. Thought it would save some space, being that my bath is rather small and the only one in the house. Just wondering about the pros and cons of installation verses just replacing the old door. Thanks : ) -CMJ

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Asked on 2006-09-14 15:44:16

Porch Decking Options?

I am gearing up to rebuild the huge wrap-around porch on my old money pit. The old fir decking will have to go, but I notice that the pine replacement boards I have put in over the years don't last at all. My neighbor has the same problem, even with a sound roof over them and fresh paint, new pine decking begins to rot in just a few years. So what are my options? I see from the thread on Tendura planks that people are not crazy about those. Are there other not-wood products I should consider? Right now I am thinking of using 5/4 pressure-treated deck boards, but I fear that will damage the historic look of my place. On the other hand, my house is nothing fancy, it is an 1870s farmhouse style with rambling add-ons and cheap vinyl siding. So I am not going to be a purist about the porch decking! Suggestions?

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Asked on 2006-09-13 13:17:43

Removing old oak floors

I'd like to know how to remove old oak flooring without damaging it as I plan to reuse it in another house. I haven't been able to find anything on the net that tells how to do this, so hopefully, someone out there can tell me how.

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Asked on 2006-09-07 21:41:05

Replacement Windows Help

Hi! I'm sure this is a topic that a lot of people have talked about- We have 26 windows in the house, and we definitely need to replace a few before winter- we know we can't afford to do it all at once, so we're looking to make a long-term replacement plan and comparing products. So, all ya'll out there with window issues... what have you decided to do with yours? One of our challenges is that we have stained and leaded glass in many of the tops sections of our windows and we don't know how to salvage that with replacement. The best the window companies have told us is to take the panes out and hang them next to the new window with eyehooks... sigh... not exactly the historical preservation we were looking for. We are considering both Marvin Ultimate Double Hung inserts (pricey!!) and Marvin tilt-pacs... Has anyone actually installed the tilt-pacs themselves? Are they as easy to install as they claim? Other brands/ suggestions? Anyone else have the stained glass issue? I've got pics of our windows my website. any advice you have would be most helpful. Thanks! nadja

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Asked on 2006-09-05 16:20:55

Radiator shut-off valves - suppliers

Ah yes, it's that time of year... time to get our radiators back in order. Every year we make a few tweaks and upgrades to the system, and this year it's time to replace a few shut-off valves. Does anyone have a good supplier recommendation? I'll probably be ordering off the internet since our local places don't seem to have anything in stock.

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Asked on 2006-09-05 08:56:03

Selling a House with Intact, Undamaged Asbestos Floor Tile

My Realtor feels VERY strongly that I should test the floor tiles on my second floor to see if they're asbestos, and if so, that I should totally get rid of it before I sell my house. From everything I've read, that's about the LAST thing you should do with asbestos floor tile, if it is in good condition, from an environmental point of view. Of course, she's been selling houses for many years, and perhaps she knows how people in my area would react when the inspector tells them the floor tile in the upstairs is asbestos, but as I understand it, it's practically expected in a house of this vintage. I think her concern is that someone who buys the house may want to renovate, in which case the asbestos squad would have to be called in. I don't know if that possibility is worth the risk of either a) having someone come take it in the dead of night and risk all kinds of legal problems; or b) spending anywhere from $7,500 to $15,000 to have it professionally removed and then have it on the record that the house "once contained asbestos." The Realtor is worried for me that if I don't get rid of it, and then "word gets around," that I won't be able to sell the house. I just think that if a potential buyer is going to get all worked up about what is practically an urban legend (the difference between friable, loose, damaged asbestos vs. intact, safe non-friable floor tile asbestos), then that's a red flag that they're going to find fault with a bunch of other things anyway. Thoughts?

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Asked on 2006-08-30 16:04:05

Banners and Recent Entries

I'm new to this whole thing and hesitate to ask such computer oriented questions on houseblogs...they should be house oriented right? But my questions are related to how things work on the houseblogs site. I see that recent entries pop up on the main page. I'm assuming this is a result of providing an atom address when signing up with houseblogs. All the recent entries seem to have banners. How does this work? Do I need to create a separate banner? Is a banner already a natural part of my blog (the top of my blog site)? I would like to create a better header/banner, but have no idea where to start. Blogger Help (the location of my blog) does not mention banners at all. Got any recommendations on a site to create a free banner or a book to explain all this stuff? Wow...this is all so new...Thanks for any help. Andrea - The Litter Box House

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Asked on 2006-08-28 13:34:07

Tendura Plank deck flooring

Greetings! I'm considering using a new product called Tendura Plank on a small covered side entranceway /porch that gets alot of traffic. I'm wondering if anyone has used this product and if so how do you like it? Are you satisfied with the look? The product is backordered so I'm hoping someone out there has some experience with it to share. I currently have a fir porch that is so beat up it doesn't hold paint well. Tendura is like Trex, only with tongue and groove sides. Thanks- Liz

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Asked on 2006-08-27 16:04:00

homeowners woes trusting contactors

After spending a lifetime in the USMC and living in Military housing we took a plunge and purchased a 1950 craftsman home. Home is all oak floors celings and walls are all CA redwood, closets are cedar and kitchen is knotty pine. Overall a good deal. My Dh's dream home; my cleaning upkeep nightmare. Most remodeling has gone well, roof, plumbing, electirc, heat/ac. I just had my kitchen floor done in tile. I now found out it was installed inproperly. I am so mad I can't even write about it. Since we are getting a bit tight with funds, my last project is to add insulation to the attic. I live in Southern , Il, the contactor wants to add a thermoter to my attice fan and add 6 more inches to the attic. My question is after reading many blogs yadda, yadda, I am understanding the following: 1. do not run an attic fan w/ ac when it is on under humid conditions since it sucks alll the cool air up to the attic. ( and it does) a) it is not cost effective b) some sort of fumes come into the house So, any information someone can add? I don't know .... 2. Due to prevoius leaks before new roof, I was reading that mold could be growing on insuation? NO mention to check from contractor at all also Cellose is not a good option due to looses fire something in 5 years? I probaly am going to get a few good laughs at my in experience, but I would really apprecaite some direction. I can't really afford any more mistakes!

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Asked on 2006-08-20 11:38:30

Painted wallpaper? What to do?

We have a house with wallpaper that has been painted over. What's the best way to get rid of or hide the seam lines. ..Do we strip it? skim coat it? Sand it? Has anyone heard of wallwik wallpaper removal? What are we getting ourselves into? Help.

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Asked on 2006-08-20 00:15:43

Pantry Shelves

Anyone have an idea of where I can find this type of pantry shelving? HGTV shelves It's the organized storage shelving in the first picture on the left. Basically I'm trying to find strong, open wood pantry shelving. Not that wire stuff that is so popular lately. I was hoping for something that I can purchase and put together myself. Thanks for any help!

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Asked on 2006-08-15 11:05:55

Vapor barrier

help. I am working on a house built in 1892 as a parsonage for a Swedish Mission Church in Central Minnesota. I have a finished attic room above a unheated porch. I have ripped out the lath and plaster in the ceiling of the porch and I want to insulate the ceiling so that when I heat the attic room to 50 degrees I don't loose a lot of heat through the floor of the attic room. someone has suggested placing two inches of styrofoam against the exposed floor boards and then six inches of unfaced fibreglass insulation over that. My question is this: "is two inches of stryrofoam a vapor barrier" since the porch below is unheated.

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Asked on 2006-08-15 08:17:10

Which has better quality Joyce Mfg sunrooms or Patio Enclosures

We are in the process of wanting to build a sun room on our patio. We have met with several companies. We have boiled down to two companies. Joyce Mfg (through a contractor) and Patio Enclosures. We are leaning toward the Joyce. We liked the use of the vinyl over the aluminum. I realize Patio Enclosures also ahs vinyl, but it is much more expensive. The one major problem we have encountered is finding information on the quality of the Joyce Sunrooms (also known as Oasis sunrooms). Does anyone have any experience with the Joyce Mfg. product ? I am interested in finding out any information prior to spending a great deal of money.

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Asked on 2006-08-12 20:12:35

Painting Transition Ideas?

I'm looking at painting my living room and kitchen different colors. They share a wall and I'm not sure how to handle the painting where the rooms change, should I just have a line where the colors change?

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Asked on 2006-08-03 22:37:00

Is air conditioning worth it?

I recently bought a 1921 Colonial. Needless to say, it does not have AC. Up until the recent gust of heat, we were pretty cool during the days and especially at night. Our house has a nice overhanging roof that spares us from incoming rain-so we can keep the windows open 24-7; and it's has some ample shading from surrounding trees. My question is, will the cost of installing AC offset the increase in value to the house? I was given a ballpark quote of $15K to install "high velocity" AC, which is my only option. I'm just wondering if/when I sell my house, will that $15K be absorbed into the selling price? Especially since my neighborhood is somewhat historic and few homes have central air- the AC could be an attractive selling point. Any thoughts?

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Asked on 2006-08-02 13:32:49

subway tile

I'm looking for white subway tile for a redo in my bathroom. I just want the flat tile - nothing for edges, corners, etc. Where can I find it? Lots of folks are using it, so apparently I'm looking in all the wrong places.

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Asked on 2006-07-29 09:40:54

Cleaning grout

Our master bathroom has white tile with silver swizzles through it on the floor. Because of the colour scheme in that room and the adjoining bedroom we decided upon white grout. I know, stupid move ... Anyway, I went to seal the grout last night. Admittedly I'm late doing this, as we grouted a few months ago. I'm wondering if anyone has any great ideas for how to get the grout clean again? I tried a washing with water with bleach in it, but it just seems to spread the dirt around. I also tried a Magic Eraser. The grout ate it very quickly, but it seemed to work ok before that. I also tried a toothbrush with bleach, then with water. Any other ideas? Thanks! Angela http://peteandange.blogspot.com

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Asked on 2006-07-21 06:50:31

a new tool on T.O.H.

Tom Silva was demonstrating a double dowel hole drill recently that looked like a biscuit cutter. It was on two episodes of TOH but I haven't been able to find a brand tool maker that has it for sale, or has it at all. Does anyone know who make this tool? It was green in color, similar to Makita brand.

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Asked on 2006-07-19 08:59:38

Looking for Craftsman style motion sensor lights

We need to install a motion detector-type light and wondered if anyone has found a craftsman-style kind of thing. they're just not super nice looking otherwise.

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Asked on 2006-07-18 15:11:50

Replacing Windows

I would appreciate any comments or advice on replacing windows. Here is the situation: Home built 1990 with double pane windows of various sizes. A number of them have blown seals, have collected moisture inside, and now are fogged. They range in sizes from ~2x3' to ~3x5' and we would like to replace them (10 all told with three glazed ones). So my questions are: What are the critical pieces of information needed for when I begin checking with local glass companies. What are the do's and don'ts. What whould I be looking for. None of the frames need to be replaced, I believe, just the double pane glass inserts. The original manufacturer is an off brand who is out of business as far as I know. Thanks in advance Mitch

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Asked on 2006-07-10 16:17:09

Replace damaged framing on exterior wall

We have a small camp in Maine about 24x24. I tell you this becasue there is a snow load and strong winds in the winter. One exterior wall (side wal not gable end) which is 24 feet long has a row of window about chair rail height and run the lenght of the wall. The framing is sound from just below the windows. The interior is the exposed framing (like a garage or shed). This is my question: Can I support the roof and the wall below the widows and cut off the wall below the windows, repair a section of the subfloor and reframe or do I need to remove the entire wall? If I cut out the lower portion I will line up new framing below the king and jack studs and use metal strapping on the interior and exterior at the king studs. Also, any idea how long this should take? I had a contractor come over and he said two guys for two weeks to reframe the entire wall. At the time I was not considering just the lower portion as an option. I think two professional carpenters with chop saws and nail gun