Here's How from Creators Syndicate

Stop Annoying House Sounds for 02/16/2012

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800

Dear Pat: I have lived in a new house for about one year now. Whenever I use a lot of hot water or the furnace/air conditioner comes on, I hear squeaks and knocking sounds. What is it, and how can I stop it? — Gina P.

Dear Gina: Those sounds you described can be quite loud and a little scary for children. I can still recall spending the night with my grandparents when I was a child ...

Updated: Thu Feb 16, 2012

Buying a Ladder for 02/09/2012

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800

Dear Pat: I need to get some tools for my new home, and I think a ladder would be a good place to start? What are my options for ladders, and are different ones better for different tasks? — Polly M.

Dear Polly: Selecting a ladder is about the best place to begin because, until you start doing some projects around your house, you will not realize how often you use a ladder. When yo ...

Updated: Thu Feb 09, 2012

Install a Shower Enclosure for 02/02/2012

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800

Dear Pat: I am planning to remodel my bathroom. It has a shower, and I am limited on space, but my budget is open. What type of shower enclosure is best for a luxurious look and to make the room seem larger? — Cathy E.

Dear Cathy: Remodeling a bathroom is usually full of compromises between wish lists and budgets, so this will be fun with an open budget. The three key items that wi ...

Updated: Thu Feb 02, 2012

Select Proper Wallboard Type for 01/26/2012

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800

Dear Pat: I am planning to do some projects around my new house. I am trying to decide if I should use plywood, medium density fiberboard, particleboard or oriented strand board. Which is best? — Stephanie P.

Dear Stephanie: You must have visited your home center store recently and done your research. Those are the basic four materials to use for flat structural members, and each i ...

Updated: Thu Jan 26, 2012

Add a Linen or Extra Closet to Your Home for 01/19/2012

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800

Dear Pat: With another child on the way, we are going to need more storage space. I particularly would like a linen closet and an additional clothes closeT. Do you have any ideas on how I can add these? — Donna C.

Dear Donna: As you are finding, with a family, a house can never have too much storage space. A linen closet with many shallow shelves or drawers makes an efficient use o ...

Updated: Thu Jan 19, 2012

Avoid Common Wallpapering Problems in a Kitchen for 01/12/2012

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800

Dear Pat: We just moved into an older house and hung wallpaper in the kitchen. It looked good for about a month, but now it has bubbles and is coming loose at the edges? Did we perhaps get bad wallpaper? — Sheila R.

Dear Sheila: If the problems occurred in only one small area, it may have been a bad roll of wallpaper. If it is happening in many spots and along many edges, the possi ...

Updated: Thu Jan 12, 2012

Change Room Layout for 01/05/2012

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800

Dear Pat: We have a large dining room that we seldom use. I was considering reducing its size and making the laundry room next to it larger to create a family studio. Would this improve the value of the house? — Nedra P.

Dear Nedra: The concept of a family studio is becoming more popular in today's home. People tend to be less formal than in the past, so as you have found, large fo ...

Updated: Thu Jan 05, 2012

Make New Home Accessible for a Wheelchair for 12/29/2011

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

Dear Pat: I am going to build a house for myself, my two children and my elderly mother. She sometimes needs a wheelchair. What specific design features should we keep in mind so she has easy access? — Jennifer N.

Dear Jennifer: It is wise for you to think of access to the house entrances at the initial design phase of your new home. Providing proper access can have quite an impact ...

Updated: Thu Dec 29, 2011

Replace Front Door for 12/22/2011

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

Dear Pat: I have an old wooden front door with sidelights. The door is in bad shape and leaky, but the sidelights are fine. Is it possible to replace just the door and not the sidelights to save money? — Pamela A.

Dear Pamela: Front doors with decorative sidelights are very popular today. As you have found, the sidelights, which are fixed in the door opening, experience much less w ...

Updated: Thu Dec 22, 2011

Size Ductwork Properly for 12/15/2011

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

Dear Pat: Two bedrooms on the north side of my house are always cold. We are designing a new house now. What causes this, and what should we do to avoid the same problem in our new house? It will be two stories. — Vicki D.

Dear Vicki: There are many possible causes of the chilly conditions in the two bedrooms. They are on the northern side of your house, which exposes them to the c ...

Updated: Thu Dec 15, 2011

Repairing Laminate Countertop for 12/08/2011

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

Dear Pat: I have an attractive laminate kitchen countertop which is only 1 year old. My daughter burned two small spots on it that look bad. Is there a way to repair this type of countertop myself? — Jen B.

Dear Jen: Plastic laminate countertops are attractive and very durable, except for one thing — high heat. If your daughter placed a very hot pan on the countertop, the glo ...

Updated: Thu Dec 08, 2011

Upgrade Entertainment Center for 12/01/2011

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

Dear Pat: I am in the final stages of remodeling my house, and I am working on the entertainment center. What size and type of cabinets should I use, and how can I modify them myself inexpensively for an elegant look? — Lynn

Dear Lynn: Selecting an entertainment center is important for both its functionality and its appearance. As something new comes on the market, such as DVD play ...

Updated: Thu Dec 01, 2011

Install a New Electric Outlet for 11/24/2011

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800

Dear Pat: I was redecorating my family room, and I changed the electrical outlets myself so the colors matched. Now one from a wall switch does not work, and another has intermittent power. Help! — Bev N.

Dear Bev: Generally, unless you understand the basics of household electrical wiring, it is not wise to tackle even the simplest of electrical tasks. Not only can you have problem ...

Updated: Thu Nov 24, 2011

Use In-floor Slab Heating for 11/17/2011

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800

Dear Pat: I plan to add a bedroom for my children. It will be built on a slab to save money and use floor radiant heat. I would like to install hardwood flooring over it. Can this be done over the heated slab? — Paula A.

Dear Paula: Building a room addition on a concrete slab is the least expensive construction method and a good choice for your new bedroom. Your children will be pl ...

Updated: Thu Nov 17, 2011

Improve Appearance of Old Carpeting for 11/10/2011

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800

Dear Pat: I just finished remodeling my house. I can only replace the carpet in two rooms because I ran over budget. How can I make old carpeting look better, and how should I maintain the new carpet? — Andrea R.

Dear Andrea: You certainly are not the first person to overrun a budget and have to cut back a bit on the final touches. Generally, unless your old carpeting is extremely ...

Updated: Thu Nov 10, 2011

Add a Toilet With No Drain for 11/03/2011

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Dear Pat: My husband does many dirty car projects in the garage. We would like to install a toilet and sink in the corner of the garage, but it is built on a slab with no drain. How can we add this? — Charelle P.

Dear Charelle: There is nothing worse than trying to clean old black motor oil and grease mixed with grit from the doorknobs and floors, not to mention the odor. The very ...

Updated: Thu Nov 03, 2011

Design House With Good Air Quality for 10/27/2011

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Dear Pat: I and all my children have allergies. We are planning to build a new house, and I need to avoid the "sick house syndrome" from poor indoor air quality. What things should I consider for it? — Lisa T.

Dear Lisa: Sick house syndrome refers to much more than just allergies and can be a serious problem in today's newer airtight homes. The indoor air can actually be ...

Updated: Thu Oct 27, 2011

Locate a fireplace properly for 10/20/2011

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Dear Pat: We are in the initial planning stage of our new house, and we definitely want a fireplace. In order to minimize smoke in the house, does it make any difference where we locate the fireplace? — Deb A.

Dear Deb: A smoky fireplace can completely spoil the ambiance and pleasure of a crackling fire. In many cases, the cause of smoke being drawn back down the chimney into the ...

Updated: Thu Oct 20, 2011

Convert Garage to Bedroom for 10/13/2011

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Dear Pat: I am planning to convert my garage into a bedroom with drywall. I have read many books about how to hang drywall. What are the most common mistakes with installing drywall in a room? — Nan D.

Dear Nan: Reading how-to books is a good first step in planning a do-it-yourself project to get the basics. It is impossible for any book to list all the possible mistakes that can ...

Updated: Thu Oct 13, 2011

Select Wood for Shelving for 10/06/2011

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Dear Pat: My kids have a lot of magazines and just plain old stuff laying around on the floors. I want to build some shelves/bookcases myself. What is the best wood for the shelves? And give me some building tips. — Grace F.

Dear Grace: Stacks of books and magazines seem to breed and grow taller on their own. You should be able to build some functional, yet attractive, wooden shel ...

Updated: Thu Oct 06, 2011