Articles filed under Home Improvement

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Testing a home for radon May 18, 2013 12:00 AM
Q. We are looking for a newer home, and I have a question about radon. We were told we had the right to have the home tested, but I don't know if it's worth the cost. The radon test was not included in the costs from the home inspectors we talked to.
Front-burner issues from a food writer’s renovation May 18, 2013 12:00 AM
A few months ago I took the plunge and had my kitchen redone. For years I'd put it off because it was so expensive. Also, as a cookbook author and food writer, I spend nearly all of my waking hours in and around the kitchen. Being without one for six to eight weeks seemed unimaginable.
Plumber disagrees with home inspector May 17, 2013 12:00 AM
Q. I am a real estate broker and am trying to resolve a difference of opinion between a plumber and home inspector. The inspector routinely cites water heaters that are installed without a drain pan, especially when the water heater is on a raised platform in a garage. The plumber says there is no code requirement for a pan. Who is right?
Electronic toilet features may bowl you over May 12, 2013 12:00 AM
Q. I'm remodeling my bathroom and plan on installing a new toilet. My question: Do they make a toilet with bidet features?
Make room for the walk-in pantry May 11, 2013 12:00 AM
If you're wondering where the best kitchen storage went, blame the breakfast nook. Of course, pantries predate Ikea kitchen options. They date back centuries, according to the Encyclopedia of Food and Culture, which puts culinary history in anthropological context.
Insulating ductwork pays dividends May 11, 2013 12:00 AM
Q. I had a home-energy analysis. The report said my ductwork needs to be repaired upstairs and in the crawl space. It's been recommended that repairs be made with either mastic and tape, or foam, which is more expensive ($2,500). What should I do?
Splurge on kitchen features you can’t live without May 11, 2013 12:00 AM
I have been lucky to have always lived in homes with great kitchens. Even in college, my two roommates and I shared an apartment in Washington, D.C., that had a kitchen with exposed brick walls, a working fireplace, a big old-fashioned enamel stove, a full-size refrigerator with a separate full-size freezer and an amazing picture window that looked out on a fig tree and a distant grapevine-covered wall.
As housing prices rise, homeowners start delayed wish-list projects May 11, 2013 12:00 AM
Claudia Brown, a kitchen and bathroom designer for Home Depot, is witnessing what she's rarely seen in the past six years: customers knocking down walls again. Spurred by rising home prices, homeowners who spent the worst housing downturn since the Great Depression taking on only must-do repairs are again starting wish-list projects.
Home inspector: new homebuyer afraid of gas appliances May 10, 2013 12:00 AM
Q. As a first-time homebuyer, I'm worried about gas appliances. All the houses I've looked at have gas stoves, gas water heaters, and gas furnaces. The house I'm renting has all-electric appliances. I've heard lots of horror stories about safety problems with natural gas — everything from fires to explosions. Are gas appliances safe, or should I stick with electrical ones?
Ask the plumber: New kitchen sparks ‘Battle of the Bowls’ May 5, 2013 12:00 AM
Q. We're going to remodel our outdated kitchen and plan to install a cast-iron kitchen sink. I want a single-bowl sink that will be open and large for me to work in. My husband wants a double-bowl sink. He says it will be better for the garbage disposer and, later on, for resale value. Can you help us solve this disagreement?
Home inspector: Tenant gets bedroom with no window May 2, 2013 12:00 AM
Q. I just rented a bedroom in a 5-bedroom apartment. I initially put down a deposit for one of the larger bedrooms, one that had windows. But when I moved in, the only bedroom that hadn't been rented was the one with no window. I don't want to live there, but I can't afford to lose my deposit. Is it legal for someone to rent a room with no window?
Laundry rooms are moving up in the world Apr 28, 2013 12:00 AM
Q. To my wife's amazement, I'm moving our laundry station from the basement and building a laundry room in the area that used to be an open mudroom. Since this room is going to be in the living area, I want to make it fancy with built-in countertops. Can you give me any ideas on what type of laundry sink I should use?
Gurgling is a possible drain-trap problem Apr 27, 2013 12:00 AM
Q. Every time I use a sink or flush a toilet it takes forever for the water to drain and then there is a gurgling sound like the water is being sucked out of the drain. A neighbor who has done some remodeling work said I needed to have the drains cleaned by a plumber.
Inspector should support findings with photos of defect Apr 26, 2013 12:00 AM
Q. We're selling our house after spending $150K on a complete remodel. The place is in excellent shape, but the buyers' home inspection report was hideous! He said the framing is rotted under the house, but we've had all of that repaired. When we asked why there were no foundation photos in the report, he said he "didn't want to get his camera dirty."
Deadline to enter Extreme Garage Makeover contest is Thursday Apr 23, 2013 12:00 AM
Time is running out to enter the Daily Herald's Extreme Garage Makeover contest, sponsored by Junk Remedy and Garage Store. You have until Thursday night to register and submit a photo of your dirty garage. Our experts will select 10 finalists to compete for the top prize, which includes junk removal by Junk Remedy and storage solutions by Garage Store.
Feelin’ groovy in a home made of foam Apr 20, 2013 12:00 AM
In Minnetrista, Minn., there’s a funny-looking house that could have dropped straight out of a Dr. Seuss book. The dwelling is made almost entirely of polyurethane foam. Its quirky appearance — drooping rooflines, domed top and organic shape rising from the earth — has inspired many nicknames, including “the Mushroom House,” “the Foam House” and “Hobbit House.”
An HVAC upgrade makes sense if you plan to stay in home Apr 20, 2013 12:00 AM
Q. We need a new air conditioner. I have received several estimates on what we need to do to upgrade. One contractor wants to replace the air conditioner only. Some want to replace the furnace and air conditioner, and one wants to replace everything including most of the ducts. What should we consider in making a decision?
Aluminum wiring connections tend to come loose Apr 17, 2013 12:00 AM
The condo that I'm buying has aluminum wiring. According to my home inspector this is a fire hazard. But he says that correcting the problem in the unit I'm buying doesn't eliminate the issue entirely because the adjoining condos also have aluminum wires, and a fire in one of those dwellings could spread to my unit as well. What he says makes sense, but I'm not sure what to do about it. What do you recommend?
Illuminate storage spaces to make finding items easier Apr 14, 2013 12:00 AM
Even the most organized people can misplace things. That's because the places we put our stuff — closets, drawers, cabinets — usually are some of the darkest in the house. "If we cannot see it, we forget it, and we do not use it," says Isabella Guarjardo, a professional organizer.
Old wiring a concern in century-old home Apr 13, 2013 12:00 AM
Q. The house we bought in 2005 was built in 1900. We have done our best to update the electricity by removing knob and tube wiring in the basement and attic. Our electrician advised us not to worry about the knob and tube buried in the walls and ceiling.