Henri de Marne
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Congregation hopes to dry out church basementSep 16, 2012 5:49 am - Q. We are members of an old church. The basement is concrete block and is sunk three-fourths of the way underground. There are windows 5 feet up — four or five on the no...
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Home repair: Second-floor bedrooms too hot for sleepingSep 09, 2012 4:37 am - Q. I am a faithful reader of your column. I have learned so much from you — enough to know that I need advice before we invest in a new roof for our Cape Cod-style house...
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Algae on shingles is homeowners’ nemesisSep 02, 2012 5:32 am - Q. I have ugly black streaks/stains on the asphalt shingle roof of my house. They appear on the north side of the roof only, where the sun doesn’t hit very much; the sou...
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Outdoor A/C unit is OK in the sunAug 21, 2012 4:34 pm - Q. We moved into a fixer-upper and have been doing a lot of work to get it just right. One question I have is about our air conditioner. The exterior unit sits on the pa...
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Energy audit can identify heat-loss culpritsAug 19, 2012 4:58 am - Q. First of all, I would like to thank you for suggesting Amteco TWP wood preservative. I just used the TWP 1500 series on my fence, and it turned out great. I hope it l...
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Home repair: Ductwork insulation may help air conditioner’s efficiencyAug 12, 2012 5:00 am - Q. I have a question regarding air conditioning. I live in a slab home in western Pennsylvania. The home is heated by a water system that is in the slab. Cooling is done...
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How much to spend on attic insulation?Aug 05, 2012 4:58 am - Q. I look forward to reading your articles each Sunday in our newspaper. However, I have to say, I was disappointed in your recent reply to the question about having two...
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Home repair: Special hardware affixes grab bars to fiberglassJul 29, 2012 5:50 am - Q. My elderly mother is coming to live with us. We have a beautiful, sunny bedroom with private bath for her, and the bathtub/shower unit is fiberglass. We asked a handy...
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Home repair: Can solar panels be used to shade a deck?Jul 22, 2012 4:29 am - Q. The narrow cedar slats in the pergola/shade roof we built over our large deck 15 years ago are now peeling, warping, shrinking and deteriorating. It’s a hefty 18-foot...
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Mice can squeeze into house through tiny holesJul 15, 2012 5:29 am - Q. I am having trouble with mice. I have looked everywhere but cannot figure out how they get in the house. I see some small openings around where the electric cable goe...