Articles filed under DeMarne, Henri

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Articles filed under DeMarne, Henri

Time to retire and write that book I've been thinking about

By Henri de Marne
Jan 6, 2019 6:00 AM - Dear readers: Two years ago, in late September 2016, I said my goodbyes due to the termination of the national syndication of my column forced by the increasing loss of printed newspapers. Then your Daily Herald editor contacted me and asked if I could work with her directly, which I was very glad to do in order to reconnect with all of you. But I just turned 93 and after 61 years in the construction industry and 45 years writing this column, it's time for me to concentrate on remaining healthy and on more personal matters. Thank you, dear readers, for your letters over the years, which I so enjoyed receiving and responding to as best as I could. I will miss our interaction, but time moves on.
How to properly seal a porch floor

By Henri de Marne
Dec 30, 2018 6:00 AM - Q. My question has to do with porch floor finish. I have a screened-in porch with a cedar floor. I have been putting Thompson's Water Seal on it each spring after power washing it. It makes it look great but leaves the carpet in the adjoining room a mess. Wondering what you would suggest to put on it. Want it to look good but not track.
Problems with incorrect bathroom and kitchen venting

By Henri de Marne
Dec 23, 2018 6:00 AM - Over the years, I've noticed you always tell people to only vent the bathroom fan through the gable wall. Never through the roof or the soffit.
Repairing a garage floor

By Henri de Marne
Dec 16, 2018 6:00 AM - The pitted areas of a garage floor should be repaired and, depending on how many there are and their severity, it shouldn't cost anywhere as much as redoing the whole floor. There are many special products on the market for repairing concrete.
How to make ramp less slippery

By Henri de Marne
Dec 9, 2018 6:00 AM - Q. A pressure-treated wood ramp, roughly 12-feet-long, leads to the front door of my Vermont home. It barely slopes -- only about 2 degrees -- but when it's wet or there's light snow or a freeze, it can get quite slippery.
Water stains on brick may clean easily

By Henri de Marne
Dec 2, 2018 6:00 AM - Q. My home was built during the 1950s and has a fireplace wall, 8-by-15 feet, made of what someone told me was Arkansas Marble. I recently purchased this home with an $500 allowance to clean a small section below the ceiling of that wall over the fireplace that was damaged by water leaking around the chimney.
Roofing issues concern local homeowner

By Henri de Marne
Nov 25, 2018 6:00 AM - Q. I'll be re-roofing my tri-level home in the spring. One roofer said on the part where the lower roof meets the siding, the flashing is called baby tins and they run up behind the siding.
Oil-based primers better than paint/primer combination

By Henri de Marne
Nov 18, 2018 6:00 AM - This summer for the first time I -- rather skeptically -- tried one of the new paint/primer combinations, which seem to be just about the only thing you can get these days. When I checked the woodwork a couple of days ago, I was shocked to see the paint is already peeling in places only months later.
Proper venting of bathroom and kitchen fans

By Henri de Marne
Nov 11, 2018 6:00 AM - Recently I answered a very long question from a reader from the Chicago area who had sent me four photos of the most horrendous icing problem I recall ever seeing over the years. So I think it is time to review the do's and don'ts of this important subject.
More sump pump repair questions

By Henri de Marne
Oct 28, 2018 6:00 AM - Q. Thank you for taking the time to respond to my parents' emails. I am the daughter with the sump pump no longer filling with water. I have a few questions based on your recent answer in this column.

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