Quick Column Summary: Prep work for pressure washing Chewing gum stain removal Pretreat with oxygen bleach Use pressure washer carefully Jolynn, who lives in paradise - Waianae, Hawaii - wants to clean a commercial building with a pressure washer. Here's what she wants to know: "When pressure washing a single-story commercial building what should I do […]
Here are a few photos and videos of my fun day on September 15, 2014 with my co-workers from the Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad. The Conway Scenic Railroad has a very large operation with many pieces of equipment and a very long stretch of rail line up the Crawford Notch U-shaped valley created by the massive […]
Quick Column Summary: Is furnace smell dangerous Carbon monoxide is odorless/dangerous Dust accumulation causes smell Clean furnace and ductwork Jane, who lives with an old octopus gravity-feed (probably) furnace in Roseville, MI, has an odor issue. Let her describe it: "We moved into a home that has an old octopus furnace - it is labeled […]
Quick Column Summary: How to clean teak Use an oxygen bleach Leslie Ann, who lives in the land of the Buckeyes in Columbus, OH, needs to clean a teak table that's had lots of stuff on it. She wants the BEST product, but doesn't want to shop online. Hmmmmmmm "What is the best way to […]
Quick Column Summary: Soundproofing windows High quality storm windows might help Sound leaks into any air gap in your home Link to sound control information Arlene Vargus, who lives on a race track street in Lynn, MA has a problem. "I live on a noisy street and want to soundproof my three double-hung windows. Would […]
Wireless Mailbox Alert Systems - Quite a Few Great Ones Wireless mailbox alert recommendation Many ways for a system to fail Check mail the old fashioned way CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE BIDS from local electronics experts who can install a wireless mailbox alert. Paul Loudenslager, lives in Tifton, Georgia wrote to me. […]
Quick Column Summary: Is dust in house coming from ductwork What is creating the dust Most dust gets in through air cracks near doors/windows Denis has a dusty house in California's Central Valley. He lives in Merced, CA. That's a clue by the way. Here's what Denis sent me: "Hey Tim, I have the dustiest […]
Quick Column Summary: Keep grill away from house Doublecheck propane connections Call fire department first One of my ham radio friends almost burned his house down in the past two weeks. He had to switch out the four-gallon propane tank under his grill and somehow cross-threaded the hose connector. The leaking gas caught on fire […]
Quick Column Summary: Home improvement endorsements Are they credible Did the endorsers test the product Did endorser get paid for this I'm pretty much just like you. I'm not immune from receiving advertisements in the mail. Earlier this week, I received a postcard from GutterBrush that was promoting a 20-percent-off offer. Here it is: On […]
Last week I was having a rare phone conversation with my editor at the syndicate that distributes my Ask the Builder column. Dave's a great editor and a DIY enthusiast. Somehow the conversation drifted to how he looks for help online to do projects and to help guide him when he decides he needs to […]
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