Homeowner Forum / Repair / April 2008

I have heavy glass sliding doors in one bedroom closet.
(They slide past each other on different rails.)
One of the doors has begun to stick, making it hard
to push.  I looked at the rail and saw black, sticky stuff.

I recently had some food in my basement spoiled by mice.
I set 6 traps and got 3 overnight.
I reset those 3 and got 1 more today.
My question is... How are these things surviving in my basement?

I'm putting linoleum in my laundry room
the piece is cut and ready to go about 12x12 feet
the home depot guy told me that i  don't have to glue it
some people suggested to use double sided tape on the outer edges

I don't know much about sprinkler systems, but I know mine is broken.
I just turned it on and the main valve is leaking. There is a bell-
like thing on top and the water us gushing out from underneath that
bell. Is that something that can be repaired or do I just need to find

My neighbor came over to ask me, if I could be a little more quiet when I
come home. Apparently, he doesn't like the sound of my vehicle coming up
the drive, or the garage door opening and closing. I get home about 3 in
the morning, I drive a car with a quiet muffler, and there's ...

I have an oil-fired boiler, which also serves as the hot water heater. Is
there anything wrong with shutting off the circuit breaker to it, when I go
away for the weekend?
Even though the temperature control for the hot water is turned to the

I need to replace the fence in my back yard.  I currently have a 3'
chain link fence and I intend to reuse the same post positions (8'
span).  Behind the fence, also on my property, are cedar hedges.  My
back yard is 50'x50' with one of the four sides being the house and

I have a weird issue with my oven.  Whenever it reaches the target
thermostat number  (400 degrees or whatever)  , it makes a loud boom sound.
Not terribly loud....but not quiet either.    Its usually at the moment when
the gas turns off.  (when the thermostat reaches the desired ...

I have a room with two sets of lights. One set is controlled by a
single pole switch. The other set is on a three way switch. How do I
combine them so that all the lights are controlled by the 3-way
switches?

Having a new service box installed in a residence.
Electrician has never used these before, so thought I'd ask here.
Was thinking of purchasing, and having him install, an Intermatic Whole
House Surge Suppressor

Sorry I do not recall exactly who had ths same problem, but it came in handy
with my reading here.  We had what we thought was a busted garbage disposal.
Since that same side also is where the dishwasher drains, we were about to
get a new one.

Test

This absolutely is a true problem that I have and desperately need
help.
      I park my car off-street (no garage) as parking is very limited
in our area.  SInce spring began, the local birds have been using my

A few months ago we moved into a rented house that uses a propane
tank for heat, and the owner isn't willing to replace the piloted stove/
oven combo with one that isn't sucking up propane 24/7 (at $3.50/
gallon).  We've adjusted the pilots best we could, but we can tell by