Homeowner Forum / Repair / July 2008

Has anyone had any experiences with the
larger electric power washers?  I had a
small 3.5 HP gas unit, which was pretty
adequate for my home and deck cleaning

I'd like to split some retaing blocks in half, so that they would be half
the height of the original blocks. These would become capstones for another
project. The stones are 4" high by 8" deep and (9" and 6") wide. I'd happily
pay someone to split these for me (30 blocks) ...

We have some rotted and cracked exterior wood that needs
filling before re-staining the house. I had been using Mr. Mack's
Wood Fix for this but it is no longer made.  Minwax wood
filler is OK for some filling but not all.  Mr. Mack's could be

I have 3 exterior locksets, the inside portion is a round knob with a
button - turn to lock/unlock.
I wish to change the round knob on the inside with a lever type.
Do I have to change the entire lockset, or can I just changeout the

I am planning to build a 10ftX12ft backyard shed in SF Bay. We have little rain
year round except spring and fall. The shed will be use to store boxes of books,
unused items on built in shelving and should be considered very heavy.
I need suggestion, advice or webpage's links for ...

I just got off the phone with somebody who was having their toilet and tub
back up and spill a lot of water onto the floor - after which it found it's
way through various holes down into their ranch house's basement. There was
enough water so that the doorway out into the hall ...

Last week we installed an electric tankless hot water system.
Everything worked as expected for several days, so we know things were
hooked up right.  For the last couple of days there has been a strange
hot water problem that no one can figure out.  Here's what's

"In Dr. Sugarman's kitchen, the readings were 100 picocuries per liter [25
times recommended levels]."
The world is coming to an end sooner than we think.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/24/garden/24granite.html?_r=1&no_interstitial&ore
f=slogin

let me join

The windows in my house are the tilt-to-clean type and one of the
latches has broken.  I'd like to get a replacement part, but I don't
know who manufactured the window.  I don't see any identifying marks
except a label attached to the top of the window.  Here's a picture of

They dropped binaries a week or two ago- looks like the rest of the alts
are gone now. This probably won't post.
So in the words of Les Nesman, we are off the air!
--

I have a 60-year-old 1,000 SF brick-and-block raised ranch in
northwestern Illinois. About 17 years ago the original drafty wood
windows were replaced with good quality vinyl and caulked well.
Shortly after that a tear-off roof replacement was done, and an attic

I'm rescreening my screened porch, which has brick walls to waist
height, and then wood framing above and had aluminum screens stapled
to the wood frame and covered with trim.  The windows are inset
between larger posts.  Because they are inset, I cannot use a product

Maybe a dumb question, but is there a best time of year to have a
concrete driveway replaced. I'm in NW Florida...

The piston that closes my storm door is slipping.
The problem is on the side that attaches to the door.  There is a
bracket that screws to the door.  It's a standard part; it has
openings so that it can be screwed into the door in various positions.