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Become master of your energy bills

By Paul Bianchina, Friday, November 20, 2009.

Lots of people are concerned about how much it costs to heat and power their homes, and the impact they have on the environment. So it's always interesting when some new products come along that can help us better understand how our homes work, and what changes we can make to improve things.

As part of their Energy Series, Black & Decker has developed the Power Monitor (Model EM100B, $99.99). This unique and easy-to-use device allows you to monitor power usage anywhere in the house, so you can truly see the cost of running an appliance, or see how much replacing standard light bulbs with more energy-efficient ones will offer in energy savings. more...

Winterizing your chimney

By Paul Bianchina, Friday, November 13, 2009.

As winter approaches, one of the things to look forward to is the cozy heat and intimate glow that can come only from a wood fire. But burning wood can create some definite safety hazards if you don't keep up with regular fireplace and wood-stove maintenance.

The real culprits are soot and creosote. Creosote is a thick, oily material that results from the distillation of wood smoke, which then solidifies as it cools. Soot is basically particles of partially burnt material, which builds up in masonry chimneys and metal flue pipes alike, as well as in the flue cap. more...

Devil's in the home warranty details

By Paul Bianchina, Friday, November 6, 2009.

Q: I'm currently in contract to buy a townhouse. The broker and my attorney are encouraging us to have the seller purchase a home warranty (through Coldwell Banker). What is your opinion of these programs? There seems to be many complaints about them online.

A: First, I need to give you a couple of disclaimers: I have only limited experience with home warranties, and I don't know anything about Coldwell Banker's specific program. So this is only my general and limited opinion.

From what I have seen and heard, home warranties suffer from a "fine print" problem. Homes and their systems are very complex, and there are so many variables that affect them, from the weather to do-it-yourself repairs. more...

Downside to high-efficiency furnace?

By Paul Bianchina, Friday, October 30, 2009.

Q: Is a high-efficiency furnace more likely to break down compared to a mid- or low-efficiency one?

A: High-efficiency furnaces, those with a rating of 82 percent to more than 96 percent efficiency, are designed to extract and utilize some of the waste heat that would otherwise be exhausted out through the flue. Accomplishing this task requires additional fans, valves and electronic controls within the furnace, and with more moving parts you have more things that can go wrong and therefore additional potential for breakdowns. However, I'm not aware of any substantial reliability issues that would cause me to shy away from purchasing a high-efficiency unit. more...

Winterize your home

By Paul Bianchina, Friday, October 23, 2009.

Hard to believe it's that time again! Fall is here, and you need to start getting your home ready for the winter months to come. To help get you started, here's a checklist of some of the projects that you need to consider:

Indoors

__ Check the fireplace: It's about time to get those logs burning, so get the fireplace ready! Clean the fireplace chimney or wood stove flue using brushes approved for the size and type of flue you have. If you're not partial to ladders, roofs and soot, this is a good project to leave to an experienced chimney sweep company. A good chimney sweep will also inspect the fireplace from top to bottom, and talk to you about any repairs that need doing. Clean out the firebox, making sure you place the ashes in a fireproof container with a tight lid for proper disposal. If you have an airtight wood stove or fireplace insert, check the door-seal gasket, and clean the glass on the door. more...

Right wrench for the job

By Paul Bianchina, Friday, October 16, 2009.

If you're the type of person who substitutes a pair of pliers for an entire set of wrenches, you may want to consider adding a few of the proper wrenches to your toolbox. Wrenches are relatively inexpensive and the good ones last a lifetime -- and you'll probably be surprised at how much the proper tool can simplify your project.

Here are a few wrenches to consider:

Open- and box-end wrenches: Open-end wrenches have an opening on one end to allow them to be placed on a nut or bolt head from the side. more...

Sizing up electric wall heaters

By Paul Bianchina, Friday, October 9, 2009.

With winter on its way, you may be thinking about some different options for warming up those cold rooms. If you don't like the idea of moving portable heaters around and you're looking for something permanent, an electric heater might be just the solution you need.

There are several types of electric heaters available, but the two most common styles are probably the wall-mounted can style, and the baseboard style. more...

Extending furnace ducts after remodel

By Paul Bianchina, Friday, October 2, 2009.

One of the advantages to having a central heating system is that you can add to the system to service new or expanded areas. For example, if you add a room or enlarge a kitchen, providing the necessary heat for the additional space can often be accomplished by adding an additional duct run to the existing system.

When considering the addition of a new duct run, there are two things to keep in mind: furnace size, and the size and layout of the duct system. For all but the very simplest of small duct extensions, you'll need the help of an experienced heating contractor to make all of the complex calculations required to size and balance the system. more...

The right bit for the job

By Paul Bianchina, Friday, September 25, 2009.

If you need to drill a hole, it seems like a simple matter to grab a drill and a drill bit and go to work. But if you ever check out the aisles of a hardware store, you'll find quite a variety of bits for different applications. Knowing the right one for a specific job will help you get the project done faster, safer, and with better results.

Twist drill bits: These are the bits that do-it-yourselfers are typically the most familiar with. Twist drill bits are usually made of high-speed steel (HSS), and have a flute -- a recess in the side of the bit -- that spirals up from the point of the bit toward to the top. The flute allows for chip removal as the hole is being drilled. Twist drill bits have a shallow point, and are used primarily for drilling metal. more...

What's wrong with my furnace?

By Paul Bianchina, Friday, September 18, 2009.

Q: We recently moved into a home with electric forced-air heat. In the winter, every time the furnace kicks on, the lights in the house dim for a nanosecond. Is this something that can be addressed or fixed?

Before we moved in we had to replace the electrical panel (it was made by a company that went out of business years ago because their panels were known to start fires), and I'm wondering if there is something associated with that we can correct. Any help before furnace season starts is greatly appreciated! --Lea more...

Security door an easy home upgrade

By Paul Bianchina, Friday, September 11, 2009.

If you're looking for greater protection for your doors than you can get from deadbolts and other locks, a steel security door may be the perfect solution. Security doors are added to the door frame on the exterior side of any standard exterior doors, similar to adding a standard screen door or storm door. They feature the strength of an all-welded steel framework and cross-bracing, along with an open steel mesh that allows for ventilation while being infinitely stronger than the aluminum or fiberglass mesh in a standard screen door.

Welded steel plates allow for the installation of a deadbolt lock, creating a door that's virtually impervious to kicking, prying, lock-picking and other forms of attempted illegal entry. more...

Installing a whirlpool bathtub

By Paul Bianchina, Friday, September 4, 2009.

Whirlpool bathtubs are a perennial favorite for new homes and remodeling projects alike. And while not particularly difficult to install, they do involve some procedures uniquely their own.

While whirlpool tubs are available as a tub/shower combination, which comprise a fiberglass bathtub with a three-sided shower enclosure, you'll find the biggest selection is in bathtubs by themselves. Most of the tubs are designed for platform mounting, meaning that they are open and unfinished on all four sides and are installed by placing them into a site-built wooden platform. Some types of tubs also have an optional finished front panel, allowing the tub to be mounted into a three-sided alcove like a conventional bathtub, and have the finished panel facing into the room. more...

Attic conversion done right

By Paul Bianchina, Friday, August 28, 2009.

With a tough real estate market, many people are choosing to stay in their homes and remodel to suit their needs, rather than move. A good remodeling can create customized space and increase resale value, while allowing you to stay in your current neighborhood and not have to uproot the kids from school.

One possibility when looking for additional living space might be lurking right above your head: your attic.

Attic conversions can offer several advantages over conventional room additions. more...

Are cold showers linked to small tank?

By Paul Bianchina, Friday, August 21, 2009.

Q: I have a 40-gallon natural gas water heater that is 5 years old, located at one end of the house and the bathrooms are at the other end. We added a recirculation pump with timer that allows us to get hot water within 5 seconds vs. without, which used to take 60-plus seconds.

However, I have never been able to keep enough hot water going for my wife's showering. She normally runs the shower for 15 minutes and unless it is at the top of the hot setting, she complains that there is not enough hot water. When we have visitors, it gets even worse. Does this mean we need a bigger-capacity water heater? Are there other solutions besides more capacity? more...

Rethinking the full-price offer

By Paul Bianchina, Friday, August 14, 2009.

Q: I am a first-time homebuyer. The asking price was $275,000, and I offered the whole thing. The home is in my son's school district and one of the only nice ones that have come up in months. I didn't want to lose out on the opportunity. However, the inspector found a few major problems, and my Realtor and I were present for the inspection.

First: The roof needs replacing.

Second: The seller's husband (who is now deceased) finished the basement himself. Apparently it isn't up to code and no permits were pulled. more...

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