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Saddled with a foundation problem

By Bill and Kevin Burnett, Wednesday, November 25, 2009.

Q: My question regards the best way to stabilize the perimeter foundation on my 1872 farmhouse. The "concrete" surface is turning to dust in places where the harder finish coat has been chipped or broken away. I know the core of the continuous perimeter foundation is good and hard, because I've drilled into it when I bolted the house down and shear-paneled the cripples.

Small gaps are appearing between the mudsill and the concrete and my thought is to stuff in some oakum strands before applying the concrete finish. more...

Fireplace demo done right

By Bill and Kevin Burnett, Wednesday, November 18, 2009.

Q: My husband and I are in escrow on a home that has an old fireplace. We had it inspected by a professional who has a good reputation for restoration. The report came back that it is in hazardous condition and requires removal or major renovation. Removal is our preference.

It is on an exterior wall of the living room that would be better suited to having French doors in its place.

Neither of us has a problem with getting physical in removing the fireplace, but what harm to the house (or ourselves) are we in danger of getting into? more...

Insulation advice varies by climate

By Bill and Kevin Burnett, Wednesday, November 11, 2009.

Q: My husband is building an addition to our home in the San Francisco Bay Area and was told by the city building inspector that he installed the flooring insulation incorrectly.

We installed the paper side facing the soil; he wants my husband to either remove the paper vapor barrier or turn the insulation around so the vapor barrier is against the floor. To do this we have to remove the netting that supports the insulation and reverse the insulation batts.

From your article, it appears that moisture comes from the ground, not the building, and we installed the insulation correctly. Can you give us your opinion? more...

Taking a stand on floor insulation

By Bill and Kevin Burnett, Wednesday, November 4, 2009.

Q: Our Mill Valley, Calif., home was built in 1957 and was not insulated. Every time a wall is opened up, we add insulation. Some say it would be a good idea to insulate the floor of our house. There is a crawl space under the house where we could reach the bottom of the floor. As the house is built on a slope, the crawl space varies from 2 to 8 feet tall.

Others say insulating the floor may not be a good idea. In the summer, the house gets hot, and the coolness of the crawl space will help keep the house from getting hotter.

What do you guys think? more...

Secret to painting galvanized steel

By Bill and Kevin Burnett, Wednesday, October 28, 2009.

Q: I have galvanized steel railings that were painted a few years ago with two coats of epoxy paint. Now it is peeling off in large chunks.

I can't seem to get a definitive answer from the painters I've asked as to what paint to use and how to apply it. Recommendations have included everything from Rust-Oleum to oil-based paint to using epoxy again. I was hoping you could steer me in the right direction.

A: The secret to a long-lasting paint job on any surface is in the preparation. A good-quality paint should not fail after only a few years. more...

Foam roof a 2-for-1 deal?

By Bill and Kevin Burnett, Wednesday, October 21, 2009.

Q: We would appreciate your advice regarding our San Francisco home's roof.

We have a 1915 Edwardian with a flat tar-and-gravel roof in one of the "sunny" San Francisco neighborhoods. We've had the home for a dozen years, and while we don't know the date of the last roofing job, my husband thinks it's time to reroof.

I would like some insulation on our top floor -- insulation seems an afterthought in the house as a whole -- and my husband is thinking of installing tubular skylights called Solar Tubes to bring light into the two north rooms of the house. There is some blown-in insulation -- not sure how extensive because the access to the attic is via a small space I can barely poke my head into. more...

DIY fix for stained stucco

By Bill and Kevin Burnett, Wednesday, October 14, 2009.

Q: My stucco house has never been painted, and from years of never being cleaned it is very dirty. I have had several power-wash companies look at the house. They have tried various chemicals and they do not seem to take this dirt or mold off. None of the companies has washed the house -- they have only looked at it and then refused the job.

A: Your house needs more than just a good cleaning. It needs the finish refurbished. We don't doubt that your house has never been painted. But we do question that it never had what is known in the plastering trade as a "color coat." more...

Gas pipe removal risky

By Bill and Kevin Burnett, Wednesday, October 7, 2009.

Q: I read your recent column about how to deal with old gas lines found in houses. My 100-year-old house has several. I have not yet found anyone who can tell me whether any of the pipes are still in use.

My assumption has been that the ones for the lights are neither hot nor connected to the gas lines for the water heater and stove.

Your article described how to remove such pipes, which clearly presupposes that the pipes are not connected to any gas source. I want to be absolutely sure that this is the case. more...

Patch those plaster cracks

By Bill and Kevin Burnett, Thursday, October 1, 2009.

By Bill and Kevin Burnett

Q: We are getting ready to repaint our home office. The walls and ceiling were cracked during an earthquake and poorly patched before we moved in. We had the roof redone last summer, and the banging and hammering seriously re-cracked the plaster. In two areas there is a large "plate" of plaster that is loose. You can press it and it moves closer to the wall. more...

Inspectors clash over vapor barrier

By Bill and Kevin Burnett, Wednesday, September 23, 2009.

Q: When I purchased my home, the home inspector's report mentioned that the basement crawl space "soil is wet and includes a moisture barrier that should be removed."

The termite inspector's report said the moisture barrier is necessary because the moisture in the soil could entice termites. What is your experience with moisture barriers? Is it best to leave it in place or should I remove it? more...

Flushing away water hammer

By Bill and Kevin Burnett, Wednesday, September 16, 2009.

Q: It happened suddenly. The plumbing pipes in the bathroom would "hammer" whenever the toilet was flushed. We read your suggested remedy (drain the system) and tried it. It worked until my husband wanted more water pressure and turned the main shutoff valve another turn to bring more pressure upstairs.

Now the hammering continues until the toilet's water tank is filled. We turned off the water at the main again, and this time did not open the valve all the way, but it didn't help. Is there anything else that can be done to stop the noisy pipes? more...

Leaving the gaslight era behind

By Bill and Kevin Burnett, Wednesday, September 9, 2009.

Q: I have an old house in Berkeley, Calif. It used to have gaslights. The pipes are still visible in the rooms, sticking out 2 1/2 inches from the walls and capped.

I know that there is no gas in these lines, so I would like to remove them and patch the holes. I tried a pipe wrench, but wasn't able to budge them. I could cut them flush with a Sawzall, but I'd like to get them deeper in order to do a better patch. Any suggestions?

A: Kevin ran into the same thing when he refurbished his 1879 Second Empire Victorian in nearby Alameda. more...

Restore popcorn ceilings to 1960s luster

By Bill and Kevin Burnett, Wednesday, September 2, 2009.

Q: I have a popcorn ceiling that has been stained a rust and oil color when a cast-iron pipe leaked. The ceiling is more than 40 years old but is still in perfect condition. I don't know whether asbestos was included in the ceiling material.

My questions are:

1. Can I use a stain blocker primer on these stains before a color coat that matches the popcorn color?

2. Should I apply the new paint with a brush, roller or sprayer?

3. How do I cover the stain without brushing off the popcorn material? more...

Warped door put to salvage test

By Bill and Kevin Burnett, Wednesday, August 26, 2009.

Q: Our large -- 48 inches by 83 inches -- and very heavy wooden front door no longer closes tightly because it is warped.

The hinge side is even all the way. But, when closed, the side with the lock is flush with the molding at the top but flares along the length to the bottom, where it sticks out by 3/4 inch. It is a challenge to insert the dead bolt.

Is there anything we could do to salvage the door? If not, what replacement options do we have? Ideally, we'd like to keep the large size, but we could be persuaded otherwise. We're not locked in to a particular material. more...

Squeaky linoleum gets permanent fix

By Bill and Kevin Burnett, Wednesday, August 19, 2009.

Q: I eagerly read your column about fixing squeaky floors by renailing from the top. But my problem is under the linoleum in the kitchen. Do you have any suggestions on how I can fix a small (roughly 1-by-2-foot) section? When the linoleum was laid, it went wall to wall and then the floor cabinets were placed over it. My basement is unfinished, so I would have access to the joists and subfloor. Any ideas?

A: Do not despair. There's a much better than even chance you can silence the squeak with little effort and at practically no cost. more...

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