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Toilet 'throne' unfit for homeowner

By Bill and Kevin Burnett, Thursday, April 23, 2009.

Q: I recently hired a handyman to update the master bathroom in my 1963 California rancher. There were many problems with him, so I fired him before the job was completed. The bathroom floor was retiled, but the toilet was never installed. My uncle was trying to be helpful by finishing up my the job, but when he went to install the toilet, he said that the tile backer board was not built up enough before laying the tile, resulting in the toilet flange being about a half inch too high above the tile. more...

When lead paint lurks, take precautions

By Bill and Kevin Burnett, Wednesday, April 15, 2009.

A recent column on exterior painting drew a couple of comments about the importance of recognizing and protecting against lead-paint contamination. The home we were writing about was not originally painted with lead-based paints, so special precautions did not apply. more...

Plumbing overhaul worth every penny

By Bill and Kevin Burnett, Thursday, April 9, 2009.

Q: I'm a regular reader of your column and was hoping you could help me. I live in a two-unit building built in San Francisco in 1941. It still has the original galvanized plumbing. more...

Tips for high-quality paint job

By Bill and Kevin Burnett, Wednesday, April 1, 2009.

Q: I've been putting off painting my house for years. It should have been done five years ago, but with one thing or another, it just didn't happen. I guess now I'm going to pay the price.

My house has a combination of stucco and wood siding. When I rub my hand on the wood and the stucco, I get a chalky residue. There are areas on the shady side of my house that have brown spots and other areas of the wood trim that are blistering. I'm going to do this job myself to save some money. Could you give me some pointers on how I can do a good job so I won't have to redo it anytime soon? more...

Tankless water heaters perform, but at a cost

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

It seems we struck a nerve with a couple of recent columns about on-demand water heaters. Also known as tankless water heaters, on-demand heaters deliver an almost-never-ending supply of hot water if properly sized and installed.

Our first column on the subject responded to a reader who wondered whether replacing a conventional water heater with a tankless model was a smart move. We said that conceptually that was a reasonable way to go. Heat only the water you use, rather than heating, storing and then reheating when needed. It makes perfect sense -- we thought. more...

Tankless water heaters under fire

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

Recently a reader asked if we thought installing an on-demand, or tankless, water heater was smart. We responded "Yes, in theory."

Conceptually, heating water as it's needed makes more sense than heating water and storing it in a tank for later use. We ended that column with the statement that the tankless models theoretically are a reasonable alternative, but with a caveat to do your homework. more...

Window sash replacement done right

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

Dear Burnett Brothers:

Shame on you for writing an article encouraging people to replace their wood double-hung windows without any consideration of the type of home and type of replacement window, and whether the two go together.

Many old, historic or potentially historic houses have been irreparably altered by people who put in aluminum windows, for example, in a Victorian. When significant features of a historic building are altered, the historic integrity and status can be lost, and the building can more likely be lost. more...

TIC owners squabble over improvements

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

Q: We have a two-unit Victorian and are converting the units to condominiums.

My tenancy-in-common partner, who lives in the unit above me, is installing a new heating system and is running ductwork in the small attic space. There is old insulation that was blown in decades ago, and his contractor says it should be removed so new insulation and electrical work can be done. more...

Wood shingles harbor host of problems

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

Q: I live in a brown-shingle townhouse complex in which the state of the shingles is a frequent point of discussion. The buildings are now close to 30 years old, and the cedar shingles are untreated. Single shakes are cupping and drying out, particularly on the weather side, but most seem to be in decent shape.

A serious leak that was caused by this winter's heavy rainstorms seems to be related to a faulty glass sliding door and the shingles around it. It will require major balcony and indoor repairs. more...

Does my house have the wrong roof?

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

Q: In 1988, we had a new roof installed with 40-year limited warranty fiberglass shingles put over our gravel roof. While the roofers were working, dry rot was discovered in the kitchen, and we had it repaired. more...

Window replacement done right

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

Q: On one side of the house, I have old-style wood windows with the lead counterweight on a rope. They were painted closed decades ago. I am planning to replace them with vinyl windows. When I did this in a previous house, the contractor pulled out the old aluminum windows and dropped the new vinyl ones right in. But with all the extra wood for the old window guides, I don't see how it will be done and not look really bad from the inside. more...

Tankless water heater a wise investment

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

Q: I read with interest your recent column on water heaters. Mine went out recently, and I have been considering going to a tankless model. Since it would cost about three times more than a conventional heater, I was wondering what you thought about tankless heaters? Is it a smart way to go?

A: A tankless or "on-demand" water heater simultaneously provides unlimited hot water to sinks, showers and dishwashers. Any man who has endured a cold shower after his teenage daughter drained the tank doesn't have to ask if this is a smart way to go. more...

Solution for frigid condo

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

Q: My single-level, end-unit condominium, built in the early 1980s, is always cold, despite the fact that the outside walls are insulated and the windows are double-glazed.

I have a gas furnace in the attached garage. The crawl space is lined with heavy-duty vinyl, and the amount of head space is about 2 feet. There are a lot of pipes and wires. I wonder if it would help to add some kind of insulation under the flooring. How would you recommend doing it, and do you feel it would be cost-effective? more...

Who'll stop the rain?

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

Occasionally we get questions that have answers that don't require lots of explanation. When they begin to pile up, we like to clean out our e-mail box. Here are short answers to four unrelated questions. more...

Condensation at root of mold, floor damage

By Bill and Kevin Burnett, Thursday, January 15, 2009.

Q: I am hoping you would have a recommendation on how I should deal with the accumulation of moisture on my anodized aluminum patio doors. The back of the house where the patio doors are faces east. The patio doors lead to a wooden deck on the second floor. The window coverings are drapes with sheers. more...

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