Q: What is the preferred method for venting the exhaust of a clothes dryer installed inside an attached garage? I have two opinions from contractors and both cost about the same, but I don't know which to choose. The two proposals are:

One is to install the vent straight up through the roof. This involves only one 90-degree turn.  more...

Q: I am a high-school student doing a science project on how to prevent mold growing on wood. I do realize that this is a factor that many people are very concerned about in their homes.

Do you guys have any suggestions on how I could set up this project or what type of mold resistors I should use? I did some research and found a product called Anti-Growth. Should I use that product in my project or something else? I would be very happy to know some of your ideas for my project. Thank you.  more...

Q: My home is 45 years old. Recently I removed the carpeting to have the floors refinished and now am hearing squeaks that were unnoticed with the carpets. It is the original flooring that is squeaking. It has nails sunk and filled into the subfloor, which is not plywood. Would screws from underneath into the hardwood floor do the trick?

A: We bet your "new" floors look fabulous. And we're happy to tell you that those squeaks can be fixed quickly and inexpensively.  more...

Q: I have narrowed a leak in my stucco wall to the lower corners of a window. Below it, I had a small firewood pass-through door removed. I've watched various other stucco repairs on our house, and I'm pretty handy, so I have a pretty good idea of what I need to do, but I have a few questions:

1. Once I remove the stucco, what caulk, tar or sealer should I use to cover small holes or leaks?

2. Besides Stucco Patch, is there a bag mix of stucco cement with the right proportions of Portland Cement, sand and lime that I can simply purchase?  more...

Q: I own a stucco home that was built in the late 1940s. It was last painted about 10 years ago and is flaking.

When I lift the flakes off with a putty knife, the underside is white and chalky. The more I lift off, the farther it goes. Although some areas appear tight, some show lifting a day later. There are also some hairline cracks.  more...

Q: I have a hot water heater that is about 12 years old. It was top of the line when I bought it. About a year ago, it started making big boiling-bubble sounds when we used the hot water. It's directly under our dining room, so the noise is very noticeable.

Also, my mom has a water heater that is brand-new and makes those same big popping noises. What causes this? Can it be repaired? Is it time to get a new heater, and if so what kind do you recommend? Is my mom's new heater defective?  more...

Q: I installed a new toilet using a wax ring with no rubber gasket. I set the new bowl on the bolts, making sure it was lined up right. But the bowl still wobbles -- front to back, not side to side. When I fill the tank with water the water angles toward the wall. When I sit on the toilet, the water moves forward.  more...

Q: I live in the upper unit of a Victorian duplex. It's a rental unit and I assist the landlord in upkeep. From time to time, I suggest maintenance items to him.

I would like to know how difficult and effective it is to put roof insulation in a unit like this. During the winter, it is difficult to keep heat in. During the summer, the heat builds up in the afternoon and remains into the evening. There is no insulation in the attic.  more...

Q: When someone is using any of our three showers and the water is turned on elsewhere in the house, the water temperature in the shower fluctuates instantly. Several months ago I saw a product at the end of, I think, "This Old House," that is installed near the showerhead and ensures a constant temperature even when other water sources are used at the same time. I believed they called it a surge protector. No one appears to know what I am referring to. Could you please help?  more...

Q: I have a Victorian on which the porch and stairs are in dire need of replacement. The stairs are treated lumber, so I know they aren't original. The porch lumber, while original, is so dried and broken I can't make out the material.

What porch and tread material would you recommend to restore it to its Victorian roots? I see some stairs and porches in the neighborhood that are stained a dark finish. Is that appropriate to the era?  more...

Q: I have mold developing underneath a window in my bedroom. The window faces north-northwest and never has sun on it. I wonder if the mold could be caused simply by moisture accumulating in the room, or is it a more serious problem, such as a leaking window frame?

I have no idea whom to consult. One inspector wrote in his report that the paint job was poor, but didn't say why. There's a contractor in my neighborhood, but how do I know he knows what he's talking about?  more...

Q: My backyard consists mainly of a concrete slab patio and a retaining wall made from concrete blocks. It's so gray that even the trailing rosemary and bougainvilleas I've planted look washed out.

I was considering painting the patio with thinned-out paint in a terra-cotta color (something to coordinate with the painted stucco on the house). Would this be a viable option or something I should leave to the professionals? How would I make sure that the paint wouldn't wear off? I've seen patios painted before where the paint starts to peel and bubble.  more...

Not long ago, we published a question from one of our readers who was motivated to begin seismically retrofitting his home after seeing the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina. We tried to assist by pointing him to three Web sites with information on seismic retrofitting.

He was looking for resources that would help him learn about the process, so he could make informed judgments about recommendations made by professionals. At least at this time, he was not looking for specific instructions on how he could retrofit his house.  more...

Q: I have just had my brick chimney cleaned, and the chimney sweep said the crown -- the top layer of mortar covering the top of the chimney -- is cracked in several places and needs replacement.

The sweep took a photograph and I can see what looks like smoke stains around one of the cracks. I don't have a cap, but would like to get one. My house was built in the 1970s, and I understand they didn't always put them on back then.  more...

Q: I am thinking of hiring a company to install a door in my home. I notice on the Contractors State Licensing Board Web site that this company is exempt from having workers' comp insurance because it has no employees. I assume this means that it will sub out the actual installation of my door.

My question is whether I will be liable if one of the workers gets hurt on my property. Who is legally responsible -- the company or me?  more...