Published Articles

Tags: cars, home, save fuel, save gas, save time

Never having lived in a new house, I often take the charm and character of old New England homes for granted. The nooks and crannies, built in cabinets, unusual room layouts and roof designs are a thing of the past in most new construction homes today. Back then, many of the improvements and the house building itself were done by the owners as they had the time, know how or good neighbors willing to help out. Generations lived together in one house. Most worked close to home or on the farm so a two hour commute was unheard of.  To us it seems that time moved slower in the “old days” but perhaps the old timer’s lives were as stressed as ours when crops had to be harvested and firewood gathered before the winter set in.

Unfortunately, many charming antique homes have been “remuddled” over the years. I stole that term from The Old House Journal because it appropriately describes many thoughtless remodeling jobs. Being an old house purist it bothers me to see vinyl siding on any house...

Tags: molding, old house, plinth block

While driving around last December I noticed more and more homeowners are taking the time to remove the snow from their roofs. Perhaps you have wondered why they are doing this considering no one will be walking up there except the squirrels. December was a near record month for snowfall and most roofs accumulated two plus feet of snow. Depending on the water density of the snow it can weigh from 3 to 20 pounds per cubic foot. If the kids are making snowmen in your neighborhood figure the weight is on the higher end. A typical 40’ ranch style home with 2’ of snow on the roof carries a snow load between 7,200 and 48,000 pounds (3.6 to 24 tons). The good news is homes in our area of the state require a “minimum” design weight of 35 pounds per cubic foot so that same 40’ ranch should be built to hold at least 84,000 pounds of snow (42 tons). The only danger occurs when a rain storm soaks the snow which acts like a sponge. Rain water weighs 62 pounds per...

Tags: ice, ice dam, ice water shield, ridge vent, snow, snow load, snow rake, soffit vent, ventilation

Tis the season…for children. No doubt in a few short weeks the visions of sugarplums will blossom into the latest video games and Ipods. Gone are the days when Tinker Toys, Erector Sets, Lincoln Logs, dolls, ponies and puppies were at the top of every child’s wish list….things you play “with”, not things you play. I can’t say whether the move to more solitary toys is good or bad for the future of our society but the way children play is often training for their adult life.

My four children had a Nintendo and a Play Station. I enjoyed playing them myself. Although I was never good, I often found myself playing late into the night and regretting it the next day. I found I seldom played with the kids, possibly because they were so much better than me. Dad was no competition. I never felt a connection to them while playing video games similar to when we played real life games like Giant Steps or Simon Says. Now, when we reminisce our video exploits never enter the conversation. Talk revolves...

Tags: children, christmas, hammer, help, nails, new year, projects, saw, screw driver, tool set

At times being in the home repair business can be a curse. When entering a building or home I am constantly looking for problem areas and evaluating workmanship. I drive my friends crazy as they see the beauty and I spot the flaws. I was on my annual “leaf peeping” trek last weekend and noticed some of the best foliage was in the gutters of the roadside homes. Some of the trees which produced those leaves were actually growing in a few gutters indicating it had been quite a while since they had been cleaned. With Thanksgiving fast approaching it is time to clear your gutters before they freeze and fill with ice and snow.

Cleaning gutters is a job most homeowners loath. Besides being a dirty, messy job it is also dangerous. I saw a commercial on TV showing a man on a ladder reaching way beyond safe limits and the mailman rushes up and grabs the ladder before it slides out. The man was cleaning his gutters…sound familiar? The mailman was not around to save the 222,000 people...

Tags: aluminum, cleaning, downspout, gutters, hangers, ice, leaks, rain, spikes, wet basement

Only in New England can you sit in front of the air conditioner one night and huddle by the wood stove the next. Since the stove is cranked up tonight thoughts of long cold winter nights are on my mind. The cost of my last oil delivery made me start thinking of ways to button up my house to Energy Star status. Check out www.energystar.gov for tips to make your home Energy Star rated and save money in taxes in the process. Tax credits are available for energy improvements made between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2007. Many local utility companies are offering rebates on Energy Star products as well. Check your local gas or electric company’s website or call them for details about rebates on items such as Energy Star rated thermostats and replacement windows.

Tax credits and rebates are a nice incentive to make a home more energy efficient but the most important incentive to me is keeping my heating and cooling costs reasonable. Like many Americans, thinking “green” is important to me but when it comes...

Tags: attic, drafts, energy star, floor, insulation, r-value, rebate, tax credit, vinyl windows, walls, weatherstrip

Tags: dirt, exterior painting, ladder, mildew, paint, preparation, priming, safety, sanding, scraping, tsp

If I weren’t already follicly impaired I would be pulling my hair out this summer. As I sit here writing my monthly column the rain has once again started to fall. The forecasters say we are experiencing stationary fronts or upper level blocks or what ever it is that makes it impossible to predict when and where the rain will fall and when it all will end, if ever. My favorite forecast is, “Scattered showers in the area”. I ask, “Which area might that be?” There is a 99 percent chance they will be in the area I am working that day.

My sympathies to the guys that paint houses for a living. It’s hard to look “professional” when the thunder is rolling in the distance and the crew is franticly working to complete a job a week behind schedule due to the three previous days of “showers in the area”. I was painting a door casing I had replaced under a deck one morning last week when I felt something tapping on my head. When I looked out, the shower...

Tags: finger joint, painting, rain, rot, weather, wood

Tags: accident, building, do-it-yourself, handyman, ladder, safety, utility knife