Walls, Windows & Doors

House Doctor: Top 10 Things Homeowners Should Know

A few years ago, while working on a story about finding an old-fashioned handyman, one such fellow told me of a specific task he did for a couple each spring. Both husband and wife were so mechanically challenged that they'd hire him to change their light bulbs.

House Doctor: Looking at color in a bigger way

Picking that "just-right" interior paint color used to be difficult. You'd bring back these tiny color swatches - called paint chips - from the hardware or paint store, hold them up to a huge wall, then try to envision an accurate depth of blue or a specific paleness of yellow as they might spread across a larger area.

House Doctor: Air-conditioning condensation can be a stain pain

My home has central air-conditioning. Because of a condensation problem with the air-conditioning unit, I am getting rust stains on the cement on one side of the house. What can I do to remove the rust stains?

HOME WORK

House Doctor: Painting over wood (or faux wood) paneling

We have wooden paneling in our den, which is more than 25 years old and is in dire need of a face-lift. The paneling has black vertical grain lines and black molding. We thought a fresh coat of paint might solve the problem. Could you offer suggestions on wall preparation, types of paint that are best to use or a Web site that we could explore to find this information? -- Richard P., Westbury

House Doctor: Pegboard is a good alternative to pricey panels

Our home was built about seven years ago, and the drywall tape in the garage has started to peel away from the joints. It looks terrible. I wonder if we can use some of the garage panels you wrote about several months ago to cover these unsightly spots. The panels look so nice. Are they difficult to install, and would they cover the mess? -- Mary M., Hammonton, N.J.

House Doctor: 10 winterizing tasks even unhandymen can do

Before the really cold weather hits, homeowners would be wise to perform a few easy tasks that can keep icy air from infiltrating a warm, cozy interior. This maintenance, which should be done annually, includes caulking exterior gaps, pressing foam weather stripping around doors and applying window insulation. Supplies are inexpensive, and no special skills are required.

House Doctor: Protecting Long Island windows, Florida style

I have a summer house on the water with windows that get boarded up for winter or if a hurricane is expected. Would those rolling shutters residents use in Florida protect from hurricane and wind damage? Are they used at all on Long Island?

House Doctor: Do-it-yourself weatherstripping

Q. The company that made our casement windows is out of business, and I want to know if we can replace the weatherstripping. We are not really do-it-yourselfers, so unless this task is truly easy, we might have problems. Also, on two of the windows, there is a condensation buildup between the panes of glass. We have a broken seal, or so I am told. Can we fix this? We really like the windows. Is there another company that sells a vinyl casement window over a metal frame? -- J.A., Great Neck

House Doctor: A peeling problem puts painter in a scrape

Q. When I went to paint my ceiling, the old paint started to peel off onto the roller. It has happened in two rooms. In one room, the ceiling paint just starts to hang down, and I have to try to scrape it off. Could you please give me some information about what might be causing this and how I can solve it? -- Harriet Brown, Bay Shore

HOME WORK

House Doctor: A bit of illumination on window films

I had an estimate for professional application of a window film to five skylights. I'm trying to reduce energy consumption, since our bills have gone up with the arrival of a new hot tub. The estimate was nearly $600 for applying film, which I was told would reduce UV rays and the transfer of hot and cold air through the glass. Is this a product we can apply ourselves? What can you tell me about applying window film to help insulate the home year- round? I love the sun and warmth in the winter, so I am a little hesitant. Shades can't be installed because of the screens. An installer said the tracks would prevent screens from being removed for repair or cleaning. Any suggestions? Also, we had the proper electrical line installed, and whenever the hot tub motor goes on the room lights dim. Is that normal? The electrician said the tub is pulling so much electricity that it is normal.

House Doctor: Matching existing "thin brick"

I moved into a condo recently that has brick veneer on one wall in the kitchen. There are four missing bricks, and I'd like to replace them. I have tried home centers, but the kind I need aren't available there. No one seems to know where I can find these missing pieces of "decorator" brick.

House Doctor: The ins and outs of installing mail slots

We would like to install a mail slot in our Stanley steel front door. What is involved in cutting a hole in a steel door? What tools are needed? How difficult is it to do? Where can one buy a mail slot? And if we don't want to install it ourselves, how do we find someone who can do the job?

House Doctor: Making a bathtub window maintenance-free

Q. I live in an old house in which the bathroom window is over the tub. The woodwork on the window eventually peels off. I have tried painting the wood with boat enamel, but I still have the problem. -- Marie Johnson, Floral Park

House Doctor: Those Pesky, Curling Wallpaper Seams!

Q. In a past column, you've mentioned a wallpaper seam adhesive that was readily available. I misplaced the column. Can you help?

House Doctor: Shedding More Light on Windows

Q. You recently wrote an article about replacement windows. Which window did you recommend? My mom remembers reading the article but not the details. - Sue Menoscal, New Hyde Park

Gary Dymski: Foam Is Where the Art Is

Until recently, my only experience with architectural millwork had been with crown moldings. But after installing a ceiling medallion and a wall niche made from polyurethane foam, I'm hooked.

House Doctor: Winterizing The House

Once we had a roof leak. It happened in the dead of winter, with several inches of snow blanketing our shingles. What a mess.

House Doctor: Reviving Bathroom Window Molding

Q. We have a vinyl replacement window in our tub/ shower with a wood frame that is always peeling and looking a mess from the constant moisture. We cover it with a shower curtain liner and have scraped and painted it several times (with the appropriate "bathroom" paint), but nothing seems to work. We are thinking about completely stripping the paint and applying a polyurethane. Any better suggestions? -N.Y., Levittown

House Doctor: Shedding Light on Windows

Jim and Margaret Murano did plenty of research before signing a contract to buy their new windows last summer. They gathered information from friends, clicked on company Web sites and marched into building supply showrooms.

House Doctor: This Fixes the Hole Thing

Even those with plenty of experience in repairing holes in drywall can have problems with the hole created by the doorknob. No matter what you do, it seems the repaired area never holds up. One little ding by the knob, and the wall is damaged again.

House Doctor: This Drywall Breaks the Mold

Perhaps no other building product is as underappreciated as drywall. Bend it, shape it, paint it. Plaster or panel over it. The result is an inexpensive and dependable wall covering.

House Doctor: Vinyl Replacement Windows

Q. I have an old house that has been sided in vinyl. I want to replace the double-hung wood windows. What are the best replacement vinyl windows? I want to do this with the least amount of repair work. -Marian K., Massapequa

House Doctor: Taking the Wave Out of a Wall

Q. We recently removed some wallpaper and were left with several bumpy spots. We did the best we could at the time to smooth out the wall, including sanding, but it still has wavy areas. What would be a good - and not too expensive - way to remedy this situation? - B. Bellini, Hicksville

House Doctor: Replacement Windows

YOU'VE HAD ENOUGH. Not one more winter with those creaky, old, drafty windows. Not one more night wearing two pairs of socks, a wool sweater and long underwear-indoors, yet.

House Doctor: Spring-Loaded Windows

Q. My house is a little over 30 years old. I have double-hung windows that operate using springs, not the old-style sash weights. Some of the springs are bad. I need to solve this problem. I have asked around and haven't received any good answers. Can I just replace the springs? I know I can replace the windows, but I'd rather not go that way.-John Fisher, Hauppauge

House Doctor: Cracks in Plaster Walls

Q. I hope you can help. I have a Cape Cod home, built in 1950 with plaster walls. I had a stone front replaced by vinyl siding. The contractors used sledge hammers to get rid of the stone, and they created cracks in my plaster walls that are an eyesore. I would like to panel my living room to cover up these cracks. Can you recommend someone?

House Doctor: Condensation in Double-Pane Windows

Q. We have a bay window with five panels. Condensation has developed between the panes of glass. We have tried caulking, but to no avail. Have you any suggestions outside of replacing the double- pane glass itself? -Allen Montagnino, Jericho

House Doctor: Leaky Sliding Door

Q. I live on the ground floor of a two-story condominium and there is a sliding-glass door on a part of the living-room wall. The door leads to a patio, which is beneath an upper balcony. The floor of this upper balcony permits some rain to come through the sliding glass door portion of the wall. I have lived here for 13 years, and this is my first problem.

House Doctor: Lubricating Hinges and Locks

Q. Hope you can help. We got a new oak front door with brass hardware and hinges, and a brand-name lock in March 2000. Sometime during the early summer, my husband decided to spray the hinges with penetrant-lubricant. It took me over a year to get him to tell me what he did to make the door close the way it does. There was nothing wrong with the door beforehand; he just took it upon himself to spray the hinges. The front door now automatically shuts when you open it, making getting in the house with an armload of packages next to impossible. Is there a way to reverse what he has done?-C.K., Malverne

House Doctor: Mildew on Wallpaper

Q. We have a problem with an interior wall at a summer home in Mattituck. We've painted and wallpapered, but we keep getting these mildew spots on the wall and the paper. Can you help?

House Doctor: All About Drywall

WHAT DO you know about your drywall?

House Doctor: Stop Doors From Squeaking

Q. I want to know how I can stop a door from squeaking. All the doors in our house, from the front entrance doors to the interior doors, squeak. Please help. It drives me up a wall. -J. McDonald, Moriches

House Doctor: Removing Adhesive From Windows

Q. I used a plastic insulation kit on the interior of my windows. It worked fine, but now it's about time to remove it. The problem is the adhesive tape is leaving a sticky residue that I can't remove from the window frame. What can I use to remove this residue? -Gloria Kostick, Baldwin

House Doctor: Tips for Good Caulking

ONE SQUEEZE OF the trigger can put the finishing touch on a project or create a huge mess. Anyone who has loaded a caulk gun is aware of the slim margin of error between a bull's eye -- a smooth bead -- and a blank: a sticky glob.

House Doctor: Door Maintenance

THE LAST TIME I used my golf clubs, Tiger Woods was a toddler. And I haven't tried my hand at repairing a dent in an automobile fender since vinyl tops and the first phase of disco.

House Doctor: Painting Primer

MY DAUGHTERS, 15 and 13, are going to paint their bedrooms. Their brothers, 11 and 9, are going to help.

House Doctor: Patching Holes in Plaster and Drywall

For the longest time, I dreaded patching holes in drywall. And with five children bouncing around the house, including three hockey players, my walls needed plenty of patching. But my patches ended up looking like sinkholes or lumps. Often I'd put too little compound in the hole, then have to add layers. If I used too much compound, things would get sloppy and the hole would be replaced by a lump. Out came the sanding block.

House Doctor: Protective Films for Windows

Houses can't drink plenty of water, stay out of the sun or visit an air-conditioned mall. How to protect them when the mercury spikes?

House Doctor: Energy-Saving Tips for Winter

If your home was uncomfortably chilly last year, dozens of culprits probably are to blame. Call them comfort thieves, tiny openings that allow cold air inside, and at the same time, cause your furnace to work harder. So winterize: Tighten, wrap, fill and cover those openings. You'll be warmer and probably save money, too.

House Doctor: Streak-Free Windows

Q. I'm having a hard time getting my outside windows cleaned. There seems to be a film and spots remaining after cleaning. We have tried different cleaning agents, towels, newspaper, etc. and nothing seems to help. After cleaning windows and mirrors inside, we seem to have a film remaining. It's very noticeable when the sun streams in. Help. I love clean, sparkling windows and mirrors, and my husband doesn't mind doing windows, but he is getting frustrated. -Evelyn Bass, Glen Cove

House Doctor: Getting the Curl Out of Wallpaper

Q. The wallpaper in my home has begun to curl at the seams. Is there any way to make the seams smooth again without removing the paper? -M. Olsen, Huntington

House Doctor: Repairing Separated Drywall Joints

Q. This may not seem like a big problem, but it is really bugging me. I have noticed that the tape and joint compound used to seal the seams between the Sheetrock is separating in some places, mostly between the joint at the top of the ceiling. I have tried to re-spackle the areas with some success. The repair lasted about four years. I have noticed that the repaired area is separating again. Do you have any suggestions, other than removing all the tape and retaping the entire room? By the way, the house is about 30 years old. -Walter Olszewski, Middle Island