Yard & Deck

HOME WORK

Gary Dymski: Finding a small mower to replace old faithful

I have enjoyed the use of an 18-inch, rear-bag, gas-powered lawn mower for 24 years. The machine, like the owner, has become tired. As a senior with a small yard, I have searched long and hard to either rebuild my mower or find another 18-inch mower. The new 21- or 22-inch models are too heavy and too large for my property. An electric model with a cord is not an option because of the layout of my property. Any ideas?

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: Let it blow

When it's icy cold outside and white flakes are falling, the best investment I've ever made in power equipment is rarin' to go. Its summer blanket discarded, my 16-year-old Toro single-stage snow thrower, a Model CCR 2000, drinks a fresh gas-and-oil cocktail and, with a couple of gentle pumps from its priming bulb and a few pulls of its starting cord, roars into full-power mode.

House Doctor: Rake's progress is actually a vacuum

Usually, I am armed for my fall yard cleanup with only a leaf rake, a wheelbarrow and those paper bags issued by towns and villages.

House Doctor: Closing the pool won't drain your wallet

A few years ago, someone in our family - the guilty party has yet to come forward - misplaced the telephone number of the pool guy.

House Doctor: Dive into pool maintenance, and do it by the book

It probably has been 25 years since my sister rented a house with an in-ground swimming pool. For some reason, I was selected to be the person responsible for maintenance, aka the pool boy.

House Doctor: Wrap up cankerworm and defoliation problems

For most of May and the first half of June, they dropped in like unannounced houseguests, ruining virtually every outdoor activity. Many of my neighbors were forced into the middle of the street for their evening walks because these invaders had overtaken the low-hanging branches of trees that line the sidewalks.

House Doctor: Easy riders

Nestle into the plush, cushioned seat. Turn the key and rev the powerful engine. Smoothly shift the automatic transmission into drive, and away you go, zipping across ... the lawn.

House Doctor: Resurfacing concrete

We have an in-ground pool that is surrounded by a concrete walkway and patio. While the concrete is in good condition, two small areas have settled a couple of inches, and we no longer like the look of the plain concrete. The expense of ripping up the existing patio and walk prohibit us from changing the appearance. Is there a product that will cover the concrete and make it more attractive? We don't want to paint the concrete. -- Robin B., Centerport

House Doctor: How to keep the wheels rolling and engine purring

I dropped off my combination yard blower and leaf vacuum at the repair shop this week. Should be ready just in time for the weekend. I've put the finishing touch on storing the snowblower - c'mon, no more white stuff - for the season. And I'm in the process of preparing the lawnmower, weed whacker and edger for the summer ahead.

House Doctor: Making your beds good for the garden

Grass and weeds invade, mulch and wood chips escape and rich soil erodes. Your planting beds always appear a mess.

House Doctor: Warming up to a solar-heated pool

Ever since last summer, the most popular pool in the family has been Uncle Leo's.

House Doctor: Drainage Problems? Get Well Soon

Q. The drywell for our washing machine backs up a little, usually after we've had a little bit of rain. I'm assuming the drainage area surrounding the drywell is saturated. We've been in our house for 16 years, and the drywell was in place when we moved in. I intend to replace it in the spring. When I do replace it, are there any other products I can use to build the new drywell other than cesspool blocks or a 55-gallon drum? -- Rich Scofield, Sound Beach

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: Covering a Wood Deck

Q. My husband is eager to purchase a deck-covering product called Durable Deck. It is a vinyl decking surface that covers the existing wood of a deck. I am a bit dubious, but it does sound like a dream come true for folks who are tired of bleaching, priming and painting wood and replacing worn boards. Our deck is colossal, and we have researched Durable Deck and find that it gets good reviews. Do you have any thoughts?

House Doctor: Safely Swabbing the Wooden Deck

My neighbor is ready to clean his wood deck. He's also about to make a common mistake. "Time for the power wash," he says. "That'll get it good and clean."

House Doctor: Dad's Helpers Help Themselves, Too

The rain came early and mostly in soft drops. On the few occasions when the rain was heavy, we retreated to the garage for cover.

House Doctor: Cleaning Limestone Steps

Q. I have limestone steps in front of my house, which faces east. The steps are discolored, a green with brown spots. I have tried scrubbing with a pine-based cleaner and bleach without success. Do you have any suggestions as to what I can do to correct this condition and then prevent it from happening?

House Doctor: Pool Pests

Q. Several weeks ago, you wrote about swimming pool maintenance. You mentioned that you had not come up with a way to chase away the duck that takes a morning dip in your pool. Here's a suggestion: Try putting several tall, air-filled pool toys in your pool. As they float around with the slightest breeze, they discourage flying visitors.

House Doctor: Sealing a Cypress Deck

Q. I recently replaced an existing deck. Pressure-treated wood was used for the load-bearing members, and cypress wood was used for the flooring and rails. It looks great, and I want the original look of the deck to last as long as possible. My builder says I should leave the wood, allowing it to weather naturally because it doesn't take sealant very well. Is there anything I can do to treat the deck and make it last? I have also noticed an increase in the earwig insect population since my deck was built. Is there a connection?

House Doctor: Deck Maintenance

WHAT MAKES one deck a diamond and another a dud?

House Doctor: Save Your Back; Give Leaves a Clean Sweep

Q. Some years ago, I had this piece of lawn equipment that gathered leaves. It was hand-powered, so when you walked behind it, a big wheeled brush rotated to sweep the leaves into a plastic container. Instead of raking, this machine - I call it a leaf catcher - would do most of the work. I can't seem to find them anywhere. Do they still make them? If so, where can I get one? I am a senior citizen with back problems, and this machine would help me gather leaves. And I have a lot of them.

House Doctor: Summer-izing Your Home

Walking is supposed to be good for your health. It might be good for your house, too.

House Doctor: Spiders and Gas Grills

WHAT'S HAPPENED to the sizzle in your gas grill? The flames are reduced to a flicker, and the meat takes forever to cook.

House Doctor: Do-It-Yourself Retaining Wall

THERE WERE A few problems when the builder finished our new home in 1997. Most were minor touch-up things you'd expect in this era of hurry-up construction. We didn't, however, expect our backyard to end in a slope of nearly 20 feet.

House Doctor: A Pool Maintenance Manual

'IS THE WATER in your pool supposed to be green?"

House Doctor: Wooden Sheds

WITH YOUR bicycles, gadgets for the pool, lawn and garden equipment and, oh yes, the car, you've joined the ranks of families that have no more room in the garage.

House Doctor: Pool Safety

NOTHING WASHES away that parched summer feeling like a dip in a swimming pool. In fact, summer seems incomplete without that mix of splashing, sparkling water and children's laughter.

House Doctor: Do-It-Yourself Pool Patio: Part 2

THE LAST TIME I operated a jackhammer was 10 years ago. As I relived the experience a few weekends ago, I wondered, "How could I have forgotten how hard this is?"

House Doctor: Plastic or Synthetic Wood for Decks

Q. We read an article you wrote on recycled materials for decks and were wondering about using plastic wood. What are the differences in synthetic wood and plastic wood? We are looking to build a deck over our existing concrete patio. What's the best material to use?

House Doctor: Do-It-Yourself Pool Patio: Part 1

IT'S YOUR CALL: For the same price, you can have a pool deck of brick paving stones or one of concrete.

House Doctor: Do-It-Yourself Pool Patio: Part 3

THE HARDEST part about building your own pool deck out of paving stones has less to do with heavy lifting or excavating and a lot to do with selection. Trust me, the challenge of choosing the shape, style and color of the stones has to be more exhausting than the actual construction.

House Doctor: Moss Between Pavers

Q. What is the best way to clean a brick patio of grass and moss that grows in between the sand joints? We have a concrete foundation under the brick paving stones, yet weeds and moss still grow in the sand joints.

House Doctor: Do-It-Yourself Pool Patio: Part 5

IT'S FINISHED. Too late for my daughter Melissa's sweet 16 party or for enjoying those last sun- drenched days of summer, but my project of building a pool patio out of concrete paving stones is finally finished.

House Doctor: Aging Septic Systems

Q. I am considering replacing our cesspool, and I would appreciate any suggestions you may have.

House Doctor: Pavers Over Concrete

Q. In last week's column, you wrote that in some instances an existing concrete patio can be covered by paving stones. I have a concrete patio which has feathered cracks, etc., and want to cover it with some type of paving stones. Every store I have visited has told me that the concrete must be removed and a sand base used. Is this true? -Martin L. Lieberman, Dix Hills

House Doctor: Silent Crickets

Q. For the past two years my home, which includes a finished basement (below ground) and garage area, has been infested with silent crickets.

House Doctor: Drywells Help Keep Basements Dry

YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE to worry about water in your basement every time there's a heavy rain. And you might not have to break the savings account to keep your basement dry.

House Doctor: Snow Solutions: Shovel, Scoop or Blow

There are two ways to tackle residential snow removal - with heavy equipment or old- fashioned muscle.

House Doctor: Dry Wells

Q. Can you recommend companies that install dry wells for storm water runoff?

House Doctor: Cesspool Warning Signs

THERE'S EVERY reason to be alarmed about the recent death of a Huntington Station man whose backyard cesspool collapsed, burying him under yards of dirt and concrete blocks. They are freak incidents, but cesspool tragedies are usually preventable.

House Doctor: Getting Rid of Moss

Q. The north-side roofs of my garage and house are covered by a thick, velvety moss that looks ugly and, I fear, might be harmful to the shingles. What can I do to get rid of the moss? - John R. Windorf, Miller Place

House Doctor: Repairing Inground Sprinklers

CHANCES ARE you can hire a contractor to design and install an inground irrigation system for your yard. But try finding one to fix a couple of broken sprinkler heads, repair a burst line or relocate a head or two. For a contractor, there's little profit, if any, in such small repairs.

House Doctor: Do-It-Yourself Pool Patio: Part 4

NO MATTER WHERE I go this summer, it seems everyone's asking me the same question: "How's your patio coming along?"

House Doctor: Pre-Winter Checklist

When cold weather is on the way, the last thing you need is to be caught in ice and snow, making an exterior repair that should have been handled when Mother Nature was in a milder mood.

House Doctor: Chain Link Fence Repair

THERE'S NO NEED for a sagging, rusting chain link fence. Repairs are relatively simple, and replacement parts are readily available through most fence companies.

House Doctor: Pruning Trees

ARCHITECT Frank Lloyd Wright called them "man's best friend."

House Doctor: Interlocking Pavers

Q. I read a copy of your column in Newsday a year ago regarding your selection of Cambridge paving stones for one of your projects. I understand your problems when it comes to choosing a manufacturer and a size and color of pavers; that's where I am right now. So, to follow up on your decision almost a year later, are you satisfied with the Cambridge pavers? I prefer a Cambridge paver and one of the colors offered, but I am concerned with how the pavers will wear. Another paving manufacturer, Nicolock, is a solid color all the way through the brick; at least, that's how it was explained to me. Cambridge, on the other hand, has a veneer coating. Can you please tell me more?

House Doctor: Deck Materials

There's plenty of time left in the summer to build and enjoy the deck you've always wanted.

House Doctor: One Mow Time: Keep It Tuned Up

With a little care, that gas-powered lawnmower tucked in the corner of your garage can be one of the most dependable machines you own.