When it comes to shingles, there are choices galore. But one of the most attractive from a number of standpoints is the laminated composition shingle. Durable, reasonably priced and compatible with a wide range of architectural styles, laminated shingles have long ago destroyed the notion that composition shingles are suitable only for lower-end housing.

"Composition" refers to the fact that the shingle is made up from a composite of different materials. Most are made up of a flexible and durable fiberglass matt that's blended with asphalt. The fiberglass and asphalt layers are then topped with mineral granules, which give the shingle its durability, weather resistance and color. Virtually all composition shingles carry an Underwriter's Laboratories Class A fire rating, which is the highest available. This makes them a great choice for fire-prone areas as well.

The term "laminated" comes from the way that the shingles are layered. Originally, composition or the older plain asphalt shingles were a single, flat layer. Laminated shingles stack two or three layers together on the same shingle, sometimes uniformly, sometimes randomly. The result is a shingle with more shadow lines and more three-dimensional depth, which is considerably more attractive.

The extra lamination also makes the shingle heavier and denser. This keeps the shingle flatter on the roof, reducing its tendency to curl and making it less likely to be affected by high winds. Each shingle has a strip of adhesive on the back, which is softened by the heat of the sun after installation. This allows the upper shingle to bond to the one below it, sealing it down for additional resistance to wind lifting and ice damming.

The combination of heavier weight, fiberglass matting and thicker granule layers also adds to the shingle's life span and to the length of the warranties offered by the manufacturers. Laminated composition shingles typically offer 30- or 40-year warranties, and some are even higher.

Installation

Laminated composition shingles are installed over a base of plywood or OSB sheathing. A base layer of 15-pound felt is laid over the roof sheathing first. In ice-prone areas, an additional ice protection sheet is installed, extending from the eaves to a point past where the unheated eaves cross over the exterior walls of the house.

A starter course is laid first at the edge of the eaves. The first course of laminated shingles is then installed over the top of the starter course. Each subsequent course is staggered over the preceding course, in a pattern that's set by the manufacturer. This staggering -- called "stair-stepping" -- ensures that the butt joints in the shingles will not fall directly over the butt joints in the course below.

The shingles are fastened with standard roofing nails, or, more commonly, with wide-crown roofing staples shot from a pneumatic staple gun. Full installation instructions, including instructions for valleys, are included with each package.

Accessories and availability

For covering a roof's hips and ridges, most manufacturers offer matching ridge shingles. These shingles are the same style and color as the regular shingles, but are precut shorter for fast installation over ridge areas. Ridge shingles can also be cut onsite from regular shingles.

Special ridge vents that match the shingles are also available, or there are universal ridge vent materials that can be installed for ventilation and then covered with ridge shingles that match the roofing.

To complete the installation, some manufacturers offer accessory paint, which is formulated in colors to match the various shingle colors. The paint can be used for vents, flashings and other rooftop areas to help blend them in with the surrounding shingles.

Laminated composition shingles are manufactured by several different companies. You can see samples at roofing material suppliers, home centers, most lumberyards and some discount outlets. Many of the more popular colors and styles are kept in stock, and others are available through special order.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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If you're thinking of listing your home this spring, now is the time to be thinking about one of the most important elements of real estate marketing: curb appeal. It's your one and only chance to make a first impression on a potential buyer, so make it a good one! Here are some suggestions to make your home stand out from the rest:

1. Get some new eyes: The thing about curb appeal is that you need to look at your house through a stranger's eyes, not through your own. You don't even notice the faded paint on the trim or the missing house numbers, but other people do. So if you can't be honest and objective about the overall condition of the exterior of your home, find someone who can.

If you have a friend, relative, or neighbor who you trust to be honest with you (and that you have a good enough relationship with that it will survive their bluntness), then ask them). Ask your real estate agent. If necessary, hire a landscaper or a contractor to act as a consultant.

The main thing is to get a comprehensive, written list put together of what needs to be done to the outside of your home to improve the first impression it makes. Concentrate on the front, but don't overlook the sides and back either.

2. Start with basic repairs: The very first thing on your curb appeal list should be basic repairs. Is there a broken window? A torn screen? A loose gutter or downspout? A sagging screen door? It doesn't matter what it is or how small it is, fix it.

They may seem like little things, but making sure that everything is in proper working order can make a huge difference in how people perceive your house and the care you have taken with it as a homeowner. Make sure you have big, bright, easily visible house numbers. Oh yeah -- and don't forget to squirt a little oil on those squeaky door and gate hinges.

3. Next, do some cleaning: Break out the broom and clean the outside of your house better than it's ever been cleaned before. Rent a pressure washer, and clean the driveway, walkways and patio. Clean your decks and your siding (a scrub brush is a better choice in these areas than a pressure washer, to avoid damage to the wood). If your wood deck is badly weathered, consider a deck cleaner and brightener made specifically for that purpose -- available at paint stores. Wash all your windows, inside and out, including the window screens.

4. Declutter: Just as you would with the interior, you want to declutter the outside of your house as well. Pick up the kids' toys, and put away the garden tools and hoses (remember, you're going to have people visiting the house, so this is also a liability issue). Remove all that accumulated junk from the sides and back of the house, and haul it to the landfill.

5. Next, tackle the landscaping: As part of the decluttering and general cleaning, do the landscaping areas as well. Prune overgrown plants and trim back overhanging tree limbs. Pull out anything that's dead. Rake up leaves and needles, and pull weeds. If you have an underground sprinkler system, make sure everything is working properly. If you have a lawn, fertilize and water it regularly to green it up, and run an edger along sidewalks and driveway edges.

In your planter areas, you can make a huge difference in how your house looks with the simple addition of some fresh bark and colorful flowers. And if you don't have any planter areas, create a few, or add some simple planter boxes to do the same thing. There's nothing like color to really catch the eye and give your home a bright, fresh appeal.

6. Consider a trip to the paint store: Few things help your home show better than a fresh coat of paint. If it's been awhile since the outside of your home's been painted, this might be a worthwhile investment, especially in a tough seller's market. If you're handy with a brush and an airless sprayer, you might just want to undertake the project yourself. A long weekend and a few hundred dollars in paint can make a world of difference in how well the home shows and how quickly it sells. Otherwise, talk with a licensed painting contractor for an estimate.

Maybe painting the entire house isn't really necessary. Sometimes just a fresh coat of paint or maybe a new color on the trim, exterior doors, garage door or window shutters can make a big difference as well.

A word of caution about paint colors: When painting the house for resale, select colors that complement the house and the neighborhood and that will appeal to the greatest number of buyers, whether they happen to be your favorites or not. You may have really been itching to paint the house purple with black trim, but save that for another day.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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Q: My wife and I are looking at buying a home that was built in 1955. Some of the wiring is paper wrap. We aren't sure how much. I was wondering if any of the paper wrap was ever made with a ground wire. Also I was wondering about the safety of paper wrap. We have to travel about 750 miles to look at this home and would like to know if it should be a big concern.

A: There's no easy answer to this one. Some of the cable you refer to did not have a ground wire, and some of it did. Also, older wiring such as this was not as heat resistant as the jackets used today, and it's not unusual to find wiring that has heat damage to it, especially behind light fixtures.

Finally, a house that is more than 50 years old is almost certainly going to have had some remodeling work done, and it's impossible to know what different homeowners, contractors and electricians may have done with the wiring.

If you are seriously considering buying the house, you need to have a qualified electrician examine the wiring and determine its condition, as well as determining whether subsequent repairs and remodeling were done correctly. The electrician can also determine if the house is safe and up to current code and, if not, what would be required to get it there. Incidentally, I would suggest the services of a licensed electrician for this -- not a home inspector.

Because the house is so far away, if you are working with a real estate agent in that city perhaps he or she could arrange to have the electrical evaluation done for you and save you a trip. That way, if the work is too extensive you can have the opportunity to reevaluate your purchase plans, or perhaps talk with the sellers about a price reduction.

Q: We remodeled our kitchen a few years ago. We replaced the recirculating stove hood and installed a better system that vents to the roof. I don't recall if they used 6- or 8-inch piping but it was the size recommended by the manufacturer. The total amount of piping is probably about 12-15 feet from fan to roof vent. I think the bigger problem is that this ventilation piping takes a few turns via a few 45-degree turns before it exits the roof.

The fan mounted in the stove hood was very powerful (based on the manufactures specs), but I think the turns and pipe lengths are impeding the airflow and it's an inefficient system. The amount of air that leaves the stove vs. the noise it produces makes it easier to tolerate the smoke.

Reconfiguring the vent piping is nearly impossible, although access to the attic is very possible. I was considering a rooftop ventilator. Instead of attempting to push out the air through a fan, this device works more like a vacuum and pulls the air out from the roof. A little extra power and noise would not be a problem because it would be mounted outside on the roof and the existing vent pipe would remain. The old fan would come out and the metal filters would remain. Any recommendations or am I wasting my time?

A: First, let's look at the situation with the existing range hood. Contained within the instructions and specifications that came with the hood will be a chart of some sort that lists the maximum length of duct that is allowable for that particular unit. The chart will also tell you how much equivalent length is taken up by a fitting -- for example, it may say that an elbow is the equivalent of 4 additional feet of duct.

So if you add up the actual number of feet of duct and then factor in the number of feet that's added by the fittings, you can determine if what you have exceeds what the manufacturer recommends.

You mentioned "they used," so I assume you had this done by a contractor. If the contractor did not install the hood to the manufacturer's specifications, you may have some recourse there for getting them to make some repairs or adjustments. All that being said, however, you may still not get the type of exhaust results you're hoping for with the existing hood, even if the duct is redone to fall within the manufacturer's specs.

This leads us to your idea of an exterior vent motor, which I think is a great idea. (I've had one for years with very good results). Exterior vent motors that pull instead of push work very well, for the two reasons that you mention. Because they're outside, the motors can be considerably larger than what's possible inside a range hood. And the exterior mounting means that the noise the larger motor generates is not nearly as much of an issue. It's why you almost always see restaurants and other commercial applications utilizing exterior vent motors.

The downside is typically one of cost. The exhaust motor is more expensive, and it requires more labor to cut and flash it into the roof, and to run the necessary ducting and wiring. If an exterior vent motor fits into your budget, then I would certainly recommend making the change.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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If you live where it snows, moving that white stuff off the driveway or the front walk is not exactly the most enviable of tasks. But it has to be done, both for safety and accessibility.

In many areas of the country, snow removal is even necessary in order to comply with local laws and ordinances. So your choices are a back-breaking shovel, an expensive snow-removal service, or some mechanized help in the way of a snow blower.

If you're like most do-it-yourselfers, you probably hate hiring things out. But if the alternative is a snow shovel, what you're asking for is a sore back -- or perhaps a lot worse. So maybe it's time to consider a snow blower.

Snow blowers may seem like an expensive investment, but there are a lot of nice ones on the market at very reasonable prices. Snow blowers also save money in the long run over the ongoing cost of a snow removal service. They also offer the convenience of being able to clear your driveway as soon you need it cleared, without waiting.

Gas-powered snow blowers

Gas-powered snow blowers vary widely in price, depending on the size of the engine, the amount of snow it can handle, and whether it's a single-stage or a two-stage model. Single-stage models have fast-moving augers that contact the ground and scoop up the snow. They usually have two-stroke engines, less power, and are less expensive. Prices for singe-stage blowers are typically in the $350 to $650 range or higher.

Two-stage models have a slower moving auger and an impeller, which lift the snow and discharge it through a chute. Guide plates hold the auger slightly above the ground, and as long as the guide plates are correctly set, a two-stage snow blower can be used on gravel driveways as well as over concrete or asphalt. Two-stage snow blowers utilize a more powerful four-stroke engine, and can clear a path up to about 30 inches in width. Prices for these types of machines are usually around $700 to $1,300 or more.

A good example of a heavy-duty, two-stage snow blower for home use is the Snow Joe Pro, ($899). This happens to be the one I use at home, and it's actually turned what used to be a very tough task into something approaching enjoyable.

The Snow Joe Pro has a four-stroke, overhead-valve gas engine, and will cut a path 26 inches wide through snow up to 20 inches deep. It has both an electric and a recoil (pull-cord) start. The electric start utilizes a power cord, which connects between the engine and an electrical outlet, so there's no on-board battery to worry about; once the engine is started, the power cord is removed and the choke and throttle are set back to the run positions.

Two-stage snow blowers are self-propelled. You simply walk behind it, and guide it where you want it to go -- although some strength and effort is still required. The Snow Joe Pro has six forward speeds and two reverse speeds, allowing you to set it to whatever the snow conditions are. Like all newer snow blowers, there are manual safety interlocks on the handles that have to be depressed before the machine will move, so it can't go anywhere on its own.

The snow is discharged through a top-mounted chute, located behind the auger. The chute can be rotated to the left or right and angled up or down, allowing you to control where the snow is thrown. Different snow blowers utilize different types of controls for rotating and angling the chute. The Snow Joe uses a simple up-front control lever, while others utilize a hand crank or other mechanism.

In addition to Snow Joe, other top manufacturers of two-stage snow blowers include Ariens, Craftsman, John Deere, Toro and Troy-Bilt.

Electric snow throwers

It used to be that if you had a walkway or a set of steps to clear, a snow shovel was your only alternative. Regular gas or electric snow blowers were simply too big and too cumbersome to maneuver into these tighter spaces. But there are a couple of alternatives out there that are well worth considering. They're called electric snow throwers, and you can think of them as kind of an "electric snow shovel."

Electric snow throwers look sort of like a cross between a vacuum cleaner and a push broom, with an upright handle and a wide head at the bottom that's in contact with the ground. A small, powerful electric motor turns an auger in the head, which breaks up the snow and throws it out and away from you. You use the snow thrower like a vacuum cleaner, back and forth in short strokes. As you push it into the snow, it clears whatever's in its path, right down to the pavement.

Two examples of electric snow throwers are the Snow Joe Plus and the Toro Power Shovel. Both weigh just 12 1/2 pounds, have 7.5-amp motors and will cut a path 12 inches wide. Amazingly, these lightweight machines are capable of throwing snow up to 20 feet.

The Snow Joe has a curved handle with a nice ergonomic feel, and an adjustable auxiliary side handle. Retail price is $99. The Toro has a straight handle and also has an adjustable side handle, with a retail price of around $120. Both machines offer a very affordable alternative to shoveling your walkway!

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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The Internet has certainly revolutionized the way we gather information. From remodeling our homes to protecting ourselves from fraud, there's an incredible wealth of product and technical information that's just a mouse-click away.

As you've no doubt already learned in your wanderings about the Web, some of what's out there is extremely useful, and some of it's not. In fact, some of it borders on the downright dangerous. So when you're surfing, know your sources. As you find sites that you know have practical and reliable content, bookmark them for use in the future. Beware of sites that are obviously just passing along information from other sites, often word for word and without regard for copyrights.

Here's a random sampling of interesting Web sites that are full of useable information you can rely on. Some of these are government sites, some are nonprofit organizations, and some are commercial sites. But even the commercial sites are ones that have reputable products:

APA --The Engineered Wood Association: Formerly the American Plywood Association, this group now oversees just about anything having to do with engineered lumber and sheet goods. There's a wealth of information here about plywood, OSB, engineered beams, you name it -- and lots of free publications available for download or by mail.

National Wood Flooring Association: This is a very nice site on wood flooring. It offers a lot of information about different types of wood floors, wood floor maintenance and repair, wood floor design, and even reclaiming and recycling wood flooring materials. It's designed to promote wood flooring, so it's slanted in that direction, but it's still a good source of information.

Building Online: This is a big commercial site that's been around for quite some time. It's basically a search engine, which connects you to just about any type of home improvement material or information source that you're likely to need. It's a great place to find the names, addresses, phone numbers and Web sites of companies and organizations for a wide variety of different building materials.

Federal Citizen Information Center: This is a very large site, full of an amazing array of information published by the federal government. At the left of the opening page, there's a menu of choices. Click on "Housing," then "Home Maintenance" to get to an area full of brochures and other information. The 36-page booklet called Energy Savers, about weatherization and other energy-saving tips, is one good example that's free for downloading.

Quikrete: Walk into any home improvement store or lumberyard and you're almost sure to see sacks of Quikrete cement, concrete, sand, asphalt and other products. Their Web site has a lot of good information about what the different products are used for, how to work with them, and how to calculate the quantities that you'll need.

Wolman Products: There's always a lot of confusion about deck-cleaning products, and I always get a lot of questions about this subject. In my opinion, Wolman has some of the most reliable deck-cleaning products available. And their Web site has a wealth of information about selecting the best products for different decks and different applications.

U.S. Green Building Council: The Green Building Council is a nonprofit organization that has established the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program to help train builders in green design and construction practices. They've also devolved a Green Building Rating System. If you're interested in green building, this is a good site to visit for more information.

Purdy Paint Brushes: If you need advice on selecting or using paint brushes, in my opinion this is a site with some worthwhile information. These are some of the finest paint brushes out there, and this commercial site is a good place to learn about brushes and get some great painting tips as well.

State Contractor's Boards: You'll need to search for this one on your own. In Google or whatever search engine you prefer, just type in "(your state name) contractors board" and it'll take you where you need to go. I can't emphasize strongly enough how important this is. If you're having any kind of work done on your home, you need to find out the contractor's laws for your state, then verify that the person working on your home is properly licensed, bonded and insured!

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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If you look closely at homes with beautiful windows, you'll typically find one thing in common: wood trim. No matter what the style of the window is or what material it's made out of, a painted or stained wood surround enhances the beauty of the window far more than the inexpensive "drywall wrap" that's common on a lot of today's homes.

Creating wooden surrounds for your windows is enjoyable, fairly inexpensive, and can be done by anyone with a few finish carpentry skills. And you can do one or two windows at a time, which is a lot less invasive to your home life than a lot of remodeling projects.

First, a couple of definitions

In the world of finish carpentry, there are a couple of terms that are helpful to know:

• Window surround: A window surround consists of the four pieces that wrap the inside of the window frame, between the face of the window and the face of the wall.

• Stool and apron: A window stool is the same as a window sill. It's the horizontal board at the bottom of the window surround. The trim board beneath the stool, which covers the joint between the bottom of the stool and the face of the wall, is the apron.

• Drywall wrap: A type of surround in which all four sides of the surround are done with drywall instead of wood.

Three ways to trim the window

There are basically three options for how you can trim out a window with wood. The simplest is to wrap the two sides and top of the window surround with drywall, and then install a stool and apron at the bottom. The drywall pieces are installed first and finished, prior to installation of the stool. If you already have drywall-wrapped windows, all you need to do is remove the bottom piece of drywall from the surround, to expose the rough framing underneath.

The stool is cut from finish-grade lumber. You can use oak, maple, fir or other clear grades of wood if the wood is to be stained. If you'll be painting the stool, consider poplar or medium-density fiberboard (MDF), both of which paint out very nicely. The stool is typically ripped to a width that's 1 inch wider than the distance from the face of the window to the face of the wall, and 1 inch longer than the distance between the two side pieces of the surround.

The stool is then simply notched on each end to fit into the opening in the window surround. It will overlap the wall face by an inch, and there will be two "ears" that extend past the edge of the surround by 1/2 inch on each side. The apron, which is a piece of trim of any desired size and style, is cut 1/2 inch shorter than the overall length of the stool, and is installed below the stool to finish things off.

Method No. 2 is to make a wooden surround with no stool, which is done by building a box. You need four pieces of lumber ripped to the same width as the distance from the face of the window to the face of the wall, then cut and assembled into a simple box that's slightly smaller than the inside dimensions of the window frame opening. Slip the box into the opening, shim it until it's centered, then nail it in place. The installation is completed by installing four pieces of matching trim on face of the wall, sized so as to cover most of the edge of the wooden box and mitered at the four corners.

The third method is a combination of the first two. In this case, you would construct a three-sided box -- two sides and a top -- then cut a stool as described above and use it as the fourth side (the bottom) of the wooden box.

Install the box in the opening and shim it into place. Now install three pieces of trim on the face of the wall -- a top piece and two sides. The trim is mitered at the two top corners, and extends down on the two sides to rest on top of the stool. An apron, installed below the stool as described above, completes the installation.

There are dozens upon dozens of variations on these three basic themes. Before you get started, take some time to peruse a few architectural and carpentry magazines and books and you're sure to find a look that's perfect for your home.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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Q: In your opinion, what home improvements (kitchen remodel, new front door, or wood floors) offer the best payback on investment when you are trying to sell?

A: It really depends on the condition of the house, what existing problems it might have, what your competition is in the neighborhood, what the price range is, and several other factors.

First and foremost, I always recommend that people fix what's broken. Today's buyers are very savvy about maintenance issues, and anything that obviously needs repair is going to jump out at most people. Also, when a potential buyer sees the first defect, he or she tends to start being more aware of others. So take care of all those loose screws and broken window screens and sticking doors and towel bars that are hanging on by a thread.

Kitchens are always one of the primary selling features for a home in just about any price range. If you have an outdated kitchen with dark wood cabinets, outdated appliances, older counters, a poor work flow, or other problems that could be solved by a partial or complete remodeling, you will generally see more of a return on the home's selling price than the amount of money you invested in the remodel.

Bathrooms are another area of the house that returns well on selling. If the home has only one bathroom, the addition of a second one is generally a huge return. Adding a bathroom to a master bedroom to create a master suite is typically another good return, as is remodeling outdated bathrooms.

You also want to take a good look at your home from a curb appeal standpoint. Updating old, single-pane windows is a big feature, as is a new roof if your old one is on its last legs. You will probably see only an even-money return or even a slight negative on these big expenditures, but in my opinion they make the home easier to sell.

A new front door might be a good investment if the other one is damaged or worn out. Also look at exterior paint, landscaping, fences, walkways and other outside areas -- especially in the front -- that could use repair, replacement or just a sprucing up.

Another big thing is interior paint, which is a fairly minimal investment if you do the work yourself. Paint that is old, faded, dirty, or otherwise doesn't show well is another one of the maintenance things that make a positive or negative impression on people. I would also suggest painting over walls that are red, hot pink, bright yellow, or other colors that might have a limited appeal -- you don't need to paint everything white (in fact, I'd recommend against it), but go with colors that are more neutral.

As to wood floors, they are definitely a hot feature at the moment. Replacing old flooring with new hardwood is a selling feature, but I couldn't say how much of a payback you would see on the investment, other than making the home easier to sell. Also, in my experience true hardwood flooring -- either prefinished or finish-in-place -- is a better selling feature than laminate flooring.

Finally, be sure you don't overbuild for your neighborhood. Sinking $40,000 into a major kitchen remodel in an area of starter homes is not going to pay back very well, so keep the general price range of homes in your area in mind as you do your planning. An experienced real estate agent can help you in that regard as well.

Q: Our home is about 45 years old and was built as an "all electric home." The heating is supplied by heating tapes that are integrated into the ceilings. I have a few questions:

1. Is the efficiency of this type of heat still valid after 45 years?

2. How can I determine where the heating wires are (my wife wants a ceiling light fixture mounted in one of the rooms)?

3. I am thinking that it might be better to abandon the ceiling elements and have baseboard heaters installed. Would you suggest that option?

A: Unfortunately, this is not a very efficient heating system, and never really was. For one thing, heat rises. So by putting all of the heat at the highest point in the room, you've already started out at a disadvantage. And because that heat wants to rise, the second problem is the ceiling insulation. At the time that ceiling cables were popular, high levels of attic insulation were not yet recognized as being particularly important.

So now you've compounded the problem by creating heat up at the ceiling, and then not doing much to stop it from just disappearing up into the attic. It was often easy to see which houses had ceiling heat and skimpy attic insulation, because those were the ones with no snow on the roof in the winter!

I would abandon the ceiling cable and switch to something else. Before you opt for baseboards, talk with a heating contractor about forced air as well, which is a more efficient and more comfortable system. A heat pump, which is energy efficient and also gives you air conditioning, is also an option.

Also, talk with your local electric utility. Many of them have programs designed to help people get rid of older, less efficient systems, since they're hard on the utility company power grids as well. There are often free energy audits and weatherization consultations available, as well as low-cost financial assistance for upgrades. There may be some energy tax credits available as well.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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With winter's storms comes the problem of ice buildup on the roof. No one relishes the thought of dragging out a ladder and trying to get all that ice out of the gutter. But if you allow it to build up in there, you are essentially forming the foundation that an ice dam will start building on, and once the ice dam takes hold it's a lot harder to get rid of.

The best solution is to be proactive and attack the ice before it actually becomes ice. That means taking some precautions to keep all that water from freezing in the first place.

There are several steps you'll need to take, starting in the fall with cleaning out the gutters. Keeping your gutters and downspouts free of leaves and pine needles should already be an essential part of your fall chores, and it's also an essential part of keeping that ice from building up.

Anything designed to catch the leaves and needles and keep them from getting into the gutters can also be a problem when it comes to ice buildup. Those barriers can create a number of small crevices that trap ice and snow, making it difficult to keep them clear and the water running through them freely during the winter. If you live in a cold climate, any type of leaf barrier on your gutters is probably not a great idea.

Heat tape in gutters and downspouts

Once the gutters are clean and barrier free, heat tape is the easiest way to keep them free of ice. Heat tape is simply a long strip of electrically heated, rubberized cable, available in different lengths. It has a grounded (three-prong) plug at one end, and is plugged into a properly grounded, GFCI-protected electrical outlet (GFCI is an acronym for ground-fault circuit interrupter).

The tape is laid in the bottom of the gutter, or it can be clipped so that is hangs along the sides of the gutter, near the bottom. A strip of heat cable is also extended down the inside of each downspout. Most heat cables are safe for use with both metal and plastic gutters.

There are different types of controls available for activating the heat tape. The best is a thermostat control, which will activate the tape when the outside air temperature falls to a certain level, typically around 35 to 40 degrees. This will allow the tape sufficient opportunity to prevent the ice from forming as the temperatures continue to drop.

And since the operation is automatic, it eliminates the worry of you having to activate anything. Remember that the tape is designed to prevent the ice from forming -- it's not there to melt the ice after it's already in place.

Heat tape on the roof not as effective

You will also sometimes see heat tape recommended for use on the roof itself, installed in a zigzag pattern along the eaves, on top of the roofing. The theory is simple. The electrically heated cables melt the snow as it falls, creating channels around the cables that allow for drainage, keeping the roof clear.

No snow buildup means no ice, which means no ice damming. But there are some mixed opinions on just how effective this method actually is.

For one thing, there is the initial cost of all that cable, and the cost to operate it. Heat cable uses about 5 watts of electricity per foot, so a 100-foot cable is the same as having five 100-watt light bulbs burning. A typical house can require several hundred feet of heat cable on the roof, so that's a lot of additional utility bills.

In areas with a lot of snow, there's also evidence that the snow buildup is simply too great around the cables to make the cleared paths very effective. Freezing happens a short distance away from the cables, and the ice dams occur anyway.

Perhaps of greatest concern is the potential for fire danger. I personally have seen several roof fires over the years that have been started by heat cables on the roof that that have malfunctioned, that have been damaged somehow, or that have simply worn out.

All in all, using the heat tape to keep your gutters and downspouts free of ice and snow, then taking other precautions such as good insulation and ventilation in the attic, will be better long-term solutions to ice damming than the installation of heat tape on the roof.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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Q: My husband and I are currently shopping for our first home and have found a couple that we really like. However, one of these houses is listed as using "Cadet" heat. I have looked at several articles but would like to know what the benefits and disadvantages are in regards to this type of heating system? Also, is this something that will need to be replaced? If it is replaced, will we be able to do this ourselves (my husband is an electrical engineer) or is this a professional job? If we choose to leave this type of heating in the house, will it harm its resale value in the future?

A: As you may know already, Cadet heaters are simply the name of a popular brand of electric wall heater. In real estate listings, "Cadet heat" is sometimes incorrectly used generically to refer to any type of wall heater, even those not made by Cadet.

In 2000, Cadet and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recalled approximately 1.9 million Cadet heaters due to reported problems with the heaters that could be related to overheating and fires. For more information about the recall, you can visit the CPSC Web site.

As part of any home purchase you're considering, you'll want to have the home inspected by a qualified home inspector before you close the purchase. As part of that inspection, the inspector should definitely check the Cadet heaters, and include in his or her report what their condition is, and if they are part of the recall or not (they may not be affected, or they may already have been replaced).

If the Cadet heaters in the home you're thinking of buying are part of the recall and need to be replaced, it's a fairly simple do-it-yourself project, or you can hire a licensed electrician to do it. The cans that are in the wall remain in place and only the internal part of the heating mechanism is replaced, so there is no drywall to replace or repair.

Quite honestly, zonal heating systems such as wall heaters and baseboard heaters are typically not as desirable from a resale standpoint. A lot depends on the other homes that you'll be competing against for sale, but if everything else is equal, central heating can be a big selling point over zonal heating.

Q: We recently built a new home and moved in. The concrete basement floors have all been sealed. The electrical inspector would not pass our exercise room outlets unless the floors were "finished." So we put a primer coat of white latex on them. Now we want to put on epoxy. Can you tell me what we have to do to get the floors ready?

A: It's really important that the floors be correctly prepared before applying an epoxy coating. That includes making sure that the concrete is fully cured, and that there not be any other coating that will interfere with the adhesion of the epoxy.

The concrete needs to be a minimum of 60 days old, and it needs to be dry. To check this, begin by taping a 2-foot square piece of plastic, such as a garbage sack, over the floor. Make sure all four sides are sealed with tape. Let it sit for a minimum of 48 hours, then peel it up. If there is moisture under the plastic, the concrete is too wet to paint.

Next, you need to check that the concrete will accept the paint. You mentioned that the concrete has been sealed, and also that it has a primer on it. Pour a small amount of water on the floor. If the water beads up, then the concrete sealer or primer is preventing absorption. Your epoxy kit should come with an etching solution, but you may need to do the etching process more than once. You will probably also need to sand off the existing primer, which will roughen the surface and help the epoxy take hold. After that, the concrete needs to be thoroughly cleaned and dried, then the epoxy can be mixed and applied.

In my experience, the main cause of failure of an epoxy floor coating is improper preparation, so be sure you don't skimp on any of these preliminary steps. Complete instructions are provided with the product, and most of the floor-painting kits also contain an instructional video that you really should watch.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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As winter temperatures go down, the risk of a frozen pipe goes up. Pipes can freeze in homes of any age and condition, and no matter what type of material your pipes are made from. So don't make the mistake of thinking that because your house is new it's safe, or because your house is older the materials are somehow stronger. The only way to prevent a frozen pipe is to keep it warm, and luckily that's not too hard to do.

Pipes are vulnerable any time they're in a location where they're exposed to low-enough temperatures for long-enough periods that the water inside them can freeze. Once the freezing occurs, the water expands, rupturing the pipe, splitting the seam between the pipe and a fitting, or damaging components such as cartridges inside faucets. Once the pipes warm up and the ice melts again, the damage becomes evident -- often in the form of a flood inside the house!

Although a frozen pipe can occur just about anywhere, pipes in unheated attics and underfloor basements and crawl spaces are at the most risk. And ironically, the better you insulate the ceiling and the floor, the more you put pipes in those areas at risk. Heat that had been escaping from the house into those areas used to be keeping the pipes warm, so when you add insulation and stop heat loss from the house, the attic, basement and crawl space become colder, and pipes are more vulnerable.

Keep the water pipes insulated

Any water pipes that are not buried in your underfloor, wall or attic insulation need to be insulated. The easiest method for the do-it-yourselfer is to use a foam sleeve, which is pretty much like slipping a bun over a hot dog. The sleeves are actually long foam tubes, and are available with different interior diameters to fit different pipe sizes. The tubes are slit along one side, so installation is simply a matter of opening up the slit and fitting the tube over the pipe.

At each elbow or other fitting in the pipe, cut out a wedge from one side of the tube so that it will bend around the joint in the pipe. Cutting can be done with scissors or a sharp utility knife. After you bend the tube around the fitting and snap it over the next pipe, it should stay in place on its own, and the seams and elbows don't require any sealing. If you do need to seal any odd joints or patch in any small pieces, you can hold things together with utility tape from the home center or hardware store where you purchased the foam sleeves.

The pipes can also be wrapped using scraps of fiberglass insulation. This is less expensive than the foam sleeves, but a little more time consuming if you're not used to the process. Typically, fiberglass batt insulation is cut into strips. It's then wrapped around the pipes, either in a spiral fashion or by folding it lengthwise over the pipe. As the insulation is installed, it's held in place with a spiral wrapping of very fine copper wire, which is available on spools from any hardware store or home center.

Close foundation vents and look for air leaks

Now for a small bit of controversy, which is almost sure to generate a letter or two: Close off your foundation vents! Use foam blocks or other insulation, and seal the vents to prevent cold air from entering. The vents are there to allow air to circulate under the house and remove unwanted moisture, and they should remain open during whatever part of the year that temperatures remain above freezing. But during the winter, when humidity levels are low and the risk of a frozen pipe outweighs the need for ventilation, be sure they get closed off.

Attic vents are a different story. Due to their location and the year-round need for attic ventilation to prevent ice damming, they should not be closed off. You should, however, carefully examine the area around each vent to be certain that no pipes are exposed to the air coming in from the vent.

If you find a pipe that is adjacent to a vent, double up the amount of insulation that's on the pipe, and permanently close off that portion of the vent that's directly exposed to the pipe.

Another thing that can greatly increase the chance of a pipe freezing is to expose it to outside air. This often happens when the pipe is installed near a foundation vent or an attic vent, or in an exterior wall in which holes were drilled for plumbing or wiring.

In any open walls, use expandable foam sealant to close off any holes and gaps in the framing. In colder climates, pipes should never be installed in exterior walls, and pipes should never be run in exposed soffits or other uninsulated framing areas.

Exterior faucets are another potential freeze problem. When installing a new exterior faucet, your best bet is to use a freeze-proof type (freeze-proof faucets are required by code in some areas), which has a long stem that extends back into the insulated portion of the house, so it shuts the water off at a spot where it's not exposed to freezing outside air.

If your house is not equipped with freeze-proof faucets, you can insulate them quickly and easily by installing an insulated dome over them. The dome is simply a large foam shell that fits over the faucet, and is held in place with a strap or a long hook.

All of the materials you need for pipe insulation, including faucet domes, pipe wraps, wire and other material, can be found at any home center or plumbing supply retailer, as well as hardware stores, discount stores and most lumber yards.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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We all love those great holiday decorations that brighten our homes and neighborhoods. And while exterior lighting is safe and easy to work with, you still need to follow a few common-sense safety precautions.

Watch those ladders: All step ladders and extension ladders have weight ratings and maximum height ratings, so don't exceed either. Set them up on solid ground, and don't overreach. When working on wet, icy or frozen ground, be extra cautious about where and how you set up your ladders.

Read the labels: When selecting lights, extension cords or outside decorations, check the packaging or read the instructions carefully. Be sure that the manufacturer has labeled the item as approved for use in exterior locations. If an item says that it's for indoor use only, don't use it outside, even temporarily.

Also, some items are labeled for exterior use, but not for wet locations. In other words, you can use them outdoors, but only if they're protected, such as under the eaves or under a patio cover. If that's the case, be sure it's not a place where it's directly exposed to rain or snow.

Visually inspect everything: When you get your lights ready to hang, take a moment to check the bulbs, sockets, light cords and extension cords for nicks, cuts, broken insulation or exposed wires. Discard damaged lights and cords.

Grounded means grounded: If you have an extension cord or a decoration with a three-prong plug, that means it's intended to be plugged into a grounded outlet. Don't use any cord if the grounding leg has been removed or damaged. Never try to force a three-prong male plug into a two-prong cord or outlet.

To properly adapt a three-prong cord to a two-prong outlet, use a UL-approved adapter plug with an attached ground wire. Be sure that the ground wire is connected to a proper ground source, such as a cold water pipe or a grounding rod driven into the ground.

Spot the right holder: Want to use some outdoor spot lights? Use an approved lamp holder to hold the bulb. Most types have a gasket for sealing the bulb in the socket, and some types have a metal or plastic spike attached to simplify staking the light securely to the ground.

The fuse is there for a reason: Most of today's exterior light sets use a male plug with a tiny fuse inside, located in the plug behind a small hinged or sliding cover. If a fuse burns out, replacements are included with the light set, or may be purchased where you bought the light set. Don't attempt to bypass the fuse with a wire or a piece of metal, and if the fuse burns out repeatedly, discard the set of lights.

Consider LEDs: LED exterior lights use less energy and generate less heat than traditional bulbs, so they're a good alternative. They're also typically not as bright, so take that into consideration as well. If you're going to stick with conventional lights, remember that miniatures use less energy and create less heat than the larger bulbs, but you always want to be careful around combustibles.

Use a little tape: When connecting two or more strings of lights together, wrap a strip of electrical tape around the plug connections. This prevents the strings from being disconnected, and also protects the connection from the elements. You should also tape the unused female plug at the end of the light run.

Timers save energy: You can save some energy and have the added bonus of safe and convenient operation of exterior lights and decorations by adding a timer. Some timers operate on a time dial, turning the lights on and off at preselected times of the day. Other light-control timers operate on a photocell, which turns the lights on when the photocell senses that it's dark enough outside.

A switch on the photocell allows you to select "dusk to dawn" operation, or intervals ranging from two to eight hours before the lights shut off. Whatever style you choose, be sure it's rated for exterior use.

Skip the staples: For safety and convenience, buy some hooks for hanging exterior lights and decorations, rather than nailing or stapling them up. Staples can easily damage the insulation jacket on the outside of the wire and create corrosion in the wire or a short circuit against the staple.

UL ratings: Always look for lights, cords and decorations that carry the Underwriter's Laboratories (UL) stamp of approval, which indicates that the product has been rigorously tested and is safe when used as advertised.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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If you live in a cold climate, chances are good that at some point your home may be affected by an ice dam. Ice dams can do quite a bit of damage, but if you're aware of the situation, you can take some proactive steps to minimize or even prevent ice dams from forming.

Why ice dams occur

During the winter, snow builds up on the roof. If the winter temperatures are cold enough, the sun's heat is insufficient to melt off much of the snow layer, so it remains in place, and even continues to grow.

In the meantime, you're using the furnace or the fireplace to keep the house warm, and some of that heat is lost into the attic. With the snow on the roof acting as an insulator, the heat from the attic begins to work on the underside of the snow layer. Soon, a thin film of melted snow -- liquid water -- appears on the underside of the snow layer, between the top of the roofing and the underside of the snow. This water runs down the top of the roof, beneath the snow, until it reaches the eaves.

Once at the eaves, the water is past the end of the attic. Now there is no more heat being lost from the house to keep the water warm enough to remain a liquid. The water freezes, forming a dam. The cycle repeats itself, the dam grows, and the water backs up farther and farther. Once it backs up to the heated part of the attic again, it no longer freezes. Remaining as liquid water instead of ice, it works under the shingles and gets into the house.

Warning signs

The first sign of potential trouble is a layer of ice forming along the eaves of the house, right at the very edge of the roof. You may also see that ice has been accumulating inside the gutters and has finally grown high enough to be visible from the ground. At this point, you can carefully try to remove the snow layer from the eaves of the roof. The idea is to remove the insulating ability of the snow, so that when temperatures come up a little, the ice will melt. But DO NOT give in to the temptation to use a pick, sledgehammers, ax, blow torch, or other drastic measures!

Icicles are the next warning sign. They're actually part of the ice dam, occurring as some of the dam melts, flows over the edge of the roof, and refreezes. As with the ice dam, as the cycle repeats itself, the icicles simply keep getting larger. Icicles warn you that the dam is getting worse. If the ice is sufficient to be dripping over the edge of the roof, it's also moving farther up the roof. You might still be able to have a small amount of impact on the problem if you remove the snow at the eaves, but again, how much good it does seems to be totally weather-dependent.

The third warning sign can take a couple of different forms, but they all relate back to water having gotten into places where you really don't want it to be. One of the ones that people seem to notice first is a discoloration appearing inside the house, in the corner where the ceiling meets the exterior wall. This is caused when water backs far enough up the roof to get into the attic. It drips down and wets the insulation, then pools in the corner along the exterior walls. If enough gets in there, it will eventually wet the drywall to the point where water stains appear. Left unchecked, it will eventually cause the drywall joint tape to peel, and the drywall itself to deteriorate.

In some instances, the water will run down inside the wall instead. You may begin to see water stains appearing on the drywall at the bottom of the wall, or above or alongside windows and exterior doors where the dripping water encounters the horizontal structural headers that span those openings. In some extreme cases, you may even see puddles of water coming out onto the floor at the bottom of an exterior wall.

Another unwelcome sign is the appearance of ice behind or between siding boards, or coming out of soffit vents, or showing up in other exterior areas where ice has no reason to be. That's an indicator that the water has gotten into the walls or into the soffits, and being outside the layer of wall insulation, it is freezing there. As temperatures warm, that ice will melt and potentially damage the insulation.

Preventing ice dams

To prevent the ice dam from forming, your best bet is to keep the roof cold. That might sound counterintuitive, but the theory is that if you can keep heat from reaching the underside of the roof, you'll keep the bottom of the snow from melting. That keeps the water off the roof, which is what forms the dam in the first place.

There are two things to keep in mind when considering how to keep your roof cool. First, increase your insulation levels. By improving the amount of insulation you have in the attic, you decrease the amount of heat being lost from the house into the attic. The same goes for any ducts you have in the attic, which need to be very well insulated against heat loss. This is a win-win situation for you, because improving insulation levels not only helps with ice damming, it also saves on your utility bills, it improves your home's comfort levels, and it's good for the environment.

The other thing you want to do it be sure that your attic has good ventilation. You have to assume that no matter how good your insulation is, some lost heat is still going to reach the attic. When it does, you want to get rid if it in a controlled manner -- in other words, not through the underside of the roof sheathing. The best way to do that is through good passive ventilation, which is an adequate number of low vents in the eaves or soffits, and high vents in the gable ends or along the ridge.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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Q: We are currently having fiberglass insulation blown into our 1850s house. So far they have completed the attic and the second floor. They have drilled the holes in the first floor. Now they are telling us that they cannot find the rubber hose they need to complete the project and it is too cold for them to complete the project and we need to wait until spring. I would like to know if the cold weather is a factor and if you know what the rubber hose is called, which they claim they cannot find.

A: It depends somewhat on exactly what they are blowing into the cavities. Some wall-cavity insulation has a binder or an adhesive additive that might be affected by cold weather, but in my opinion that would be only during prolonged periods of extreme cold. As to the rubber hose they're referring to, I would have no idea what that could be. Even the most specialized parts for insulation-blowing equipment should be readily available from the manufacturer, and I could see no reason why it should delay a project by several months.

It sounds to me like the contractor (I assume you are dealing with a licensed contractor!!) is stalling you, and it could be for any number of reasons. My suggestion would be to first find out what material they're using, and then contact the manufacturer to confirm that there are no specific cold-weather restrictions on the application of their product.

After that, I would talk to the contractor and insist that the job be completed by or very close to whatever date is specified in your contract. I would then withhold any payment to the contractor until the job is completed to your satisfaction. If you have doubts about the quality of workmanship, or if you're unsure if the job has been completed to industry standards, you can also talk with the manufacturer of the insulation products -- the same one you contact about the cold-weather issues -- and ask them to send a product representative out to inspect.

Q: I was wondering if you could answer a question for me. We had a new furnace and central air installed three years ago. The house is cooler now than it was with the old furnace and costs us more on our gas bill. The furnace company installed our heat vents on inside walls and our cold-air returns near the ceiling. Should we move these? Web sites that I see say to place heat registers on outside walls and cold-air returns near the floor to pull cold -- not hot -- air near the ceiling.

A: Here's the general rule of thumb for the placement of heating registers and cold-air returns, and why it's done that way:

Heat registers are typically placed on exterior walls, below windows. That's the point in any given room where the greatest amount of cold air will be present, so that's also the point where you want the heated air from the duct to be, in order to be the most effective at keeping the room comfortable. When registers are placed on inside walls, the heating system has to work harder to circulate the heated air and counteract the cold air coming off the windows.

The purpose of the return-air duct is to gather air from the house and return it to the furnace, hence its name. That returning air is then reheated by the furnace and recirculated back into the duct system and back into the house. Whenever possible, return-air ducts are typically placed high on a wall, or in a ceiling, simply because that's where the air in the room is the warmest. By gathering warm air instead of cold air, the furnace doesn't have to work as hard to reheat the air before recirculating it.

Q: I have two bow windows, each with four windows in each bow. I have a problem though. The wood piece below the windows I think is rotted. Do I need to replace both bows? That's kind of expensive. Can the bows come out and be replaced and the rotted wood be replaced with something that doesn't rot, or is it not worth it? The windows are nearly 35 years old. I can't ask a window guy that sells windows and don't know who else to call to figure it out.

A: A wooden bow window such as the one you describe is basically four individual windows attached to a wide top board called a headboard and a matching bottom board called a foot board. Various pieces of trim finish off the assembly. The entire window is factory assembled, and is installed into the wall opening as one piece. After that, the installation is completed by putting trim between the window and the siding.

If what you are describing are the exterior trim pieces, those can be replaced relatively easily in most cases. If, on the other hand, you are talking about the footboard itself, that's more difficult. In the bow windows I've worked with, the way all the parts are connected means that the entire window unit would need to come out in order to remove the footboard and install a new one. If that's the case, it will probably be more cost effective to install a complete new unit than to try and repair one that is 35 years old. You will also end up with a much more energy-efficient window.

That's about all I can tell you without actually seeing the window. You mentioned that you can't ask a window guy -- I assume that's because you're afraid he's going to sell you a new window no matter what. So I would suggest that you call a local glass company, explain the situation, and see if they have a carpenter they can recommend. He or she can come out, take a look at the actual problem, and make some repair or replacement recommendations from there.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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It's time once again to be thinking about what to get for the avid do-it-yourselfer on your holiday shopping list. Here's a collection of some interesting tools worth considering this year, listed in order of the manufacturer's suggested retail price. And a big thanks to all of the manufacturers who are getting rid of those irritating and dangerous blister packs in favor of more user-friendly packaging!

Black & Decker ReadyWrench (Model MSW100, $29.99, www.blackanddecker.com): Tired of fumbling for the right socket? The clever and versatile ReadyWrench gives you 16 sockets (eight U.S. standard and eight metric) all in one tool. This sturdy wrench has a comfortable rubber-coated handle and two rotating heads with sockets on each end, allowing you to quickly find just the right size, from 5/16 (9 mm) to 3/4 (19mm).

Craftsman Evolv 24-piece Homeowners Tool Set (Model 10202, $39.99, www.craftsman.com): Here's a great little tool set that's ideal for around the house, apartment or dorm room. The set includes a hammer, 16-foot tape measure, utility knife, standard and needle-nose pliers, adjustable wrench, five precision screwdrivers, and a bit driver with an assortment of bits. But what sets it apart is its compact, open-mouth tool bag with lots of convenient storage compartments, including a center compartment that fits a divided, clear plastic storage tray (included) for screws, nails, picture hangers, and all those other little parts that you always need but can never seem to find.

Black & Decker Linefinder Orbital Jigsaw (Model JS680V, $59.99, www.blackanddecker.com): The new corded Linefinder Orbital jigsaw helps you easily find the ideal setting for whatever material you're working with. Simply set the Smart Select dial to one of seven material settings, and the saw adjusts both the orbital action and the cutting speed for you. Another unique feature is the Linefinder system. Draw your cutting line with the special marking pen (included), and the saw's ultraviolet light illuminates the line for better cutting.

Dremel 4000 Rotary Tool Kit (Model 4000-2/31, $79, www.dremel.com): This is the latest offering from the great line of Dremel rotary tools. It's a tough and powerful model, perfect for anyone from the professional to the serious do-it-yourselfer or hobbyist. It's capable of speeds ranging from 5,000 to 35,000 RPM, and the speed setting dial is separate from the on/off switch, so you can maintain whatever speed you want each time you turn the tool off. The new 4000 uses all the standard Dremel attachments. This particular model comes with a cutting guide, a sanding and grinding guide, a case and 31 attachments.

Wagner Control Spray Double Duty (Model 518050, $89.99, www.wagnerspraytech.com): If you like to do woodworking, this new sprayer from Wagner is a good way to finish up your projects. It uses HVLP (High Volume Low Pressure) technology to spray thin materials such as stains, sealers, urethanes, varnishes and lacquers. It sprays a continuous flow of material and air, so you get a nice finish whether you're doing indoor projects like kitchen cabinets or outdoor projects like staining a new deck. It features a three-position spray pattern (vertical fan, horizontal fan or round pattern) and includes both a 1-quart and a 1 1/2-quart cup.

Craftsman 12-Volt Hammerhead Auto-Hammer (Model 11818, $99.99, www.craftsman.com): The cordless Auto-Hammer gets into those tight spots and hidden corners where you just can't seem to get your hammer. The compact head hammers nails in with 3,600 impacts per minute, and drives the nails flush with the surface. The Auto-Hammer can handle nails from 2d to 16d size (1 inch to 3 1/2 inches in length). It has a comfortable, non-slip handle, a built-in LED work light, and a magnetic tip. Includes a 12-volt lithium-ion battery with a 30-minute recharge time, battery charger, nail-pulling pry bar, and a soft carrying case.

Bosch Airhammer 18-Gauge Narrow Crown Stapler (Model STN150-18, $119.99, www.boschtools.com): Air staplers are a great time and work saver, and they're also an awesome gift. But not all staplers are created equal, and Bosch has done an outstanding job with their new line of Full Force Technology nailers and staplers. These tools utilize some of the first real advances in air chamber design since air nailers were introduced several decades ago. The new design delivers more power with less weight, so the stapler is about 20 percent lighter but drives the fasteners with about 10 percent more power. Staples drive easier, and set flush even in the toughest hardwoods and composites. The 18-gauge Narrow Crown Stapler drives staples with an easily concealed 1/4-inch crown, in a size range of 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. It includes a nice hard-shell carrying case, plus a pair of safety glasses.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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Q: My husband and I have a fairly new home (built in 2001). The problem we have had since day one is that the closets are like refrigerators and so are a couple of the back rooms. I climbed up into the attics above these rooms and closet and there appears to be ample insulation blown in. Yet you can actually feel a "breeze" coming from wherever. Who can I contact to help fix this?

A: Since you mention that the back rooms are cold in addition to the closets, there could be a problem with the heating ducts. They may not be properly connected, or they could be undersized. A problem with the duct connection at the fittings that come though the floor could also account for the draft. So, one of the first things I would do is contact a heating contractor and have the ducts checked to see if that could be the problem.

While the heating contractor is there, ask him to check around and see if he can determine other sources of air leakage. He may not be able to fix it, but if he sees anything wrong it will be a big help. From there, you would probably want to contact an insulation and weatherization contractor help plug up whatever leaks were discovered.

If you can get the bedrooms warmed up but the closets are still cold, you might want to consider removing the solid closet doors and replacing them with louvered doors. This will allow warm air to circulate into the closets and help keep them from being so cold, and is also good for bringing fresh air into those spaces.

Q: I have a leaking chimney problem. I have had the flashing checked, and some additional coating put down by chimney cleaners. I have had many people trying to correct this problem, but it works for a while, and then we have a heavy blowing rain storm and it leaks again. I have had the chimney coated in concrete mix, and that even worked for a while, then a big heavy rain and it leaks again. The chimney sits at the corner of the roof.

A: You've had lots of people actually look at this onsite, so I'm not sure if I can add much. However, since you mention wind-driven rain, my inclination is still the flashings.

Flashings can be odd things. They can look fine and perform well under normal conditions, but sometimes can lift or shift in the wind and create an opening that allows rain in. Also, I'm assuming that you discovered this problem when you saw water leaks or water stains inside the house. However, water can often travel from a leak somewhere else. So it may show up around the chimney, but be coming from a different part of the roof or even the siding.

I would begin by carefully examining the attic around the chimney. Look for water stains on the framing, and in the insulation. See if you can track the leak to be certain where it's coming from. That should give you some additional clues about what's going on.

If it still appears to be around the chimney, have an experienced mason or roofer examine the flashings again. Inform the contractor that the leak occurs with wind-driven rain. The flashing may need to be refastened and resealed, or they may need to be replaced altogether.

Q: Will the town give me the permits to have my friends do work on my house -- and then have the town inspect it before closing up the walls? I am not planning to sell it at all. I plan to live there.

A: The way most jurisdictions work is that you can take out the permits on your own for work you are doing on your own house, or a licensed contractor can take them out for you. Some building departments will also allow others to get permits on your behalf if they are acting as your agent.

Whoever is doing the actual work will have to comply with all the applicable building codes, and be bound by the results of the inspections. Your friends can certainly help you do the work, but if they are not licensed contractors then you will ultimately be responsible to the city for the permits and the condition of their work.

The best thing to do is have a talk with your local permit department first. Figure out which permits you need and what is required to get them, and then ask who can obtain them. You may be able to sign something that allows your friend to act as your agent.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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One of the most interesting tools currently on the market is what's known generically as an "oscillating tool." The first, and for a long time the only one on the market, was the Fein MultiMaster. As its patent expired, other companies have introduced competing tools with different pros, cons and prices.

A tool for all reasons

So what exactly is an oscillating tool, and how does it differ from other cutting and sanding tools on the market? As the name implies, these tools utilize cutting attachments that oscillate rapidly from side to side, as opposed to rotating like a circular saw, or moving out and back like a jig saw or reciprocating saw. It's this oscillation that sets the tool apart. And while it won't replace your circular saw or your favorite pad sander, it's a unique tool that's extremely handy for a number of do-it-yourself projects all around the house.

The tool itself looks something like an angle grinder, long and roughly cylindrical. The screw fitting for connecting attachments turns down at 90 degrees at one end, and the on/off switch is located on top of the handle. Both corded and cordless versions are available.

There are three basic types of attachments used with an oscillating tool: cutting, sanding and scraping. With one of the different types of cutting blades attached, the oscillating tool can undertake a number of different cutting jobs that would be difficult if not impossible for most other types of saws. The blades can be mounted at any of several different offsets in relation to the handle, to suit whatever cutting task you have.

With a cutting blade installed, you can undercut door casings and jambs for fitting flooring. You can cut out a section of baseboard right in the middle, without having to remove it from the wall. Slip the thin blade between a molding and the wall and cut off the nails. Make accurate plunge or pocket cuts without predrilling, and without danger of damaging the surfaces behind the cutout. You can cut off pipes, nails, dowels and other materials anywhere, even flush with a surface. The cutting uses go on and on, and best of all, you can make any of these cuts without damaging the adjacent surfaces.

Change attachments, and you have a sander that can reach right into the tightest corners. The sanding pads are triangular, and have a hook and loop surface for quick and easy sanding pad changes. Add diamond paper, and you can grind off thinset mortar and cement. Switch to a grout blade for easy and fast removal of grout without damaging the tiles, even in corners. Then change to a rigid scraper blade for removing paint or flooring, or a flexible blade for scraping up soft materials such as caulk and adhesive.

Dremel Multi-Max

One of the new oscillating tools now on the market is from Dremel, called the Multi-Max (Model 6300-01, $99.99). As with all of the great Dremel tools, the Multi-Max is powerful and easy to operate. This is a corded tool, with a nice rubberized handle for a comfortable, non-slip grip. It has a speed dial that's located on the back of the tool, allowing you to adjust it from 10,000 to 21,000 oscillations per minute.

The accessories attach with a simple hex screw and washer assembly. Dremel's blades have a notch at one end, which allows you to change blades without completely removing the screw assembly.

The complete Dremel Multi-Max kit includes the tool, a flexible scraping blade, a 3/4-inch flush-cutting wood blade, a 3-inch blade for cutting wood or drywall, a sanding pad, and three sanding sheets in different grits, all in a fitted plastic case. Other accessories that are available for the Multi-Max include sandpaper for paint removal, diamond paper, 3/4-inch flush-cutting blade for metal, 3/8-inch flush-cutting blade for wood, a rigid scraper blade, and blades for grout removal.

Bosch 12-volt Max Multi-X (Model PS50-2B, $218)

The Bosch Multi-X is a professional grade cordless tool, giving you lots of power with the convenience of cordless operation. The 12-volt lithium ion batteries are compact and lightweight, and are interchangeable with other Bosch 12-volt tools. With a tool length of under 11 inches and a weight of just over two pounds, the Bosch is light and easy to work with. The rounded handle is very comfortable, and the rubber overmolding gives you a tight, non-slip grip. Even the nose of the tool is encased in rubber, to prevent marring or other damage to adjacent materials while cutting.

The Bosch has speed adjustments from 5,000 to 20,000 oscillations per minute, so you have a lot of control for different materials. There is also a "fuel gauge" on the side of the tool, which tells you the battery's charge condition.

The blades and other accessories attach with a simple hex screw and washer combination. Indexing pins on the head allow you to attach the blades at a variety of angles within a range of 240 degrees.

The complete PS50-2B Carpenter Kit includes the tool, two 12-volt lithium ion batteries, a 30-minute charger, a sanding plate, an assortment of sandpaper, one 1 5/8-inch plunge cutting blade, three 3/8-inch plunge cutting blades, one flush-cutting blade, and an adaptor plate that allows accessories from other manufacturers to be used with the Bosch Multi-X. Everything comes in a fitted plastic case, and there's another, smaller case inside that holds all the blades and accessories. As with the Dremel, Bosch has a variety of optional attachments available.

More Information

You can learn more about these innovative and incredibly handy tools at the Bosch Web site, www.boschtools.com, and at the Dremel Web site, www.dremel.com.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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Lots of people are concerned about how much it costs to heat and power their homes, and the impact they have on the environment. So it's always interesting when some new products come along that can help us better understand how our homes work, and what changes we can make to improve things.

Monitoring power usage

As part of their Energy Series, Black & Decker has developed the Power Monitor (Model EM100B, $99.99). This unique and easy-to-use device allows you to monitor power usage anywhere in the house, so you can truly see the cost of running an appliance, or see how much replacing standard light bulbs with more energy-efficient ones will offer in energy savings.

The Power Monitor consists of an indoor digital display and an outdoor sensor unit. Each one operates on two AA batteries (not included). The outside sensor unit attaches to your electric meter with a simple band clamp. No electrical wiring is required, and there's even a little information tag on the unit to let your meter reader know what it is and what it's doing there. The interior display unit is freestanding, and there's no wiring required between the two units.

The instructions are quite good, with clearly illustrated setup and adjustment details. They've also included three separate booklets, each in a different language, rather than making you wade through confusing instructions where all the languages are mixed in together -- a feature I would really like to see more manufacturers adopt!

The outdoor unit has an LED sensor arm that "reads" changes in the meter. This information is then relayed to the interior display, and instantly shows you changes in electrical usage. For example, with the indoor display unit in hand, you can turn on your oven or your microwave and see the increase in power usage relayed directly from the electric meter. You can turn the lights on or off in a room, or turn a hair dryer or a television set on, and see how much power it consumes. The display reads in either dollars or kilowatts, and you can switch easily back and forth between the two.

According to the manufacturer, the sensor unit is compatible with approximately 90 percent of the electric meters currently in use. On their Web site, www.blackanddecker.com, there's a handy electric meter compatibility guide that lets you check your particular type of meter before you decide to buy the monitor.

Find those energy leaks

Also from Black & Decker is the Thermal Leak Detector (Model TLD100, $49.99). This instrument is both easy and fun to use, and it can provide you with a lot of important information about how to make your home warmer and more comfortable this winter.

The digital, pistol-grip Thermal Leak Detector operates on one 9-volt battery (not included). Simply install the battery and the unit is ready to go, without any additional setup or calibrations.

To use the Thermal Leak Detector, simply aim the unit at a reference point that you think has a fairly constant temperature, such as a wall. Press the "On" button, and the screen lights up and the detector projects a green spot at your reference point. On the digital readout screen, you'll see two temperature readings -- "reference" and "scan." Now move the detector over the surfaces you want to check for leaks. The reference temperature, which is the temperature of the surface you initially pointed the detector at, will remain constant. The scan temperature will change to reflect the temperatures of the surfaces that you're checking.

The detector continues to project a green light to show you exactly where the unit is reading. When the temperature of the surface drops in relation to the reference temperature, the light changes to blue. When the temperature increases, the light changes to red. The sensitivity of the reference light can be changed using a simple slide switch on the back of the detector. You can set it to read small changes of 1 degree, moderate changes of 5 degrees, or more substantial changes of 10 degrees or more.

Within minutes, you can get some very accurate readings of where air leaks might be located, or where hot and cold spots might be. You can see if your weatherstripping needs to be repaired, or if some areas need caulking. You can also really see just how much heat those old single-pane windows are leaking. And to help you tighten things up again, there's also a handy little Home Energy Repair Guide booklet included with the detector.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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As winter approaches, one of the things to look forward to is the cozy heat and intimate glow that can come only from a wood fire. But burning wood can create some definite safety hazards if you don't keep up with regular fireplace and wood-stove maintenance.

The real culprits are soot and creosote. Creosote is a thick, oily material that results from the distillation of wood smoke, which then solidifies as it cools. Soot is basically particles of partially burnt material, which builds up in masonry chimneys and metal flue pipes alike, as well as in the flue cap.

The build-up of soot and solidified creosote will eventually clog the interior of the flue or chimney, creating a very serious fire hazard. If the temperature in the flue reaches a high enough level, the creosote will ignite, causing a flue or chimney fire. The fire can break through any weakened masonry or loose flue pipe joints, and from there enter the house or the attic. Sparks and flames can also easily get outside of the flue cap, where they can ignite wood roofing materials as well as dry leaves or needles on the roof or on the ground around the house.

The solution is regular chimney cleaning. You can do this yourself by simply removing the flue cap and cleaning the interior of the flue or the chimney with a wire or nylon brush made for this purpose. The loose soot is quickly knocked down into the fireplace, and the stiff bristles of the brush will remove the creosote buildup.

In addition to the cleaning, you want to do a thorough inspection of your fireplace or woodstove, as well as all its components. Check that the flue cap is solidly in place, and that the spark arrestor screen is in place and undamaged. Check the masonry and grout for cracks or other damage. Examine the joints between the flue pipe sections to see if any are loose or are showing evidence of smoke leakage. Check all the flashings between the chimney or flue and the roofing. Also, go ahead and remove any buildups of leaves or needles off the roof, and trim back any dangerous overhanging branches.

If you have airtight doors on your fireplace or woodstove, be sure to examine those as well. Check the condition of any glass and gaskets, and replace anything that is damaged or shows signs of leakage.

If you're not partial to being up on the roof, you might consider hiring a professional chimney cleaner, known as a chimney sweep. Chimney sweeps are licensed contractors who not only clean your chimney, they are also knowledgeable about checking the entire system and making any necessary repairs.

Check with local fireplace shops for recommendations of a qualified chimney sweep, and also verify his or her contractor's license and insurance with your state contractor's board.

To minimize creosote buildup between cleanings, you need to burn dry wood and a hot fire. When you burn wet wood, part of the heat energy from the fire goes toward evaporating moisture contained in the log. You get a cooler fire, less heat in the room, and an increase in unburned particulates.

It's also time to get out of the habit of trying to damp the fire way down to make it last all night. Slow burning fires that are partially deprived of oxygen produce considerably more smoke that is both cooler and contains more soot -- a bad combination for any flue, since the soot buildup occurs much faster and the cooler temperatures allow the creosote a much greater chance to solidify inside the pipe rather than burn off. The heavy increase in smoke is also extremely bad for air-quality levels, which is prompting some communities to allow wood burning only on certain days, or to eliminate it altogether.

Plan on doing a complete examination of your fireplace or wood stove once a year, before the start of the burning season. Cleaning is dependent on how hot your fires are and how much soot and creosote buildup there is; if you burn a hot fire, cleaning every other year is usually sufficient.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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Q: I'm currently in contract to buy a townhouse. The broker and my attorney are encouraging us to have the seller purchase a home warranty (through Coldwell Banker). What is your opinion of these programs? There seems to be many complaints about them online.

A: First, I need to give you a couple of disclaimers: I have only limited experience with home warranties, and I don't know anything about Coldwell Banker's specific program. So this is only my general and limited opinion.

From what I have seen and heard, home warranties suffer from a "fine print" problem. Homes and their systems are very complex, and there are so many variables that affect them, from the weather to do-it-yourself repairs. For that reason, there are a number of things that are either not covered or have only limited coverage under a lot of the warranties.

Also, there can be a number of factors that determine the inclusion or exclusion of a listed repair, such as age, condition, who's worked on it in the past, even its location in the house. Finally, depending on where you live, actually getting repair people out to your house in a timely manner may be an issue as well.

First of all, you need to carefully go over all the details and all the restrictions of the proposed policy. You obviously have an attorney involved, so he or she should be able to help you understand it. See what the deductibles are, and when they come into play. Find out what the exact procedures are for calling in a warranty claim, how long the processing takes, and how long it takes to get a service person out to the house.

If possible, ask for some local references of other buyers who have this service. Give a few of them a call, and see what their experiences have been.

Q: I recently bought a house built in 1927. It's a two-story with a finished attic (total of three floors of living space). It appears to have no insulation whatsoever. The third floor has access to the tops of the exterior walls, all of the roof rafters, and the tops of the second-floor ceilings. What would you recommend for insulation? Should I blow cellulose insulation down the exterior walls from the attic space?

A: Unfortunately, you're going to get a lot of conflicting opinions on whether blowing insulation into the exterior cavities of an older home is a good idea or not.

With a home as old as yours, you have the possibility that the weight and pressure of the blown insulation can damage wiring in the walls, crack plaster, and even possibly damage old water pipes. Also, older homes tend to leak a lot of air through the walls. That means that moisture is being drawn into the walls as well, which can dampen the cellulose and cause all sorts of additional moisture problems to the structure.

The best thing I can suggest is that you have two experienced, licensed insulation contractors come out and inspect the house and make specific suggestions as to what you can do to insulate it. Compare their suggestions and their cost estimates, and see if there is a consensus of opinion on how best to proceed.

Another option is to contact your local utility company and see if they have a weatherization consultant available that can come out and check the house. This should be a free service from the utility, and in addition to making specific suggestions about how to insulate and weatherize the house, they may have grant money or low-interest loans available to help you with the work.

Q: Is it possible to install a towel rack on glass block shower tile? Would it work by using epoxy with a regular towel rack, or would it not be strong enough to hold a wet bath towel?

A: It's difficult and even potentially dangerous to attach anything to glass block. I would be leery of even gluing something to the block, as the weight of a wet towel could eventually cause some structural problems if the blocks are not well installed. Above all, don't drill into the block for any reason.

My suggestion would be to look for alternative places to mount the towel bar. If there are no convenient walls to mount it on, you might want to consider a freestanding towel rack instead, or attach a hook to the back of the door.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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Q: Is a high-efficiency furnace more likely to break down compared to a mid- or low-efficiency one?

A: High-efficiency furnaces, those with a rating of 82 percent to more than 96 percent efficiency, are designed to extract and utilize some of the waste heat that would otherwise be exhausted out through the flue.

Accomplishing this task requires additional fans, valves and electronic controls within the furnace, and with more moving parts you have more things that can go wrong and therefore additional potential for breakdowns. However, I'm not aware of any substantial reliability issues that would cause me to shy away from purchasing a high-efficiency unit.

I would get at least two bids from licensed, experienced HVAC contractors, and have each contractor bid both a mid- and a high-efficiency furnace that is correctly sized to your home. Look at the cost difference between the two efficiencies, and ask each contractor to calculate how long it will take for the energy savings from the more expensive high-efficiency unit to pay back its higher cost. You may find that the investment doesn't make financial sense for you.

You also want to ask each contractor for reliability data for the brands of furnaces they carry, and also look at what the warranty is on the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is the most expensive part of the furnace, and a long warranty -- say 20 years or more -- is often also a good indicator of how reliable the manufacturer feels the furnace is in general.

Q: We have a two-story house that is about 12 years old that has had squeaky floors for nearly the whole time we've owned it. We are considering selling and would like to correct this problem before we start go to market. It seems that the two general contractors that we have talked to didn't sound confident they could correct the problem. I am sure the carpeting would have to come up. Do you have any suggestions?

A: Floor squeaks, as you might imagine, are caused by two pieces of wood rubbing against each other, or by the wood rubbing against a fastener. The noise can actually come from a number of different sources, but since you mention that your house is fairly new and has carpeted floors, I'll stick with that scenario.

First of all, you need to do a little more research. Walk around on the floor, locate as many of the squeaks as possible, and mark them on the floor with pieces of masking tape.

If the squeaks are all occurring near walls, it is probably due to lumber shrinkage around the nails that hold the wall to the floor. This can usually be fixed by simply driving wooden shims between the top of the subfloor and the underside of the wall plate, which can be done without disturbing the floor covering or the trim.

If the squeaks are not near walls, they are probably coming from movement between the subfloor and the floor joists below, which could come from inadequate nailing or insufficient or improperly applied adhesive.

If the floor of the house was framed with solid lumber as opposed to I-joists, the noise can also be coming from wood that has dried out and twisted or pulled away from the wood or supports adjacent to it, causing movement -- and noise -- between the two pieces.

For these squeaks, one of you will need to go under the house with a strong light and tape measure while the other one stays up top. Using measurements and pressure on the floor from walking, try to locate from underneath where the squeaks are coming from, and what -- if anything -- is going on in those areas.

You may see the floor joists deflecting up and down; you may see them rubbing against other wood, or against ducts or pipes; or you may see that some of the supports under the joists are not fully touching one another.

In the event of gaps between pieces of wood, you may be able to solve the problem by taking wooden shims, coating them with woodworker's glue, and driving them into the gaps with a hammer. If the wood is moving against a pipe or duct, you can correct that through the use of additional strapping to stop the movement.

If you find a lot of areas where the subfloor seems to be moving up and down on the joists -- as opposed to them moving up and down together -- then the answer is probably going to be to drive screws down through the subfloor (from above) and into the joists. The best way to do this is to roll back the carpet and pad to access the subfloor underneath.

There are also some products on the market that allow you to drive the screws down through the carpet itself and then snap them off below the carpet, but these are only effective if you have one or two squeaks in a confined area. Be aware also that driving anything down through the carpet may void the carpet manufacturer's warranty.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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Hard to believe it's that time again! Fall is here, and you need to start getting your home ready for the winter months to come. To help get you started, here's a checklist of some of the projects that you need to consider:

Indoors

__ Check the fireplace: It's about time to get those logs burning, so get the fireplace ready! Clean the fireplace chimney or wood stove flue using brushes approved for the size and type of flue you have. If you're not partial to ladders, roofs and soot, this is a good project to leave to an experienced chimney sweep company. A good chimney sweep will also inspect the fireplace from top to bottom, and talk to you about any repairs that need doing. Clean out the firebox, making sure you place the ashes in a fireproof container with a tight lid for proper disposal. If you have an airtight wood stove or fireplace insert, check the door-seal gasket, and clean the glass on the door.

__ Change your furnace filters: Replace your old furnace filter with a new one. While you're at it, check the furnace for worn belts, lubrication needs or other servicing that might be required; refer to your owner's manual for specific suggestions, and follow any manufacturer safety instructions for shutting the power and fuel to the furnace before servicing.

__ Change smoke detector batteries: Replace the batteries in each of your smoke detectors with a fresh one. When you're done, take a moment to test each detector and make sure it's operating correctly.

__ Install a carbon monoxide detector: As houses get closed up for winter, the chances of carbon monoxide poisoning from malfunctioning gas appliances increases substantially. If you have a furnace, fireplace, water heater or other appliance that is fueled by propane or natural gas, now is the ideal time to install a carbon monoxide detector. They're available inexpensively from many home centers and retailers of heating system supplies.

Outdoors

__ Check the gutters: Fall is the ideal time to check your gutter and downspout systems. Clear the gutters of leaf and pine needle debris, and check that the opening between the gutter and the downspout is unobstructed. Look for loose joints or other structural problems with the system, and repair them as needed using pop rivets. Use a gutter sealant to seal any connections where leaks may be occurring.

__ Drain sprinkler systems: In colder areas, now is the time to be thinking about having your sprinkler and irrigation systems blown out. You can rent a compressor and do this yourself, or contact a landscape or irrigation system installer and them handle this for you. This is also the time to shut off outdoor faucets and install freeze-proof faucet covers as needed.

__ Handle those yard chores: Many plants require pruning this time of year, and lawns should be fertilized with a fall/winter fertilizer to feed them through the winter and get them ready for a fast green-up when spring returns. Clean up all your yard tools and put them away for the season.

__ Close off foundation vents: Depending on the winter climate in your area, you'll want to be thinking about closing off your foundation vents to help prevent pipe freezes. You can leave the foundation open for as many months as the weather remains mild, but close them off when the local forecasts begin calling for freezing temperatures. Once closed, you can leave them that way until it warms up again in the spring.

__ Pack up the patio: Check and clean patio furniture and put them away for the winter. Clean and cover removable furniture cushions to protect them from dust and dirt, but be sure the cushions are dry before storing in order to prevent mildew growth.

__ Check weatherstripping: Air leaks around doors and windows can rob your home of expensive heated air and create uncomfortable drafts that keep you feeling chilly. Check the weatherstripping around doors and windows, and replace any that are worn -- retailers who specialize in doors and windows can fix you up with the proper replacement type for your situation. Now is also a good time to close up a few more air leaks by checking the condition of caulking around exterior door and window frames.

__ Change light timers: If you have exterior lights that are controlled by timers, including low-voltage ones, check the timer settings. Change the "on" times to an earlier hour to reflect the earlier winter darkness, so that you always have adequate outside light available.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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If you're the type of person who substitutes a pair of pliers for an entire set of wrenches, you may want to consider adding a few of the proper wrenches to your toolbox. Wrenches are relatively inexpensive and the good ones last a lifetime -- and you'll probably be surprised at how much the proper tool can simplify your project.

Here are a few wrenches to consider:

Open- and box-end wrenches: Open-end wrenches have an opening on one end to allow them to be placed on a nut or bolt head from the side. Box-end wrenches are open on the top and bottom but not on the side, and while they grip more securely than an open-end wrench, they also require enough access to slip over the bolt from above. Open-end and box-end wrenches are rated by size, and are available in both SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers, which are the standard bolt sizes in the United States) and metric dimensions.

Adjustable wrench: As the name implies, an adjustable wrench will open and close to accommodate various sizes of nuts and bolt heads. Also commonly called a Crescent wrench after the name of one of the better manufacturers of these tools, adjustable wrenches are sized by their overall length, such as 10-inch, 14-inch, etc. Adjustable wrenches have basically the same applications as open-end wrenches, but the disadvantage is that they do not grip the bolt head as securely. A set of three is perfect for the average toolbox, and allows you a lot of versatility.

Socket wrench set: A socket wrench set typically consists of a ratchet handle and several sockets, sometimes with other accessories such as extensions and adapters. The ratchet handle has a square drive fitting on one end that's at right angles to the handle itself, and the interchangeable sockets have a matching square hole that snaps onto the drive fitting. Sockets are rated by size in both SAE and metric dimensions.

Sockets and ratchets are also known by the drive size, which is the size of the square drive fitting. Common sizes include 1/4-inch drive, for small sockets; 3/8-inch drive, the most common for everyday use; and 1/2-inch drive for larger sockets and heavier applications. Some sets include a 3/8-inch-by-1/4-inch adapter, which allows you to use 1/4-inch sockets with a 3/8-inch ratchet.

Nut driver: A nut driver looks like a socket that's been attached to the end of a handle, and is used very much like a screwdriver to rotate small nuts and bolts on and off. Nut drivers are available in SAE and metric sizes, and are sold individually or in sets.

Pipe wrench: A pipe wrench, sometimes called a Stillson wrench, is used specifically for gripping cylindrical objects such as pipe, conduit, etc. The wrench has an adjustable head that opens and closes to accommodate pipes of different diameters, and contains two serrated jaws -- one fixed, the other pivoting. In use, the pivoting jaw rocks open to allow the wrench to slip over the pipe, then closes as you apply pressure. The more pressure applied to the handle of the wrench, the tighter the jaws grip the pipe. Unlike other types of wrenches, a pipe wrench needs to be positioned on one side of the pipe to rotate it in one direction, and reversed to rotate it in the other direction.

As with adjustable wrenches, pipe wrenches come in different sizes, which are designated by the overall length of the handle. Each size of wrench will accommodate a range of pipe sizes, and a set of two or three is all you'll need for virtually any type of plumbing task.

Basin wrench: This is one of those odd tools that you may only use once, but if you need one, there's really no substitute for it. Used to tighten and loosen the nuts that hold a faucet to a sink, a basin wrench has a long slender handle with a curved, pivoting jaw at one end, set perpendicular to the handle. The wrench is snaked up behind the bowl of the sink to the faucet nut, and set so that the curved jaw is in contact with the side of the nut. As you apply pressure to the handle, the jaw tightens onto the nut and allows you to rotate it. There is a sliding bar at the other end of the handle to allow for additional leverage. To change which direction you rotate the nut, simply reverse and reposition the wrench so that the jaw grabs the opposite side of the nut.

All of these wrenches are available at home centers, hardware stores and other tool retailers. And as with other types of tools, you get what you pay for. An adjustable wrench that's $2.99 in the bargain tool bin may look tempting, but for $9.99 you can get one that works better, is more accurate, is safer, and will probably outlive you and your kids. Always look for easy and smooth adjustments, well-finished metal and a good guarantee.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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With winter on its way, you may be thinking about some different options for warming up those cold rooms. If you don't like the idea of moving portable heaters around and you're looking for something permanent, an electric heater might be just the solution you need.

There are several types of electric heaters available, but the two most common styles are probably the wall-mounted can style, and the baseboard style.

An electric wall-mounted can heater has three basic components. A metal can is installed in the wall first, usually attached to the side of a stud. Inside the can is the heating unit, which includes the heating elements and a small fan. To finish things off, a decorative safety cover is installed over the can and the heating unit. The cover prevents direct contact with the heating elements and includes louvers to help direct the heated air.

An electric baseboard heater attaches directly to the face of the wall. It mounts right where the wall and floor meet, hence its name. Baseboard heaters have an electric element inside, and the element is covered by a series of metal fins. Baseboard heaters are typically fully assembled, and require only screwing to the wall.

Both types of heaters work on electrical resistance. Electricity flows through the heating elements, which are designed to resist the electricity. That creates friction, which in turn produces heat. The primary difference between the two is in how that heat is delivered to the room.

The can heater has a small fan in it. The fan blows across the heated elements, forcing the heat through the grill and into the room. With a baseboard heater, heat from the elements warms up all the thin metal fins on the cover. The fins then radiate that heat into the room, without the use of a fan.

With both styles of heaters, the demand for heat is controlled by a thermostat. The thermostat may be mounted on the heater itself, which is less expensive but, since it's affected by the warmth of the heater, is also less accurate. The other method is to mount the thermostat on a wall, which increases the accuracy but requires additional wiring. In larger rooms, one thermostat may be used to control more than one wall heater.

Sizing the heater

Electric heaters are sized according to their electrical usage, measured in watts. When choosing one, you want to match the heat output of the heater to the type of room the heater will be used in. To properly size a wall heater for efficient operation, you need to consider both the size of the room and the amount of heat loss that you'll have to compensate for in order to keep the room comfortably warm.

First, determine the square footage of the room. Simply measure the length and width of the room, and multiply the two numbers. For example, if your room is 12-by-14, it would be 168 square feet.

A typical rule of thumb is to allow 10 watts of heat per square foot if the room is well insulated and has generally good energy efficiency. For rooms with less insulation or more moderate energy efficiency, figure 12 watts per square foot. In an older home with no insulation, poor windows and overall low energy efficiency, you may want to increase the allowance to 15 watts per square foot.

So, for a 168 square foot room with good energy efficiency, you would want a heater that's rated for at least 1,680 watts (168 square feet times 10 watts per square foot). Chances are you won't find a heater with exactly that wattage, so always choose the next highest one -- in this case, it would probably be either 1,750 or 2,000 watts.

Here are a few additional tips when sizing electric room heaters:

• Increase the wattage of the heater by 25 percent for every 2 feet of ceiling height over 8 feet;
• If your room has a large amount of glass in it, increase the wattage by 25 to 50 percent to compensate for heat loss through the glass;
• If your room requires more than 2,000 watts, divide the required wattage in half and utilize two heaters. For example, a room needing 3,000 watts should have two 1,500-watt heaters rather than one of 3,000 watts;
• Because of the demand for faster heating and the amount of humidity present, bathrooms typically should have a minimum of 1,000 watts of heat.

These are just some general guidelines -- for more specific information on sizing a wall heater to meet your specific needs, talk to your heating retailer, your electric utility company or your electrician. Also, remember that adding a wall heater requires a separate electrical circuit, and in most jurisdictions it also requires an electrical permit. Always consult with a licensed electrician if you have any questions about safe and proper installation.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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One of the advantages to having a central heating system is that you can add to the system to service new or expanded areas. For example, if you add a room or enlarge a kitchen, providing the necessary heat for the additional space can often be accomplished by adding an additional duct run to the existing system.

When considering the addition of a new duct run, there are two things to keep in mind: furnace size, and the size and layout of the duct system. For all but the very simplest of small duct extensions, you'll need the help of an experienced heating contractor to make all of the complex calculations required to size and balance the system.

First, you need to evaluate the size and condition of the existing furnace to determine whether it has sufficient capacity to handle the additional load. For example, if you've added 100 square feet to your kitchen by bumping it out into the garage and your existing furnace has always been able to heat your home without effort, chances are that adding a duct can be done without any additional strain on the system. On the other hand, doing a 600-square-foot addition and hoping to heat it by adding duct runs onto a system that was barely able to heat the original home isn't going to work. You're probably looking at a new system for the entire house, or at least for the addition.

The second consideration is where you'll tap into the duct system for the new duct. Duct systems are carefully sized to provide adequate airflow from the furnace to each of the ducts in the system. A duct run may start at the furnace with a 10-inch-diameter duct, then step down to 8 inches and then to 6 inches as the duct run branches off and gets further away from the furnace itself. Depending on the size of the area you're trying to heat and the distance away from the furnace, you may be able to extend right off the end of the 6-inch duct, or you may need to go further back and tap into the 8-inch or even the 10-inch duct.

For long duct runs or runs that will serve a large area, such as handling that 600-square-foot room addition, you'll usually need to go all the way back to the furnace itself to begin the new run. In that situation, the new duct will be tapped into the furnace plenum -- a large box attached directly to the furnace that distributes air into the different duct runs -- to ensure that the maximum amount of air volume is available for the new ducts.

Directing all that heated air into a new duct run will obviously rob air volume from the other runs, and here's where you can run into some problems. A single small duct run won't have a huge effect on the system, but several larger ones will. As the airflow is redirected, those rooms farthest from the furnace will suffer the most, and in some cases the airflow will be reduced to the point of being ineffective for heating that space.

Adjusting all of these airflows to all of these different spaces is called balancing the system, and it's often a tricky undertaking. Setting up and balancing a duct system is a matter of knowing the amount of airflow being produced at the furnace, as well as the size of the spaces being heated, the diameter of all the ducts in the system, and the total length of each of the duct runs. Under- or oversizing the duct runs can result in poor performance throughout the entire system.

Another factor that your heating contractor will take into consideration is the energy efficiency of the original house, as well as the addition. Homes with good insulation, good windows and doors, and a low amount of air infiltration are simply easier to heat. As a result, the ducts serving each space can be smaller.

Remember that energy efficiency is always part of the calculations for a new or extended heating system. So if you're considering adding on to your home, now is also the perfect time to make some weatherization upgrades as well.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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If you need to drill a hole, it seems like a simple matter to grab a drill and a drill bit and go to work. But if you ever check out the aisles of a hardware store you'll find quite a variety of bits for different applications. Knowing the right one for a specific job will help you get the project done faster, safer, and with better results.

Twist drill bits: These are the bits that do-it-yourselfers are typically the most familiar with. Twist drill bits are usually made of high-speed steel (HSS) and have a flute -- a recess in the side of the bit -- that spirals up from the point of the bit toward to the top. The flute allows for chip removal as the hole is being drilled. Twist drill bits have a shallow point and are used primarily for drilling metal. They will also work fine for smaller holes in wood and plastic, but their shallow point can cause them to chip the material when drilling larger holes.

Sizes, which refer to the diameter of the bit, commonly range from tiny No. 1 up to 1/2 inch, and larger sizes are also available for some machine shop applications. Sizes above 3/8 inch typically have a shank that is stepped down to 3/8 inch, allowing them to be used in a drill with a 3/8-inch chuck. Twist drill bits are also available with a titanium coating for more abrasion resistance and longer life in metal-drilling applications.

Brad-point bits: Brad-point bits, which look similar to twist drill bits, have a sharp point at the end that makes it easier to align the bit for more precise drilling. Brad-point bits are intended only for wood and have a special cutting edge around the end of the bit called a spur. The spur scribes and cuts the outside diameter of the hole as the bit enters it, greatly reducing splintering and tearing of wood grain and veneer. Brad-point bits are available in both HSS and carbide tips. The carbide-tipped version is more expensive but it will hold its edge quite a bit longer between sharpenings. Brad-point bits are commonly available in sizes ranging from 1/8 inch to 1/2 inch.

Wood-boring bits: For larger holes in wood, drywall and other soft materials, wood-boring bits -- also called spade bits -- are an economical choice for a good all-purpose bit. Wood-boring bits have a flat cutting head with a point in the center, two angled cutting edges and two cutting tips.

The point centers the bit in the hole, the cutting tips cut the outer diameter, and the cutting edges shear off the rest of the wood. These bits will cut a flat-bottomed hole but have a tendency to tear the wood if used too aggressively. They are available in HSS, carbide-tipped and cobalt-coated, in sizes from 1/4 inch to 2 inches.

Forstner and spur bits: Forstner bits are also intended only for wood, and have a number of uses in woodworking and finish carpentry. A Forstner bit has a round cutting head with a brad point and a cutting spur around the outside edge, attached to a smooth, nonfluted shaft.

The design of the head allows for the cutting of flat-bottomed holes with very smooth sides, and creates and expels "curls" of wood as it drills, somewhat similar to a plane. Since the cutting action occurs around the outer edge of the bit, Forstner bits can be used to drill partial arcs as opposed to complete circles, and also work very well for drilling pocket holes at an angle.

Spur bits work on the same principle but have multiple cutting teeth on the outer edge for faster cutting with less heat buildup, especially in larger sizes. Forstner and spur bits are available in HSS, carbide-tipped and titanium-coated, in sizes ranging from 1/4 inch to 4 inches in diameter.

Auger bits: Auger bits are used for fast, aggressive drilling in wood, most commonly in applications such as plumbing, electrical wiring, timber framing and boat building. Auger bits have a sharp screw point that draws the bit into the wood, and twin cutting flutes at the outer edge that cut quickly but with more splintering than some other types of bits. Deep flutes draw chips out quickly for cooler, faster cutting. Auger bits are commonly available in sizes from 1/4 inch up to 1 1/2 inches.

Masonry bits: As the name implies, masonry bits are used for drilling into concrete, stone, stucco, bricks, and other masonry. They look somewhat like a standard twist drill bit but have a fairly blunt, carbide-tipped end that withstands the abrasion and high friction associated with drilling masonry. Common sizes range from 1/8 inch to around 1 1/2 inches.

Deep-drilling bits: Many of the bits described above also come in long versions for drilling deep holes. Brad-point bits, for example, are commonly available in 10-inch lengths, and auger bits can be found in lengths up to 17 inches. For really deep holes -- such as for running wires and other similar applications, you can find twist drill bits in lengths of up to 36 inches. There are also extensions available for most types of drill bits, allowing you to extend the length of the bit for deeper drilling.

Drill bits are commonly found in home centers, hardware stores, lumber yards and a wide variety of other retailers. Pay attention to the quality of the bit and the price. Stay away from the imported, bargain bits, which dull easily and are dangerously prone to snapping.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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Q: We recently moved into a home with electric forced-air heat. In the winter, every time the furnace kicks on, the lights in the house dim for a nanosecond. Is this something that can be addressed or fixed?

Before we moved in we had to replace the electrical panel (it was made by a company that went out of business years ago because their panels were known to start fires), and I'm wondering if there is something associated with that we can correct. Any help before furnace season starts is greatly appreciated! --Lea

A: The dimming of the lights is caused by a voltage drop that occurs during the startup phase of the furnace. When your thermostat calls for heat, the electric elements in the furnace begin to heat up before the furnace motor kicks on, a process called "heat anticipation." It's set up that way so that the furnace fan doesn't blow cold air through the ducts before the furnace itself heats up. So when you hear the furnace kick on, that's actually the sound of the fan motor starting up and activating the fan itself.

A couple of possible problems come to mind: The wires leading to the furnace may be too small, or you may have a loose or corroded connection. There should be two circuit breakers on the furnace itself, and they may be loose or faulty. It's also possible that the furnace motor is going bad, or that you have some problems with the fan, the belts, or other internal furnace parts that are requiring an excessive amount of electricity in order to get turning.

Given the fact that the panel was replaced recently, you definitely want to have an electrician come out to inspect everything -- the new panel, the circuit breakers, wire sizes, connections (including the connection to the utility company wires), grounding, etc. All this should be covered under the one-year warranty from the electrical contractor who did the work. I would also strongly recommend that you have the furnace checked and serviced by a heating company that deals with your particular brand of furnace.

One other thing: Since the electrical panel was replaced recently, your local building department will have a record of the permit. I would suggest that you obtain a copy of that, and make sure that the installation was inspected and approved and that the inspector didn't note any problems.

Q: My new home has a small deck and I don't know how to clean or care for one. My deck appears unstained and has several mildew stains where potted plants and furniture once were. Do you recommend using a pressure washer and then staining? Or another option? I've read that pressure washers are damaging to the wood. Since I just closed I'm looking for the minimal price and minimal elbow grease required! Any help would be appreciated. --Kristen

A: Unfortunately, wood decks and minimal elbow grease don't often go together. If you have an older deck with no finish and some mildew stains to deal with, it'll take a little bit of work initially to get it looking good, but from there the regular maintenance will be pretty straightforward.

To remove the mildew stains and get everything ready for a new finish, you need to first clean the wood. I would definitely recommend against using a pressure washer for this task. The high-pressure water can damage the wood and raise the grain, leaving you with a fuzzy deck and a whole lot of sanding work to get everything back to where it needs to be. Instead, you want to use one of the liquid or powdered deck cleaners currently on the market, which make the cleaning process relatively easy. I personally like Wolman products, and you can check out their Web site at www.wolman.com to see the different products and get specific tips on how to use them.

Once the deck is clean and the mildew has been taken care of, you'll want to apply a coat of quality, oil-based transparent or semi-transparent deck stain in whatever color you like. The stain will provide protection from ultraviolet light and moisture, and prolong the life of the wood. Depending on the severity of the weather in your area, you should plan on reapplying the stain every two to three years.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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If you're looking for greater protection for your doors than you can get from deadbolts and other locks, a steel security door may be the perfect solution. Security doors are added to the door frame on the exterior side of any standard exterior doors, similar to adding a standard screen door or storm door. They feature the strength of an all-welded steel framework and cross-bracing, along with an open steel mesh that allows for ventilation while being infinitely stronger than the aluminum or fiberglass mesh in a standard screen door.

Welded steel plates allow for the installation of a deadbolt lock, creating a door that's virtually impervious to kicking, prying, lock-picking and other forms of attempted illegal entry. They're especially well-suited for vacation homes or other homes that may be vacant for extended periods of time.

Now if you're picturing your house looking like the entrance to a bank vault, don't. The doors are surprisingly attractive, with a low-profile frame and wrought-iron-style embellishments that look like most upper-end screen and storm doors, and are typically available in factory-baked gloss white or black paint.

Selecting and installing the door

The door you select needs to be the same size as the size of the door you're installing it over, typically 3 feet wide by 6 feet 8 inches high. Both left- and right-hand swings are available (swing is determined by which side the hinges are on as the door opens away from you), and the swing of the security door needs to be the opposite of the swing of the existing door.

For example, if the existing door is a right-hand swing -- the hinges are on the right as you open the door and swing it away from you to enter the house -- then the security door should be a left-hand swing. Like a storm or screen door, the security door opens out, away from the house rather than into it. That places the knobs for the security door and the existing door on the same side for easier access.

The door comes completely pre-hung in its own frame and hinges, ready for installation. Basic tools are all that are needed, including a level, socket wrench set, drill, and drill bits that are long enough to go all the way through the wall. You'll also need a helper, since these doors are heavy and awkward, and this is definitely a two-person job.

The door is first set in place and leveled, making sure it's centered over the existing door. Depending on the type of existing exterior trim your house has, you may be able to install the security door over the existing trim, or you may need to remove it and install the door directly against the siding. The main consideration is that the frame be flat and solidly in contact against the house, which some types of trim may prevent from happening. You'll also need to remove the interior door casing.

The frame is predrilled for the installation bolts, so the next step is to transfer the hole locations to the house wall, then set the door aside. Using the appropriate diameter of drill bit, typically 3/8 inch, drill all the way through the wall to the inside of the house. It's important that the holes go through the wall straight and level, and a good trick is to have your helper hold a level or a framing square in place against the outside wall as a guide for keeping the bit straight while you're drilling.

The frame is installed using bolts that go all the way through the wall and are secured with a nut and washer on the inside. You could install the door using lag bolts, which thread into the wall framing from one side, but without the nut on the inside, someone with a wrench and a little bit of time could simply remove the lag bolts and take the whole door off.

The last step is one of interior aesthetics, depending on what you want to do with the nuts on the inside wall. The easiest solution is to select a trim that is large enough to cover the nuts -- you may have to build up two pieces to get the necessary thickness -- and hollow out a place on the back at the location of the nut.

Security doors are available by special order through some hardware stores and home centers, as well as through retailers and wholesalers that specialize in doors.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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Whirlpool bathtubs are a perennial favorite for new homes and remodeling projects alike. And while not particularly difficult to install, they do involve some procedures uniquely their own.

While whirlpool tubs are available as a tub/shower combination, which comprise a fiberglass bathtub with a three-sided shower enclosure, you'll find the biggest selection is in bathtubs by themselves. Most of the tubs are designed for platform mounting, meaning that they are open and unfinished on all four sides and are installed by placing them into a site-built wooden platform.

Some types of tubs also have an optional finished front panel, allowing the tub to be mounted into a three-sided alcove like a conventional bathtub and have the finished panel facing into the room.

Platform installation

To install a platform-mounted whirlpool tub, you first need to construct the platform. There is no set way of doing this, as sizes, configurations and on-site conditions will vary widely. You'll need to adapt your framing to the specific room you're working in.

Typically, the platform is constructed by building short walls of 2-inch-by-6-inch lumber on 16-inch centers, then adding a top of 3/4-inch exterior-grade plywood. A hole is cut in the top of the plywood platform that accommodates the size and shape of the tub -- rough-in dimensions for the size of the hole are included with the tub.

The platform can be completely freestanding, but most platforms are built against one or more walls -- typically in a corner. Remember that you will need to provide an access door in the platform that is adjacent to the tub's motor location to allow access to the pump and the electrical wiring, so plan your installation accordingly.

The platform can also be made to pretty much any practical height, but in most applications the platform height is determined by the height of the tub. The bottom of the tub needs to be fully supported on the floor, so if you build a high platform, you may also need to build up supports for the tub.

For example, if the tub is 20 inches deep and you construct a platform that is 26 inches high, you'll need to also build up a smaller 6-inch-high platform inside the main platform to support the bottom of the tub. Once the height of the platform is determined, one or more steps are then built to allow easy access into and out of the tub.

For the typical installation, ceramic tile or a smooth surface material such as Corian or marble is used to cover the platform. Most contractors prefer to first install the tile on the top of the platform, then drop the tub into the platform so that the tub's upper lip overlaps and covers the edge of the tile.

The plumbing connections are then completed through the open sides of the platform, then the sides are enclosed with plywood and the ceramic tile is completed around the rest of the platform.

Another trick that many contractors and plumbers use is to set the tub in a mortar base. After the platform is constructed, a layer of 30-pound felt is installed over the subfloor inside the platform. Mortar is then mixed -- you can use the dry ready-mix material in a bag -- and a layer several inches thick is toweled on top of the felt.

While the mortar is still wet, the tub is placed into the platform and pressed firmly down into the mortar -- this conforms the mortar to the bottom of the tub, and offers full, firm support underneath the entire bottom of the tub.

Electrical requirements

Whirlpool tubs have a 120-volt motor that operates the pump, and as such they obviously need to be connected to electricity. The tub should be on its own, separate circuit, and because water and electricity are a dangerous combination, there are some special safeguards that need to be taken in the installation of the circuit and other wiring.

The circuit needs to be protected by a ground-fault interrupter (GFI), a device that has a special, fast-reaction circuit breaker in it that reacts instantaneously if an electrical fault is detected. Some codes allow wiring of the tub to a separate GFI outlet that's placed in a closet or other convenient area, allowing easy access to the test and reset buttons for the circuit. Other codes may require that a GFI circuit breaker be used.

Due to the special nature of the wiring and the need to ensure that all of the circuit is installed correctly and safely, wiring a whirlpool bathtub needs to be left to an experienced, licensed electrician. For the same reason, an electrical permit is also required for this installation.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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With a tough real estate market, many people are choosing to stay in their homes and remodel to suit their needs, rather than move. A good remodeling can create customized space and increase resale value while allowing you to stay in your current neighborhood and not have to uproot the kids from school.

One possibility when looking for additional living space might be lurking right above your head: your attic.

Attic conversions can offer several advantages over conventional room additions. They are already enclosed, which can simplify weather and security precautions during the remodeling and can often cut framing costs. And since there are no setback issues with an attic remodel, they may be easier and less expensive to get building permits and homeowners association approval for.

And let's face it -- attics are pretty cool. Their unique combination of angles, jogs, slopes and out-of-the-way corners can create rooms that may well become your favorite spots in the whole house. Your attic conversion might become a home office, a spare bedroom, a craft and hobby room, a kid's playroom, a home theater, or an expansive master suite.

Proper planning is essential

In some cases, you may be lucky enough to have a "bonus room" in your house, which is essentially an unfinished attic space that was designed from the outset to be enclosed for living space. This is the ideal situation, since the framing has already been done with the necessary span and load calculations already taken into consideration.

For most people, however, it's a little more involved than that. To achieve a successful attic conversion, you need to have an adequate amount of floor space and head room, as well as adequate structural framing.

Depending on the height of the roof and the number of angles in the framing, a rough rule of thumb is that 1/3 to 1/2 of the floor space in the attic can be converted into actual living space. So, if your attic has around 600 square feet of gross floor area, you should be able to get approximately 200-300 square feet of floor area that will have useful headroom. The steeper the pitch of the roof, the more square footage you will typically be able to convert to floor space with good headroom.

Use dormers for more space and ventilation

A dormer is a space that is cut into the main roof of the house, perpendicular to the main roof's slope. Dormers can be made in any number of styles and sizes, and they can increase usable floor space dramatically. A dormer also allows you to increase headroom as well as to add windows for light and ventilation.

Dormer design needs to be carefully considered. The size, shape, roof configuration, siding, trim and windows all need to match or compliment the existing home. A well-designed dormer can not only add to the livability of your attic, it can also enhance the appearance of your home. On the other hand, a poorly executed dormer stands out like a sore thumb, and can really detract from resale value.

Another challenge you will have to face with your attic conversion is providing adequate access. You'll need to design and construct a stairway, which is subject to strict criteria from the building codes and can sometimes be a tough design task in its own right. Plumbing, electrical wiring, heating, air conditioning and ventilation also all need to be considered.

For a project of this type, you'll probably need the help of a qualified designer, architect or structural engineer to get everything correctly laid out to satisfy the building codes. After that, you'll probably find that this is a little too much of a project for the average do-it-yourselfer, so look for a licensed general contractor with lots of experience working with residential remodeling.

An attic conversion can be a challenging project, but done correctly it can also be a fun, exciting and visually stunning addition to just about any type of home.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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Q: I have a 40-gallon natural gas water heater that is 5 years old, located at one end of the house and the bathrooms are at the other end. We added a recirculation pump with timer that allows us to get hot water within 5 seconds vs. without, which used to take 60-plus seconds.

However, I have never been able to keep enough hot water going for my wife's showering. She normally runs the shower for 15 minutes and unless it is at the top of the hot setting, she complains that there is not enough hot water. When we have visitors, it gets even worse. Does this mean we need a bigger-capacity water heater? Are there other solutions besides more capacity?

A: It's unusual to not have enough hot water with a gas water heater, since they tend to either work or not work -- there's usually plenty of hot water or virtually none at all.

Before undertaking the expense of a new water heater, I would first talk with the utility company that supplies the gas, and have them come out and check the incoming gas pressure and the condition of the burner. Low pressure or a partially clogged burner can cause the problem. I would also suggest shutting the gas, then draining the tank and flushing it with fresh water to remove any sediment.

You might also be having a problem with the dip tube. That's a plastic tube that sits inside the tank on the cold water side, and directs the incoming cold water down to the bottom of the tank to be heated. If the dip tube cracks or deteriorates, it allows cold water to remain at or near the top of the tank, where it doesn't have time to get sufficiently heated. You can sometimes -- but not always -- recognize this problem by the presence of tiny bits of white or gray plastic in the faucet strainers. Replacement dip tubes are available at most home centers and other stores that specialize in retail plumbing parts.

If all that is OK, then the problem is probably one of capacity. A 15-minute shower is pretty long, and will go through a lot of hot water. You could consider low-flow shower heads, or replace your existing water heater with one that has a larger capacity.

Q: Yesterday, I went up in my attic to store some items but couldn't help noticing something lay on top of my insulation in the attic. I took a flash light to look around and looked up at the truss and saw some orange gel or syrup-looking substance and it seems to run down the side of wood (part of the truss) like syrup. What exactly can this be on that wood (truss) in my attic? Your help is greatly appreciated!

A: What you describe is probably just pitch (also called sap), coming from a pitch pocket inside the wood. It is a sticky liquid when it's warm enough in the attic, then it dries to a hard, amber-colored solid. Pitch pockets, like knots, can potentially weaken a piece of lumber, but as long as you are only seeing this in an isolated area on one or two of your trusses, it's nothing to worry about.

If there are a substantial number of areas that have visible pitch pockets, this could potentially indicate that substandard wood was used in the manufacture of the trusses. In that case, I would suggest having an experienced contractor or a representative from a local truss company come out and take a look to be sure that the structural integrity of the roof has not been compromised.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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Q: I am a first-time homebuyer. The asking price was $275,000, and I offered the whole thing. The home is in my son's school district and one of the only nice ones that have come up in months. I didn't want to lose out on the opportunity. However, the inspector found a few major problems, and my Realtor and I were present for the inspection.

First: The roof needs replacing.

Second: The seller's husband (who is now deceased) finished the basement himself. Apparently it isn't up to code and no permits were pulled. The inspector found no floating walls near the furnace. The dryer vent blows into the crawl space. There is no firewall or insulation near the hot water heater. The cold air combustion vent needs to be lengthened, and several other small problems exist.

Third: The man did all electrical additions himself. There are many copper (but coated) wires hanging, and many ground circuits are not there.

The seller agreed to fix the roof and electrical, but not the basement. As a buyer, I don't feel this is my responsibility to bring it up to code, but I have agreed to do so at the tune of a $4,000 estimate.

What do you think?

A: There is a basic tenet in real estate that says that a deal consists of an agreement between a willing buyer and a willing seller. With that in mind, there is no real right or wrong to what you and the seller agree to. If the sellers are desperate to sell for any reason, they may agree to do all of the repairs that the home inspector suggests. If the buyers are desperate to buy, then they may agree to take the house as is.

In your case, much of what is happening is dictated by your own statement that you didn't want to lose out on the opportunity to buy this particular house in this particular neighborhood. Since this is a house that you really want, and since the seller already knows that by virtue of the fact that you have offered full price in a fairly slow real estate market, you have given up much of your ability to bargain.

All that being said, I don't think you have made a bad decision. I am assuming that the $275,000 is a fair price for the house or your agent would have had you make a comparably lower offer. And since the seller is willing to take care of two very high-dollar items -- the electrical wiring and the new roof -- and you will be out of pocket only an additional $4,000 to bring the rest of the house up to code, I think you did fine.

As far as the roof and the wiring are concerned, you need to protect yourself in your agreement with the seller. On the roofing, you need two competitive bids from licensed contractors -- preferably at least one that you select, not the seller -- and you need to compare them carefully. It is in the seller's best interest to get this done as cheaply as possible, so you want to make sure that you are getting a complete, professional roofing job. You should be able to specify the type and color of shingle, and you need to be sure that the roofer is taking care of any ventilation issues in the attic. You may wish to specify that your home inspector or another impartial party has the opportunity to review the estimates with you, and to examine the completed job to be sure it's been done correctly.

The same goes with the electrical wiring, with the added stipulation that an electrical permit has to be obtained, and that the work has to pass all applicable inspections by the local building department. This is very important, as it affects your homeowner's insurance and your ability to resell the house at a later date.

Take it slow, and be sure that your agent helps you review all the paperwork. Don't sign anything you're not clear on and comfortable with, and if worse comes to worst and the deal doesn't feel right, don't be afraid to walk away. I would rather see you wait a little longer to find a better deal than buy a house that will turn into a problem later on.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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There is probably no single piece of equipment that is more common in home shops and garages than the trusty old step ladder. For chores ranging from painting and framing to cleaning windows and changing light bulbs, step ladders are the ideal choice.

So what do you have in your garage? If you're still lugging around a splintery wood behemoth you inherited from grandpa or are trying to make do with a wobbly aluminum misfit that you picked up one day because it was the cheapest one available, maybe it's time to start thinking upgrade. All ladders are not created equal, and Werner's new Contractor's Jobstation certainly proves that point.

Whoever designed this ladder has actually used ladders on jobsites before. And while you don't typically associate "bells and whistles" with a ladder, the Contractor's Jobstation certainly has them.

The fiberglass Jobstation is available in two sizes -- the 6-foot Model OBCN06, $140, and the 8-foot Model OBCN08, $165. It has a very hefty load rating of 375 pounds, and once it's open and locked, you immediately see that it has a nice, sturdy feel. The metal treads are ribbed for better traction, and the wide ribbed feet, riveted steel braces and well-engineered leg locks add to the stability.

Now for some of the fun stuff -- those little accessories that can change working on a ladder from shaky and precarious to comfortable and safe.

On one of the cross braces at the rear of the ladder is a large metal hook that faces toward you when you're on the ladder. It's an ideal size and location for hanging a level, hand saw, nail gun, or other tool that would normally be too large and awkward to balance safely on a ladder.

The top of the ladder -- Werner calls it the HolsterTop -- is designed with the user in mind. There is a strong magnetic strip running across the width of the ladder top that will hold larger screws, bolts, and even tools. In front of that is a large recessed well for keeping smaller fasteners and parts from rolling off. A large round hole in the top acts as a handy holder for your cordless drill. To one side of the well is a slot that allows you to clip your tape measure where it's handy and secure but still out of the way. Along the back side of the ladder top are additional holes for screwdrivers.

At the rear of the ladder top there are two unique rounded and tapered slots. These slots fit Werner's ToolLasso system, as well as other optional accessories. The ToolLasso is a simple elastic cord with a large plastic ball on one end. First, loop the cord around your drill, air gun, or other tool. Then slip the ball into the slot on the ladder, and the tool is held securely in place but is still conveniently located when you need to grab it. Three Lassos are included with the ladder, and you can also buy a set of five additional ones (Model TL5-20, $10) or a set of two that also include a belt hook for more versatility (Model TL2BC-20, $9).

Another handy accessory is the Job Bucket (Model AC50-JB-3, $18). It's a rectangular, high-impact plastic bucket with a padded metal handle that lets you load up all the tools and supplies you need for the job. There are holes for holding screwdrivers and other small tools, two sets of rounded indentations that hold hammers, pipe, fluorescent tubes and other awkward items, and a slot for holding a tape measure. In addition to the handle, there are two lugs built into the side of the bucket that fit into the two slots on the ladder top, giving you additional secure storage while you're on the ladder.

The Werner Contractor's Jobstation is a great ladder for any home project, giving you pro-quality safety, stability and convenience at an affordable price. Werner ladders are available at Lowe's, Home Depot, Ace and other retailers, as well as online from Amazon and many other sources. The prices can vary quite a bit, so the figures given here are averages.

As with any ladder, be sure to follow all of the manufacturer's safety restrictions and recommendations. Never exceed the reach or the weight limit of a ladder, and never set them up or use them in a manner for which they were not intended.

To learn more about ladder safety and selection, visit the Werner Web site at www.wernerladder.com.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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Q: I have some kind of rodent digging up small mounds of dirt in my yard, but now they are under my house pulling the insulation off from over their little heads and urinating in the soil (after having come up under the plastic tarp and tearing holes in that). I can smell an odor coming up through the bathroom heater vent. Orkin says they don't do that kind of pest. What can I do? Thanks again for all you do to help us!

A: What you need is an exterminator that works with small rodents, so I would suggest you call someone other than Orkin. There are a number of different approaches ranging from poisons to live traps that any good exterminator should be able to help you out with.

Once the little guys are taken care of, you need to remove the plastic vapor barrier, both because of the holes they've torn in it and the urine on it. To neutralize the odor, rake some lime into the soil (lime is available from home centers or any retailer that deals with cement and masonry products), and then put down a new vapor barrier. Also, be sure and repair or replace any damaged insulation.

Incidentally, some homeowner's insurance policies will cover situations like this, so if the damage is extensive enough you might want to check with your insurance agent.

Q: How do you clean a redwood deck?

A: For normal dust and dirt, you can clean any type of wood deck with ordinary soap and water. Use a nylon scrub brush for tougher spots, and then rinse. Don't use the concentrated spray from a pressure washer, as it can raise the grains in the wood and do some serious damage.

For deeper cleaning, use a deck-cleaning compound designed specifically for wood. It should be one that contains sodium percarbonate, which is also found in many color-safe laundry bleaches. Sodium percarbonate is a powder that mixes with water to form hydrogen peroxide and sodium carbonate, both of which are very effective at removing gray weathering residue as well as mildew, dirt and other discolorations. Properly applied, oxygen-based bleach products will go a long way toward restoring your wood deck's original appearance. Don't use regular household bleach!

A common problem with redwood and certain other species is a natural resin in the wood called tannin. Tannins, which are water soluble and a reddish-brown in color, can migrate to the surface of the wood and be deposited there, leaving dark brown discolorations. Tannins can also react with the metal in the fasteners that secure the deck boards, resulting in dark, blue-black stains that can really mar the appearance of the wood.

Oxalic acid-based cleaners will are very effective on tannin and iron stains, turning them virtually colorless. Oxalic acid, however, will not clean mildew and some other types of stains, so if tannin is a problem look for a cleaner that is formulated for all types of cleaning -- tannin, dirt and mildew -- or use a general-purpose cleaner first, followed by an oxalic acid cleaner specifically for the tannin.

All of these materials can be found at good paint stores and some home centers. I've found the Wolman brand to be very good, and there are other good ones on the market as well.

Q: I'm looking for a good price on beadboard-type paneling that is a bit wider than traditional beadboard. MDF is fine, as it will be painted. Do you have any suggestions on what to use and where to find a dealer?

A: Unfortunately, I don't have any dealer recommendations for you, especially if you're looking for a more custom size. However, if you have a table-mounted router and a little time, you might want to consider making your own. You can use any width and thickness of boards that suits the look you're going for, and they can be MDF (medium-density fiberboard) or any other paint-grade material. There are a number of router bits available for making beads, so you can really get a custom look. For a good selection of bits, try Rockler, Woodcraft or Eagle America.

Depending on how much material you need, you may be able to find something interesting at a company that deals in recycled materials. They may have something from the interior of an old home or commercial building, or you may even find some old exterior beaded siding that will work. You'll also have a lot of fun looking!

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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Q: First-time homeowner and first-time stainer here! I had a small porch made out of untreated wood built last summer that I would now like to stain. I like the redwood look I see throughout the neighborhood, what I think of as the most common color of stain around!

I purchased two sample packets of stain, both by Olympic. One was a toner and one was a semi-transparent version of the same redwood color. I applied them both to a piece of wood leftover from my porch and they both went on like a watercolor paint -- very thin, very clear and not deep colors at all. I feel it colored it maybe only a shade darker than what the natural wood is.

I do realize this wood is not the optimal wood to build with, but it has got to be stainable! (Please tell me it is!) Do you have any suggestions as far as getting a deep red/brown coloring to soak in the wood and give it the rich look? Is there something I'm doing wrong? Is there a better stain for this type of wood, or do I just start considering paint? Any suggestions would be great.

A: No need to start considering paint just yet.

All wood is made up of fibers and cells in different degrees and configurations. The more "open" the cell structure, the more readily it will absorb liquids, such as stain. So all woods will accept stain to some degree, some more than others. Some woods -- pine and oak for example -- will even absorb stain very differently within the same piece. Other factors include how wet or dry the wood is, how weathered it is, how smoothly sanded, etc.

One of the first things you need to do is determine what type of wood was used to build the porch. You mentioned that it was not pressure-treated and it is apparently not redwood. Fir, hemlock, cedar and pine would be some other common porch woods, but there are others as well. I would suggest that you either ask the person who built the porch, or take a sample down to your local lumberyard and ask one of the people there to identify it for you. Stick with a dedicated lumberyard, not a home center.

Armed with that knowledge, I want you to next go to a paint store -- again, a dedicated paint store, not a home center. Show them the type of wood you're working with and the color you're hoping to achieve, and they can work with you to select the proper type of stain and the proper color, as well as giving you tips on how to apply it. Bring the wood sample with you as well, and they may be able to test it for you to see if the color is going to come out the way you want.

Q: I am going to be building a cover over my deck. I am going to have to put it about 15-18 inches up on the existing roof (about the back of the eve) in order to get the slope needed for drainage. I have been looking for a bracket that will hold a ledger board up slightly off the roof, so water can go under and not rot the board. I have not found a bracket that will do this. The closest thing I have found is a basic 90-degree, 1-inch-wide, angle bracket that you can find in any hardware store, but I do not think it will be strong enough. Any suggestions?

A: Because you are looking at a bracket that needs to have the proper slope to match both the house roof and the roof over the deck, you may not find a stock item that fits exactly. I would suggest you check out the Simpson Strong-Tie Web site at www.strongtie.com. Simpson is probably the largest manufacturer of metal hangers, brackets and connectors for the construction industry, and if anyone will have it they will. If you find something in their online catalog that will work, just jot down the stock number -- and if your local lumberyard or hardware store doesn't have it, they can order it for you.

If you can't find anything there, you'll have to have ones made. If you can make a simple sketch of what you need, any local welder will be able to weld or bend brackets to your specifications, and the cost should be pretty reasonable.

I'll also suggest another alternative. Install a ledger board flat on the roof, parallel with the eaves, and secure it to the roof by screwing it down into the rafters. Cut the ends of the deck covering rafters on an angle so that they lay down flat on the ledger and create the angle of slope you want for the roof over the deck, then fasten the rafters to the ledger board. Install your roofing on the deck cover, and then install a sheet metal flashing that tucks under the house roofing and goes over the deck cover roofing. Water coming down off the roof will be channeled up onto the deck cover, where it will then run off. Since the ledger is completely under cover, it won't get wet. For a little additional assurance, you can use pressure-treated lumber for the ledger.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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It's getting to be that time again. The windows are open, and the bugs are clamoring at the window screens, trying to come in and join the party. If a few too many of these uninvited guests are getting in, it's probably time to get that damaged screening replaced. Luckily, this is a great do-it-yourself project that you can take care of in no time.

To do your own window screen replacement, all you'll need is some new screening material and a simple re-screening tool, both of which are available at home centers and hardware stores. Screening is available in both fiberglass and aluminum, but the fiberglass is much easier to work with and is the preferred choice for most applications. It's available in different widths, so purchase one that's a minimum of 2 inches wider than the screen frame itself.

Remove the window screen frame from the window, and set it on a workbench or work table. You'll notice that one side has a groove running around all the way around it that the screen is tucked into that. Place that side face up.

Look closely at the groove. What you'll notice is a gray or black vinyl spline that's tucked down into the groove, holding the screening in place. Look for the end of the spline, which is usually in one corner. With a small screwdriver or a utility knife, carefully pry up the end of the spline until you can get a hold of it. Lift the spline out of the groove all the way around, and then remove the old screening. Clean the groove with a screwdriver tip or some compressed air to remove any dirt and debris.

Now examine the spline. If it looks fairly flexible and seems undamaged, you can clean and reuse it. If it's worn, stiff or cracked, you'll want to replace it with a new one. Splines are available at the same place where you purchased the screening -- take the old one into the store with you to be sure you get the same size.

With the screen frame lying flat on the workbench, unroll the new screening over it. Make sure that you have minimum of 1 inch of overlap on all sides, and then cut the screening off the roll.

You'll be installing the new screen into two adjacent sides of the frame, then stretching it across the frame and installing it into the other two sides. Make sure that the new screening material is lying straight on top of the frame before you start. Begin at one corner, and press about an inch of the spline part way into the groove with your fingers, trapping the screening in the groove.

Next, you'll be using the screen roller tool. The roller has a wooden or plastic handle, with a plastic roller at each end. Using the roller with the concave (inward-curving) edge, set the roller on top of the spline. Pressing down with moderate pressure, use the roller to press the spline about halfway down into the groove. Continue across the entire first side of the frame, rolling the screen and the spline into the groove.

With the first side in, check again to be sure that the screening material is sitting square on the frame. If it gets off, the screening will appear to run diagonally across the screen frame, rather than vertically and horizontally. Turn the corner with the spline, and use the roller to set the screening into the second side, adjacent to the first. Try not to stretch the spline too much as you set it.

With the first two sides set, lightly stretch the screening material across the frame with one hand while continuing to set the spline in place with the roller. Don't worry about stretching the screening too tight or if you have some minor wrinkles – those will come out in the next step. However, if the screening is really loose or is crooked in the frame, simply pull out as much of the spline as necessary, reposition the screening, and try again.

When you get to the final corner, you may find that you have more spline then you need, even though you're reusing the original spline. That's the result of stretching the spline as you install it, so simply cut off the excess with a utility knife.

You now have all the screening and spline installed, with the spline about halfway down into the groove in the frame. Using the roller tool, carefully work your way around the entire frame again, rolling and pressing the spline the rest of the way into the groove. This will finish stretching the screening, and should leave you with a tight, smooth installation.

The final step is to cut off the excess screening. Use a sharp utility knife, and place the tip of the knife between the spline and the outer edge of the groove. Hold the knife relatively flat in relation to the screen, and work your way around the entire frame, slicing off the excess.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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There are certain tools that you think you may never need, and then when you try one, you start wondering how you ever got along without it. The new Heavy-Duty TrackSaw from DeWalt is one of those tools. And like all of DeWalt's tools, it's designed and built with the professional user in mind, but it's certainly right at home in the hands of any serious do-it-yourselfer!

As the name implies, the TrackSaw is a portable circular saw that rides on a track. The saw has a broad, aluminum base with a wide groove machined into the bottom. The precision-extruded track has a raised ridge running the length of it that mates with the groove in the saw's base. The track is clamped onto the material you want to cut, and the saw runs along the track to create perfectly straight, splinter-free cuts.

The TrackSaw combines the precise cutting of a table saw or panel saw with the portability and ease of use of a circular saw. It allows for one-person cutting of even the largest and heaviest of sheet goods, without all the awkward and dangerous maneuvering required to run the sheet through a table saw.

The saw itself has a very stout feel in your hand, but is still light -- about 12 pounds -- and comfortable, with well-positioned padded handles and controls. It uses a smooth-cutting, 6 1/2-inch, 48-tooth carbide blade, and blade changing is quick and easy with a built-in spindle lock and an onboard blade wrench. There is a riving knife behind the blade to prevent the saw kerf from closing up and binding the blade, and the saw's 1 1/4-inch dust-collection outlet connects to any standard shop vacuum hose. The saw also has a unique anti-kickback feature that locks against the track to prevent the saw from sliding backward. A simple knob turns this feature on or off as desired.

There are several other nice features on this saw as well. The "soft start" brings the blade up to speed with a very short delay, which eliminates the torque "twisting" you get with other saws. The depth adjustment is very well marked and calibrated, and compensates for the thickness of the track as well. The saw bevels from 0 to 47 degrees, and once again the adjustment is easy and well marked. There's a speed control dial that alters the saw's RPMs to match the material you're cutting, as well as a pair of simple adjustment knobs to remove any play between the saw and the track.

The TrackSaw works a little differently from most circular saws. In the off position, the blade is completely retracted up into the blade guard. As you activate the saw and move it forward, the blade pivots down and forward into the material and the guard stays stationary, which is the opposite of most portable circular saws.

The tracks are available in 46-, 59- and 102-inch lengths. Track connectors are available to join two or more track pieces together for longer lengths, and you can also cut the tracks to shorter lengths to fit specific applications. The track has four glide strips on the top so the saw slides smoothly, as well as friction strips on the bottom to help hold the track in place without slipping, and two anti-splinter strips, one on each edge. The glide strips, friction strips and anti-splinter strips are all replaceable as needed.

LOTS OF DIFFERENT APPLICATIONS

One of the TrackSaw's primary uses is cutting plywood and other sheet materials. You simply mark your cut line on the sheet, then align the anti-splinter strip right against the marked line. These strips were trimmed in the initial setup, so they are now perfectly aligned to the path of the blade and indicate exactly where the blade will cut.

The track will stay in place with the friction strips on the bottom, or you can clamp it in place with a pair of DeWalt's quick-adjust clamps that are specifically designed for use with the track. Unlike other types of clamps, these lock into the track from underneath, allowing secure clamping of the track to the work piece without any interference from the clamps themselves.

Once the track is in place and secured, just set the saw on the track, depress the trigger lock to release both the trigger and the blade pivot mechanism, and make the cut. This same setup is great for truing up the rough edge of a board -- simply clamp the track on top of the board, and you can cut a clean, straight edge.

The fixed blade guard and pivoting blade lets the TrackSaw excel at plunge cutting. You can start the saw anywhere on a sheet, and cut precise openings. You can also use the plunge feature for such things as cutting a heat register opening into a floor, or for adding accent strips to hardwood floors, tables and other surfaces.

The track can also be used vertically for other cutting applications. For example, you can clamp the track to the face of a cabinet to cut a precise opening to fit an appliance installation. Or, you can also use the TrackSaw to trim doors while they're still in place. The blade guard on the TrackSaw is broad and flat, and, as mentioned earlier, it doesn't move. So, you can clamp the track to the bottom of the door, rest the guard directly on the floor, and make a clean, precise cut approximately 1/2 inch up from the floor.

DeWalt's Heavy Duty TrackSaw is a beautifully designed tool system that's a joy to work with. It's available in a corded version, Model DWS520SK, which includes the saw, blade, a 59-inch track, and case for $499. There's also a 28-volt cordless version, Model DC351SKL, which includes the saw, blade, two 28-volt nanophosphate lithium ion batteries, charger, a 59-inch track, and case for $899. For more information on the saw and other accessories, go to http://www.dewalt.com/tracksaw/.

Correction: In the Father's Day gift ideas column, the new upgraded DeWalt batteries were incorrectly identified. They are actually DeWalt's new XRP lithium ion batteries, which offer 2,000 recharges versus 800 for the original 18-volt DeWalt battery.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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"Square." It's a term you hear often in construction, and it simply means to have two adjacent surfaces that are at an exact 90-degree angle to one another. Sounds simple, but having something square is crucial for everything from wall framing and door installation to cabinets and tile.

Checking that something is square is done with a tool called, not surprisingly, a square. There are all types of squares available, some with a dedicated purpose and some that will do more than one task around the home or shop. So when shopping for a new square, it pays to have some understanding of the function of some of the more common types.

First though, a word about shopping for any type of square. To check a square for accuracy, take any object with at least one straight edge. This could be a piece of plywood, or even a sheet of heavy cardboard. Place one leg of the square against the straight edge of the plywood. Using the other leg of the square as a guide, draw a line on the plywood. Flip the square over so that the same leg is against the same edge of the plywood, but now facing the other direction. Align the other leg of the square against your pencil line, and draw a second line on top of the first. Examine the two lines -- they should be exactly on top of one another. If they aren't, the square is not reading an accurate 90 degrees.

As with just about all tools, a higher purchase price is typically reflected in a better-quality tool that is easier to use and will maintain its accuracy for a much longer time. With any type of square, avoid the temptation to save a couple of dollars by buying a plastic version -- metal is much more durable and accurate.

TYPES OF SQUARES

Here's a look at some of the most common types of squares and their uses:

Framing square: Also called a rafter or carpenter's square, this is the basic square for use in rough carpentry. Framing squares have one 16-inch edge called the tongue and one 24-inch-long edge called the body, so it is large enough to check framing layouts. It is also stamped with ruler measurements and a number of tables that are used in the layout of rafter lengths and angles, as well as for such tasks as stair stringer layouts. Framing squares are available in steel, aluminum and brass.

Speed Square: This is the trade name for a 12-inch-by-12-inch triangular-shaped aluminum square that is extremely useful for framing and roof-cutting layouts, measuring angles, and marking and checking 90- and 45-degree angles. It also makes a great cutting guide for your circular saw and comes with a comprehensive booklet on roof framing.

Combination square: Combination squares have a 12-inch-long removable blade with ruler markings on it, and a sliding head that has one 90-degree and one 45-degree side for checking and marking those two common angles. Since the head slides on the blade, it can also be used for measuring inside dimensions, such as the depth of a drawer. Combination squares are available in steel and a less expensive plastic version of questionable accuracy.

Try square: A try square is used for laying out and marking precise 90-degree angles, primarily in woodworking operations. The body of a try square is thicker than the blade, so it rests firmly against the edge of a board and allows the blade to lay flat on the board's surface for greater accuracy. Try squares are available in a variety of sizes and materials, most commonly with a wood body and a steel or brass blade. Try squares are also available with a blade that is fixed at a precise 45-degree angle for checking miters and saw blade adjustments.

Machinist's square: This is similar in design and function to a try square, but has an all-steel construction and a smaller size. It is used primarily in metal work and for some types of precision hobby and craft work.

T-square: As the name implies, a T-square is T-shaped instead of L-shaped. The head is designed to rest securely along the edge of the material, and the long, ruler-marked blade is stable enough for use as a cutting guide. In construction, T-squares are most commonly used for marking and cutting such things as drywall, cement board, ceiling tiles and other materials. The most common T-squares are made from aluminum, with a few lower-priced plastic versions available as well.

Layout square: Layout squares are the largest of the squares, often measuring 3 feet and 4 feet on the sides and made from top-quality aluminum. They are used for the layout of such things as tile installations, and are typically triangular in shape to provide the long sides with stability and accuracy. Most also fold up for easier transport and storage.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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If you're thinking of a new deck or perhaps rehabbing your old one by replacing those worn deck boards, you have no doubt noticed that you have a whole lot of choices these days. Natural wood, treated wood and synthetics abound, with some pros and cons to each choice. So here's a basic rundown on some of things you might want to consider when making your selection.

Also, remember to ask about fasteners when you make your decking choice. Some types of both natural and synthetic decking materials require specific fasteners to prevent staining, "mushrooming" around the screw head, and other possible problems, so be sure to select the right fastener for the job.

WOOD

Until relatively recently, natural wood was the only option you had for a deck. Today, even with all the choices, wood is still extremely popular, and it has lots of things going for it.

First of all, no synthetic deck board, no matter how well designed and engineered, can match the natural beauty of real wood. The warmth, color and grain variations found in wood enhance a deck, and seem to flow more readily into the outdoor surroundings. Wood is also a nice material to work with. It cuts and machines easily, and is easy to fasten.

On the downside, there is no denying that wood requires some maintenance to keep it looking nice. To keep that new-deck appearance, a deck stain or other treatment should be applied at least every other year. Even if you want to allow the wood to weather naturally to the soft gray color that most wood takes on after a few years, you need to apply some type of moisture and UV protection to help keep the wood from prematurely deteriorating.

When selecting wood for use on an exterior deck, you want to select one that is both weather- and insect-resistant. There are several good choices, with cedar and redwood being the most common and the most affordable. At the upper end of the price spectrum, other beautiful, long-lasting deck woods include mahogany, teak and plantation-grown South American hardwoods such as Ipe (also called ironwood).

Another choice for decking is pressure-treated lumber. Pressure-treating woods such as fir, hemlock, and pine will greatly improve the wood's resistance to weather and insects, so it lasts considerably longer. The treatment process gives the wood a green or brown tint, which some people find attractive and some don't. And while this is still natural wood with all its inherent grain characteristics, there are also small slots at regular intervals along the face of the wood where the treatment chemicals are injected.

SYNTHETIC DECKING

Within the last decade or so, the number of synthetic decking materials on the market has exploded. Synthetic decking, like wood, has some advantages and disadvantages that you need to look at carefully before making your final choice.

Synthetic decking is made from different types of materials, depending on the manufacturer, but is basically a mixture of plastic and wood fiber. The material is pressed and formed into boards, and during the molding process the face and sometimes the edge of the board is given a wood-grain appearance. Synthetic decking materials are available in several different grain patterns that range from fairly heavily embossed to almost smooth, as well as in a variety of different colors. Some types look remarkably like natural wood, while others retain more of an "imitation wood" appearance. Virtually all synthetics can be cut and machined with normal woodworking tools.

One advantage that synthetic decking has over wood is a reduced amount of maintenance. However, that does not mean that once the material is installed, you can just forget about it. In fact, synthetic decking was touted as being "maintenance free" when it first came on the market, but those claims proved to be a little optimistic.

Today, you will see synthetics marketed with terms more along the lines of "low maintenance," and that's really a more accurate description. The decking needs to be washed periodically to remove dirt and dust, and many types are prone to staining from grease, oil and other materials. As such, it's a good idea to use some type of protection under and around barbecues and other cooking areas.

Many synthetic decking materials are also subject to color fading over time, especially in areas with high UV concentrations. Prior to selecting a synthetic decking material, be sure that you take the time to see a couple of actual decks that have been in place for three years or more, so that you can get a better idea of how the material holds up over time.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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Q: Thank you for the column on kitchen floor options in the recent weekend paper. It was a helpful summary. Could you please tell me how linoleum scores in the same categories: virtues, detractions and resale?

A: You ask a great question, and one that is very relevant to the current trends of environmental responsibility.

Linoleum has been around since about the time of the Civil War. It was very popular for flooring in this country up until the 1950s, when it began to be replaced by other hard-surface flooring such as sheet vinyl (made from PVC). It has seen a resurgence of popularity in recent years, due in large part to the renewable materials used in its manufacture.

Linoleum is primarily a combination of linseed oil, wood flour, cork powder, resins and ground limestone mixed with mineral pigments to provide color. In fact, the name comes from the Latin words "linum" (linseed) and "oleum" (oil). Linoleum is an extremely durable material, with a long proven track record of reliability. It is very well suited for high-traffic areas, does not show nearly as many scratches or impact marks as most vinyl flooring, and is highly water-resistant.

It's a particularly good choice for kitchens, bathrooms, entries, laundry areas, and any other room subject to moisture and wear. Because of the nature of its blend of materials, linoleum can also be a very good choice for homes occupied by people with allergies. And as it gains again in popularity, you will find an increasing number of choices in colors and patterns.

On the downside, linoleum is a relatively hard and inflexible material in comparison to some types of sheet vinyl, and it is best suited to professional installation. For the do-it-yourselfer, there are linoleum tiles available that are easier to work with. There can also be some color variations, known as "blooming," in areas where the linoleum is covered and blocked from light, which is something worth checking with your dealer or installer about.

As far as resale value is concerned, it would have some of the same disadvantages as vinyl when comparing it to materials such as ceramic tile or hardwood. However, in my opinion it has a greater value than standard sheet vinyl, due to its "green" composition and hypoallergenic properties.

Q: I am getting ready to replace a Kenmore gas drop-in range with a Kenmore gas slide-in range. We kicked out the little strip of paneling or cabinet and had been told that the drop-in sits on a pedestal in the space, but when we removed that strip and could see under the range we could see that there is no pedestal and I have NO idea how the range is being held in that position? We are trying to prepare for when the installers come and aren't quite sure what to do now.

Can I tell whether the range is hardwired or not, before they come and pull the old one out? If I lift up the top of the stove I can see a plug of some sort back there, but I was not sure whether this is what everyone is referring to on the Web when they talk about the hard wire or plug. Is this even something that I need to worry about if I am replacing with another gas range?

A: A drop-in range is typically supported by a lip at the top of the range that rests on the countertop, and on a strip of wood at the bottom that extends between the two adjacent cabinets. Some types also have a pedestal or other support structure under the bottom as well, but that's not all that common. A slide-in range, on the other hand, sits on feet on the floor, and is adjusted so that the upper lip rests on or flush with the countertops.

A fully gas-powered range -- one that uses gas for both the cooktop and the oven -- will have a 120-volt plug that powers such things as the clock and any electronics. This will be a standard plug, and will not be hardwired in place (hardwired means it goes into a junction box and is connected with wire nuts inside the box, as opposed to having a plug).

Removing a drop-in range is mostly a matter of muscle power. Remove the oven door if possible (this makes the range a little lighter and a little easier to grip). Lift the range up and forward several inches, until you can reach the plug and the gas shutoff valve. Shut the gas, unplug the cord, and then lift the range the rest of the way out of the opening. This is definitely a two-person job, and you'll want to have something on the floor in front of the range to set it down on so you don't scratch the floor.

To replace the drop-in with a slide-in, you will need to remove the lower wooden support -- carefully so as not to damage the cabinets. Remove any other supports you might encounter. From there, it will be up to the installers to make sure that the gas line and electrical plug are in the right place for the new range, and to do any minor trimming and fitting if needed.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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It's that time of year again. Father's Day is right around the corner, so here's a roundup of some interesting new tools that any handy Dad ought to love. They're listed mostly in order of price, with something for every budget.

Magnetic LED Light (Striker Tools, www.strikerhandtools.com, $7.99): About the size of a golf ball and looking like a miniature naval mine, this little light really is clever. It has a bright, LED light in the center of a tough plastic sphere. The outside of the sphere is studded with 12 powerful rare earth magnets, so you can stick it to anything steel, or you can just set it down on any flat surface. Its design allows you to easily position the light to shine right where you need it, making it ideal for under the sink or under the hood of the car.

Micro Zip Sander (Ali Industries, www.zipsander.com, $9.99): Here's a perfect little sander for small jobs and tight spaces, as well as for craft and hobby work. It's just 3 1/2 inches by 1 inch, and its soft contoured handle fits comfortably in your hand, greatly reducing the fatigue and soreness usually associated with hand sanding. It has a quick-change hook-and-loop system for changing the sandpaper, and the paper is precut in several different grits. The complete kit includes the sander and an assortment of 80-, 120- and 220-grit paper.

Black & Decker 100Watt Power Inverter (Black & Decker, www.blackanddecker.com, $19.99): Does Dad have a lot of electronic gadgets? If so, consider one of these handy power inverters, new from Black & Decker. It plugs into any 12-volt DC power port in the car, RV or elsewhere, and converts it to 115 volts AC for recharging cell phones, iPods, camera batteries, laptop computers, or any other electronics up to 100 watts. Also features a USB port for direct connection to USB recharging cords.

Personalized Stanley FatMax 25-Foot Tape Measure (Stanley Tools, www.stanleytools.com, $32): What Dad wouldn't love a personalized tape measure? This is a professional-quality, 25-foot tape measure from Stanley's excellent "FatMax" line of tools. It has a 1 1/4-inch blade, cushioned grip and a convenient thumb lock for locking the tape. But best of all, it's personalized with Dad's name in bold yellow print on the side. This is one tape he'll never lose!

Wagner Power Painter Plus (Wagner Spray Tech Corp., www.wagnerspraytech.com, $99.99) Here's a very nice, easy-to-use spray painting kit that Dad will find very useful for small to medium-size projects such as shutters, decks, fences, outdoor furniture and even sheds. The sprayer uses a high-speed piston pump and a tungsten carbide tip to create a smooth and even finish. The tip guard rotates, so you actually have two different spray patterns to choose from. There is also an electronic 2-speed control that lets you adjust for larger projects or smaller detail work. There's an attached 1.5-quart paint cup, or you can use the included 6-foot hose to draw material directly from a can.

The Power Painter applies about 6 1/2 gallons of paint per hour, and the whole thing breaks down and cleans up in about 10 minutes. The complete kit includes the sprayer, cup, remote pickup hose, cleaning tools and a hard-shell case.

DeWalt 18 Volt Drill/Driver, Model DCD940KX (DeWalt Tools, www.dewalt.com, $279): DeWalt is well-known for making professional-grade tools, and you'll see them in the hands of the pros on job sites everywhere. So you know this cordless drill and driver, which has been redesigned and newly introduced from DeWalt, is something that will delight Dad or any serious handyman or professional user. This is a drill that feels solid in your hand the minute you pick it up, with a number of rugged metal components coupled with a comfortable, rubber overmolded handle.

The DCD940 has a redesigned, all-steel transmission that offers three different speeds (0-500, 0-1,250 and 0-2,000 RPM), which are easily selected from a thumb switch on top of the tool. DeWalt claims a 30 percent increase in runtime, thanks to greater operating efficiency from the changes in the motor and transmission, and judging from recent testing that seems to be accurate.

There are 22 different clutch settings, and part of the new design places the clutch settings on a separate ring from the drill/driver selector. That means that you can easily change between drill and driver settings without affecting your clutch setting -- a handy feature. The 1/2-inch chuck is all metal, with a ratcheting mechanism that really grabs onto the bits. They've also included a built-in LED work light near the front of the tool to help you when you're working in those dimly lit places. It comes with a case, adjustable side handle, charger, and two batteries (and, unfortunately, DeWalt's enormous, road-map style instruction booklet). A very nice drill that will make Dad's buddies envious!

DeWalt NANO Technology Battery and Charger, 18 Volt, Model DC9180C (DeWalt Tools, www.dewalt.com, $155): Here's something else to consider: If Dad already has some DeWalt 18-volt tools, DeWalt's new nanophosphate lithium ion battery makes a perfect upgrade. The new batteries are smaller and lighter than the older versions -- it changed the tested weight of the DCD940 drill (above) from 6 pounds 1 ounce to 5 pounds 6 ounces -- but are still compatible with all of the 18-volt tools in the DeWalt line produced since 1996. The new batteries offer longer battery life and no memory. These new batteries require a different charger, which is included as part of this particular kit (includes one battery and one charger), but the new charger will also charge all of DeWalt's other NiCad, NiMH or Li-Ion batteries, in any voltage from 7.2 to 18 volts.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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There comes a time in the life of some decks where cleaning and refinishing the deck boards simply isn't enough. Splintering, cracking, missing fasteners and other structural problems have taken their toll, and nothing is going to solve the problems and refurbish the deck except complete replacement of those worn-out boards.

Replacing deck boards is certainly not an insurmountable problem, but it does require a fair amount of work. However, done correctly the end result will be a deck that is virtually brand-new, and is less expensive and less work than replacing the entire deck structure.

First, remove any deck furniture and other objects on the deck. If railings or other structures will interfere with removal of the boards, it may be necessary to remove them as well. For decks more than 30 inches above the ground, you will need to either leave the railings in place and work around them, or else install some sturdy, temporary railings for fall protection. Next, clean the deck with a thorough sweeping or by blowing it off with a high-speed leaf blower. This is an important step, as it reveals the fasteners and makes it easier to access them for removal.

For removal, you will need some basic tools as well as some safety gear for your protection. Gloves should be worn to protect against splinters and broken fasteners, as well as safety glasses. You will be on your knees for a good portion of this project, so a good set of knee pads will be a welcome accessory for both comfort and to protect against kneeling on a protruding fastener.

If the decking was installed with nails, you can remove any that are protruding up above the surface by prying them out using a flat bar or other type of crow bar -- you'll find a wide variety of bars available at any home center or hardware store. Bars are preferred over a claw hammer for pulling nails, as they provide more leverage and, because the handle can't break like a hammer's can, they are much safer. However, avoid the bargain-bin bars! These imported bars are junk, and they can easily snap and send pieces of metal flying!

If you need additional leverage to remove a stubborn nail, slip a block of wood under the head of the bar. Also, keep a bucket nearby to toss the nails into as you pull them. If you have access to the underside of the deck, you can tap up on the underside of the board to lift it above the joist, then tap it back down from above and see if the nail head remains elevated enough to get the head of the bar under it for removal.

For nail heads that remain at or below the surface of the wood, your best bet is an old carpenter's friend called a cat's paw. A cat paw is a steel tool about 6 to 8 inches long, with a head that is curved at 90 degrees to the handle. The head is slotted in a V-groove to get under the nail head, and is pointed and sharpened to penetrate easily into the wood. Position the points of the head against the wood on either side of the nail, then drive the tool into the wood so that the slot slips under the head of the nail. Pivot the tool back, and you'll be able to pull up the nail.

Screws are best removed using a variable speed corded or cordless screwdriver. You can also use a hand screwdriver, but this is very tedious and tiring for this particular task. Again, you'll want to wear some protective gear and have your bucket nearby.

The trick to removing old deck screws is to make sure the slots in the head are clean so that the screwdriver tip can fully engage them. Keep a bucket handy that contains a small, stiff wire brush, a small flat-blade screwdriver, and a whisk broom. Using any or all of these tools, brush or pry debris out of the screw head until the slots are cleaned out. Another trick that works well is to use an air compressor with a blow gun to clean out the slots, but be sure and wear eye protection.

Insert the screwdriver tip into the screw head, then position yourself over the screw gun and place pressure straight down to keep the tip fully in contact with the screw head. Use a slow speed on the gun until you are sure that the screw has broken free of the wood, then speed up gradually until the screw comes completely out. This all seems very tedious, but if you get in the habit of using these steps, you'll have a lot more success getting the screws out -- and a lot less frustration dealing with broken ones.

If a fastener simply won't budge or if the head snaps off, you have a couple of options. You can use a reciprocating saw equipped with a metal cutting blade, then work the blade between the underside of the board and the top of the joist and saw through the old fastener. Another option is to split or cut the deck board off around the fastener, then try to remove the fastener with pliers.

When all the fasteners are out, the deck boards can be removed -- cut long boards into more manageable lengths for easier handling. Wet, rotted or treated boards don't make great firewood, so your best bet for disposal is to check with your local landfill or recycling center and see if they have a composting operation that will take the old boards and reprocess them into something useful.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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Q: We recently replaced windows that were less than 20 years old, and were told that by law they had to put tempered glass in any window above the front door and above the bathtub. So I assume that glass costs more. We also learned that the windows had to be a certain "size" to open for fire reasons so a fireman could come in through the window with his full gear on. So we have one window that is quite "fancy," which both slides and opens out.

But in my view if there were a fire there'd be no way the fireman would care to figure out how it opens and would just break it with his ax. I wonder if we paid more than we should have and whether it's really a law. Although it's too late for us and we are happy enough with the windows, I feel like a sucker at times with high-powered salespeople. Should I have checked with building codes?

A: You didn't do anything wrong, and it doesn't sound as though you were suckered by the window company, although they did perhaps misinform you a little.

Tempered glass is indeed required by the building codes in the areas you mention -- above or adjacent to a door, and inside a bathtub or shower enclosure. It is also required within the door itself, in stairwells, in patio and French doors, and in certain other locations. This is simply a safety precaution in areas where the glass is subject to a lot of vibration, or where there is a chance that a person could fall against the window and break it.

Windows of a specific minimum height, width and distance off the floor are also required in any sleeping room. Called egress windows, they are a safety precaution to allow a person sleeping in the room to be able to escape in the event of a fire. Egress windows are required only in sleeping rooms, and they are specifically for egress -- exiting the room -- not to allow a fireman to enter (you are correct in assuming that in the event of a fire, a fireman is not going to work his or her way around the house and look for an open window to crawl through).

So while I think you were fine in making the purchases that you did, you do raise some valid concerns about high-pressure salespeople. I would offer a couple of words of advice to you -- and all my readers -- regarding future home improvement shopping:

• Don't ever feel pressured into making a decision. Don't be misled by "sales that are only on through today," or "special discounts if you buy right now."
• If you do make a decision that you regret after you leave the store, remember that you have a "cooling off" period during which you can rescind the purchase or void the contract. For specifics on the cooling off period, ask the salesperson you're dealing with. If they can't or won't answer the question, then shop somewhere else.

• Any time that you are quoted a specific building code or other law or ordinance that you're not familiar with, ask to see a copy of it, or ask for the specific reference number so that you can call your local building department or go to your local library's reference department and read it for yourself. Even well-intentioned salespeople can make a mistake or misunderstand the wording or the intent of the code, so it never hurts to double-check things.

Q: We are currently remolding our house build in 2000 to replace wooden fascia and soffit with vinyl fascia and vented soffit. As part of this upgrade, we are also adding fascia with dentil molding underneath the soffit area. It is very common to see this dentil molding just on the front of homes. We are considering installing it around the entire perimeter of the house. Do you think this would add value and a selling feature to the home or would this be a waster of time and materials?

A: The answer to your question really depends on what is going on in your neighborhood. If you are in an area of older or upgraded homes in which dentil moldings and other exterior ornamentation is the norm, then to not have it on your home could put you at a disadvantage when it comes time to sell. On the other hand, putting additional money into trim -- or, in fact, into anything that is substantially different from what the other houses in the neighborhood have -- could result in overbuilding for the area, in which case it's doubtful you would see a return on your investment.

The exception to this is if you plan on staying in the home for awhile and are doing the improvements for your own enjoyment, in which case the resale return is less of a consideration. But if resale value and return on investment is your primary concern, then take your clues from what's going on around you. Tour the neighborhoods, look at other homes for sale, and talk with your real estate agent, and you'll quickly start to get a feel for what's popular and desirable and what isn't.

In your specific situation, there is another thing to consider. You mention that you are replacing the soffit panels and fascia, which often also requires the installation of trim molding to close up gaps and finish off the installation. If that's the case with your house, and you're going to be doing the labor to install trim anyway, then the extra expense of upgrading to a nicer trim material might be worth it.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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Q: My cement driveway is about 25 years old and certain spots became "mud-jacked" about nine years ago due to "settling." It is settling again in some areas and I'm wondering whether I should spot fix it again or redo the whole driveway and while at it make sure the foundation (adequate rebar, gravel etc.) is set up right. What's your advice?

A: Whenever I hear about the same problem occurring twice, I'm almost always in favor of doing some additional investigation, and that would be my thoughts in your case as well. It sounds like there might be some groundwater problems, poor compaction or other issues that are going on under the slab, and I'd want to get those looked at before proceeding with another repair.

Before tearing up the entire driveway, you might want to dig up the areas that are settling and then have an experienced, licensed excavator or concrete contractor come out and take a look at things. They may be able to do a little additional digging and investigative work and determine what's causing the settling, and if it's an isolated condition you may still be able to make repairs rather than doing a complete replacement.

If you opt for a complete replacement of the driveway, talk to the contractors about what your options are. In addition to concrete, you might want to consider paving stones or some other material that allows for greater expansion and contraction, as well as being more resistant to freeze/thaw cycles.

Q: I plan to sell my home soon. Is it worth investing in a "sunroom" patio off the master bedroom in order to increase my per-square-foot sales price? It will be engineered, have a permit, and be approximately 400 square feet.

A: Whether or not it's worth the investment depends on the current value of the house and what's happening with other comparable homes in your area that are up for sale, but my gut instinct is that it probably wouldn't be worth it. However, since this is being done strictly for resale value, I would suggest that you talk with a local real estate agent and see how many homes in your area and in your price range are equipped with these types of sunrooms; look at how much the addition will cost; and then see whether the agent feels you will recoup your investment.

Q: We are going to remodel soon, and I didn't give any thought about the demands on the existing water heater. Is there an increased demand on the system? We currently have a 2-year-old high-efficiency unit in the house.

A: That depends on the remodel. If, for example, you're remodeling your existing bathroom and replacing an existing sink and toilet with new ones, but not otherwise adding fixtures, there shouldn't be any increased demand on the system. In fact, with today's low-flow shower heads, demand may even drop.

On the other hand, if you are adding a second bathroom, or perhaps adding a larger tub or a larger shower with multiple heads, you'll be increasing the amount of hot water that you use, and therefore adding to the load on the water heater. Depending on the size and condition of the existing water heater, it may or may not be able to handle that increase, but that's something that your plumbing contractor can easily determine for you at the time of the remodel.

Q: You once pointed out that primer can be tinted close to the color you wish for, which is economical since primer is less expensive than paint. I have applied white primer to my walls and had been thinking I would next have to apply a coat of white paint -- since that is my final color choice. The primer is Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3; will this stay white over time or should I indeed apply the top coat of paint?

A: Primers are formulated to be a transition coating between the surface being painted and the finished coat of paint. In addition to being very good at blocking stains, primers have properties that make them stick well to drywall, wood and other surfaces, as well a creating a good surface for paint to adhere to. They do not, however, have a lot of the pigments and other ingredients that make for a good paint, and as such they are intended to be painted over with a topcoat of paint. So, as much as I hate to have you break out the paint roller again, for appearance and long-term durability you'll be happier having your walls covered with paint instead of primer.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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Everyone loves the oasis of calm and beauty that's created by a nice green yard. But what about a yard that's "green" at the same time? There are a number of steps you can take to reduce noise, pollution, waste and water usage in your backyard, and save yourself some time and money at the same time. Simple changes all add up, and the following are a few tips to get you started.

Reduce your lawn area: The easiest way to reduce the impact of lawn mowing is to simply reduce the lawn in the first place. Instead, consider planting all or part of your lawn area with lush, green, low-growing ground covers -- you'll get much the same look with a lot less water and a big reduction in maintenance.

Use drought-resistant plants: In non-lawn areas, look for plants that are stingy water users. Depending on where you live, there are any number of beautiful backyard plants that require a minimal amount of watering.

Add mulch or bark to planter areas: The addition of a layer of mulch or decorative bark material not only looks nice and reduces weed growth, it also keeps plants cooler and reduces the evaporation of moisture from the soil, both of which help reduce water consumption.

Cut down on water usage: Instead of the standard rotating or sprayer-type sprinkler nozzles, switch to an irrigation system that uses less water. Soaker hoses, low-flow sprinkler heads, and drip irrigation are all good options for reducing water usage. Also, rather than allow your sprinklers to run until you remember to go out and shut off the faucet, consider the use of sprinkler timers. These can range from sophisticated timers for underground systems to simple hose timers.

Grow some of your own food: Planting a vegetable garden or adding some fruit trees to your yard will have a number of positive benefits. In addition to taking a little strain off your food budget, garden plants help cool the yard and absorb carbon dioxide, and fruit trees can add privacy and shade.

Watch your fertilizers: Talk with local garden and landscape experts to see what the best type of fertilizer and plant food is for your particular region and the types of plants you have. You can save money and reduce pollution by selecting the proper lawn and plant treatments, and using only as much of them as necessary.

Don't burn in the backyard: Get rid of your burn barrel and fill in the burn pit. Backyard burning has been shown by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to create a number of unhealthy conditions, including the release of dioxins, carbon monoxide and particulate matter that increases air pollution, and fine ash that can aggravate breathing problems. Instead, recycle wood, cardboard, paper, plastics and other materials, and properly dispose of the remaining waste by taking it to your local landfill.

Maintain your lawn and garden equipment: Gasoline-powered mowers and other yard maintenance equipment need to be treated in much the same manner as your car. Change spark plugs and oil regularly, have tune-ups performed at recommended times, and clean or replace air filters as needed. This will keep your equipment running smoothly with fewer emissions, and will save you money in fuel costs as well.

Use care when filling gas equipment: Take care not to overfill the tanks or spill any fuel. Spilled gasoline is both a pollutant and a waste of money. Look for approved fuel cans with a flexible spout to simplify filling, and use a funnel whenever necessary to prevent spills. Keep gas cans tightly sealed between fuelings.

Switch from gas-powered equipment: Last but far from least, when it comes time to buy or replace lawn maintenance equipment, give some serious thought to switching from gas-powered equipment to electric or, better yet, equipment that's powered by rechargeable batteries. Great strides have been made in battery technology in recent years, leading to equipment that is powerful, quiet, and much, much cleaner.

For example, Black & Decker recently introduced a battery-powered, 36-volt string trimmer (Model NST2036, $249.99) that can go head to head with gas-powered trimmers. It has plenty of power and a long run time, all without gas, oil, fumes or noise. Also from Black & Decker is the Rechargeable Alligator Lopper (Model NLP1800, $139.99). A cross between a traditional chain saw and a traditional pair of lopping shears, the Alligator uses a chain saw blade and tough metal jaws to saw through logs and branches up to 4 inches in diameter -- once again, without all the hassles, pollution or noise of a conventional gas chain saw.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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Now that the weather is nicer, it's the ideal time to take care of any roofing problems that may have come up, and certainly the most obvious place to start is with the shingles themselves. From ground level, examine your roof as a whole. Are a substantial number of shingles either missing or damaged? Are composition shingles curling up at the ends, or missing a lot of the mineral granules that cover them? Are wood shakes or shingles cracked, brittle, or no longer laying flat on the shakes below?

If your answer to these questions is "yes," then it's probably time for a complete new roof. Old, worn shingles are difficult to patch into, and trying to weave new shingles in with the old ones can often do more harm than good. If, however, you have only a few isolated problem areas, then taking care of repairs now can help keep a small problem from growing into a much larger one.

COMPOSITION SHINGLES

Before you can patch in new composition shingles, you first need to remove the old ones. Since the fasteners that hold the shingle in place are concealed under the shingle above it, you need to proceed carefully to avoid doing additional damage.

First, carefully work a flat pry bar or stiff putty knife between the shingles to break the tar seal between them. Very carefully -- and this is best done when the shingle is warm -- lift the upper shingle to expose the nail or staple holding the damaged lower shingle in place, and remove the fastener with your pry bar. Be careful not to bend the shingle too far or you'll snap it off.

Slip the replacement shingle into place and fasten it down. To avoid the possibility of additional damage from your hammer, it's better to use an air-driven nailer or stapler instead of hand-driven nails. To ensure a good seal, apply a few dabs of roofing cement to the underside of the upper shingle and press it carefully and firmly down onto the new shingle.

WOOD SHINGLES

Since wood shakes and shingles don't flex like composition, they are often somewhat more difficult to replace. For best results, work on a cool day soon after a rain, when the wood is softer and less brittle, but not when the roof is wet enough to be dangerous to walk on.

First, use a tool called a shingle puller -- available at most roofing supply retailers -- to remove the fasteners. A shingle puller is basically a flat piece of metal with a hook cut into both sides near the end. To use the tool, slide it between the top of the shingle you're replacing and the underside of the shingle above it. Next, slide it to one side and then pull down, hooking the nail and pulling it loose. Shakes and shingles are typically held in by two nails, so repeat this operation for the nail on the other side.

Select a new shingle of the same width and slip it into place, aligning it with the shingles on either side. Since you can't conceal the new nails under the upper shingles, you will have to carefully face-nail the new shingle in place, then seal the nail heads with a small dab of roofing cement.

FIX THE FLASHINGS

Flashings are used in a number of different areas on the roof, and are typically made from either aluminum or galvanized sheet metal. Their purpose in life is to help seal the roofing where it meets plumbing and flue pipes, chimneys, attic and fan vents, skylights and light tubes, walls and chases, and basically any other roof protrusion or vertical surface.

Flashings should be checked to make sure they are still tight, and that they have not slipped or moved to a point where water can get in. Flashings around pipes, flues and other irregular surfaces also need to have a tight and continuous seal, so check carefully for missing caulk, worn or cracked gaskets, or other potential leak sites. Seal small openings with roof cement or silicone, or install complete new flashings.

All of the materials you need for these common roof repairs are available at roofing supply retailers, home centers, and larger hardware stores and lumber yards.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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Spring is always an ideal time to be checking the exterior of your home and catching up on any maintenance items that have come to light since last summer. As always, maintenance begins with a stroll around the house and a careful examination of its condition. Take a tablet with you, make some notes as you go, and then sit down and work up a list of things to take care of -- sort the list in order of the most pressing items first -- and then list the tools and materials you'll need for each task. By sorting and organizing your list in this manner, you can take what may sometimes be a long list of projects and make it a lot easier to undertake.

THE ROOF

Roof damage is an obvious area of concern. You'll want to actually go up on the roof so that you can make a thorough and careful inspection of several different things, so if you're not comfortable with the height or steepness of your roof, consider hiring an experienced, licensed roofing company to do the inspection for you.

As you walk around the roof, look for missing or loose shingles, including ridge cap shingles. Examine the condition of the flashings around chimneys, flue pipes, vent caps, and anyplace where the roof and walls intersect. Look also for areas of overhanging trees that could damage the roof in a wind storm, as well as buildups of leaves, pine needles, and other debris. If you have roof damage in a number of areas, or if the shingles are of an age and condition that makes patching impractical, now may be the time to consider having the entire roof redone. Also, remember that if the shingles have been damaged by wind or by impact from falling tree limbs or other items, repair of the damage may be covered by your homeowner's insurance.

SIDING

Siding can suffer damage from exposure to sun, wind and rain. As you work your way around the house, you'll want to look for areas of siding that may be loose, cracked or sagging. In the case of plywood siding, look for areas of delamination -- separation of the layers of plywood -- or for an overlap seam that may be working loose.

In addition to examining the siding, check the condition of any wood trim, and the condition of both paint and caulking. Peeling or missing paint will need to be spot primed and painted, and the caulking around windows, doors, and trim may need to be cleaned out and replaced to prevent moisture and air from creeping into open gaps.

GRADE

Heavy snow and rain can often cause the soil around your home to move -- washing away in some areas and piling up in others. This type of alteration in the grade levels around your home can result in drainage problems and potential damage to your home, so look for areas of water staining on the concrete, or dirt or water stain patterns on siding -- if they're present, plan on moving and contouring some soil to redistribute the drainage patterns.

FENCES

Ground water can play havoc with fences and gates as well -- soft, wet soil allows fence posts to loosen up and eventually sag or fall over. Check fences by wiggling the posts to see if there is movement -- if there is, plan on removing soil around the base of the posts and pouring additional concrete to reinforce them. This is also the time to check the condition of fence boards and the condition and operation of gates.

SPRING CLEANING

Once you've completed your examination of these and other areas of your home's exterior and completed any necessary repairs, spring is also the ideal time to undertake a good exterior cleaning. In addition to gutters and roof, remove and store your storm windows and clean your windows; use a broom or water to remove cobwebs and dirt from under eaves, as well as on siding and exterior doors; pressure wash patios and walkways (pressure washers can be purchased or rented); and care for exterior wood decks.

SMOKE DETECTORS

Every spring and fall, you want to check your smoke detectors. Replace the batteries, clean the covers, and test the detector's operation before it's too late. If you have gas-fired appliances in the house, including a water heater, now is also a great time to consider adding a carbon monoxide detector. CO2 detectors are inexpensive and easy to install, and are available at most home centers and other retailers of electrical parts and supplies.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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A wood deck represents a sizable investment, and keeping it well maintained is an important part of every homeowner's to-do list. A clean deck not only helps showcase that backyard centerpiece, it prepares the wood to receive the surface coatings that are necessary to help your deck fight off the elements.

First, a couple of cleaning "don'ts":

Pressure washing: While it's definitely important to remove surface dirt from the deck, pressure washing may not be the best way to do that. A pressure washer is easy to misuse when you're working on softwood lumber such as cedar, redwood or pressure-treated fir.

The concentrated force of the water jet can erode the soft cells and fibers of the springwood portion of the wood, which is located between the harder, darker bands of summerwood. The result is a wavy wood surface and the potential for splintering that can actually shorten the life of the wood. A lighter spray from a garden hose combined with a medium-bristle push broom is typically a better choice.

Household bleach: These types of common laundry bleaches -- typically sodium hypochlorite -- are very effective at killing mildew, but they do virtually nothing to remove dirt, and can do more harm then good on your deck. Household bleach will remove some of the wood's natural color, leaving it with an unnatural and unattractive whitish or grayish tone, and can also cause the wood's surface to become somewhat fuzzy, which is not only unattractive, it also opens up the wood pores for more dirt to enter. Instead of bleach, stick with a cleaner made specifically for decks.

SPECIALIZED DECK CLEANERS

In the last 10 years or so, a number of specialized products designed specifically for deck cleaning have appeared on the market. Most of today's cleaners are not chlorine-based, making them both safer and easier to apply, and much better for your deck's wood.

Oxygen-based bleach: Specialized deck-cleaning compounds typically contain sodium percarbonate, which is also found in many color-safe laundry bleaches. Sodium percarbonate is a powder that mixes with water to form hydrogen peroxide and sodium carbonate, both of which are very effective at removing gray weathering residue as well as mildew, dirt and other discolorations. Properly applied, oxygen-based bleach products will go a long way toward restoring your wood deck's original appearance.

Cleaners containing sodium percarbonate are effective on most types of common decking woods, and will also work on pressure-treated fir, pine and hemlock.

Oxalic acid-based cleaners: Another common problem with cedar, redwood and certain other species is a natural resin in the wood called tannin. Tannins, which are water soluble and a reddish-brown in color, can migrate to the surface of the wood and be deposited there, leaving dark brown discolorations. Tannins can also react with the metal in the fasteners that secure the deck boards, resulting in dark, blue-black stains that can really mar the appearance of the wood.

Oxalic acid-based cleaners are very effective on tannin and iron stains, turning them virtually colorless. Oxalic acid, however, will not clean mildew and some other types of stains, so if tannin is a problem look for a cleaner that is formulated for all types of cleaning -- tannin, dirt and mildew -- or use a general-purpose cleaner first, followed by an oxalic acid cleaner specifically for the tannin.

Specialized deck-cleaning products are available at most home centers, lumberyards, paint stores and other retailers. When using any cleaner, always carefully read and follow the manufacturer's specific instructions for application, cleanup, proper tools and protective clothing.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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Q: I enjoy your column and have a question for you. We built a home last year and have a concrete patio at the rear. It already has a crack in it (not very large) and it's starting to stain. I would like to improve the appearance. What would be the best choice? Paint it, carpet it (I do not like the look of the turf like outdoor carpeting), lay down a stone covering over it, or something else? It is fully exposed, and we live where the winters are not very cold but the summers can get very hot. There are few trees around it so leaf stains are not really an issue. We keep our grill, a few chairs and a patio table on it. It gets direct sun about half the day. Suggestions?

A: If the patio is low enough in relation to any doors so that adding a layer on top won't cause any height issues, my recommendation would be to add a new decorative layer of masonry on top of the concrete. This will add resale value, and also be easy to maintain. Depending on your preferences and what would go well with the house, you might consider bricks, tile (look for exterior floor tiles, also called paver tiles), flagstones or other materials. Lighter colors will reflect the sun to some degree, but be aware that any masonry surface will absorb heat, about to the same degree as the original concrete patio.

Again depending on the height in relation to doors, another thing to consider would be a layer of stamped, colored concrete on top of the old patio. A good concrete-stamping contractor can offer an amazing selection of colors and patterns that look great and hold up very well.

BUY NEW OR IMPROVE?

Q: With so much inventory in the housing market for sale, is it better to build new, or buy and improve?

A: When you have a down market like this one, in my opinion it's the best time to buy and improve. You have a better chance of finding a good bargain on a fixer-upper, perhaps even a foreclosure, and with sweat equity you have a good chance of making a nice profit when it comes time to resell the house when the market picks up again.

If you decide to go this route, concentrate your remodeling efforts on rooms such as the kitchen and bathrooms, stay neutral with your color choices, and also look at the curb appeal aspects of the landscaping and exterior. I like to use a philosophy of quality over quantity: do good work; use good materials; always get the necessary building permits; and don't cut corners like you see on too many television "house flipping" programs. ...CONTINUED

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DO I NEED AN AIR COMPRESSOR?

Q: Thanks for your article on air compressors. I was told that the only way to remove ceramic tile from our floor is with an air compressor, and I was actually looking at them today at Home Depot. I've been doing it manually because I'm not in a hurry, but the mud is a pain to remove. Should I consider an air compressor? I would be using it only for this task and then see no other application for it. So I hate to spend the money if there is an alternative that I can use over time.

Thanks in advance for your advice!

A: First of all, it's important to understand that all an air compressor does is compress air so that it achieves a high-enough pressure to be able to power different tools, such as air guns. The only way I can think of that an air compressor would help you out with your tile-removal task is if you also purchased some type of air-powered chisel to chip up the mud -- which would definitely be faster and easier than chipping it all up by hand.

As far as other applications, an air compressor is actually a very useful piece of equipment to have if you do much home improvement work. It will power a wide variety of nailers, from large framing nailers to smaller finish nailers and staplers, as well as paint-spraying equipment and inflation accessories. There are currently a number of air compressor/nailer combinations available at many home centers and hardware stores that offer you a good opportunity to get a top-quality, name-brand compressor with one or two nailers and even a hose, all for a very good price. You could then also purchase a basic air chisel for less than $50 to help with your tile removal. With any of these applications, always remember to wear both eye and hearing protection.

If you don't think you'll have any future use for the air compressor and you don't want to buy one, you can always rent one at any rental yard, along with the air chisel.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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Q: I have a shower in my master bath that has had low pressure since we built the home five years ago. I've taken the head off and the pressure is still weak. All the other water sources in the house have very good pressure. A friend mentioned that the cartridge could be the culprit. Does that sound right? Is it hard to replace? I'm pretty handy and have fixed a bunch of stuff in previous homes.

A: If you have good pressure everywhere else, then I would agree with your friend that the cartridge is probably the problem. Since it's been doing this since the house was new, it probably has a small piece of dirt, solder or other debris in it.

Changing the cartridge is not difficult, although the exact procedure will vary between faucets and manufacturers. First, shut off the water supply. Since it's unlikely that you would have individual shutoffs for the shower alone, you'll need to shut off the main supply to the entire house. To remove the old cartridge, pop the plastic cap off the center of the handle to access the screw underneath. Remove the screw, and remove the handle. Behind that is a trim plate -- remove the screws and remove the plate. That should give you access to the cartridge, with will be held in place with screws or a threaded ring.

Take the old cartridge to any retailer of plumbing supplies, and they can fix you up with a new one. Complete reinstallation instructions will be included with the new unit. Incidentally, you can also buy repair parts to rebuild the existing cartridge, but I would recommend spending a little extra and simply replacing the entire cartridge unit.

Before installing the new cartridge, I would recommend flushing the valve to be sure you've removed all the debris inside. With the cartridge still out, have someone slowly turn the water back on. Don't turn it all the way back on, because that will generate quite a stream. Watch the water as it comes back on, and you should see a strong, steady flow begin. Assuming it does, have your helper shut the water right back off again, then proceed with the cartridge replacement.

If the cartridge replacement doesn't fix the problem, then you could have some type of obstruction in the water lines leading to the shower. In that case, I would recommend having a good plumber come and take a look -- if possible, use the same person who plumbed the house originally, since they'll know right where to look.

How do I get that old epoxy paint off?

Q: I hired a contractor to put an epoxy on my garage floor. When the epoxy was being installed the contractor asked if I wanted it to end at the point the garage door hits the concrete or run to the end of the concrete slab, which extends about 4 inches beyond the point the garage door touches down. I opted to have the epoxy extend beyond the door.

The problem now is that the 4 inches of epoxy outside the door has discolored (yellowed) and now looks poor. My question is -- is there a way to remove the 4 inches of epoxy? Thanks for any help; I really enjoy your column. ...CONTINUED

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A: One of the great things about epoxy paint is that it's virtually a permanent coating. In a situation like yours, however, that's also its drawback -- it's very tough to remove. Epoxy garage-floor coatings are also not suitable for exterior use, so I'm a little surprised that the contractor even suggested painting it in an area that's exposed to the elements.

Since we're not talking about a large area, my suggestion would be to sand the epoxy off. Use a pad sander or orbital sander with 60- or 80-grit paper, and use a strip of wood or other material to create a straight line that you can sand up to where you want the paint to stop. Be sure to wear both eye protection and a respirator while sanding. After sanding and cleaning the strip of concrete that will extend beyond the garage door, you can apply an exterior concrete sealer to it that will both protect the concrete and enhance its appearance.

I would also suggest that you consider installing a vinyl garage-door sill strip on the concrete where the door meets the floor. This will create a visual break between the inside and outside, as well as providing you with some additional wind and water protection at the bottom of the door. Garage door sills are available at many home centers, as well as through garage-door dealers. They're easy to install -- simply cut the material to length and glue it in place. Complete instructions will be included with the sill strip.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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If you're exploring the different options for new or replacement fencing, one material to be sure to have on your list of possibilities is vinyl. Vinyl fencing manufacturers have made great strides in recent years, offering a tremendous array of sizes, styles and options to choose from. The overall quality is up; the prices have come down; and competition among the growing number of manufacturers makes it a good time to consider vinyl for your next fence project.

Vinyl fencing is manufactured from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), blended with other chemical additives that add strength and protection from ultraviolet (UV) rays. Unlike wood, vinyl fencing is completely weather-resistant and virtually impervious to rot, insects or other environmental damage. Another advantage to vinyl is that the color of the fence is created by the color of the vinyl itself -- it is completely through the vinyl, as opposed to a surface layer like paint that can chip, peel or wear off.

Vinyl fencing still is more expensive than wood, but the lower maintenance expense typically makes the lifecycle cost considerably lower. Vinyl also compares very favorably to aluminum -- vinyl has similar durability properties with a lower initial cost -- and is typically considerably cheaper than wrought iron. However, you have to want the look of a painted fence, since vinyl fencing materials are currently available only in white, tan and gray.

When shopping for vinyl fencing materials, remember that not all fences are created equal, and you typically get what you pay for. Carefully compare the manufacturer's specifications for the thickness of the vinyl, and look at how the components are constructed and structurally reinforced. Also, compare the length of the manufacturer's warranties, as well as how complete they are and what they cover.

STYLES AND OPTIONS

In a sure indicator of the rapidly growing popularity of vinyl fencing, there are an amazing number of styles and options now on the market to choose from. From traditional pickets to horse fencing to privacy enclosures, you will probably find a material available to match just about any style of fencing your imagination can conjure up. Some examples include:

• Rail: This is the style that pretty much launched the vinyl fencing industry. Rail fences consist of upright posts that are either square or round, with two, three or four horizontal rails between them. A variation of this style is the cross-buck, which has a horizontal top and bottom rail and two angled rails between them in an X configuration. Standard rails are rectangular in section, matching standard 2x6 lumber, but there are also round rails available that offer the look of a welded iron fence and provide additional protection for horses and other animals that may rub against the rails.

• Picket: Picture any variation of Tom Sawyer's famous fence, and you've got it. You can get picket fences in a variety of heights, and with pickets that are square, rectangular, round or octagonal, or that duplicate Victorian lathe-turned spindles. The tops of the pickets may be straight-cut, pointed, dog-eared, or rounded on top, or you may choose to cap them with any of a variety of caps from fleur de leis to balls.

• Privacy: Privacy fences are typically 5 or 6 feet in height, and consist of solid panels that mimic the look of individual fence boards. Here again, there are dozens of board configurations that include traditional board fencing, good-neighbor styles, interlocking tongue and groove, and board-on-board styles.

• Combinations: If you're looking to match a particular fence style or trying to create a unique one of your own, you can combine many types of vinyl fencing. For example, you can top a privacy panel with lattice, or combine two different sizes or styles of pickets.

Installation of any type of vinyl fencing is pretty straightforward and requires only basic carpentry skills, but proper alignment of the posts is critical. Full installation instructions are provided from the manufacturer, so follow them carefully. Also, remember that there are building codes that apply to fences in certain applications, which may include such things as impact resistance and weight ratings -- be sure and discuss this with your fencing dealer and your local building department, and verify that the material you're using is correct for your particular application.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.

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