Archive By Section - Your Home
Robert Lamoureux: Don’t leave live utilities in ground
Hello Robert: I removed a large "L" shaped brick barbecue from my patio to make more room. The concrete beneath needs to be removed and new concrete poured to match a natural gas line and electrical conduit are in the slab that is being repoured. Can I just cap the lines below grade and pour concrete over them? Thanks, Mike C. <p ...
Float all your cares away
Are you suffering from aches, pains, tension or stress? Do you wish you could dip your old body in healing waters? If so, a portable spa may be just the thing you need in your backyard. According to Gary McDonnell, store manager at Hydro-Spa in Saugus, spas are very therapeutic, easing the pain of arthritis, as well as other aches and pains, and helping you sleep better. "I have a lot of people who bought ...
Mirror, mirror, on the wall
If the inside of your home is looking a little drab these days, you might be considering redecorating. However, before you go out and spend thousands of dollars doing that, you might "reflect" on decorating with mirrors. Mirrors offer a fairly low cost and efficient way to create an entirely different look and feel in your living space - and there is an incredible variety of mirror options available. For some insight into this, we ...
Robert Lamoureux: It’s a quick fix to add a doorbell
Dear Robert, I live in Valencia in a house that is so long that since we only have one doorbell we can't hear it from the opposite side of the house. My question is: Can I run a second door bell off the same transformer and place it in the other part of the house? Thank you for your help. <p class="Bodycopy" align="left" ...
That’s a hill of a lot of fruit
The Stewart family - Tony, his wife Monica, and their two daughters, Jamie and Ronnie - has lived in the Old Orchard II development in Valencia since 1991. Very "plugged into" the neighborhood socially, through swim teams, HOA participation and friendships, the Stewarts may also be considered the development's "fruitiest" family. That's because Tony Stewart has turned his backyard hillside slope into a magnificent terraced garden featuring vegetables and 49 varieties of fruit trees. While ...
Bloomin’ spring
It's mid-March, and the calendar and the warm days we had recently may be making you think it's time to do your spring planting.
Robert Lamoureux: Spalling concrete is dangerous
Hi Robert, I'd like to get your recommendation. I sit on the board of directors as vice president of our HOA Our complex is about 35 years old has more than 100 units with a subterranean garage. As you enter our building, there is an overhang ledge that is part of the concrete structure that holds the ...
Robert Lamoureux: Stucco project is too big for one
Robert, I'm building a wall. I've done some concrete so I think I can handle all of the stucco. 21 feet by 12 feet high in some areas. Not sure if I need a permit. Thank you, Bernard B. Hi Bernard, Permits are needed on any wall over 4 feet ...
Bring on the bunny for spring
Spring is always energizing, and the season often gets us motivated to sweep out the cobwebs and brighten things in our homes.
Robert Lamoureux: High-pressure hammering
Robert, Recently we started getting a rattle and banging sound through the water pipes when we turn on the hot water in the kitchen sink. This does not happen when we turn hot water on in any other part of the house, and we can get the hot water to run "quietly" in the kitchen if we turn it on the cold ...
The advantages of a short sale
So, you've got to go. Maybe your employer is transferring you out of town, or maybe you can't make the monthly payments on your home and you are in default or heading toward it rapidly.
Robert Lamoureux: Plastic cement needs waterproofing
Hi Robert, This is the second time I have written in with a question. Thank you for your first answer as you were right on the mark. We went through a fairly large reconstruct and between sets of bricks, the contractor put in what looks like shiny concrete. That space between the bricks is about 1 1/2" wide and is above my bottom room that now has walls that are buckling and peeling since the ...
New year, new look, new floors
Whether your old flooring is looking a bit worn, you want to upgrade or just need a new look or feel, now is a good time to install new flooring. According to Dustin Downen, one of the owners of Marty's Flooring America in Valencia, tough economic times have actually caused flooring prices to become more competitive.
It’s beginning to look like spring
Though you may think we are out of winter and, indeed, some of your plants are thinking it, too, we are not out of the woods yet, according to Richard Green, owner of Green Landscape Nursery in Saugus - who has had many years of experience with SCV weather patterns and their effects on plants.
Robert Lamoureux: Sewage spill requires proper cleanup
Hi Robert,
Articles by Section - Your Home
Entice buyers with sweet scents
When a home smells good, it makes a favorable impression on visitors. This is exactly what home sellers want when they put their house on the market.
Tips for buyers/sellers
Key indicators point to conditions for a seller's real estate market this spring.
Smart spending tips
Spring home improvement season is on the way, and if you're like most homeowners you have a list of jobs you want to accomplish.
Popular spring remodeling trends
It's time to think spring, which means fresh home updates. Spring home improvement projects will help you update your home, add comfort and save more of your hard-earned paycheck.
Celebrate winter white all year
It's cold out there. In much of the country, now's the time when home serves as a cozy refuge from the ice and snow. We light our fireplaces and wish for springtime.
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