Archive By Section - Your Home
Know your radon risk
We missed it. The Environmental Protection Agency had designated January 2009 as National Radon Action Month. What with New Year's and the Super Bowl and some other pressing topics, we are just now getting around to bringing you up to speed on radon, a dangerous radioactive gas that may be lurking in your home. Now, if you've started glowing in the dark, we apologize, but either way, it's past time to take action and find out if radon is in your air.
Stretching your food dollars
With unemployment on the rise and stocks on the decline, families across America are cutting back on their monthly budgets. While many are choosing to cut back on "luxuries" such as entertainment, food is usually right at the top of the necessities list.
Tips for saving big on groceries
Where to shop If you are a single or a couple, shopping at a discount warehouse may not make sense. While buying in bulk may be the cheapest on a per ounce or unit level, it won't matter if you don't use up the product or worse, let it spoil. Instead, consider shopping at: Discount grocery stores, including those where all items are $1 or less. Farmer's markets, where you can get fresh produce inexpensively ...
Robert Lamoureux: Glue on granite can be a sticky situation
Hi, Robert: Without going into how I managed to do it, I spilled a fair amount of cyanoacrylate (a super glue) on my granite kitchen counter. Do I have to wait 20 years or so for it to wear off, or can I hope to solve the problem sometime before that? As a way of explanation, I am an elderly widow. 'Nuff said. Jane L. Hi, Jane: There are stone cleaners available, but I would ...
How green was my sod
Question: What weighs about 3,000 pounds, ships to you overnight and turns your yard into an appealing green oasis in hours?
Mirror, mirror on the wall
I'll admit it. Each year that passes gives me more reasons to avoid looking at my own reflection in mirrors. Combine that with the fact I'm too cheap to buy artwork, and you'll understand why there are a lot of bare walls in my house. Maybe you feel similarly. However, if you are thinking about selling your home, or just want to spruce it up, you might have to get over your mirrorphobia. As outlined ...
It's all done with mirrors
With the housing crunch keeping more homeowners in homes they've outgrown, and the economy keeping renovation budgets tight, more homeowners are looking for smaller home improvement projects that offer big return on investment.
Santa Clarita Valley Rose Society holds monthly meetings
The Santa Clarita Rose Society meets once a month at 2:30 p.m. Sundays at the SCV Senior Center, 22900 Market St., Newhall.
Robert Lamoureux: Water in the vault can result from faulty pump
Dear Robert: We've got a problem in our underground parking area. There is one area that is about 6 feet by 6 feet that fills up with water under the grate whenever it rains, and water is coming up through the other drains which becomes very slippery and hazardous. We have a maintenance man that says the lines are clear, but we are still having this problem. So, if the drain lines are clean, what ...
Call an HVAC professional for furnace problems
Hi, Robert: When we turned our heater on for the first time this winter we noticed that for the first 90 seconds or so it blows out cold air before turning warm. This is the first time in the five years we've been in this house that this has happened. It does it now every time the heat kicks on. Since its never done this before it makes me think something's not right. Any ideas ...
Stainless steals hearts
My kitchen sink used to be nice and white, porcelain-coated cast iron. Now there's still some off-white, but there are also large black, rusting patches where the porcelain has been chipped away.
’Tis the season to bare it all
It wasn't long ago these pages extolled the virtues of planting fruit trees and roses that were already rooted, as opposed to true bare root planting. All of that still applies.
Big game, big screen
Tick-tock brother - as you read this you only have eight days to get your widescreen television installed in time for your Super Bowl party. That's right. You know you're going to buy it.
Robert Lamoureux: Broken snake needs to be pulled from plumbing
Hi Robert, I have a question for you. I was snaking out my line and ran into a problem. I pushed the cable in for about 50 feet but it would not come back out. Eventually it broke off in the pipe and it's still in there. The rental yard said it was my fault. The drains are better, but I don't want to leave it in but can't get it out. Do I have ...
Robert Lamoureux: Don’t take shortcuts with contractor’s insurance
Hello Robert, I represent an HOA and we have received a few bids from different contractors. The prices are night and day. One contractor is more along the lines of what we want to spend but does not have HOA insurance. Our question would be, is this something we should be concerned with? Thank you. Mary B. Hello Mary, Yes. This should be one of your primary concerns. When it comes to HOA properties, never ...
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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