Archive By Section - Your Home
There’s no pain if you drain
Every homeowner has that little, nagging voice in the back of his or her head. You know, the one that gets loudest when you walk through your garage and past your water heater.
Robert Lamoureux: Gas shut off valve for earthquakes
Hey Robert, I discovered a gas leak in my home. I went outside to shut off the gas valve and discovered I have an emergency shut off valve. Why didn't it turn the gas off? Sonny R. Hi Sonny, The emergency shut off valve is for earthquakes, not for gas leaks. It can't differentiate between supply and demand. The gas valve will shut down on anything over a 4.0. It works on the same ...
Robert Lamoureux: Several options for waste concrete
Dear Robert, We need to remove a long walkway at our house. Where can we dispose of the concrete other than a landfill? Thank you very much, Yolanda G. Hi Yolanda, In Santa Clarita, you can go through Waste Management. Or, you can take it Curtis Sand and Gravel off the 14 freeway where they will recycle it. They will charge you a small fee to dump it. They then grind it down and ...
Critters are coming to your home
The ants are antsy, the bees are busy, the gophers are going, the rats are racing, the mice are munching and the spiders ... well, they've been multiplying all winter. And the bigger animals, such as skunks, possums and raccoons, are out on the prowl.
Robert Lamoureux: Playing electrician is dangerous
Hi Robert, This is my second question I've sent you over the years. I've been doing some electrical work around the house. I found a problem inside my wall which was a Romex wire that had a huge tape ball on it and under that wires were nutted together. That's where the problem was. Does that entire piece of Romex need to be replaced? Thanks, <p ...
Do you have curb appeal?
We are now in prime "home selling time" in the Santa Clarita Valley, and if you intend to sell your home in the next few months, you want it to make the most favorable first impression it can on potential buyers.
Robert Lamoureux: City offers building permits and more
Dear Robert: On behalf of all of us at the city of Santa Clarita's Building and Safety Division, we want to say thank you for your support and kind words. We work hard to provide excellent customer service to our customers, through our Permit Center at City Hall, ePlans, our on-line plan submittal program, and our next-day building inspections. To your readers, we would like to say that it is an honor to serve you ...
Garden of the future
Did you know that more than 70 percent of your home's water use is in the yard and garden? Yup, that's a fact, according the folks at the Castaic Lake Water Agency.
Myrna Condie’s very crafty life
With all the "creations" in her life, such as a wonderful family, beautiful home and generous giving of herself to friends, family and community (she has been recognized for this latter several times, including being selected as this year's Santa Clarita Valley Woman of the Year), Myrna Condie has also stitched together quite a "crafty" life.
Rpbert Lamoureux: Fan needs balancing to stop quiver
Hello, Robert We have an older home from the 1980's. I am concerned about ceiling fans installed back then. Youngsters moved in with us and put in several connections of x-box..etc. How does a senior get help/information in regard to preventative maintenance. Secondly if ceiling fan is on high speed it quivers. Is there a danger of roof/ceiling letting loose? Thank you, H. M. Hello H.M., There's really no preventative maintenance on electrical. If ...
Robert Lamoureux: Replacing a swamp cooler with A/C
YHI, After 25 years with a swamp cooler, I'm ready for an air conditioner. From what I know, I can go with a package unit on the roof or a split system. Which is best? Maurice N. Hi Maurice, If you willing to go in and do some duct work, go with a split system. They are very easy to work on. If you have one component go out, you change that component. With ...
Find the right lawn to love
When it comes to usability and comfort in your yard, there is nothing like a cool, green lawn. And, even in these times of water conservation, a lawn can be a viable option - if you choose the right type of grass and care for it properly.
New technology saves time, energy
If your clothes washer has begun to walk across the laundry room during its spin cycles, and your dryer "dries" about as well as a moist ocean breeze, it might be time for some new appliances. And, assuming you've been out of the washer/dryer game for a few years, you will be amazed at all the convenient and energy-saving features that are now available. With the help of Lowe's and some added ...
Robert Lamoureux: Do it once, do it right, replace
Hi Robert, I'm a board member of a (homeowner's) association and we've got a lot of trip hazards on our sidewalks. We have received several bids for the repair of these areas, but there is a large disparity among bids as some are recommending grinding and others replacing. We can save less than half by grinding, but I'd like to get an idea of the pros and ...
Robert Lamoureux: Don’t use side of house for planter
We answered a question about sun screens last week and have received several inquiries about a recommended installer. I called Henry at Complete Screen. 818-470-1444. He installed the screens on my home and has agreed to give a 10% discount on solar screen work as a courtesy to our readers. Hello Robert, Now that the summer is ...
No Articles Found.
