Aug 23, 2014 7 min read

Q. I sanded and cleaned my wood deck boards with Behr semitransparent weather-proofing stain and sealer, one coat with a second coat in certain places. It is sticky after a month or so in certain places. The Behr people said it will dry eventually. But when?

A. The finish is a preservative that penetrates the wood and will not peel, and that is why a second coat should not be used. Maybe the sticky parts will eventually dry. Power-wash the sticky areas to speed up the process.

Q. My foundation is about 2 1/2 feet above the ground level, and it is developing a lot of white powder. Is there anything wrong, how can I get rid of it, and how can I keep it from coming back?

A. It is lime leached out of the concrete by water and or moisture. It is harmless, and can be swept up and tossed out. If it is on the outside of the foundation, there is not much to do except sweep it up. If it is on the inside (on basement walls), and the basement is quite damp, then open the windows for cross-ventilation and to release that excessive water vapor.

Q. I’m selling my home and find that a screen from one of the bedroom combination storm windows is missing. It was probably removed to accommodate a window air conditioner. I thought it was stored in the basement but I can’t find it. Are there any companies in metro Boston that stock or make this type of screen? Like its storm window partners, it has tabs that can be manipulated to allow for movement in its aluminum frame.

A. Storm windows are often custom built, which makes them difficult to replace. The only storm window builder that I know of is Harvey, which makes a storm window called Tru-Channel. Maybe it’s theirs and can be reproduced. You may have to buy the whole window.

Q. For the past couple of months on three occasions whenever I am done getting a shower and I flush the toilet, the pipes rattle and make a noise like a jackhammer. I have to run down to the basement to turn off the main water. After waiting a couple of minutes, I turn the water back on and everything is fine. I changed the regulator and it still did this. Hoping you have a clue.

A. Usually this occurs because the shower valve needs a new washer. If the valve is a no-scald single handle valve, you may need a new valve, but if you mean you replaced the single handle unit, then it stumps the Handyman, and I’m not sure it’s the toilet’s fault. One more thing: If the pipes are loose, all this water flowing may be shaking the pipes good and hard.

Q. After years of dealing with ice dams, I put a new roof on three years ago, with 6 feet of ice and water shield wrapped over the joint where the roof meets the facia. In each of the past two winters, I still get the ice dams. I know I have poor insulation in the attic. However, water appears to be getting into the soffit – I get icicles from the soffit vents, and it runs down the side of my house. My roofer claims he has no idea what’s happening and blames condensation.

A. I don’t think you have ice dams, unless they are just above the shield designed to protect the roof under the shield. I think your problem is the gutters, which sound as if they are overflowing. Now, all gutters overflow when they ice up, but yours continue to overflow when all ice and snow is gone. That is because water is dripping or flowing near the back of the gutter, not down the middle, where it should. If it flowed too close to the front of the gutter, it will overflow the front of the gutter, with the resulting flow from the soffit vents and down the sides of the house. Have a gutter man over to make adjustments. More insulation on the attic floor, and a ridge vent will prevent ice dams best.

Q. Our kitchen cabinets (about 6 or 7 years old) are solid wood as are all the internal structures. But the end panels are veneered, and on the front edges the veneer is lifting from the solid wood base. The lift goes back from a half inch to an inch. They could be clamped by removing the adjacent cabinet door. What do you suggest?

A. For a veneer to lift after six or seven years indicates that a lot of water was used during repeated cleaning. Call the installer to see if he can make repairs.

You can reglue the panels by lifting the veneer and inserting carpenter’s glue, then clamping. It might be tricky to clamp, but I suggest you put a narrow board on each side of the veneer for C-clamps to press evenly. Be sure to put waxed paper between the veneer and the boards to prevent any seeping glue from holding things together where it shouldn’t.

Q. I’m writing to you with the hope that you can help me figure out, specifically, how to separate the two knobs of a number of locks in my house. I’m in the process of painting the interior of my house and I want to remove the knobs to both clean them up (they’ve been painted around several times) and make painting easier. To date, no one (2 locksmith shops, 4 different locksmiths, and a hardware store) has been able to figure it out.

A. It’s rare to find seven or more professionals to be stumped by an old lock set, or latch set. I have several that attach by screws through the bell of the knob, but no middle shaft. I think your best bet is to call the company, EZ Set, to see if they are in business and know what to tell you. Also, since you already took one of the sets out of the door, why not clean them as they are? But be careful; I think the brass has a coating on it that keeps it to a high polish.

Q. I live on the third floor of an 1890s Victorian that was converted into condos in the 1980s. Heating is by gas-heated circulating water. It takes several minutes for hot water to reach the taps in my unit. Is there any way to speed that up?

A. The hot water you are waiting for doesn’t come from the heating system, but this is what you can do. Call your plumber to see if he can install a water-saving device, or get in touch with the manufacturer: ACT, Inc. Metlund Systems.

Q. In my new addition, which is well insulated top, bottom, and sides, and has many windows and a French door, is mortal cold this winter. How can I make it comfortable?

A. If you have gas in the house, and it is inadequate, install a gas-fired fireplace. It will heat that addition well. It might also be wise to remove some of those heat-sink windows. Since the crawl space is open and its ceiling insulated, you can enclose it just to keep the critters out. Be sure to ventilate it.