Handy A to Z
Mike McClintock on home improvement.
October 21, 2011
Why your house might need an extra layer
The rule with insulation used to be that filling spaces between the frames in the wall, floor and ceiling was enough, and adding more wasn't worth the extra investment. But with heating oil pushing $4 a gallon in some areas — and rising who knows how much more this winter — the old rule doesn't apply anymore.
November 18, 2011
A guide to perfectly trimmed baseboards
Well-built older homes often have clear-finished trim made of oak, maple and even mahogany that's almost an inch thick. At the other end of the spectrum, newer homes often have paintable grades like finger-jointed lumber and medium-density fiberboard (MDF), or molded vinyl with what amounts to a photograph of wood stuck to the surface.
October 21, 2011
Tools that pack backyard brawn
Whether you're tending a small backyard or a huge garden, it's nice to have equipment that works as hard as you do. These workhorses will keep up with yard chores through fall and into next spring and summer.
2:49 PM CST, November 7, 2011
Finding a backyard-friendly chainsaw
Large, noisy, gas-powered chain saws can topple 200-foot trees slated for the lumber mill. But beefy professional saws are overkill around most yards — and just too much tool for many homeowners. To fill the gap, manufacturers like Husqvarna, Poulan, Stihl, Troy-Bilt, Worx and others provide lighter, quieter, electric- and battery-powered models. The engines are smaller and the chain bars are shorter, which makes the saws easier to handle.
October 4, 2011
Get ready to excavate when repairing walls
Ever start what seemed like a simple repair project only to discover that the problem was more than skin deep? Scrape peeling paint and you uncover a layer of mold, then spongy siding, then wet sheathing and some rotting wall studs. It seems like an inevitable rule of remodeling: the more you dig the worse it gets.
October 4, 2011
Contracts with contractors
There are two kinds of contracts for home repairs and improvements. One is a letter of agreement, short, informal, in your own words based on the contractor's estimate. It works for specific projects that last only a day or two like pressure washing and sealing a deck. The other is a formal contract, several pages long, drawn by an attorney or sold preprinted by groups like the American Institute of Architects. It works for longer, more complex projects like building an addition.
October 4, 2011
Get steamed, get clean
If anyone in the household has allergies, asthma or reactions to everyday chemicals, you may already have discovered the benefits of steam cleaning. But new machines configured as floor vacs and hand mops are gradually becoming standard items— appliances that use electricity to boil water in a portable, pressurized container. You can still wipe, sweep and vacuum, but also with the germ-killing capabilities of steam.
August 12, 2011
Handy A to Z: Deck Connections
Any good deck is built on strength
The 2-by-4s or 2-by-6s seem to take more punishment than any other part of a deck. They are the most exposed. But because they are out in the open and have spaces between them for drainage, they often last longer than the structural supports below.
July 23, 2011
HANDY A TO Z: DECKS
How to keep your deck shipshape
Building a deck? Two key projects can help make the difference between a solid, good-looking deck and a sub-standard one.
July 26, 2011
HANDY A TO Z: SIDING
Fix damaged siding one board at a time
As wood siding ages, trouble often shows up first at a damp, shady corner that fosters mildew, then mold, then rot. But, even then there's still time to catch badly damaged areas, and blend in patched clapboards or shakes instead of residing the entire house. Part of the project is tricky but most is methodical, weaving claps or shakes back into the overlapping, water-shedding system, and then blending in the finish.
July 23, 2011
HANDY A TO Z: SEALING WINDOWS
Sealing a window to savings
Sealing windows to save energy and increase comfort used to be strictly a pre-winter project. In the summer, screens went on and windows stayed open. Thirty-five years ago, only 23 percent of US homes had central air conditioning, according to the U.S. Dept of Energy. Now, it's 65 percent, while about 30 percent have window units. With almost every home air conditioned one way or another, sealing windows to preserve AC and save energy in summer looms just as large as sealing them to preserve heat in winter.
July 1, 2011
Helping your fridge keep its cool
After you clean the green slime at the bottom of the vegetable drawer, is there anything else on the refrigerator to-do list? Turns out there's a fair amount, because unlike a furnace or air conditioner, a refrigerator is on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
1:25 PM CDT, June 20, 2011
HANDY A TO Z
Safe and smart approach to home improvements
You may want a staircase or deck with a railing uncluttered by uprights every few inches. But you can't have the clean lines or unobstructed view because building codes require balusters no more than 4 inches apart — aside from ratings for strength, height and other parameters.
4:12 PM CDT, June 10, 2011
Getting your AC ready for summer is simple DIY territory
It's coming soon to your to-do list: set up the air conditioner. You could call the service guy and watch him do really complicated things like replace the old filter with a new one — with the meter running. But most items on the Department of Energy checklist for room and central air conditioners are definitely DIY, following manufacturer's procedures and safety cautions.
11:46 AM CDT, May 31, 2011
Tips for solving noise, breeze, timing issues
Steamy showers are great for your body but bad for your bathroom — and any surface nearby where condensation settles after you open the door.
11:00 AM CDT, May 11, 2011
The dirt on preserving your retaining walls
On one of the real estate TV programs about flipping houses, misinformed fixer-uppers discover a tilting retaining wall. They erroneously explain that a high bank of dirt is pushing it over and disclose how they plan to correct it: excavate a trench behind the brick and pour concrete to make it stronger.
2:39 PM CDT, May 19, 2011
Improving hot water circulation with loops
Technology in houses allows nearly instant control of its systems. Remote sensors and chips built into appliances even permit off-on control from a distance — with one exception: hot water. Waiting for it to arrive at the tap or showerhead is inconvenient, frustrating and can waste thousands of gallons a year.
2:15 PM CDT, May 2, 2011
Single-ply rules the low-slung roof
Covering low-slope and flat roofs used to be one of stinkiest procedures in all of construction. That's stinkiest literally, as in steaming buckets of hot tar with an odor something between creosoted telephone poles and an oil spill.
2:19 PM CDT, May 2, 2011
Touch-up time
In bad weather it's easy to put off exterior home repairs. But when spring arrives it's hard to procrastinate any longer. That's when a tour around the house often reveals loose caulk, cracks, peeling paint and other chinks in the exterior armor.
5:22 PM CDT, April 28, 2011
How to keep your house high and dry
After a snowy winter comes the rainy spring, and the occasionally damp low spot in the yard can become a pond and the trickle of a leak in the basement can turn into a stream.
Sprinklers in homes can reduce damage and even save lives
You've seen fire sprinklers in commercial buildings with silvery heads spotted across the ceiling ready to shower the area with water. The fire-suppression system has protected many commercial and public buildings for more than a century. But a system with plastic pipe that's less expensive and easier to install is also available for houses. Some safety groups say every house should have one because they are so effective, and that sprinklers eventually will be required by code for all new construction.
A little sleuthing can pinpoint sneaky leaks
Some leaks are obvious — for instance, when a water pipe sends a gusher across the laundry room. More often, water leaks and dripping condensation take circuitous routes through framing cavities before emerging as wet spots on drywall. That makes them hard to trace.
Carpet cleaning, removing stains without a pro
With carpeting on the floors you should "vacuum daily in high-traffic or pet areas," according to the Carpet and Rug Institute, which adds that you will "feel better for it." Back here on Earth where vacuuming is called a chore, once a week or so will usually do.
Cutting through
It has no power cord, no battery, no charger, and you just push it back and forth by yourself? It may seem radical, or maybe primitive, with so many power tools on the market. But several types of handsaws still have a place in the toolbox — where they've been, and been useful, for centuries.
It's a knockout: Passage opens up two rooms
Breaking through a wall to create a wide opening between two rooms can make most houses seem more spacious. It's not a radical alteration that converts a center-hall Colonial to an open-plan layout. It's a modest project for a carpenter or DIYer experienced with framing, drywalling and painting. And it's doable without turning the whole house upside down — opened, framed, trimmed and painted — in a weekend.
4:10 PM CDT, March 15, 2011
When and how to replace wax ring on commode
Whether your plumbing system is copper or plastic, the parts are connected with rigid fittings that prevent leaks — except where you'd least expect it. At the base of a toilet there's no solder or glue, just a couple of bolts and a big glob of wax.
4:21 PM CST, March 7, 2011
Ready to ride out the next storm?
What do you miss most when a big storm all but paralyzes the area? Electricity has to be number one because so many parts of the home come to a halt without it.
DIY fixes screen out bugs
When screens are torn, loose or punctured, insects zoom through, making for a miserable household, instead of a home swept by summer breezes.
4:15 PM CST, March 7, 2011
Clamp down on wobbly chairs
Sit on them, tilt them, rock them and even if they're well-built, the legs on chairs and sometimes tables, too, get the wobbles. The shakiness is helped along as wood dries and shrinks, glue becomes brittle, connecting spindles loosen and the chair seems on the verge of becoming a fold-up model.
10:09 AM CST, February 15, 2011
Squeezing the best results out of caulking projects
For most sealing and energy-efficiency projects around the house there are two basic kinds of caulk: silicone and latex. Both come in various types of containers, from toothpaste-size squeeze tubes to cartridges emptied with a gun. Most containers are intended to serve as applicators. But it takes some finesse to move caulk from the package into a seam.
Build a repair kit for plumbing emergencies
When you call the plumber to fix a leaking pipe, it may be surprising that only a few hardware-store basics are needed. Watching the contractor work — at umpteen dollars an hour — it may also dawn on you that with a modest collection of tools and materials on hand you could have made the repair yourself.
1:30 PM CST, March 1, 2011
When trickle-down economics just won't do
One of the most therapeutic pleasures after a difficult day is a long, hot shower — what some conservationists might refer to as the water-wasting human car wash. You may want more hot water to soothe tense muscles, but chances are that won't happen because the flow restrictor has turned the car wash into a sprinkle.
3:18 PM CST, February 7, 2011
How to repoint crumbling mortar
Masonry walls are only as solid as their weak links, the mortar joints. Stacks of concrete block, brick and stone that depend on them always outlast them. Hairline cracks are the first sign of trouble.
1:22 PM CST, March 1, 2011
When your flue has the flu
Chimneys exhaust lethal combustion gases from household appliances like gas-fired water heaters, and from woodstoves and fireplaces. That's why chimneys are built with double walls, typically, an inner flue of hollow clay tiles surrounded by either brick or concrete block. For gases or flames to break through into living spaces, both layers of protection have to be breached.
3:06 PM CST, January 25, 2011
How to plug holes in wood projects
Plugging may sound like a temporary quick fix. But in carpentry it's a classy way to hide recessed fasteners. Drill a hole part way into a board, drive a fastener through the bottom of the hole, then cover with a wood plug.
3:22 PM CST, February 7, 2011
Better lighting, no trouble
The dripping pipe or loose wire you need to fix might be out in the open with plenty of working room and plenty of light. Too often, though, it's in some dark recess of the house where there's no chance of fixing the problem without a work light — also appropriately known as a trouble light.
3:11 PM CST, February 22, 2011
A window into energy ratings
Whether you're buying windows for a new house or to replace some leaking clunkers past their prime, look beyond extravagant sales claims to a small label in the corner. It lists several ratings (on skylights and glazed doors too) administered by the non-profit National Fenestration Rating Council (nfrc.org).
2:29 PM CST, January 25, 2011
Poison proofing the house
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) starts its advisory on preventing poisonings in the home with this phrase: "Young children will eat and drink almost anything." That's a good yardstick to keep in mind as you check through the house for hazards.
6:06 PM CST, January 6, 2011
Make sure you are buying the right firewood
Almost 2 million U.S. households use wood as their primary fuel source for home heating. Every state makes the list, including Florida, where homeowners are more likely to buy bundles than full cords to burn off an occasional evening chill, according to an EPA report on home heating.
6:03 PM CST, January 6, 2011
2 methods to minimize ice damage on roofs
To deal with damaging ice dams on the roof, you can use electrical cables strung along the eaves to melt the ice or install a waterproof barrier beneath the shingles. Both systems protect against water damage. But both have pros and cons.
Buying blinds online vs. brick-and-mortar store
Not many homes have windows with private, unobstructed views. Even if you have one or two, you'll still want to block the sun some morning sleeping in. Drapes or shades will work, but slatted blinds offer the most control. Adjustable slats can close off the window completely or let in light and control privacy by degrees.
2:49 PM CST, February 22, 2011
The key to changing your door locks
A good door lock is an unusual combination of technology designed to make it difficult for anyone to get in — but easy for you. The mechanism must be complex enough to resist a pick or a drill, beefy enough to withstand a kick-in, and still hold you up no more than a moment when it's raining and you're carrying grocery bags.
6:05 PM CST, January 6, 2011
HANDY A TO Z: SINKS Cut, position and seal, installing a sink with ease
Kitchen sinks are a lot slicker than they used to be, sold now with connections for garbage disposals, detergent pumps, telescoping faucets and even coatings to deaden the sounds of washing pots and pans.
2:16 PM CST, January 31, 2011
How to rescue old painted pieces
The problem with old mantels, tables and chairs is that the oak, maple or other elegant wood is often buried under layers of paint. Stripping, scraping, sanding and then refinishing may not always produce a gem. So it pays to scratch off a small test section and see if all the labor will be worthwhile. On detailed surfaces such as beaded wainscoting, it's tedious work, and there are several ways to do it.
10:36 AM CST, January 20, 2011
Grout tile projects yourself with these easy steps
Adhesive holds tiles in place on floors, walls and countertops. But without grout to fill and seal the seams, they won't stay there for long. It's the crucial finishing step on any tile installation — a straightforward job needing only basic tools and skills, though knee pads might be welcome if you're working on a floor.
10:38 AM CST, January 20, 2011
Hammer time: Pick the right tool for you and for the job
Leaving out tiny jeweler's hammers at one end and machine powered mauls at the other, there are only a hundred or so different models in between.
4:43 PM CST, December 30, 2010
Take guesswork out of DIY projects
The Web is a fountain of information for do-it-yourselfers, and for consumers who won't ever lift a hammer but want to know what the options are. In either case, an increasing number and variety of how-to sites can take your online research a big step further.
12:16 PM CST, January 11, 2011
Installing attic stairs to get at that unused space
Some old houses have attics the size of a small barn, complete with dormers for light and air.
5:01 PM CST, December 27, 2010
The nuts and bolts of ratcheting socket wrenches
Cars, kit furniture, a new lawnmower that comes knocked down and many other products are put together with nuts and bolts. To assemble and repair them the most efficient tool is a ratchet — along with a lot of sockets.
2:50 PM CST, December 13, 2010
Contracting a contractor
For home repairs and improvements, the ideal find is a reliable jack-of-all-trades handyman who can install shelves, fix plumbing and replace a few shingles — there the next day, no job too small.
Reining in remodeling
Major home improvements might look simple on paper. Drawings of your new kitchen are straightforward, and the contract seems to cover every detail. Then the job starts, and reality sets in. Among many surprises: Who knew the crew would be here so early, make such a mess, stack materials in the driveway, tune their radio to a station you can't stand?
2:55 PM CST, December 13, 2010
Keep air circulating in your home year-round
When winter hits, it seems crazy to let cold air into the house. But some parts need a fresh supply — warm or cold — circulating year round. Without it, attics and crawl spaces trap moisture escaping from living areas. That fosters mold growth, degrades insulation and eventually rots wood timbers and plywood. Circulation is key, even in Southern climates.
Beyond the pegboard
Your father, and likely his father, displayed home repair and improvement tools on sheets of perforated hardboard, otherwise known as Pegboard. The die-hards even drew outlines of each tool so every piece would fit back into the puzzle once a project was complete.
March 13, 2008
Should materials stay or go?
Most building materials eventually wear out. But before they fail completely, you have two choices: cover them or remove them when you install replacements. Burying problems is tempting because it saves the hassles and costs of demolition and disposal. But those savings can evaporate when buried problems fester and disrupt the new materials above them.
2:30 PM CST, December 6, 2010
HANDY A TO Z
How to repair that hole the kids knocked in wall
Nail holes and other drywall blemishes are easy to fix with spackle. Doorknob-size holes are more trouble. But even a major mishap can be repaired without pulling off the entire damaged panel and installing a new one.
August 16, 2010
Chill out: Maintenance can make air conditioner more efficient
Invest the time to improve air conditioner efficiency (or the money for a service call), and the triple reward is cooler air, lower utility bills and longer appliance life.
3:06 PM CDT, October 6, 2010
Floored by flooring choices? Weigh these factors
Before the introduction of prefinished flooring and snap-together laminates, there were two standards: tongue-and-groove oak planks and the alternative that was generally considered superior and more luxurious, wall-to-wall carpeting.
2:42 PM CDT, August 16, 2010
Rating power blowers from meek to mighty
Blowing leaves, grass clippings and pine cones is easier than sweeping them off the patio or raking them off the lawn. It's also faster, even if you're stopping once in a while for oil and gas. That's why most landscaping contractors use blowers instead of rakes.
2:34 PM CDT, August 2, 2010
Spend extra on the blade instead of the power saw
Mount a dull steel blade on a new, $400 circular saw, and the professional-grade tool will slowly chop a ragged cut, and probably leave burn marks on the wood from excessive friction. But mount a new, top-line carbide blade on a $35 entry-level saw, and the cut will be clean and smooth.
2:24 PM CDT, August 9, 2010
HANDY A TO Z
How to check wiring in your home
Most construction trades have an acceptable fudge factor. A few trim joints could be tighter, some of the painting neater, a stair tread less squeaky.
July 19, 2010
HANDY A TO Z
Siding repairs: Try these first
House siding is like tree bark — a tough exterior skin that takes a beating to protect thinner-skinned materials inside.
May 3, 2010
Fighting fire with good sense
A third of all house fires start where one has already been started on purpose — at the kitchen stove. According to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) there are more than 150,000, causing hundreds of fatalities, thousands of injuries, and almost a billion dollars in property loss a year. Some fire officials say the number of kitchen fires is actually about 10 times higher, and that many go unreported.
January 2, 2009
Take control of heating costs
Don't you love the advertisements where homeowners talk about saving $40,000 on furnishings they bought from some club-member warehouse? That's saving 40 grand. So let's see: if a good discount is about 20 percent, that means they were going to pay $200,000 for furniture but practically stole it for $160,000.
3:48 PM CDT, July 12, 2010
Tackle the big cleaning jobs with these power washers
Pressure washers are portable pumps that boost the household flow of about 50 psi up to 2,000 psi with electric models, and 4,000 psi with gas models rated for DIY use.
May 17, 2010
Planks or pressed sheets, either installs easily
Before dry cleaning and plastic bags, there were cedar closets. Surrounded by the insect-repelling properties of aromatic red cedar, woolens emerged from summer storage without holes or the pungent odor of moth balls.
November 7, 2008
Tips for seamless DIY drywalling
Drywall suppliers can deliver the unwieldy panels almost anywhere—even with a crane through second-story windows. Without the hassle of hauling, that makes drywalling a new room or recovering a damaged wall a reasonable do-it-yourself project—with just a few stumbling blocks.
February 5, 2010
Guide to repairing tile floor, step by step
Perfectly prepared homeowners save a sample of every material used on the house: paint, wallpaper, trim, shingles, you name it. And when someone drops a bowling ball on the tile floor it's no problem: you've got extras.
December 12, 2008
Getting the hang of a carpenter's level
Whether you're working on a big addition or a small set of shelves, the construction will be stronger and look better if the elements are plumb, level and square. Here are some of the tools and tips that can make your projects stand up straight, lie down flat and form true right-angle corners.
January 9, 2009
Warning signs that home needs repairs
Every product should have a red flag built in—some warning that pops up, say, before the water heater gives way and floods the basement. A few do, like smoke detectors that start beeping before their batteries die. But the tricky business of diagnosing disasters before they happen is usually up to you. These tips and tests can help.
October 31, 2008
Plumbing repair primer
A dripping shower or balky drain may seem like problems that need professional repair. But as you look over the plumber's shoulder and watch the five-minute fix, it dawns on you that you could have fixed it yourself. It pays to leave big projects to the pros, of course. But many minor plumbing problems qualify for DIY repair.
September 19, 2008
Take basement to higher level
Throw enough money at a bare-bones basement and it can become a palace.
November 28, 2008
Button up your house for winter
Some people don't button up the house until caulking fails, wind whistles in, and the first eye-popping utility bill of the winter lands in the mailbox. But you can cut fuel costs, stop air leaks, and prevent damage from water, ice and snow by sealing the house before winter hits.
July 11, 2008
Using a chainsaw safely
Most chainsaws are heavy, oily and noisy—aside from scaring the heck out of people in movies. The power and that lethal-looking chain make some buyers wonder if the tool is inherently too dangerous to use around the house. But a chainsaw is just another power tool — and the best way to fell trees, prune limbs and cut firewood.
June 13, 2008
Counter points for ceramic tile
Ceramic tile is a standard for kitchen counters because it's nearly indestructible, resisting burns, stains, scratches and dents. But there are some weak links: grout for one, and too often counters that aren't built solidly enough to keep a tile job from cracking. And then there's the maintenance.
February 28, 2008
How glass block systems stack up
Sturdy building block and fragile glass make an unlikely combination. But that's what you get with glass block -- the strength of masonry and the light of a window. It's used mainly on modern-style buildings but has practical applications around the most traditionally styled house. Among the top candidates: foundation windows, door sidelights, shower enclosures and room dividers.
December 5, 2008
Tips, tricks for preparing and staining a wood floor
Most stores stock wood stain in every shade of brown despite a manufacturer's spectrum that includes vivid reds, deep blues, and even bright whites. Picking colors is definitely the fun part. But refinishing a floor also involves cleaning and maybe some repairing aside from sanding.
November 7, 2008
Take steps to winterize exterior
To cut energy bills and prevent damage from water, ice and snow this winter, it pays to button up the house before bad weather hits.
April 10, 2008
Keeping tile floor free from cracks
Ceramic tile is supposed to be the ultimate sanitary system—a floor you could turn a hose on. But every grout seam between tiles is a potential weak link where the water goes when a crack develops. And in bathrooms, the weakest seams are along grouted edges of full and partial tiles that bump up against vanities, toilets and particularly tubs.
March 27, 2008
Another crack in the wall? Here's how to repair it
Houses have thousands of parts, typically including 60 cubic yards of concrete, 10,000 board feet of lumber, and 300 pounds of nails and screws. At first it all fits seamlessly. But as houses settle and furnaces kick in, cracks appear. Most of them are cosmetic, though some indicate structural problems, while others defy repair and open year after year.
January 31, 2008
A window of opportunity to keep heat inside
If your old windows leak, fog and sweat puddles of condensation, you might replace them. But at $200 or more a unit and as much again for installation, high-quality, high-efficiency windows can break a home improvement budget.
September 26, 2008
Ways to keep cost of remodeling job in check
Remodeling or adding on to your home is one of the best investments you can make. But after you draw up plans, find a contractor and get your first look at the estimate, there may be some budget-busting surprises. One is the bottom line itself—the sticker shock of a big job—aside from sometimes wild price variations in several estimates for the same project.
January 17, 2008
Take control of home heating
Thermostats used to be primitive on-off switches that required a lot of tweaking -- up a hair to ward off a chill, then down a hair to cool off.
February 21, 2008
Give your attic a breath of air
Winter weather can find every weak link in a house to create drafts and raise utility bills. So how dumb is it to purposely let cold air into an attic or crawl space? Not dumb at all -- in fact, it's essential, and a component of each of the four building code systems in the country.
April 24, 2008
Get lawn mower ready to work
When the temperature finally rises along with the grass, optimists drag the lawn mower out of cold storage, pull the cord, and expect it to start. You might get lucky, or maybe not with the dregs of watered-down gas in the tank. But you don't have to haul your grass cutter in for professional service. It doesn't need a computer diagnostic session like a car — just some basic help to get going, cut better and last longer.
January 24, 2008
Cold facts on frozen pipes
Fixing a pipe leak isn't difficult if you're home when the pipe bursts, and have solder, flux and a propane torch in the toolbox. That's for copper pipe; it's even easier with plastic. But things can turn ugly at 3 a.m. when you stumble down the basement stairs searching for that gushing sound and step into ankle-deep water.
February 28, 2008
Comparing apples to apples in project bids
It's smart to comparison shop before you buy, and easy enough on basic products. Comparing contractors' estimates is more difficult because there are so many variables -- in materials and construction methods, and even more so in contractors. This checklist can help weed out problem bidders and reveal the best overall deal.
February 7, 2008
Take the slope out of a sagging floor
Building codes governing framed floors include an allowance for sagging, which sounds bad. But the allowable limit is 1/360 of the span, which isn't much. Spread over a 45-foot-long joist -- if you could make joists that long -- that fraction would translate to only one inch of sag. It's not enough to notice, even with a 4-foot carpenter's level.
February 14, 2008
Glass acts
Two layers of glass, insulating air spaces and high-tech reflective films can make top-line windows almost as warm as insulated walls. But whether you're considering replacements on an older home or units for new construction, shopping for true energy efficiency can get complicated.
January 3, 2008
Lowdown on contractor down payments
At the extremes of paying for home improvements are contractors who want all the money before the job starts and consumers who want to keep every cent until the job ends.
Copyright © 2011, Chicago Tribune
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