wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

Carpenter ants:

What does one look for in terms of damage done by carpenter ants and how to remedy.

Thanks much,
Andrea

My apartment date back to the early 1900. There's a plugged pipe on the walls of the corridor. The other day I began removing it out of curiosity and I heard a hiss and smelled what seemed to be gas. I'm at a lost. Why gas is coming out of there, of all places?

Thanks...

Did anyone catch the method of cooling a house using a wet towel in a window? If so, could you post it here? Or, if someone from the show is reading this, could the guys repeat it? Thanks.

RJ was the air very dry where you lived in India? I saw something like you describe in Bryant Park yesterday - maybe the people in the BP office know who put it there!

in my childhood in India, we used something called room-coolers, we pour water in the bottom portion, and the fan would be directed towards the room. I worked wonders. unfortunately, people seem to have moved on to air-conditioners. is there something like this available her in NY, and if so, how energy efficient is it?

Hi Gurus,
When my downstairs neighbor turns on her air conditioner it gets an oscillating vibration going in my apartment that makes it feel and sound like I am living in the engine room of a ship. Any thoughts about how I might be able to approach this problem? Could it have to do with the housing of her window unit? Any ideas? Thanks!

can we discuss air conditioners please -
When we moved this winter, we brought our 2 window air conditioners with us, not realizing that the larger unit will not fit into the window in our new apartment (the windows are now less wide). we've removed the accordian like-sides, but we need to fill the remaining space. we don't want a permanent installation in the window - what do you suggest?
thanks

We have a 67-year old house built on the side of a hill that still has most of the original doors, etc.
The bathroom door, if it's not closed and latched properly, tends to open (inward) quickly, almost as if someone were pushing it. Its swing has gotten faster and more wide-open in the seven years since we moved here. Could the house be still settling? (A level doesn't seem to indicate any slope at the sill).

Hello
My apartment has 20 feet of windows facing South, so it gets very hot. I would like to get Venetians blinds, or heat absorbing window film. Which would be more helpful in keeping my apartment cool?
Both are expensive, so I don't want to pick the wrong one. Thanks for your help

Which insulation product is the safest to put in your home? Is it Insulsafe or greenfiber? Contractors have given me conflicting information. I have a four year old daughter and I'm concerned about her exposer.