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I have a strange vibrating fog-horn like noise that comes out of the wall between my bathroom and kitchen. It comes on randomly, usually in the winter, and lasts between 1 and 12 hours. It is quite loud. It doesn't seem to be related to heat(occurs when heat is on and off) or water (running water doesn't seem to effect it). Thanks for any help you can give.

@ Lori in Montclair I had my house on Long Island painted last December in the 1st or 2nd week, and the painters told me that it had to be done by then, because it would be too cold later.

I'm not 100% certain, but I seem to recall them saying that the new paints today allowed you to paint in temps as far down as far 37 degrees. Again, that's what I seem to recall them saying, but I may be off by some degrees on the temp.

I've tried every product out there to get rid of pet urine odor imbedded in the floor decking of my 1837 rowhouse that I recently acquired. Is there anything I can do besides cutting the floor out? The decking is 3"x8" White Pine that is over 200 yrs old - it's not milled this way anymore and I'd prefer to salvage the floor but, not at the risk of the house stinking of pee on humid/rainy days.

Thanks for your advice,
Alison

Is there a minimum outdoor temperature for outdoor house painting?

I'm STILL waiting for my contractor to show up to paint my house and he does not have any temperature concerns. I thought the industry standard was 50 degrees or above.

p.s. the house is 90 y old Tudor, clapboard and stone, work includes stripping down to bare wood, priming, painting

Thank You!

I have been trying to water-proof my basement for years. I had someone paint on water proofing. The basement continued to get a little damp in spots. I finally had a sump pump installed, which drains out to the lowest point which is the backyard. I then had a dry well dug in the back yard. The basement is now dry, and without humidity, but the walls still get a crumbly dust on them that comes through any water proofing and paint. Is there anything I can do to prepare the walls.

I live in a coop. My apt is half of the original large apt. I want to remove the old radiator because 1) I never turn it on because I have enough heat from my living room; and 2)I would get some extra room. Can I remove the exixting radiator and NOT replace another.

Our landlord in his "infinite wisdom" installed a bathroom extractor fan that has no off switch. It runs 24/7/365...a total waste of energy. It's wired to the fuse box together with the smoke alarm.....Any ideas, laws against such foolery.

Low flush toilet installed by landlord.

The handle broke, along with the plastic rod that pulls up the chain for flushing the toilet.

Is there a better quality replacement part?

This plastic assembly looks like real junk.

Thanks. You're all the greatest.

What do the Gurus think of the proposed "Cash for Caulkers" program described in David Leonhardt's column in today's NY Times? (i.e., give households Federal stimulus money for weatherization projects, which then save money and climate emissions down the road)

The sling cyclometer is the instrument Alvin and Lawrence are referring to in their quiz.

I have half-bath that was added by a previous owner by enclosing a service porch. The house has steam heat and there's no radiator in this bathroom. I'm considering adding electric baseboard or creating a vent to circulate warm air from the next room. Is either of those better or do you have another suggestion?

Not terribly interesting, but my girlfriend and I live in an apartment in Brooklyn heights and our radiator has woken us up the past two or three nights with its clanging. It seems that after fiddling with it in the dark, we manage to get it to stop, but I have no idea what we are actually doing. Is there any way we can prevent this altogether?

how bad is it if I hear a squirrels living the space between my ceiling and the roof. I hear them crewing on the wood beams some times

Can you ask them what is the best way to clean wood furniture. I've been told to use paste wax but I haven't been able to figure out what exactly that is.

The open patio structure was removed from the back of my house. What do I use to backfill the 1-1/2"-2" deep holes when the bolts that attached the patio beams were removed from the slump block exterior of the house? There are approximately 8 holes.

Do shower wall tiles periodically need to be regrouted, or does the grout need to be resealed?

It looks like I'm getting water damage on the wall in the room behind the shower.

Thanks.