wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

On Demand

The Gurus of How-To

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

The Gurus of How-To, Al and Larry Ubell, answer your home repair questions. Call us at 212-433-9692 or leave a comment below.


Comments

  • [1] Michael Passick from Long Island June 11, 2008 - 09:52AM

    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.


  • [2] Elie Walters from New York City June 11, 2008 - 12:19PM

    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


  • [3] Mark Hanley from Chatham, NJ June 11, 2008 - 12:21PM

    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).


  • [4] stu from uws June 11, 2008 - 01:16PM

    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


  • [5] gina king from manhattan June 11, 2008 - 01:37PM

    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!


  • [6] RJ from NJ June 11, 2008 - 01:39PM

    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?


  • [7] chestinee June 11, 2008 - 01:45PM

    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!


  • [8] WE from Brooklyn June 11, 2008 - 01:46PM

    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.


  • [9] Benigno Veraz from Washington Heights June 11, 2008 - 01:52PM

    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...


  • [10] andrea from brooklyn July 09, 2008 - 01:54PM

    Carpenter ants:

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

    Thanks much,

    Andrea


Leave a Comment

Please stay on topic, be civil, and be brief.
Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments. Names are displayed with all comments. WNYC reserves the right to edit any comments posted on this site. Please read the WNYC.org Comment Guidelines before posting.

Your comment


* required
The information entered into this form will not be used to send unsolicited email and will not be sold to a third party.
 
Back to Episode