Q.  My husband and I have recently brought a house. We cannot decide on our kitchen. We have white cabinets with silver hardware. We are purchasing stainless steel appliances. We cannot decide on what kind of ceramic tile and wall color to go with. Please help? A. With all of the stainless steel, you might want…

Question for Our Experts: How often should I change my HVAC filters – and are washable filters better than regular ones? Our Experts’ Answer: This question begs some related questions to be asked first.  Here’s how we’d break-down the answer (and explanation) to this question about filters: In general, what types of filters are available…

Q.  My husband and I have just purchased a 1979 two-story house with a sunken living room which has carpet.  We want to install hardwood floors, but how do we do it when the carpet goes up about 6 inches on the wall?  Above that is baseboard, and above that is the wall.  Please help…

Questions for Our Experts: How to Balance Your HVAC System My friend suggested that my HVAC system needs to be ‘balanced.’  What does this mean, and why might I need this? How to Balance an HVAC System’s Air Flow | What Does It Mean to Balance an HVAC System? | What Is an Example of…

Q.  My fireplace is brick (house 27 yrs old); the brick is dull, and I want to brighten it up. I have cleaned the brick and it is not dull. Please help! A. You have many options available to you depending on your budget. Painting the brick would always be the least expensive. Other options would…

Question for Our Experts: How can I troubleshoot a sump pump? Our Experts’ Answer: Several things could potentially cause a sump pump to stop working, including loss of power, motor failure, float control failure, pump failure, piping failure, and crusting.  This last one is a particularly relevant one that might not immediately occur to you. …