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Tip of
the week:
Fluorescent lighting
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If your
fluorescent ceiling light is humming and flickering, and there are
eight generations of dead insects on the upper side of the lens,
read on.
There is nothing more energy-efficient or easier on
the eyes than fluorescent lighting. We tend to take it for granted
because there is such a long interval between bulb changes.
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Using a stepladder,
remove and wash the lenses and change all the bulbs. If flickering
continues, replace the ballast unit. They cost about $8 or $10 each
and take about 20 minutes to install. Your kitchen will be brighter
and your eyes will feel better.
Q & A
Q. Chris asks: The paint on my
outside wall is peeling. What is the best way to remove it before I
put on a new coat of paint? 
A. Paint removal by a
do-it-yourselfer is most easily accomplished with a pressure washer.
Although pressure washers are available for rent, if you are a
homeowner we suggest you seriously consider buying one. The uses
around the house are endless. But you need to be careful. If you
aren't, you could damage the siding below. Pressure-washing takes
patience, attention to the matter at hand and a careful touch.
Once you have finished pressure-washing, you might want to
touch things up with a paint scraper. Also, sand areas where the
pressure washer lifted the wood grain. Next, use sandpaper to
feather in all the edges between the remaining paint and any bare
wood. Finally, apply a coat of high-quality, oil-base primer and
then your finish coat. We suggest high-quality acrylic latex.
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