Home & Garden

Home Improvement

In his home kitchen, Scott Snyder finds thinking small can be a big plus. Full story »

Chefs' dream kitchens. Serenity and efficiency are the key elements in the kitchen of James and Nancy Laird Full story »

Repairer beware: Nine how-to books called back. Full story »

WIth less money for home improvements, homeowners do it themselves. Full story »

What's the best way to get a window sparkling clean? Readers share their tips, recommend products. Full story »

Q: Our house is about 60 years old with a cinderblock foundation. We are finishing our basement and need to address some water issues. Our basement is very dry; the previous owner said it had not flooded in the 25 years she lived here, and we've had only minor issues with water in extremely wet weather. The walls in... Full story »

Q: We have rugs with pet-urine odor. Of course, the smell is worse when the windows are closed. Need advice on what to do when rugs and padding are to be replaced. Can the floorboards under the carpeting be treated in any way to permanently remove the odor? Some of the carpeting will be replaced with new carpeting and... Full story »

Q: My deck sits about 20 feet from the edge of the woods. There are numerous mosquitoes and flying insects in the evening. What product can I use so that my family can enjoy sitting on the deck in the summer? -- via e-mail A: I recently read about the experience of several people who have successfully sprayed Listerine... Full story »

Q: We are having a serious problem with deer eating our hostas as soon as the leaves are fully out. We haven't been able to enjoy them to full bloom in several years. They also chew on our shrubs in winter. Any suggestions? -- Waitsfield, Vt.  Full story »

Q: What is your position on the replacement of gas hot water heaters? After how many years should one consider replacing the heater? I have a 10-year-old gas hot water heater, which seems to be just fine, but I don't want to wake up some morning with a flood in my basement. Would you recommend replacing the hot water... Full story »

Q:About 35 years ago, we had kitchen cabinets installed (all-wood dark oak). Over the years, they have retained a certain amount of grease and grime. I've tried various degreasers with not much success. The finish is still good. Is there anything that would really be effective in removing the buildup to restore their appearance without ruining the finish? Your... Full story »

Q: My patio is large and made of poured concrete that had a green tint added at the processing plant. That was long ago; the color has faded, and the concrete surface has a dull, drab look. What suggestions can you offer to treat or recoat the surface without creating a slippery surface? -- Mountainside A: Have a concrete contractor... Full story »

Q: My son lives on the first floor of a two-story condo. The building is about 60 years old and was once part of a garden-apartment complex. The upstairs neighbor stays up until 3 a.m. most nights, and although she is not playing loud music or intentionally making any other objectionable sounds, just walking around makes enough noise to... Full story »

Q: We are having a very strange problem with squirrels. We have a white-cedar bench that we bought many years ago. It sits on our front porch. The squirrels have started to gnaw on it. They have started on our wood railings also, and our picnic table is almost gnawed through. It sits on our patio. The picnic table... Full story »