Dear Ken: How do I know whether my microwave is safe? — John

Answer: The hinges, doors and seals on older microwaves can loosen over time, allowing radiation to leak around the edges. If your model is newer — say, 15 years or younger — it’s likely OK. You could hire a home inspector to check it, or you could buy a leak detector for less than $30.

The standard test when checking for radiation is to scan about 2 inches from the door. So, just as we used to warn kids to stay back from cathode ray-type color TVs, it’s best to remain a foot or so back from the microwave — no matter its age — while heating food.

P.S. If you have fluorescent lights in the kitchen, turn them off as they can interfere with the leak detection test.

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Dear Ken: Every year I get ice dams on my roof, and I end up with a sheet of ice around the gutters and on the sidewalk. What can I do to avoid this? — Lauren

Answer: Ice dams, or buildups at the bottom edge of the roof, are common in this region, especially along northern exposures. Apply heat cable in a zigzag pattern along the lowest roof shingles and also drop one inside any downspouts that have frozen in the past. Modern heat cables are quite reliable as they are controlled by an attached computer that activates when the temperature drops below about 37 degrees.

One common cause of ice dams is inadequate attic insulation and minimal venting up there. That can trap warmer air along the underside of the roof and thus exacerbate the problem.

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Dear Ken: Two of our basement walls are deteriorating. The paint is buckling and there is mildew behind some posters. What can we do? — Kate

Answer: The soil behind the basement foundation is probably wet and forcing water vapor into the drier room space. These problems usually are best tackled from the outside. Make sure the soil in that area slopes away from the house. If there is plastic under decorative rocks or bark, remove it. Finally, divert all downspouts well away with flex pipe.

It also will help to lower the basement humidity. Install a bath fan, ducted to the outdoors and plugged into a timer, somewhere in the center of the basement. Run it a couple of hours each morning to pull fresh, drier air from upstairs into the space. When you hang your objets d’art in that room, add some spacers, such as stick-on plastic bumpers, to allow air circulation behind them.

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Dear Ken: I hate the condo association’s sprinkler winterization. They put this ugly chunk of insulation around the pipes on the side of the building. Is it really necessary after the system has been blown out? — Wes

Answer: As long as the main system valve has been closed and the drain valves opened inside and out, the insulation is superfluous.

The overarching theory of insulation is that it works only if there is heat on one side and cold on the other. Once the insulation and the pipes get to the ambient outside temperature, the covering simply becomes an unnecessary adornment. It’s an old habit that they need to disabuse themselves of. In fact, I don’t blow out my system because I winter-water occasionally; even so, my pipes are bare. As long as they are full of air, there’s no jeopardy.

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Dear Ken: What do you think of those plug-in pest control devices? — Joanne

Answer: There is virtually no research that indicates they are effective. When you first plug it in, there might initially be a startle reflex, but they soon learn that it’s not a threat. I would stick to the age-old remedies, such as spring mouse traps, that are quick and humane. Don’t forget to plug cracks and holes under the edges of your siding and around doors, pipes and other penetrations to keep out spiders and other creepy crawlers. Use caulking, expanding insulation foam or fiberglass insulation batts.

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Dear Ken: I need help in my bathroom. The toilets and sinks develop a pinkish stain in the bowl and around the drains. What causes it and how do you handle it? — Paula

Answer: This can be mineral deposits in the water supply, but it is more likely to be caused by the ubiquitous bacterium Serratia. This bug is omnipresent in this region, found in soil, water, plants, animals and even humans. And the standing water in a toilet bowl is an ideal place for it flourish. Once the chlorine in the water dissipates, this microbe can revive itself and cause that pink, slimy stain. Spray a bleach-containing cleaning product, such as Clorox, Lysol or X-14, into the bowl, under the rim and around drains. Add 1/4 cup of bleach to the toilet tank and let it sit for 10 minutes, then flush twice.

For a while, you’ll have to repeat this disinfecting routine every week or two and more often in warmer weather. But it’s important to stay ahead of the formation of the stain before it becomes permanent.

Ken Moon is a home inspector in the Pikes Peak region. His radio show airs at 4 p.m. Saturdays on KRDO, FM 105.5 and AM 1240. Visit aroundthehouse.com.