Tag: ken moon
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Around the House: Water line insurance likely not needed
Dear Ken: I got a flyer in the mail that offered to sell me water line insurance for that line that goes out to the street for about $65 a year. Do you think this is a good deal? — Hannah Answer: Not really. The chance of a water line causing problems is slim. It’s…
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Around the House: Time to give your lawn some attention
I hope you kept up with your winter watering when conditions were dry. These here-today- gone-tomorrow snowstorms are fine, but we have had fairly minimal soil percolation. You can tell how your landscape is doing by probing with a simple moisture meter or by poking into the topsoil with your finger. Anyway, this is the…
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Around the House: Take these steps with carbon monoxide detectors. It could save your life.
Dear Ken: I know you should put the carbon monoxide detector somewhere upstairs, but why not in the furnace room too? — Daniel Answer: It can’t hurt, but the primary aim is protecting the family. The biggest concern is carbon monoxide coming from the heating vents in the living area. People are most vulnerable to…
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Around the House: Furnace starts up with a blast of cold air
Dear Ken: I have a crawl space. When the furnace comes on, there is a blast of cold air through the ducts. Is that OK? — Karen Answer: It happens in all houses. When the furnace starts up, it has to push that dead air out of the duct system first. Most of us have…
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Around the House: Help, our new furnace needs a silencer
Dear Ken: We had a furnace installed and you can hear the blower all over the house. Is this normal? — Jill Answer: New furnaces are noisier. That’s because there’s an extra motor to kick out fumes plus thinner metal is required for greater energy efficiency. Make sure there is a rubber isolation collar somewhere…
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Around the house: Save money by turning down thermostat at night
Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Dear Ken: We set our thermostat to 67 degrees in the day and 60 at night. Are we saving money? Also, it takes about 1 ½ hours to get it back up to 67 in the morning. Is that too long? — Sam Answer: You…
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Around the house: Save money by turning down thermostat at night
Dear Ken: We set our thermostat to 67 degrees in the day and 60 at night. Are we saving money? Also, it takes about 1 ½ hours to get it back up to 67 in the morning. Is that too long? — Sam Answer: You definitely are saving heating dollars. I like your temperature spread;…
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Around the house: Older microwaves could be leaking radiation so take these steps to ensure safety
Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save 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 —…
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Around the house: Older microwaves could be leaking radiation so take these steps to ensure safety
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…