House Renovation Tips

Position the new glass in the opening. Lay glazing points about 6 inches apart against the glass. Use a putty knife to wiggle them into the frame. Knead glazing compound to make it warm and pliable. Then roll it into a snake shape and press it in place. To smooth the compound, start at one [...]

Wearing gloves, pull out the glass shards. Remove the old glazing compound (soft, putty-like material that seals glass to window sash and sometimes to doors) one of these ways:
Rolling: Ease the corner of a scraper between the putty and the sash. Gradually roll the blade deeper till the putty gives way.
Scoring: Run a utility knife [...]

Leaking or poorly insulated ducts are a common and serious problem in forced air systems, affecting comfort, health, and economy.
Start by inspecting all of the ductwork in your system. If you find places where the duct was never installed or connected, or has broken free from the adjoining duct or register, call a competent contractor [...]

To flush a hot water heating system, follow these steps:
1. Turn the system off and close the water feed valve to the boiler. Let the system cool.
2. Connect a hose to the drain valve that’s located on the bottom of the boiler, and run the hose to an indoor or outdoor drain.
3. Open the air [...]

These heating systems use pipes to distribute hot water to radiators located in various rooms of the house. Modern hot water systems use an electric pump to circulate the water. Valves control the amount of heat that is distributed to each zone. The heating cycle is completed as the water gives up its heat in [...]

Basic warm-ups
Maximize the effect of passive solar heat in winter. Keep all the curtains and shades open during the day on the side of the house where the sun comes in. (This is all day on the south side, morning on the east and afternoon on the west.) The warmth from the sun warms the [...]

Big or small stove?
Are you trying to choose between one large wood stove and two smaller ones? Usually one large one works better. It takes larger chunks of wood, can burn longer fires and cuts maintenance and cleaning time in half. In some cases, though, such as in a ranch-style house, two stoves are necessary [...]

It’s easy to clean your own chimney - if you don’t mind getting dirty. You can find an appropriate-size chimney brush at a hardware or wood stove store. Lay a drop cloth in your fireplace or at the base of your chimney to catch the falling creosote. Push the brush up the chimney, scrubbing back [...]

Even if you use your chimney only for a central heating system, be sure to clean it. Soot can build up in the chimney, and birds may nest in it during the summer.
Clean your chimney prior to each heating season and when inspection reveals a buildup of Va” or more of creosote. A chimney positioned [...]

Old chimneys were built without flue liners. The mason simply applied a layer of plaster to the inside of the chimney as he built it. If you have an old chimney that’s in need of repair, consider adding a flue liner instead of rebuilding the chimney. The former approach is much less expensive than the [...]