See www.newenglandhomeshows.com for lots more info.
Q. I am having my front porch replaced, and the contractor gave me a lot of good things he will do, including Sonotubes (concrete piers up to grade with 6 x 6 posts supporting the porch, good-sized joists, fiberglass columns, Azek (solid vinyl) trim and railings, and other things that will be as maintenance-free as possible. But I am a little stuck on the flooring. I would like to use vinyl, but I fear it might be slippery when wet. What do you suggest?
DAN, from Merrimac
A. Yes, a vinyl floor can be slippery when wet, but I don’t know of any surface that is not. I suggest you use the pressure-treated 5/4 boards, which are virtually pristine, with no knots or blemishes. While the trim is white, you can stain the treated boards with a semitransparent stain to go with your color scheme. Usually, it is a good idea to wait six months for the boards to dry out before staining them.
Q. The exhaust fan on my range and microwave leads to a soffit vent, which works OK, but when it is off in the winter, the incoming air makes the microwave cold. Is there any way this can be fixed?
SHIVER MY TIMBERS!
A. Call the installer and ask him to put an insulated door in the vent that you can open and close as needed from indoors. It should be insulated with a good seal; a metal damper will not do. It is probably exhausting heated air, in addition to allowing cold air to enter. That is a lot of wasted heat. Another possibility is to eliminate the outdoor vent and let the fan blow its exhaust into the kitchen. When the fan is on, you can open a kitchen window, just a tad.
Q. When I was in the attic in my house with the grandchildren, trying to balance on the floorless joists, my grandkids asked, “What are those dead white things between the joists, with wires going through them?’’ Are they dangerous? There is loose insulation under them, and also insulation that was blown in all my walls.
CONCERNED
