Peter Hotton - Boston.com

How to stop birds from nesting behind shutters

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:20:37 GMT

Q. We are having our house painted, and this seems an ideal time to deal with a big problem we had in recent years. Birds perch/live behind our shutters on all sides of the house, and their poop has created streaks on the house that look terrible. Before the shutters are put back up, is there anything we can do to stop them from moving back in? Our painter suggested carpet strips. Any help would be appreciated.

How do you remove blood stains and burn marks?

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 05:23:04 GMT

Globe handyman Peter Hotton is here for your dilemmas.

How can he prep and repaint his old radiators?

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 05:36:03 GMT

Q. I have a number of cast-iron radiators on the first floor of my house (circa 1929). For those that are in the bathrooms, where there really isn’t room for a radiator cover, the paint is in tough shape. Short of removing them, and sending them out for refinishing (would this involve sandblasting?), what is the best way for a homeowner to prep and refinish? Obviously, there are many hard to reach areas on a radiator that would make prep and re-painting difficult, so any tips are welcome. Also, any thoughts on how to clean (or make more presentable) the steam pipes that come up from the floor into the radiators? ED HUDSON, Natick

Why hot water in kitchen but not bath?

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 06:08:42 GMT

Q. I can’t seem to get hot water in my bathroom. I get just enough for a shower, but filling the tub is out of the question. I had to fill the tub with pots of water from my kitchen faucet because the spigot on the tub was only giving me lukewarm water. Why is the kitchen water hot but not the bathroom? A. If you have an anti-scald valve, a round plate with a handle at the bottom of the round fixture that you can switch from tub to shower and vice versa, and the water flow is very low, I think that you have not pushed the handle all the way to “tub.” If that doesn’t work, call your favorite plumber. You may need a new valve.

Does she need a sump pump in her basement?

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 06:52:02 GMT

Q. My duplex has a common basement divided by a wall. My neighbor has installed a sump and a pump, but some water finds its way across his floor and under the wall into my space. I don’t mind that, but he does, and wants me to install a sump and a pump on my side to stop that overflow. Would that work?

Why you should never rake on a pitched roof

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 07:46:58 GMT

Q. When is it necessary to use a roof rake? I have a relatively steep-pitched slate roof colonial.

Can she flatten out factory finished wood planks?

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 06:41:54 GMT

Q. A few months ago I had a pinhole leak from a bathroom sink, which leaked through the living room ceiling and left water puddled on the floor. The floor is factory finished wood planks. I got the water up as quickly as I could, but in one section of the floor the planks curl up a bit on the edges. Anything I can do to get them flat again?

A warning on rusting deck joist hangers

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 06:43:38 GMT

Chris Neurath sent this long note that is important enough to run in the Handyman’s column: “You may have given bad advice that leads to safety issues when you said not to worry about deck joist hangers that were ‘rusting a lot.’ ”(ARTHUR, chat room 1/17/13)

Why is his hardwood floor cupping?

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 06:49:34 GMT

Peter Hotton tackles three questions on hardwood floors.

Can a do-it-yourselfer repair a threshold — or replace the entire door, frame, and threshold?

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 06:29:05 GMT

Q. The threshold on my back door is splitting. I’d like to repair it, or replace the entire door, frame, and threshold. I can’t afford to have it done. How hard is it to install a prehung door? What kind of door should I get, and where? The wood door has a half glass window in the top part.

How can he stop the leaks?

Mon, 31 Dec 2012 19:47:34 GMT

Q. I live in a brownstone southeast of Boston and we have chased water leaks for the 15 years that I’ve been here. We have repointed the brick exterior, put on a new roof, completely rebuilt our wood bay. We have hired about a half-dozen contractors over the years and spent close to $100,000 but the leaks continue especially with wind-driven rain.

Why does his bathroom sink only leak occasionally?

Mon, 24 Dec 2012 23:08:51 GMT

Q. Our problem is that there is an occasional leak under our 1929-era, pedestal bathroom sink as well as an occasional leak from one of the pipes going into the wall. The two leaks are not always synchronized. How can the leaks be only occasional, and what could be causing the leak from under the sink?

Why does the water in his washing machine stink?

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 06:18:55 GMT

Q. Peter, the water in my clothes washer when it is washing smells bad. The washer works fine, but the gray water stinks. Any suggestions?

What do you need to know before getting a new roof?

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 06:55:43 GMT

Q. I’m ready for a new roof. I’d like to know from you everything I should be aware of concerning roofs.

Why is the water very hot sometimes and other times not?

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 06:29:44 GMT

Q. My condo is six years old. Sometimes I get really hot water in my shower, and sometimes I don’t. My plumber removed the regulator, but now it can be very hot and other times not so hot. What do you suggest?

Fixing slippery wood steps

Thu, 08 Nov 2012 06:11:43 GMT

Q. I recently discovered a bird’s nest in the exhaust fan over my kitchen stove. I usually hear them chirping in the early morning, but then the noise goes away. How would I take care of getting rid of it?