This happens often. Try to line up your door keeper (the brass hole thing on the jamb,) with your door handle latch. You have to remove the brass keeper that holds the door closed and find your new alignment.

When you remove the brass keeper use a wood chisel and hammer and cut out the wood to adjust the hole to match the latch to close. You may have to raise the hole on your jamb or lower it until the hole matches the door latch.

Then using the hammer and chisel, copy the way the brass keeper was installed already. Using your wood chisel cut out the wood for the keeper to be re- installed again to line up again and it should work for you now. Hope this works, Regards,

The insides of my basement walls are flaking away, probably due to moisture leaking through. What is the best way to repair the damage to the walls? Some of the flaking is now 2-3 inches deep. Is a cement sealer OK to prevent further damage in areas where the flaking isn't too deep? John C. Port Huron

I hate water leaks they are nightmares. There are some good water sealers on the market and most large hardware stores can help you. First I would suggest that you talk to some builders in your area. The big thing on basements is the make sure you have a French drain installed the right way.

Call the local homebuilders Assoc. and ask them for phone numbers of a good waterproofing contractor so you can have someone come out and look at your basement. You need to find out what is causing the moisture problem first and fix that. Sorry I couldn't help better.

Hi. I hope you can help me salvage a project I've started. My brick front steps were coming loose due to the mortar cracked and water leaked into the steps and froze. I thought I could handle the job of repointing the brickwork, but once I got into the job, I discovered that the supporting bricks under the step were disintegrating. So, I tried to lay a couple of courses of new bricks for the first time.

It wasn't as easy as I thought it would be! Anyway, I finished in a few hours and was satisfied in that the new step was level and matched my others. The only problem arose when I tried to clean the excess mortar off the bricks. I didn't know that it would be so hard! I used muriatic acid(undiluted) with a wire brush and it still didn't come off! Now, I have a step that looks like it's covered in mud! Please tell me that I don't have to break up my new step and start over! Thanks! Mike B.

Murray Gula:

Bad news. It's hard to get mortar off brick when it sets up. You sound like you have done all the right things. Keep using wire brush and a scraper. If all fails think about sand blasting or tiling over the steps to hide the problem. Good Luck

We currently have a cement floor covered front porch on the front of our home. We would like to install a wood floor over the existing cement to give the house a traditional wood porch look. The Front door is elevated 5 - 6 inches above the existing floor so raising the floor will not require raising the door. The problem is if we raise the floor by adding firing strips and the floor boards the result would require us to raise the cement steps leading up to the porch.

I would like to do this without changing the steps. We could probably get by if we only had to raise the floor surface by 1 inch or less. Could this be done by using something similar to the floating floor product or by using only 1/4 inch firing strips to create a very small air space below the boards? Bud

Hi Bud: Yes, You can use the floating floors and they work super. However, my concern is moisture. Is your porch all enclosed? If not you will need treated material that will hold up. Now, you can us 1x2 treated material as the furring strip and than us 1x4 treated for the decking.

The way to attach the furring strip to the concrete floor is with liquid nailer and than nail the 1x4's to the strips. This will bring your steps up a small amount. However, if this is a concern than strip out each step the same way as your porch and no one will notice. Good luck and let me know how it all works out.

Two years ago my house was in a flood in St Claire Shores and has never dried up. I have mold in the bedrooms and closets. We have tried a fan under the house, lime under the house and we bleached all the walls. Our clothes and shoes mold constantly. I'm out of ideas on how to fix this problem and the winter only makes it worse. I was told by a marine store to try heat rods under the house. Please give me any suggestions you may have to fix this problem. Thank you, Karen

Karen, My heart goes out to you. Mold and mildew is an on going problem for all of us. Regarding your flood, I'm sure you removed all the wet insulation inside your walls high enough where you got into dry insulation. I'm also sure you allowed time for your walls to dry out and sprayed 1/2 water and 1/2 Clorox before you patched every thing back.

If all of this is in order lets move on. Now, check your A/C and make sure your unit is dehumidifying like it is supposed to. Mold and mildew can grow inside our homes very easily if your A/C is not performing. Also look into a "Windworker" to help to pull out moisture in your attic and home. You can call my office and I will be glad to tell you more about this new product. See my site at (www.whocanbuildit.com) for my phone numbers.

What can I do to reduce or stop my plumbing from vibrating when I turn the water on and off." Larry

You may need to bleed your lines to restore your expansion air chamber. Over years of use, expansion lines may lose the air that is needed to properly allow for expansion when you turn your water on and off. Also, check your pipes to make sure that they are tight against the wall.

Be sure to inspect your plumbing fixtures, you may have a washer or seat loose. Also look into new ceramic disk fixtures they have stopped the hammer noise. Cheers!"

What is the best in-home air filtration system. I have allergies and I own an electronic air filter system. The systems works fine but makes a clicking noise. Do you have any suggestions?" Polly W.

Electronic filters are the best so you’re on the right track. I owned an electronic air filter and had good success. The clicking noise is good, that sound means it's working by zapping pollen and pollutants. There are some pretty good portable air cleaners that you keep plugged in around your home and they do run all the time. I have seen them and I was impressed. I to have allergies and understand where your coming from. I have built homes for families that have our same problem and have study ways for solutions. Suggestions: You may already be in-tune with the suggestions, however, I feel compelled to pass these along anyway.

1. Remove as much carpet as possible in your home and install hard surface floors. For example, hardwood, tile, marble, bricks, or concrete. Carpet is probably the worst floor covering a home can have. Carpet often contains chemicals such as formaldehyde, flame retardant, mothproofing agents, and stain retardant, etc... Did you know old carpet can contain up to 10 Million organisms per square foot? As we travel from room to room, we kick up small invisible clouds of potentially allergenic materials.

2. Try to use natural varnishes and waxes if you have hardwood floors.

3. Carpet of natural materials like wool that is used in "Berber" carpets is good.

4. Consider hard surfaces for kitchen counter tops.

5. Air duct line can accumulate microscopic mold spores and mites. Have them cleaned by a local licensed duck cleaning company. A book that might help is "Healthy Home, Healthy Kids" written by Dr. Joyce M. Schoemaker

Keep me posted if this helps. Also check into the Honey Well air filter system. Good luck on clean air breathing.

Can an old bathtub be refinished?" B. Roberts

I get this same question often on my radio program in Detroit. Yes, your tub can be refinished, interview and check on porcelain refinishing companies in your area. I'm sure there is one in your area. Watch out, because some companies are rip offs. Another concern is the danger of lead. In bathtubs that were manufactured from 1911 and as late as 1984, lead was widely used by most bathtubs manufactures. The lead was used in porcelain as a binding agent in enameling that created the shiny luster on the tubs.

Many tubs with lead are now leaching out and can harm your children. The best way to find out if you have a tub with lead is to get a lead-check swab kit at your hardware store and check your tub. If you refinish your bathtub this will stop the leaching. However, if you find lead, the best way to go is to replace your tub if you can afford it."

What kinds of trees are houses made out of? I know this seems like an odd question, but I can't seem to find the answer anywhere. I thought that maybe you could help me. I appreciate it. Thank you, Jill F. Michigan

Hi Jill: That is a very good question and please feels free to ask any questions. Many houses are made of yellow pine and fir. There may be other tree material; however, these are the ones that come to mind now. Also steel studs are now in the market and will help save our trees.