Back in my contractor days, I had a kid who worked for me named Chris. One of his favorite sayings was “Are you bummin’ or are you plumbin’?” I guess there are different ways to …

Since the Christmas season is upon us, it is a time when I start working in the house.

Physics and technology are often not well understood by the media. There recently was a program on TV about heating. The presenter referred to hot water heating baseboards as radiators. This is a simple mistake, but there is very little heat that comes off a baseboard by radiation. These heating …

There are times that serendipity crosses my path. We have been working on a new type of wood boiler. Part of its unique design is that you feed wood into it vertically. This allows for simpler …

Last week someone told me about their old house. It has been an ongoing project for the past 20 years or so. The focus of the work was to cut the heating costs. It has been insulated, had new roofs …

Now that the days are so short, I have to admit to spending more time in front of the TV than I should. One program that I have forced myself to watch is “IRT Deadliest Roads.” I hate this …

Last week I had a chance to talk with Jim Dill of the University of Maine’s Cooperative Extension Pest Management Group. We discussed bedbugs, everyone’s favorite topic. As a child of the …

I used to live next door to someone who had a regular routine for autumn. He had bought several rolls of 2-foot-wide fiberglass insulation with shiny kraft paper on it. Every October, the fiberglass would come out and be unrolled around the perimeter of the house. He then would install …

The concept of superinsulation is becoming more pervasive. Finally, builders and developers realize that energy costs are really an issue.

A major issue with pet ownership is the fact that the animals have to answer the call of nature.

When the first home improvement box store opened in Bangor, many moons ago, the best feature to me was the lighting department. On a cold winter day, walking into that store brought you directly into …

Jimmy Carter wrote an autobiography recently. As he is interviewed about his term as president, the conversation inevitably comes to the installation of solar collectors on the White House. It is …

Summer is waning, but I continue to mow lawns. The revenge of the lawn has trumped all my efforts to stunt its growth by cutting the grass too short. The wonder of the place where I live is that …

One of my sons had a car accident recently. The car was totaled but fortunately no one was injured. There was only basic insurance coverage, so we started the new (used) car search. Being male and …

On Jan. 1, 2011, the International Building Code will require fire sprinklers installed in all new one- and two-family homes and townhouses.

There I sit, working at relaxation. It is overcast and just about twilight. A quick glance out the window, and I see a very fast flying creature.

If you check out the Efficiency Maine website, there is a section that has annual reports about solar installations in Maine: www.efficiencymaine.com/documents-services/reports#solar. It is interesting reading for anyone who is curious about what kinds of solar projects are being installed in Maine and what they cost the consumer. It might …

Time to talk winter. The days are getting shorter and summer is basically done. Are you ready yet?