Bella Cosa Blog

Replacing laminate countertops

January 22, 2011

QUESTION: I just got a bid from my contractor to redo my kitchen countertops with laminate. My main question is, why can’t just the laminate be removed from the old countertop and new laminate put back on? That saves having to remove and replace the particleboard. Any divots made during the removal of the laminate [...]

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Siding, insulation and vapor barriers

June 20, 2010

QUESTION: A few years ago I paid my tenant to repair some siding on the south side of my house. I’ve discovered he put the insulation in wrong, with the facing on the outside. My question is what would I possibly need to do other than turning the insulation around and put the facing on [...]

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Where to find a good shower head

March 31, 2010

QUESTION: Where can I get a shower head with a prodigious flow rate? Which is your favorite plumbing supply store in the San Rafael area? I want to go to where the pros shop for this one. ANSWER: I go to several plumbing supply places, mostly located here in San Rafael. Below is a list and if [...]

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Securing a banister to a plaster wall

February 16, 2010

QUESTION: I thought to ask you what material I could use to make a banister repair that continues to loosen on me. I have made this repair two or three times and as soon as I forget and put a little weight on the end of the banister it fails. I have plaster wall and [...]

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Selecting and installing vapor barriers

December 24, 2009

QUESTION: I’ve been told to use 6-millimeter black plastic for my vapor barrier, instead of clear plastic. Why? How much of an overlap should I allow when installing the vapor barrier? ANSWER: The reason 6-mil black polyethylene works better than clear is because the black plastic slows the growth of plants, which can occur even [...]

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Potential dangers of covering up a floor vent

December 10, 2009

QUESTION: The contractor I’ve been working with told me that the vent in my laundry room floor can be covered up since I will have a louvered door to the room. How can I check the building code to confirm that? Are there any reasons I should not cover the vent? ANSWER: Initially I would [...]

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