Home › Home

Home Section

Robert Lamoureux: Shower enclosures are hard to remove
Hello Mr. Lamoureux, I have a shower enclosure, which is one single piece including the tub, three walls and doors. There was a leak between my closet and the shower. When they opened that wall to make the repair, we noticed there was mold growing on the studs and on the inside of the enclosure. I do not just want it cleaned, I want everything replaced! I've measured the enclosure every possible way and it ...

	Coyotes in the 'hood Personally, I don't enjoy being startled out of a deep, 2 a.m. sleep by the sound of coyotes shredding a cat. The cat sets up quite a fuss, until it finally gives up the ghost, at which point the coyotes all set up a brag. This scenario has played out several times on the hillside behind my home over the years, most recently just a few weeks ago. It kind of makes it hard to go back to sleep.
	At home in ‘Chateau Hann’ Shelley and G. Marshall Hann have lived in the Santa Clarita Valley for 19 years, most of their time was spent in Stevenson Ranch. However, last year Shelley Hann found her dream home on a quiet cul-de-sac in Westridge.
	Floribundas bloom freely in SCV The more I look at rose books and roses in the landscape, the more I see floribundas as the best all-around class of roses in so many styles and disciplines. Floribundas, which means “bloom freely,” come in all sizes, shapes, bloom types and colors.
	Robert Lamoureux: Proper way to clean sidewalks, driveways Hello Robert, I’m a long time reader with a first time question. What would you recommend for concrete and brick driveway and sidewalk cleaning? I’d be interested in how to clean some rust stains and prevent from staining again. Is acid safe to use? Sincerely, Jeff B. Hi Jeff, Acid is only as safe as the precautions you take when using it. Some people think just because muriatic acid is used for swimming pools ...
	Exploring 'Man Caves' "... Down the stairs or across the hall, there's a modern day Neanderthal. Yeah down in the cellar where it's cold and dark, in a Barcalounger with a big wet bar, and a 57-inch flat screen TV. Never turns down the surround sound, as he pounds down a few cold rounds and kicks back with his "Rambo" DVD. Don't have to shave don't have to bathe, he can stay down there for days, chillin' ...
	Handy is as handy does It's been one of those days. You got home late, after dark, and your garage door was jammed. So you went around to the front door and the porch light was out. Then you practically broke your door key off turning the sticky front door lock. Then, as you walked by the downstairs bathroom, you slipped in a puddle of water coming from the overfilled toilet tank. Now, as you lie on your back on ...
	Robert Lamoureux: Get to the root of the issue for proper fix Hi Robert, We have underground parking and there is water dripping from the ceiling. I measured out exactly where this leak was and found that there was a root that has lifted the concrete up above. Do you think we can just seal this root with asphalt, or should the root be removed? Paul W. Hi Paul, I would recommend that you first perform a water test to make sure that this is the source ...
	Fire-resistant, California-friendly plants The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has posted a list of plants on the Web site www.bewaterwise.com that are fire resistant and well-suited to Southern California conditions.
	Avoid the firestorm I was up on the hill behind my home on that October day in 2007. The wind almost blew me off the peak and the sky was like something out of “Backdraft” as the smoke from the wildfire screamed overhead. Eerie.
	Inspect for termites before creating play structure Hi Robert, We have a huge trellis in the back yard made from 6x6 supports and 2x8 span beams... but it’s probably more than 15 years old and we were told that it’s got termites in it when we moved into this house 7 years ago... we were told to expect to replace the whole thing in about 5 years. It’s still strong it seems and I’d like to attach a few climbing accessories ...
	Fertilizer fast facts for a beautiful lawn Get the facts on fertilizers and make the right choice for your lawn. The set of numbers on each bag shows the amount of three key nutrients for grass health — nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. So a bag with the numbers 20-10-10 contains 20 percent nitrogen, 10 percent phosphorus and 10 percent potassium. The remaining 60 percent is inert and filler material that helps transmit the nutrients to the plant. Synthetic fertilizers are manufactured through ...
	Robert Lamoureux: HOA is off base on rotten roof Mr. Lamoureux, I have got a big problem with my condominium complex. We had a leak in our upstairs bedroom ceiling. They sent some people out to take a look at it and then I get a bill for $4,800 for damages we caused to our roof. We have an air conditioner/heater unit up on the roof with a leaking condensation line that had rotted the roof instead of channeling down into the gutter. Are ...
	Swimming pretty in the SCV Maybe you went out of town for the Memorial Day weekend. If so, maybe you’re still stalling on your pre-summer pool preparation. Maybe you’re afraid to even look under the pool cover — and haven’t since last fall. Well, before something crawls up out of the green, swampy depths, or the mosquito abatement folks come a-knockin, get ’er done.
	A variable speed pool pump can reduce costs In addition to the typical pool repairs and installations, Pools by Ben now features the installation of variable speed pool pumps. These provide a number of benefits over single speed pumps. Most importantly, they save energy. Though the variable speed pumps run continuously, they move the water slower than single speed pumps, which run intermittently. Because of the physics involved, moving the water slower, all the time, is much more energy efficient than moving it ...
	Every little drop saved counts With little rainfall and hot and dry summer months, the valley must carefully manage finite water supplies. So throughout the year, Castaic Lake Water Agency is asking all customers to rethink water consumption and to reduce water usage by 10 percent. Here are some easy ways you can conserve:
	Robert Lamoureux: On the hook for permit issues? Hi Robert, We enjoy reading your very informative column. In 2006 we hired a local, reputable and licensed contractor for a major remodel of our home. Interior work included the addition of electrical outlets, wiring for ceiling fans, installation of an electric whirlpool bathtub (in a bathroom previously containing only a shower unit), removal of a non-load-bearing interior wall and installation of new doors and windows throughout. Outside, electrical light fixtures were installed onto our ...
	Are you ready for the drought? Pssst. Hey buddy, Come close, listen up and keep this to yourself. I’ve found the secret to water conservation in the yard. It’s simple.
	The beauty of stone Whether used indoors or outdoors, stone adds warmth and character that no other building material can deliver. Once, only the very wealthy could afford homes graced by the sophistication of stone. But with today’s manufactured stone veneer products, stone’s exquisite looks are within the reach of a wide range of homeowners.
	Learn the best way to preserve fresh cut flowers Fresh flowers have the power to lift our spirits. Even a tiny vase of pansies can dress up a windowsill. To get the most life out of our cut flowers, it’s important to cut them at the right time and treat them with care. Here are some tips for prolonging the life of your flowers.
	Spring Home & Garden Show If you’ve ever found yourself days-deep and dollars-down into a home improvement project, only to discover that you overlooked something very important and you NOW have to call in an expert to bail you out — then you can appreciate those unusual souls who get help from experts BEFORE they dive in. It’s sort of like reading the math chapter before you attempt the problems at the end of the chapter — a bit of a no-brainer.
	Robert Lamoureux: Low water pressure vexes HOA residents Hello Mr. Lamoureux, We live in an HOA and our water pressure is very low. We had a plumber come out and he said that, “The city is bringing it in at 55 pounds of pressure which should be fine.” I don’t know if this is high or low, but our shower pressure, especially upstairs is very, very low. He also said some people take off the prv and this would help with the pressure. ...
	Smart gardening is water-wise Check your watch. Depending on what time you are reading this, you might have to put down your coffee and dash out your door. Don't even bother to fix your bed-hair, and no one will care if you forget your socks.
	Robert Lamoureux: Low NOx means less hot water Hi Robert, I hope you can help answer some questions I have about water heaters. My water heater sprung a leak about a month ago, so we had it replaced. The plumbing company put in a new Bradford White unit model # U45036FRN Ultra Low Nox series 50-gallon 40,000 BTU's. I had a unit before - also a 50-gallon. The problem I have with this new unit is after two people in our house take ...
	Smart Gardening workshop Today, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Castaic Lake Water Agency, 27234 Bouquet Canyon Road (above Central Park) (Note: The CLWA Open House runs concurrently with the Smart Gardening Workshop.) The Los Angeles County Department of Public Works Environmental Programs Division sponsors the Smart Gardening Program. Smart Gardening Workshops cover all of the Smart Gardening program components in a presentation of approximately two hours in length. Each component provides residents with tools and techniques necessary to ...
	CLWA Conservatory Garden and Learning Center Located on the hill above Central Park, the Castaic Lake Water Agency's Conservatory Garden and Learning Center is a community project put on by CLWA in an effort to increase water awareness in the Santa Clarita Valley.