Ceramic, marble, slate, and quarry tile floors can be damaged by heavy objects. Cracks that develop in the grout can be repaired with premixed grout from a home center, which typically comes in a color that matches. Joints can shrink where the ceramic tile meets the bathtub or shower area. Periodic caulking is required. (more…)

What you need to do is try to reduce that intensity. One way is to buy a humidifier, which introduces some moisture into a dry, tight house. Another way is to avoid overheating the house in the winter, which will dry out a tight house even more. (more…)

The one advantage that owners of new homes have over most owners of older homes is that usually no surprises behind the walls have to be tackled before renovation can begin. They can expect fast gratification with few worries about something else going wrong that will make spending all that money look like the wrong decision. (more…)