Mike Klimek

Is your house plagued by the frightening sound of banging pipes? It’s probably not evil spirits, but an easy-to-remedy issue known as water hammer.

Ask the Handyman: I’ve heard a lot about the dangers of carbon monoxide in the home. Would I be smart to install a carbon monoxide alarm?

There are many choices in wood flooring, including laminated, real wood and engineered products.

It’s a good idea to change the weatherstripping when you see daylight or, in my case, when you smell something foul.

Many people complain about the annoying “chirp” indicating a weak battery, but knowing the detector is completely broken is enough to keep anyone awake at night.

Gutters will catch the rainfall and divert it. I prefer vinyl gutters because they are durable and assemble by snapping the pieces together.

I suggest that you attempt this repair yourself only if the pipes are PVC. If your house isn’t too old, you probably have PVC or a plastic pipe.

Home centers stock three types: a chain drive (starting at about $170), a screw drive model and a belt drive (each $200 or more).

A new 40-gallon gas water heater with a six-year warranty costs about $600. If you do it yourself, plan on four hours or so for the job.

Whether you buy a new or used dishwasher, they all install the same way in the same space.

Ground-fault circuit interrupters are usually found in the kitchen, baths, garage and outdoors. A new GFCI will cost less than $20 and take about 30 minutes to install.

Q: I have a bathtub/shower combination, and when I pull the knob on top of the spout to start the shower, only a little water comes out of the showerhead while most of it comes out of the tub spout. Do I have a clog in the pipe or is this a water pressure problem?

Bi-fold doors are good because they don’t take up as much space as swinging doors but, boy, can they be temperamental. They are hinged in the middle to allow them to fold open rather than swing open.

Before deciding whether to repair the fence or replace it, test its strength. If most of the framework feels solid, I would repair it. If most of the posts are falling down, it’s probably best to rebuild.

When installing a grab bar, make sure it is solidly anchored to the wall. The wall framing will dictate where the grab bar will be placed.