Q. I left a table pad on my dining room table for a bit too long, apparently, because when I took it off it left light, fluffy bits of lint. How can I remove it? (Page H4, 897 words)By: Peter Hotton|Date: Nov 22, 2009

Insulation before new windows Q. My three-decker has nearly 60 windows, single-glazed with storms in reasonable shape. The house has no insulation at all. What to do to save heat? I attended a seminar on weatherproofing and insulation, and the speaker said that new windows would take 45 years to pay back the investment. I really am at a dilemma. (Page G29, 753 words)By: Peter Hotton|Date: Nov 19, 2009

Q. We bought a ski house where there is a high-traffic hallway 4 1/2-by-16 feet long, with the Berber carpet getting grayer by the day, even with scatter rugs and trying to take shoes off. What is the most durable, easy-to-maintain material for this kind of traffic? We have been thinking tile or some of the new linoleums. Any thoughts? (Page H4, 861 words)By: Peter Hotton|Date: Nov 15, 2009

Handyman on call Q. We discovered hairline cracks in the ceramic floor tiles in my 3-year-old house. The longest crack runs from the living room (eight tiles) in a straight line to the adjacent breakfast room (three) tiles. The grout is also cracked. If we replace the damaged tiles, will the new ones crack, too? (The house is built on a slab.) (Page G29, 762 words)By: Peter Hotton|Date: Nov 12, 2009

Q. I am having my cottage reshingled. The walls are sheathed with tongue-and-groove pine and are not insulated, and I don’t need or want insulation. I like the studs and sheathing showing. When installing the shingles, the contractor drove nails through the shingles and clear through the sheathing, not only exposing the nail points but also ripping off big slivers ... (Page H4, 833 words)By: Peter Hotton|Date: Nov 8, 2009

Handyman on call Q. We were told to caulk around doors and windows for energy efficiency. I found that there is no caulking outdoors, and I think it would look bad on my natural shingled Cape. Is it possible that I don’t need it? (Page G35, 727 words)By: Peter Hotton|Date: Nov 5, 2009

Q. I have to replace my front door. It has one side light, and the whole unit is 56-inches wide. The width is apparently odd, because I can’t find an entry to fit that rough opening. Are there any places I can check with to see what kind of a combination will work? (Page H4, 877 words)By: Peter Hotton|Date: Nov 1, 2009

Q. Our plumber drains water and gets our house ready for the winter when we leave for warmer climes. But what can I do with liquids such as cleaners, other liquids, and booze, especially in sealed bottles in danger of exploding? I have been carting them to a warm place, but it requires quite a bit of work. (Page H4, 927 words)By: Peter Hotton|Date: Oct 25, 2009

Q. I had a ridge vent installed some years ago, and I discovered that the installers did not cut an opening in the roof. I had a vent installed properly three years ago, and it worked well enough, but now I cannot see daylight through the vent from inside the attic. There seems to be some kind of shingle in ... (Page H4, 954 words)By: Peter Hotton|Date: Oct 18, 2009

Handyman on call Q. I’m hoping you can tell me what’s happening. My wife and I live in a well-constructed home that’s 12 years old. About two weeks ago, I found a dead gray mouse in the first-floor toilet and last week, I found a foot-long red snake in my second-floor bathroom (I scooped it up in my shirt and let him go ... (Page G29, 523 words)By: Peter Hotton|Date: Oct 15, 2009