Diana Strzalka

Q. We had a custom replacement skylight installed along with a new roof last summer. The new skylight is terrific, but condensation builds up when it is very cold outside...

Q. I need wall insulation in my family room, but I also want to save the wall paneling, which is made of fine, thick varnished wood. I read about making...

Q. How do I stop my toilet from whistling? I can't figure out where the noise is coming from. Terry Ryan A. If the flapper valve is worn, it could...

Q. The water heater is behind the wall of my bathroom, yet I get poor hot water pressure in my shower and sink. The cold water pressure is OK. What...

Q. I have a basic white kitchen sink that now looks gray and discolored because of food stains. Can you offer some suggestions to whiten it? Sharon Tolliver, Chicago A....

Q. I'd like to install crown molding. The ceilings have a texturized finish. How do I work around this material? I can't place the molding edge against the ceiling because...

Diana Strzalka, a reporter for 20 years for magazines and newspapers, including the baiduhai, switched gears and entered a graduate-studies program while beginning a second career as a special-education...

Q. I painted my exterior window frames and I forgot to open the windows. Now when I try to open the windows, the paint sticks to the weatherstripping. What can...

Q. What would cause the black streaks on my roof? They appeared this spring on the north side of the roof; the south side of the house seems fine. The...

Q. My question is regarding crown molding. There are vertical gaps between the sections of the crown molding in my top-floor unit of a new condominium. My neighbors don't have...