Tracking Down a Leak, Old World Troweled Wall Finish, Hanging Heavy Objects • HouseCalls Newsletter

Thought for Today: Peace of mind comes from not wanting to change others.” ― Gerald G. Jampolsky

How a Moisture Meter Solved the Mystery of an Overnight Ceiling Leak

Waking up one morning to a major water leak in the family room ceiling was bad enough; but not knowing where it came from made things even more frustrating. Sometimes the source of water leaks is obvious; however, in this case it wasn’t. Try as I might I couldn’t find or replicate the problem. What’s more, since I didn’t want a repeat performance, the ceiling damage couldn’t be repaired until the mystery was solved. An inexpensive electronic moisture meter transformed me from a perplexed homeowner into a regular leak detective.

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How to Create a Glazed, Troweled Wall Texture with an Authentic Aged Look

Faux finishing, the art of making a surface look like something it is not, has interested me since the days when I was an antique furniture restorer. Many techniques rely solely on layers of colored pigments to create the illusion of depth and three-dimensionality. This technique creates actual texture on a wall, then, accentuates the effect with pigmented glazes. The result, is quite convincing and the process is simpler than you may think.

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Five Ways to Hang Heavy Objects on Walls

It’s one thing to hang a smaller piece of artwork or framed photo and quite another to fasten objects that are either, in themselves heavy, or may carry heavy loads. Here are five hanging devices that will support anything from wall mirrors to book-laden shelves to display cabinets. Some, as you’ll see, work better than others.

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Poll Results

From this week's special cold weather edition.

What Best Describes Your Take on Attic Insulation?

I have to put myself in the "definitely could use more" category. I've insulated part of my garage workshop, but not all of it. As a result, I know I'm spending more than necessary on heating. If you’re wondering why I haven’t gone ahead and finished the job, the only reasons I can come up with are procrastination and too much stuff on my honey-do list.

Another thing that would improve heating efficiency in the shop is a ceiling fan. Setting the fan rotation so that it pulls cooler air up from the floor would displace warm air trapped near the rafters and push the heat back down into the work area where it’s needed.