Problem with stubborn lock may be mechanical
Q. One of the locks in my garage loft is not working at all. I cannot turn the key, and no amount of
FRUSTRATED
A. If you force it, you are sure to break the key. The only thing you can try is to pull the key out just a tad and see if it turns. If you also cannot take the key out, I think the problem is mechanical, in which a bit of the mechanism has dropped a bit, blocking the turn. If all fails, call your locksmith.
Q. My 1991 house has a whole house fan, which worked very well in exhausting air through the metal ridge vent. I could really feel the air flowing through that ridge vent. Recently when I had the roof redone, the roofer put in a new low-profile Cobra ridge vent. Now I cannot feel any air going through that vent. Is it working? It may not be working as well because I cannot get the house as cool with this new set-up than with the old one. The roofer said he would put the old metal ridge vent back on if I wanted it. Would gable vents help?
DON SALVATORE,
Pembroke
A. New ridge vents are truly low profile, and are virtually weatherproof, but usually exhaust less air than the old ones because they don’t have to. I believe you said you had some small round vents spaced quite a bit apart on your soffits (the underpart of the roof’s overhang). Before you put the old ridge vent back, install a soffit vent, a continuous 2-inch-wide screened strip. This may will speed the air flow enough to cool the house as it did before. If not, put the old one back. Gable vents will not add any air flow; they will interfere with the flow through soffit and ridge vents.
If you are now allowing the whole house fan to flow directly through the attic into the ridge vent, try this: Put a large duct on the fan, as big around as the fan itself, leading to a gable wall. This will bypass the ridge vent and if it works to your satisfaction, there is nothing else you have to do.
From Linda R.: This happened in our house a few years ago, and finally, after a lightbulb exploded, and smoke billowed from an electrical outlet, our electrician checked our circuit breakers. He discovered the electricity coming into our house from the electric company was about 30 percent higher than it should have been. Our electrician called the local electric company, and men were sent immediately to check (and fix) their equipment outside. We’ve had no problems since.
From Marty Klein of Andover: May I suggest some simple detective work. Throw the breaker to the house to shut off all power (except perhaps a land-line telephone). See if the buzzing stops. If it does stop, turn the main power back on and throw the individual breakers one at a time to isolate the circuit causing the buzz. Then in the area of the house covered by that breaker, try turning all electrical items and switches on and off. Possible culprits include fluorescent fixtures, dimmers, motors, etc.
From Stephen Driscoll: If Frantic has overhead lines coming to the house it may be a tree branch rubbing against the power, cable, or telephone wires. Cutting the branch will help.
Both Diane of Boxford and Ernie Cormier of Billerica reported having a swarm of bees or other buzzing insects building nests in their houses. Diane wrote, “The buzzing was far more than I would have thought.’’ Added Ernie: “The winter takes care of the problem every time. (Chances are the bugs were wasps, not bees.)
And from Peter Sawistowski: My company, Target Enterprises (508-783-2488), can help if needed. We have solved unusual power and radio frequency issues (typically dealing with interference.) We have the test equipment to measure and diagnose such issues. Glad to help.
Q. My guests are not always so frisky so as to wreck the house but sometimes one forgets there is a screen door on my slider and walks right through it. I am getting tired of replacing that screen. Do you know of any screens that give with the punches when they are kicked, poked, or pushed? Could I put a big “X’’ of masking tape on the screen to alert my friends?
JOE, from West Roxbury
A. One partial cure is to put Gorilla tape on the screen in a big “X’’. You said the screen is fiberglass, so the tape will stick better than on aluminum. The only screen that will give with the punches is one that I have seen at home shows that yields to any kind of pressure, then springs back into place when the pressure is off. Unfortunately I did not take any of that info home, but maybe someone will know what the heck I am talking about.
Handyman on Call also appears in the Globe’s Style & Arts section on Thursdays. Peter Hotton is available 1 to 6 p.m. Tuesdays to answer questions on house repair; call 617-929-2930. Hotton chats online about house matters 2 to 3 p.m. Thursdays, at Boston.com. Hotton can be reached at photton@globe.com. 
