Storm windows block the chill in the air

Q: We are losing a lot of heat through our metal-framed basement windows; the cold comes through the glass and we can feel it upstairs. I'd like to install acrylic storm windows on the outside, forming an air space between the inside and outside windows. Any thoughts on this?

A: I did this myself some years ago, and it worked well. You might be able to find ready-made basement storm windows at a building-supply outlet, or you can order special sizes at many home centers and window dealers. I was dealing with a stucco-sided house, so I built simple wood frames to surround the windows openings on the outside. My storm windows have aluminum frames that I screwed to the wood. Interchangeable acrylic storm windows and screens are held in the frames with small turn-buttons.

If you check around your basement carefully, you can probably find other places where insulation, caulk or weathers stripping can improve comfort and cut fuel costs.

Q: We live in a condominium and have a neighbor who is such a heavy smoker that the odor seems to seep through the common wall between us. Would it help to have insulation blown into that wall? Is there anything else we can do?

A: Insulation could help some, especially a foam-type insulation, but a more practical and less expensive approach might be to check the wall for gaps that let smoke seep in, then apply a smoke-stopping sealer to the wall.

Remove the baseboard from the common wall and caulk the joint where the wallboard meets the floor. Replace the baseboard and look for other openings, such as electrical outlets and switches. Remove outlet and switch covers, caulk around the perimeters of the boxes, and install insulating pads (sold in the weather-stripping department of some home centers and hardware stores). Replace the outlet-switch covers and plug safety caps into unused slot openings. Finally, give the wall a coat of B-I-N (www.zinsser.com), a widely sold, shellac-based sealer that is excellent for sealing smoke and other odors. You can paint over the sealer with any wall paint.

It is also possible that the smoke odor is circulating into your rooms through a forced-air heating-cooling system. If this is possible, you should press for installation of a central filtering system, since secondhand smoke is considered a health hazard.

You might also consider a portable air purifier; some of these are reasonably effective at removing smoke odor. Choose a filter-type purifier, not an ozone generator. For more information on portable and whole-house air-cleaning systems, see the December 2007 issue of Consumer Reports magazine (www.consumerreports.org), which has an in-depth article on the subject, including ratings of the smoke-filtering ability of various cleaners.

Q: There is a chip in the edge of my granite counter top that I would like to repair. I looked for repair kits, but can't find any. Can you help?

A: There are several sources of granite-repair kits on the Internet, ranging in price from $20 for a do-it-yourself kit to $200 for a kit designed for professionals. To check out the kits, visit these sites: www.acrylicrepair.com; www.defusco.com (use the advanced search space and type in "granite-repair kit"; and www.bonstone.com/stonerepairkit.htm. However, considering the hefty price of granite counters, it might be best to look for an experienced granite installer in your area and have the repair done professionally. Look for candidates under Counter Tops in your Yellow Pages.

Correction

Several sharp-eyed readers have pointed out that the material used to lubricate faucet O-rings is silicone grease, not silica gel as stated in the Dec. 15 column.

Questions may be sent to Gene Austin at doit861@aol.com or 1730 Blue Bell Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422. Sorry, no personal replies.