Pillar To Post Portland West Side Blog

With all the forest fires going on in our neck of the woods I thought I'd post some tips to help prepare for an evacuation. Use care when driving as smoke may hinder your visibility. Have an alternate route in mind in case your primary route is closed! IF ADVISED TO EVACUATE, DO SO IMMEDIATELY! Y...

Q: We painted our house last spring, but now there's a black mildew growth on porch columns and other exterior trim (see photo). We stripped the old paint, sanded, primed with oil-base primer, and then topcoated with oil-base paint. Even after cleaning with bleach, the growth returns. How can we ...

The price premiums for Energy Star dishwashers, clothes washers, refrigerators, and freezers are small and pay for themselves in no time. When homes turn over, is it green to automatically turn over all of the major appliances as well? The answer is likely to be yes. Unlike many other goods, majo...

Yellowjacket wasps live in large colonies dominated by a queen. Colonies start in the spring when the queen emerges from winter dormancy. Once she rears a few workers (female offspring) the queen no longer leaves the nest. Colonies grow throughout summer, reach maximum size by fall then begin to...

Sure, spending time outdoors is great - except for all the bugs. But experts say you can stay bug free - without spending a fortune - if you... Get out the clippers.Keep tree branches cut back from your deck and patio, and minimize ants. Also, pull up any weeds nearby. Mosquitoes use them as res...

  April 2010, a new federal regulation regarding lead paint has just taken affect for every building built before 1978 - and unlike an earlier law, includes apartments and not just common areas. Starting April 22, 2010, any hired professional - from outside contractor to your co-op or condo's sup...

With the implementation of the new lead paint paint law there are some common sense things to remember: Lead poisoning does not happen overnight, so do not panic. For peace of mind, you can test your children for lead poisoning with a simple blood test done by your family physician. Wash children...

Exhaust ventilation Exhaust-only ventilation.Stale air from bathrooms and the kitchen is pushed out of the house, while fresh makeup air enters the house through random leaks in the building envelope. Supply ventilation Supply-only ventilation.A fan pulls outside air into the house and distribut...

So when you install pressure treated, flat sawn, wood decking, do you face the bark side up (left in photo) or bark side down (right in photo)?  Ask ten people and half will likely say ‘bark-side-up,' a few will say ‘bark-side-down' and the rest will shrug their shoulders.   For some direction, ...

One of the most dreaded cleaning chores is the mainstay of every kitchen - the stove. Here are some easy environmentally friendly ways to keep your stove shining with less effort. Bubble away burnt-on bits.Coat stuck-on grime with a paste of baking soda and water and pour 1/4 cup white vinegar ov...