Q. My old house has two outside porches whose wood ceilings are badly peeling. What should I put on the ceilings to prevent peeling? — Jack in Dudley, Mass.
A. Those ceilings are very tight, and so are the floors above, so the air between floor and ceiling is not only very hot in the summer but also very moist, two factors that can cause paint to peel more than usual.
So for starters I suggest you cut a 2- or 3-inch wide strip along the ceiling about 6 inches away from the wall, and screen them. Add another strip in the ceiling about 6 inches in from the outer edge of the ceiling.
This will allow air to circulate, reducing moisture and reducing heat.
Now for the ceilings themselves: Sand off the loose paint with a bit more work to reduce gloss and roughen the finish. Then apply two thin coats of a latex solid stain. The stain is thinned-down paint, and if it is put on thin enough, it can resist peeling. Thick coats guarantee peeling.
Q. I have a water-pressure problem. Not low, but high pressure. When my washing machine shuts off, it makes a bang. How can I reduce my pressure? — Anonymous
A. A washing machine is designed to shut off water suddenly, hence the bang when that occurs. It is not necessarily a sign of high pressure, although high pressure can blow off fittings and lines. So it is important to check.
Water pressure should be between 60 and 75 feet PSI (per square inch). Your plumber or water department can do this. For more info, check “water pressure” on Google.
Q. My patio made of concrete paving stones is in fair shape but looks a mess — dirty and stained with algae and other things. How can I get it clean and stay that way? — Deborah Woodcock in Hudson, Mass.
A. What outside surface is not clean? Often it is naturally clean, from water and other weather elements, but never as clean as our immaculate indoor surfaces. So forget about super clean and be content with a natural look. Most outdoor surfaces are self-cleaning from rain, etc., and we can help them along on occasion. So, you can clean those pavers with pressure-washing, or a solution of one part bleach and three parts water.
You may be surprised at how clean these tricks will get the stones.
If you want to put something else on top of the old pavers, it will also get too dirty for your taste. You can put in bricks so they are touching each other, without mortar, and sweep sand into the joints. You will have to put in a border of some sort around the perimeter to keep the bricks from walking all over the place; migrating, that is. If the 2-inch- thick bricks are too thick, you can buy half bricks, which are just an inch thick and more expensive than the whole bricks.
Q. I have to replace an old Andersen sliding door. I called Andersen and Pella, and they sent out salesmen who offered doors at $3,000 to $4,000 installed. They also said if I buy direct, it would be better than Lowe’s and Home Depot, which would run about $1,000 plus $1,000 for installation.
Those prices seem ridiculously high.
— Liz, a bit skeptical
A. Yes, they are high, but you may not have been in the market for sliders for a while. I think they are quite high, especially the installation part.
Although it is alleged that some products and appliances at the big-box stores are of lower quality than in independent stores, how inferior could sliders be? I suggest you try one of the big-box stores, or just for the heck of it, try Harvey, another competitor in windows and doors. And, consider installing it yourself. All you need is common sense and a little help from some strong people to heave the thing into place.
I have put in windows, doors and one patio double door (not a slider), and they are still in good shape. Yes, I am a handyman, but my inherent skill is common sense. You can do it.
Have a question for The Boston Globe’s Handyman on Call? Message photton@globe.com.
