Q. I have heard that you should not put a storm door over an insulated metal door. Why not? I've had a storm door over my metal door for six years and nothing has happened. The door gets morning sun during the winter. - N.C., Roslindale, Mass.
A. If nothing happened during those six winters, nothing is likely to happen in the future. The reason for the taboo is that heat builds up between the storm door and metal door, and could distort the metal door, especially plastic trim around windows in the door; besides, the metal door is a good insulator and a storm door adds minimum protection. If your door doesn't have windows or plastic trim, then leave on the storm door; it will provide some weather protection to the metal door, and that is better than leaving the screen up all winter, or taking it out.Q. When a chimney sweep checked and cleaned my flues, he recommended that I put a rain cap on the chimney for $209. Is a cap necessary? The sweep added that the concrete cap on top of the chimney is crumbling. - R.B., Braintree, Mass. A. A properly designed chimney in good shape, with a good draft, does not need a cap. If you are getting water in the chimney (dripping into the fireplace or at the bottom of the chimney), or animals tend to get into it, then you need a cap, which will keep water and vermin out and also increase the draft. The concrete cap on top of the chimney is simply a water shed and has nothing to do with a rain cap, and if it is crumbling, it should be repaired or rebuilt. Q. How can I insulate over recessed lights in the ceiling below an insulated attic floor? I understand that insulation is not supposed to go over these lights that stick up into the attic floor, because if that was done they would overheat? I know I am losing a lot of heat around those fixtures. - B.L., Sharon, Mass. A. There is no way you can insulate over and around the recessed fixtures, and you're right, there is considerable heat loss around them. Two cures: 1) Remove the recessed fixtures and install fixtures mounted flush with the ceiling, then install insulation above. 2) Replace the recessed fixtures with DCIC fixtures, or thermally protected fixtures. DCIC stands for Direct Contact with Insulated Ceilings. Insulation can be installed over these fixtures. Light stores carry them. Q. I plan to put a 10- by 12-foot porch on the back of my house, with sliding doors between house and porch. There's a window where the sliders will go. An installer will install the slider for $2,200. Is this reasonable? That does not include the cost of the porch, but does include the sliders. - T.F., Everett, Mass. A. I don't think it's unreasonable because a quality slider costs $800 to $1,000, nearly half of the cost. The worker must cut a hole in the wall, remove the window, put in a header beam over the opening, relocate wiring that may be in the wall and finish trim inside and out. Q. I painted my new skim-coated ceilings with a roller that was a little too deep-matted, and now the ceilings have an orange peel effect. How can I smooth it off? - K.C., Andover, Mass. A. Sanding a bit and repainting with a short-nap roller will help a little, but why bother? It doesn't look bad (I know that is a subjective observation), and adding another coat just adds weight to the ceiling, something to avoid.