Mystery water dripping from the ceiling in the late night. No rain, so no leaking roof. No upstairs neighbors, so no one else to blame. Is this the Rising Damp the Britcom is named after or does my apartment need an exorcism or what? [more inside]
posted by oneswellfoop at 11:40 AM - 9 answers

What should a landlord look for during a mid-lease inspection? [more inside]
posted by ignignokt at 9:51 AM - 12 answers

I'm looking for a long white lacquered bookcase and found this one at Ikea. Unfortunately, the white version of the bookcase is not lacquered like the other colors. Would it be difficult for me to apply a lacquer finish to it? [more inside]
posted by gfrobe at 8:32 AM - 4 answers

A friend got a notice of foreclosure on a house on which he's made regular payments for over a decade. It's in Sonoma County, California; he's lived in and owned the house since the late 90s. I've advised him to lawyer up, and tomorrow will help investigate what pro bono attorneys are available to him. He has little money; his home is his wealth. Meanwhile, maybe someone here has been in this position and can provide a roadmap? [more inside]
posted by goofyfoot at 10:40 PM - 16 answers

I have a picture of this spider with a bright orange body. I was hoping someone out there could identify it. http://picasaweb.google.com/senador1/OrangeSpider#
posted by senador at 4:54 PM - 6 answers

I unexpectedly received several rare strawberry plants. Currently living in USDA Zone 6 -- what can I do to ensure they survive such late planting & a potentially hard winter? [more inside]
posted by muirne81 at 12:49 PM - 2 answers

Please help me repair natural slate tile. [more inside]
posted by rinosaur at 12:48 PM - 3 answers

I have some questions about cacti. First, can you help me identify the awesome cactus my boss' husband gave me? It looks exactly like this one (though that's someone else's photo). [more inside]
posted by peachfuzz at 8:15 AM - 3 answers

What is the best way to demonstrate to 8th graders the issue of soil salinity as well as showing ways to prevent or reclaim salinized soil? [more inside]
posted by bigspoon at 2:23 PM - 5 answers

Can anyone recommend a website that lets you design a house, inside and out, including furniture placement in realistic-looking 3D for free?
posted by VC Drake at 11:31 PM - 7 answers

How can we sell our house, when everyone is scared off by the vacant burned house next door? [more inside]
posted by leahwrenn at 4:08 PM - 9 answers

A public restroom at work has a Grohe Eurosmart Faucet (part #32709) with a 2.2 gpm aerator. According to the plumbing supply place where we bought it, the aerator is metric & therefore difficult to find a lower gpm version. Grohe customer service has not responded to my question, and my googling hasn't yielded many useful leads... So where can I get a .5 or 1 gpm metric aerator or aerator insert to fit that faucet? [more inside]
posted by jenmakes at 4:00 PM - 2 answers

What treatments, if any, are available to a homeowner whose basement has been flooded with sewage? [more inside]
posted by Clambone at 3:39 PM - 10 answers

Our house was broken into yesterday. I'd like to prevent this from happening again. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 11:39 AM - 40 answers

How do I take care of sterling silver jewelry? [more inside]
posted by peanut_mcgillicuty at 10:36 AM - 16 answers

A house across the street from mine is going up for auction. Help me find out the details. [more inside]
posted by shew at 8:00 PM - 7 answers

Help me not blow up my kitchen, while simultaneously not spending hundreds of dollars on a water distiller. [more inside]
posted by Flunkie at 7:42 PM - 14 answers

How can I get faster at ironing shirts? [more inside]
posted by Bardolph at 5:29 PM - 13 answers

The magnetic closure on my new piece of furniture does not work properly. It is a simple problem, but I can't figure out a solution. Please help me fix it! [more inside]
posted by AtomicBee at 6:15 PM - 11 answers

Does anyone know anything more about these Christmas ornaments? [more inside]
posted by jefficator at 12:25 PM - 5 answers