2-Channel Cordless Phone Has Difficulty Getting Clear Signal

Question: I have a 5-year-old cordless telephone that works great; however, lately I’ve been getting a lot of interference on the line. It sounds like another conversation my neighbors are having on their phone. Is there anything I can do to the phone to prevent it from picking up other conversations?

D.H.

Lake Forest

Answer: “I’d guess that yours is probably a two-channel phone,” says telephone installer Frank Slemons of Anaheim. “These phones have become so popular lately that by using the two-channel models, you just won’t get a clear signal. Most cordless models today have 10 channels, which gives you a much better chance of finding a channel that’s clear. Other than switching to a new phone, you could try moving it to various places in the house where you could find better reception.”

Q: I’d like to paint the interior of my house, and I want to paint the outlets and outlet covers to match the rooms. Do these need to be prepared in some special way?

S.S.

Tustin

A: “First of all, turn the power off to the room you’re working on,” says Barbara Brobst of Hal’s Paint & Decorating in Fullerton. “You should remove the outlet covers and wash them to remove any dust and dirt. Be sure to also clean off the outlets themselves. Paint over them lightly with a good brush. Using too thick a coat could make it a problem sticking things into the outlet.”

Q: I want to put a wallpaper border up in one of our bedrooms that has already been papered. The room has a vaulted ceiling that slants upward. Should I put the border along the ceiling or should I drop it lower, where the ceiling rises?

R.E.

Anaheim

A: “Normally, a border follows the lower point in the ceiling and goes all the way around the room,” says Gene Teramura of Dutch Boy Home Decorating Center in Santa Ana. “So if the ceiling is eight feet at its lowest point, the border would be applied eight feet high around the room. But, of course, if you like the look of the border slanting up to follow the ceiling, you can do it. Also, remember that you’ll need to use a vinyl adhesive when applying the border to paper that’s already up, otherwise it won’t attach very well.”

Q: We have an 8-year-old refrigerator that works except for the light bulb. Over the past year and a half, we’ve had to replace three of them. What could be the reason?

W.W.

Buena Park

A: “The problem may not be the refrigerator,” says Tom Houlihan of Orange County Appliance Parts in Garden Grove. “Usually if there’s a short in the system, the bulb will burn out immediately. I’d check first to see what kind of bulbs you’re using. You should be getting appliance bulbs that are designed to work in the heat of ovens or the cold of refrigerators.

“Also, make sure you’re getting brand-name bulbs; the cheaper ones don’t usually last as long. Other than that, make sure your racks are arranged so that bottles or cartons aren’t hitting the bulb area when you’re pulling things out of the refrigerator.”

Q: On the second floor of our house, we get all kinds of squeaks when walking in various rooms. We’re going to be putting in new carpeting soon, and I’d like to pull our old carpet up now and correct any problems with the subfloor. I could hammer down any nails that have popped up, but wouldn’t it be better to use screws?

L.Y.

Mission Viejo

A: “If the squeaking is coming from those boards that have popped up over time, you probably will notice a difference if they’re screwed down,” says carpenter Nick Howard of Santa Ana. “If they’re screwed in, they’re less likely to be pried upward over time. Drill a pilot hole before trying to drill the screw in, and be sure you walk the floor carefully before putting the new carpeting down to make sure your squeaking problem is gone.”