YOU ARE HERE: LAT HomeCollections Q: I have a 3-year-old townhouse, and I'm having a problem with water seeping from the sliding glass door track onto my carpeting when it rains. Any ideas on how to correct this?V.T.Mission Viejo*A: There are many possible problems here, says Katy Jackson of Maley's Glass in Anaheim. The first thing I'd do is check to see if there are any cracks in the stucco under the track. When it rains, water could be pooling and seeping through the cracks to the interior and soaking the carpet. It's also possible, especially with a structure that's relatively new, that some settling has occurred and has created a gap under the track where water can enter the house.You should also look at the "weep holes," which are the openings along the bottom of the track, to make sure they're not obstructed. When you look at the holes, make sure they're on the exterior side of the track. If the track was incorrectly installed with the holes on the inside, it could let water seep into the house.*Q: I recently inherited some very old furniture that wasn't cared for very well.

The surface is greasy and rough. What can I do to restore it?H.G.Buena Park*A: The greasiness you feel when you run your hand across it is probably leftover polish and wax residue, says woodworker Steve Green in Santa Ana. The roughness is probably from the wood grain being raised up by moisture. There are lots of furniture refinishing kits on the market that you can try; most have an agent that will take off the old finish along with the grime of wax buildup. After the finish is off, the wood will probably need a light sanding to smooth the rough areas before you can apply a new finish coat.*Q: We have a wrought-iron railing going up our stairs, and we'd like to cap the top with brass. Can this be done?R.F.Yorba Linda*A: It can be done, but it may be expensive, says Jim Gorman of Rancho Lumber in Westminster. Any time you're dealing with an item that's custom-made, the costs can go up. It may be easier and cheaper for the installer to remove the old railing and install a new one rather than cap your old one.*Q: We have a sulfur odor coming from one of our bathroom faucets.

It's a brass fixture, and the plumbing throughout the house is copper. Any ideas on what could be causing this?L.Q.Santa Ana*A: It's possible that the water is reacting with the plumbing and this faucet to create copper sulfate, says Joel Gwartz of B.J. Discount Plumbing & Heating Supply in Garden Grove. You could have some kind of analysis done on the water coming from this tap to check the sulfate level and then replace the fixture or install a filter on your water system. solid core interior doors flushYou also might want to plug up the faucet and make sure the odor isn't coming from the drain.*Q: I have a heavy, 15 1/2-by-20 1/2 silver tray that has faded in storage. automatic door locks chrysler town countryIs replating something this size worthwhile?composite front door hinges

K.F.Laguna Hills*A: It depends, of course, on how important the plate is to you, says Elaine of Allan Adler Silversmiths in Corona del Mar. Replating an object that large would probably cost $500 to $600. Replating involves applying a very thin coat of silver on the object; once plated silver is badly tarnished, it must be redone. Sterling silver is more expensive, but the silver coating is thicker, and if sterling is tarnished, it can generally be cleaned and polished.upvc door frame cutMost hardware stores carry silver bags that you can use to hold store sterling and plated silver and which protects them from tarnishing. However, they only slow the oxidation process. Over time, all silver tarnishes. Seizure Led to FloJo's DeathHis 104 scores make his caseRestaurant review: South Beverly GrillBrutal Murder by Teen-Age Girls Adds to Britons' ShockComaneci Confirms Suicide Attempt, Magazine SaysSliding Glass DoorFD 8100

Our FD8100 aluminum sliding glass door offers strength, security, and enhanced water shedding. It’s strong, but easy to use. With our stainless steel dual tandem rollers, you don’t need to be Hercules to open it. With our 2-point locking system and weep holes in the track, we take a historically vulnerable door style and make it safe and virtually leak-proof. Added Security: 2-point locking system Enhanced water shedding: weep holes in track Smooth Operation: stainless steel duel tandem rollers with precision ground bearings Florida State Product Approval Fact SheetWarranty InformationCertificationsCare & Maintenance Find a location to purchase this product.Weatherize your patio door to keep drafts out. A sliding glass door can be your window to the outdoors, but it can also allow the outdoors to come into your home if it is not properly weatherized. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, sliding glass patio doors tend to lose heat faster than other doors, but with proper weatherstripping, you can decrease the amount of air leakage around the door and reduce drafts.

Avoid losing heat in the winter and cool air in the summer by weatherizing your sliding glass door. Remove the sliding panel from its frame. Depending on the style of sliding glass door, there are different ways to accomplish this. One method requires grasping both sides of the sliding panel and lifting it up inside the track as far as possible to clear the bottom track. Tilt the bottom of the panel toward you and carefully lower the panel from the top track. Another method requires removing the screws from the top railing covering the door track to release the railing from the frame. Tilt the top of the panel toward you and then lift it from the bottom track. Or, your door may have two roller adjustment screws along the bottom of the panel. Turn the screws counterclockwise to retract the rollers on the panel. This allows you to tilt the top of the panel toward you and then lift the panel from the bottom track. Move the panel to a sturdy work surface or carefully lay it on an old blanket on the ground.

Pull the old vinyl weatherstripping from inside the sliding glass door frame. Some weatherstripping slides into grooves and is held to the frame by pressure, while other weatherstripping is held by adhesive. Use a safety scraper to remove any adhesive residue. Insert a flat-heat screwdriver beneath the old brush-fin weatherstripping inside the top and bottom sliding glass door tracks. Peel the old brush-fin from the tracks. Vacuum the sliding glass door track to remove any dirt and debris. Spray a multipurpose cleaner and degreaser into the track and scrub with a nylon scrub brush. Rinse the cleaner from the track and wipe it dry with paper towels. Peel the old weatherstripping from the upright end of the stationary glass door panel where the sliding panel overlaps the stationary panel. If your door has a vinyl frame instead of aluminum, the weatherstripping may be secured to the stationary panel with staples. Use needle-nosed pliers to pull the staples from the panel to release the old weatherstripping.

Scrape any adhesive residue from the upright with the safety scraper. Clean the upright with the cleaner and wipe it dry. Remove the old weatherstripping from the sliding panel that corresponds with the weatherstripping on the upright. Clean the sliding panel with the cleaner and wipe it dry. Install the side of the interlock pile weatherstrip that has brushlike fibers onto the stationary upright. Use a self-adhesive interlock pile on an aluminum door or secure it to the upright with a staple gun loaded with heavy-duty staples if your sliding glass door frame is made of vinyl. Place the other side of the interlock weatherstrip onto the sliding panel. Staple the weatherstrip in place if you have a vinyl door. Insert new brush-fin weatherstripping into the top and bottom sliding glass door tracks. Peel the protective paper from the adhesive backing before inserting each weatherstrip. Firmly push the strip into place. Use a utility knife to trim both ends to ensure that the weatherstrip sits flush inside each track.

Install the sliding panel into the door frame. Reverse the steps you used to remove your door from the track and frame. Replace the vinyl weatherstripping along the inside edge of your sliding glass door frame. Make sure you match the new weatherstripping to the old weatherstripping you removed previously. Some weatherstripping snaps into a small groove along the inside edge of the frame, and other weatherstripping adheres to the frame with a self-stick backing. Remove the old caulk from around the outside edge of your sliding glass doorframe. Peel the old caulk from the frame with a putty knife. Use the utility knife to cut through areas of caulk that the putty knife cannot get under. Use your fingers to peel the remainder of the caulk from around the door frame. Brush around the sliding glass door frame with an old paintbrush to remove any dirt and debris. Insert a tube of acrylic latex caulk with silicone into a caulking gun. Some caulks come in colors that can match your brick or paint, saving you the trouble of painting the caulk once it dries.

Cut the tip from the end of the caulk with the utility knife, ensuring that the width of the tip is slightly wider than the gap between the door frame and your exterior wall. Position the tip of the caulk tube against the top corner of the sliding glass door frame. Apply pressure to the caulking gun trigger to apply an even bead of caulk down the edge of the frame. Apply the caulk along the top of the frame and then down the remaining side. Smooth the bead of caulk with your finger. Start at the top corner and work your way down the sides of the sliding glass door. Smooth the caulk across the top of the door frame. Wipe away any excess caulk with a damp cloth. Things You Will Need Flat-head screwdriver Old blanket Safety scraper Vacuum Multipurpose cleaner and degreaser Nylon scrub brush Paper towels Needle-nose pliers Two-piece interlock pile weatherstrip Staple gun Heavy-duty staples Brush-fin weatherstripping Utility knife Vinyl weatherstripping Putty knife Old paintbrush Acrylic latex caulk with silicone Caulking gun Cloth References This Old House: Sliding-Door Tune-UpThe New York Times: Home Clinic;