QUESTION: We bought a home that backs up to a street where there is some moderate traffic noise and weβre looking for ideas to cut down on the sound. We already have a row of oleanders there, and weβre thinking of building two more steps of protection. Weβd add a fence in front of the oleanders and also plant another row of oleanders. Would that work?
ANSWER: Noise tends to move in waves. Every time it passes through a different material, it tends to lose energy. Those barriers that you would create with a fence and two rows of plants will reduce sound and will help to some extent. But to really quiet your house, you might want to consider adding more noise protection to your windows. You might investigate adding acrylic storm windows that attach magnetically to the windows. Or you might go for triple-glazed windows on that side of the house. Normally, we donβt suggest triple-glazing to Arizona homeowners, but it is often recommended for homeowners who have problems with noise.
Q: The flooring inside our garage is developing a problem. In the middle of the garage, one of the concrete slabs that make up the floor has started to heave up. Itβs now up about an inch. What is wrong and how can it be fixed?
A: In 99 percent of the cases of this kind of heaving problem, itβs due to moisture infiltration under the slab. Thereβs not much you can probably do about yourself without help from a foundations expert. We do know one company that has patented a system for removing moisture from under slabs; they may be able to help you with your problem.
Q: Is a hydrangea bush something that I can grow in the desert?
A: Hydrangeas are very difficult to grow here because they like acidic soil and we have alkaline soil. Some people report that if you plant a hydrangea with colored blossoms in our soil, the colors will drain out of the flowers completely. If you really want to have one, you should plant it in a pot. That way you can control the acidity of the soil, and perhaps your hydrangea will flourish.
Q: Can you transplant a pine tree from one part of your yard to another?
A: There are limits on the size of a tree you can transplant. Pine trees are very difficult to move because they have really deep roots. Contact a licensed arborist and have them take a look at the tree and give you a recommendation as to relocating it.
Q: We recently installed two new doors on our garage and three of the four bottom corners of the doors now leak water underneath when itβs raining. This isnβt a new problem; we had the same issue with the old doors. But how can we control it?
A: To start with, you can install a heavy duty rubber rollover threshold that you will glue down on the edge of the flooring under the door. That should work, but if it still gaps in some areas then you may have to adjust the door. You might consult the company that installed the door. They should have the resources to fix the problem.
