We recently moved into an older house where the previous owner refinished it while keeping a classic style. The door knobs look great, but several of them are very wobbly and loose, which is an issue because they make noise when opening doors, especially since we’re trying not to wake our sleeping daughter.
Not all of the knobs are loose, which makes me think they can probably be tightened or adjusted.
Does anyone have advice on how to fix this?
I live in central New Jersey and over the past month I’ve been noticing large black ants (about 1/2 to 3/4 inch long) inside my home. I’m fairly sure they’re carpenter ants, but I’m open to other possibilities if there are similar-looking species.
So far, I’ve only seen one at a time, usually wandering across the floor in different rooms, which makes it hard to tell where they’re coming from. At first it was every 2–3 days, but recently I’ve started seeing one daily.
Does this sound like typical outdoor foraging/scouting behavior, or could it indicate a nest somewhere inside the house? Also, any advice on how to track down the source or locate a possible colony would be appreciated.
I’ve been in my house for 10 years and estimate my gas water heater is around 15 years old. A friend was told by a plumber to replace his after 10 years, but I’m not sure if that’s standard advice or a sales tactic. Lately, mine has been making a rumbling noise that I’ve read could mean sediment buildup. If I flush it, is that likely to fix the problem, or does its age mean it’s time to start considering a replacement?