Concrete at front door has sinking problem

The concrete slab in front of my front steps has dropped considerably, so the last step to the slab is 12 inches high. That is a horrendous height, and I know it is a hazard. At least the slab, 4 feet wide and 8 feet long, is still level. Can I put an extra step in place so that there are two risers of 6 inches each?

MARGARET

Sure can. But before you put in an extra step, try this to get the slab back to the proper level. Hire some strong young men to prop up one side of the slab with crowbars and put in extra sand, then let that side down. Prop up the other, and add sand.

This can work, with care, though beware: There is also the possibility of breaking the slab.

If that is not appealing, you can buy a granite step 10 inches wide and 6 inches thick and just place it at the bottom step.

Goodness knows it is heavy enough to stay put. Or, build a step of pressure-treated lumber, wider than the step, so you can anchor it into the ground when you put it in place. A loose step is more hazardous than that 12-inch riser.

My driveway was redone two years ago. Each winter it rises 4 inches and each summer it goes back to its original position. Where it rises near the garage, that 4-inch lip is not easy to drive over. And, the rising pavement buckled a metal threshold of the people door. The driveway people cut out the pavement at the people door and installed peastone so there could be no pavement rising to buckle the threshold. But is there any way to stop the rising and falling of the driveway? The driveway people said this is normal.

There is some crushed stone under the pavement, but I am not sure how much it is. The peastone in front of the people door is ugly.

Is there a way to make it look better?

H.H.

The rising and falling of the driveway is normal, but it does seem excessive. To try to prevent it, pavers usually put at least 6 inches of crushed stone under the pavement. This allows for good drainage and can prevent water from freezing under the pavement and pushing it up. There is no cure for an existing driveway. As for the peastone, take some out and fill the space with stone dust. It makes a darker material that is quite hard and good looking.

The storm screens in my windows have white spots that do not seem to come off. How can I remove them?

FRUSTRATED

Those white spots are mineral buildups on the aluminum screen. To remove, place the screen on a flat surface such as a driveway or picnic table. Paint vinegar or Lime-Away on the screen, let it sit a while, then scrub with a scrub brush. Repeat on the other side. If there is little improvement, you can replace the screen with anodized charcoal-color screen. One added thought: Do this with one screen at a time, and put it back before you take out another. It is very easy to mix up screens. There may be variations in size, and it is difficult if not impossible to get a good fit with a mismatched screen.

E-mail Peter Hotton at photton@globe.com