Dear Glenn: We live in Farmington Hills near a wetlands area that unfortunately has led to water problems for our basement for many years. Our sump pump runs constantly. With high amounts of rain, we typically have seepage through the floor because of a clogged drain tile. We probably have had the drain tile unclogged four or five times over the years as our soil is heavy in clay and mineral content. This doesn’t seem to help much because of the surrounding terrain.

One recommendation is to lay new drain tile underneath the basement floor and establish access points at each corner of the basement. This sounds good, but I would very much appreciate your recommendations as to alternatives and contractors.

— Tom, Farmington Hills

Dear Tom: As you say, this is going to be an expensive job. Add Affordable Dry Basement, (800) 310-5700, and Insta-Dry Waterproofing, (800) 356-0820, to your list of contractors to call for a a quote so that you get a good overall view of the entire industry. No matter which company you choose, get a guarantee in writing from the company that whichever procedure they use will fix the problem.

Dear Glenn: I live in the dry Southwest and have a 30-year-old-house with a flat roof. The roof leaks and needs to be redone. I have looked into several roofers, and one offers IB Roof Systems’ single-ply membrane product with a lifetime warranty.

The IB Roof System costs twice as much as the regular roofers, but I am leaning toward them anyway. Does this stuff really work? The manufacturer is IB Roof Systems, in Eugene, Ore. The local distributor is BAC Enterprise out of Albuquerque, N.M. (home office in Roswell, N.M.).

—Michelle, Albuquerque, N.M.

Dear Michelle: I have no knowledge of IB Roof Systems. No single-ply membrane will really have a lifetime warranty. If you are curious, ask to get the names, addresses and phone numbers of several people who had this roof installed three to five years ago in your area. If the company will not or cannot give you the requested references, be leery. If they can and the homeowners you contact brag about their roofs, have confidence.

Dear Glenn: I listen to you Saturdays on WKLZ radio in Kalamazoo. Could you please do show notes? My question is: What is that great new drain opener you talked about recently? Was it “Blast Away” or something like that?

—Laurie,

Kalamazoo

Dear Laurie: I consider my Thursday and Saturday columns in The Detroit News as the official show notes.

The product you are interested in is probably Whink, (800) 247-5102, Hair Clog Blaster. This very specialized product is just for bathroom sink, shower and tub use. It can also be used in beauty salons and barbershops. It coats the pipe, removes impurities from the hair shaft, then chemically dissolves it. Clog gone. My staff bought some at Meijer.

Dear Glenn: During repair for another issue, I was told that my high efficiency electric furnace’s secondary heat exchanger was probably cracked. The furnace is approximately 15 years old. I was told the heat exchanger would be covered by the warranty, but the labor was approximately $600. Should I repair or replace the unit?

—Steve, AOL

Dear Steve: Your high efficiency electric furnace could possibly last another 10 years. Check and see how much more efficient a replacement would be. Also, seriously consider that this is an opportunity. Right now you are running the most expensive heating system imaginable. Switching from pure electric to Geothermal heating and cooling could drastically cut your electric bill and throw in an almost limitless supply of hot water. For more information, check out the WaterFurnace Web site, www.waterfurnace.com, or call (800) 222-5667.