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Q: What’s the best kind of ductwork to do when building a new house? Should ducts be rigid metal or should you install flexible ducts?

A: Most of what’s being installed in new houses now is flexible ducts because they cost so much less than rigid, sheet-metal ductwork. The installation of hard ducts is also more difficult because they have to be wrapped in insulation and more transition points have to be made. Those transitions are where leaks tend to occur. The problem with flexible ducts is that installers have a tendency to make too many turns and bends as they run the ducts through the house. But both types of ductwork can work just fine if the ductwork is designed and installed correctly.

Q: I had an energy audit done on my house and then had some work done on my air ducts. Ever since then, my house has been a whole lot dustier, and I’ve noticed more dust on the air filters when I change them. What could be causing this problem?

A: It’s possible that the air ducts weren’t reconnected properly when they did the duct work in your house. Then the air conditioner could be sucking in a lot of dust in the attic, for example, and blowing it back into the house. You need to have another blower door test and duct blast test done on your house – the kinds of things that they did during the energy audit – to find out where the problem is.

Q: What kind of vegetables can you plant in a container garden?

A: Just about any kind of vegetable can be grown in containers, but you have to use a large enough pot or container. The biggest mistake that home gardeners make is using a container that is way too small.

Q: I have a leaky window on the second story of my house. Water seems to be leaking through the stucco. I’ve tried many possible solutions, but they just don’t work. When it rains, I run through four or five beach towels soaking up water. Three or four years ago, I had a contractor replace the flashing and stucco around the window, but he wouldn’t guarantee that it would stop the leak. Can’t I just buy some kind of sealer to put over the stucco to make this stop?

A: You’re looking for some kind of miracle top coat that just doesn’t exist. The best solution is to find a different, more dependable contractor to redo the flashing. The problem with sealing the stucco is that you will end up with moisture soaking into the walls of your house. The water can’t escape, and it can cause an even bigger mess inside.

Q: I live in Green Valley, and I’m trying to grow hosta plants. I planted them in a shady spot because that’s what the directions said. They grew well at first and got to be about 4 inches high, but then the leaves curled up and the edges turned brown. Is it because the soil is too alkaline for them? Maybe I need to provide some soil amendment.

A: It could be the alkaline soil, but generally speaking this is not a plant that can ever grow successfully in the desert.

You’ll see them in Prescott, Payson and Flagstaff or in the Midwest somewhere, but not in Phoenix or ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥. If they did well here, you’d be seeing lots of them where you are. You’re probably doing something that’s just not practical to do.