Some of the questions I am asked as far as home improvement is concerned are somewhat funny. I guess it is similar to applicable questions that would be posed to other individuals about their professions, like asking a bankruptcy lawyer if they have ever filed for bankruptcy; or perhaps a chef if they are the ones who cook at home. Like them, I am asked questions like if I have ever been electrocuted or fallen off a roof. Well, I have had my share of situations that could make it onto a funny home video TV program. Fortunately, I still have sight in both eyes, my original hair and all 10 fingers.

This leads me to some questions I received by e-mail from what I believe is a regular reader and notetaker of my weekly column. She did pose several questions. I will take a stab at two of them.

"When our home was built 25 years ago, two of the electrical outlets in our living room were wired so that the top plug could be controlled by a light switch. Now these top plugs don't work at all. What can we do to resolve this issue?"

This was a common electrical procedure in the era of the late-1960s to the early-1980s. Most likely the reason the top section of the outlet does not function properly is due to a loose or disconnected wire. There are a couple of different steps that can be taken. First, I recommend replacing the outlets with new ones. This is a very inexpensive upgrade. A new standard electrical outlet only costs a few dollars. Second, if you want the top plug of the outlet to be connected to the wall switch, you will need to remove the metal plate that is located on both sides of the outlet between the screws. This plate is made to have both outlets of the plug have constant power. By removing the plate, it will allow the top plug to operate by the switch and the bottom plate to have constant power. Remember, before proceeding, turn off the power to the outlet, and also make sure the "hot" wire is connected to the correct side of the outlet and the "neutral" wire to the other, and by all means connect the ground.

"My husband and I built shelves for storage against a concrete wall in our basement. They must have been too long because now they are really sagging in the middle. What can we do to resolve the problem?"

If the shelving is in relatively good condition overall, re-structuring can be done for refortification purposes. The distance from end to end and the storage capacity will determine the bracing you will need to install in the center sections of the shelving. If the shelving material is about 1/2-inch thick, your support brackets should be about 3 feet apart, if you are using 3/4-inch to 1-inch material you could span about 5 feet without a problem. There are different types of brackets that can be purchased that can mount to the concrete wall and to the underside of the shelving. Also, there are different techniques using lumber that would work just fine as well.

If you would like to submit a home remodeling or home improvement question to be addressed in this column, please e-mail them to Joel Jones at joelthehomeinspector@msn.com.

Joel is the owner of "The Inspector," a home and building inspection company and a home improvement and remodeling consultant.