Your Place: Restarting refrigerator's water dispenser

Question:I have a Maytag side-by-side refrigerator. The water dispenser is not dispensing. It starts dispensing and ends up a trickle. The ice maker is producing thin ice cubes.

I had tried to replace the water inlet valve in the appliance, but that did no good. The water line does not seem to be blocked. When I take off the filter, which I replaced in June, and press the water dispenser, no water comes out the filter head.

Answer:  There's a good reason why I was passed over for the role of Maytag repairman in 2007, but I will suggest two things.

The first is to go to RepairClinic.com, which lists five possibilities, and explains each and prices the part needed for the repair.

The possibilities are: The water tube in the door is frozen; the water inlet valve; low pressure from the house supply; the water filter, or the door switch. (There is a video about how refrigerators work, but Maytags are not among them.)

My other suggestion: Go to Whirlpool.com to get some product help.

Q: I have carpet over asbestos tile in my basement. I have three cats and one of them, not sure who, has been wetting the carpet.

I have cleaned the carpet numerous times, but my question is: Can I pull up the carpet and somehow have cement poured over the tile and then paint that?

This is a very large room, about 28 by 17 feet. I'm getting ready to list my house and need some way to make this home marketable.

A: Here's a suggestion from Joe Ponessa, Rutgers professor emeritus:

"Before resorting to some kind of coating, a commercial pet stain and odor-removal product would be a first choice.

"Another alternative would be to cover the stained areas with activated charcoal, available at pet stores and perhaps pharmacies. This is a treated charcoal with legendary ability to adsorb chemicals and odors, functioning like a chemical magnet. It would be spread on the affected areas and renewed every couple of days. I would try this for a week or two.

"By the way, the ultimate resource for products to deal with severe stains and odors is a mortuary supply company."

For my part, I just can't believe that the offending cat would not own up.