Q: One visitor asked, "My stairs are creaking a lot and I want to fix this. I have taken up the carpet but can't find any nail heads to get an idea where I should put in wood screws. I also do not know where the joists are. I can't access the stairs from below. Help; what should I do?"

A: Generally, there is a wedge hammered into the bottom of the tread along the stringer, and this has probably come loose. To actually fix this, I believe you have to get access to the underside of the staircase. I suppose you could try drilling and counter sinking a screw through the tread and into the stringer, on an angle. But I always like to go to the source, if possible.