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Share ideas and learn about the latest in home improvement and décor from Tom and Leslie.

Money Pit Blogs

Rot Happens: Prevent it with These Tips

Wed, 10/20/2010 - 10:57 - Tom Kraeutler

Seeing rot anywhere in your home is one of those moments that creates a  gut wrenching feeling that something you care deeply for is about to disintegrate into ruin - leaving only an unpaid mortgage in it's wake!   You might not know it, but there are things happening outside of your home that...

Choosing Paint Colors for Historical Homes

Wed, 10/20/2010 - 09:36 - Leslie Segrete

Choosing paint colors for historical homes begins with knowing when your home was built.  There are five distinct time periods in American architecture, and if you can place your home into one of them, it’ll be easy for you to choose a historically accurate paint shade. Where does your American...

Prevent Frozen Pipes: 5 Easy Tips

Tue, 10/19/2010 - 11:04 - Tom Kraeutler

Now is a great time to take some simple steps to prevent frozen pipes.  Winterizing your exterior water faucets and water pipes in your home can help prevent major damage should a pipe freeze and break in cold weather. 

To give your home’s energy efficiency a boost and prevent faucets and pipes...

How to Clean and Protect Natural Stone Floors and Countertops

Tue, 10/19/2010 - 10:30 - Tom Kraeutler

We get dozens of calls each year from listeners asking how to clean and protect natural stone countertops.  Most are surprised since they didn't expect that a natural, durable surface like stone would need much maintenance.

Truth be told, they do!  But if you learn to properly clean and protect...

Removing Egg, Toilet Paper and Spray String: Happy Halloween, Homeowners!

Thu, 10/14/2010 - 14:51 - Leslie Segrete

Removing egg, toilet paper and spray string might sound scary if your home is a target for little devils on Halloween.  Here in the northeast, we have the added pleasure of cleaning up after “Mischief Night” – October 30th, just before Halloween – a night devoted to pranks like toilet-papering...

National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week: Tips for Safe Renovations

Tue, 10/12/2010 - 10:42 - Tom Kraeutler

Lead poisoning affects millions of homeowners, particularly those with homes built prior to 1978.  Parents should take note that according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 250,000 U.S. children have elevated blood-lead levels and often suffer devastating...

Home Improvement Tax Credit Clock Ticks Down

Wed, 10/06/2010 - 12:03 - Tom Kraeutler

Tax credits offer homeowner valuable options for home improvement that can result in reduction of taxes owed the government, but time is running out as these energy saving improvements must be completed by the end of 2010.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) has driven...

Should cell phones get tuned up to tune in to FM?

Wed, 08/25/2010 - 14:30 - Tom Kraeutler

Filed under: Home, Technology When I was a kid, the phone sat at the end of a wire and it did two things: It made calls and received them. Today? Well, as the iPhone commercials say, "There's an app for that." But even with more than 200,000 available apps at last count, there's one thing that...

Should Cell Phones Get Tuned Up to Tune in to Fm?

Wed, 08/25/2010 - 14:30 - Tom Kraeutler

Filed under: Home, Technology When I was a kid, the phone sat at the end of a wire and it did two things: It made calls and received them. Today? Well, as the iPhone commercials say, "There's an app for that." But even with more than 200,000 available apps at last count, there's one thing that...

Should Cell Phones Get Tuned Up to Tune in to Fm?

Wed, 08/25/2010 - 14:30 - Tom Kraeutler

Filed under: Home, Technology When I was a kid, the phone sat at the end of a wire and it did two things: It made calls and received them. Today? Well, as the iPhone commercials say, "There's an app for that." But even with more than 200,000 available apps at last count, there's one thing that...