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

Money Pit Blogs

Sealing Driveways and Roads

Fri, 08/29/2008 - 11:11 - Money Pit Team

I live in a new townhouse community in Myrtle Beach, SC, where we have 256 units and the roads were paved about 18 months ago. My question is, do we need to sealcoat surfaces now, as the pavers who do this work say we should? The cost is over $20,000. When I lived in New Jersey, the company that...

Leak-Proof Flashing

Fri, 08/22/2008 - 13:03 - Money Pit Team

We live at the shore between the bay and ocean. At times, the winds are horrendous and can drive into the windows at an angle. The problem is at our sliding glass door and inside, where we have a leak affecting the ceiling of our gable roof where the inside wall of the sliding glass door meets...

Dorm Room Decor Tips

Fri, 08/15/2008 - 12:55 - Money Pit Team

My daughter has a real sense of style. Unfortunately, her dorm room doesn't. We want her to be comfortable but have obvious limitations on what we can change.  Any tips to spruce up her space without adding to our already sky-high college costs? Lisa V.

Memories of my college dorm room are...

Deck or Patio? Which is Best for Me?

Thu, 07/31/2008 - 13:29 - Money Pit Team

Summer is a popular time to build a deck or a patio so that you can spend time enjoying the great outdoors.  But which surface is really the best? Deciding whether a deck or patio makes the most sense is part structural and part personal choice.  If your back door is close to the ground (within...

Will Asbestos Siding Impact House Value?

Thu, 07/24/2008 - 21:29 - Money Pit Team

Hoping you can shed some light on this concern of mine. I recently went into a bidding war on a century-old home and won─however, it wasn't disclosed until after the deal was signed that the home has asbestos siding. After much internet research, I've seen many different responses, all of...

Mold and Moisture Problems in Baths

Fri, 07/18/2008 - 12:51 - Money Pit Team

Can you explain what I need to do to clean and restore or replace the grout in my tiled shower? The tile is 4" x 4" with white grout, and despite my cleaning it gets black and moldy every week.MarvA 7-12-08 The place to start in this case is with the overall moisture situation in your bathroom....

Septic System Inspection Stinks

Wed, 07/09/2008 - 08:50 - Money Pit Team

I listen to your show on WABC in NY and understand you spent many years as a home inspector.  We are buying a ten year old house in Fishkill NY. We had the house inspected last week; however the home inspector would not check the septic system with color dye. He stated that the fields 'looked...

Mold in AC Unit

Wed, 06/25/2008 - 06:23 - Money Pit Team

My son lives in Athens, Georgia, in an apartment complex that houses mostly college students. Since he moved in, he has been sick almost constantly with lung issues─up to and including coughing up blood! We recently found that the AC/heating unit in his apartment is covered in mold and mildew...

Your Roof: Repair or Replace?

Mon, 06/23/2008 - 10:42 - Tom Kraeutler

Filed under: preventative maintenance, remodeling, Exteriors & Facades, Outdoors

Your roof is wearing out - right now. Thanks to the UV radiation that bakes roof shingles until they are brittle, the summer sun takes more years out of a roof's life than any other environmental factor. If your...

Ridding Your Roof of Algae Stains

Fri, 06/20/2008 - 10:05 - Money Pit Team

My 6-year-old roof has some nasty black staining that I believe is a moss or algae. Can you suggest a product to get rid of this and prevent it from returning? Also, is this a do-it-yourself project?Mark F.Westfield, NJ Sounds like your asphalt shingle roof has been marked by blue-green algae or...