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Money Pit Blogs

Deck or Patio?

Mon, 06/04/2007 - 20:17 - Money Pit Team

What adds more value to a home a wooden deck or a patio of pavers?  We are making some improvements to our home over the next year and want to sell it once the market gets better.  Can you compare and contrast the two options as far as cost, labor, dyi-ability or contract it out, etc.? annasz...

Extreme Gas Grill Makeover

Sat, 05/26/2007 - 00:08 - Money Pit Team

After a season of heavy grilling last year, my gas grill needs an extreme makeover of its own. Do you have any tips for a mid-season grill cleaning? The same char broiling action that flavors ribs, chick, steaks and burgers you cook on grills all summer long, can really cause problems if you...

Will OSB Make Me Sick? Is it Strong?

Mon, 05/21/2007 - 22:27 - Money Pit Team

Hi Tom.  My parents are considering a new home in retirement community. My question is what are the pros and cons of a home built with particle board, and specifically OSB?  OSB was used throughout the house and my parents worried about the glue that the glue used could have negative health side...

Need More Storage

Wed, 05/16/2007 - 15:29 - Money Pit Team

I have a question about outdoor storage. I need a space that is weatherproof.  Do you have any suggestions?  yunna 5-14-07 12:22pm Homeowners are always looking for more storage space in and around the house.  Often items like lawn mowers, power tools, and pesticides are kept in the garage, and...

Air Conditioning Options: Central, Ductless, or Through-the-Wall

Mon, 05/14/2007 - 15:12 - Money Pit Team

I would like to install air conditioning on the 1st floor of my 2 story home.  I have casement style windows that swing out so I can't install a window unit. I could install central air, but I don't use the 2nd floor of the house.  The windows are 10 yr old Anderson.  Should I replace 1 window...

Q+ A: Repairing Concrete Pool Deck

Mon, 05/07/2007 - 12:42 - Money Pit Team

We are planning to list our home for sale in the near future. We will, of course, open the pool before that time but we know that the cement around the pool is older (22 years) and is being to show signs of age. We have always power washed the cement after winter to remove stains and moss....

How to Avoid Mold in Bath

Sun, 04/29/2007 - 20:19 - Money Pit Team

I have mold on my ceiling and behind the shower wall. There is black stuff coming through the plastic wall covering in the shower wall too. What should I do? SNeeKersnook 4-27-07 7:47pm Mold in a bathroom is about as common as mold in last-week's refrigerated leftovers.  Most of the time this...

Condo Basement Leaks

Sat, 04/28/2007 - 10:19 - Money Pit Team

I am trying to purchase a condo and during my inspection of the home, I noticed water standing in the basement near the center of the basement floor.  I was told that the water was caused by improper grading on the outside of the condo, but I did not see the waters entry point through the...

Can a Home Inspection Help or Hurt?

Wed, 04/25/2007 - 12:21 - Money Pit Team

We bought our home, new, when it was first built. We had an inspector about a month before closing. Our home will be eleven years old.  Would it be a good idea to have it inspected now just so we can prevent problems?  What if the inspection uncovered something that would cost a lot of money,...

Soggy Back Yard Solution

Sat, 04/21/2007 - 10:52 - Money Pit Team

In the back corner of our yard we have a lot of standing water.  I would like to drain that so the kids can utilize this space.  How do I go about draining out this space?Steve 4-20-07 4:38pm In a perfectly graded world, the land around your home would slope away from the exterior walls...