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Thawing Frozen Pipes

Sat, 02/10/2007 - 13:43 - Money Pit Team

With all the cold weather in NY, our cold water pipes have been freezing.  Now the hot water line just broke, which really surprised me since I thought that one would take not freeze since it was for hot water.  Is there anything I can do to fix the problem?Ellengd 2/10/07 9:14am Actually, there...

Asbestos Siding

Sun, 02/04/2007 - 22:17 - Money Pit Team

Can you tell me what might be done with a very old home with exterior shingles of asbestos? Is there a proper way to safely seal & paint over? Can they be dismantled?  What is the best way to address this homeowner issue?vlasisi 1-25-07 1:25am Asbestos was a very common siding material used in...

Trenchless Pipe Repair Options

Wed, 01/31/2007 - 21:45 - Money Pit Team

I need to replace the old terra-cotta waste pipe from my house to the street, but there is a mature tree over the line. What can you tell me about the feasibility of using the trench-less system where they reline the waste pipe with an epoxy similar to the way they reline chimneys.KilcoHQ 7:49pm...

Return on Investment for Bath Remodel

Sun, 01/28/2007 - 23:16 - Money Pit Team

I have an 18 year old 4 bedroom house (1875 sq. ft.) and want to do a master bath remodel. However, to expand the bathroom I'll need to take out the Master bedroom closet and make the bathroom double in size. To make up for losing the closet - I will take out the small guest bedroom next to the...

Refinishing Old Railings

Tue, 01/23/2007 - 20:07 - Money Pit Team

My husband and I are the proud owners of one of only three Sears Honor Built Magnolias known to exist in the United States. The house was offered by catalog from 1918 to 1921.  It is located in Piedmont, Alabama and therefore is subject to all the harsh weather the South has to offer!!  The...

Storm Doors are Ancient History

Mon, 01/22/2007 - 15:50 - Money Pit Team

We have a metal front door that faces south.  We would like to add a storm door but have heard that this may not be a good idea because of heat built up.The door has shade from two very large trees.  What are your thoughts on this?Elenoreo 1-21-07 8:48pm Storm doors are one of those products...

Painting Exterior Surfaces

Fri, 01/19/2007 - 12:51 - Money Pit Team

I'm planning to paint the outside of my home, in the near future.  I've never done it before, but I can not afford to pay to have it done, therefore I'm planning to do it myself can you give me some steps to follow? Here are some specifics to help guide me: -The outside of the home is of a...

Selling a Modular Home

Tue, 01/16/2007 - 20:33 - Money Pit Team

We are having a serious problem selling our modular home.  It is not a manufactured home constructed on a metal frame, but a wood framed home that was stick built in a factory.  The problem began when someone made an offer on our house. The offer was $50,000 lower than our listing price. The...

Painting Over Water Stains

Sun, 01/14/2007 - 17:13 - Money Pit Team

I have a two-story house.  Recently, my 2nd floor shower stall developed a leak, as evidenced by water dripping from the first floor ceiling.  The leak is small, a few drops of water after every use, and I believe I have now fixed the source of the leak (failing, cracked grout).  I'm preparing...

Help with Stenciled Concrete

Fri, 01/12/2007 - 14:59 - Money Pit Team

Our patio and home are 43 years old. Over the years the patio has developed some uneven sections that have been corrected with mud-jacking. Now we are considering rejuvenating the look of the patio by having it professionally stenciled.  We've been told that they clean the patio, then spray the...