1. On the Air - Congratulations to Our Weekly Winner
2. Ask Tom & Leslie - Stray Voltage
3. Short Cuts - New Product from OxiClean
4. Fun Fact - High End for the Masses
5. Dot Common Sense - www.asla.org
6. On the Wire - Top Mistakes of Home Buyers & Sellers

This week's question comes to us from Ron Trimarco, who listens to The Money Pit in Middletown, Delaware. Ron says, "My house has a basement with poured cement walls. My main drain and my main water line coming through the wall leak after a long soaking rain. They used spray foam and caulk for my drain and just caulk for my water line. I want to remove everything and use something better. Is there some kind of cement product I can use?"

Ron, thanks for writing The Money Pit. We have two suggestions. Besides cleaning out the old caulk or foam, which is a great start, make sure you look at the drainage conditions above the foundation. You may have a disconnected or clogged gutter that is allowing too much water to form in that spot, which can be bad for the foundation. Don't use concrete to patch the hole. It's not sticky or flexible enough to stay in place. Instead, use a good quality silicone caulk to seal around the pipes. If the hole is very large, stuff the space around it with some fiberglass insulation just to cut down on the amount of caulk you'll need to seal it up.

GOT A QUESTION ABOUT YOUR MONEY PIT?

1. The toll-free studio hot line is 1-888-MONEY PIT. Find out when we broadcast in your area by checking out our website at www.MoneyPit.com. Each week we take dozens of calls, give great advice and offer callers a chance to win a terrific prize awarded to one random caller to every show.
2. Call when it's convenient for you, 24 hours a day, same number: 1-888-MONEY PIT. A live person takes your call 24/7! So -- WHENEVER you have a home improvement question -- phone it in. Simply tell our phone screener your first name, and where you're calling from...and ask your question. We’ll get back to you with the answer – or even call you back during the show!
3. Click here to email your question to us. We may read your email on the air and we also respond personally to many of the email questions we get.

Painting a room can work wonders to add to the décor of your home. Paint can transform a dull and drab space into a vibrant or calming one, depending on your choice of color. But one thing to keep in mind - don't skimp on quality. Lower grades of paint - often called contractor grade - do not cover as well as top of the line brands. A lower quality paint may need up to four coats for the same coverage a high-grade paint can achieve in one or two. Consumer Reports magazine rated Behr Premium Plus the top-rated interior paint as well as a best buy at around $21 a gallon. Another great paint is KILZ Casual Colors, which promises to cover in one coat and comes in a container with ergonomic handle and pour spout. So go ahead, liven up your home with some paint, but don't skimp on quality.

FUN FACT

Try these no-brainers to shave significant bucks off energy bills:

• Leave three light bulbs on for six hours a day as opposed to 12 and save almost $60 a year.
• Cut your 15 minute shower in half and save another $60 a year.
• Shut down your computer when not in use and cut $50 off energy bills annually.
• Turn off the coffeepot after your morning Joe instead of keeping it on for another hour and pocket an extra $15 each year.

DOT COMMON SENSE

The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates product-related injuries and deaths involving those 65 and older cost the U.S. over $100 billion every year. Falls are the leading cause of unintentional injury at home among this age group. Injuries include falling and tripping on stairs, in bathtubs, off ladders and step stools, over garden hoses, dog leashes, and household appliance cords. To keep your older loved-ones safe, the CPSC offers some safety tips to help reduce deaths and injuries to older consumers from falls:

• Install grab bars and slip-resistant surfaces in bathrooms.
• Only use stable step stools with a top handrail. Don't climb alone. Have someone nearby to help you.
• Be sure your telephones and emergency numbers are easily accessible - so you can get help if you fall.
• Always grip the handrails on stairs.
• Keep stairs well lighted.
• Keep floors clear and slip resistant.

ON THE WIRE

Finished basement projects usually begin with visions of a game room for the kids or a secluded spot for Dad to watch the Sunday football game. However, these projects usually end badly with black spots of mold, crumbling drywall and a smell reminiscent of a dungeon. The reason? Most of the conventional wisdom on how to finish a basement is dead wrong. Plastic vapor barriers, for example, actually do more harm than good by sealing moisture into wall cavities where it promotes rot. Fine Homebuilding shares the latest moisture control techniques that will ensure a dry, worry-free finished basement:

• Rigid-foam insulation is the key: Use 2-in. thick expanded polystyrene foam on the walls and 1-in. thick foam below the plywood subfloor. This vapor-permeable foam will avoid the build-up of trapped moisture and provide insulating properties. It is also strong enough to support the plywood subfloor without the use of sleepers.
• Dehumidify: Even if a basement looks dry, you easily can have problems when you enclose the concrete with a framed wall. The real villain here is water vapor, the invisible moisture that keeps concrete damp and makes cold-water pipes drip with condensation in the summer. To avoid trapping moisture in the walls where it can produce mold, use materials and finishes that allow moisture to diffuse. You can get rid of this diffused water by installing a dehumidifier or by extending the air-conditioning ductwork into the basement.
• Insulate joist bays: Insulating the joist bays will keep air leaks and cold spots to a minimum. Gaps can be sealed with expanding foam.
• Allow airflow to the boiler: One of the effects of finishing a basement is to cut off leaks that may have been supplying combustion air for the boiler, furnace or water heater. Failure to replace this air supply could contribute to backdrafting and the possible build-up of lethal amounts of carbon monoxide. Ducts run from the boiler room to outside the house are a good idea, but be sure to install fabric dampers to prevent those ducts from chimneying out the warm air. Hard-wired smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are always a good idea too.
• Egress: Another safety consideration in basements is egress. Most building codes require habitable basements to have two exits in case of fire. Most codes require a 5.2-sq.ft. opening within 44-in. of the floor, leading to a 36-in. by 36-in. well with ladder rungs leading to grade.

The current issue of Fine Homebuilding is on newsstands now and on the web at www.FineHomebuilding.com.

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Copyright 2005 Squeaky Door Productions, Inc.