On the Wire - The Silent Killer
As you get ready to use your home heating appliances – keep in mind that this is prime time of the year for a potentially deadly situation: Carbon Monoxide poisoning. This sneaky gas cannot be smelled or seen but it CAN kill you. To help prevent CO poisoning, get a professional inspection of all fuel-burning appliances including furnaces, stoves, fireplaces, clothes dryers, water heaters and space heaters.
Carbon monoxide usually leaks into the home due to faulty heating equipment. There are several areas of the heating system where leakage is common. To avoid becoming a victim of carbon monoxide poisoning, have a qualified heating contractor check your system carefully each year. A thorough examination should include the following:
- Heat Exchanger - The heat exchanger keeps the air you breathe separate from carbon monoxide laced exhaust gases. Check the furnace heat exchanger for any signs of rust, combustion deposits or cracks. If any cracks or holes are found, the furnace should be replaced.
- Vent Pipe - The vent pipe carries exhaust gases to the outside of your house. If the pipe is rusted, loose or blocked, dangerous levels of carbon monoxide can back up into the house. Check the pipe for any sign of corrosion. If the pipe is damaged, replace it immediately. The seams of the vent pipe should also be screwed together to prevent the pipe from separating. Moreover, make sure the pipe clears the roof properly. The vent should be at least two feet higher than any part of the roof within a ten foot radius.
- Chimney - Like vent pipes, chimneys must be free of blockage and properly designed. If you haven’t had your chimney cleaned lately, now is a great time to do it. Also, consider installing a chimney cap. This is a steel grate that lets gases escape while keeping the chimney off-limits to animals that could build nests inside of it.
- Blower Compartment Door - On the furnace, make sure the door, which covers the blower, is secure. If the door is loose, bent or damaged, the blower could suck carbon monoxide from the burners and distribute it throughout the house.
- Flame Color - Proper gas combustion will produce a blue flame. Yellow or orange flames often indicate incomplete combustion, which can release higher levels of carbon monoxide. Also make sure the burners are clean and not covered by rust.
- Combustion Air - All heating appliances, gas or oil, need fresh air to burn properly and reduce carbon monoxide levels. If your heating equipment is located in a small room or closet, you may need to add wall, floor or ceiling vents to make sure enough air gets to the equipment. At a minimum, appliances need 1 square inch of ventilation for every 1000 BTU’s of heating capacity. An average utility room containing a furnace, water heater and dryer would use about 200,000 BTU’s and need at least 200 square inches of vent area.
Carbon monoxide is the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in America. Each year, over 200 people die from exposure to this colorless, odorless killer. The initial symptoms of CO poisoning are similar to flu, and include headache, fatigue, shortness-of-breath, nausea and dizziness. Making sure all of your fuel-burning appliances are working properly could save your life. And consider CO detectors near bedrooms, as well as near your fuel-burning appliances.
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Ask Tom & Leslie - Fridge Freeze?
“I adore your radio show and listen as often as I can. Please help me with this question. I am planning on purchasing an additional refrigerator to put in my garage (I do a great deal of entertaining). I have been told that I cannot do so as the garage is not insulated and my appliance will not work properly. Is this correct? Many of my friends have done this and don't have a problem.”
While many of us have enjoyed the convenience of the “spare” fridge in the garage over the years, there is some truth to warnings that such a device will not run properly. Refrigerators are designed to operate within a typical indoor temperature range of about 60 – 100 degrees. Garage temps can run between -0 and 100 and because the freezer is set to come on only when the refrigerator is working, it may actually warm your frozen food, causing it to thaw and spoil.
Some manufacturers make refrigerator/freezers specifically designed for an unheated garage. If you don’t have one of those, my recommendation is to keep a close eye on the temperature, especially in the winter, to make sure it is doing the job. One other tip: many garage outlets are protected by GFCI’s (ground fault circuit interrupters) and are not designed for a refrigerator to be plugged into. As a result of the compressor going on and off, large voltage draws across the circuit can “fake” the GFCI into thinking a short exists and it will turn off the circuit – and your refrigerator! If you are going to add a refrigerator to your garage, have an electrician install a dedicated, single outlet, non-GFCI protected outlet and use it only for the purpose of plugging in the refrigerator.
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Got A Question About Your Money Pit?
You can do-it-yourself but you don't have to do-it-alone. Getting in touch with us is as easy as 1 - 2 or 3!
- 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.
- 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!
- 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.
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On the Air - Fall Painting Fixes
It’s a popular time of year for inside paint jobs. And why not? Just a coat of paint can change the whole attitude of a room. We will give you a few tips for painting during cooler months, on the next Money Pit radio show. To find out where we broadcast in YOUR area, or download our podcast, visit www.moneypit.com.
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Dot Common Sense - The Right Stuff
If you're hiring a contractor for your home improvement project, YOU should pick the products to be used. Most people choose their own brands of exterior paint and stain, but allow contractors to make buying decisions about products like asphalt roofing and vinyl siding. Don't do that! When you’re doing-it-yourself - YOU are the one who shops for and chooses materials, right? You should have just as much input on materials for your DIRECT-it-yourself project as well. There are significant performance differences among products, and homeowners would do better to make the key decisions themselves.
For example, contractors traditionally use thirty pound felt as the underlayment of choice for roofing jobs. This is probably a very outdated practice because not only does felt tear easily, but it also absorbs water. This means that if water gets under your roof’s coverings, it may stay pressed against its wooden decking for weeks – or worse yet, find a way into your home and cause structural damage. There are many better underlayments out there. For example, Grace has a synthetic underlayment called Grace Tri-Flex 30. Unlike conventional roofing felts that actually absorb water, this product SHEDS water when properly installed on sloped roofs. It is stronger and more tear resistant than felt and the best part: the cost difference between the two is minimal. So make sure you are choosing the right materials for your direct-it-yourself project. And for more information on synthetic roofing underlayments or Grace’s family of weather barriers, visit www.GraceAtHome.com.
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Fun Fact - Clearly See the Savings
If you’ve bought glasses recently you know they are EXPENSIVE. If anyone in your household wears prescription glasses, reading glasses, or contact lenses, there is a way to save tons of money. Discounts and savings on vision care are just a few of the hundreds of benefits that come with the our new Money Pit/American Homeowners Association membership program. The membership helps you save tons of money on everything for your home, and other stuff too.
The vision benefit is easy to use. Simply login to our members-only website to find a provider near you – there’s thousands to choose from. Big names like Lenscrafters, Pearle, Walmart, and Target. Mention your membership and give your number when you make your appointment and you’ll save on exams. Then pick out your new frames. Choose ANY frame in the store – even the luxury designer brands – as a member your price will be up to 60% off retail. You could save hundreds. Get the stylish designer glasses you love without breaking the bank. It doesn’t stop there – you save big on lenses too. And all the good stuff that usually jacks up the price like anti scratch coatings, transitions, anti glare – they’re all yours at 60% off. And if you manage to find a lower price within 30 days of getting your glasses, just send us the proof and we’ll cut you a check for the difference. Did I mention that all glasses are backed by a 30-day guarantee?
It’s even easier to save on your contact lenses. Just mail in your prescription and you can order refills as often as you like. And again, it’s all the good stuff. Most major brands participate and you can get disposables, torics, bifocals. Even gas permeable lenses are available.
Access to these member-only deals on glasses and contacts would be reason enough to have a membership, but it’s just one of hundreds of time and money saving benefits and privileges that you get with this program.
And we’ve got two more great reasons: Free tools. That’s right – you’ll get two awesome electronic tools from Zircon just for trying the Money Pit/AHA Membership. The LaserBall 360 laser level and StudSensor i60 OneStep from Zircon sell for $50.00 in home improvement stores from coast to coast. For all the details on how you can claim them free, along with a free trial membership, just click here.
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Short Cuts - Handy Holidays
If there is a handy person in your life, most likely they are the easiest person on your shopping list for gift giving. That’s because an avid DIYer can never have enough power tools. Get a jump on holiday shopping. Ryobi has several new products for the handy person in your life this holiday season… Here’s a little list from Ryobi that you can make once, and check twice:
Lithium Ion Combo Kits: Ryobi has several new Ryobi lithium kits coming out just in time for the holidays including a battery upgrade kit, 2-piece drill kit and a 4-piece combo kit. The new lithium tools offer complete compatibility with the existing and future 18-volt One System. The Battery Upgrade Kit is perfect for DIYer who already has several Ryobi One tools and just wants to upgrade to lithium. The kit retails for $99 and includes a battery and charger. The 2-piece Lithium Power drill kit includes a drill, flashlight, two batteries and a charger and retails for $169.
Table Saw: Ryobi has a new table saw in Home Depot stories that is a great gift idea for the DIYer and remodeler. The new 10” table saw features an extending table with 30-inch rip capacity, a folding leg stand with wheels for easy transportation and storage, and a sliding miter table with built in miter gauge.
Stocking Stuffers: Ryobi has several new electronic hand tools that would be great stocking stuffer ideas. The first is a ProCross Self-Leveling Laser Level with AIRgrip. The AIRgrip technology was first introduced in 2004 and is a first of its kind product that uses a patented vacuum technology to cling to walls and surfaces without leaving marks. Ryobi’s new ProCross laser level is a fit for the DIYer or even professional contractor and offers users multi-functioning capabilities including horizontal, vertical and intersecting laser beams as well as a self-leveling mechanism and fine adjustment knob. Also new is the SonicTape distance and area finder which would be a perfect stocking stuffer for any designer, remodeler, painter who quickly needs find measurements and calculate the area of a room.
Accessories: If all else fails and the handy person on your list has every tool known to man, you can never go wrong with accessory kits. Ryobi has several new accessory kits for the holiday season including a 100-piece drilling and driving accessory kit with ratcheting screwdriver that has every bit you could ever need. The kit contains a built-in tool bag with two accessory mats that roll up and attach to the bag for easy transportation for under $30.
Ryobi tools are sold exclusively at The Home Depot.
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Copyright 2007 Squeaky Door Productions, Inc.
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