Transcripts
Transcript For December 1, 2007, Hour 1
TRANSCRIPT FOR DECEMBER 1, 2007, HOUR 1Hosts: Tom Kraeutler & Leslie Segrete
(NOTE: Timestamps below correspond to the running time of the downloadable audio file of this show. Text represents a professional transcriptionist's understanding of what was said. No guarantee of accuracy is expressed or implied. 'Ph' in parentheses indicates the phonetic or best guess of the actual spoken word.)
BEGIN HOUR 1 TEXT:
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TOM: Coast to coast and floorboards to shingles. This is The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show. I’m Tom Kraeutler.
LESLIE: And I’m Leslie Segrete.
TOM: Call us right now at 1-888-MONEY-PIT with your home improvement question, your do-it-yourself dilemma. Soup to nuts, floorboards to shingles, we are here to help you get the job done.
Hey, it’s that time of year when ladders across the country are coming out of hiding so you can get up on the roof and clean out anything that’s behind; stuck behind those gutters before the snow comes. And you know what? That means that the emergency rooms are going to get super busy because there’s like 150,000 injuries from ladders every year. So we’re going to give you some tips on how to use that ladder safely this hour.
LESLIE: Hey, here’s a question for you. Have you checked your washing machine hoses lately? Well …
TOM: Why, everyday before I go to work.
LESLIE: I know, right? (Tom laughs) I bet you probably haven’t even thought about them in a long time. But you have to keep in mind that rubber hoses, they can get dry, brittle and then crack; sending all of that water that’s meant to go into your machine everywhere else and then it will keep on coming. We’re going to tell you what you can do to prevent that hose breakdown in just a little bit.
TOM: Oh, I learned it the way, you know?
LESLIE: Did you?
TOM: And I had a disastrous situation when I was in college and we were renting a house. I mean two feet of water in the basement …
LESLIE: Aw.
TOM: … from a washer that just ran all day when the hoses broke. (Leslie chuckles) So, I’ve learned a few things since then. We’ll share them with you in just a bit.
And if you haven’t had time to get your caulking gun out yet, you might just better because it’s time to leakproof windows and doors. There’s actually something better than caulk that you can use to do just that. It’s going to help you seal out the elements and cut down on those heating costs because, gosh, the fuel costs are so high this year already and we need to save a few bucks. We’re going to give you some tips to help you do just that.
LESLIE: And also this hour, we’re giving away a prize that’s both for you and your pet dog or cat. That’s right. It’s an extreme weather pet door. It’s worth 120 bucks and it will make you and your furry friend super happy.
TOM: So pet lovers, pick up the phone right now and call us at 1-888-MONEY-PIT. 888-666-3974.
Who’s first?
LESLIE: Taking a call from John in New York about flooring. What can we do for you?
JOHN: Hey, how you doing, guys? Listen, I’ve got a little dilemma here. I’m going to be replacing a hardwood floor in a very small apartment in New York City and I’m going crazy because half the world is telling me – or most of the world is telling me a light hardwood floor would make it look bigger, because it’s very small, the other place. And the other – but there’s a few people, supposedly big shots, that say that’s a fallacy and should get a very dark floor. So I’m a little jammed because this is like, you know, a very decision and I want the place to look as big as it can be. So what do I do?
LESLIE: Well, I think in addition to color of the floor you should consider the direction in which you run the planks.
JOHN: Ah.
LESLIE: You want them to run in the direction of the longest span of the room to make it feel as if it’s larger.
JOHN: OK, got you.
LESLIE: And then …
JOHN: Yeah, it is a rectangle. OK.
LESLIE: Yeah, so you want to sort of help elongate it in any direction you can, so do that with the planking direction. And then I think as far as color, hmm, you know, you want to go with a neutral tone so that it works with whatever paint or whatever decorating style your renter or you or whomever is in the space would enjoy. I kind of recently have been very prone to dark floors only because I think they’re super stylish, I think it’s a modern take on a wood floor …
JOHN: Yeah.
LESLIE: … and I think it really works with a lot of decorating styles. And you don’t have to go super dark like an ebony or a wengé but those are gorgeous tones to choose in a wood floor.
JOHN: Really? OK.
LESLIE: Mm-hmm. I mean that’s what I think but, you know …
JOHN: I’ve got two walls that are a little dark and it looks great, but now I’m a little bit concerned about – but now you’re talking me into going that way. So I think that’ll happen.
LESLIE: You know, as long as you keep trimming in the space that’s in a light color, even like a white, that’ll help draw the eye to all different corners and spaces of the room itself and sort of open it up.
JOHN: Ah. So keep the trim lighter so you have the definitions all around.
LESLIE: Mm-hmm.
JOHN: Great. Hey, listen. Thanks a lot, guys.
LESLIE: You’re so welcome.
Now we’re taking a call from Pamela in Utah. Welcome to The Money Pit. What’s going on in your home?
PAMELA: Hi, I appreciate your taking my call. I have an interesting problem. We bought a beautiful home that’s quite a Shangri-La with a pool in the back and surrounded by wonderful trees. But when they built this home in the 60s, they put in a wall around the pool and the same stone in the – partially in that wall and in the planter and on the front of the home and on a wall. So in about four different locations we have a sandstone. It’s white and against other black things.
TOM: OK.
PAMELA: And the white seems to be peeling off in layers. Like it’s a sandstone and if the sprinklers hit the front of the home and the planter wall, it’s sheering off in little slabs and eventually I think we’re going to lose the front of our home. I wondered if there is a product – and this is also a western facing – a west facing stone. Is there a product that I could put on the whole face of the stonework that would protect it against sprinklers and rain and wind and drying and freezing and peeling off?
TOM: Well, the first thing I would suggest is that those areas that you can control – for example, by redirecting sprinklers or putting in the appropriate designed heads – you should do that because the less water you put on this the better.
Secondly, you can put a masonry sealer on there. You want to make sure you use one that’s vapor permeable. That means it will try to keep out the most moisture as it can but any moisture that does get in will evaporate out. And those two things are probably about all you can do at this point.
PAMELA: Are there more than one – is there more than one product on the market that’s a sealant?
TOM: Oh, there’s lots and lots of sealers but the point is you need to make sure you choose one that’s vapor permeable and it’ll talk about that on the label. Because otherwise, what’ll happen is it’ll hold water in and you could get additional spawling, which is the condition that you’re describing.
PAMELA: And I’m worried that it would discolor or yellow over time. Do you know if …
TOM: Not likely. It’s a clear sealer and usually it wears off before that happens. This is something that you’re going to have to repeat from time to time as well.
PAMELA: OK, very helpful.
TOM: Very common to use it on chimneys where you have deteriorated mortar joints or chimneys that leak.
PAMELA: Oh, uh-huh. Well, thank you. I’ll do my best to find something like that.
TOM: You’re welcome. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.
LESLIE: You are tuned in to The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show.
Well, this is the holiday season and you might be overwhelmed with your shopping and your decorating and your preparing, but we can help you get your home in tiptop shape before all of those relatives keep on coming and ringing that bell. So give us a call now at 1-888-MONEY-PIT.
TOM: 888-666-3974.
Up next, the 411 on a household accident that causes more than 150,000 emergency room visits every year. Learn how to prevent one of the most common causes of falls, after this.
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ANNOUNCER: This portion of The Money Pit is brought to you by Ryobi, manufacturer of professional feature power tools and accessories with an affordable price for the do-it-yourselfer. Ryobi power tools. Pro features, affordable price. Available exclusively at The Home Depot. Now, here are Tom and Leslie.
TOM: Making good homes better. Welcome back to The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show. I’m Tom Kraeutler.
LESLIE: And I’m Leslie Segrete.
Well, this is the time of year where we’ve got our heat cranking all across the country or our air conditioning; certainly on far less than usual. And we’re seeing a big spike in our energy dollars because we are heating and cooling all across the country. But did you know that you can reduce your monthly energy bill by as much as 20 percent if you install proper insulation and air sealing techniques around your home? For example, if you’ve got a pet door it could be causing a major draft. That’s why we have got a great prize for you this hour.
If you give us a call at 1-888-MONEY-PIT and ask your question on the air, we will enter your name into the Money Pit hardhat and you could win the Extreme Weather Pet Door. It’s from the folks at PetSafe and it’s a unique, three-flap insulated door design that’s going to you warm and still provide your pet access to the outside all the time without letting in all of that cool air or that cool air out. So regardless of what your heating or cooling is, this will keep it all indoors where it counts. It’s worth 120 bucks but you’ve got to be in it to win it, so pick up the phone.
TOM: Call us right now at 1-888-MONEY-PIT. 888-666-3974.
OK, it’s about that time of year. Time to deck those halls with the holiday decorations and if you’re getting ready to decorate, no doubt you’re about to get up on a ladder; maybe for the first time since you did this chore last year. So let me give you some tips.
First of all, a six-foot ladder plus an eight-foot ladder does not add up to a 14-foot ladder. (Leslie chuckles) And this is probably why there are 150,000 trips to emergency rooms every year because of ladder injuries. It’s a really dangerous tool to use if you’re not very, very careful. So, here’s a couple of things.
To stay safe, make sure your ladder has slip-resistant rungs and feet. Inspect it for cracked uprights, split rungs or loose rivets and when using an extension ladder, make sure the bottom is pulled out away from the wall by at least one-quarter of the height that you need to work at. For example, if it is a 12-foot-high ladder you want to have it out at least three feet at the bottom; maybe four feet, to be safe.
And finally, never stand on the top rung. You know the one that says do not stand above this step?
LESLIE: (chuckling) They mean it.
TOM: Don’t do it! Of any ladder. And those tips will help keep you safe as you deck the halls this year.
Have another tip about home improvement safety? Maybe you’re about ready to pull that string of lights out and it just isn’t coming on. We can help you out with that, too. Pick up the phone and call us at 1-888-MONEY-PIT.
LESLIE: Robert in New Jersey’s dealing with a dishwasher situation. What can we do for you?
ROBERT: Hi, I’ve had numerous service calls on a dishwasher and I can’t get rid of the little particles that come out after the rinse. They’re always laying in there and I don’t know whether they’re getting sucked up through the system through the – I’m sorry – the garbage disposal or, you know, I changed water temperatures; I’ve changed detergents; I’ve run all kinds of cleaners through; got all – and I still can’t get rid of this problem.
TOM: That usually is caused by the dishwasher drain valve. It doesn’t open. It gets stuck and it leaves a lot of debris inside of it. There’s a good website that will take you through step by step on how to diagnose this particular problem. It’s called RepairClinic.com and then once you get to the end they’ll allow you to identify your model – your make and model and order that part, actually, online and you could probably replace this yourself. It’s probably the drain valve that is not working.
ROBERT: OK, that sounds good.
TOM: So it’s nothing that’s going to change by changing soaps or water. It’s just a mechanical breakdown of one of the valves.
ROBERT: OK, sounds great.
TOM: Alright, Robert. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.
ROBERT: Thanks.
LESLIE: Time for grout talk with Carmella in Tennessee. What’s going on?
CARMELLA: We installed a ceramic tile in our kitchen a couple of years ago and I picked a light gray. I mean the tile is actually sort of like a red brick color and I think I picked the wrong gray color. I’d actually like it to be a couple shades darker. And I was just wondering if there’s anything I could put on it to make it, you know, slightly darker.
LESLIE: I know about pigments that you can add to grout but that’s usually in its wet form. There are – Tom, is there a paint?
TOM: Well, I was thinking about concrete dyes. I’m wondering if you could add a dye to the grout because it really is a masonry product or a mortar product. I’m wondering if you could add a dye to it and darken it up to get the color that you want. It’s going to be a trial-and-error situation for sure. But there could be an opportunity there.
CARMELLA: Concrete dyes.
TOM: Mm-hmm.
CARMELLA: OK. Thank you.
TOM: You’re welcome, Carmella. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.
LESLIE: Rick in Utah’s got a window question. What can we help you with?
RICK: I’m looking at finally biting the bullet and putting in new replacement windows in my 50-year-old home.
TOM and LESLIE: OK.
RICK: And I tell you what. Everybody’s got a story on replacement windows. There are more things that people throw at you …
TOM: Oh, man, don’t they?
RICK: I had less trouble picking out my wife than picking out windows. (Tom and Leslie laugh)
TOM: I got to tell you. You know, we get commercials to record from time to time and it’s very important to us that those commercials are honest. And we had a script once where it was from a window company and it said, “You’ll save 50 percent on your energy dollars if you put in our windows.” I called the salesman up and I said, “If you had no windows and now you have windows maybe you’ll save 50 percent.” But other than that, I don’t think that’s – I think that’s a bit of an overstatement. So you’re right. They do throw a lot of things at you, so let me give you some tips here.
First of all, if you choose a window that’s Energy Star-rated, that’s going to enable you to make an apples-to-apples comparison from window to window. If it’s not Energy Star-rated I wouldn’t even think about choosing it. Energy Star is a government-run program run the Environmental Protection Agency. They set standards for energy efficiency for manufactured products. You can go to their website at EnergyStar.gov and get some tips on that. That’s the best way to make sure you’re going apples to apples. These guys that come and promise you the moon, they probably can’t deliver it.
LESLIE: Mm-hmm, and you also want to look at the NFRC – National Fenestration Rating Council. That’s going to be another sticker on the window. Again, that’ll help you do the same.
RICK: Well, I’ve been looking at triple-pane windows versus double-pane windows. Now there’s a double-pane window with a membrane in the middle …
TOM: Mm-hmm.
RICK: … and then they have argon-filled and then they have krypton-filled. So I was just looking at what your feelings on all these are.
TOM: I can tell you that in northern part of the country you’ll probably get a better return on investment from triple-pane than if you live down in the south. So, if you have some pretty hard winters there in Utah you might want to consider the triple-pane. If you live farther south in the country though, you probably wouldn’t get the return on investment. Triple-panes are generally more expensive than double-panes.
LESLIE: Mm-hmm.
RICK: Well, what they do with the triple-pane that I’m looking at is it covers – it occupies the same space as a double-pane, so there’s actually now less space between the middle pane and the outside pane. And so (INAUDIBLE) …
TOM: Right, but they are slightly – but they are slightly more energy-efficient, generally speaking.
LESLIE: Mm-hmm. And they’ll offer better acoustics but you might lose a bit of visibility.
TOM: Right. But again, go back to the basics. Look for windows that are Energy Star-rated. Use that as the standard between different manufacturers and you can’t go wrong.
RICK: OK, and argon versus krypton-filled?
TOM: It depends. Both of those are adequate insulating gases but there’s other factors that apply here. There is the visible light transmittance; how much light gets through; how much UV gets through. There’s a lot of things. So we can’t just go for argon over krypton or krypton over argon because there are a lot of other factors. It’s a system. All of these factors work together in a system and so, if you don’t consider it as a whole then you’re not going to make the right decision. That’s why you want to check the ratings from the National Fenestration Rating Council and the ratings from Energy Star to determine whether or not the window is energy efficient and then compare from those that pass those tests to make the decision on the actual window that you buy.
LESLIE: And definitely, when you do decide, have those manufacturers or the installer come in and measure the windows themselves for the replacement. This way, if they make a mistake they’re responsible. And there are a lot of confusing places you do need to take measurements, so it’s better to just have someone come in and do that for you.
RICK: I plan to do that. I appreciate you. Thank you. Thank you very much.
LESLIE: Thanks, Elvis.
TOM: (chuckling) Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.
LESLIE: Harold, you’ve got The Money Pit. What can we do for you today?
HAROLD: Hello. I live in Colorado and it’s the woodburning time of year. It’s getting cold.
LESLIE: OK.
HAROLD: Have a question about those commercially available fireplace cleaners. They look like logs. You can burn them and they claim to clean your chimney.
LESLIE: Oh, to get rid of the creosote.
HAROLD: Yes.
TOM: Yeah, very bad idea.
HAROLD: Oh.
TOM: They’re extremely corrosive. Very, very corrosive and just not a good idea. It’s kind of like pressure-washing the inside of your chimney, chemically speaking, and certain types of chimneys it’s more damaging than others; especially in the metal chimneys.
HAROLD: Oh, yes.
TOM: But you are always better off hiring a professional, certified chimney sweep than using those chemical sticks. Just not a good idea. Not a great way to clean your chimney.
You want to make sure you have it swept though about every cord of wood. So, of course, a cord of wood is a pile that’s four feet by four feet by eight feet. So if you can sort of time it out that way, depending on how much wood you burn, you need to have it swept professionally.
HAROLD: Wow, I’m very glad I called because it is a metal chimney, so …
TOM: Yeah, bad idea. Very, very corrosive and could result in a very unsafe situation.
HAROLD: Well, thank you very much.
TOM: You’re welcome. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.
LESLIE: More great home improvement advice coming up, including information about those water hoses that lead from your washing machine to the water line. Well, they can cause big trouble if they are not properly maintained. You’re probably scratching your head right now thinking, “I haven’t even looked at those in a hundred years.” Well we’re …
TOM: And maintain them? Do I have to paint them? (Leslie chuckles) Do I have to caulk them? How do you maintain a water hose?
LESLIE: Well, we are going to tell you exactly what you need to look out for and what you can do to stop a disaster.
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ANNOUNCER: The Money Pit is being brought to you by – well, by us. Get a $1,000 guarantee that the contractor you hire gets the job done right with your new Money Pit American Homeowners Association membership. And get $50 in Zircon tools if you join in the next 30 minutes. Call now. 866-REAL-HOME. That’s 866-REAL-HOME. Now here are Tom and Leslie.
TOM: This is The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show. I’m Tom Kraeutler.
LESLIE: And I’m Leslie Segrete.
TOM: Call us now with your home improvement question. The number is 1-888-MONEY-PIT. Wondering if it’s time to replace your appliances? Well, if they’re still avocado the answer is probably yes. (Leslie chuckles) (INAUDIBLE) …
LESLIE: Hey, that trend might come back around sometime soon, Tom.
TOM: That’s right. That’s right. Like bell-bottom jeans and fringe vests.
LESLIE: Hey, those never went anywhere.
TOM: (chuckling) OK. Well, call us now with your home decorating question because, as you can see, we are ultimately qualified to help you out with that with the background that we have. (chuckling) Call us at 1-888-MONEY-PIT. 888-666-3974.
Well, one of the questions about whether or not you should replace those avocado appliances is are they leaking. (chuckling) And if it’s a washer that could very well be the case if you’ve not taken a look at those water hoses because those water hoses will wear and tear. They’ll crack; they’ll check; they’ll blister and then they’ll burst and when that happens it’s ugly because they’ll just run and run and run and run. So, how do you stop it? A couple of things.
First of all, check them for the cracks or the blisters and I know that you’re not accustomed to looking behind the washer but it is a good idea.
Secondly, if you have to replace them, install steel, braided hoses. Very inexpensive but actually last a long longer than just the plain rubber hoses.
And thirdly, you could consider installing an automatic shut-off valve, which is a pretty cool device that actually senses an uncontrolled flow of water and will turn the valve off and especially if your washer and dryer are up on the second floor. That could save you from a major, major leak hassle.
So make sure you take a look at those hoses and prevent yourself a real problem.
LESLIE: And I can bet you that while you were climbing behind your washing machine to take a look at those hoses you probably had to push the dryer out of the way. So don’t ignore the dryer. We want to make sure that you really do safely maintain your dryer as well because dryer fires, they are far more common than you would think and they are probably the easiest thing to avoid if you know what to do and how to maintain your dryer.
Well, we have got some dryer safety tips for you in the next Money Pit e-newsletter. It comes every Friday to your inbox. It’s totally free. But you have to sign up for it. We’ve got lots of valuable tips, ideas, information there. So go to MoneyPit.com now and sign up for your free e-newsletter today.
TOM: 888-666-3974.
Leslie, who’s next?
LESLIE: Denise in Alaska, welcome to The Money Pit. What can we do for you?
DENISE: Hey, I’m kind of preplanning.
TOM and LESLIE: OK.
DENISE: Well, preplanning with a post problem. I’ve had a sidewalk that looks like yuck for years because it’s about 20 years old.
TOM: Alright.
DENISE: It’s got big pit marks. You know where the cement shavings kind of come up …
TOM: Uh-huh.
DENISE: … you know and it looks really ugly and it’s actually starting to be kind of a danger. And I’m trying to think – the girls and I thought we would try to do a sidewalk on our own next year.
TOM: Alright.
DENISE: Next spring.
TOM: How old are the girls?
DENISE: We’re all in our 40s. (chuckling)
TOM: Alright. Oh, so all the sisters, huh?
DENISE: Well, yeah. We try to take on little projects that we think we probably could do for a learning experience.
TOM: I just was wondering, when you said, “the girls,” you had a couple of kids who were going to help you; maybe your daughters or something. (laughing)
DENISE: Oh, no, no, no. These are women. These are …
TOM: OK.
DENISE: … foolish women. Foolish.
TOM: Alright. (laughing)
DENISE: Anyway, and so what I (chuckles) – what I’m wondering is now we’re planning ahead for next summer …
TOM: Alright.
DENISE: … to do this because of course we’re in Alaska and, you know … (Leslie chuckles) Anyway, so, I’m wondering are we going to take those old pieces of cement out; dig everything up before we make the forms and do it all – or can we make forms around what’s there; pour over?
TOM: No. If you pour over, it’s going to end up spawling because what’ll happen is, especially in your climate, you’ll get moisture between the old and the new concrete …
DENISE: Aw, shoot. (Leslie chuckles)
TOM: … and it’ll break and it’ll crack off and you’ll have to repeat the whole process next year again.
DENISE: I knew you would say that. (laughing)
TOM: Yeah, so you’re going to have to break it out. You know, break up the old pieces and get it out. You’re going to have to build the forms.
DENISE: Yep.
TOM: And really, the care here and the time is to building those forms and making that they are letter perfect; nice and level, that you don’t pour too big of a piece, that you put dividers between the sections and have it all ready and good to go before you call the concrete truck in.
DENISE: OK.
TOM: And I can only imagine the look on that guy’s face when he shows up with that truckload of concrete working with big, burly masons all day long and sees you girls there ready to take the load. (laughing)
DENISE: Yep, in our shorts and our sunglasses. Bring it on, buddy. (laughing) (Leslie chuckles)
TOM: You’re going to make his day. (laughing)
DENISE: Yeah, maybe so. Maybe that might be the bright spot, right? (laughing)
TOM: Alright. Well, good luck with that project.
DENISE: Hey thanks, you guys. I listen to you all the time. You’re great.
TOM: Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.
Girls taking on a concrete project there in Alaska.
LESLIE: And you know when she says wearing shorts? It’s probably like in March. They get so happy when the weather turns even slightly that as soon as it’s like what you and I would consider freezing, Tom, they are in flip-flops and shorts because 40 is summer.
TOM: Yeah, three weeks is all they get for spring and summer. (chuckling) It’s back to winter again. (Leslie chuckles)
LESLIE: Now we’ve got Morris in New York who’s got a painting question. How can we help you today?
MORRIS: I recently had painted the walls and after it was painted I found that I could see the spackle and the previous paint underneath.
TOM: OK.
MORRIS: I was wondering what I did wrong and what I can do to remedy the situation.
TOM: So after you painted it you noticed that you could see the spackle. So could you see it through the paint or could you just see …
MORRIS: Yes, through the paint. Yes.
TOM: Through the paint. OK. And what kind of paint did you use, Morris?
MORRIS: It was like pearl finish.
TOM: OK. So, but it was not a primer? It was a wall paint.
MORRIS: Right.
TOM: Well …
MORRIS: It was white on white but I …
TOM: … whenever you have a problem with paint you have to kind of go back to the beginning and that means you need to prime the wall first.
MORRIS: Mm-hmm.
TOM: If you have a difficult surface and you’re having trouble with coverage then what you should do is prime it. We would recommend, because you’ve had a problem here, let’s do it once and do it right and not have to do it again.
MORRIS: Yeah, I thought because it was white on white I really didn’t need to prime it but you’re telling me I had to do it anyway.
TOM: Well, you see, it’s a different quality. The primer neutralizes the surface and it’s really what makes the next coat stick. The topcoat …
LESLIE: And it has different adhesions quality, too.
TOM: Right.
LESLIE: So it’s made to stick on anything that’s already there.
TOM: And seal what’s underneath so that you get less absorption as well. So that’s why it’s a good idea to prime it. Because you’ve had a problem. So I would recommend that you use an oil-based primer, you prime the entire wall and then after it dries, you’ll have to put only one coat of top paint on top of that. Use a good, quality paint and you should be able to get away with just one more coat of paint.
MORRIS: I also have a problem with, you know, the wood thing that they used in the past. I have like holes, bubbles coming out of the wall and I was wondering how I can get rid of that.
TOM: You mean where there were nails or that sort of thing?
MORRIS: Yes. Where there were nails that they used in the past.
TOM: OK. Alright. So then what you want to do is you drive another nail next to that so that you press it into the wall and then you spackle that and use a wall-patching compound, a spackle. Make sure it dries real good and do all this before you prime. You may have to sand it a little bit after you spackle if it’s a very deep nail hole and do two coats. And then after it’s sanded, very lightly sanded, then you prime it – again, with oil-based primer – and you can put the topcoat over that and you’ll be very happy with the results.
MORRIS: OK.
TOM: Alright?
MORRIS: Very much.
TOM: You’re welcome, Morris. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT. 888-666-3974.
This is The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show.
Up next, a window is a potential weak point in your home that can allow moisture in. We’re going to give you some tips to help keep water out, prevent leaks and mold and warping and eventually costly structural damage to your home.
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ANNOUNCER: This portion of The Money Pit is brought to you by Aprilaire, makers of professionally-installed, high-efficiency air cleaners. For more information, go to Aprilaire.com. Now, here are Tom and Leslie.
TOM: Making good homes better. Welcome back to The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show. I’m Tom Kraeutler.
LESLIE: And I’m Leslie Segrete.
TOM: And if you just spilled a can of paint on your shag carpet, no problem. It was time to replace it anyway. (Leslie chuckles) But call us with other cleaning questions at 1-888-MONEY-PIT or home improvement dilemmas at 1-888-666-3974. Because one caller we talk to on the air this hour is going to win an Extreme Weather Pet Door from PetSafe. It comes in three sizes so it’ll handle your Chihuahua and your Doberman. It’s worth up to 120 …
LESLIE: I wonder if they’re labeled that way, too.
TOM: Yeah, right.
LESLIE: Chihuahua size.
TOM: (chuckling) It’s worth up to 120 bucks. It’s a great way to avoid walking Fido or Fifi on those cold winter days and still keep drafts at bay. Let the dog let himself out. (Leslie chuckles) If you provide a door the dog will do all the work and you can stay nice and toasty-warm inside your house and you’re not going to waste a lot of energy at the same time. If you’d like to win it, call us right now at 1-888-MONEY-PIT. It’s going to go to one caller to today’s program.
LESLIE: You know, it really is a great pet door because if you do go for a less expensive or a less thought-out model, you’ll see a lot of energy leaks; drafts constantly; your heating dollars going right out the pet door. So you want to go ahead and if you win the prize, use that. You’ll be saving energy dollars.
And all around your home, think about places where you could be losing those energy dollars: drafts around windows, around doors. You know, and if you’re installing new windows, one of the key things to keep in mind is the installation process. You want to make sure that the installer is giving you a waterproof seal around the entire window to guide the moisture around the window away from your home’s interior. You want to keep that drywall dry.
And while many people traditionally choose caulk to create a seal when you’re weatherproofing, you want to try to use premium waterproof flashing. Have your installer use this because it’s going to offer a more reliable solution with greater benefits in the long run and keep everything much drier.
TOM: Absolutely. You know, most of the time that contractor’s grade caulk, it’s used to weatherproof around the windowsill, the header and the jambs but when the window expands and contracts with the weather, the caulk is going to deteriorate and eventually it’ll separate from the wall. So that’s why you need to use a good, sort of a peel-and-stick window flashing like Vycor Plus, that product that Grace makes. It’s very flexible. It can stretch around the odd angles that often surround a window or a door and it definitely keeps the water out.
If you want more tips on these types of flashing techniques, you could visit the website for the Grace folks at GraceAtHome.com or pick up the phone right now and call us at 1-888-MONEY-PIT.
Leslie, who’s next?
LESLIE: Jessie in Texas has a question about showering and Jessie, our studio folks here were saying yes, they think you should shower.
JESSIE: Oh, thank you very much. I appreciate that. (Tom and Leslie laugh)
No, I have a 30-year home. I’ve had it a couple of years and I have a master bath with a tub that’s 30 years old also and I was wondering what’s the better selection; going with putting in a walk-in shower or trying to put in a garden tub. I have no room to blow out a wall or anything like that.
LESLIE: Hmm. So are you looking to gain space? Are you looking to …?
JESSIE: No, I’m only looking for comfort and value in the home. And it’s an old cast-iron – a small cast-iron tub.
TOM: Right. Well, a walk-in shower is going to be more accessible, certainly; especially as you age. In terms of value, it’s still considered a full bath if you have a shower or a tub. Some people are going to appreciate one more than the other but, you know, if you’re going to replace an old tub with another tub you’re really going to come out sort of in neutral position. So I guess if it was me I’d probably go for the shower.
JESSIE: Yeah. I was thinking about manufactured marble and maybe putting in extra showerheads.
LESLIE: Mm-hmm.
JESSIE: That’s not a problem but, you know – that’s just plumbing in the wall and I wouldn’t have to move the drain or anything like that, so …
TOM: That’s right. That’s right.
LESLIE: No, and that adds, really, like a luxurious hotel spa-like experience …
TOM: Yeah.
LESLIE: … which really does boost the value.
TOM: Yeah, you might want to just get a shower pan. Install the pan and then you can use whatever walls you want; whether it’s marble or if it’s Corian or anything else.
JESSIE: (INAUDIBLE) ceramic tile pretty hard to tackle or …?
TOM: Well, that’s a little more complicated now because you have to install usually a fiberglass or a lead pan, then you have to tile over that. So that probably doubles the complication. If you could try to stick with a standard pan, a standard fiberglass pan, then on top of that you could put whatever walls you want.
JESSIE: OK. I do appreciate it.
TOM: You’re welcome, Jessie. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT. 888-666-3974.
LESLIE: This is The Money Pit and we make good homes better. And maybe one of those things you’re considering to make your home better is replacing your water heater. Well, you might be thinking, “How long is my water heater supposed to last, anyway?” Well, we’ve got all the recommendations on when to replace yours, next.
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ANNOUNCER: The Money Pit is being brought to you by – well, by us. Save hundreds a month on groceries, not to mention significant savings on home improvement products and services with your new Money Pit American Homeowners Association membership. And get $50 in Zircon tools if you join in the next 30 minutes. Call now. 866-REAL-HOME. That’s 866-REAL-HOME. Now here are Tom and Leslie.
TOM: Welcome back to The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show. I’m Tom Kraeutler.
LESLIE: And I’m Leslie Segrete and hey, if you haven’t visited MoneyPit.com lately you’re probably missing out on this great feature that we’ve got there called Cool Products. It’s under the Repair and Improve section and what’s really cool – and I know Tom and I, we’re kind of lucky because the jobs that we have – manufacturers send us all their new stuff all the time so we can try it out and get all of the reports and the reviews straight to you in this cool product section. So click on it today and learn about that new item or tool or something you’ve been dreaming about and find out if it’s worth spending the dough on.
TOM: Sometimes we get really cool stuff like circular saws and drills but sometimes we get like forms for concrete. (chuckling)
LESLIE: Exactly.
TOM: (chuckling) Odd things like that.
LESLIE: And some of the things are enormous.
TOM: Yeah, big box. Somebody sent me a concrete form. Oh, that’s great. (laughing)
LESLIE: (chuckling) You’re like, “Awesome, a table saw. Oh, wait. This is some sort of concrete form for a lamppost. Interesting.”
TOM: And we turn it upside down, add a plywood top to it and create a dining table. (laughing)
LESLIE: (chuckling) You know, while you’re snooping around MoneyPit.com, if you don’t feel like picking up the phone to ask us a question live on air, you can shoot us an e-mail and all you have to do is click on the Ask Tom and Leslie icon and you will get an e-mail right to us which we will answer live on air like we are doing now. We’ve got one here, oh, from a husband and wife team, John and Janice in Petoskey, Michigan who write: “We need to replace our 28-year-old gas boiler and water heater. Our heating man has the Weil McClain brand. He recommends the BoilerMate water heater. Connects to the boiler, he said. He has three choices or prices. Each gives higher energy savings. Should we choose the most expensive? Will it pay for itself in energy savings in five years? That’s what he tells us. Or should we take the cheapest one? We only have a small townhouse.”
TOM: Hmm. Well, return on investment is really what this all comes down to, John and Janice. First of all, the BoilerMate that he’s talking about is basically an attachment to the boiler where you take some heating water from the boiler and you circle it through a coil and then you have the domestic water sort of rolls on the outside of that. It’s sort of an extension on what’s known as the tankless coil, which is where the heating for the domestic hot water’s actually built into the boiler. So this is an add-on to that. And the thing is, it’s about the same size as a water heater so it’s not saving you much in the space department.
In terms of efficiency, it’s been my experience that using your boiler to heat hot water is probably not the most efficient way to do this because you have to fire up the entire boiler to deliver hot water. Probably a better option, if you have to replace your water heater – and I’m assuming that it is worn out at this time – is to use what’s called a tankless water heater. And this is an on-demand system where the actual water heater is much, much smaller and it only heats water when you actually need it. Rheem makes an excellent one. You could check them out at RheemTankless.com – that’s R-h-e-e-mTankless.com – and they are a sponsor of this show and we appreciate that because the product is fabulous. It really does deliver an unlimited amount of hot water when you need it.
Now, tankless water heaters do cost a bit more but they do give you a good return on investment and in terms of the time frame, difficult to say because there’s a lot of other factors involved. But if you think you’re going to be there within the next five to ten-year period then I would say you probably will get the best ROI on that investment.
LESLIE: And you know, another cool feature is that it has a digital control which you can sort of operate by remote to dial up or dial down the temperature of the water. So if you’ve got visitors or small children in the house or an elderly relative and you’re concerned about them scalding themselves, dial down that temperature for when they’re using it. You don’t have to worry about a thing.
TOM: This is The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show.
Thank you so much for spending this hour with us. The show continues online at MoneyPit.com where you can download our free podcast. Over 200,000 folks do that every, single month and we’re so happy to be a part of your radio and your earbud listening experience any time of the day or night.
I’m Tom Kraeutler.
LESLIE: And I’m Leslie Segrete.
TOM: Remember, you can do it yourself …
LESLIE: But you don't have to do it alone.
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END HOUR 1 TEXT
(Copyright 2007 Squeaky Door Productions, Inc. No portion of this transcript or audio file may be reproduced in any format without the express written permission of Squeaky Door Productions, Inc.)
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