#2402 – Outside Oasis: 5 Tips for Outdoor Living Space | What to Ask Contractors

Show Notes

Today’s show has tips for crafting your perfect outdoor living space, asking key questions before hiring a contractor, and choosing the best tile for your next project. Whether your DIY project is indoors or outdoors, we’ve got the answers you need for all your home improvement questions!

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Top Questions & Answers
Ask Your Home Improvement Question
Podcast Transcript

Outdoor Living: Follow these 5 tips for creating the perfect outdoor living space.
Hiring Contractors: Choose wisely by asking these 5 key questions before hiring a home improvement professional.
Choosing Tile: Learn how to pick the best type of tile for your project.

Ask Your Home Improvement Question

Do you have a home improvement or decor question? Call the show 24/7 at 888-MONEY-PIT (888-666-3974) or post your question here.

Podcast Transcript

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00:00:29	TOM: Coast to coast and floorboards to shingles, this is the Money Pit Home Improvement Show. I’m Tom Kraeutler.
00:00:34	LESLIE: And I’m Leslie Segrete.
00:00:36	TOM: And we are your ultimate guide to all things home improvement. If you’ve got a project you want to get done, you don’t know where to start, or you’re stuck in the middle, reach out to us right now because we are ready, willing, and able to help. The number here is 1-888-Money-Pit. Or for the fastest response, just go to moneypit.com slash ask. Coming up on today’s episode, spring is here and it’s time to get your outdoor spaces ready for the warm weather ahead. If you don’t know where to begin, we’ve got five easy ways for you to create the perfect outdoor living room so that you can move from your indoor living room right to your outdoor living room and start enjoying the weather.
00:01:15	LESLIE: All right, I can’t wait for that. And if you’re thinking about hiring a handyman for a project, it’s crucial that you make sure you’re making the right choice. We’re going to share five key questions you should be asking your potential pro, before you press go.
00:01:29	TOM: And if a tile floor is on your to-do list for the spring, it’s good to note that all tiles are not created equal, so we’ll share how you can choose the best tile for your project.
00:01:39	LESLIE: But first, are you dreaming about a project that you’d like to tackle this spring season? Well, if you can dream it, you can do it, and we can help. So let us know what you’re working on. We swear no project is too big or too small. We can help you figure out if it’s something you can do on your own. We can guide you through the process of hiring that pro. And best of all, help you get to that finished step before you even know it. So definitely reach out to Team Money Pit today.
00:02:03	TOM: Let’s get started. The number here is 1-888-Money-Pit. That’s 888-666-3974. Or just go to moneypit.com slash ask.
00:02:12	LESLIE: Heading over to Gail in Virginia, who’s got a heating system question. What’s going on?
00:02:16	CALLER: I have an oil furnace that provides my heat and my hot water. My problem is that I constantly, constantly have to adjust the water temperature. In my shower.
00:02:29	LESLIE: Because it’s too hot or too cold or what?
00:02:31	CALLER: Yeah, too hot. I’ve tried turning it down. I’ve tried turning the temperature down on the furnace, but then it affects my heat and I run out of hot water.
00:02:41	I know exactly what you have. You don’t actually have a furnace. You have a boiler. Yeah. And you have an indirect water heater. Is there a tank that like the tank like structure next to the boiler? Or is it all coming straight off the boiler? Straight off the boiler. Okay. So what you want to look for, the next time you have the system serviced, you should be able to find this, is there’s a valve called a mixing valve. And the purpose of the mixing valve is to add cold water to that 160 odd degree water that comes off the heating system. Because you don’t want to have that full temperature water going to your shower because you’re going to get scalded. All tankless coils, that’s the kind of system you have, by the way, it’s called tankless coil. It’s built into the boiler. Have a mixing valve. And the mixing valve adds that, that cold water into it. And this way you have two basically ways to adjust temperature. As you’ve discovered, if you turn the temperature down for the water going through the boiler, your house doesn’t heat quite so well because your radiators don’t get hot. So, but they’re really two separate purposes. You know, the water that you’re using domestically for the shower shouldn’t get any hotter than 110 or 120 degrees max. But for the heating system, do you have steel radiators or cast iron? What kind of radiators do you have? Steel.
00:03:57	CALLER: Okay.
00:03:57	TOM: So those steel baseboard radiators, usually you have to have 160, 170 degree water coming out of the boiler for that, for them to work right. So that’s what’s going on. You just need to find your mixing valve. So I would make sure you identify that and have the technician show you how to operate it and set it because you didn’t have to keep messing around with it. Okay.
00:04:15	CALLER: Excellent. Thank you so very much.
00:04:18	TOM: All right. Good luck with that project.
00:04:20	CALLER: Thank you. Bye now.
00:04:22	LESLIE: Now I’ve got Mike in Arkansas on the line who’s got a bathroom venting question. What’s going on?
00:04:27	CALLER: Well, I’ve lived in my house for about 20 years now. And it doesn’t seem like I had any issues with excessive moisture up in the attic. But my vent for one of my bathrooms recently went out. And I went up there to replace it. And I noticed that it wasn’t vented through the roof. And that’s probably something I should have noticed much sooner than this. Seeing how I had a metal roof put on, a couple of years ago. And they didn’t mention anything. Well, my question
00:05:05	TOM: is, is there is obviously a three-inch drain line vent that goes through the roof. And it’s right in between these two bathrooms that are essentially share a wall. So what I’m, well, my question is, is whether or not I could put a T in that vent up in the attic and tie those two bathrooms. vent fans to that T and so it goes out the roof.
00:05:32	TOM: Yeah, I understand what you’re trying to do, and the answer is no. You can’t do that because the plumbing vent you’re describing is just for that. It’s the Venture Plumbing System. The bath vent for the humidity in the room is a completely different purpose. So, no, what you need to do with the bath exhaust vent is to essentially duct it right to the outside. A couple of ways to do that. You could go up through the roof. There is a piece of flashing that will essentially go under the shingles and through the roof and the water will run around that it will not leak and then the bath exhaust duct will be attached to that. Or you could turn it horizontally and go up towards, say, the gable vent if there’s one on the outside end of the building. Or if you have to have a ridge vent, you could actually terminate it right near there if you didn’t want to pierce the roof. But you can’t tie in a bathroom fan vent with a bathroom plumbing vent. It seems like a good idea. It seems like a good idea. I understand it. But, no, you don’t want to. It’s not designed to go together like that. Yeah. You could also get water that would come down that pipe and it would get into the exhaust duct for the fan, for the vent fan, and then you’d start getting water inside your bathroom.
00:06:39	CALLER: I understand. I appreciate you getting back to me.
00:06:42	TOM: You’re welcome, Mike. Thanks for listening to the show.
00:06:44	LESLIE: Hey, you want to make our day? Well, go ahead and leave us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts and we’ll be jumping for joy. Plus, you guys, your feedback helps us make the show even better for you. Just go to moneypit.com slash review.
00:06:56	TOM: And we love reading your reviews. We want to send a big thank you out to, do you think this is his real name, Leslie? Sharpie Sharpstein. Sharpie Sharpstein.
00:07:07	LESLIE: I don’t know, but I like it.
00:07:08	TOM: Well, he says, love the tips and the product recommendations and tossed us a five-star review. He says, I’m a DIY landlord and a rehabber and get a lot of good information from the podcast. So thank you very much, Sharpie Sharpstein. And if you’d like to send a review to us. Please do so on Apple Podcasts. We sincerely appreciate reading your comments.
00:07:29	LESLIE: We’ve got Helen in Massachusetts on the line who’s dealing with a leaky sewage system causing a whole bunch of issues. What’s going on?
00:07:36	CALLER: Unfortunately, I have had a crack in the waste pipe that takes all the waste from my top floor to the septic system. It has flooded my basement. Number one, is there a way? Is there a way to fix the waste pipe or do we have to go and have a plumber come in and cut the waste pipe and reinstall a new one? And number two, I need something to put on the floor of the basement. We had carpeting. The carpeting is ruined now and I don’t want to put carpeting down again. So what would you suggest for flooring?
00:08:17	TOM: Oh, that’s absolutely terrible, Helen. So here’s the good news, though. Because you had a sudden crack. You had a sudden leak like this. This should actually be covered by your homeowner’s insurance policy. I would call them right away. I would file a claim. You know, if it’s a slow leak that goes on for a long time, that’s on you. But when you have a crack like this and it causes a flood and all this damage, you definitely want to call your insurance company. Now, they’ll send out an investigator and estimate the damage. But you could also hire a public adjuster. These guys work on a percentage of the claim and often they find a lot more than the insurance guys do. Because they’re basically working to make sure every single thing is covered from, you know, from the layer of paint to the nails to the screws, everything. You also need, because it’s sewage, they’re going to have to call a remediation company that will come in and treat all of these sewage affected areas because obviously it’s a lot of waste down there that’s very, very unhealthy. And I’m sure it doesn’t smell very well. So you asked about the carpet. That’s the least of your problems. But to that, we’ll say, don’t put carpet in a basement. It’s a really bad idea because basements are damp. You get a lot of dust down there. You can get a lot of dust mites. You get mold. It’s a real mess. So choose a hard surface floor. Well, you guys ready to spend more time outside? I am. In fact, I’ve been outside even when I probably shouldn’t have been outside because I just love getting outside and doing these projects. And if you’d like to take on a project to improve the space that you have for relaxing and enjoying the warm weather ahead, outdoor spaces are really quickly becoming more and one of the most coveted home features. I mean, they’re adding value to houses and carving one out is really not a hard home project. So we’ve got five tips to help you get started. First up, and by the way, Leslie, I think this is how you start most projects, declutter and clean. You got to get rid of the old, right?
00:10:10	LESLIE: That is true.
00:10:12	TOM: So give it a good cleaning, declutter session, time to go to get all that dirt away, the debris, the tools, the equipment, the toys, get everything that’s in the way of your new space out of the new space. So you have a clear space. You have a clear palette with which to work.
00:10:24	LESLIE: All right. I love that tip. You got to clean up first before you do anything else. Next, let’s take advantage of those living landscapes. You could add a variety of vibrant greenery and blooming flowers, weed your garden beds and apply some fresh mulch, plant colorful flowers and foliage to breed life into your yard, or even create a container garden. This way you have a selection of potted plants, assorted pots, assorted color plants, assorted greenery. It really looks just so vibrant. And it’s a great solution if you don’t have a garden itself.
00:10:54	TOM: Now, one thing you want to plan for when you’re flexing out what the space is going to be is some cozy sitting areas. It’s a good idea to designate different zones within your outdoor space for lounging and dining and entertaining. You can arrange some comfortable seating options like chairs and benches and outdoor sofas around a central focal point, like a fire pit or an outdoor dining table. I know in our backyard, the fire pit is the focal point and everything surrounds it. Always within. Close enough range to toast a marshmallow at a moment’s notice, too.
00:11:26	LESLIE: Because, you know, when that mood strikes, you’ve got to be able to reach it. You’ve got to be ready. Another thing you can do is invite the outdoors in. I mean, you’re creating this wonderful outdoor living space, so why not blur those boundaries between indoor and outdoor and create that seamless transition? You can keep your blinds and curtains open to really showcase that outdoor living area that you’ve created. You can even coordinate your indoor and outdoor decor by using similar colors. Patterns, materials. You just want to create a look that flows nicely from one space to the next.
00:11:58	TOM: Leslie, what about, you know, all the different products that are available today for outdoor spaces? I mean, the cushions and the rugs and stuff like that. There’s a lot of opportunity to add those accessories, right?
00:12:09	LESLIE: Yeah, I mean, it’s amazing. Those soft goods, those finishing touches really do kind of create that extra cozy layer to a space that you have inside, but you can do the same outside because you can find rugs, throw pillows, cushions. All of that made specifically for outdoor usage, and you do want to make sure that you get those specifically made for outside because they’ll wear better. The colors won’t fade. If they get wet, they’re not going to grow mold or mildew because they’re made from antimicrobial materials, so it’s definitely important to get the right product for the right space, but by doing this, you can really create a look for your outdoor space that’s just cozy and welcoming, and don’t forget string lights, lanterns, you know, solar-powered candles or battery candles. Those really just add that finishing touch that make that space perfection for these spring and summer nights.
00:12:57	TOM: You know, we have a string of the old-fashioned bulb shape, but they’re LEDs, and they’re heavy-duty. I see them a lot in restaurants, and we used to put them up only for parties, and the last time I had a party, I’m like, you know what? I’m going to leave these up, and they’re really nice. I call them my runway lights now, so if somebody’s coming home, I throw them on and it kind of lights up part of the driveway so you can land. Oh, that’s so awesome.
00:13:18	LESLIE: It’s the only way Charlie can play soccer. Past dark is with, you know, the fun cafe lights on. He’s like, put on the arena. I’m like, okie dokes.
00:13:29	LESLIE: Heading out to New Hampshire, where Pat’s on the line with some cracks in a garage floor. What’s going on in there?
00:13:35	CALLER: Well, we have a big crack that goes in an X. We actually have two of them, and in the middle is a drainage area, but there’s never any water there. It’s not actually used. And then we have foundation cracks. In the walls, which are probably a foot and a half high, and some of the cracks are about a half inch, and there are probably about 14 or 15 of them going around the whole garage, and they go through to the outside.
00:14:12	TOM: So first of all, Pat, the garage floor, I generally don’t worry too much about because that is separate from the foundation cracks you’re talking about. Garage floors. Garage floors are like one of the last things that gets done when you build a house, and sometimes the soil doesn’t get settled properly or compacted properly. Now, you mentioned there’s some drainage in there. I’m not quite sure what the thought was for that, but the bottom line is that it doesn’t really do anything more than just cover the dirt, so to speak. You can fill those cracks in. There are materials designed for repair to concrete cracks, and then you could finish the garage floor with a product like Dice Coating, for example. I’m using that on a concrete floor. In my house, it’s a really durable epoxy coating. It makes it easy to sweep and clean. Now, the foundation is another issue entirely because that is important that it not be cracked, and you describe cracks that are a half inch wide. That is a pretty serious foundation crack, and it says to me that that foundation was not on a proper footing. There’s movement there that caused all this to happen, and I think that you would be wise to speak with a structural engineer, not a contractor necessarily, because contractors don’t have that kind of degree. They all are going to tell you they know how to fix it, but I wouldn’t buy it. I would talk to a structural engineer, and the structural engineer will design for you a proper repair, or if it can’t be repaired, then they can talk with you about options for replacing the foundation, which is not inexpensive, but I want to make sure you get the right professional advice because with a structural engineer, they’ll spec out a exactly what has to happen, and once they do that, you can share those instructions with contractors, and that’s going to achieve two things. First of all, you’re going to know it’s done right, and secondly, you’ll be able to get apples-to-apples comparisons on bids because they’ll all be bidding on the same thing. Does that make sense?
00:16:09	CALLER: Yes, thank you. Can you give me the name of the product for the cracks in the floor again?
00:16:15	TOM: Quikrete, for example, Q-U-I-K-R-E-T-E. Quikrete has concrete repair products. It’s for those kinds of cracks, and then you can finish the floor. You can go to Daich Coatings, D-A-I-C-H, coating.com, and look at the garage floor products. It’s an epoxy product that you apply. It has sort of like a speckled finish you can add to it, which I like because it hides the dirt, and it makes it easy to clean. So that’s the way to fix up the floor, but in terms of the foundation, you definitely need to talk with a structural engineer about that, see what’s really going on.
00:16:49	CALLER: Oh, well, my husband did call someone. He said it’s possible that they have to put rods in it.
00:16:55	TOM: I think your husband called a contractor or somebody like that, and this is exactly why I’m telling you you need a design professional. Everybody that does foundation work is going to have an answer here. That might be part of the solution. It might not be. So don’t get bamboozled and confused by all the different opinions on what has to be done here unless you hire a design professional like a structural engineer, okay? It’ll be a lot less aggravating for you in the long run. Plus, you know what? If you go sell that house and a buyer sees those cracks, and if they’re properly repaired, you can just say, yeah, we had some cracks, but we had a structural engineer evaluate it. Here’s his report. And by the way, after it’s done, you can have that engineer come back and certify that it was done completely, and that’s kind of like getting a pedigree on that foundation so you know it’s in good shape.
00:17:42	CALLER: Well, thank you very much for the advice. I appreciate it.
00:17:45	TOM: You’re welcome, Pat. Have a great day.
00:17:47	CALLER: You too. Bye-bye.
00:18:00	TOM: Making good homes better, this is the Money Pit Home Improvement Show. I’m Tom Kraeutler. And I’m Leslie Segrete. Hey, everybody. 84 Lumber is celebrating National DIY Day, so come plan your next project.
00:18:12	LESLIE: You know what? Whether it’s a new deck, a fence, or a door, 84 Lumber has all the top quality lumber and building materials you’ll need and knowledgeable staff ready to help.
00:18:22	TOM: Just visit 84lumber.com to find project plans and ideas and a store near you. That’s 84lumber.com.
00:18:29	LESLIE: All right. Now, I’ve got Mason on the line. What’s going on at your money pit?
00:18:33	CALLER: Whenever I’m in my room, I’m smelling this, like, odor. And whenever I clean the room, I still have the odor smell to it.
00:18:42	TOM: Okay.
00:18:43	CALLER: I’ve moved all furniture around and all that, but I still, I can’t find the source of the odor. Huh.
00:18:50	TOM: Now, I’ve Is this an older house or a newer house?
00:18:55	CALLER: I believe a newer house.
00:18:57	TOM: And how long has this been going on, Mason?
00:19:01	CALLER: Ever since we moved into the house, which was back in September.
00:19:05	TOM: And is this house on the first floor or the second floor? Describe to me where it is.
00:19:09	CALLER: It’s the first floor.
00:19:10	And what’s underneath of it?
00:19:12	CALLER: I think concrete and all that. I’m not sure.
00:19:15	TOM: So it’s a slab. You don’t have a basement underneath where this room is?
00:19:19	CALLER: No, sir.
00:19:21	TOM: Okay. Sometimes these smells are because we get rodents, we get mice especially, that get into the walls, and sometimes they’ll die there, but it usually will eventually dissipate. So that’s one thing that comes to mind. What’s the floor covering? Is it carpet? Yes, sir. It’s carpet. Have you tried to steam clean the carpet? No, I have not. I think that’s your next step here. You’re going to have to take all the furniture out of that room, and you can rent the steam cleaner. They’re not very expensive. I know in my area, the supermarkets rent them, and the home centers rent them. And while you’re at it, usually you have to have it for half a day. It would be a great opportunity for you to do some spring cleaning of other rooms in the house with carpet. But it basically shoots water into the carpet, and then it draws that dirty water back out again. And it does a really good job of cleaning carpet. And sometimes with carpet, you can get a lot of dirt and dust mites and organic particles of different forms. That get stuck in that carpet, and that can contribute to the odor as well. So if you’ve not done that, I would definitely do that as a next step. And then beyond that, with the walls, if there’s any odor that’s emanating from those walls, the next time you paint the room, I would prime everything, which will seal those walls in. And then you can put a top coat up above that. Okay. I’ll try that. All right. Well, good luck. Do the carpet cleaning first. It’s very easy. You can be done within a few hours.
00:20:51	CALLER: All right. Thank you. Also, big fan of y’all. Oh, thanks very much. Good luck with that project. Thank you.
00:20:56	LESLIE: Well, if you’re considering hiring a handyman for your project, it’s crucial to ensure that you’re making the right choice. According to the experts at Angie, there are five key questions that you should be asking to make sure the pro you hire is the right fit.
00:21:10	TOM: Yep. And the first question to ask is about insurance coverage. You want to know if the handyman has liability insurance that’s tailored for your project. It’s really essential to protect yourself financially. In case any accidents or damages during the job were to occur.
00:21:26	LESLIE: TOM: Yeah. You also want to ask who’s going to be carrying out the work. It’s common for the person that you initially speak with to not be the one performing the tasks. So understanding the team or the individuals that will be involved and what their qualifications are is very important.
00:21:41	TOM: Next, you want to know if the work requires any permits. Now, handymen are kind of famous for trying to skip the step, and I do not recommend it because permit regulations are very important. Permit regulations can depend on the nature of the project. So make sure your handyman is knowledgeable about permit regulations and can either get the permit for you or assist you in obtaining it if it’s needed. You know, that building inspector that’s going to inspect the work, they’re your friend, and they’re going to know if there are some things that maybe were overlooked by the tradesman. So definitely get the permit if it’s required.
00:22:12	LESLIE: All right. You should also be asking your potential pros experience with projects that are similar to the project you want them to do. Because a handyman can be super versatile, their expertise in specific areas can vary greatly. So you want to inquire about their familiarity and their comfort level with tasks that are very similar to yours.
00:22:31	TOM: And here’s an important thing to ask about. That’s scheduling and any potential delays. You know, contractors, let’s face it, they’re not always the best communicators. So it’s really important that you set your expectations out up front. Find out how the handyman manages anything that comes up, any unforeseen circumstances. Or changes to the timeline. I, for example, have been trying to get a roof installed for about a week and a half now, but the reason it’s not happening is not because the contractor has been a bad communicator. It’s because of the weather. And the contractor’s actually been an excellent communicator, staying well ahead of what the predicted weather is and adjusting my expectations accordingly. So communication is really, really important. And you should explain that that’s important to you when you talk with your contractor.
00:23:16	LESLIE: Yeah. And you know what? If you ask these questions… You’re going to be surprised by the wide variety of answers, and you’re going to be quickly able to sort out the best pro for your job. You’ll ultimately be able to make an informed decision, get quality work, and a smooth process from start to finish. Heading out to Anchorage, Alaska, we’ve got David on the line, who’s looking to do a tiling project. What’s going on?
00:23:37	CALLER: Up here, we use a lot of textured walls rather than smooth drywall. It’s sprayed on with a textured gun, and then it’s knocked down, which means they take a putty knife or whatever and drag it over it. Flatten it. Flatten it a little bit, yeah. Right. Well, I wanted to put some tile on a bathroom wall, and I’m wondering what kind of prep work do I need to do to this textured wall? It’s not a heavy texture. Like I said, it’s a knockdown. So what do I need to do first?
00:24:07	TOM: Could you take a putty knife or a drywall knife and scrape that off with the texture lift off pretty easily? I mean, how well adhered to that wall is it? Okay. So it’s more like an orange peel. Orange peel kind of a thing that’s really adhered well? Yes. So if it’s adhered well, what I would do is I think you could leave it. I would sand it so that I rough it up a little bit. That will help you get better adhesion from the adhesive for the tile. But as long as you can place that tile and it lays flat on the wall, and you can sand the surface a little bit so you get rid of any dirt or grease or gloss that’s on that wall right now, you should be able to glue that tile on and just basically go right on top of it.
00:24:45	CALLER: Okay. Well, I’ve seen YouTube videos. I’ve seen videos on scoring it first with a knife and things like that. And I’m just wondering how important that is.
00:24:53	TOM: That’s why I said to sand it. I mean, look, you can’t make it too rough. So, I mean, you can’t overdo the roughness. So I would, like I said, I would sand it to make sure I had something good for the glue to stick to. You know, scoring with a knife is sort of the same idea. But I think if you had a rough sandpaper, like a really rough sandpaper, like a 60 grit or something like that, and you just hand sanded those spots and just use your own judgment, as long as it’s a clean surface that the glue can adhere to, you’ll be able to tell. You should be good to go.
00:25:17	CALLER: A random orbit sander and just run over it with a 60 grit would be sufficient? Yeah.
00:25:22	TOM: I mean, if it’s a small area, I just do it by hand. But certainly, if you want to put it on a random orbit, that’s fine. Yep. Well, it’s a wall. Use your breathing protection. Make sure you’re wearing a mask. Oh, yeah. Because that dust is going to get everywhere. Okay? Okay. All right. Well, good luck with that project. Thank you. You’re welcome, Dave.
00:25:37	LESLIE: Marge in New Jersey is on the line with a kitchen question. How can we help you today?
00:25:40	CALLER: I have a carousel in the kitchen for the kitchen cabinets. And the shelf, the top one, is… It’s dropped a lot. And I can’t figure out how to go about to secure it or… How in the world do you repair something like that?
00:26:01	CALLER: So is this sort of like what we would call a lazy Susan? Like sits inside of a cabinet and spins around?
00:26:07	TOM: Yes.
00:26:07	CALLER: And holds the pots and pans.
00:26:10	TOM: They take a lot of wear and tear, don’t they, Marge? I mean, over all those years? Sure.
00:26:15	CALLER: Does it have to be replaced? Or can it… Can it be repaired?
00:26:18	TOM: Well, it depends. I mean, the first thing you need to do is clean that cabinet out and take the existing carousel apart. Now, if the mechanism itself, like the ball bearings have fallen apart, there’s a bracket between the carousel and the bottom of the cabinet that has like two plates on them and they spin on ball bearings. If that access has broken down, which it could over many years, that has to be replaced. And the thing is that those parts are all available, especially for those old cabinets. You can usually find them… You can find them online if you research them. And essentially what has to happen here is you’ve got to take that whole thing apart and then rebuild it. Now, this might be a job for a carpenter or a cabinet maker or somebody that’s just handy enough to be able to tackle this. But I find that when I look at something like this, that cabinetry will speak to me. It will tell me how it went in and what has to be done to take it apart. If you look at it very carefully, you can usually figure it out because somebody put it in to begin with. It could be a way to disassemble it. Does that make sense?
00:27:20	CALLER: Yes, that does. Now, since there are two levels, one on the bottom and one on the top, the ball bearings would be in the bottom level so that if I start unscrewing everything, where would I find them? Does it make a difference if it’s a two-shelfer? There’s one shelf way on the bottom, then there’s a space, and then you have another shelf.
00:27:45	TOM: Right. I don’t think it makes a difference because I… I think it’s all part of the same assembly. And the ball bearings are going to be on the bottom, not the top.
00:27:52	TOM: The top, it may have like an access point, like an axle, but the spin is going to be under where all the weight is. Okay, so that’s the side of it.
00:27:59	TOM: Does this carousel still move or is it too stiff?
00:28:02	CALLER: No, it still moves.
00:28:03	TOM: It still moves. What part of it is broken, Marge?
00:28:06	CALLER: The actual shelf itself, the top shelf, appears to have dropped about eight inches.
00:28:13	TOM: All right. So here’s what I would do. If it was just the top shelf that dropped… I would look for a way to repair that top shelf.
00:28:21	TOM: And I can’t tell you exactly how to do it, but I’d probably figure out a creative way. If that’s dropped down, if it’s sitting like on a center column, then they have to get something up underneath that to support it. Okay.
00:28:31	CALLER: All right. So that’s what I’ll do.
00:28:33	TOM: Good luck.
00:28:34	LESLIE: Thanks so much for calling us at 888-Money-Pit. Well, if you’re planning a new tile project, you’ll probably start your selection by narrowing down tile colors and designs. But before you even get that far, it’s a good idea. To understand the types of tiles that are available for you.
00:28:51	TOM: Yeah. Now, for most projects, you’re going to be deciding between two types of tiles, ceramic tile and porcelain tile. So let’s first talk about ceramic tile. It’s made from a mixture of special clays and natural materials that are mined from the earth. They’re formed into shapes, and then they’re heated in kilns. Now, ceramic tile can be naturally colored or it can be left unglazed, like terracotta tile, for example. Or they can feature colored or highly designed surfaces. Which can be glazed. Now, most ceramic tile has either a white or red body coloration, which is underneath that glazed, colored top layer.
00:29:26	LESLIE: Now, porcelain tile is actually a form of a ceramic tile and extremely popular among homeowners. But porcelain tiles are made of higher quality clay, and they’re fired at a much higher temperature than your ceramic tile would be. And that’s going to cause the porcelain tile floors to be much harder. They’re less porous, and that’s going to make them more water resistant and more resistant to stains than a ceramic tile.
00:29:50	TOM: Yeah, all good reasons that porcelain tiles are so popular. And they’re suitable for both indoor and outdoor projects, which is a really nice addition to your outdoor rooms.
00:30:00	LESLIE: Jesse wrote in to Team Money Pit and says, My bathroom ceiling light fixtures are rated for a 40-watt incandescent bulb. I like a bright bathroom, and I would like to put a higher power bulb in the fixtures. Can I safely use a higher LED watt bulb? Now, it’s interesting. Because the LED bulbs are rated as lumens, whereas the incandescents are watts. So how do you kind of know what your limitation is there, Tom?
00:30:25	TOM: Well, you know, forever, we’ve equated watts with brightness, right? But watts, technically, is not a measure of brightness. It’s really a measure of power, how much electricity and, therefore, heat is being used to generate that light. But because we always equated watts as a brightness indicator, it’s become very confusing for folks to understand what the LED equivalent is. Now, LED bulbs do use a lot less power compared to incandescent bulbs to produce the same amount of light. So you can often use LED bulbs with higher wattage equivalents without exceeding the fixture’s watt limit. And I say wattage equivalents because that’s the closest you’re going to come to really comparing the old scale to the new scale. And on the package for the LED bulbs, you can see that the LED bulbs are rated as a bulb. It should show you both the lumens and the wattage equivalent. For example, the incandescent bulb that we really relied on for most of our lighting, the 60-watt bulb, well, the LED equivalent that throws out the same amount of light, that only uses 10 watts. It’s going to give you the same level of lighting, which is about 700 to 800 lumens. So there’s no reason you can’t use an LED bulb in one of those fixtures because it uses a lot less electricity. Just make sure you do that. Just make sure you read the package so you understand what the wattage limits are. The other issue you’re going to have, though, is if it’s in a tight space like a ceiling fixture, maybe the bulbs are a little bit wider or something like that. It’s hard to use. Listen, in that case, I would replace the fixture and I would use an integrated LED fixture, which doesn’t have a bulb. The lighting is integrated into the circuitry. It actually gives you a really nice glow. Leslie, do you have any of those integrated LED fixtures in your house? I do not. I have one. I started looking for them when I bought… Where is it? Well, I’m using one in my attic. I had to buy a fixture for my attic that threw out a lot of light, and I found the integrated LEDs, and I’m like, great. And it really threw out a ton of light. So then I needed lighting in my garage, and I used the traditional shaped fluorescent fixtures, but I used integrated LEDs. Oh, my God, what a difference in brightness that was. I could finally see things and find things by using the integrated fixtures.
00:32:44	LESLIE: And they’re just going to last so much longer. And the brightness is incredible. I mean, that’s really what you’re getting there. Now we’ve got one from Frank in California who says, I want to replace windows and walls of stucco. What’s the best way to cut and remove the stucco?
00:32:58	TOM: Well, the best way is to not cut and remove the stucco, but to cut and remove the window. You can order a replacement window to fit inside the old jams of the existing windows, slip it in there, and then retrim the outside so you don’t have to mess with the stucco at all. That’s definitely the easiest way to tackle that project, Frank. This is the Money Pit Home Improvement Show. Thank you guys so much for spending this part of your spring weekend with us. We hope that we’ve been able to share some good tips to help you move your projects forward. If you’ve got questions, though, and couldn’t get through the program, remember, you can reach out 24-7. The easiest way to do that is go to moneypit.com slash ask. Just click the blue microphone button, or you can always call us at 1-888-Money-Pit. Until next time, I’m Tom Kraeutler.
00:33:45	LESLIE: And I’m Leslie Segrete.
00:33:47	TOM: Remember, you can do it yourself.
00:33:48	LESLIE: But you don’t have to do it alone.


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