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!
Table of Contents[Hide][Show]
- 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.
- Centurion Garden & Outdoor Living Product Feature – 3-in-1 Wild Bird Feeder
Top Questions & Answers
- HVAC Water: Gail’s boiler provides both the heat and the hot water. She needs to find out how to set the mixing valve so the shower water won’t be too hot.
- Bathroom Vent: Mike wonders about connecting his bathroom fan vent to the plumbing vent. He can’t do that, but we’ve got tips on how to run the exhaust vent to the outside.
- Plumbing: A cracked waste pipe flooded the basement. Helen should file an insurance claim and hire a remediation company to clean up the sewage damage.
- Foundation Cracks: Pat has multiple big cracks in his foundation walls. He’ll need a structural engineer to address the problem and design the proper repairs.
- Odors: Mason can’t find the source of odors in his home. We have a few ideas and give him tips on steam-cleaning the carpets and priming and painting the walls to seal them.
- Textured Wall Prep: Dave wants to tile over a textured bathroom wall. Sanding the surface will give him better adhesion to glue the tile right over it.
- Kitchen Cabinet Lazy Susan: The top shelf of an old kitchen cabinet carousel has dropped. Marge gets advice on how to find parts and try to repair it.
Ask Your Home Improvement Question
Podcast Transcript
Read Transcript
| 00:00:17 | ANNOUNCER: The MoneyPit is presented by Centurion Brands. Now, here’s Leslie Segrete. |
| 00:00:26 | LESLIE: Coast to coast and floorboards to shingles, welcome to The Money Pit, where we make good homes better. I’m Leslie Segrete. What are you guys working on this first week of April? I can’t believe how quickly this year of 2025 is going by. It’s been a year of transition and transformation for us here at The Money Pit, and it can be for you as well at your money pit. So what are you working on? How can we lend a hand to help you make your home everything that you would love it to be? Well, spring is here, guys, and it’s time to get your outdoor spaces ready for all of that beautiful warm weather ahead. And if you don’t know where to begin, we’ve got five easy ways for you to create that perfect outdoor living room. And also on the show this hour, if you’re thinking about hiring, a handyman for a project, it is crucial to make sure that you’re making the right choice. So we’re going to share five key questions that you should be asking your potential pro before you press go and write a check. You know what I’m talking about? Also ahead, we’re going to share with you a great new product from our friends at Centurion Garden and Outdoor Living that will help you bring the beauty of nature right to your own backyard. But first, are you dreaming about a project that you’d like to tackle this spring? Whether it’s a deck edition, or an exterior makeover project, whatever this time of year brings for you, the Money Pit team is here to help. So give us a call at 888-Money-Pit. Jim, |
| 00:0 | JIM: who are we welcoming to the Money Pit first? All right, Leslie, first up, we’ve got Debbie in Delaware with a ceiling situation. Let’s find out what’s happening there. Hi, Debbie, |
| 00:02:01 | CALLER: can you fill us in? I bought the house I’m in. It has like a popcorn ceiling, and the ceiling was just, you know, you could lift a picture even on the walls, you could see the nicotine stain on the wall. Anyways, it was painted over by contractors, but I’m not sure what’s happening in the kitchen especially. It’s on the sides where it meets the vertical walls. What would be more economical or wiser to actually have that a professional come and scrape that ceiling off, or would the labor be so intensive as maybe to put a thin layer, if it’s possible, like a sheetrock up there, or possibly maybe a wood treatment? I live in a beachy area, and I think I’ve seen some homes that do have wood |
| 00:02:46 | LESLIE: in the ceiling, sort of like maybe a whitewash type of thing. I’m not sure. All right. Hey, Debbie. Well, here’s the thing. If you’ve got a section of popcorn ceiling that’s not adhering, it’s separating, sadly, you’re going to have to scrape off the rest. And, I mean, it doesn’t necessarily mean the entire ceiling, but you do have to get rid of anything that’s loose because you’re not going to be able to reseal that. And once you do this, there’s a type of product that comes in sort of like a large aerosol can, and you would have to, of course, mask off the cabinets and anything else in that area that you don’t want to get this on. And then you can spray it and restore that gap area where you took off the old loose popcorn. Now, it is going to be a different color, so then you would have to paint the popcorn ceiling. It’s not a great project. I truly just hate painting ceilings in general. I feel like, no matter what I do, it hurts my neck. So there’s got to be a better way, but sadly, that’s just the issue. When painting a ceiling, however, when you paint a popcorn ceiling, if you happen to just go at the popcorn with a traditional roller, what’s going to happen is you’re going to roll onto the popcorn ceiling and the style of roller and the wet of the paint is just going to pull the rest of that popcorn away. So you have to go with one that’s made specifically for popcorn ceilings. It’s kind of like a thick roller and it has slices in it, almost like a spiral ham, and it uses a lot of paint. And then you use that on the ceiling, |
| 00:04:38 | LESLIE: www.audioterminology.com I would go with a flat paint period, not even a sealing paint, just a flat old latex paint, because that lack of sheen will make any unevenness in that sealing surface kind of go away. If there is a sheen, you will notice every imperfection, and I’m sad to say that when you do take off a popcorn sealing, there are going to be imperfections. So if you do choose to scrape it all off, sand it, get it smooth, prime it, and just paint it with a simple flat paint, and it comes out pretty good. |
| 00:05:14 | CALLER: Thank you so much. I really appreciate you reaching out to me. |
| 00:05:16 | LESLIE: Yeah, you’re very welcome, Debbie. Good luck with that project. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-Money-Pit. Thanks a lot. Take care. Bye-bye. |
| 00:0 | JIM: Jeff in Georgia. You’ve got the Money Pit with Leslie Segrete. How can we help out today? |
| 00:05:29 | CALLER: So I’ve got a home that I bought recently. It was built in 2006, however. It has a… Both bathrooms. Both bathrooms have a fiberglass or, well, I guess it’s a fiberglass insert tub, or one of the tubs. If you, while you’re taking a shower, if you move around, say there’s a loud squeak and a pop that you kind of hear, almost as if it’s binding in the way that it’s mounted or the way that it’s inserted. So I don’t know of a way to get under there to secure anything, or I don’t know of a way to relieve some of that stress. What can we do? |
| 00:06:03 | LESLIE: Yeah. What it sounds like, Jeff, is that that tub just wasn’t correctly installed. I mean, the fiberglass tubs are kind of very flexible, and so what a pro tends to do when installing is they’ll put a loose-mortar mix on the floor. So, like, take a bag and mix it up, maybe mix it a little looser than they normally would, spread it out on the floor where the tub is going to be set, and then they’ll kind of push the tub into that sort of slushy mix of the tub. And if you think about it, as it dries, it gives you the support on the underside of the entire surface of that tub, and that will stop the flex that you’re now experiencing. I will say that I’ve rarely heard of it actually cracking and breaking. You know, it’s kind of more of an annoyance at this point. It’s rather difficult, if not kind of impossible, to fix this now. I mean, you could get access to the area underneath the tub and inject some foam in there or something of that nature. But even in doing that, I would proceed very carefully, because if you don’t get in there in just the right way, sometimes those foams can expand and push up. So then it would kind of give you the opposite of what you’re trying to fix. You’d end up with this weird bumpy bottom. So, I mean, I think what’s happening is just an annoyance that you’re going to kind of have to live with until one day you redo the bathroom. |
| 00:07:25 | CALLER: Well, I think what you’ve done is you’ve moved one of our projects to the top of our list. So if we were replacing the tub insert— And or the flooring and everything in that bathroom. We thought we had a little more time. |
| 00:07:38 | LESLIE: Well, I mean, I wouldn’t disagree with that, but I don’t think that this is an emergency. I know it sounds like it’s kind of an emotional emergency because it’s really bothering you, and I get it. But, you know, it’s not an urgent matter. I wouldn’t go ahead and gut out that bathroom completely and start over just because of this little annoyance. If it is something that you’re planning on doing and you’re going to remodel that bathroom, then heck yes. Let’s do it the right way. But for now, just you’re going to kind of have to deal with the annoyance. Don’t worry. It’s not going to fall apart. |
| 00:08:09 | CALLER: Listen, I appreciate it. I love you guys. You guys have definitely helped me out a million times. |
| 00:08:14 | LESLIE: Thanks so much for calling us at 888-Money-Pit. Hey, are you a fan of our podcast? Well, leave us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts, and we’ll be doing a happy dance. Plus, it helps us keep the show going and growing. Just go to MoneyPit.com slash review. You know, this spring season has been super rainy. I mean, it’s had lots of wind-driven rain. It’s definitely affected my Long Island home. And I’m learning, very sadly, that my windows are not meant to last forever. You know, sideways rain, definitely wind-driven, found its way into the front room of my home, and it has wreaked havoc on the trim and on the plaster. And, you know, I’ve decided that it’s time to replace this 23-year-old window and tighten up my home’s envelope. But I’m also going to take this chance to freshen up the decor of the foyer. And I’m going to jump into that dark paint trend. You know, the one that you put the super dark paint in those small, bright spaces with this redecoration. So what do we all think? Is black paint good for a sunny foyer? I kind of am in love with the idea of painting this small, sunny spot black. Once I get this whole thing started, I’m going to share this project on the Money Pit socials. And you guys can tell me if the black paint is a yay or a nay. Maybe I’ll listen. Maybe I won’t. Maybe I’ll pick a fun wallpaper. Who knows? But let me hear what you guys think. Is black paint still cool, Jim? |
| 00:0 | JIM: Oh, black’s just cool in general. |
| 00:09:38 | LESLIE: It totally is. |
| 00:0 | JIM: Let’s take some calls here, Les. Please. Let’s head out to New Hampshire where Pat’s on the line with some cracks in the garage floor. What’s going on out there, Pat? |
| 00:09:46 | 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. And then we have foundation cracks in the walls, which are probably a foot and a half high. Some of the cracks are about a half inch. And there are probably about 14 or 15 of them, the whole garage. And they go through to the outside. |
| 00:10:16 | LESLIE: All right. First of all, Pat, the garage floor. I mean, I generally don’t worry too much about that because it’s totally like a separate situation from the foundation cracks that you’re talking about. Garage floors are like the last thing that gets done when you build a house. And sometimes the soil isn’t settled properly or it’s not compacted enough. So that floor is kind of its own thing on top of the dirt. And that eventually always needs to be replaced. So don’t worry about the floor so much. Now, you mentioned you’ve got some drainage in there. I’m not quite sure what you thought that was for. But the bottom line is it really doesn’t do anything more than cover the dirt, so to speak. So you can fill those cracks. And there are materials that are designed for repair to concrete cracks in a garage floor. And then you can finish that garage floor with a product like Daich Coating, for example. It’s great for a concrete floor. It’s a super durable epoxy coating. And what that does, it just kind of makes that whole garage floor really easy to sweep and clean. Now, we’ve got your floor situation kind of sorted. Let’s talk about the foundation because that’s another issue entirely. And it’s important that it not be cracked. And the cracks that you describe are half an inch wide. And that could be a very serious foundation crack. And it says to me that the foundation was not put on a proper footing and that there could be movement that’s causing all of this to happen. So I think at this point, you’d be wise to speak with a structural engineer, not a contractor necessarily, because contractors don’t have the same degree as a structural engineer. And also, a contractor is just going to say, oh, I’ll do this. Whereas a structural engineer is going to design a proper repair for you. And they’ll also tell you, hey, this can’t be repaired. And then talk to you about options for replacing that foundation, which is not an inexpensive project here. I want you to be prepared. But I also want to make sure that you’re getting the right professional advice because with a structural engineer, they’re going to spec out exactly what has to happen. And once they do that, you can share all of those instructions with your contractors that you’re getting bids from. And that’s going to achieve two things because you’re going to know that that project is going to get done right. And then secondly, when you compare all the bids that you’re chatting with these contractors about and when they all come in and you’re looking at them, they should be bidding on the same exact thing. So you really get a sense of is this cost comparable because they should be bidding on the same exact thing. Does that make sense? Yes. |
| 00:12:48 | CALLER: Thank you. |
| 00:12:48 | LESLIE: Can you give me the name of the product for the cracks in the floor again? Yeah. For your garage floor, Quikrete, for example. Quikrete, they have a concrete repair product. It’s for all of those kinds of cracks. And then once you’ve repaired those cracks and everything has cured correctly, you can then put a coating on top. And there’s a company called Daich Coating, and that’s D-A-I-C-H Coatings. And you can look at their garage floor products. It’s an epoxy product, sort of, you know, multi-part that you mix together, apply. There’s some speckles that you can add to it, which is great because of the kind of high that they have. It’s just the dirt and yuck of a garage floor. But the best part is once everything’s cured and sealed and done, it’s super 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 and see what’s going on. |
| 00:13:39 | CALLER: Oh, well, my husband did call someone. They said it’s possible that they have to put rods in it. |
| 00:13:46 | LESLIE: Yeah. If you spoke to somebody and already they’re saying, oh, you have to put rods in it. And they haven’t even come to look at it or given you a professional assessment of the situation. Chances are that person your husband spoke to was a contractor or somebody who’s just there to fix a problem. The engineer, the structural engineer, is going to be a professional who will, you know, analyze that foundation and come up with a correct solution to get that to work. You don’t want to sort of get confused on different opinions from different contractors being like, oh, well, I think the foundation needs a rod. Or, oh, no, I’ll just fill in those cracks. It’s totally fine. Because they’re not giving you the correct solution to the actual problem. And then what happens is if you ever go to sell the house and these cracks are back and, you know, you haven’t repaired them correctly and, you know, the contractor comes in or an inspector comes in and says, wow, there’s a lot of issues going on with the foundation. A structural engineer at this point is going to kind of just cut everything off at the beginning and say, this is how we fix it. Fix that. Then you have it fixed. And then once that repair is done, that engineer comes back and certifies that this repair has been done correctly. So you know that your entire project from beginning to end has been certified, is done correctly. And then if you ever go to sell the house, you can say, we had foundation issues. This is how we fixed it. Here’s the certification. So it kind of just buttons everything up and gives everyone peace of mind. Well, thank you very much for the advice. I appreciate it. Oh, you’re welcome, Pat. Hope that all works out. Have a great day. You too. Bye bye. Well, are you ready to spend more time outside? Do you want to create a space for relaxing and enjoying all the warm weather that’s ahead? You know, outdoor spaces are quickly becoming one of the most coveted home features, and they definitely add value to your home. And carving out the space for one is not a hard home project. So we’ve got five tips here to help. First of all, you need to declutter. And you need to clean that space. I mean, like so many home improvement projects, you’ve got to start with a good cleaning, a good decluttering session, get away the dirt, the debris, any tools, equipment, toys, whatever kind of stands in the way of this new outdoor space. Then you kind of want to take advantage of living landscapes. You can add a variety of vibrant greenery, blooming flowers. You want to weed those garden beds and apply fresh mulch. And then go ahead and plant colorful flowers and foliage to breathe life into that yard. Or you can even create a container garden with a selection of potted plants, which is so gorgeous and easy to maintain. Now, next, you kind of have to plan for a cozy sitting spot. You can also designate different zones within that outdoor space for, you know, a spot to lounge, a spot to dine, a spot to entertain. You want to arrange comfortable seating options like chairs, benches, outdoor sofas. Maybe even around a central focal point like a fire pit or that outdoor dining table. Create those spaces that you’re going to use best. So if you’ve got a small yard space and you’re creating this outdoor spot and you know you’re going to eat out there more often, then go with a table. But if you know you’re going to be chilling, then definitely a couch. Now, you want to try to invite the outdoors into your indoor spaces at home. Really blur those boundaries and create a seamless transition. You want to keep the blinds and the curtains open inside to showcase that outdoor living space. You can even coordinate those indoor and those outdoor decor colors by, you know, picking things that work well or maybe bringing that same color from inside outside. You’re really trying here to create a look that will flow nicely from one space to the next. And just because you’re going from inside to outside doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t work well together. And I think lastly, you have to sort of think about adding those soft touches to this outdoor area to make it feel cozy, make it feel inviting. You can incorporate outdoors. Outdoor rugs, throw pillows, cushions, because that’s going to make it feel warm and welcoming. But always, always, always make sure that you’re using materials that are specifically made for outdoor usage so that they stand up to the sun, they wear well, they don’t grow mold or mildew. And don’t forget about string lights and lanterns and LED candles. You’re going to be out there in the evening, so really make it just magical and sparkly. You know, with these tips, you’re going to be well on your way to creating a stunning outdoor retreat that you can enjoy throughout the day. And we’re going to be talking about the spring and beyond. Jim, who’s on the line? |
| 00:1 | JIM: All right, Leslie, let’s scoot over to Texas. And Barry is waiting patiently for us with a painting question. How can we help out today, Barry? |
| 00:18:27 | CALLER: Well, I have an arbor outside my house. The beams of my house extend out from the roof, and it makes an arbor outside. And I’ve painted it a couple of times, and the paint keeps wearing off. And I’m afraid the wood’s going to start rotting. And I’m wondering if I should do something special to protect the roof, protect the wood, like maybe put some water seal on it. Or I even thought about maybe putting some metal stripping it. But I thought that might get wet and make it rot even worse. So I just really want to protect that wood. |
| 00:19:03 | LESLIE: All right, well, first of all, let’s talk about the process of which you properly paint exterior wood. To start, you have to make sure that anything that’s on, that may be peeling or just not sticking well, that you’re removing. So if you can, you want to either scrape some of it away, but try not to damage the wood. You can also use a chemical stripping product, which would take the paint off of the wood. And then while you’re doing this, try to get as much of it off as you can to get a nice, smooth surface. You can sand away any rough spots if you’re stuck. And then I would use an oil-based primer and an oil-based paint, if you’re allowed in your area, because that’s truly going to adhere. Now, the trick is that that wood has to be super-duper-duper dry before you go ahead and do any of the painting, because if it’s slightly wet, nothing will adhere properly. Nothing’s going to just stay, and that’s truly going to help out a ton having the dry, dry wood. |
| 00:19:58 | CALLER: Okay, so just use oil-based instead of latex paint? |
| 00:20:01 | LESLIE: Yeah, I mean, you can use latex paint. It’s not going to stand up as well to the elements. But the important part here is making sure that prep work is done well, because you have to get down to the wood, especially if you have multiple layers of paint on there, because each layer of paint is sort of delaminating between the wood and the next layer of paint, and if it’s damp or wet and it’s just not ever really drying out, nothing is sort of sticking well, and it’s all going to just start peeling off. So you want to get the old paint off, make sure it’s super dry. That oil-based primer is going to make sure everything sticks really well, and then your quality top coat. And I think you’re going to find you’ll get a lot more years out of that surface before you have to do that again. You just have to do the right prep work so you make sure that it lasts. |
| 00:20:48 | CALLER: Okay, great. So oil-based primer? |
| 00:20:51 | LESLIE: I mean, only if you have areas where you’ve got any unevenness from paint that’s not coming off. So you’re not seeing anything like that, that sort of rippled edge of old paint with the new paint. That’s really the only places I would do that. And, you know, you can also try a wire brush if it’s a rough spot. That’s what we like to use just to make sure you’re getting rid of everything that’s loose. This way you can get down to that original surface so you really have something that will bite that new paint and stick really well. And then you can feel confident that the primer is going to do the right adhesive bonding here. That’s why it’s really such an important step. If you have a good quality primer that’s really going to stick to the wood and then bond to it, that paint is going to stick well to that primer and keep that whole system together because, I mean, you almost never think about it this way, but paint really is a system. It all has to work together to stick really, really well. And that top coat is going to stick to the primer. It’s all going to stick together. All right, good luck with that project, Barry. And thanks so much for calling us at 888-Money-Pit. Well, if you are considering hiring a handyman for your project, it’s crucial that you ensure you are making the right choice. You’ve got to do your research. You’ve got to ask questions. All of that will help you to make sure that you’re going with the right person. So first of all, let’s talk about insurance coverage. Does this handy person have liability insurance specifically tailored for your project? It’s essential to protect yourself financially because in any case of accidents or damages during the job, you could be held responsible if this contractor doesn’t have the right insurance. You also want to think about who’s carrying out the work. You know, it’s common for the person that you initially speak with to not actually be the one that does the project. So understanding the team, the individuals that are involved, and their qualifications is super important. You also have to think about, does this project require any permits? Permit requirements can vary, truly, depending on the nature of the project. So you want to make sure that this contractor is knowledgeable about permit regulations and can and will assist you in getting the permits if you need them. You also want to ask about your potential pros’ experience with projects that are similar to yours because while a handyman or a contractor could be versatile, expertise in specific areas can vary. So inquire about their familiarity and comfort level with the tasks that are similar to your project. You also want to ask, how do they deal with delays, you know, scheduling issues? Clear communication about these scheduling expectations is crucial. Determine how they are going to manage unforeseen circumstances or changes to the timeline. If you start by asking these questions, you’re going to be surprised by a wide variety of answers you’re going to get and you’ll quickly be able to sort out the best pro for you, for your project, and ultimately you’ll be able to make an informed decision, get quality work, and hopefully have a very smooth process from start to finish. |
| 00:2 | JIM: We’ve got Sherry hanging by oh so patiently. What’s going on at your money pit, Sherry? |
| 00:24:02 | CALLER: Well, hi. I have an Andersen slider door. All right. It never did it when it was new. It’s about 20 years old. Okay. The bottom railing where the door slides, I think it ices, and right by the door there’s plywood underneath the carpet. And what it does is moisture turns that carpet a dark brown, and I think it’s tannins from the plywood, but lo and behold, it’s that bottom rail that ices, and I think that’s where the water’s coming from because it’s never wet. |
| 00:24:35 | LESLIE: Well, I mean, first of all, Andersen really does make a great sliding glass door. I mean, of all the doors out there, that’s one of the ones that’s the most durable. So the first thing that we would say to do is check the alignment of the door, and you can find that on the bottom of the door there’s going to be two plastic caps, one on each end. So you want to check each end of the door and pull those off. Now, when you do so, you’re going to see that there’s a spot you could put a screwdriver in and rotate it. And as you do that, there’s a wheel that will adjust the height of the door as it sits on the track. So you can kind of make sure that it’s getting the best seal, that it slides most efficiently, and you want it to sort of sit perfectly in that jam so that it’s absolutely parallel with that door jam itself. Because even if it’s a little bit off, that could be one of the reasons that you’re getting some moisture or you’re feeling a draft in the room. And then a lot of times what happens is those doors are going to have an extra tiny piece of foam that’s sort of glued to the edge. And so when it closes, it pulls it really tight. And you can see this on the sliding doors. You also see it on regular doors. It’s like an extra piece of weatherstripping. And it’s usually only about an inch, maybe an inch and a half square, and it’s adhered to the very bottom of the jam. Usually that jam on the sliding door, it’s going to stay better because you don’t want it on the door. The door is going to interfere with the track. So make sure that that weatherstripping is sitting on the jam and not on the door. Now, when you see it, it should pull it very tight and seal. So make sure you look at the alignment first and then try to determine if you see any gaps. And the last thing I would do is go outside at night with a strong flashlight, kind of hold it parallel to the bottom of the door, even under the door. And then on the other side, on the inside of the house, have another person see if they can see your flashlight streaming through because that’s going to give you an indication that there are some gaps under the door that have formed over the years. And if you do find those, you can fill it with an expandable foam insulation. Great stuff makes one. I mean, there’s a lot of vendors out there and you just kind of want to fill in those additional gaps. You want to use one though that’s rated for windows and doors because it’s not quite as stiff and it’s not going to move that sill plate because what happens is obviously those foam insulators expand a lot. And if you’re putting it under the jam under the door, if it expands too much, it could cause a different alignment problem. So make sure it’s rated for doors and windows. So it kind of gives you a little bit of play. Make sure you kind of fill up the space, but not too, too much. You could use caulk, but I would just definitely check for gaps. Check the alignment of the door. Look at that weather stripping. All of this should definitely help you get that door operating smoothly and stop those drafts and moisture. Okay, Sherry? Thank you so much. Thank you. Thanks so much for stopping by the Money Pit. Well, spring is the perfect time of year to turn your outdoor space into a spot to relax and enjoy everything that nature has to offer. The season brings vibrant colors to your home with colorful blooms and a vibrant variety of feathered friends. Centurion Garden Outdoor Living can help you make that transformation in your backyard to that birdwatching paradise with their three-in-one wild bird feeder. And this feeder makes it super easy to attract a variety of birds because there’s three separate sections for three different types of food and it’s all in one spot with an easy-to-fill construction. Now, you can use the clear tube for, you know, your average seed. The small mesh section is great for thistle and those colorful finches love that. And the large mesh section is perfect for peanuts or suet balls. You are sure to attract a great variety of birds. Bring that beauty of nature to your yard like never before. Check out the Centurion Garden and Outdoor Living three-in-one wild bird feeder at Walmart and Walmart.com. For less than $20, you can have your own birdwatching paradise right at home. |
| 00:2 | JIM: We’ve got Dawn on the line who’s got a question about her garage. What’s happening, Dawn? |
| 00:28:27 | CALLER: Well, when the house was built there was a trim put around both garage doors which electronically open and close, but at the very bottom in each corner, there’s a space. Mice come in and out of there, so I put some steel wool in there, but I need to add a piece of the trim to the bottom of both corners because water comes in when it comes in a certain direction and I can’t figure out whether I should get a piece of trim and cut it and glue it up there or screw it up there or replace the whole thing. |
| 00:28:58 | LESLIE: All right. So when you say trim, there’s actually several… |
| 00:2 | JIM: Sefneral? |
| 00:29:03 | LESLIE: Snevral. Mmm. Snevral. Okay. Okay? I’ll say that in my most dastardly, villain voice. |
| 00:2 | JIM: I’ll just roll with it, I guess. |
| 00:29:12 | LESLIE: Sorry, Dawn. There are several different pieces of trim that do go around the garage door. There’s the jam, which is like the side pieces. There’s the weather stripping, which goes on the side piece and it gets the door. Then there’s the molding on the outside, which is sort of like a trim. Then there’s casing called brick mold. What exactly are you referring to? |
| 00:29:32 | CALLER: Weather stripping. Okay. |
| 00:29:34 | LESLIE: So it’s the weather stripping between the side jam and the door itself. So you’re going to have a hard time getting a small piece of that stuff to stick, so I would say your options are to replace that entire vertical piece, which really isn’t a big deal to do. And if you were to try to cut it, to cut a new piece in, what you’d have to do is make that at least a foot or two long to sort of seam it in so that it works well. And you would basically have to sort of piece in around it. Now, first, you would want to cut it clean about a foot or two off the ground and then put the other piece in because you can’t just put an inch and a half piece. It’s just not going to stick. You can’t nail it. It’s just too small. So it’s really just easier to replace that whole piece of weather stripping, okay? Thank you so much. You can even replace several pieces of weather stripping. It’s time to jump into our email questions. Jim, what do we got this hour? |
| 00:3 | JIM: We’ve got Anna in California. And Anna’s reaching out for help with an insulation project. She writes, We bought a house in Southern California with vaulted ceilings and no attic. As far as we can tell, there is no insulation in the walls of the house or above the ceilings. Can we install blown-in insulation into the walls and the ceiling and would it even be worth it? |
| 00:30:45 | LESLIE: I mean, first of all, I kind of find it hard to think that there’s no insulation at all. That would be super unusual. I mean, it could seem that way because you can’t see it, but I would completely be shocked if there was nothing. So what I would suggest that you do first is an energy audit. And your utility company might actually offer these for free, or you can hire an independent auditor for a fee. You just want to make sure that that auditor is independent of any contractors that’s sort of selling an energy-saving service. Otherwise, they’re of course going to find an issue that they, of course, can fix for you. |
| 00:3 | JIM: How convenient. |
| 00:31:22 | LESLIE: I know, right? Generally, they’re like, oh, but I work for this guy and he does that. So you want to make sure that they’re completely independent. Now, that auditor, what they’re going to do is an infrared scan of the walls and the ceilings. And that way, they will be able to determine if insulation actually exists, they can see any gaps with the insulation, they can tell you how much is there, if it’s effective, so that’s a great place to start. Now, for a cathedral ceiling, there’s really two ways to approach adding insulation to a cathedral ceiling. And the first and most basic way is to insulate between the rafters themselves, but that requires leaving some space between the insulation and the underside of the sheathing so you get good ventilation. And frankly, if that ceiling is finished now, it’s pretty much impossible to do unless you remove the drywall. And now we’ve created a much better ceiling with a much larger project. And cathedral ceilings are kind of a pain in the butt to work on, right? |
| 00:3 | JIM: No doubt. Case in point. Yeah. |
| 00:32:23 | LESLIE: So, you know. |
| 00:3 | JIM: I got them. |
| 00:32:25 | LESLIE: It’s a challenge with a cathedral ceiling. The other option, though, is to add insulation on top of your roof. I mean, we’ve seen this done more and more, especially in homes that are super insulated. When it’s next time to replace those roofing shingles, what you would do is add two to three inches thick of foam insulation right on top of the roof. Then, more plywood sheathing, you’re kind of creating this very thick roofing sandwich, and then you put the new shingles on top of that. But for those that want to deal with more traditional insulation methods in an attic, there’s actually a very detailed insulation guide at moneypit.com. We talk about the differences between fiberglass and spray foam insulation, as well as some great posts on how you can add attic flooring for more storage without wrecking your roof, without damaging the insulation that you need up in that attic space. Moneypit.com is filled with a ton of information. Just search out the projects that you are working on. And Anna, I’m interested to know what you find out from your energy audit, and truly, what’s going on with the insulation there? If there is none, I want to know about it. So let me know what you find out, and good luck with your project. Thank you so much for joining us this hour here at The Money Pit. Hopefully, we’ve shared lots of tips to help you hire that right pro, create that beautiful outdoor oasis, |
| 00:33:45 | LESLIE: and bring your friends into your outdoor space. I mean, we are really setting you up for a spring and summer of great enjoyment at your money pit. Remember, guys, the show continues online, and when it comes to those projects, you can do it yourself, but you don’t have to do it alone. |
| (Note: The above referenced transcript is AI-Generated, Unedited and Unproofed and as such may not accurately reflect the recorded audio. Copyright 2025 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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