#2523 – Kids’ Safety on Backyard Playgrounds | Summer Insulation Tips | Building Good Fences

[Theme Music]

If your roots start to leak or your floor’s really squeak, you’re living a money pit, money pit. If your basement needs a pump or your place looks like a dump, you’re living a money pit, money pit. Pick up the telephone, fix up your home sweet home by calling 888-MONEY-PIT.

 

[Producer Jim]

The Money Pit is presented by Daich Coatings. Now here’s Leslie Segrete.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Coast to coast and floorboards to shingles, this is the Money Pit. I’m Leslie Segrete. Well, summer is just about here.

 

You can feel that sea air. Am I right? Yeah, I want to go to the beach, you guys, just like you.

 

Well, this is the time that we love to be outside, enjoying all the hard work that we have spent this spring season making our homes amazing. So we’ve got a lot of great home improvement and design advice for you this hour, including those kids. They love to be outside.

 

They’re on the playground all summer long, and safety is probably the last thing on their minds. But it really kind of needs to be the first thing on our minds when we’re creating these spaces so that they can play safely and avoid injury. Also ahead, as temperatures rise, your home’s ability to keep cool becomes more important than ever, not just for comfort, but for saving on your energy costs, too.

 

So summer is the perfect time to assess your home’s insulation and ceiling, especially in the attic, the basement, all around those windows and doors. So we’ll share some insulation tips. And they say good fences make good neighbors.

 

But how exactly do you build a good fence? Like, you know, the kind you’re not going to have to build repeatedly because it gets destroyed by rot or bugs. We’re going to have solutions just ahead.

 

But first, our focus is you. We want to know what you want to know. So if there’s a DIY project on your to-do list, let us know.

 

We’re going to help you make it a done project. Move it on over, cross it on off. So give us a call now at 888-MONEYPIT.

 

Jim, who’s up first?

 

[Producer Jim]

Heading out to Arkansas, Mrs. Segrete, we’ve got Kevin waiting for us. Kevin, what’s going on in your money pit?

 

[Kevin in Arkansas]

Well, I bought this house. It’s a small house, real small, and I’m doing a total renovation in it. When I pulled out the original one-piece tow shower, I found behind the wall there a square opening in the concrete slab through which the water pipes were coming into the home.

 

And then obviously feeding the shower and rest of the bathroom and kitchen, which is on the other side of that wall. Anyway, we’ve had tons of rain this year, and I noticed that when it rained, I’d get water in the bottom of that opening there. Groundwater would come up.

 

And so it’s obviously through the concrete, into the subsoil, and there’s access there for water and moisture to come into the house.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Yeah, Kevin, so what it sounds like, because the way you’re describing it, it’s always happening with rainfall. Like, I wouldn’t worry that this is a groundwater issue. It’s more like a drainage issue.

 

So next time it’s pouring, and it’s like wind-driven rain, and obviously no thunder or lightning, go safely outside. I’m not saying be like, whoo, it’s a storm. I’m going out there.

 

Be safe. Get out there with an umbrella. And take a look at what’s happening with the drainage around that foundation perimeter of your home.

 

Because somewhere, water is doing more than collecting and ponding and going away. It’s finding its way into this little spot. So typically, you want to make sure that all of the soil is sloping away from the house.

 

Your downspouts from the gutters are extended further than they normally are, like not right up against the foundation. They’re not just dumping onto a little splash block. You want it to kind of go past the house, like four feet, five feet.

 

They can be placed underground and deposited away from the foundation, but you just have to make sure everything is connected. And this way, you want to make sure that that water isn’t going to collect anywhere by the foundation, and then find an easy pathway into your house, which is what it’s doing right now. So this is what you have to do.

 

You kind of have to look at what’s happening with the drainage, not think about sealing things off to stop that water from coming in. Because if it truly is an excess of water at the foundation, it’s going to still find its way into that spot, whether you seal something off or not. And the way you’re describing it, it’s definitely a drainage issue.

 

[Kevin in Arkansas]

Okay, so it is pooling directly outside the house and that location. I haven’t done gutters or downspouts yet, so that’s part of the mitigation process.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

All right, so you have no gutters and downspouts, so that’s the problem right there. What’s happening is the water is just coming right off the roof, it’s going right next to the foundation, it’s pooling there, and it’s finding its way through to the easiest spot. So if you can do it, I would definitely add gutters and downspouts to your home, and it will make a world of difference in so many ways.

 

I promise you, you’re going to notice it pretty much right away. Excellent.

 

[Kevin in Arkansas]

That’s encouraging. I appreciate it.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

All right. I hope that helps you out. Good luck.

 

Give us a call anytime with your questions at 888-MONEYPIT.

 

[Producer Jim]

Amber is in my current state of residency, Ohio. She’s been holding for a little bit. How can we help you out today, Amber?

 

[Amber in Ohio]

I have a loft, and it’s all open to the downstairs, but at any rate, when people come and stay, it gets so warm up there. It’s very warm, and people always complain, summertime or wintertime. And downstairs, I mean, the first floor can be, it feels 10 degrees different than upstairs.

 

And the upstairs just feels like it’s not paying attention.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Well, what kind of heat do you have? Is it forced air? Is it a duct system?

 

And do you have central air conditioning or not?

 

[Amber in Ohio]

I do.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

All right. Well, what about a ceiling fan? Do you have anything that can help kind of mix up the air?

 

[Amber in Ohio]

Yes, I do. But it seems to be that even when they put the fans on, they say that they don’t feel the difference. All right.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

So when you turn the ceiling fan on, do you know that the fan kind of has direction? It goes one way in the summer and one way in the winter to kind of pull the cold air up from the first floor or push that warm air down from the second. So in the summer, you want to pull the cold air up from the lower level.

 

And in the winter, you want to change that setting. So it’s pushing the warm air down from the second floor. So you’re kind of directing the cool air or the warm air where it needs to be, depending on the time of year.

 

Does that make sense?

 

[Amber in Ohio]

Yes. Yes.

 

 

 

[Leslie Segrete]

So Amber, that switch operates the fan. So it kind of directs the air around the room to help you add heat or cooling, depending on the time of year. So in the summer months, your ceiling fan should be turning counterclockwise.

 

And that creates a downdraft, which creates that direct cooling breeze. Now, in the winter, you want it to operate clockwise, and that creates the updraft, which circulates the warm air around the room. And it kind of distributes that warm air back into the living space.

 

You can improve the average temperature, and it keeps you from having your heat or your cooling working overtime. So I can’t tell you which way the button goes, but just pay attention to how the fan is moving. Does that make sense?

 

[Amber in Ohio]

Yeah. I have known that they existed. And I haven’t told the people that come and stay, though, that up in the loft.

 

Yeah.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

I mean, this is what you do one time per season. So as soon as it’s warm, you flip the switch in the direction that makes it go counterclockwise. And as soon as it’s cold, you flip it so that it goes clockwise.

 

The other thing that you could do if you really don’t notice a change with that is you could add a split ductless system to that area. And what that means is you have a small compressor outside, and then you have the air handler inside. And it mounts on the wall.

 

It’s very rectangular and slim, and it goes kind of higher on the wall. You’ve maybe seen them in hotels. But that’s great to add additional cooling up there.

 

It could also add additional heat if you ever need it. There are ones that are just cooling. There are ones that are a mix of both.

 

But they’re great in sort of just helping you achieve a temperature that you want in a space that’s challenging to do so. And an HVAC company is going to be the one that adds this split system in. They’re called mini split ductless, and they really do work great.

 

[Amber in Ohio]

Oh, that would be wonderful.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

And I would go to my— Yeah, Amber, generally you would go to a contractor, an HVAC person, but Jim has a trick.

 

[Producer Jim]

Yeah, check this out. When we redid the studio, Amber, we used a company called Mr. Cool. And they have systems that are DIY, which normally, again, these things require a contractor.

 

And the main reason you need a contractor is for the Freon, the refrigerant, I should say. That’s the reason you need a licensed person to do it. But with Mr. Cool, a lot of their units come with the lines precharged with the right amount of refrigerant that you need. So when you hook the system up at home, you just snap it together, and away you go. It’s actually a pretty decent DIY project. You don’t have to be super skilled, and you can save a lot of money over the contractor side of it.

 

So check out mrcool.com.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

All right, I love that.

 

[Amber in Ohio]

Okay, that’s great.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Hey, Money Pit listeners, if we’ve saved you some time, money, or hassles with your projects, you would totally make our day by leaving us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts.

 

Just go to moneypit.com slash review. We have some exciting news to share. We’re so thrilled to announce that we’ve partnered with Daich Coatings to bring you the ultimate porch and patio makeover sweepstakes.

 

Right now through June 9th, you’ve got about a week left. You can enter to win amazing, easy-to-use DIY products from Daich Coatings that will transform your porch, patio, any concrete surface into an attractive surface that’s going to last for years. Just visit moneypit.com slash sweepstakes right now through June 9th. Two grand prize winners will be selected, and each will receive about $1,000 in Daich Coatings products. I did it, Jim.

 

[Producer Jim]

You did.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

You can choose a decorative surface of spread-rock granite stone coating, track-safe anti-slip color coat, or roller-rock rollable stone coating, and you’re also going to get a final coat of track-safe anti-slip sealer. It creates a gorgeous new space right at your own home. There’s also going to be 20 runner-up winners who will each receive the track-safe anti-slip color kit valued at $150.

 

You can enter today at moneypit.com forward slash sweepstakes. All right, Jim, let’s get back to the callers.

 

[Producer Jim]

Barry in Missouri has some foundation issues, Leslie. What’s going on there, Barry?

 

[Barry in Missouri]

Well, I’ve got a house that we inherited. It’s kind of like a little mother-in-law house. The concrete slab sits pretty much flat on the ground.

 

It’s not really a build-up, but there’s a separate pour on the backside where the washer, dryer, and the water heater sits, and it’s probably about like a 7-foot expansion joint added to the concrete, and I get water seepage after all the rain that we’ve had here for the last couple weeks. You can’t stick a knife down between the cracks. I mean, it’s like they just poured concrete up next to the concrete, trying to figure out how to seal it.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Well, first of all, Barry, if you can take the steps to reduce the amount of water that’s going against your exterior walls, that’s going to help a lot.

 

[Barry in Missouri]

I have done that. It actually does not hold water around the outside at all. I’ve got it diverted to where it’s actually going towards the ditch or out towards the backyard, but it’s just when the ground gets saturated.

 

I mean, the house is, if you walked in the front door, you got about an inch between dirt level versus the concrete.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

All right. So you’re saying that the house is kind of low on your lot, and maybe you don’t have much of a foundation where you could grade or, you know, regrade your soil and slope it away. Is that kind of what I’m getting?

 

[Barry in Missouri]

Well, I mean, I’ve diverted water where it actually does not come in the front door anymore, and it’s not standing anywhere around the outside of the house at all. It’s just, I guess, saturation after you get a week’s worth of rain like we’ve had. The house is at one level, but the add-on is about 3 to 4 inches taller, so it’s up above, so I’m presuming that water is pocketing up under that slab.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Well, there’s actually a product that QUIKRETE makes, and it’s called an advanced polymer. And what it is is a concrete crack sealant, so it’s specifically made for sealing those types of cracks. And this type of product is what you’re going to want to use when you’re dealing with water.

 

But here you’ve really got two challenges. You’re getting water in between these two sort of dissimilar areas of concrete, and the second thing is that concrete itself is very hydroscopic, so if the water is under it or around it, it’s just going to soak it up and pull it all the way up into the slab. But I think you need to sort of have a very specific sealant that’s designed for concrete.

 

QUIKRETE, they are the experts in that space, and they’ve got a lot of different options out there. But I think the one that you’re looking for is the advanced polymer crack sealant. It comes in a caulking tube.

 

I mean, other configurations as well, sort of in a tub. But you should be able to get it in a caulking tube, and that’s going to be really what you need to get this job done.

 

[Barry in Missouri]

Okay, well, I will check with the concrete people down here at Lowe’s and see what I can come up with.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

All right, Barry, good luck with that. Thanks so much for calling the Money Pit.

 

[Producer Jim]

I’m glad we took that call, Leslie. We finally got a call about water in the basement.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

I’ve never heard that one before.

 

[Producer Jim]

Being our number one call, actually, and it’s so avoidable. That stuff is just some simple stuff.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

It really is. I think people just don’t realize. And a clogged gutter could be, like, your biggest culprit.

 

And people don’t think that, oh, I should maintain these gutters, and it changes so much. They think when there’s water in the home that it’s so much of a larger problem.

 

[Producer Jim]

Well, because you’ve got a lot of unscrupulous contractors out there that say, oh, my, we have to dig up all the way around your house and put in this and that. You know, and I always wonder on those jobs, do they then fix the gutter situation so they don’t get a call back?

 

[Leslie Segrete]

You know, I don’t know.

 

[Producer Jim]

Some of these things are fixed for under $100.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

I like to give everybody the benefit of the doubt. So let’s hope that there’s good people out there doing good work.

 

[Producer Jim]

Okay. Skeptic Jim over here doesn’t feel safe. Oh, the things I’ve seen.

 

Okay.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Well, as the weather turns warmer and the kids are heading outside to play, it’s a great time to make sure the play areas around your house are properly constructed and are safe for them. So every year right here in the U.S., more than 200,000 kids under the age of 14 are hurt in playground accidents. I could make a joke that the kids older than 14 are pushing the kid…

 

[Producer Jim]

But Leslie, I’m glad you didn’t even mention it.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Listen, I have an older son and a younger son. They’re right in those age groups there. And I see what happens in there.

 

I know what goes on on the playgrounds and what goes on in the yards. But these are happening because the surfaces that they’re playing on are too hard. They’re not properly prepped.

 

They don’t have the right material. And that’s why it’s important because you have to create these safe fall zones around all the equipment. The area under and at least six feet around that playground equipment needs to be soft enough to cushion a fall.

 

I have seen the kids climb up to the top of things and then jump out like they think they’re Superman and try to land on the ground. And then you’ve got a broken arm. It’s terrible.

 

We see it happen every summer. So let’s consider a few things here. There’s a lot of materials to choose from.

 

And it’s really based on personal preference, the aesthetic of the surface, and the cost. You can choose between wood chips, mulch, shredded rubber, pea gravel, even sand. And again, it doesn’t matter what material you use.

 

That depth of how much of that material you have is determined by the height of the equipment that it surrounds. So if the equipment that you have is seven feet tall, you need at least six inches of depth. For ten feet, you need nine inches.

 

For 11 feet, you need 12 inches of uncompressed depth so that when they jump in it, it cushions their fall. And remember, this isn’t just like, oh, I’m putting it out there one time and we’re good for every summer. You need to replenish that landing zone material often, probably once at the beginning of every outdoor season.

 

You want to leave space between equipment. If you’ve got a swing set, don’t let the arc of that swing come anywhere near the other equipment. Although, how many times does one kid walk right in front of the other one?

 

So you have to just think safely when it comes to these outdoor areas because the kids aren’t. So just, you know, I give permission to be a helicopter parent around the playground up to a certain age. And then the kids really just, you got to let them fly and have fun.

 

[Producer Jim]

Yeah, by the time they’re 35, 36, they should be pretty much.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

I mean, I feel like I’m just letting go in Henry 17, maybe. And driving. I just vomited because I’m old.

 

I’m sorry. All right. Who else is old and has a home improvement question?

 

Jim, who’s on the phone?

 

[Producer Jim]

Well, they’re not old, but we’ve got Tamara on the line. She had a rust problem. What kind of rust do you have going on, Tamara?

 

[Tamara]

I was having some work done inside my house. I was actually having a banister put in with metal rails. They were cutting up the rails outside on my tavers on my walkway.

 

You wouldn’t see anything. And then winter came and went, and we were left with a very bad rust stain on the pavers. And we don’t know if we should use a pressure washer or a chemical something to take it off.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

You definitely don’t want to use a pressure washer because that could potentially destroy that paver. You could start with something easy. Now, most rust removers have some sort of a chemical.

 

There’s a lot of acid in it. So why not just start by pouring some lemon juice on those rusted surfaces? Because that’s an acid.

 

You want to let it sit and kind of work it in with a wire brush or a nylon brush. You can also try adding some vinegar to that lemon juice. And that works pretty well.

 

And if those don’t work out, then you could try a product like Iron Out. You know, a lot of people use it in the laundry to take iron stains out of clothing, but that could be a trick for outside as well. Terrific.

 

Thank you so very much. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEYPIT. Well, now that we’re in the summer swing, why not lighten up the feeling at home with seasonal textiles?

 

You can swap out heavy throws, dark pillows, thick rugs for breezy fabrics and light colors and natural textures like linen or cotton, soft blues, warm whites, sunny yellows. They instantly give your space a fresh, summery vibe. There’s so many ways that you can bring the season inside.

 

And we’ll share more decor tips every week right here on The Money Pit. And whatever you like at MoneyPit.com. Jim, who’s up next?

 

[Producer Jim]

That description you gave me made me want to start singing. If you like pina coladas.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

I’ve got to be there by tomorrow noon.

 

[Producer Jim]

Leslie Scott is in Illinois, and he has a driveway question. So, Scott, fill us in, please.

 

[Scott in Illinois]

We have a house that’s 13 years old, and our driveway is finished in aggregate at the surface, which is a little rough. The problem is it’s now starting to crumble, and I wonder what’s the best alternative to try to repair that.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Now, when you say aggregate, are you talking about like a stone surface?

 

[Scott in Illinois]

Yes, it’s a little rough, right.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Yeah, that’s a little hard to maintain that surface. Is your driveway sloped? Is it pitched?

 

Is that why you’re dealing with a rough surface?

 

[Scott in Illinois]

Yeah, it’s only a mild slope. It’s about three degrees.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Yeah, it’s kind of hard to repair a surface like that because it’s so rough right now. So the thing that you might think about is replacing. The problem with driveway construction is that even though we all think driveways are as tough as roads, they’re really not.

 

I mean, they’re just kind of a thin layer, so they really do have a shorter lifespan. And if it’s starting to crumble and it’s not that old, I think you’re just going to see it to continue to deteriorate, and you might be looking at a replacement rather than a repair.

 

[Scott in Illinois]

Probably may be better to do it in cement rather than put up aggregate.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

I mean, if you go with cement, that would be a really tough surface. You just have to think about it since it’s pitched. You want to make sure, and you know you’re in Illinois, that you’ve got a really strong surface on there that’s going to give you some traction because you do end up with ice and snow.

 

You don’t want to make it too smooth. So you have to make sure if you go with concrete that it’s got some traction on it so that you’re not going to slip or spin out in the car. I think it’s a great option.

 

[Scott in Illinois]

Yes. Thank you so much. I appreciate that.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Oh, you’re so welcome, Scott. Good luck. Well, as the temperatures rise, your home’s ability to keep cool becomes more important than ever.

 

And it’s not just for your comfort. It’s ultimately for saving on those energy costs as well. And summer, even though you might not think summer is the perfect time, it actually is the best time to assess your home’s insulation and the ceilings.

 

You know, you want to make sure that in the attic, the basement, the area around the windows and the doors. So let’s make sure everything is up to par. You want to start by checking your attic’s insulation.

 

If it looks uneven, if it’s compressed, or maybe you can see the top of those joists, it’s time to add more. Blown-in cellulose or fiberglass batts that are rated for your climate zone can dramatically reduce that heat transfer and help keep your home cooler longer. Next, you want to do a draft check around your windows and doors.

 

You can use weather stripping or caulk to seal those gaps that allow that cool air to escape and that hot air to enter. And not only does this help your air conditioner run more efficiently, it also prevents pollen and dust and insects from sneaking inside. And you also can consider installing thermal curtains or even UV-blocking window film, which will help reflect that solar heat away and protect the interior finishes from sun damage.

 

By combining that proper insulation, the air sealing, even those sun-blocking strategies, you’re going to enjoy a more comfortable, energy-efficient home all summer long and save money in the process. And who doesn’t love that? Jim, who’s up next?

 

[Producer Jim]

Annette in Mississippi is on the line. Leslie, and she has a flooring question. How can we help you out today, Annette?

 

[Annette in Mississippi]

I have ceramic tile in my kitchen and den, and I’ve noticed condensate on top of the surface of the tile, and I was just wondering what causes that.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Well, interesting. Condensation is caused by the difference between temperatures in a spot. So if you have a cold floor and a warm, humid house, then, you know, I mean, think about it like the summertime.

 

You go outside, and maybe you have a glass of, like, iced tea with ice cubes in it. And inside, it’s all lovely. And then you go outside into the hot weather, and the outside gets all drippy and condensation.

 

That’s because that warm air is striking the outside of the glass. It’s cooling. It releases the water.

 

And that’s why you’re seeing the condensate. I mean, that’s definitely what’s happening with your floor. Now, a couple of things that you could do is maybe think about dehumidifying the space inside your home just to get that moist air out.

 

You know, if it’s drier air inside, even if it’s warmer, you’re not going to see that condensation as much. So to dehumidify, there’s a couple of ways that you can do that. Now, you can have an appliance called a whole home dehumidifier, and that gets installed into your HVAC system.

 

And those can take out a lot of water, like 90 pints of water a day out of the air in your house. This isn’t like the little dehumidifier where you’ve got to dump a little bucket. This is like a big mama that gets installed right into the HVAC system and gets rid of that water.

 

And it can also actually reduce the cost of your air conditioning because everybody thinks that air conditioning is the only way to dehumidify a house, but it’s actually not. And it’s not that good of a dehumidifier, frankly. If you were to add a whole home dehumidifier in addition to your air conditioning, you’re going to find that it pulls a lot of moisture out of the air, and then it makes that air a lot more comfortable.

 

When it’s cool in the house, it might not feel so clammy and chilly, and it will dramatically reduce or completely eliminate that condensation that you’re getting now on the floor. Because with tile, even though the tile has like an anti-slip built into the finish of it, it could be pretty slippery, and you’ve got to be careful, right? Right.

 

Is that common for ceramic tile floors? I mean, it’s not the material we’re talking about. It’s the environment in your home, the climate that’s causing this to happen.

 

You have high humidity in your house. I don’t know why, but you want to check things like do you have a bathroom exhaust fan? Is it venting the exhaust into the attic rather than the outside?

 

Same thing with your kitchen range hood. Is that ducted to the outside, or is it just sort of pulling the moist air and putting it right back into the kitchen? You want to look at the drainage around your house.

 

Are the gutters dumping all of the water directly next to the foundation, and then that’s getting sucked into the foundation, and then you’re getting dampness in the house? All of these things contribute to the humidity level, so you kind of have to take a look at all of it and figure out what that solution is to sort of get the best solution, and we just don’t want you slippy-slidey. Okay, Annette?

 

[Annette in Mississippi]

Okay. Well, I currently use just the single room heat-free humidifier, and I haven’t noticed it in any other place in the house. It’s just that one area.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Yeah, I mean, you could certainly try another dehumidifier in the space, but it’s definitely a larger environmental issue inside your home and not the building material. It’s not the tile, okay? So let’s look at what’s causing all of that moisture and humidity in the house, and you can even just tackle those like one area at a time.

 

Like, you don’t have to do everything right at once, but look at the gutters. Look at the downspouts. See where the vent fans are depositing, and hopefully, Annette, that can help you with all that moisture, and you won’t be slipping, all right?

 

Just be careful. All right, thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEYPIT. Hey, guys, do not forget to enter our porch and patio makeover sweepstakes right now through June 9th.

 

We’re giving away $5,000 in Daich Coatings product. You can learn more and enter daily at moneypit.com slash sweepstakes. That’s moneypit.com slash sweepstakes. Good luck, everybody. Jim, let’s get back to the callers. Who’s up next?

 

[Producer Jim]

In South Carolina, Kay is on the line, Leslie, and she needs some help renovating an older home. Ooh, older homes, that’s your specialty.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

It’s our specialty because we live in older homes, Jim.

 

[Producer Jim]

Tell us about it, Kay.

 

[Kay in South Carolina]

We have a property that in the neighborhood, it’s going through a re-gentrification. The home hasn’t been lived in in over seven years, and I’m trying to troubleshoot what steps do I need to take to start to evaluate where my costs are going to be.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

All right, so what you’re saying, Kay, is that nobody lives there now. Have the utilities been on, or has it just been completely vacant, no utilities, water, power, all that kind of stuff?

 

[Kay in South Carolina]

Completely vacant, no utilities.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

All right, well, with nothing going on there, there’s a number of things that you want to do with the house at this stage. And the first thing that you might want to consider doing, especially since nothing’s been on, you might want to hire for yourself a home inspector. You want to get a good professional one that’s certified, and they can come in and walk the entire property with you and get a good sense of all of the systems.

 

They’re going to want to be able to turn things on. They’re going to want to make sure that everything is working. So you have to make sure that you’re going to be able to do that because it’s a challenge when everything’s off.

 

So, you know, we didn’t know if the pipes were properly drained before that happened. Is there going to be a big surprise when the water is turned back on or the gas is turned back on? So the inspector might not be able to tell you everything, but considering that this house has been vacant for so long, it might be a good place to start to get a good sense as to where you’re going in terms of, like, the big projects.

 

What are the next steps? And then once you kind of know where you’re at at the beginning of this process, it really is helpful as sort of a beginning phase of things. And then if you know that there’s a lot of work that needs to be done or you want to make changes to the layout, if you’re planning a renovation, this is where you’d bring in an architect and kind of help you with that process.

 

And an architect is really great here because if you are going to be doing a lot of projects or changing the layout or changing things structurally, an architect can really give you the big picture and then you’re going to have a real consistent idea of what that work is that you’re going to put into that house. And of course, when you’re ready to do the work, you’re going to have a sort of set of plans that you can then talk to contractors all on the same terms and get bids for the same type of project. So there’s a lot of things that you could be doing at this very early stage.

 

And, you know, a professional home inspector is going to run you about $400. I know the last time I did one for a house I was interested in buying, I think it was just under $400. You can go to the American Society of Home Inspectors website and you’ll find somebody who’s certified that can help you in your area.

 

And I think that’s really a good place to start. So this way you’ll have a much better idea of what you’re getting involved with. Otherwise, if you kind of just jump into this, you won’t know what’s happening until you’re kind of in the process and then maybe it’s too late, you know.

 

This way you find out early on what it’s going to be. But this is exciting. This could be a good, big, fun project.

 

 

 

[Kay in South Carolina]

Okay. Well, thank you so much.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Well, putting up a fence can definitely add style, security, even value to your property.

 

But it can also be an eyesore, a maintenance headache, and it can cause a battle with your neighbors. So to avoid those pitfalls, you do have to plan carefully. First of all, know your property lines so you don’t accidentally build into your neighbor’s yard.

 

You also want to check with local officials to make sure you don’t need a permit to build one. And once you’re sure about those things, start thinking about what kind of fence you want. Now, fence is available, or fencing materials, like however you want to call it, fencing.

 

It’s available in a lot of materials. You’ve got natural and pressure-treated woods. You have vinyl.

 

You have metal. Natural wood, it’s beautiful, but it is going to require the most amount of maintenance. And you have to remember with the fence, especially those wood ones and the vinyl ones, too, that there are two sides to that fence.

 

It needs to look good from the outside as well as the inside. And you have to put that more attractive side to the neighbors because that’s what you’ve got to do.

 

[Producer Jim]

That always bugged me.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Good fences, good neighbors. Here, friend, you get to enjoy the nice side.

 

[Producer Jim]

That I paid for.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

I get to enjoy the supports that structurally hold it together so I feel the strength of my project. I’m going to look at it that way.

 

[Producer Jim]

Now can I borrow some sugar?

 

[Leslie Segrete]

You know, so there. You’re getting sugar. Your neighbor’s getting a good-looking fence.

 

But it’s got to be important here because the fence has to look good. It has to be durable. You have to work well with that fence and your neighbors.

 

And remember with the gate, this is going to be the part that takes the most wear and tear. It can also be a security risk if somebody leaves it open. So with your gate, why not add a spring hinge that will help it swing back into place?

 

If you have a pool, that is a must. If you want a complete checklist and some more advice on how to build a good fence, just Google Money Pit Fence Building and you’ll get a ton of information there. And now Jim is going to throw in some email questions this hour.

 

Who wrote in, Jim?

 

[Producer Jim]

Well, Marietta wrote in. And she says she’s got a driveway full of ruts and holes. And she wants to know if resurfacing is an option.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

All right. Well, I love that Marietta is a writer-inner. And, you know, it’s difficult because driveways, you know, they can be resurfaced if the surface is just kind of deteriorated.

 

But if the driveway is kind of weak and saggy and cracking and filled up with holes, then maybe it might be past that. But if we’re talking about just resurfacing, make sure you clean that surface first. Remove debris.

 

Get rid of the leaves, loose gravel, et cetera. Pressure wash or a strong garden hose. Get rid of everything.

 

And that will help make sure that whatever you put on is going to bond properly. You can fill small cracks, anything under a half an inch with a crack filler. Clean it out with a wire brush and then fill.

 

If it’s a larger crack or a hole, like a half inch or bigger, you can chisel out again that loose material. And then you want to use a patching compound. And then you can also tamp, like, tamp it and really let it push down and fill it properly and make sure it cures fully.

 

Then you can reseal an asphalt surface with a driveway sealer. You kind of apply it with a squeegee or a roller. Once you do this kind of resurfacing, don’t go on that driveway for, like, 24 to 48 hours after you seal or patch or whatever, because you want it to stick and you want it to adhere and you want it to dry properly.

 

And then once you do this and everything’s looking great, get on a maintenance schedule. It’s really going to do a great job here, and you’ll only have to do it every 2 to 3 years for asphalt. Not too bad.

 

[Producer Jim]

Do you have areas around your house that are just ridiculously difficult to clean? Make your list, because Leslie has solutions in today’s edition of Leslie’s Last Word. My dear?

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Yeah, you know, it’s kind of the spots around the house that get dirtier and dirtier, like, every time you use them and you don’t feel like there’s really a way to clean them. And this is one that I always thought was your kind of just SOL when it comes to how to clean it. I’m talking about the glass that’s on your oven door.

 

It gets, like, dingy looking around the edges, and maybe it looks kind of baked on, and you think, oh, I can’t do anything. But actually, you can. If you remove the drawer that’s under the oven, you know, the one you keep the extra pots and pans in, but maybe it’s actually a warming drawer.

 

You know, whatever, however you want to use it. But if you pull it out, you’re going to see there’s a space that allows you to get up in between the glass, and you can get a really slim cleaning brush, a cleaning solution, and holy moly! You will see everything cooking in fantastic clarity once again.

 

Cool. Now, kids’ toys. These are gross.

 

They are germ factories. But really, all you need is a mesh laundry bag. You can put some of those toys right in there and put them through a warm water cycle.

 

Bleach, if they’re not, like, a stuffy that’s going to be sensitive to bleach, but like all those plastic bath toys and stuff, super gross. And you can put them right through a warm water cycle, and they’re instantly sanitized with bleach. And finally, if that morning shower just isn’t doing it for you anymore, it could be that you have mineral deposits that are clogging the showerhead.

 

And the solution here is really easy. You take some white vinegar, you put it into a big Ziploc bag, and then use a rubber band to secure it around the showerhead, and let it sit overnight. It dissolves all of those mineral deposits.

 

And if that’s the issue, when you turn that shower on in the morning, it’s going to work in a completely more powerful way, and you will be thrilled. So, super easy solutions for a couple of things that are just yucky around the house. So, why not tackle those this weekend?

 

Coming up next week, if you’d love to have a backyard swimming spot, and maybe this is the year that you’re going to do that project, we’ve got a cool option that’s different than a traditional chlorine pool. We’re going to give you the scoop on natural in-ground pools that are pond-like, gorgeous, and even earth-friendly. So, give us a call, send us an email, let us know what you are working on.

 

Team Money Pit, that’s Jim and I, we are here to lend a hand, and we love talking with you folks. So, we look forward to hearing from you. Give us a call whenever you can.

 

Remember, guys, you can do it yourself, but you don’t have to do it alone.

 

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