#2526 – Sizzle in Style: Outdoor Kitchen Design Tips | Cool Metal Roofing | Broken Window Repair

[Theme Song]

If your roof starts to leak, all your floors really squeak, you live in a money pit, money pit. If your basement needs a pump, or your place looks like a dump, you live in a money pit, money pit. Pick up your telephone, fix up your home sweet home, by calling 888-MONEY-PIT.

 

[Producer Jim]

The Money Pit is presented by Trex Rain Escape and the Metal Roofing Alliance. Now, here’s Leslie Segrete.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Coast to coast and floorboards to shingles, this is the Money Pit. I’m Leslie Segrete. Happy Father’s Day to all the dads and the dad figures in your life.

 

I get it guys, I know this weekend can be tough for a lot of you out there. For me and my boys it is. I don’t know if a lot of you know this, but my husband Edward passed away 13 years ago when the boys were so little.

 

And we miss him so much every day. But I also want to say Happy Father’s Day to my boyfriend Mike, who is the best to my boys every single day. And we are so grateful for him.

 

So thank you, Mike. We love you lots. And Ed, we miss you.

 

And to you, Jim Kenzie, Happy Father’s Day. Well, thanks, Leslie.

 

[Producer Jim]

I got three excellent ones, and I had two stepkids I consider family. So I had five.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

I love that. I love it. Happy Father’s Day, everybody.

 

So whoever and however you are celebrating today with, give those dads a big hug. Enjoy every minute with them. All right, I’m not crying.

 

Jim’s crying.

 

[Producer Jim]

Wasn’t me, Leslie.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Come on. Jim’s a crier. But we love the dads in our lives, so we want to celebrate them.

 

And why not have some home improvement fun to do so? So this hour, we have a great show for you guys. Outdoor living spaces have never been more popular, and that includes outdoor kitchens.

 

But cooking and dining outside does require some special recipes of their own. So we’re going to have some tips for you when you’re designing that amazing outdoor kitchen space. And when it comes to choosing a roofing material, energy efficiency is not usually something that you think of.

 

But one type of roof can actually make a big difference in the cost of cooling your home and also protect you from everything that Mother Nature can dish out at you. So we’re going to share that tip in just a bit. And summer storms really can turn everyday objects around your yard into projectiles that can do some serious damage to your home.

 

So we’re going to share some tips on a DIY inspection that you can be doing that will help you spot small repairs before they can potentially grow into really big problems. But first, let us know what projects you’ve got on your to-do list so that we can lend a hand. Give us a call right now at 888-MONEY-PIT.

 

Jimmy, who’s up first?

 

[Producer Jim]

All right, Leslie, let’s head out and chat with Sally, who’s dealing with an issue with her windows. We’re seeing a lot of fogging you’re telling us. What’s going on here?

 

[Sally]

Well, I have two very large double-pane windows. They’re like big picture windows. And they have fogged up.

 

It looks like there’s moisture between the two panes. And so I was wondering what can be done about that besides replacing it. Is there any remedy for that?

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Yeah, Sally, if you’re seeing this sort of foggy moisture between the panes of glass, sadly, that means it’s a failed thermopane seal. And Tom had a word that I loved very much. Was it a swiggle?

 

Squiggle?

 

[Producer Jim]

Swiggle.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Swiggle?

 

[Producer Jim]

Swiggle.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

It’s a failed swiggle, which I don’t know why we don’t just call it that to begin with. It’s a failed swiggle. But it’s a thermal pane seal.

 

So basically, the sealant between the two panes of glass with this insulative gas that’s in there that actually causes that window to keep the warm air in and the cold air outside or vice versa has failed. And that gas has gone away. And now you’re dealing with this sort of temperature difference between the two panes.

 

And you’re going to see fogging. And then eventually it’s going to impact the energy efficiency of that window. So eventually, but currently it’s not like, whoa, that window just does not insulate anymore.

 

It’s just not going to do it as well as it did. So if you don’t mind the fog and it’s not leaking and the way it looks doesn’t bother you terribly, you can kind of just live with it. But you cannot restore it or repair it.

 

[Sally]

Yeah, I have about seven other windows that are about the same age. They’re over 15 years old and they’re all fine. But so just these two had a particular problem when they were made.

 

Is that what you’d assume?

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Yeah, that’s unfortunate. I mean, are these the biggest windows or are they kind of all the same size? Of course.

 

Yes, of course they’re the biggest window.

 

[Producer Jim]

As fate would have it.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Ah, that’s too bad. I’m sorry.

 

[Sally]

Okay, I’ll get them replaced. And that’s about all I can do.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

All right. Well, good luck. I mean, down the road, new windows, it’s always good for efficiency.

 

Maybe get a tax break, maybe get some money back.

 

[Producer Jim]

All right, Leslie, we’re going to go out to talk to Jason who’s got some noisy plumbing. What? Noisy plumbing, I said.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

I can’t hear you over all that noise. Sorry.

 

[Producer Jim]

That’s never any fun. That’s never any fun. Jason, what’s going on?

 

[Jason]

Started about a month ago, but when we fill up the master bathroom’s tub, it sounds like the whole house is vibrating and shaking and the cold water supply seems to spit from the other sinks. Do we have to call somebody in or is that an easy fix?

 

[Leslie Segrete]

All right, I get it, Jason. I mean, that is loud and it’s probably freaking you guys out because you’ve never experienced something like this before, but it’s actually a pretty common problem. There’s a couple of causes for this kind of noise.

 

It’s sort of like a loud vibration when the water is filling, and it often happens in homes that have excessively high water pressure, which, yay, is great high water pressure, but bad for the plumbing. So you ought to just double check that your water pressure is between about 40 and 60 psi coming into the house. But I think the cause of this is probably a bad washer in the faucet itself because if the washers sort of get out of shape, if they break, if they have mineral deposits on them, if they get out of alignment, which is weird but is something that can happen in a faucet, they will actually vibrate as the water goes over them, and then that causes this really crazy kind of loud pulsing sound, and then you probably have copper pipes and the copper pipes then echo and it sounds a lot worse than it actually is. Well, the solution is pretty easy. Try to take that faucet apart, replace those washers, but if you’ve never done this before, you might find it a little bit challenging because there are a lot of parts, but that’s generally what the solution is.

 

You replace that washer, or if you find that it’s caked up with mineral deposits, you can soak those pieces in white vinegar and that will dissolve it, kind of melt it all away. And what I like to do whenever I’m working on a faucet, I take off the end piece with the aerator. I kind of line up all the pieces in the order that I take them off on because there’s a couple of weird bits.

 

And this way you know exactly how they go back on and where the one needs to go that you have to replace if you need to. So it’s generally an easy fix and hopefully that will do the trick and then you’ll have a lovely, relaxing, quiet, relaxing bath time. Shh, quiet.

 

He’s taking a bath, Jim. Shush. Yeah, I hope that helps you out there, buddy.

 

Be quiet. It’s quiet now. Quiet, Coyote.

 

All right. Enjoy your bath. 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. Happy Father’s Day weekend, everyone. We hope that you are enjoying celebrating the dads in your life. And here’s a great way to celebrate dad by tackling a DIY project together like maybe building a backyard fire pit or organizing the garage or installing a new tool wall.

 

It’s a gift of time, teamwork, and those lasting results he’s going to appreciate every time he uses it. You know, I love doing projects with my own dad. He was an architect and he loved home improvement.

 

And I really owe my love of all of this that we do to him. And I miss him a lot. So, happy Father’s Day to my dad, to your dad, to everybody.

 

[Producer Jim]

I sure hope my sons don’t listen to this episode, Leslie.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Why?

 

[Producer Jim]

Because all they’re going to hear is tackle dad.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

And like knock you down or try to do a project?

 

[Producer Jim]

Yeah, oh yeah. All in fun.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Good. Well, outdoor living spaces have never been more popular and that includes outdoor kitchens. But designing an outdoor kitchen is different than designing that indoor cooking and prep space.

 

Now, there are some key differences between your indoor and your outdoor kitchen. For example, adding power to an outdoor kitchen comes with plenty of requirements. You need special outlets that have to be protected from the elements and prevent shocks.

 

Plumbing has got to be set up to be easily drained in the off season. And even the appliances that you choose, like the refrigerator, for example, have to be rated for outdoor use. So, you need to look very carefully into sort of all of the elements that come together to make up this space.

 

But first, let’s talk about a location. An existing patio is going to be a great start for an outdoor kitchen. You can add heavy stone counters and a grill without making structural modifications.

 

Now, a deck, on the other hand, since they are elevated from the ground, even if it’s just a little bit, will require added support. So, you do want to choose a location that’s not too far from the house because you’re going to be running back and forth, even if you have all the stuff you need. So, let’s try to keep that movement to a minimum.

 

And these outdoor kitchen spaces are always kind of like the social hot spot when you have people over. So, make sure that you’re planning a space that can allow for all of those extra helpers or hanger outers because people are just going to want to be around when you’re doing this. I’m making up new words as we go.

 

[Producer Jim]

You’re a pro. You’re a pro at it.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

They’re always really good, like a writer, inner, hanger, outer.

 

[Producer Jim]

Oh, yeah. Those are destined for the Broadcast Hall of Fame.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

I just basically add ER to both words, and there you go. So, people are hanging out. Now, let’s think about electricity and plumbing.

 

Even if it’s just for task lighting, for those appliances even, or just power for the appliances, electricity is a great have for out there. But you do need an experienced electrician because the circuits need to be ground fault protected. With GFCIs, you’re going to have the option to protect the circuit at the electrical panel or at the outlet.

 

So, you’re going to let the pro do this. And in this case, it’s kind of best to do it at the panel because you don’t want to have to hunt around for an outlet to sort of hit that reset button, at least with the panel. If something pops, you know exactly where you’re going to reset.

 

Now, for plumbing, stainless steel sinks are going to work best outdoors because they don’t corrode. Unless you’re planning on washing dishes or vegetables outside, you really only need a cold water supply line outside. And you want to make sure that you install a shut-off valve inside the house so you can drain the line in the winter.

 

If you do add hot water, you have to make sure that you’re insulating the entire line. And lastly, we’re going to talk about cooking, which is so crazy because it’s the first thing you think of with the outdoor kitchen, but it’s kind of this last step you get to in the planning process. Now, a lot of outdoor kitchens include gas or charcoal for their grill.

 

Now, if your home already runs on natural gas, you can run a gas line to that area for a grill that’s designed to run on natural gas. For propane, though, you have to plan on incorporating a space that’s wide enough so that that 20-pound propane tank is there and maybe room for a spare. This way, you’ll always have that extra tank in case you do run out, you know, in the middle of cooking a meal, which does happen.

 

So better to have the backup one. It’s so great to have, like, a good, dedicated outdoor kitchen space. No matter how grand you make it, no matter how large you make it, there is a good design for any size layout and for any budget.

 

So don’t be afraid and think this is too big or too expensive because we can figure out a way to make it work for you, all right? That’s the best part of it. If you want some more research, you can search outdoor kitchens at moneypit.com.

 

All right, let’s get back to you guys. Jim, who’s up next?

 

[Producer Jim]

All right, summer’s upon us, Leslie, and everybody’s thinking about air conditioning. We’ve got Thomas in Louisiana who needs his AC cranked up for almost a year round. Wow.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

I feel like maybe Thomas has hot flashes like I do.

 

[Producer Jim]

Tell us what’s going on, Thomas.

 

[Thomas in Louisana]

I recently purchased one of those portable AC units where the ducting can either go out the window or the door or something like that to release the heat out because I’m having issues in my attic with the central system, the ducting in the attic. I’m having issues with either squirrels or mice or rats or something that keeps chewing holes in the ducting in the attic, and every time I fix it, it happens again. So the attic is very nice and cool, but the rest of the house— Not so much, evidently.

 

Right. And this house was built in the 60s, so the crawl space in the attic is extremely tight and very difficult to maneuver around. So for the time—I decided to go with a mini-split system to bypass the ducting, and I’m going to do ceiling cassettes with a mini-split system.

 

But for the time being, I got this portable unit, like I said, which has a normal 110 plug on the end of the cord. But it’s a heavy-duty unit. It’s 18,000 BTUs, and it’s tripping almost every breaker, it seems like, in the house.

 

And at one point, I went to unplug the extension cord, and the end of the extension cord was pretty hot. And so I don’t know what to do to be safe and also have this thing going properly. The extension cord is a 100-foot extension cord, so it could be that it’s too long.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

All right, so first of all, let’s talk about what’s going on. When you have a 100-foot cord, you know, the longer the cord, the thicker the wire. And this cord might not be rated for what you’re pulling, and you could probably see what the power demand is on this.

 

But, I mean, generally, you’re going to need a 20-amp circuit for this, not a 15, which is typical in most houses. I can remember when we first bought our house, the entire circuit coming into the house, that box was 100 amps, which wasn’t enough to do anything. And when we decided to eventually put in central air and upgrade some things, we upgraded the service to the house to 200 amps.

 

So, I mean, you’re blowing these breakers, and you’re probably blowing both 20 amps and 15 amps. You have to make sure that you have the right circuits for the power you need.

 

[Thomas in Louisana]

Because I’m having to go to different plugs throughout the house. The circuit breaker box is not labeled like it should be, so I don’t know what breaker goes to what outlet. And I’m having to try different outlets throughout the house.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Yeah, your branch circuits, the 15 and the 20s, but you do need to have an electrician because the electrician needs to open up that panel. They have to look at the wiring configuration, and they need to make sure that it’s all done correctly. And they can tell that by looking at the wires.

 

The wire size is what that circuit is. So if you have a number 14 copper wire, that’s a 15-amp circuit. If you have a number 12 wire, that’s a 20-amp circuit.

 

And you have to actually label everything, all the circuits, so you know what that power consumption is for that circuit. This way, when you see things tripping, if it’s a 15 and you know that it’s going to something that needs a higher amperage, it’s not going to work. So you have to know what circuits are where and what power they’re providing and what power they’re drawing.

 

So you’re putting everything in the right spot, so you’re not constantly tripping the circuit. Now, because you’re running it through a 100-foot extension cord that might not be rated for 20 amps, I mean, it certainly is unusual to have a typical extension cord be rated for 20. Generally, they’re for 15.

 

So there’s a lot of mixtures here of incorrect things that are not matching up. And then what happens is you’re creating a fire risk in the house. So I think this is a situation where you have to really think about going with an electrician, making sure everything is wired correctly, that you have the right power.

 

If you’re going to go with a split system for air conditioning, you have to make sure that the circuits are run the correct way to power that unit. And you’ll probably even have a dedicated circuit just for that air conditioning. And then you know that the house has been wired correctly, that you’re getting the right service for the things that you need, and you can sort of relax a little bit about safety issues because it’s been done by a professional and you know you have the right power.

 

[Producer Jim]

Yeah, Leslie, and a good electrician will also, when he’s in there, putting in the new panel, will balance the load because you don’t want everything on one side. I don’t mean one side of the panel. I’m talking about the phase of electricity.

 

You’ve got to split that up.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Yeah, we do not want your house to burn down either, okay?

 

[Thomas in Louisana]

Appreciate the advice, and I will follow it.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

All right, good luck. Hey, are you guys looking for a great way to celebrate the dads in your life? Then why not upgrade your dad’s favorite spot?

 

Whether it’s the garage workshop or maybe the man cave, you can add LED lighting, a mini fridge, add custom shelving, anything that you can do to make it more functional and fun. It’s a really thoughtful way to support his hobbies and to give his favorite space a boost. I love this idea for the dads out there.

 

So here’s a great project for you guys to tackle with him this weekend. And I said tackle so that your kids, Jim, would come running over.

 

[Producer Jim]

Alex, Zach, you didn’t hear that.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

All right, guys, if you’re looking for more great home improvement ideas, be sure to follow the Money Pit Podcast. We’ve got a lot of ideas to share, and we hope that you’ll follow along. Jim, let’s get back to helping out our listeners.

 

Who’s up next?

 

[Producer Jim]

Leslie, the chore that everyone loves to do, cleaning a disgusting shower. Donna has just that situation now, but with a little twist. What’s going on, Donna?

 

[Donna]

Well, I work at a fitness facility, and, boy, do I have a problem with one out of four of the shower stalls there. That one, of course, is in the men’s room. Oh, my God, it’s so gross.

 

It constantly takes up this slimy, brown, gross, moldy, I don’t even know what this gunk is, on the walls. And I have tried everything. I use bleach, the bathroom cleaners, antibacterial scrub brush.

 

I’m at my wit’s end. I don’t even know what to do.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Yeah, and I know. Once that mold and mildew and stuff kind of starts to grow, it can definitely very easily get away from you. So, first of all, think about the things that you can control, the humidity in the space.

 

The more it builds up, the worse this will be. So you want to make sure you have good ventilation, because dirty surfaces, and it’s not even really dirty surfaces, it’s just mold, moisture, warmth, all of these things, and organic surfaces kind of lend to this growth of mold and mildew. So that’s going to happen in a high humidity space.

 

And you know what the grossest part here is, Donna, is that you’re not even doing this in your home shower. Like, this is at a gym shower with, like, gross, stinky men. And I live with four gross, stinky men, and the bathroom gets pretty nasty, and I’m just cleaning the people that I love.

 

So I’m so sorry for you, my dear. I’m so sorry. I’m very sorry.

 

But I think we have to think about ways of controlling the moisture, and again, I know it’s a commercial space, so that might not be as easy to do, but perhaps you can get a humidistat, or maybe the facility already has one, it’s just not functioning or running properly, but you want to control the humidity within the space. That’s going to help you a ton. Then you should look for a product that’s specifically made to get rid of mold, mildew, algae, all that gross yuck.

 

And there’s a good one, it’s called Zep, Z-E-P, and it’s a shower tub and tile cleaner, and it is a commercial cleaner. It’s not expensive. You’re going to find it for, like, you know, less than ten bucks a jug at any home center.

 

And when you spray it on, it foams up, and it does a really good job of getting rid of, like, all of that soap scum and all the dead skin and hair. I’m so grossed out right now, because I know what comes off of my children, who I love, and these are gross people that I don’t even know, and I’m so sorry, honey. But definitely, look at Zep, give it a try.

 

Good luck.

 

[Producer Jim]

Hey, Leslie, we’re ordering a pizza. Are you in?

 

[Leslie Segrete]

No. I don’t want anything. I’m going to vomit.

 

I mean, it’s terrible. Like, I can’t believe the amount of hair that comes off. Like, it’s not even me in my shower, because my hair’s long.

 

The boys have longish hair, but not like me, and I’m picking out of the drain all the time. And these are people I love. She’s got to do this for people she doesn’t even know.

 

[Donna]

Oh, my God. I am so glad I got through.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

I’m sorry, Donna. I’m so sorry. Well, when choosing roofing material, energy efficiency is often sort of overlooked.

 

However, one type of roof can significantly reduce your cooling costs. To save money, energy efficiency is crucial, no matter where you live. Well, metal roofing increases your home’s energy efficiency in three ways.

 

First of all, metal has a very low thermal mass, meaning that it doesn’t store and hold on to that heat from the sun. Second, it’s got heat-reflective coatings built into it that help prevent that heat to build up, and then it sort of reduces your air conditioning requirements during the hot weather. And finally, choosing a metal shingle roof that has integral airspace or a thermal break between the metal and the roof decking can also further enhance the efficiency.

 

So there’s a lot of ways the material and the installation will help get you energy efficiency and save some money at home. Now, quality residential metal roofing offers so many benefits, including reliable performance, even in climate extremes. And we’ve seen all kinds of extreme weather across the U.S., from storms to fires. Metal roofing stands up. It’s got long-lasting value. I mean, we’re talking 50-plus years for its lifespan.

 

It’s better sustainability, energy efficiency, and low-care, easy maintenance all make a metal roof an excellent choice. Now, you can learn more, and you can download the free guide to metal roofing at metalroofing.com, and that’s the site for the Metal Roofing Alliance, the leading homeowner source for information, tools, and resources about today’s metal roofs. Be sure to visit today and download the free Metal Roofing Buyer’s Guide at metalroofing.com.

 

All right, Jim, let’s get back to the phones.

 

[Producer Jim]

We’re heading down south where Michael’s got a question about a pool deck that’s cracking up. Ooh, what’s going on there, Michael?

 

[Michael]

We just bought this house last fall, and around the pool, it has four or five cracks. I mean, it’s not terrible, but they do show through the existing topical coat that they have on that concrete. Now, I want to grind this off, but what can I put in those cracks that will not show when I resurface it?

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Yeah, this is super common with a surface around a pool just because the edge of the pool and the nature of what goes into the ground to surround your pool structure is a little softer, so you tend to get a little bit more movement, and it does require a bunch of maintenance with the cracks. So, Quikrete makes a product just for that, and it’s simply called Crack Seal, and it’s a blended sort of latex emulsion, and it’s designed to flow in and then solidify into those cracks. And you’re allowed then, after it solidifies, to just finish on top of it with whatever your choice is.

 

So that really is a pretty common issue around pool decks, but I would just encourage you to fill those cracks with the right material. A lot of people try to fill those cracks again with mortar or more concrete.

 

[Producer Jim]

No.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

And it just cracks again, and it falls right out, and it’s something you’re going to be doing over and over and over again. So you definitely want to use a product that’s designed for this. Definitely look into the Quikrete’s Concrete Crack Seal because that is exactly what it does.

 

I mean, it really is a wonderful product. My sister’s home had a pool that had a very lovely slate surround to the pool itself, and same thing. It would chip.

 

We live in New York, so it sort of had that freeze-thaw cycle, so it definitely took a lot more abuse than Florida does, but it’s the same thing. If you’re trying to put concrete, which they did before, I was like, hey, don’t do it.

 

[Producer Jim]

Oh, yeah, no doubt.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

It’s an issue, and you’re just going to keep chipping away at it. Even when I walk the dog on our block, somebody has an uneven concrete in front of the house, and they sort of did a triangular patch with fresh concrete, and every time I walk, Shermie by it, I can feel that piece getting looser and coming away. So if you don’t go with the right product there, Michael, it’s just never going to last.

 

[Producer Jim]

Yeah, and if you’re going to be doing something over and over again, shouldn’t it be painting brick or staining your deck? Come on.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Really fun stuff. Yeah, so, Michael, just check out the Quickrete Crack Seal for concrete because that’s what it does. Happy Father’s Day to all the dads in your life and the dads out there celebrating.

 

If you’re looking for some more ways to celebrate your dad, why not surprise him with a weekend project that makes life easier? Here’s a great one. Installing a smart thermostat, maybe motion sensor lights, or best, a keyless entry system.

 

It is a tech-savvy upgrade that combines comfort, convenience, and a little bit of wow factor. And let me tell you, my boyfriend, Mike, installed a keyless entry at my home because my older son was always forgetting his key and it has changed our lives. I don’t know why I was so resistant to this dumb keyless entry.

 

We put one in on the side door. It’s awesome. The kids let themselves in on their way home from school.

 

I could be at work and somebody will be like, oh, I have to deliver the whatever, or the cleaning lady’s like, I can come today. I’m like, well, I can let you in. It has made life so fantastic.

 

[Producer Jim]

Does it got the keypad on it?

 

[Leslie Segrete]

It does. It’s got the keypad. It’s got the fingerprint.

 

It’s got the app on my phone. I’ve been in Florida and I’ve let somebody in and been like, this is awesome.

 

[Producer Jim]

We have a pretty good size audience, Leslie. What’s your code?

 

[Leslie Segrete]

I’m not telling anybody.

 

[Producer Jim]

I thought I had you.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Not telling you. Also, my code is my fingerprint.

 

[Producer Jim]

Oh, really? That’s cool.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Yeah. And there’s a number one, which I never remember, but it’s fine. It’s my fingerprint.

 

[Producer Jim]

That is pretty cool.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Yeah, it’s great. So, thanks, Mike. Happy Father’s Day.

 

We love it. We love you. Guys, keyless entry, change your life.

 

I promise. Well, it’s summer storm season and perhaps at some point during a bad summer storm, you’ve lost a window or maybe just have neighbors who love to throw balls around. You know that having a broken window is a big mess.

 

And the options for getting a broken window fixed during a storm are kind of limited or even just in general take time. So, in the event you do end up with a broken window, let’s talk about how you’re going to clean this up safely. First of all, don’t try to knock out any of that remaining glass in the frame.

 

You want to use safety gloves and you probably don’t have them at home, but you can get like thick towels, but try to have safety gloves around just in case. And you can use those gloves to remove the loose and the fallen pieces of glass. Now, to clean up small pieces of glass, because they can get very, very tiny, you want to use several thicknesses of paper towels and then wet them and kind of dab onto the area where the broken glass is because it’s going to just pick it up.

 

Don’t rub. Don’t fold it over and use another spot. Just toss it.

 

Cloth towels, sponges, mops, you shouldn’t use them to clean up if you ever plan to use them again because it can kind of just hold on to those tiny glass particles and if you do use it again, you could cut yourself. So you’re just going to toss those. Now, when it comes to replacing broken glass, it depends on the type of window.

 

If it’s single pane, replacement can definitely be a DIY job. But today, it’s more likely that that window is double pane. It’s got an insulated glass.

 

It’s vacuum sealed with a gas in it like argon. For those, the least expensive route is to order another sash from the manufacturer because having a new insulated glass pane custom made is going to cost more than just having a new sash. So let’s talk about how we avoid these broken windows in the first place, especially during storm season.

 

I can’t help you with your neighborhood Little Leaguer who just loves bats and balls. That’s going to happen regardless. But if you want to make sure that you’re safe in a storm, you want to look around your house for any projectile that mother nature can kind of fling at you.

 

So let’s look at the landscaping. Remove any dead branches. Trim back anything that’s too close to the house.

 

If you see that you’ve got a fence that maybe has some loose parts, tighten them. Check on them because those can become airborne very easily in a storm. And even remember if just a storm is forecast with high winds, batten down the hatches anyway.

 

Bring your furniture indoors. Secure anything that you can’t bring indoors. It’s always better to just be prepared.

 

All right. That’s my Boy Scout lesson of the summer. Cheers to Tom, Captain Boy Scout.

 

[Producer Jim]

Absolutely.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Well, Jim and I get a lot of emails here at Team Money Pit. You guys have a lot of questions that you’re working on and we’re so thankful that you write in. So let’s answer some of those emails now.

 

Jim, who’s up?

 

[Producer Jim]

Abby. Abby wrote in saying that I am a novice when it comes to home improvement DIY work and I’m interested in refinishing my front door due to some sun damage. I’m wondering how to stand up the door and prep it to get it ready.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

All right. Well, I love that she said prep because she gets that there’s going to be some work here. You know, Abby, refinishing a front door is a great project for a warm weekend because that’s about the time you really need to allow to get this job done.

 

You need time for all the coats to properly dry. You also want to time the project so you’re not starting too late in the day. You want to start earlier in the day so that the door is super dry at the end of the day because guess what?

 

You have to put the door back even if you’re not done with the project and then take it off again the next day because I’m not leaving you without a front door in the middle of the night. I’m not a crazy person. But the best way to do this here is to take the door off of the hinges so that you can do everything flat.

 

You can do it when it’s standing up but it is a lot easier to lay that door down horizontally on some sawhorses. Now, not only is it going to let you do a better job of sanding, it’s going to be easier on your back. You don’t have to worry about the finish dripping.

 

If you’re thinking that taking the door off is hard, it’s really not because once you pull the hinge pins, that door usually comes off pretty easily. Depending on the size of the door though, it could be a little bit heavy so you might need a friend to help you with that. And then you kind of set up a sawhorse and two of them because you’re going to need to balance it and this is definitely the way to go.

 

Now, you asked about sanding. Yes, you do need to sand as part of the prep and you certainly could sand by hand but it is a lot easier to do it with a vibrating sander if you happen to have one.

 

[Producer Jim]

Oh, if you don’t have one, get one. Mandatory.

 

[Leslie Segrete]

Yeah, I mean, Jim’s right. If you don’t have a vibrating sander, just get one. They’re not terribly expensive.

 

I mean, they’re really not expensive and it’s a great thing to keep sort of tucked away in your shed because you will find other sanding projects and once you kind of go around, especially if you have like raised panels or kind of details on the door, sanding sponges are going to be super helpful for those little curved details and they come in a variety of grits so you want to go rough to smooth.

 

It gets into all the nooks and crannies. Once you’ve sanded and you’re happy with the finish there, clean off all of that dust and now you can start with the finish. If it was stained, you can restain but if you’re looking for a chance to bring out like really great colors, there’s an awesome chance here to paint any color you want and you can go with pretty much any color under the rainbow.

 

Front doors look awesome in a variety of color palettes but you want to make sure that whatever finish you’re using has a high degree of UV protection because the sun is really the enemy. Whether you’re staining or painting, that front door is really going to face a lot of it and a door well finished can last a long, long time so you don’t have to do this project again. Alright, Abby, good luck with the project and remember, try not to go run a lot of errands because your house obviously won’t have a door while you’re doing this.

 

Thank you so much, everyone, for spending Father’s Day weekend with us. Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there and to all the mamas who are both mom and dad. It’s a tough road and I see you and I send my love from this mama who does both.

 

Thanks again, everybody. For more Money Pit, head on over to moneypit.com. It’s available 24-7 because I can’t talk all the time.

 

I don’t know. I can talk an awful lot. You should ask the people I work with at Good Morning America at 4 a.m. when I walk in the door and I’m like, you guys, cheddar box. Yeah, I can’t help it. But that’s why we do what we do, Jim and I. We have a lot of home improvement fun to share and we thank you for joining us because remember, you can do it yourself but you don’t have to do it alone.

 

[Theme Song]

On the Money Pit radio show, on the Money Pit radio show, pick up the telephone, fix up your home sweet home by calling 888-MONEY-PIT. Woo!