TOM: Coast to coast and floorboards to shingles, this is The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show. I’m Tom Kraeutler.
LESLIE: And I’m Leslie Segrete.
TOM: And what are you working on in your money pit today? We know there’s something going on. Take a look around. You’ve got a project underway? You’ve got a project you’re planning? Did you start a project like, what, six weeks ago and there it sits unfinished because you just lost your motivation or ran into a problem? We can help. That’s right.
You know, projects sometimes do get better with time. Sometimes not. Sometimes, they just rot. But whatever the case is, the number is 888-MONEY-PIT. We are here to help you get those projects done. Pick up the phone and help yourself first by calling us at 1-888-666-3974.
Coming up this hour, is your backyard missing a bit of color right now? Well, you can easily transform your lackluster yard to become the talk of the neighborhood. All you need to do is to add one of nature’s most beautiful and delicate creatures: butterflies. It’s easier than you think. Roger Cook from TV’s This Old House – our pal, the landscaping expert – will be stopping by to teach us how to plant a butterfly garden.
LESLIE: And also ahead this hour, are you putting off painting your family room because the idea of priming and painting and then dealing with that smell is just, frankly, not appealing? Well, if so, we’ve got info on a paint that will allow you to cut out priming and let you take a deep breath while you’re working.
TOM: Also ahead, everyone wants their bathroom to feel more like a spa these days. We’re going to tell you about an easy way to transform your dull bathroom into a spacious showering space without a major renovation.
LESLIE: And it’s Father’s Day Weekend, you guys. I hope all of the dads out there are having a great weekend, maybe getting some rest. Well, if you’re scrambling and have not purchased a gift for the dad in your life, quick, pick up a phone because we are giving away eight products from Stanley that you could give him next weekend. But still, the thought’s there.
It includes a waterproof tool box and so many awesome tools. It’s worth 235 bucks so, quick, call when he’s not paying attention.
TOM: So give us a call right now with your home improvement project, your do-it-yourself dilemma. The number is 1-888-MONEY-PIT, 888-666-3974.
LESLIE: Alright. Now we’ve got Tom in Wisconsin on the line who needs some help with a garage floor. Tell us what’s going on.
TOM IN WISCONSIN: Well, my wife, with her minivan, she comes in out of the snowstorm. I’ve got snow in now; I just got salt and everything out. And when the salt drips on the garage floor, it bubbles up. And it pops.
TOM: OK.
TOM IN WISCONSIN: And now it looks bad. I was wondering if there was a – something I can patch it with that’ll withstand the garage floor.
LESLIE: Now, what’s already on there that’s bubbling up? Do you have some sort of epoxy coating or is it just the concrete? Is it staying because of the salt?
TOM IN WISCONSIN: I think it’s just the concrete. When they built my concrete floor, the builders, they put a real high polish on it. So it’s real, real smooth; it’s real fine.
TOM: OK. But there’s no other coating on it except for the …
LESLIE: Or sealant?
TOM: OK.
TOM IN WISCONSIN: Yeah. No, it’s just the concrete.
TOM: Alright. Well, I think the best solution there would be to use one of the new epoxy products. They adhere very well to the concrete and that’s the key is the adherence issue – the adhesion issue, I should say. And you can also add a color flake into them and that gives you some texture, helps to hide the dirt and you can even put a gloss coat on top of that.
Two-part product. Comes with a cleaner that you mix up first to get the surface ready to accept the epoxy. Then you apply the epoxy, wait a couple of days to get it nice and hard and you’re good to go.
TOM IN WISCONSIN: Oh, awesome. And where the – because it always seems to be one spot. Will that bubble up after that again?
TOM: No. It’ll just sit on top and dry to sort of that white, crusty surface. But you can then wash down the floor and get rid of it.
TOM IN WISCONSIN: Oh, awesome. How about outside, for external? Will that work?
TOM: Well, there are epoxy products that work on exposed concrete surfaces, as well. But you might be just a little more careful with those because you don’t want it to get too slippery.
TOM IN WISCONSIN: OK. Awesome.
TOM: Alright?
TOM IN WISCONSIN: Well, thank you very much.
TOM: You’re welcome. Good luck with that project. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.
LESLIE: Now we’ve got Pat in Hawaii on the line with a roofing question. Calling to make us jealous, I am sure.
Welcome, Pat.
PAT: So what we have is a house where the interior temperature is – during the day is maybe 83 to 85.
TOM: OK.
PAT: And so it has a roof that has the rolled asphalt. And we’d like to put on this application and they’re available at places like Home Depot. There’s two different price points. You can apply it three different ways and so forth but people have told us, that live in that same area as this house, that they have reduced the heat in their house by 20-plus percent by doing this reflective thing on the roof.
And now, our question is: how do we prep the roof? Do we sweep off any rocks with asphalt? What is the prep?
TOM: It’s pretty forgiving. You want to get rid of the loose stuff and of course, any moss or anything like that that’s growing on it. But what you’re talking about is fibrous aluminum paint and it’s a UV-reflectant paint. And it does make the roof a lot cooler and that can actually make your house cooler. It’s a very common application, not only in tropics like Hawaii but even places on the East Coast. I mean I’ve seen it on roofs in Washington, D.C. Definitely a good thing to do.
PAT: OK. And so if – also, my husband’s question was – and so does your roof last longer with that on there?
TOM: Yeah, theoretically it will because if you reflect the UV, you’ll have less deterioration of the oils in the asphalt, less evaporation of that. And that can make the roof last longer. Another good reason to do it.
PAT: OK. And any specific on application? Whichever one works out best for you? Is that what they’re saying?
TOM: Well, I don’t have any specific recommendations on a product but on the concept, I think it’s solid.
PAT: That’s wonderful. That’s a great idea. I think you answered my question. Thank you very much.
TOM: Alright, Pat. Good luck with that project. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.
LESLIE: You are tuned to The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show on air and online at MoneyPit.com.
Hey, Happy Father’s Day to all of you dads out there. We hope you’re having a great weekend and maybe doing a project around your house, maybe just grilling and relaxing. Whatever you are doing, we hope you enjoy your special day.
Guess what? We’re here for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, just like the dad in your life. So if you need a hand with your home improvement project, give us a call at 888-MONEY-PIT.
TOM: 888-666-3974.
Up next, do you love the look of a freshly-painted room? I’m sure you do. But the smell that comes with it, perhaps not so much. We’ve got a way, though, to help you cut down on that downside of painting and we’ll tell you about it, after this.
MIKE: Hey, this is Mike Rowe from Dirty Jobs and I’ve just been told that Tom and Leslie might have a dirtier job than me? I find that hard to believe but then I heard they worked in a pit. It’s a money pit but it’s still filthy.
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ANNOUNCER: The Money Pit is brought to you by Stanley Tools, your trusted name in quality hand tools. To learn more about their complete line of quality tools and everything for your tool box, visit StanleyTools.com.
TOM: Making good homes better, welcome back to The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show. I’m Tom Kraeutler.
LESLIE: And I’m Leslie Segrete.
TOM: Happy Father’s Day, all you fathers out there, myself included. I’ll pat myself on the back a little bit. Just a little bit. So proud of my kids. They’re terrific.
The number here is 888-MONEY-PIT, 888-666-3974. And if you got a lousy gift for Father’s Day, well, tell your kids to come up with a home improvement question and call us right now, for you, at 888-MONEY-PIT. Because we’ve got a whole set of Father’s Day gift-like prizes to give away this hour. It’s a package from Stanley worth 235 bucks.
LESLIE: That’s right. It’s a pretty awesome gift pack. It’s got eight different tools in it, including the FuBar, which stands for Functional Utility Bar. And it’s really a next-generation hammer that lets you pretty much rip through demolition projects just super-easy. It’s also got a tool box that’s really watertight to protect your tools. I mean it’s a great gift basket.
TOM: And you can find more great gift ideas in our Father’s Day gift guide, which is online at MoneyPit.com. And it’s sponsored by Stanley.
LESLIE: Now we’ve got Dwayne in Arkansas on the line who’s got a chimney issue. How can we help you?
DWAYNE: I have a rock chimney, probably about 30 years old. It’s about 6 foot by 4 foot on the outside. The inside flue is about 16 inches by 18 inches and the top part is capped off with mortar.
And over the years, that mortar has cracked and somebody has come in and put a – that sealer on top of it, like comes in a gallon or 5-gallon bucket: the black roof sealer? The sealer that often – it’s done a good job but I’m afraid if I have a chimney fire, that stuff might melt and catch on fire and run down and catch the house on fire.
TOM: Well, if you have a chimney fire, Dwayne, you’re going to have a bigger problem than this. Because a chimney fire is super-hot and can burn your whole house down.
DWAYNE: Right.
TOM: So I wouldn’t worry about it melting. But it wasn’t the best thing to do to the mortar. The right thing to do when you have cracking and chipping of that chimney area is you want to replace the mortar between the liner and the outside of the chimney.
DWAYNE: Right.
TOM: So that crown has to be broken off and then replaced. And it’s not that big of a deal. You can go up there with a mason’s hammer and break it off in chunks; it’ll come off pretty easily. And then lay in a new crown around it and just make that slope go from the liner out.
If it’s got a couple of cracks in it, you can always caulk it to kind of buy you some time. But replacing that chimney crown is really the easiest thing to do. That plus adding a cap to it – a chimney cap – can help try to keep that water out, as well.
DWAYNE: Yeah. I didn’t know. I have about a ½-inch of the flue still sticking up. I didn’t know if they made some kind of a mortar-type substance that I could put over the top of what’s there.
TOM: I would not put it on top of that asphalt. I would – at this point, I would take all the asphalt out.
See, here’s what’s wrong with the asphalt patch is that the water is going to get under that. And it can still deteriorate the mortar and it can freeze and break and really wreak havoc on that chimney. So I would pull that old stuff out and just replace that chimney crown. It’s not a difficult job to do.
DWAYNE: Alright. I thank you so much.
TOM: You’re welcome, Dwayne. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.
LESLIE: Well, you probably have at least one room in your house that needs painting, right? I know right now I’ve got a huge basement – well, not so huge: just a basement that needs a lot of paint and a baby’s room. So tons of painting that needs to be done.
But I tell you, when I think about painting projects, the idea of prep work and the smell from the paint just keeps me from crossing it off my to-do list. How about you guys? Is it something you’re always dealing with and putting off?
Well, we are about to eliminate that excuse from your mind. We’re always looking for products that are safe and easy to use, as they are effective. And speaking of which, Behr has a couple of formulas that we want to tell you about that are all of the above. So, if you’re thinking of a weekend makeover, Behr Premium Plus Self-Priming Zero-VOC and Low-Odor Interior Paint is the perfect product to us in a family space. Because that low-odor formula really ensures that that paint smell is not going to linger. And this way, you can get your family right back into those rooms that you use the most much, much quicker.
Now, Behr Premium Plus Self-Priming Interior Paint, you can find that at all of The Home Depot stores nationwide. And they’ve got a ton of great colors.
TOM: Now, for those high-traffic rooms, you might want to consider Behr’s Premium Plus Ultra Interior Paint & Primer in One. This formula has an advanced, stain-blocking formula, which features NanoGuard Technology. It protects against stains better, so your new look stays looking new longer. And Behr Premium Plus Ultra Interior delivers ultimate hide and durability, so it’s really the perfect paint for everyday use or under tough or challenging conditions.
You can visit Behr.com for more info or look for Behr on Facebook and Twitter. That’s Behr, spelled B-e-h-r.
LESLIE: Now we’ve got Christine in Michigan on the line who’s dealing with some mold stains on her siding. Tell us about it.
CHRISTINE: I had green mold on the siding and used a commercial mold remover for it. And it took the green mold off. What was left were little black dots and I am wondering if maybe it’s from little bugs of some kind. And I can’t get them off.
TOM: Do you have mulch around your house?
CHRISTINE: Yes.
TOM: You may have artillery fungus. Artillery fungus …
LESLIE: Which may have been hiding under the other mold.
TOM: Yeah. Probably was hiding underneath the green mold.
See, artillery fungus lives in the mulch, especially if it’s the shredded kind, which is what most of us have as opposed to just the bark chips. And it will get up into the air and it will attach to siding. And it loves to attach to vinyl siding and it’s really, really hard to get it off. You can try a TSP – trisodium phosphate – in a paste, right on some of the spots and see if it’ll release.
CHRISTINE: OK.
TOM: But it’s very difficult to get that stuff off. And one of the long-term solutions would be – in the next time – maybe next spring, if you decide to update that mulch, rake out the old stuff and replace it with wood chips. And that’ll stop it from coming back.
CHRISTINE: OK. Thank you.
TOM: You’re welcome. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.
LESLIE: Alright. Now we’ve got Elizabeth in Texas on the line who’s looking for a way to repurpose some found lumber.
ELIZABETH: Hi. We tore down my old house.
TOM: You didn’t need it anymore?
ELIZABETH: No, Hurricane Ike really broke it in three places.
TOM: Oh, Hurricane Ike did it for you, huh?
LESLIE: So you got a head start.
TOM: OK.
ELIZABETH: So we salvaged what we could. I gave away a lot to the neighbors but we salvaged to make a 16×16 greenhouse that has now turned into a conservatory because it …
TOM: OK. That’s a cool idea, OK.
ELIZABETH: Well, it’s gotten better. And so the old wood is 15 years old. It was inside the old house and I don’t know what to preserve or seal it with.
TOM: So the area that you want to preserve is exposed to the weather?
ELIZABETH: No, it’s inside – it’ll be inside the greenhouse/conservatory.
TOM: Well, then I think you can use any really – like a wood stain on that.
ELIZABETH: A wood stain.
TOM: Yeah, do you still have – it’s sort of the natural wood, right? It’s not been painted in any way?
ELIZABETH: It’s never been painted. These are the roof rafters from the attic and the subfloor …
TOM: Yeah, OK. You can use any kind of wood stain on that. If it’s going to be an area that gets damp or moist, you might want to use an exterior wood stain. You could use semi-transparent or solid color.
LESLIE: Oh, I think I’d want to see the history and the natural patina on the wood. I’d go clear.
TOM: Yeah, you could do that, too.
ELIZABETH: That would be an idea.
LESLIE: Yeah, I think the benefit of repurposing and reusing this lumber from your old home is such an interesting and unique choice and sort of a good model for eco-design, if you will. And it’s, I think, a great opportunity to open a discussion and really showcase its beauty.
ELIZABETH: That is a brilliant suggestion.
TOM: Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.
LESLIE: Alright. Now we’ve got Ed in Tennessee on the line who has a question about a crawlspace. How can we help you today?
ED: I’m thinking about putting my dogs in my crawlspace. I’ve got a large crawlspace and I was wanting to – they’re big dogs and I was going to take and build beds out of treated lumber and put shavings in them – cedar shavings. And just wondering if there’s something I haven’t thought about doing that, if there’s a downside to it.
TOM: Well, are they housetrained? Are they going to treat the crawlspace like the backyard, so to speak?
ED: They’re housetrained.
TOM: As long as they’re going to keep it clean down there, my friend, I don’t see any reason why you might not want to do that. It certainly will be cool and comfortable for them in that space in the summer.
ED: That’s what I was thinking, so …
TOM: You know, it’s pretty much like leaving them outside except they’ve got a little shade.
ED: Right.
TOM: But as long as they’re not going to cause any problems in there and use it as a bathroom, then I wouldn’t worry about it.
ED: Alright. Well, thank you very much.
TOM: Ed, thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.
LESLIE: Alright. Now we’ve got Edie on the line who is dealing with some dirty windows. What can we do for you?
EDIE: Hi. Yes, I’m just calling to see how I can keep my windows clean. I have a problem with water from when the (inaudible at 0:16:38) water hits my windows?
TOM: OK.
EDIE: And it builds up and I have to take a razor blade and scrape them. I can clean them but the next time I water the lawn, they get dirty again. Is there anything I can put on the windows that would keep them from being so dirty from the rainwater – I mean from the sprinkler water.
TOM: Yeah, I have two thoughts for you, Edie. First of all, can you – is this a home that you own or rent?
EDIE: It’s my parents’ home.
TOM: OK. So then you have control of the sprinkler system. Those sprinkler heads can be adjusted so that they’re not hitting your windows. They are adjustable and you don’t have to put up with them spraying in the windows. In fact, you’re probably wasting water. So, first of all …
EDIE: Well, I actually – it’s actually in a basement that I live and the grass comes right up to the window.
TOM: OK. I understand that but you can adjust them, you can change the flow to them. You may be able to reduce the volume of water.
That said, the other idea I have for you is – and this is a product for cars but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work for your basement windows – is to put Rain-X on them.
LESLIE: Oh, that’s really smart.
TOM: When you put Rain-X on your windshield, the raindrops just sort of blow off of them as you drive down the road; it kind of causes them to bead up. And there’s no reason you couldn’t use Rain-X on those windows. So that would definitely save you some number of cleanings because – probably at least cut them in half, I would think.
EDIE: Yeah. Now, I’ve never used Rain-X. Is it a product that just sprays on?
TOM: No. It comes in a little, like liquid container and you sort of squirt it on. Then you clean the windows and you squirt it on there and you let it dry; it dries to a haze. Then you take a slightly damp cloth and wipe it off again and it’s crystal-clear when it’s all done.
EDIE: OK. Perfect. I’ll try that. Thank you so much.
TOM: You’re welcome. Good luck with that project. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.
LESLIE: You are tuned to The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show on air and online at MoneyPit.com.
Hey, do you have a dull garden that really could use some sprucing up? How about adding some living color? Well, coming up, the experts at This Old House are going to tell you how to create a butterfly garden in your own yard.
And today’s This Old House segment is presented by new Trex Enhance Decking. It’s now in stock at The Home Depot.
ANNOUNCER: The Money Pit is brought to you by LIQUID NAILS. For tough jobs, demand the extraordinary strength of LIQUID NAILS Brand Heavy-Duty Construction Adhesive. It bonds a wide range of materials, indoors and out, for a job done once, done right. Learn more about LIQUID NAILS Brand Heavy-Duty Construction Adhesive at LIQUIDNAILS.com.
TOM: Making good homes better, welcome back to The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show. I’m Tom Kraeutler.
LESLIE: And I’m Leslie Segrete.
Happy Father’s Day, everybody. We hope all you dads are enjoying your special day out there. Listen, if you guys happen to be online this weekend, head on over to MoneyPit.com. Because we are always updating that website – great information – but we’ve got a whole host of new videos on tool reviews. So now you are not going to need to just guess what the right tool is for you or for the job when you’re heading to the store. Just check out MoneyPit.com/Videos.
TOM: And pick up the phone right now with your home improvement question. The number is 1-888-MONEY-PIT.
LESLIE: Mike in Texas is on the line and building a shed. How can we help you with that project?
MIKE: Well, I just got a new wooden shed in the backyard. It’s 10 by 16. And I was just wondering, before I put anything in it, how can I treat the floor or should I even worry about treating the floor for durability?
TOM: Well, first of all, when you put the shed in, did you put it right on the ground or is there some sort of a foundation under it?
MIKE: It’s elevated, concrete blocks and then it is a wooden subfloor above that.
TOM: OK, good. So you do have a little bit of air moving under it, because that’s going to be important to avoid decay.
In terms of the floor itself, look, anything that you put on that is not really going to have a significant difference in terms of extending its life. It will make it easier to use it. For example, if you painted it, it would make it easier to sweep it if it gets dirty and that sort of thing. I’m going to presume that it’s probably made of exterior plywood, so I wouldn’t worry about it falling apart in the weather. But I think painting it might help to preserve the durability of the floor and make it a little easier to clean.
MIKE: OK. Would there be any specific type paint?
TOM: Yeah. I think a porch-and-floor paint is a good idea because it’s very, very durable. You need to have a paint that’s really going to be able to take the abuse of all of the products that you’re going to keep in there – the lawn mower and that sort of thing – and really stand up without wearing out. So, any kind of floor paint would work well.
MIKE: OK. Great. I appreciate your help.
TOM: You’re welcome. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.
LESLIE: Well, one of the most pleasant sights of summer are butterflies taking flight around your home. And if that’s the kind of wildlife you’d like to see more of, there are butterfly-friendly landscapes that you can create to make them feel even more welcome.
TOM: That’s right. Butterflies actually have some favorite plants that deliver them the nectar that they need to stick around your yard. Here to tell us how to create our very own butterfly garden is landscaping contractor, Roger Cook, from TV’s This Old House.
Welcome, Roger.
ROGER: Thanks for having me.
TOM: Now, is it possible to create a butterfly garden pretty much anywhere in the country?
ROGER: It is. And what you have to do is figure out what type of butterfly you have in your region and then there’ll be specific plants that that butterfly comes to, that it really likes.
TOM: So if we see butterflies no matter where we live, there are things that we can do to get them to hang out a little bit longer.
ROGER: Right. But before you think about the plants, you should think about the caterpillars that are going to become the butterflies. Every butterfly has a tree that it specifically will lay its eggs on.
TOM: OK.
ROGER: And that’s because when those eggs hatch, that tiny, little caterpillar that comes out has to start feeding right away. And it has a preferred leaf it wants to feed on. If it’s not on the right tree, they won’t grow up to be butterflies.
LESLIE: So now that you know exactly what type of butterfly you have in your area, you head on over to the garden center armed with your research and you sort of pick out a variety of flowers and plants that will both host the caterpillar and then feed the butterfly?
ROGER: That’s right. And you want to get plants that are going to flower throughout the season so you keep the butterflies in your garden. So you have a sequence of plants. And when you buy the plant, don’t buy one; buy like three or five because that really attracts the butterflies and will hold them in the garden.
TOM: Now, besides the plants, what about water? Don’t they need moisture to hang around, as well?
ROGER: Well, they don’t need a big water feature. What they need is a little area that’s moist, that has mud. And they’ll land there and then they’ll take and get minerals from the mud, which helps their diet.
TOM: Alright. So we’re not talking about a big pond; big, aggressive waterfall; a big aerator spraying water all over the place. That’ll just chase them away. We’re just talking about something with maybe just a little tiny bit of movement to keep the mosquitoes down but allow the butterflies to be happy, correct?
ROGER: It doesn’t even have to have standing water; it just has to be wet mud. That’s all you need. So pouring a little bucket every day on an area will be enough to suffice.
TOM: True. You could water your own butterfly garden that way, couldn’t you?
ROGER: You could, yeah.
TOM: Now, what are some of the most common plants that butterflies would like – you’d say it would apply to a good part of the country?
ROGER: Well, we see them on lilacs, which is a fairly common one. There’s one called “butterfly bush,” aptly named because the butterflies love it. And even a plant called “milkweed,” which you see a lot growing in meadows but you can actually plant in your garden.
TOM: So the whole process starts with a bit of brain work, followed up by a little bit of grunt work: putting those right plants in the right place. But after that, it’s a very relaxing feature to have around the house.
ROGER: Well, it’s a great way to adapt the gardens that you already have and just make them a little bit bigger. Get some more flowering plants and just make sure you do it in a sunny area, because that’s what the butterflies like.
TOM: Great advice. Roger Cook from TV’s This Old House, thanks so much for stopping by The Money Pit.
ROGER: Thanks. I love butterflies and I’m glad to share the information.
LESLIE: Alright. You can catch the current season of This Old House and Ask This Old House on PBS. For your local listings, you can visit ThisOldHouse.com.
TOM: And This Old House and Ask This Old House are brought to you by GMC. GMC, built tough.
Up next, no matter how many coats of paint you put on your bathroom walls, it’s never going to feel very spa-like if you’ve got an old, grungy bath or shower. We’re going to tell you how to fix that, after this.
ANNOUNCER: The Money Pit is brought to you by Behr Premium Exterior Weatherproofing Wood Stains and Finishes. Formulated to restore, beautify and protect decks, fences and siding year-round. Behr is available exclusively at The Home Depot, where you can visit the new Exterior Wood Care Center, built to help you find the right products and colors for your project. For more information, visit B-e-h-r.com.
ANNOUNCER: The Money Pit is brought to you by Lutron Dimmers and Sensors. If you want to change a look of a room, install a Lutron C?L Dimmer. It works with all bulb types and only takes about 15 minutes to install. For easy upgrades with big impact, choose Lutron. Visit ChooseLutron.com.
TOM: Making good homes better, welcome back to The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show. I’m Tom Kraeutler.
LESLIE: And I’m Leslie Segrete. Listen, we know it’s Father’s Day. We know you guys are having a great time but what if you got one of those ridiculous ties again or I don’t know, some kind of gift that’s just not you? My dad would always ask for a black belt and underwear. I can’t see how that would be a very fun Father’s Day gift.
So, if that’s you and you’re struggling with how to deal with saying, “I’m not happy,” forget about saying it. Pick up the phone, call The Money Pit. You’ve got a home improvement project. We can give you a hand. Better yet, we can give you an awesome prize. We’ve got a great gift pack of tools from Stanley worth 235 bucks.
TOM: Yep, that’s right. It’s got eight tools in it from Stanley and one of the coolest is the FuBar, which is a demolition tool that lets you rip through walls like a pro. You’re also going to get the 3-in-1 Flashlight and a 201-piece Mechanics Tool Set. The whole package worth 235 bucks. Going to go out to one caller at 1-888-MONEY-PIT.
LESLIE: That’s right. And you can find some more great gift ideas for the dad in your life. If you are just procrastinating and have not gotten there yet to get a gift, head on over to MoneyPit.com, look at our Father’s Day gift guide. And it’s sponsored by Stanley.
TOM: 888-666-3974.
LESLIE: Now we’ve got Greg in Missouri on the line who’s dealing with a septic-system issue. Tell us what’s going on.
GREG: Yeah, I bought a house back in December and they put a new septic system in. And the piping that surrounds the house, I have baseball-sized rocks that are coming up as the summer progresses and I don’t know how to stop them.
TOM: Oh, you mean as the soil sort of erodes away?
GREG: I’m guessing so and – so I don’t know how deep it goes or what I can do to tear those up or cover it.
TOM: Do you think that, Greg, that this is like the drainage field that’s being revealed?
GREG: It’s hard to say. It’s my first home.
TOM: Yeah, Greg, I would reach out to the contractor that actually installed that, since it’s so new, and see if you can get a sense as to where the septic field is. I suspect you’ve got some settlement that’s going on there and that’s why the gravel field is revealing itself to you. You may need to add some additional fill dirt.
And then if you put some grass over that or even if you put some sod over it, now’s a real good time to do that. The roots can really take hold before the winter sets in and get good growth there. And it’ll be in good shape before next summer heat, which is very destructive, of course, to new grass. Now is a perfect time to plant this and I think that that will solve the problem. Not that all surprised; I think what you’re seeing is some normal settlement out of the new field.
Greg, thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.
Well, are you looking for a quick and inexpensive way to freshen up your bathroom with a spacious showering space? If so, the new Sterling Ensemble Curve Shower is a really cool way to do just that.
Now, this is a new shower enclosure that is an ideal retrofit solution for anybody who wants to add the convenience of a showering space to their bathroom and replace existing bathtubs with stand-alone showers.
The system is pretty cool because the Sterling Ensemble Curve Shower, these enclosures are sized to fit standard 5-foot bath alcove spaces. And they come in both left- or right-hand drain configurations, which basically makes for a very user-friendly installation without having to do extensive rework of the plumbing system which, of course, can be really costly.
LESLIE: Mm-hmm. And that’s really where you do end up spending a lot of money, if you have to rework some stuff.
And you know what? This is not your typical box-style shower inset. Sterling has expanded its line of receptors to include a wall set with a curved design. Now, it gives you the elegance of arched doorways while also giving you those much-needed storage shelves, which are so great. Because we all know you’ve got a ton of product in the bath. And you probably don’t need it all in there but it’s good that you’ve got the space for it. And you know it’s …
TOM: Has to be close at hand.
LESLIE: I know. It’s like, “What if I want those five different shampoos?”
And you know what’s great about Sterling is they make everything out of solid, lightweight Vikrell, so you know it’s going to be really, really durable.
If you want some more information on the Sterling Ensemble Curve Shower or any of the other products, visit Sterling’s website at SterlingPlumbling.com.
TOM: That’s SterlingPlumbing.com.
LESLIE: Now we’ve got June in California on the line. What can we do for you today?
JUNE: Hi. Yeah, I am looking for accordion-type wooden doors to fit two 8-foot openings: one in – going into my living room and one up in my loft.
TOM: OK.
JUNE: And I have not been able to find wooden accordion doors, only vinyl.
TOM: Have you been looking for them for a long time?
JUNE: Yes, I have. I had some Pella doors – they were beautiful – back in the 60s, so I know that they did make them then. But I don’t think they make them now because everybody that checks for me either doesn’t get back to me or say they don’t have them.
TOM: Well, that’s why you called us.
JUNE: That’s exactly why. I’ve been wanting to call you for years, yes.
TOM: You shouldn’t have waited quite so long. We’ve seen these before and they are available and there’s actually a good website that has them, called Woodfold.com.
JUNE: Woodfold.com. OK.
LESLIE: And they’ve got them for commercial and residential applications. And with the residential, I think they’re perfect because they’ll give you up to an 8-foot width and up to an 8-foot, 1-inch height. That should work for your opening perfectly.
JUNE: Oh, yes.
LESLIE: And when it stacks within the opening, you’re probably going to get – you know, say it all goes to one side?
JUNE: Uh-huh. Yeah.
LESLIE: You’re going to get about a 10-inch stack and they’re generally 4¼ inches wide, so that should be the same width as your path through. I mean they should just …
JUNE: Right. That would be perfect, right.
LESLIE: I have no idea how much they cost but they’re gorgeous.
JUNE: Yeah, well, I need to do something for winter because there’s no insulation in a cedar house; it’s just all wood.
TOM: Oh, so you would use this to kind of separate the areas, huh, and keep the heat to the one side?
JUNE: Exactly, because I don’t really use the living room anyway and the loft is upstairs and it …
TOM: I see. Yeah. Alright. So there – your search is over. It’s Woodfold.com. Take a look and good luck with that project. I see they also do custom doors so if something is not quite standard, in terms of its size, that they’ll make it fit.
JUNE: OK, great. Thank you so much. I enjoy your show.
TOM: Well, you’re very welcome. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.
LESLIE: You are tuned to The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show on air and online at MoneyPit.com. Well, there are a lot of first-time homeowners out there these days. And that means good news for the economy but also a whole-new crop of brand-new do-it-yourselfers. We’re going to answer questions that go along with first-time home ownership, after this.
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TOM: Where home solutions live, welcome back to The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show. I’m Tom Kraeutler.
LESLIE: And I’m Leslie Segrete. And we know that our Money Pit fans are very internet-savvy. So, have you “liked” us on Facebook yet? Come on. We’re insecure. No, I’m kidding.
We’ve got a ton of you out there who’ve already “liked” us. And if you haven’t yet, you should. Because it will open the door to the best home improvement advice around. You’re also going to learn about our exclusive weekly prize giveaways. You’re going to get instant access to the newest Money Pit shows, articles and videos. And you’re going to get priority access to ask your question here on the radio show. So just head on over to Facebook, find Money Pit and hit the Like button.
And if you’re feeling too shy, head on over to MoneyPit.com, post your question there. And I’ve got one from Jackie in Texas who writes: “First-time homeowner here. I’m going to repaint my whole interior. How long do I have to let the last coat dry before removing the painter’s tape?”
TOM: That’s a great question, because the painter’s tape manufacturers will tell you to remove it while the paint is still damp. In fact, they don’t technically want you to let it dry all the way, if you can help it, because you get a better peel that way when you remove it.
But that said, it’s good to know that many of the painter-tape products, you can remove 7, 10, 14 – there’s even one that will not permanently adhere to the wall for 60 days. It has a 60-day removability.
LESLIE: Wow. That is a lazy painter.
TOM: Yeah, it’s a lazy painter. That’s the one that you started it one week and put it off a couple of weekends and couldn’t get back to it.
So the products are forgiving, in that sense. But if you ask the manufacturers, they tell you to remove it right away. So, your choice.
LESLIE: Mm-hmm. Up to you. Well, good luck, Jackie. That is a big project and congrats on the house.
Now we’ve got one from Brad in North Carolina who writes: “I want to plant a tree close to my new house to add some shade but I’m worried about the roots eventually pushing their way into my basement. Is this a real concern?”
TOM: Well, the nice thing about planting a tree is you can get shade even if that tree is 10 feet away from the house. So it’s not necessary to put it 3 feet away from the house, Brad. I would leave some space because remember, it’s going to grow.
I know that when we bought our house, we planted 3 tiny, little, 2-inch-diameter trees which are – you know, they are still pretty costly trees when – even when they’re 2 or 3 inches in diameter – in our front yard. And let me tell you, those three trees are so big now that we hardly get any sun in the front yard anymore. I’m worried about the grass coming in. They really do grow and they grow fast. So go ahead and give yourself some space where you plant those trees. But you’re smart to think about it.
And remember, when you dig that hole out, it needs to be about twice the size of the root ball so that you have plenty of room for those roots to kind of release and reach out and get a good toehold in there.
LESLIE: Alright. Next up, we’ve got one from Ted in New York who writes: “I just bought a new house in Upstate New York. It’s 100 years old. I’m looking forward to firing up the fireplace in the fall but wonder if I should do anything now in the summer to prepare it.”
Yes. Have it inspected.
TOM: Yeah. Get it inspected. Because 100-year-old chimneys don’t have liners very often and you can’t use the fireplace if the chimney is not lined.
LESLIE: Unless it was a savvy previous homeowner but chances are, no.
TOM: Yeah. Good thing to check it. And by the way, your home inspector – and I’m hoping you had a home inspection – should have checked that for you. So you might want to take a look at your home inspection report or pick up the phone and call your inspector and ask if he happened to notice if that chimney was lined. Because if it wasn’t, it could be dangerous to run.
LESLIE: Yeah, Ted. And the lining is so important because in your one chimney, if you have a heating system that’s vented through an additional flue in that same chimney, everything needs to be lined, especially if you’ve got a high-efficiency boiler or a furnace, say. You want to make sure because otherwise, you’ll be dealing with condensation. And it’s not expensive and it’s pretty easy to install by a pro.
TOM: This is The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show. Happy Father’s Day Weekend, everybody. We hope you are enjoying it, spending some quality time with your dad and Dad spending quality time with your kids. If I had to suggest one thing you could do together, it would be this: a home improvement project, of course. Because it always is a great way to get everybody together and literally on the same page.
And if you need help with that project, pick up the phone and call us. Maybe not today; you can take today off. But call us anytime, really, 24-7, at 1-888-MONEY-PIT, 888-666-3974. We never sleep. Calls are always answered. They come into the studio. And if we’re not there, we’ll call you back the next time we are. Enjoy your day.
I’m Tom Kraeutler.
LESLIE: And I’m Leslie Segrete.
TOM: Remember, you can do it yourself …
LESLIE: But you don’t have to do it alone.
END HOUR 1 TEXT
(Copyright 2012 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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