#2441 – Seal the Deal with Curb Appeal | Solar Systems on Metal Roofs | Kitchen Counter Intelligence

Show Notes

In this episode, get curb appeal tips to boost your home’s value and sell it faster. Then, learn a common pitfall with roof-mounted solar systems and how to avoid it. Finally, find out clever ways to make your kitchen countertops more functional and efficient. Plus, hear answers to callers’ questions to make DIY home improvement projects simple and successful!

Table of Contents[Hide][Show]

Show Notes
Top Questions & Answers
Ask Your Home Improvement Question
Podcast Transcript

Curb Appeal: Boosting curb appeal can seal the deal when selling your home.
Solar Systems: Find out why metal roofs are a great option for roof-mounted solar systems.
Kitchen Counters: Work smarter by making your kitchen counters more functional.

Ask Your Home Improvement Question

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

Podcast Transcript

Read Transcript

	TOM: Coast to coast and floorboards to shingles, this is the Money Pit Home Improvement Show. I’m Tom Kraeutler.
	LESLIE: And I’m Leslie Segrete.
00:00:30	TOM: Reach out to us right now with your home improvement questions, your do-it-yourself dilemmas. We are here to help. We’ve been at this for 20 years and we love talking about your projects and helping you get them done right the first time. You can reach out to us a couple of ways. You can call us at 1-888-Money-Pit. That’s 1-888-666-3974 or you can post your questions for the fastest possible response. Just go to MoneyPit.com slash ask. Click the blue microphone button. You record your question. It comes right to us. So let’s get started. Coming up on today’s show, if you’re thinking about selling your home or you just want to give it a fresh new look, adding curb appeal is always a smart move. We’re going to share some tips for easy weekend projects that will help you sell your home faster and get the best possible price. Absolutely.
00:01:23	LESLIE: And also ahead, roof-mounted solar systems are a very popular way to lower your energy costs. But those savings completely evaporate if a roof replacement is also needed. We’re going to explain the problem and the solution just ahead.
00:01:37	TOM: And kitchen counters are the most heavily used work surfaces for every home. But did you know that with a few design changes, you can make those surfaces work harder for you instead of the other way around? We’re going to share three ways to improve those countertops and make them easier to use.
00:01:52	LESLIE: All right, guys. What are you working on? We’re on the last few weekends of summer. I can’t even believe it. Perhaps some of you even have your kids already back to school, depending on where you are in the country. So if you’ve got some time while the kids are at school and you want to get started on something, or maybe you’re looking for some quick projects to tackle with the kiddos before the summer ends, whatever it is, let us know. We are here to lend a hand.
00:02:13	TOM: The number here is 1-888-MONEYBIT-888-666-3974.
00:02:19	LESLIE: Laura in Connecticut is on the line and wants to rearrange the kitchen. How can we help you? It’s an old house.
00:02:24	CALLER: The house is 100 plus. And right underneath, right underneath the kitchen floor, there is a portion of the floor that doesn’t have a beam under it. We would like to put a appliance there. We would like to place an appliance there. So we just need something that would support it gently, just in case too much weight.
00:02:48	TOM: So I mean, generally speaking, floor structures are designed to hold a refrigerator. They’re not that heavy. If you wanted to beef up the structure in that area, your kitchen already has existing floor joists. So the girder will go perpendicular to those. It’s not a true girder in the sense that it wouldn’t be supported with its own foundation. But what sometimes many folks will do is they’ll put a girder-like beam underneath those floor joists on some lolly columns, maybe supported by a very small foundation. It might be a one foot by one foot square pour of concrete. So that you can kind of take the bounce out of the middle of those beams. Sometimes if you have long beams in a house or long floor joists in a house, you’ll get kind of a bounce when you walk across the floor. And that can make it feel weak, even though maybe it’s not, but it just has more flex in it than you’re accustomed to. So putting in the additional beam perpendicular to the floor joists can eliminate that. It’s not going to hold up more than that beam, so it doesn’t need to be substantially supported. But I think still that you could do, a carpenter could do a good clean job and give you that additional support. That’s going to make you feel comfortable. Does that make sense?
00:03:55	CALLER: Yes, it does. Okay. Now, if there is a dirt floor, would it be wise to put down a cement foundation?
00:04:03	TOM: So you wouldn’t, you would support it by columns and the bottom of the column would be supported by concrete, not necessarily a complete floor, but what generally you’ll do is dig out maybe a one foot by one foot square hole, fill that up with concrete and have the column sit right on top of that. Again, it’s not the same kind of foundation that you would use to put a, a beam up that was holding up the entire house, but what you’re really doing here is just sort of taking the bounce out of that floor and giving it a little bit of additional support. Laura, thanks so much for calling us at 888-Money-Pit.
00:04:32	LESLIE: All right. Abram in Arizona is on the line looking to run a gas line for a dryer. How can we help you?
00:04:38	CALLER: I have a home that has an electric outlet for the dryer, but I want to run a gas line to it because I have a gas dryer. Uh, I’m in, I’m in, uh, in Goodyear, Arizona, so it’s not like I desperately need a dryer. I could just set it out and it would dry, but I would like to run a gas line for the heat versus using the electric.
00:05:05	CALLER: Now, does the house already have gas hooked up to it?
00:05:08	CALLER: Yes, the hot water heater and the kitchen both have gas. Okay.
00:05:13	TOM: So running a gas pipe, you know, is generally a job for a plumber because if you get it wrong you could cause a serious issue, but essentially, um, what you’re going to need to do is to tap into the existing gas line at the place that it makes the most sense to do that, depending on the layout of the line, um, you’re going to need to obviously have a valve before that so you can do this work, or you can turn the gas off at the meter to do the work, and then you’re going to have a valve at the end of it, and then you’re going to have a flex gas line that goes from that valve into the dryer itself. So it’s not a terribly complicated project to do, but if you’ve not worked with gas piping before, it’s not the kind of job that I would generally recommend. All right. So again, be your first do-it-yourself project because of the danger of it, getting it wrong. Okay. Okay. Thank you. All right. Take care, sir. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-Money-Pit.
00:06:01	LESLIE: All right. Now we’re going to Mel in Arkansas who’s got a question about a shower. What can we do for you today?
00:06:05	CALLER: Well, we need to change a tub into a shower, and it is for a handicapped person that uses a shower chair, and everything that we are finding so far is a fiberglass type stuff. That is not rated for the person’s weight that’s going to have to be using it, and they use a shower chair. Any suggestions on how to stabilize it so that it’s not going to break through when the shower chair goes in it?
00:06:36	CALLER: You’re looking at zero threshold showers that basically are flush with the floor?
00:06:40	CALLER: Not necessarily. It doesn’t have to be the zero threshold, but it needs to be a shower, not a tub. Right.
00:06:49	CALLER: Okay.
00:06:49	TOM: So when you put in a fiberglass shower pan, you’re right, sometimes there’s flex underneath of it, but there’s an easy trick of the trade to deal with that, and that is that you can mix up a concrete mix or a cement mix or mortar mix, and basically you put it underneath the pan while it’s wet, and then you press the pan down into it. And what that does is it takes out all the space between the pan itself and the floor. It provides a rock-solid base to that fiberglass shower stall. Does that make sense? Okay. All right, Mill. Good luck with that project. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-Money-Pit.
00:07:25	LESLIE: Hey, guys. If you’ve heard a helpful tip or two while listening to our show, please help us help even more home improvers by dropping us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts.
00:07:34	TOM: That would be awesome, and you might even win a copy of our book, My Home, My Money Pit, your guide to every home improvement adventure. Just go to moneypit.com slash review.
00:07:45	LESLIE: Andrew in Arkansas, you’ve got The Money Pit. What’s going on?
00:07:47	CALLER: A few years ago. My wife and I decided we would downgrade to a cheaper home, and the home we purchased has a basement. So we gave up our garage when we sold our other home and we moved to this house. And so what I would like to do is add a garage, or carport at least. The house sits on a slope, and the east wall is on the lower side. The slope. And it already has a walk-in door. And what I would like to do is remove all the soil, all the dirt from that east wall, and add concrete and either a garage or a carport in that area. But I’m not sure if I remove all that dirt from that wall, if it’ll affect the stability of the wall. If that makes sense.
00:08:42	TOM: Yeah. So in other words, where you would have to excavate, the wall in that area would be a support of wall that’s basically holding up that side of the house, is that right? That is correct, yes. Yeah, you can’t dig it out without supporting the structure and the process. And there’s a number of ways to do that, but I have to tell you straight off, Andrew, it’s not a DIY project. This is a big job, but there’s a process called needle beaming where essentially it can run steel beams through the wall before that work is done, and then support them externally, so that they run perpendicular through it in a couple of different places and it will hold those walls up while you kind of do all the work that it would take to kind of restore that wall or beef it up. But that’s the same thing that you would do if you were taking out a foundation. But if you’re going to dig out that dirt, you’re definitely going to disturb that wall and you definitely may have some shifting in the house and that would not be good. And also it wouldn’t be something that you’re going to get insurance to pay for. You could make a heck of a mess out of it. So I think you need to get some professional help. And at least for this part of the project, you know, maybe there’s some of the construction you can do yourself, but in terms of getting that foundation set for this addition or this carport, whatever it turns out to be, I would definitely get a pro involved and I might even consider having an architect spec it out for me because if you make some errors in this space, it could definitely affect the value of your home.
00:10:07	CALLER: Okay. Okay. So I guess with removing all that from the wall, it could cause a buckling effect possibly?
00:10:14	TOM: Well, yeah, because the foundation is going to be resting on the soil below it. And we also don’t know, because you said it was on a sloped lot, we don’t know how deep that foundation is compared to what it needs to be for this new addition. So it needs some, it may be that the foundation is not deep enough and you have to take it out completely and rebuild that piece of it. So there’s just too many unknowns for you to dig into this, no pun intended, but I would definitely get some professional help. Okay.
00:10:42	CALLER: All right. Hey, I’d appreciate the advice.
00:10:45	TOM: Yeah, no problem. Well, if I thought you could do it yourself, I would, but this is definitely something where it could be very unsafe and it could definitely impact the value of your home as well as the ability. Yes.
00:10:54	CALLER: Thank you very much.
00:10:56	LESLIE: Well, if you’re thinking about selling your home or you just want to give it a fresh new look, adding curb appeal is a smart move. Not only does it make your home more inviting, but it can also add significant value and make your home sell faster. Here’s a few easy and affordable ways to boost your home’s curb appeal, courtesy of the National Association of Realtors. First of all, those first impressions do matter, and the exterior of your home is that first thing people see. So one simple way to enhance the curb appeal is by sprucing up your front door. Could be as simple as fresh coat of paint and vibrant new color that definitely makes the entrance pop. And while you’re at it, updating that hardware too, a new doorknob, a cool knocker, something like that definitely changes the look completely and adds a touch of class.
00:11:42	TOM: Now, next, let’s talk about landscaping. You know, you don’t need a green thumb to make a big impact. So start with the simple things, trim the overgrown bushes and trees, and then add some colorful flowers or plants to your garden beds, or just create a container garden with multiple pots placed on either side of your front entry. Now, a well-manicured lawn can also make a big difference, including the edging. So you want to create clean, defined edges along your walkways and flower beds. That’s going to give your yard a very nice polished look. And while you’re at it, get that power washer out or rent one, and go at it and power wash your driveways, your walkways, and your siding. It can remove years of dirt and grime and make everything look brand-smacking new.
00:12:22	LESLIE: All right. Now, another easy update is to step up your lighting. Replace those old fixtures with modern stylish options. Solar-powered path lights can illuminate those walkways, adding both beauty and safety. And if you’ve got house numbers, you want to make sure that they’re easy to see and they match your home style. And finally, a new welcome mat, some porch furniture, even a seasonal wreath can make your home feel more inviting. And perhaps a little more expensive. Yep.
00:12:48	TOM: So whether you’re planning to sell or you just want to spruce up your outdoor space, these curb appeal projects can be done over a few weekends and totally transform your home’s exterior and boost its value.
00:12:59	LESLIE: Heading over to Florida, we’ve got Beverly on the line who’s got a question about siding. What’s going on? Are you installing it yourself?
00:13:05	CALLER: It’s just a shed, and it’s 10 by 10. And I’ve had some siding that I got, some vinyl siding, and I wanted to put it on a shed. And I figured a shed’s only eight feet high, so I’d be able to, you know, put it on myself. Okay. But I heard conflicting opinions about whether I should use screws or nails. Oh, okay. So, you know, one hardware store guy goes, use screws. Another one says, use nails. And it’s going on an Oriel strand board. And then I put tar paper. Yeah.
00:13:40	TOM: So it’s not a tough question. It’s not even a close question. You’re going to use nails. And not only are you going to use nails, but you’re going to have to do a lot of work with them.
00:13:52	TOM: Yeah.
00:13:55	TOM: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So there’s the peculiarities to its installation method. So, you know, of course you start low, right? And the pieces interlock. Now, if you’ll notice, vinyl siding doesn’t have nail holes, it has nail slots. And that’s for a really important reason. The vinyl has a really big expansion ratio. So if you put the vinyl siding on too tight where it can’t slide, it’s going to buckle and it looks terrible. You can always see a bad siding job in the south side of the house when the sun hits it and it buckles. Yeah. and that’s because the siding was nailed on too solidly so you’re going to use uh like a flat head nail like a roofing nail would be fine or something like that and you want to just put it in the center of the slot and you don’t want to make it tight you want to leave enough space when you’re done you should be able to grab that piece of siding and slide back and forth in the slot you know what I mean yeah and if it slides back and forth that’s perfect that’s exactly what you want it’s not going to fall off it’s not going to blow away but because you put it on loosely that way it’ll
00:14:54	CALLER: be able to expand and contract and not buckle okay well I’m glad you told me because at first
00:15:00	TOM: I put the screw in and I put it in tight yeah that’s natural that’s what we are sort of you know destined to do is to really always make stuff really strong and tight but when it comes to siding
00:15:10	LESLIE: and at vinyl siding it’s just not done that way and that’s why okay well thank you very much heading to Massachusetts where joe’s on the line with a question about paint that probably isn’t supposed to be on concrete what’s going on
00:15:24	CALLER: basically I got about three coats of paint on my concrete and I want to get it up
00:15:29	TOM: okay because it’s concrete is cracking and so forth and what do you want to do once you get the concrete up you say you want to get the concrete up are you thinking about I want to get the paint off the concrete you want to get the paint off of it okay are you ultimately going to
00:15:43	CALLER: repaint it joe or what’s your plan what I’d like to do is probably to use that Quikrete recap
00:15:50	TOM: okay so you want to you want to repair this concrete surface correct and then I guess after that you want to uh repaint it or something probably okay well I don’t think that um if it’s just a crack itself I don’t think you have to take all the paint off just to fix the crack now the recap product is done to resurface the entire concrete slab and if you had a crack in your concrete and you resurfaced it I unfortunately would think that it will probably crack again and it’ll be smaller but because you have two distinct pieces of concrete moving different speeds so to speak expanding and contracting that crack will probably show through so what I would suggest you do is to use one of the crack products specifically designed for repairing cracks normally what you have to do is widen out that crack a little bit so it’s about a quarter of an inch. And then you can apply one of the crack filling products that’s made by Quikrete. And then once it all dries and is settled, then you could put another coat of paint over it. This is a very difficult job. It’s one you only want to do if the paint is completely failed and delaminated and getting like loose and flaky. If it’s relatively solid, then you could scrub it, you can abrade it, you could acid wash it. There’s a lot of ways to get it ready. And then you could put another coat on top of that. And maybe you might want to put on an epoxy paint this time, and that is a really durable surface. That will stand up very, very well. It’s very attractive. So you have some options on that. But I don’t think you need to remove all the paint, and I don’t think that ReCap, as amazing a product as that is, it’s meant for fixing deteriorated surfaces. So if you had sort of pock marks in the concrete because maybe you had salt that wore away some of the surface. Sometimes we hear about that after a hard winter, people have like sort of pitted concrete surfaces or steps or little pieces that are chipped off. It’s perfect for that because it binds like the devil. It doesn’t… Once you put that stuff on, it doesn’t separate, which is great. But it’s not necessarily a crack floor. That’s a different type of movement. And that’s why you want to use a crack floor product and then repaint the whole thing. Great.
00:17:57	CALLER: Thank you very much. I appreciate your ideas.
	TOM: Got some big news, Leslie. Yeah?
	LESLIE: What you got?
00:18:03	TOM: My book, Home Maintenance for Dummies, is out. It’s available right now on Amazon at moneypit.com slash dummies. Just go to moneypit.com slash dummies. We will redirect you right there, and I am thrilled to find that it’s the number one ranked book in the home repair category. How about that?
	LESLIE: I love it. Congratulations. That’s great.
00:18:22	TOM: Thank you so much. We really worked hard on it to make it useful. Kind of think of it as your owner’s manual for your house. So it’s a great book to help guide your projects. It’s a great book for a gift for somebody that’s just getting a house, maybe a housewarming gift. Whether you’re in an apartment, whether you are in a house, whether you’re in a condo or a co-op, there’s tips and advice in there that I know you will find useful. So check it out at moneypit.com slash dummies. Home Maintenance for Dummies. Third edition.
00:18:03	LESLIE: Leah from California is on the line with a question about an AC Freon leak. What’s going on, Leah?
00:18:40	CALLER: My dad has a home, and he had paid a gentleman to replace his air conditioner slash heating unit. So he has the one unit outside, and then there’s the unit on the inside that has the heating coil, I believe it is. Basically, the unit’s been leaking Freon for the last three to four years, and the guy came and rejacked it up two times. And it’s the R22, so the R22. It’s the R22. So, keep getting mixed information regarding how dangerous that Freon leak is, and if it’s something that you need to be concerned with as far as got it conducting clean now, or if it’s keeping the machine repaired itself will be sufficient.
00:19:30	TOM: So this sounds like a split ductless system where you have a compressor outside and you have like an air handler mounted on the wall inside. I can tell you Leah that both Leslie and I have split ductless systems in our home. We think the technology is really good. It’s really solid. Unfortunately, in your case or in your dad’s case, it sounds like this refrigerant leak, the Freon leak, has not been actually identified. So we know it exists because you lose Freon, but we don’t know why it exists or where it exists. And so the focus really should be here on finding that spot and testing the whole system for that leak because if we can identify where it’s leaking, then you can fix it. The solution is not to just keep putting more in it. And yes. It is an antiquated refrigerant and it is changing now. I’m sure that continued exposure to it is not a good thing, although it’s probably a fairly small amount. In most cases, this stuff will evaporate out very slowly over time. So I don’t think it’s a huge exposure, but certainly any exposure is not good. And I think if you can focus on identifying the source of the leak and not just keep putting more in, then I think you get a chance of getting it fixed. The fact that it’s using Freon over a more modern refrigerant is not a problem. Most older systems do. And yeah. We are changing over to better refrigerants now, but it’s not a reason in and of itself to replace the entire system. If you can’t identify the source of the leak, then you’ve got to make a decision as to whether or not you do want to replace it because I don’t see any other sort of half measure that you could take. I hope that makes sense. Thanks so much for giving us a call at The Money Pit. Well, adding a solar system to your home has become very popular over the last few years. But one of the biggest considerations for homes. Homeowners before they do that is the age and condition of their existing roof. It’s not smart to install solar panels on an old asphalt single roof because the panels would need to be removed when the roof is replaced. And that’s why re-roofing often coincides with solar system installation and makes the choice of roofing materials really more important than ever.
00:21:37	LESLIE: Now, metal roofs, they’re highly rated for solar system compatibility for lots of reasons. I mean, first of all, solar panels typically last about 25 years. While a quality metal roof can last 50 years or more. So that means a metal roof is going to easily outlast even the best solar panels available. On the other hand, typical asphalt roofs may need to be replaced every 12 to 15 years. And when that happens, the entire solar system has got to be removed, reinstalled. And that can make it very expensive, frustrating, and also a time-consuming project.
00:22:09	TOM: Now, in addition, metal roofs are a better choice because they’re much lighter than other roofing materials. You know, solar panels are really heavy and they often require additional structural reinforcement to support that weight. Metal roofing can support an entire solar panel system without needing the reinforcement of the roof deck. And specially designed clamps and brackets can attach to the panels without drilling holes through the roofing materials. Now, that’s much better than what has to happen with asphalt singles because they often require penetrations and drilling. And that increases the likelihood of leaks and damage. And can lead to premature roof failure.
00:22:45	LESLIE: Yeah, so if you’re considering adding a residential solar system, you want to learn more about why it makes sense to choose metal. So tap into the Metal Roofing Alliance’s free residential metal roofing buyer’s guide by visiting www.MetalRoofing.com and download your copy today. We’ve got Ted from Mississippi on the line who’s dealing with some bathroom odors. What’s going on?
00:23:07	CALLER: We bought this house about two years ago. Okay. We’ve noticed that when you’re in the bathroom or the master bathroom, you close the door. We normally close that door when we sleep at night. You get up in the morning, you go in there and it’s just kind of a sewage odor. It’s not overbearing, but it’s definitely there.
00:23:31	TOM: There’s two causes of this. Number one is when you don’t have traps because the traps basically, the holding of water in that U-shaped P-trap or P-shaped trap, stops the sewage gas from backing up into that bathroom space. So presuming that you have traps that are properly installed, that wouldn’t be it. The other reason this often becomes a problem is because of something called biogas, which is basically essentially the bacteria that grows inside those drains. And the way to deal with that is by using an oxygenated bleach to not only clean the drains, but also to clean the overflow of the sink bowl. So you know when you close the sink drain, you fill the sink up, you have like an overflow towards the top. Sometimes that channel also gets filled with bacteria. So I would encourage you to try an oxygenated bleach in those situations and let it sit in there and hopefully it will attack any of the bacteria that’s lining those pipes and see if we can get this smell to go away because those are really the two causes of this. It’s poor venting or simply a problem with biogas. Right, okay. So give that a shot.
00:24:38	LESLIE: Heading to Texas. We’ve got Lois on the line who’s dealing with some previous owner’s gift, you know, a smoke-filled home. How can we help you?
00:24:47	CALLER: We just purchased a house and the previous owners that had it before us, of course, they evidently smoked. My husband says it’s nicotine.
00:25:00	TOM: Yeah, it’s a rather disgusting habit and it leaves behind some really disgusting, hard-to-get-rid-of stains and odors. So first of all, you need to make sure that that nicotine is going to soak into carpets, by the way, and padding and curtains and all that sort of thing. We’ve done taking all that up. See? All right. So what you’re going to need to do is you’re going to need to use an oil-based primer on those walls and even on the subfloors. You’ve got like plywood subfloors that may have been under carpet. I would use an oil-based primer to seal all that in. This is kind of like when you have smoke damage to a house and they use those, you know, very durable sealers to kind of seal in all the odors. Yeah. You’re going to have to do that because you’re not going to be able to clean this out of it because all those building surfaces are very absorbent. Yes. So you need to prime the walls and prime the floors before you put the finished paint on. Now, you can use latex as a top coat, but to start, you’ve got to prime everything if you want to have a chance of eliminating as much of that odor as possible. Okay.
00:25:59	CALLER: And you said an oil-based paint.
00:26:01	TOM: I would prefer you use an oil-based because it works a lot better. Okay. It’s just a much better sealer.
00:26:06	CALLER: The sealing is textured. What about that?
00:26:09	TOM: Do the same thing with the sealing, especially the sealing, because it’s rather impossible to clean. Now, because it’s textured, you’re going to use a very thick roller. And they have rollers also that are designed for textured ceilings that have slits in them. They’re like sliced so that the roller can actually get around all of the popcorn and other types of textured surfaces that you have. But you definitely have to prime this. You know, this is really a big project, and you might want to hire a pro to do this because it’s a lot of work. Well, your kitchen counter is a lot of work. The counters are among the hardest-working surfaces in your home. But with a few changes, you can make those surfaces work harder for you instead of the other way around. We’ve got three ways to suggest how you can improve those countertops and make them do more work for you. Yeah.
00:26:51	LESLIE: First of all, think about lowering the counter height. Now, standard countertop height is about 36 inches from the floor. So if you’re designing a new kitchen, you can consider adding one at a lower level around 28 to 32 inches high. And here’s two reasons. First, if you’re standing, it’s actually a better height for kneading or chopping vegetables. But if you also leave some space underneath for a stool, you can also sit down for tasks, which is easier as you age or when a parent is visiting or, you know, somebody just wants to pitch in but do the work while sitting. It also makes it easier for those kiddos to get in on the action. So if you’re ready for a new countertop, also consider this. Get a pull-out cutting board or a mobile kitchen cart because these are really, really popular now. They’re super easy to use, and they do look great in your kitchen space.
00:27:39	TOM: You know, I’m renovating a kitchen on a rental property, and it had a pull-out chopping board in the old cabinets, and we decided to save it. And we had to actually do some work to refinish the surface, and we laminated a cutting surface on it, and it looks fantastic. So I’m so glad that we preserved it. It’s really, really a handy thing to have. Next, get rid of the clutter. You don’t have to spend much, but you have to be ruthless. So stop storing seldom-used appliances on your countertops. And find a new home for everything. I mean, we’re talking about the mixers, the toasters, the coffee pots. Find a place to put those when they’re not being used. Don’t leave them as a permanent member of your countertop because it makes it hard to do anything around it. And finally, nothing makes a counter easier to use than good lighting. So for ceiling fixtures, replace incandescent and compact fluorescent bulbs with LEDs. And check out the integrated LED fixtures. You can install lights right under all your cabinets, and your eyes will feel better, and your workspace will be a heck of a lot. It’s safer as well.
00:28:35	LESLIE: Russ in Wisconsin is on the line and has a question about what kind of floor goes over heated concrete. What’s going on? Tell us about your project.
00:28:41	CALLER: Is new construction with a heated concrete slab? What flooring can I put on that? And thinking about just painting it for the short term.
00:28:51	TOM: Russ, there are definitely floors that are designed for heated concrete surfaces, whether that’s sub-slab hydronic or whether it’s an electric layer of heating that’s on top of that. There are floor products that are designed for that. So you have to kind of check on a product by product basis to determine which one is going to be appropriate. Because some have more tolerance for heat than others. One that I know will work well is Duravana, which is a stone hybrid product sold by LL Flooring. That can take, you know, any amount of floor heat. It’s an easy installation. It lays down on top of the concrete. The boards are locked together and you’re pretty much totally good to go. But beyond that, you know, whether it’s engineered hardwood or whether it’s a vinyl product, you’ve got to check the manufacturer’s specifications to determine whether or not it is rated for being radiant heat compliant. That’s what you’re looking for, radiant heat compliant. And that will be the answer to your question.
00:29:46	LESLIE: Mason wrote in and says, Our pressure treated pine fence was stained 12 years ago when we put it up. I recently power washed it and I like that new natural look. Can I leave it like this or does it make sense to put a stain on again?
00:29:59	TOM: Well, Mason, the reason it lasted 12 years is because you stained it. When you first put it up. So it always looks great after a power washing and it looks like it came out of the lumber yard. It looks brand new, but that’s just not going to last because the UV from the sun, the ultraviolet rays, coupled with the moisture from the rain and any type of algae growth or moss or mildew that gets stuck on there, it’s just going to really discolor it. So no, I would say that now that you have a clean base, you’re perfectly suited to go ahead and stain it. I would use a solid color stain. I don’t know what you used last time, but I would use a solid color stain, probably two coats. And if you do that, you might get another 12 years out of it. My fences last a long, long time. They last over 20 years because I always stain them and it really does add protection.
00:30:46	LESLIE: Julie from New Jersey reached out with a kitchen question. On countertops, I’m ready to install my granite countertops. Should I do the four-inch backsplash of granite or should the granite go flush to the wall and then use a tile backsplash? Some say a granite backsplash is outdated. I don’t like the short backsplashes. I feel like if you’re going to make a mess with water and splashing and oil and whatnot, you want to cover that wall surface. And anything that’s sort of little doesn’t really do a good job. Plus, you have so many more design choices by bringing in a tile to go with that beautiful new granite.
00:31:16	TOM: Yeah, I totally agree. If you’re going to go through all the work of a new countertop, and especially a granite one, definitely go all the way up. But keep in mind, though, even though a lot of folks choose granite because it’s a stone, doesn’t burn, doesn’t scar, it does stain. It’s a very absorbent product. So you’re going to have to be committed to maintaining that by resealing it every so often. Otherwise, it can definitely get stained and not look so great. Well, if you love the look of hardwood on your floors, you might not realize that this same material can be used to create a beautiful accent wall. Leslie shares tips for this project in today’s edition of Leslie’s Last Word. Leslie?
00:31:53	LESLIE: Yeah, you know, with as little as 100 square feet of extra flooring, you can step up the style in any room of your home by using that flooring to create accent walls. It’s a trendy new look, it’s a great weekend project, and it does deliver big impact for a relatively small expense. Now, you can choose from many flooring materials for this project as well. Hardwood, bamboo, wood-look tile, luxury vinyl, even a laminate. And you can also do this project using decorative wall panels, which are hardwood strips mounted on wood backing. They’re versatile, they’re easy to install, and there’s lots of options available in those looks as well. And the installation is super straightforward and pretty much the same as you would if you were installing the product to the floor. It just depends on the type of flooring planks that you’re securing, whether you’re going to use nails, glue, wood flooring tape. I mean, there’s lots of ways you can accomplish this project, but obviously the adhesive method has to work with the flooring that you’re using. And you also want to make sure that you let that flooring acclimate in your home for a few days before you start this project. I mean, this is the same if you’re putting it on the floor, if you’re putting it on the wall. It kind of needs to expand or do whatever it’s going to do based on the moisture content in your house and the climate as well. So you do have to let that happen. And then go ahead and put it up on the wall, and I promise you a beautifully transformed space. And experiment with the way that you put it up as well. There’s lots of different ways to lay it out, so you can really create something unique.
00:33:20	TOM: Great ideas. This is the Money Pit Home Improvement Show. If building a new deck is a project you’re interested in, on your fall to-do list, we’re going to talk through the ups and downs of building deck steps. They’re often built incorrectly, so we’re going to share ideas on how to make sure they’re solid and they’re safe on the next edition of The Money Pit. I’m Tom Kraeutler.
00:33:40	LESLIE: And I’m Leslie Segrete.
00:33:41	TOM: Remember, you can do it yourself.
00:33:43	LESLIE: But you don’t have to do it alone.

	(Note: The above referenced transcript is AI-Generated, Unedited and Unproofed and as such may not accurately reflect the recorded audio. Copyright 2024 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.)