#2451 – Skip the Wait: Hot Water on Demand | Insulation Innovations | Wood Floors for Damp Locations

Show Notes

Today, we explain how a hot water recirculating pump can bring you instant hot water when you need it. We also discuss insulation updates to save on energy bills and keep your home cozy. Plus, learn about flooring alternatives that work better than wood in moisture-rich areas. And we’re answering lots more home improvement questions from other DIY callers!

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

Hot Water: Skip the wait and get hot water on demand with a hot water recirculating pump.
Insulation: New innovations in insulation lower energy costs while keeping your home comfortable all year long.
Flooring: Get the look of wood in bathrooms, laundry rooms, and basements with flooring engineered for damp locations.

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

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00:00:24	TOM: Coast to coast and floorboards to shingles, this is The Money Pit, home Improvement Show. I’m Tom Kraeutler.
00:00:34	LESLIE: And I’m Leslie Segrete.
00:00:35	TOM: Reach out to us with your questions about your home, your house, your condo, your co-op, whatever you live in, wherever you call home, even you apartment dwellers out there get to deal with home maintenance projects and home repairs from time to time because we would love to help. A couple of ways to get in touch with us, you can call us anytime 24-7 at 1-888-Money-Pit. That’s 888-666-3974. Or you can post your questions to MoneyPit.com slash ask. We’ve got a cool little app on the site where you just click the microphone button, you can record your question and it will come right to us and we’ll reach back to you with an answer. So reach out at 1-888-Money-Pit or by going to MoneyPit.com slash ask. Coming up on today’s show, if you’re tired of waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting for a hot water to arrive in your shower each and every morning, adding a hot water recirculating pump would be a great project. We’re going to explain how these pumps work to deliver hot water instantly instead of having you wait and wait for that cold water to heat up.
00:01:35	LESLIE: And as we move into the heating season, now is the perfect time to think about improvements that lower energy costs and make your home more comfortable all year long. Updating your insulation can do both. We’re going to share the latest in insulation innovations.
00:01:48	TOM: And wood floors are beautiful, but they’re not always the best choice in damp locations like bathrooms or laundry rooms or basements. We’ll have an overview of what will work in those spaces.
00:01:58	LESLIE: But before we get to what we want to talk about, we want to hear what you want to talk about. Whether you’re planning a small decor project or diving into a full-blown renovation, we have got you covered.
00:02:09	TOM: So reach out to us with your home improvement questions. We’ve got a great giveaway that’s going out today to one lucky caller. We’ve got the IQvice system. The vise itself is so innovative. It does everything. You’ve got to see it to believe it. Go to workiqtools.com. But the vise system and all the accessories is worth over $600. And that’s going out to one caller drawing at random. So reach out to us with your home improvement questions. You have to have a question to qualify. The number here again is 1-888-Money-Pit. Let’s get to it. Leslie, who’s first?
00:02:40	LESLIE: Kathy in New Hampshire is on the line with some questions about condensation. What is happening at your money pit?
00:02:46	CALLER: We have a cake. 35-year-old house cake that a lot of the homes here in New England get trapped moisture. We’ve had two roofs put on. But in the meantime, we have some mold. It’s not toxic up in the attic that we would like to take care of ourselves and then either add more insulation but possibly have it blown in. Just wondering what your thoughts are on the blown-in insulation. Cost-wise compared to the old insulation on rolls.
00:03:20	TOM: A couple of things. First of all, your problem is not that you need more insulation. It’s that you need more ventilation. Because attics in the winter get very damp. And when they get damp, you get a lot of condensation. And that condensation is what leads to mold growth, especially on the inside of the sheathing. The way to battle that is with ventilation. That said, a Cape Cod is probably one of the most difficult home styles to ventilate. Because the center section of it usually is occupied by a ceiling up that goes up to the bottom of the roof rafters. And then the sort of knee wall is open. It has a very limited amount of storage space. But it doesn’t really give you the opportunity to put much ventilation in there. Because then that knee wall has got to be insulated. Because that basically becomes the exterior wall of the house. What I would do if it was my house is I would use spray foam insulation. Because spray foam insulation. Does not have to be ventilated. Now, I don’t know how much reconstruction this is going to require you to do to open up. Especially the top half of that roof section. But you can essentially spray the underside all the way across that surface. You can spray the knee walls. You’ll seal it in very well. Because it will expand and lock in against any drafts. You’ll also have an improved amount of insulation. Because spray foam is very… You’ll also increase the insulation. Because spray foam is very efficient. So you need less of that to basically give you a higher R value. And don’t get me wrong. Blown is a great option. It’s just that in a Cape Cod it’s just very hard to ventilate to keep that moisture from building up.
00:04:53	LESLIE: Now we’ve got Dan on the line who’s looking to get a metal roof. And has some questions about the current one. What’s going on?
00:04:59	CALLER: I have a screen porch on the back of my house. It has a tin roof. And it gets extremely hot in the summer. So hot that it just radiates heat down. I was wondering. Is there something I can put on that tin roof to deflect the heat that comes from the sun? Yeah.
00:05:17	TOM: Of course there is. First of all, I certainly understand that. That’s pretty typical. But there are finishes that you can put on top of that roof. They’re called radiant coatings. And basically what they do is just that. They radiate heat back off the roof. Back up into the atmosphere. They reflect the UV of the sun. And that greatly reduces the temperature of that roof. And hence the amount of heat that comes in. That’s coming through it. Now, it’s not going to make it cool. But it will certainly cut it a substantial amount. And perhaps make it more palatable for you. And maybe you’ll get, you know, the opportunity to sit out there. Perhaps in the early morning or the later afternoon and evening when the sun’s not so intense. Instead of just avoiding that area completely. They’re made by lots of manufacturers. I would recommend that you stick with a name brand. I would research it to make sure that it is able to stick to metal as opposed to asphalt. Because they have those types of products as well. And then I would do it. I’d apply it and see how it goes. I think you’re going to find that it works well. Make sure you also follow all the prep instructions. So that it adheres properly. Some may require a primer and some may not. But just follow the instructions of the manufacturer and you’ll be good to go.
00:06:25	LESLIE: All right. Now we’re going over to Pennsylvania where Beth is on the line. And sadly, Beth has had a project go south with a contractor. Tell us what happened.
00:06:33	CALLER: I had a home fire. I hired a contractor my insurance recommended. And… The contractor, he trashed my home. It was a build down to the studs. He ruined my house. And then he walked off the job. He took all my paid materials. He took all the screens from the windows. And it’s an awful story. Where do I get help?
00:06:57	TOM: Wow, that’s a terrible story. So sorry to hear that’s happened to you, Beth. Unfortunately, to the best of my knowledge, Pennsylvania does not license home improvement contractors. And this is exactly what happens. When you don’t have licensing in place, they certainly don’t have that leverage on top of this contractor. However, one thing that you said to me strikes as an opportunity. That is you said that he took the materials that you paid for off your job site. So that’s what we call theft. If he takes materials or money from you and doesn’t complete the work, then you may very well be able to file a theft complaint with the police department and prosecute that contractor for that theft. I have had to do that in my career. And it’s very powerful because I found that contractors that are very happy to ignore you and they don’t really care about their reputation because they feel like there’s always a sucker around every corner they can get work from. When they think there’s going to be a theft complaint on their record, boy, it changes their tune quickly. So I would start there. I’d also seek some advice from an attorney and see if there’s an opportunity for you to prosecute the contractor in any other way. But I think that theft complaint could be powerful. Good luck with that.
00:08:13	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.
00:08:22	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. Hey, I was at a trade show some months ago and I saw the coolest new vice that I’ve ever seen. And you think, well, what could change about a vice, you know? I mean, they’re really the same. They’re big, heavy cast iron things that you have to clamp pipes in and clamp boards in and stuff you can work on them. Well, there’s a new vice out called the IQ Vice by Work IQ Tools. It is absolutely the most versatile and helpful vice you’ll ever own and totally transform the way DIYers, craftsmen, and hobbyists and trade pros get jobs done. The vice retails for $279. But we’re also throwing in all the accessories. Because it’s got all these plug-and-play accessories that go into it. It’s got lights. It’s got magnifying glasses. It’s got a camera support. I mean, it’s amazing. So the total prize value is $625. And to win it, you’ve got to reach out to us with your questions. We will toss your name into the Money Pit hard hat if you call us with a question. Underline, a question. You can’t just call and say, hey, I want to win that cool vice you’re talking about because you won’t. Reach out to us with your home improvement question and we will draw a question. And we will draw a winner at the end of the show. The IQ vice by Work IQ Tools is not going to disappoint. You can learn more at WorkIQTools.com or call us now with your questions at 1-888-Money-Pit.
00:09:52	LESLIE: All right. Heading to Minnesota, we’ve got Matt on the line who needs to work on a flight of stairs. What’s going on?
00:09:57	CALLER: I have a question regarding what you guys think I should do for some landscaping stairs. I’m looking for a cheap way to do it myself. It was railroad ties. And it’s about three feet wide. And it goes up just over 30 feet to the top of my, around the side of my house up to the top. The railroad ties had rotten out. It was not properly rocked underneath. It was straight down to the dirt. And so the ants just dug on up in there in the bugs. I’m wondering what the cheapest way is that’s also going to allow me to continue to shovel it in the wintertime. Because, you know, in Minnesota, most of our season is shovel season. So something that’s not going to be hard to shovel.
00:10:40	TOM: Yeah, I’ll hear you on that. Shovel season. We have that here, but it’s much shorter than it is in Minnesota, Matt. So, okay. So, first of all, big project, right? I mean, three feet wide, 30 foot or 30 steps up. That’s a lot of work. So there’s two directions. Number one, you could use concrete masonry units, which are kind of like concrete blocks, but they have a sculpted face to them. So when you look at them dead on, you know, they look attractive. If you did it with concrete units, you basically would. Probably set one or two of those below grade. Then you’d have a solid concrete step, a precast step that’s on top of that and work your way up. Sort of the advantage there is that if it’s done and done well, and all that soil underneath the steps is properly compacted, it’s not going to move. It’s going to last indefinitely, and it’ll be easy to shovel. Now, the other option, which could be easier to handle, would be to build them out of wood, but not railroad ties, pressure-treated wood. And the pressure-treated ties should be rated ground contact. A lot of folks don’t realize it. But there’s a number of different levels for pressure treatment. If you find the one that’s labeled ground contact, that’s going to give you the most number of years in the ground. Typically, that’s recommended for pressure-treated that is in contact with the ground or within six inches. Now, if you do that, you could build them out of the pressure-treated. Now, I don’t know if you have a retaining wall aspect of this, or it’s just sort of not a concern with any of that hill that you’re climbing coming forward. But if you have a retaining wall aspect of this, the way you would build this with pressure-treated, is you would make sure that those beams, so to speak, will extend back into the hill, because the way the soil on top of it is what keeps it all together and keeps it from shifting forward. So, I hope that gives you a couple of ideas that you could kick around, and both of them will result in a good-looking set of steps that will last you a long time.
00:12:24	LESLIE: So, do you hate waiting for hot water in the shower? A hot water recirculation pump could be your solution. It delivers hot water to your faucets almost instantly. And on top of that, it can save households up to 17,000 gallons of water annually.
00:12:39	TOM: Yeah, now these pumps work by returning water that hasn’t yet been heated back into the cold water line, and this ensures that the hot water supply line is always ready when you need it. It’s especially useful for homes with long plumbing runs, like, say, a long ranch where the water heater’s at one end of the house and the bedroom’s at the far end of the house, and all you’re doing is waiting for hot water all the time. It can absolutely feel endless.
00:13:02	LESLIE: Yeah, but not all of these hot water recirculation pumps are the same, right?
00:13:06	TOM: Yeah, not exactly. I mean, there’s two common types. One system uses an additional water pipe to constantly circulate hot water through your plumbing, and that’s more suited for new construction. But the other type installs what’s called a crossover pipe between your hot line and the cold water line at the farthest fixtures, like, say, that sink that’s in the farthest bedroom from the water heater. And what this does is it allows water to return to the tank through that cold water line. It’s actually a lot easier for retrofits since it doesn’t require any additional piping.
00:13:37	LESLIE: And what about the water savings?
00:13:39	TOM: Yeah, I think it’s pretty significant. Traditional setups waste a lot of cold water while you wait for it to warm up. So with a recirculation pump, that’s no longer necessary, and that’s leading to big water savings, as well as electricity costs, too. This is on a timer, so you’re not running it except when you need it. You can set the timer to run, say, in the morning hours and evening hours when you’re more likely to be in those bathrooms. There’s a lot of opportunities to cut costs from the water bill, as well as save water, as well as reduce energy, all with this one improvement.
00:14:07	LESLIE: All right, but does it cost a lot to put in?
00:14:08	TOM: Not really. I mean, I think it costs you about $500. You can do it yourself, but you might want to also consider the timer as well as an accessory because, as I said, this way you can run the system only during the peak times.
00:14:21	LESLIE: All right, let’s welcome Diane to the Money Pit, who just got a new house. What’s going on at your new Money Pit?
00:14:26	CALLER: I have a new build that I want to keep up on maintenance. So I’m wondering where to find a good checklist or schedule of maintenance, things to look at at different intervals to be sure everything is working correctly before things start breaking.
00:14:47	TOM: Well, first, congratulations on the new home purchase. It’s very exciting. And even though it’s new, of course, it’s going to need maintenance. Now, I know on MoneyPit.com, we have a checklist for new homeowners. That walks you through a lot of those basics, so that’s a good source. The other thing I want to point out to you, though, that’s related to this is that as a new home purchaser, you probably were given a home buyer’s warranty. Now, home buyer’s warranties, I have some issues and concerns with those because they sound like they’re going to cover everything that ever is, was, or ever wrong with your house, but they don’t. And the specifications in terms of what’s considered a defect are pretty generous to the builder. That said, they’re really good. And the reason I bring this up is because there’s a time limit on coverage. Now, the workmanship-related things are generally covered for a year, and then coverage drops off significantly after that. So before that first year is up, make sure that you’re very familiar with the terms of that warranty, what’s covered, what’s not, and that you’re inspecting your home for anything that might be impacted by that. And if you do find something, it’s also critical that you notify both the builder and the warranty company. Because if you just notify the builder, the warranty does not take effect. So you need to notify both builder and warranty. So hope that helps, and good luck with that new home.
00:16:09	LESLIE: Looking to improve his curb appeal, we’ve got Greg in Ohio. We need some help with the exterior. What’s going on?
00:16:15	CALLER: I have an old glazed block building. I’m wondering if I can stone veneer over that glazed block. So I thought maybe you could give me some advice.
00:16:25	TOM: So, Greg, if you’re talking about the thin stone. The stone veneer, which is like maybe an inch thick or so. Yeah, I think that that’s possible. Now, it’s going to be an adhesive that you use to make this connection. And that’s going to take some research to figure out which of the many types of veneer adhesive are going to work well for this situation. But I think it is possible. It’s the same procedure that you would use if you were just gluing tile, which is a different type of a siding over that glazed stone that you have right now. As long as the stone is good. The surface you’re working in is not pitted, deteriorated, relatively solid. You should be able to identify an adhesive that is designed specifically for these two products and will bring it together. And it will be a permanent situation where you won’t have to worry about those veneers popping off any time in the future.
00:17:14	LESLIE: Well, as we move into the heating season, now is the perfect time to think about improvements that are going to lower your energy costs and make your home more comfortable all year long. Updating your insulation does both. And one reason the experts at Owens Corning have been traveling the country talking to homeowners, DIYers, and pros with their Champion Your Project Tour.
00:17:36	TOM: With us to talk about what they learned, along with the latest in roofing and insulation products, is Eric Miller. Eric’s the Owens Corning marketing leader for home centers. Welcome, Eric. Hey, how are you doing today? Great. So let’s start by talking about insulation. You know, I think it’s a subject that a lot of homeowners think about in the winter. Especially when that first very expensive heating bill comes in. But it’s really an important improvement that delivers comfort and savings all year long, right?
00:18	ERIC MILLER: Yeah, that’s right. And I think one of the things that’s really important is the fact that up to 90% of homes are under-insulated. So really adding insulation, it’s going to help homeowners not only just have a more comfortable home, but also there’s another piece of this is the Inflation Reduction Act. That’s actually some tax credits up to $1,200 that homeowners may potentially have access to qualify for.
00:18:26	TOM: That’s great. So why is it, do you think, that homes are so under-insulated? Is that the standards have changed over the years? Can you point to any specific conditions that have led us to this sort of problem? Because I agree with you. I spent 20 years as a home inspector, and it just seemed like insulation improvements were not a priority. And it was one of the best things that you could do to reduce your costs and increase your comfort.
00:18	ERIC: Yeah, I think one of the big things is definitely when you start thinking about the efficiencies of the homes, just like anything else over time, you know, things get better. So definitely optimal efficiencies. And that’s one of the big efficiencies that we’re seeing. Right.
00:18:59	TOM: Now, you’ve been on the road all summer long with your Champion Your Project Tour. What are you hearing?
00:19	ERIC: Yeah, it’s been fantastic. We’re really excited about this investment that we’re making in collaboration and partnership with retailers like Home Depot as well as Lowe’s. And we’re really focusing in on the pro-customer homeowners and DIYers, really showcasing all the product solutions and innovations that we have to offer around different projects. And I think some of the key things that we highlight is just really the fact that there’s a number of different products and solutions that we have to offer. So we’re really focusing on the product solutions and solutions from roofing, product categories, to insulation that we could help solve in partnership again with Home Depot and Lowe’s.
00:19:33	LESLIE: So what kind of questions were you getting from the pros and from the DIYers? I mean, is there any sort of confusion out there that we can help clear up?
00:19	ERIC: Yeah, I think some of the things we run into is just really application and I think really understanding the right product for the right application. So I’ll use an example is fiberglass insulation and mineral wool products. So our product for mineral wool is the ThermoFiber Fire and SoundGuard Plus product. And we have our Owens Corning Pink NextGen fiberglass. Those are both fantastic solutions for insulating. One thing that we’ll highlight from a mineral wool perspective is the fact that that product is made with 70% recycled content. And it’s really providing enhanced fire, moisture, and sound benefits. So when you have applications, remodel applications, where you have a high propensity for that type of insulation, it’s a product that’s fantastic for that use. And then when you get into fiberglass, fiberglass, our Pink NextGen fiberglass product, it’s soft as cotton and it’s really, really easy to use and install. It’s really a fantastic product for the rest of the applications that you have around your home. So those are really some of the things that we chat about when it comes to fiberglass as well as mineral wool applications.
00:20:46	LESLIE: You know, since the beginning, I think, of talk of insulation, it’s always been sort of thought of that fiberglass is scratchy. Kind of the worst to work with. But I have to tell you that the Pink NextGen fiberglass bat insulation, this product is so different. It’s like cottony soft. It’s fantastic to work with. It’s just completely new and different.
00:21	ERIC: Yeah, we really have. We’re really proud of the investments and the enhancements we’ve made with the technology. And really the proof is when you talk to consumers and pro customers that have used insulation materials for years. And, you know, really the proof is in using the product. And when you hear it firsthand from customers, how soft and easy it is to use, it definitely puts a smile on your face.
00:21:27	TOM: Now, Eric, I don’t know if you recall, but I actually used the ThermoFiber product in my basement in my crawl space. We had put in a new boiler that had like no jacket loss. We went from an old cast iron heat wasting boiler that was giving off so much heat. It was heating the underside of the floor of the first floor. And when we switched to a combi boiler, which was 95 plus percent efficient, there was no more jacket loss. And so all of a sudden the floors were cold because they didn’t have that heat source. And my solution was to use the ThermoFiber Fire and SoundGuard Plus, which of course is your mineral wool product. And man, what a difference it made. Not only was it easy to work with, the resulting warmth of that floor through the first winter was instantaneous.
00:22	ERIC: Yeah, it’s a wonderful product to use. And, you know, it’s many traditional applications as commercial based. You know, it’s fantastic for exact application that you just described right there. So, you know, when you really want to take a commercial application and translate that into residential application to your home, it’s a great solution to add to your home projects.
00:22:25	TOM: We’re talking to Eric Miller. He’s the marketing leader for Home Centers for Owens Corning about some of their new products. Hey, I want to ask you about Atticat. I mean, that’s been out for a while now, and it really is an interesting system because it allows DIYers and pros to have access to the equipment they need to do a blown-in application of insulation, really just for the cost of the material for the most part, right?
00:22	ERIC: Yeah, so our partners over at Home Depot and Lowe’s, they collaborate with us on the Atticat system. And the Atticat system is a loose-fill fiberglass insulation system. And we have an Atticat machine that you can use to blow in the material. And for the purchase of the product, you can actually get the machine to complete your application. It’s a very easy-to-use application system, very DIY-friendly, I would say. And we typically say that a traditional job is going to take you about an afternoon to complete the job. Now, if you’re not somebody that wants to get up in the attic and do this type of project yourself, we have plenty of pro customers across the country that would be happy to put some additional insulation into your home and make it more efficient.
00:23:27	LESLIE: All right, now let’s get into the roofing category because you are definitely making the installation of roofing shingles way more user-friendly. So why don’t you tell us about this new SureNail technology?
00:23	ERIC: The Owens Corning Duration with SureNail technology is an Owens Corning innovative product. And the SureNail tape actually runs across the shingle itself, and it provides an area for the installer to know exactly where to install their nails appropriately. That way it’s holding the shingle in place, and as you’re laying your next course of shingles down, you have your asphalt sealant bead that actually helps ensure that you’re going to have a strong bond within your shingles.
00:24:06	TOM: Yeah, and that’s really key. Getting the nails in the right place and getting that bead to lay there for in the right place makes all the difference. It keeps the shingle well adhered to the roof for the life of the product. So it’s definitely something where, that sort of small change, it would appear like a small change, you know, where am I nailing the shingle? Well, now you know exactly where it’s designed to be nailed so you get the maximum security. It’s really so important to the performance because otherwise it’s not going to be able to stand high winds and wind-driven rain and all that sort of thing, right?
00:24	ERIC: Yeah, and you’ll see a lot of roofing contractors, they prefer to use the duration shingle. For one of the prominent reasons is because of the high propensity to defend against the wind. Again, when it seals down, it has a very strong seal. When I have to try to move some of those shingles, they’re very difficult to move when they actually seal. So that’s a good problem to have, especially when you’re in, you know, hurricane areas or areas that have high wind propensity. We’ve been very pleased with the feedback we’re getting from the market. Excellent.
00:25:00	TOM: Eric Miller from Owens Corning, thank you so much for stopping by the Money Pit. As you wrap up your Champion Year Project Tour, I understand that the last part of that tour is going to happen at the Owens Corning 200 at Toledo Speedway at the ARCA Race coming up in October. Eric, thank you so much for stopping by the Money Pit and thanks for taking this tour on, going coast to coast, helping homeowners, DIYers and pros as they improve the energy efficiency, the comfort and the weather resistance of the homes they work on. Absolutely.
00:25	ERIC: Thanks for your time and we appreciate it.
00:25:35	TOM: Hey, I’m pretty excited about this giveaway we have today. It’s the IQvice by Work IQ Tools. It will totally transform the way that DIYers and craftsmen and hobbyists and trade pros get jobs, get jobs done. It’s definitely the most versatile and helpful vise you’ll ever own. It includes a very maneuverable multi-axis bench mount and a collection of very task-specific IQvice jaws and IQ Connect plug and play accessories. Check it out. Learn more at Work IQ Tools. And if you want to win it, reach out to us with your questions at 1-888-Money-Pit. The whole package, vise and all the accessories, is worth 625 bucks. And we’re going to give it away to one caller, drawing at random. From those that call us with their home improvement question. The number again, 1-888-Money-Pit.
00:26:21	LESLIE: Well, if you just love the look of wood flooring and you want them in areas that can be prone to a lot or even a little bit of water, hardwood probably isn’t the best choice. But we’ve got better options.
00:26:32	TOM: That’s right. Because if solid hardwood gets wet, it can swell and buckle. And once that happens, there is no going back. But there’s new waterproof flooring options on the market that can deliver the look of real hardwood without the risk of water damage. One option is engineered vinyl plank or EVP for short. And the next thing about that is it’s totally and completely waterproof. It can stay wet for an extended period of time. So wet mopping, bathroom splashes and pet accidents will not damage the floor.
00:26:58	LESLIE: And don’t be confused by the name. This isn’t your mom’s vinyl. EVP combines the comfort and waterproof features of standard vinyl with the quick and easy installation of a laminate. And EVP comes in lots of high-end styles that will capture the authentic grain, the color, even the texture of real hardwood. They look amazingly like the actual thing that have inspired its design.
00:27:19	TOM: Yep. But because it has a truly waterproof construction, you can bring that beauty and warmth of hardwood to every room in your house, even full bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms, basements. That’s because it has that rigid plank backing. It installs easily. It’s not going to show ripples caused by imperfections in the subfloor. I like that it’s also very durable, which is great for busy homes. It’s not going to show dents from heavy furniture or from kids dropping stuff, which happened for years in my house before they stopped that habit. It came to an end. Now they drop bigger things. But I tell you what, it’s really an impressive product. And there are others too. There’s also hybrid stone plank flooring that is similar but even tougher than EVP. So a lot of options out there. If you want the look and the feel of hardwood floor, it doesn’t have to be done with wood anymore. It can be done with these composite, these vinyl products. They’re pretty amazing.
00:28:12	LESLIE: Now we’ve got Jonathan from Tennessee on the line, who’s dealing with moisture and crawl space, I guess. What’s going on?
00:28:17	CALLER: I have a new house. It was built about five years ago. Underneath, evidently, there is some moisture that’s causing the hardwood to bow. And I’m wondering what is the best way to make sure that that moisture is removed.
00:28:34	TOM: Yeah, Jonathan, if you have a lot of humidity and moisture in that space underneath your floor, it definitely can wick up and cause that hardwood to swell. And once it swells, it’s not going to go back. So you really want to hop on this and get it dealt with now before it gets any worse. So I’m going to give you some basic advice on how to do that. First of all, make sure that you have a vapor barrier across that crawl space floor. Good, thick polyethylene will work for that. Secondly, outside your house, make sure your gutters are cleaned, the downspouts are moving out about four feet from the house, so we’re not discharging any water near the foundation, and soil is sloping away. I also want you to make sure, if you have crawl space vents, that they are open, and if it’s still humid in there, then you can add a dehumidifier. There are dehumidifiers that are designed for crawl spaces. We’re not talking about the kinds that you have to, like, empty all the time. They’re actually sort of horizontal boxes. They hang from the underside of the floor, and they work 24-7 automatically to cart moisture out of a space just like that. If you dry it up, then I think your flooring will be stabilized.
00:29:35	LESLIE: We’ve got a question here from Jack, who listens to The Money Pit on KNCO in Grass Valley, California, and he has a perplexing problem. He needs some help with. He says that he has two apartment buildings that are miles apart where holes have formed in the copper pipe, and that’s causing leaks and lots of repair hassles. No one can seem to figure out why it’s happening. Oh, I’ve had this in my own home.
00:29:57	TOM: Yeah, we know why this is happening, right? It’s the dreaded pinhole leak. It usually happens, Jack, when the water is acidic. So the first thing I want you to do is to test your water. If your water turns out, in both of those places, to be acidic, it’s going to have low pH. You could use a neutralizing filter that contains calcite or ground limestone, which is calcium carbonate, or a magnesium oxide, and that will raise the pH and lower that acidity. Now, the one thing to know about neutralizing filters is that they have to be backwashed periodically since they serve as sort of a mechanical filter to remove solid particles from the water. Now, as for repair of the existing pipes, I mean, my advice would be to continue to repair the holes as they happen, but better yet, replace the copper line, if you can get to it, with PEX, because it’s not going to happen anymore with PEX, and PEX is easy to run because it’s very, very flexible. It’s unfortunate, but if you Google pinhole copper leaks online, you’re going to see more information than you care to digest about this problem. It’s well known, and it’s unfortunately caused millions and millions of dollars in hassles and repair expenses. And that’s what’s happening to homes across the country.
00:31:11	LESLIE: Tom, I thought also that this could occur if, like, the straps that were used to hold those pipes in place were a different metal.
00:31:18	TOM: If you’re using the wrong kinds of metals, and that can actually lead to a leak as well, but I think the pinhole leaks that are just sort of forming in the middle of pipes and nowhere near clamps, I mean, if it happens by a clamp, you know what caused it, but these pinhole leaks just happen in the middle of pipe runs. And sometimes, by the way, you’ll see a little bit of a white crust. That’s the mineral salts that are drying up on the outside of it. That’s another indication that you’ve got pinhole leak problems. And if you do see that, don’t scratch it off because it’ll just leak instantly.
00:31:46	LESLIE: A lot more quickly.
00:31:48	TOM: You definitely have to fix it. Yeah, a lot more quickly than it would before, yeah. It’s like ripping off the Band-Aid. Bad idea. Well, anyone who’s ever shopped for windows, especially in the last few years, may know that the competing claims of my window is better than the other guy’s can make shopping very, very frustrating. And on top of all that, there are a lot of ratings and certifications designed to help make shopping easier, but often just add to the confusion. Leslie’s going to help clear things up in today’s edition of Leslie’s Last Word. Leslie?
00:32:19	LESLIE: Yeah, first of all, it’s important to know what window certifications mean and which are the important ones that you should be paying attention to. So here are three that we think warrant your consideration. Now, a rating you want to see is the Gold Label Certification from the AAMA. That’s the American Architectural Manufacturers Association. And it means that a window has been tested by a third party pro and meets the standards for resistance, durability, and forced entry resistance. Now, labels from the NFRC, which is the National Fenestration Rating Council, is going to work more like a miles per gallon sticker on a new car. They’re going to rate the glass, the framing, and all those other permanent parts. So you can head on over to the NFRC’s website to compare those ratings among different manufacturers and then assess those windows accordingly. And finally, an ENERGY STAR label means a window meets standards set by the U.S. Department of Energy, and that could make you eligible for some tax rebates once they’re installed. All good stuff all around.
00:33:18	TOM: Coming up next time on The Money Pit, DIY or get a guy or get a gal. If you want to tackle a project yourself, we will be the first ones to cheer you on. But how do you know when hiring a pro is the best way to go? We’ll tell you how to think it all through before you pick up the hammer on the next edition of The Money Pit. I’m Tom Kraeutler.
00:33:37	LESLIE: And I’m Leslie Segrete. Remember, you can do it yourself. But you don’t have to do it alone.

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