Hosts: Tom Kraeutler & Leslie Segrete
(NOTE: Timestamps below correspond to the running time of the downloadable audio file of this show. Text represents a professional transcriptionist’s understanding of what was said. No guarantee of accuracy is expressed or implied. ‘Ph’ in parentheses indicates the phonetic or best guess of the actual spoken word.)
BEGIN HOUR 2 TEXT:
(promo/theme song)
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 we’re here to take your home improvement project questions. Call us right now at 1-888-MONEY-PIT. Whether you’re a do-it-yourselfer or a direct-it-yourselfer; whether you want to pick up the paint brush or hire somebody else to do the job, call us. We’ll help you get through it. 1-888-MONEY-PIT. We have both of those roles filled in our family. I pick up the paint brush and my wife tells me where to paint. (Leslie chuckles) Works great!
LESLIE: See now, on an occasion, I like to do the painting. (Tom chuckles) But sometimes I just feel like hiring somebody.
TOM: I hear you. Call us right now at 1-888-MONEY-PIT. We’ve got a great show planned for you. First up, even the sturdiest decks that are built with the strongest wood can deteriorate if they are not properly maintained. So this hour we’re going to tell you how to check your deck for wear and tear and make sure it’s going to last a really long time.
LESLIE: And also, do you find yourself in the kitchen a lot? Well, it’s the room in the house that gives our hands the biggest workout also. So save those aching hands with some design tips that are going to make your life so much easier.
TOM: And we’re going to teach you that it’s easy to be green because building green is certainly getting a lot of attention across the country. And it turns out that some builders, though, are facing resistance for construction with a conscience. So Fine Homebuilding’s editor-in-chief, Kevin Ireton, is going to be stopping by in just a bit to give us some solutions to making your home a green home.
LESLIE: And today we’re giving away a Stanley Fix It gift pack. It’s worth $50 and one caller this hour is going to win that great prize.
TOM: So call us right now at 1-888-MONEY-PIT. 888-666-3974.
Leslie, who’s first?
LESLIE: Listening in from Minnesota on KBRF, we’ve got Shane. How can we help you?
SHANE: Hi. Yeah, I’ve been fortunate enough to harvest lots of free brick from underneath an asphalt road that’s over, I would imagine, 100 years old.
TOM and LESLIE: OK.
SHANE: And I’m going to be laying a patio with over 1,500 bricks that are all free. So it’s been a pretty good deal for me.
LESLIE: (chuckling) OK.
TOM: So far, so good.
SHANE: And my question is would there be any chemicals in the asphalt that would seep into the bricks that I would have to worry about my three-year-old going out on the patio?
TOM: Oh, interesting question. I don’t think so. You know, asphalt is oil-based and there could be some oil that got in there but it would probably evaporate fairly quickly. So I wouldn’t worry too much about that. What you might want to think about, James, when you build that patio, to make sure you do a really good job on the base because, otherwise, you’re going to get weeds and it’s not going to lay right. So you need to excavate it out about six inches down. You want to use a mixed gravel …
LESLIE: Like an aggregate of some sort.
TOM: An aggregate mix, right. And tamp it down really, really well. Put all of the effort on getting that base to be nice and flat and thick and solid. And then the …
LESLIE: And then you put sand on top of that.
TOM: Yep, and then the last thing you do is put the bricks on top of it.
SHANE: OK, great. Well, thank you for your help.
TOM: You’re welcome, Shane. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.
LESLIE: Annette in Virginia, what can we help you with at your Money Pit?
ANNETTE: We moved into our house about four years ago and there was water in the basement. And we’ve since dried out and finished the basement. And we have carpet on top of the subflooring upstairs and the walls and the floor squeak and crack really bad when you walk across them.
TOM: This is the carpeted floor that squeaks?
ANNETTE: Yes.
TOM: OK. The best way to fix a squeaky floor that’s under carpet is to pull the carpet up. Is that a possibility for you?
ANNETTE: Yeah, other than the fact that it’s only four years old (inaudible).
TOM: Alright. Well, this is going to depend directly upon how annoyed you are by those squeaks. (Leslie chuckles) OK, Annette? But if you pull the carpet up, what kind of flooring is underneath that? Is it plywood or is it hardwood?
ANNETTE: It’s plywood.
TOM: OK, perfect. When you pull the carpet up, what you’re going to want to do is renail it or, actually, rescrew it. There probably aren’t screws in it yet so you want to screw it down to the floor joist. You’ll see where the nails are that’ll identify where the floor joists are.
ANNETTE: Uh-huh.
TOM: And you want to screw it down using drywall screws. They’re hardened screws. Because the reason you’re getting squeaks is because the plywood is moving. And if you could screw it down it’s not going to move; hence, it will not squeak. Usually when floors are installed they’re put in with a kind of a nail called a cooler. And it’s a seven-penny, like a thin common nail that’s covered with a glue. And the reason it’s called a cooler is because when you drive the nail in the friction of the nail moving into the wood very quickly melts the glue and it’s supposed to sort of freeze in place but that doesn’t necessarily happen. The wood loosens up and then it rubs up and down on the nails as you walk across it and that makes a terrible squeak sound. So by tightening up the floors by screwing it down, that stops that from occurring.
ANNETTE: And what would cause the walls to squeak, like when temperature changes outside? Because sometimes (inaudible) on their own.
TOM: Probably – well, when you say the walls are squeaking, do you hear sort of like a crick sound?
ANNETTE: It’s like a creak and a pop.
TOM: There could be a number of things happening. First of all, it’s expansion and contraction. Are you sure it’s not due to plumbing pipes in the walls? Because very often what happens is if you have hot or cold water pipes in the walls, as you turn them on they will expand and contract and sort of draw across the floor – the studs and make sort of a squeaking or a cricking sound.
ANNETTE: Yeah, I’m pretty sure that it’s not. It’s in one of the bedrooms up in the front of the house.
TOM: Yeah, then it’s probably just expansion or contraction based on the temperature that’s outside. Not likely to be a problem.
ANNETTE: And this didn’t happen when we bought the house because the humidity in the basement, is that correct? And then it just probably dried out?
TOM: Well, certainly indoor air – the indoor air humidity has an effect on that. But, you know, the squeaks and the noises are mostly an annoyance and they seldom indicate a structural problem.
ANNETTE: OK, great.
LESLIE: Downloading our popular Money Pit podcast, we’ve got Thomas in Ohio. How can we help you today?
THOMAS: Yes, I have a home built in 1939; we recently purchased. And I have a brand new refrigerator that will not fit under the cabinet area where the old refrigerator was. And I need to know, I want to put the new refrigerator in my stove area. And – but the – I know the fan that circulates the air is up plumb through the roof. Can I go with a recirculating stove fan and put the refrigerator in the stove area?
TOM: You probably could do that but it’s not nearly as efficient. Yep.
LESLIE: (overlapping voices) It’s not going to be nearly as efficient as one that vents outside. When you’re dealing with a recirculating fan that comes back into the same room as it’s pulling the food odors and the moisture, you’re just redepositing that moisture and the food odor; even though it goes through a filtration system. Plus, then you’re dealing with the air sort of becoming coated with oil which could potentially be, at times, a fire hazard.
TOM: Is it possible to reroute the ducting for this fan in a different place, Tom, so that you could actually move it through some other part of the house?
THOMAS: I don’t know without extensive work. I’m not sure. Is that possible to go back through a wall?
TOM: Yeah, absolutely. And it’s – you know, it’s done all the time. And the way it would be done is with hard metal ducting; the same kind of ducting that perhaps you would have your HVAC system be running through. It could actually be custom made. So if you could get access to that space so that you can get into the wall cavity and go up through that to the roof or even, you know, simply come to the exterior wall, then that’s probably a good way to solve this. You know, the bottom line is that a recirculator will work but it’s not nearly as efficient as having one that dumps that air outside.
LESLIE: Well, you are listening to The Money Pit and maybe your dilemma for your do-it-yourself projects are that you just can’t figure out how to create that yard of your dreams. Well, that is why Tom and me, Leslie, are here for you. Call in your home repair or your home improvement question 24 hours a day, seven days a week at that magic number; 1-888-MONEY-PIT.
TOM: 888-666-3974.
Up next, most decks are built from pressure treated lumber, right? Or perhaps from cedar or another wood that may be able to stand up to the element. But even the best wood can deteriorate if not properly maintained and protected. We’re going to teach you how to check your deck for damage to make sure you get the most out of it, next.
(promo/theme song)
ANNOUNCER: This portion of The Money Pit is brought to you by Ryobi, manufacturer of professional feature power tools and accessories with an affordable price for the do-it-yourselfer. Ryobi power tools. Pro features, affordable price. Available exclusively at The Home Depot. Now, here are Tom and Leslie.
TOM: This is The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show. I’m Tom Kraeutler.
LESLIE: And I’m Leslie Segrete.
TOM: And we are your adventure guides because …
LESLIE: Ooh.
TOM: … home improvement is an adventure. You know, when you tackle a home improvement project you never quite know how it’s going to end up and sometimes you get an unexpected result. It’s exciting, it’s exhilarating and we are sort of adventure guides to help get that done. I think it’s an adventure.
LESLIE: Is that why you’re always wearing that pith helmet? (laughing)
TOM: Well, you’ve got to be prepared, you know? Because you never know. (chuckling) So call us now with your home improvement project. We’ll help you get the job done and give you a chance at winning a great prize because this hour we’re giving away a Stanley Fix It gift pack work 50 bucks, which includes a diecast pocketknife, a 10-bit ratchet screwdriver and a two-foot magnetic level. It’s going to go to one caller we talk to at 1-888-MONEY-PIT.
LESLIE: Hey, and that prize package sounds so great to help you tackle just about any home improvement project regardless of the skill level or difficulty. So call in now.
Alright, Tom. We were talking about decks and making sure that you really get the most for the lifetime of the deck because you want to enjoy it. And sometimes, and in most cases, they’re really pricy. And they’re supposed to be a fun, leisure area for you, your family and your friends to really take advantage of the outdoors. But you do need to spend a little time on maintenance and cleaning to maximize your deck’s lifespan.
First, you want to carefully inspect the top, the bottom and the sides of the deck to see if there are any nails or screws popping up or even missing. If you find that there are some, replace them with galvanized or stainless steel deck screws. You want to sand away any splinters because, of course, you love to be barefoot on your deck. And you’re going to find that all of these splinters can mostly occur in high-use areas like steps and even on railings. So pay close attention to those.
And also keep in mind that corrosive chemicals, that’s what’s used to pressure treat wood. And these chemicals tend to leak from screw and nail holes that are on your metal fasteners. So be sure to inspect all of your deck’s fasteners for any excessive signs of corrosion, which really could compromise the structural integrity of your deck. Bad things.
TOM: Absolutely. And this time of year we almost always hear about an occasional deck collapse. So don’t let it happen to you, you know, when you have all of your pals over for the next big barbecue. Make sure you inspect your deck to make sure it’s safe.
And before you replace any damaged or corroded metal fasteners, you also might want to think about adding a protective waterproof membrane. There’s a good one from Grace. It’s called Vycor Deck Protector and placing Vycor Deck Protector underneath metal fasteners and on top of all of the deck joists is going to make sure that you have the best protection possible and it’s going to help avoid corrosion as well as prevent rotting out the joist and the stringers. Remember to regularly repair, clean and maintain your deck and if you don’t have a deck yet but maybe you’re planning on building one, it may be in your best interest to look into these synthetic building materials and premium waterproofing membranes. Because if you do it once, you do it right, you won’t have to do it again and it’ll be safe for a long, long time.
If you want more information on how do you maintain a safe and enjoyable deck, you can visit the website for Grace. It’s GraceAtHome.com. That’s GraceAtHome.com. Or call us right now with your decking question at 1-888-MONEY-PIT.
Leslie, who’s next?
LESLIE: Mark in Iowa, you’ve got The Money Pit. How can we help you?
MARK: Hey, I’ve got a severely cracked driveway in an older home and it’s very old and weathered and cracked and it’s about 60 feet long. And I’ve been quoted between $6,000 and $8,000 to replace all the concrete. Is there anything that I can do; some type of surface treatment to cover that up without having to replace that entire driveway? Or is there anything on the market like that?
TOM: Yeah, absolutely. There’s a company called AboCast that makes a number of concrete sealing products that can be used to restore deteriorated concrete.
LESLIE: Mm-hmm. They’re for sealing and for leveling as well, right?
TOM: Yeah, exactly. Like if you have a really busted up stoop or something like that you can kind of rebuild it with AboCast. And if you have a driveway or a garage floor that’s deteriorated you can recoat it with this material. So it certainly is possible to do that. But is it just the surface that’s deteriorated or is the concrete physically cracked like into chunks?
MARK: It’s not broken into chunks. It’s just cracked and very weathered on the top.
TOM: Right.
MARK: Like every summer you can take a broom and sweep the dust and the rocks and stuff off the top of it.
TOM: Well, you know, you see, if it’s really that deteriorated you may have an adhesion problem even with a second layer on it. So, you might be able to buy maybe another two or three years by using a topcoat like AboCast, but I have a feeling that a new driveway is in your not-too-distant future. (Leslie chuckles)
MARK: Well, you’ve been a big help. I appreciate it.
TOM: You’re very welcome. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.
LESLIE: Listening in on WPRO in Rhode Island, we’ve got John. What’s going on at your Money Pit?
JOHN: I’m talking about an old Victorian that’s been in the family since the ’20s and ’30s; probably built by an aunt in Cumberland, Rhode Island here. And it has a kitchen and a breakfast nook area …
TOM: OK.
JOHN: … that have an old rug that’s, you know, so dirty (inaudible) stand the sight of them anymore. (chuckling) And under (inaudible) is a linoleum but under that linoleum there is – somebody put down, decades ago, a – before they installed the linoleum, I assume – like black tarpaper on top of the hardwood flooring.
TOM: OK.
JOHN: And I took off the old rug. The linoleum lifted right up. Some of the black tarpaper came off but large spots were like from the – I guess from the pressure of the traffic over the 30, 40, 50 years maybe – almost like bonded to the – you know, to the hardwood floor. And I’m getting it off but, you know, it’s like hard rock labor; like one square inch at a time on my hands and knees.
TOM: Well, you’re going to probably end up refinishing that hardwood floor, aren’t you?
JOHN: Mm-hmm.
TOM: Well, then I wouldn’t worry about it because when they come – when you come in with a belt sander – the floor sander, which is a 12-inch wide belt sander that runs across the floor – the grit on that is very, very heavy. Usually start with a very, very heavy grit like a 40 grit or something like that. And you will cut right through that paper and right through whatever’s on top of that floor. So I would just get the most of it off; the loose stuff off. And then let a professional come in and floor sand that. I generally don’t recommend that people do their own floor sanding because it requires, you know, sort of some of the touch; some practice
LESLIE: (overlapping voices) An evenness.
JOHN: Yes, I know. I tried that once. (Leslie chuckles)
TOM: Yeah, if you don’t practice and you don’t have the touch what can happen is you’re going to really damage that floor. So I would – I think you’re doing the right thing. Just get the most of it off that you can and then have a floor sander come in and do the rest of it.
John, thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.
LESLIE: Gwen in Florida’s got mold on her mind. How can we help you?
GWEN: Oh, I just need some help with my – I don’t know if it’s a mold problem or what it is exactly. We had water leakage in a common wall between two rooms.
TOM: OK.
GWEN: One of the rooms is a bathroom and it’s right where the shower is. The other room is an office. And the office smells musty and icky. And we did get the roof repaired where we know the leak was coming from but do we have to tear out the whole wall to find out (inaudible)?
TOM: How long did it stay wet, Gwen?
GWEN: It was during the hurricane; the last yucky hurricane that came through here.
TOM: Well, I mean was it like a few days or something like that?
GWEN: When I realized it was wet, I cleaned everything up from the inside and then the guy didn’t come through for about six months.
TOM: Oh. Well, geez, it might – you may have a mold problem. If that stayed wet for six months, lord knows what you’re going to find inside that wall.
LESLIE: And kept getting wetter and wetter due to continuing rain.
TOM: (overlapping voices) Yeah, yeah. Exactly. So, I think in this case it probably might be a pretty good idea to remove and replace that drywall in that area; see what you got. Yeah.
GWEN: Boy. The one side is a custom shower that’s (inaudible).
TOM: Well, can’t you do it from the other side?
GWEN: If we do it from the other side – I guess we can try that. That would – it might be easier.
TOM: Well, if you had the option of opening up a shower wall and opening up a regular drywall wall, you would simply open up the drywall wall.
LESLIE: Because the drywall wall is probably where the mold is growing. If your shower wall has tile or any sort of waterproofing material on top of it, you’re dealing with a waterproof backer board of some sort. So the problem’s definitely within the framework for that drywall.
TOM: And you know, drywall, while it seems like a major job to open that wall up …
LESLIE: It’s not.
TOM: … it’s not. And it’s not that hard to fix it.
LESLIE: You will feel so good about yourself if you do this project because it is very simple to replace drywall.
GWEN: Oh, I’d love to try that but I’m not sure I know how. (chuckling)
TOM: Well, it’s not difficult to do, Gwen. Maybe you can get somebody to help you. But basically, what you’re going to want to do is very simply, if you start at the corner you’re going to cut that first with a utility knife and then you’re going to identify …
LESLIE: (overlapping voices) Because there’s some tape in that corner.
TOM: Yep. And you’re going to identify where the stud is in the wall. You can find that with a stud finder. And then right in the middle of the stud is where you’re going to cut that other piece of drywall out. And so, make two vertical cuts and then once you have the vertical cuts you’ll also cut it across the ceiling. Then you could remove that whole thing in a clean way. Because basically, remember, when you cut drywall out you want to have a clean edge so that you can patch it back in just as easily. You know, cutting drywall is pretty easy stuff.
LESLIE: And the reason why you split it on the stud is so that when you put the new piece on you have something to attach to so you’re not just floating in space.
GWEN: I never would have thought of that.
TOM: And now you can do it.
GWEN: OK.
TOM: Alright, Gwen. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT. 888-666-3974.
Folks, this is not that hard. You can do it.
This is The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show. Next up, find out why environmentally conscious construction pros are meeting resistance, in some cases, when it comes to local building codes. We’ll teach you how to have a green home from the ground up, next.
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ANNOUNCER: AARP is proud to sponsor The Money Pit. Visit www.AARP.org/HomeDesign to learn more about making your home more functional and comfortable for years to come.
TOM: This is The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show. The number is 1-888-MONEY-PIT. 888-666-3974. You got a question about your home improvement project; maybe thinking about building new, call us right now at 1-888-MONEY-PIT.
LESLIE: Yeah, maybe you’re even thinking about starting a project that incorporates green building techniques or materials even. And we here at The Money Pit definitely encourage building green and it certainly is getting attention across the country. But it turns out that builders are not necessarily getting rewarded and in some cases some are even seeming to be punished for pushing the envelope.
TOM: You know, the building codes for green houses have been very slow catching up with the trend. To talk about that is our good friend, Kevin Ireton. He is the editor of Fine Homebuilding magazine.
And Kevin, my first question, in my experience builders often brag that something is built to code like it’s a gold star. But in fact, isn’t building something to code kind of like your kid coming home with his report card and saying, ‘Guess what. I got a D’?
LESLIE: It’s like a minimum.
TOM: It’s a minimum standard. I mean you wouldn’t be proud if that happened.
KEVIN: You’re exactly right. And recently, one of our writers referred to it as if you’ve built a building to code that’s essentially the worst building that you can legally build. (Tom laughs)
LESLIE: (chuckling) Because next year it might not be up to code at all.
KEVIN: Exactly. If you haven’t exceeded the code then it’s really just a minimum.
TOM: So we have good builders out there that are trying to exceed the code. They’re trying to build good quality homes. They’re trying to build green homes. And you’re saying that they’re having problems doing that.
KEVIN: Well, imagine this. You’ve got one builder in your town who builds, you know, to the letter of the law to the code. And you’ve got another builder who’s always pushing the envelope. He’s trying to – he’s trying new products and new things. He’s interested in solar technology and, you know, geothermal technology. Which of those guys do you think is going to get through the building department faster?
LESLIE: The code guy.
KEVIN: Exactly. The guy who’s doing the worst legal building that he can. And the guy who’s trying to do a better job, he ends up, you know, sort of having to battle at every turn and it takes longer. And I don’t think anybody intended for our building codes to do that; to give the, you know, the forward-thinking builder a hard time. But that’s sort of the way the system works right now.
LESLIE: Do you think it’s because the system is just sort of lacking the education as to what these green materials are and their benefits? Or is it just that it’s so new no one really knows how it’s working out so it’s a risk all around?
KEVIN: I think it’s both of those things. If you look at the International Code Council’s handbook, what it says is the building codes – the purpose of the building code is to safeguard public health, safety and general welfare from the hazards of the built environment. What’s happened now, with all this emphasis on green and what’s called life cycle analysis, is that we’re realizing that the hazards of the built environment, you know, extend well beyond the building site. I mean you’ve got to look at, you know, what it took to harvest the materials that are used in the building, what it took to get them there. You’ve got to look at what happens to building materials after the useful life of the building.
TOM: Well, let’s give the listeners some practical advice, Kevin. Let’s say that you are building a house and you want to push the envelope and you want to make sure that it’s built to code so it gets through that process. What advice do you have for the builders out there or the listeners out there that are doing it themselves to help make that process a bit smoother?
KEVIN: Well, first of all, you’ve got to open up a good line of communication with your building department. You can’t get around them. So what you’ve got to do is meet with your building inspector early on and don’t surprise that inspector with things at the last minute, but incorporate his help from the get-go in the design; explain what you’re doing, why you’re doing it. If you have documentation that you can provide of other jurisdiction’s where this kind of work has been done, provide him with all of that stuff.
LESLIE: What about even information about the material itself? Say it’s something brand new to the market?
KEVIN: Exactly. Do your homework because a good building inspector will want to help you but it takes time for him to check, you know, is this possible, what’s involved. If you can do all of that leg work for him, you’re going to be in a much better position.
TOM: Kevin Ireton, editor of Fine Homebuilding magazine, thanks again for stopping by The Money Pit. Always great to have you on.
Well, you can read more about green building and permit problems in the current issue of Fine Homebuilding, which is on newsstands now, or go online and visit Fine Homebuilding at FineHomebuilding.com.
LESLIE: Alright. Well, there is hardly anything that you do in your kitchen that just does not involve your hands. Well, it is high time that you give those hands a well-deserved break. We’re going to have some tips for you and those hands in just a moment.
(promo/theme song)
ANNOUNCER: This portion of The Money Pit is brought to you by Ryobi, manufacturer of professional feature power tools and accessories with an affordable price for the do-it-yourselfer. Ryobi power tools. Pro features, affordable price. Available exclusively at The Home Depot. Now, here are Tom and Leslie.
TOM: Making good homes better, this is The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show. I’m Tom Kraeutler.
LESLIE: And I’m Leslie Segrete.
Hey, give us a call right now at 1-888-MONEY-PIT because someone that we talk to today who asks their question on air is going to win a Stanley Fix It prize pack. It’s worth 50 bucks. It includes a 10-bit ratchet screwdriver, a magnetic level and a pocket knife. Hey, but you know, you can’t win it if you’re not it, so call us now at 1-888-MONEY-PIT.
TOM: 888-666-3974.
OK, so we were talking about the kitchen. If you want to give your hands a break, the first place to start is the kitchen. Number one, change your faucets. If you have two faucets at the sink, tell your plumber that you want just one. A single faucet saves a step. Then you can turn on both the hot and the cold with one hand. Ask the plumber also to put a lever handle on the faucet so it’s easier to grasp. You can also put an extra long handle on that faucet and you can turn the tap on and off with just a tap of the elbow.
LESLIE: Yeah, and if you find you’re doing tasks where you really need both of your hands free at the sink, you can get something called a pedal valve. And this valve is going to sit on the floor and it lets you turn on the water with your foot, which really comes in handy when you’re already using both hands to hold a pot. And a few changes could really spruce up your kitchen, keep you safe, too; all while making your kitchen look gorgeous and more efficient for you. So give yourself a break. If you want some more info go to AARP.org/HomeDesign. Lots of great tips there to keep everything at home running smoothly. Again, AARP.org/HomeDesign.
TOM: Or call us with your home repair or home improvement question right now at 1-888-MONEY-PIT.
Leslie, who’s next?
LESLIE: Hopefully we’ll keep Robin in Nevada from having a hair-raising situation with electricity. What’s going on? How can we help?
ROBIN: My house that I live in was built in 1961.
LESLIE: OK.
ROBIN: And with the exception of the major appliances – the washer, dryer, the refrigerator, etc. – we don’t have any three-prong plugs. And they’re getting old and we wanted to replace the two-hole prongs with three-hole ones. And I didn’t know if – is that something that an individual can do on a fairly easy basis (audio gap) get a contractor in electricity or something?
TOM: Well, I think you’re going to need an electrician for this, Robin, because adding that third prong to the outlet doesn’t mean that it’s safe. That third prong is for a ground. Unless there’s a ground wire installed, it’s not going to work properly.
LESLIE: It won’t actually do anything.
TOM: Yeah. Now, an electrician could, in an area where you’re trying to create a ground situation, where it’s going to be safer, what they can do is they can replace the two-prong outlets with a three-prong ground fault outlet and if it’s wired correctly it won’t be grounded but it’ll be ground-fault protected. And what that means is if you plug in, say, a bad light or a bad appliance or something that’s going to short, rather than you get that shock, it’ll actually turn off at the outlet itself. The outlet has a built-in breaker. An electrician would know how to wire that to make that work. But if you truly wanted a grounded system, you’re going to have to have a three-wire system. Right now you probably have a two-wire system where the wiring goes through the house only has a hot and a neutral and you need a hot, a neutral and a ground. With only a two-wire system it’s grounded through the neutral but you can hook up a three-prong outlet to that and have it work properly.
ROBIN: OK, so – and is that – would you think – we’re like 1,600 square feet. Is this like a huge monetary thing that I’m going to be doing to …?
TOM: Let me ask you this question. Is – you have a ranch, a colonial? What’s the structure of the house like?
ROBIN: It’s a one-story, probably ranch, I guess. We’re not really …
TOM: Finished basement?
ROBIN: No basement.
TOM: No basement? So it’s – is there a crawlspace?
ROBIN: Yes.
TOM: OK. So, if you can get access under the floor, it makes it a lot easier to run new wires. So I would suggest that you meet with an electrician and talk about what rooms it makes sense to update and what rooms it may not make sense. Some areas of the house are going to be easier to get to than others. And by the way, that two-prong outlet, as long as it’s used properly, is not necessarily unsafe.
ROBIN: OK. Well, thank you very much.
TOM: You’re welcome. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.
LESLIE: Now we’re going to give out some cleaning advice for Jeff in Texas. Tell us what’s going on at your house.
JEFF: Well, my mother – her roof has composition shingles on it with black stains on it. I’m trying to find a way to safely remove the black stains without harming the shingle or the vegetation down underneath with any kind of a …
TOM: Well, probably what you’re going to need to do – now is this a pitched roof? Is it very steep? Can you walk on the roof?
JEFF: You can walk on it …
TOM: Here’s what I suggest you do. The first thing you want to do is wet the roof down and you want to apply a solution of Jomax to it. It’s a cleaner that works very well to clean moss off of roofs.
LESLIE: What about for the vegetation? The plants around? Should he cover them up?
TOM: You have to cover it with tarps. You’re going to have to cover it with tarps; unless, of course, you have a gutter system and that you can collect any runoff from this. But if you cover them then they’ll be protected and good enough for this application. And once you put the solution of Jomax down you want to wait 15 or 20 minutes for it to really do its work. Then you want to follow up with a stiff, bristle brush. You can use like a floor brush.
LESLIE: And be really, really careful, Jeff, because this stuff makes the whole surface really slick. So you want to make sure because it’s really – it’s a cleanser. It’s going to be sudsy, so be careful.
TOM: Yeah, like start from the bottom and work up. Don’t start from the top and work down where all the soap is running under your feet.
Now, once you get it clean there may be some things that you can do to avoid this moss growing back the next time.
LESLIE: Yeah, you can actually install a nickel or a copper ridge vent. And when this sits on the ridge of your roof, as it rains it’s going to actually let some of the minerals within the nickel or the copper and that’s going to run down your roof and you’ll see clean spots. If you ever see copper flashing around a chimney or somewhere on a roof, you’ll see that there’s streaks of cleanliness coming down from it. And that’s some sort of natural reaction from the rainwater and the nickel or the copper. So that’ll be a natural defense and something you don’t ever have to think about going back up there and fixing.
Moisture management is on Jim’s mind in Mississippi. How can we help?
JIM: My question was we pulled some drapes out of the wall and the screw, when it came out, had rust on it. So it led me to believe that there was moisture in between the walls. And I was wondering how I would be able to get rid of the moisture or find out where the leak would be coming from.
TOM: Maybe, maybe not. I don’t necessarily believe that you have a moisture problem in your walls just because you pulled out one rusty screw. There could be a lot of humidity in the house …
LESLIE: Mm-hmm.
TOM: … to cause that. Especially in Mississippi.
JIM: OK.
TOM: So I wouldn’t go searching for it just based on pulling one screw out. Was it a really long screw? Was it in the middle of the wall? I mean …
JIM: It – of course the original walls were wood. And then they were sheetrocked over. And we had installed the drapes when we moved in and we were moving the drapes and when we pulled it out the screw had rust on it. And I didn’t know if I was going to need to actually go into the wall to figure that out or not.
TOM: Yeah, I can see how living in Mississippi that you need to watch every source of moisture because you never know when it’s going to sneak up on you.
LESLIE: And it’s most likely just condensation from using your air conditioning.
JIM: OK.
TOM: Yeah, it’s probably just condensation, Jim. I wouldn’t get too worried about that.
JIM: Well, thank you so much because there is an air conditioning vent right up under the window.
TOM: Well, there you go.
LESLIE: Oh, that’s totally what it is. (Jim chuckles)
TOM: Yeah, Leslie’s psychic, Jim. She knew that.
JIM: Oh, very good. Thank you so much.
TOM: Either that or she’s been – either that or she’s been stalking you. (Tom and Jim chuckle)
LESLIE: And the new drapes look fantastic, Jim. I love where you put them.
TOM: Yeah, and by the way. (chuckling)
JIM: Thank you so much. (Leslie chuckles) Thank you so much.
TOM: Well, it’s one of the small annoyances of owning a house; that sort of pinging, tinging sound that comes from your HVAC duct system. You know, sometimes when you turn it on it expands, it makes all kinds of pinging, ranging, rattling …
LESLIE: (overlapping voices) Ooh, it’s all that rattling and crackling noises.
TOM: Yeah, it’s a mess. Is there a way that you can quiet it down? That question came in from one of our e-mailers. We’ll cover it, next.
ANNOUNCER: This segment of The Money Pit is sponsored by Angie’s List. Need work done around your house and don’t know who to call? You don’t have to guess who’s good and who’s not. Angie’s List has thousands of unbiased reports on local service companies with details from real member experience. Call 888-944-5478. Or visit AngiesList.com.
TOM: This is The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show. I’m Tom Kraeutler.
LESLIE: And I’m Leslie Segrete.
TOM: Don’t forget, if you missed anything that we’ve covered today, you can check it all out online. You can even download our podcast, which is free at MoneyPit.com. And you can search the show transcript. Often we will give a phone number or a website. Perhaps you’re driving. Don’t stop. Don’t cause an accident.
LESLIE: (chuckling) Don’t go reaching for that pen mid-drive.
TOM: You know, don’t text message it to yourself. Just go to the website after the show and read the transcript. It is at MoneyPit.com. And while you’re there you can shoot us an e-mail, just like Mark did from Tennessee.
LESLIE: That’s right. Mark writes: ‘I’m getting that annoying rattling sound that’s coming from my ceiling air vents whether I’m running the heat or the cool air. How do I stop the noise? If memory serves me, the ducts are just that plain, shiny silver stuff.’ Yes, that’s right, Mark. And this house is less than a year old and I really do want to solve this problem.
TOM: Well, there are a number of sources of noise of HVAC systems. So let’s kind of cover the basics. First of all, the metal duct lines that are sheet metal; sometimes if they make them too long without putting creases in the metal, you get this sort of popping sound like an – and it’s sort of like an oil can sound. If you think of …
LESLIE: Creases as in two pieces joining together or actual bends into a straight piece.
TOM: No, actually you put a bend in it so that it’s not a complete flat piece of sheet metal in the side; kind of has a diamond pattern in it.
LESLIE: Oh, OK.
TOM: And they do that on the break; the sheet metal break when they’re building the ducts. They put bends in it because it makes the metal stiffer. Because what happens is when the air conditioning system comes on the ducts fill up and they become pressurized and then they sort of expand and pop and make an oil – it’s called an oil can sound; like when you have a tin can and you push your thumb into the side of it.
LESLIE: I know exactly what you’re saying.
TOM: You know and it goes like ping-pang, ping-pang; that kind of thing?
LESLIE: Mm-hmm.
TOM: That happens to the duct system. So if that’s the case you can almost watch it happening. It usually happens right above the HVAC system; so right above the furnace – wherever the air handler is – you can see it expand and sort of pop. They can reinforce that duct or a little trick of the trade is you can actually take a piece of wood and lay it diagonally across the duct and screw it into the duct. All you’re really doing is putting a brace in there that stiffens it up. So that’s that kind of noise. If it’s coming from the registers themselves, sometimes you get sort of a whistling sound there. And that often happens because there’s extra flex duct material that’s sticking inside the register. And that can easily be trimmed out. So you really have to isolate where that noise is happening.
LESLIE: And the type of noise.
TOM: And the type of noise. And then you can figure out how to fix it. So it’s a very common problem. It has no structural or mechanical implications. It really is just there to kind of get under your skin.
LESLIE: Alright, now we have a question from Leslie coming through Tom’s blog on the AOL real estate section. Here goes: ‘Hey Tom, my parents are considering a new home in a retirement community. My question is what are the pros and cons of a home built with particleboard and, specifically, OSB. OSB was used throughout the house and my parents worried about the glue and that the glue used could have negative health side effects. Also, what is the longevity of OSB versus plywood?’
TOM: OSB stands for oriented strand board and it’s basically one of many engineered wood products that are used in home construction. And there’s really nothing wrong with it. For the most part, structurally I don’t mind it as a side wall sheathing. It’s very effective to prevent racking, which is what happens to the wall; sort of slides from side to side. It’s also OK as a subfloor if it’s thick enough and if it’s tongue-and-groove. I don’t like it as a roof sheathing because it’s very floppy and the roof tends to look kind of saggy and uneven when you use it in the roof sheathing. So I’m not crazy about that.
In terms of the glue, you know, there’s been studies on this and there’s very, very, very little offgassing of any type of glue or resin or formaldehyde that comes out of that.
LESLIE: Well, and once it’s built if you’re cutting it, yes, then that’s the issue. But if it’s already built and put together. Exactly.
TOM: (overlapping voices) Once it’s built. Exactly. So I really don’t have a concern about that unless, of course, your parents happen to be super chemically sensitive and then all bets are off.
Leslie, hope that helps you out.
This is The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show. Hey, coming up next week on the program, it has been a tough real estate year. Hard to sell those houses.
LESLIE: (overlapping voices) Yeah, too many houses on the market. You’ve got to make sure your house looks great.
TOM: Absolutely. So you know what? We’re going to teach you some tricks of the trade to get your house in tiptop shape. And in fact, there’s one home improvement project that you can do that can boost your value by as much as $24,000. It’s been scientifically proven through a study. And we’re going to teach you that next week on the program.
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.
(theme song)
END HOUR 2 TEXT
(Copyright 2007 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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