The Money Pit Calls & Answers

Find out why you should choose a Restore product from a reputable brand for your deck or dock. Get tips on considering Rust-Oleum's Restore product, and testing it on a couple boards first to make sure you're happy with it. Learn why it will take longer to apply a Restore product to your deck or dock -- it's about 10 times thicker than paint. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to remove stubborn mold from tile in the bathroom. Learn about cleaning products such as Wet & Forget that can be sprayed in your shower and bathtub to kill mold and mildew on bathroom tile. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to identify where the squeaks in the floor are coming from. Get tips on using a stud sensor to find the floor joists, then driving a galvanized finish nail through the carpet to reattach the subfloor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn why it's better to remove asphalt shingles before installing a metal roof. Find out what tools are used to cut a metal roof. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out if it's OK to insulate a gap between your home's exterior and stud walls that opens into your basement and dumps cold air into it. Learn why that is actually a standard place to add insulation -- it's called the box beam. Get tips on using expandable foam or fiberglass batt insulation to make your basement temperature a lot more comfortable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn about some of the differences between hardwood and laminate flooring. Get tips on how to integrate different types of flooring to make the most of the room. Find out design options available in different varieties of laminate flooring. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why a stain around the drain in your porcelain bathtub is probably due to mineral salts in your well water. Get tips on using a product called CLR Calcium Lime Rust Remover to get the stains off. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out whether a kitchen cabinet door made of solid wood is more likely to swell and shrink with temperature changes than a raised-panel door. Learn why a good quality cabinet door that was built with dried out wood and sealed properly should be dimensionally stable, regardless of whether it's solid wood or raised-panel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn why it's important to test for radon in radon-prone areas before installing any type of floor over a dirt basement. Find out why you should call a professional to do the testing. If radon is present, the floor may require specialized venting so Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to use a putty knife, wood block, and hammer to free up windows that have been painted shut. Find out why, with thermal-pane windows, condensation is a signal that the windows need to be replaced. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to clean galvanized sinks that have become blackened over time. Get tips on using an abrasive powder like Comet and steel wool to clean the sink. Learn why the blackened appearance may be because the metal itself has become discolored. If Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to remove the smell of cigarette smoke from an apartment. Get tips on how to properly prime and paint the walls and steam-clean the carpet to fully remove the odor. Find out why replacing the inserts might be your best bet if you have Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to solve the problem of peeling paint on steel siding. Get tips on removing the paint down to the bare metal and then applying a product called Prep-Sol. After that, use an oil-based Rust-Oleum primer, let it dry thoroughly, and then put Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out the three ways to stop tree roots from creating cracks in your driveway, and learn whether it's possible to stop cracks from forming in existing driveways. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn about the steps necessary to install a laminate floor over tile. Get tips on how to handle uneven surfaces with the right kind of foam underlayment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn why a little bit of sound in your plumbing pipes, such as wind or running toilet water, is normal and OK. Find out some signs that would signal plumbing problems, such as an odor or a clog. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why compact fluorescent lightbulbs should work fine with lighting fixtures and timers that you usually use with incandescent bulbs. Learn about a specialized dimmer designed to work with compact fluorescent lightbulbs. Get tips on considering another alternative, LED bulbs, that are more expensive but will last longer and are more energy efficient. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get tips on how to repair a crack in a concrete floor. For bigger cracks get a handy tip on how to use a backer rod and flowable urethane to fill the crack, as well as how to level the floor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to properly wire a new electrical outlet in the kitchen. Learn why you need to install a ground-fault outlet to meet most electrical codes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For recessed kitchen lighting fixtures that use long fluorescent tubes, learn why you should stock up on bulbs rather than remodel the lighting fixtures out of fear of them going out of stock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn why combining two bathrooms into one large bathroom could end up lowering the value of your home. Find out some of the precautions and steps you need to take to break down the separating wall and extend the drain pipe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why converting a spare bedroom into a laundry room may have a negative effect on your home's value. Learn how to properly vent dryer exhaust pipes to decresase the chance of a dryer fire. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get tips on repairing a natural gas fire pit. Learn why the best option is to have a plumber inspect the gas lines, instead of altering the manufacturer's design. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn why efflorescence on a cement slab floor is a sign of a larger drainage problem. Get tips on how to work with your condominium association to hire an engineer and prevent a mold problem from starting. Find out how to perform simple stop-gap Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to repair a bath fan that no longer draws moisture and humidity from the bathroom. Get tips n new humidity sensing switches that can operate the bath exhaust fan automatically. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to keep woodpeckers from pecking holes in your chimney. Get tips on using pie tins and strips of black garbage bags as a temporary way to scare woodpeckers away until they forget about your house. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out the steps you need to take to make sure your rainwater collection system is safe to drink from. Learn about some online resources that contain valuable information about proper rainwater filtration and purification. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn why that clanging in your pipes when water is turned on and off is called a water hammer and is common in older homes. Find out two fixes that can be installed by you or your plumber to aleviate the sound. Water hammers, while loud, are mostly Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Get advice on how to fix loose grout that isn't adhering properly. Learn how to identify signs of floor movement and incorrect grout mixing that can contribute to the problem. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get tips on how to build a lattice to shelter plants from the intake of a wall air conditioner. Find out how far the lattice needs to be from the air conditioner for it to still function properly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to install shutters over vinyl siding. Get tips on using special fasteners to pierce the siding without causing a leak to happen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn ways to install a sidewalk in areas where tree roots are present. Find out the best way to reinforse the sidewalk to prevent it from cracking due to tree roots. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get consumer protection advice on how to handle disputes with plumbers who are replacing items under warrranty like a water heater. Find out what to do when the plumber blames the warranty company and the warranty company blames the plumber. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn tricks-of-the-trade to stop a floor from squeaking, including how to repair the squeak without removing wall to wall carpet. . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to remove carpet backing from old hardwood floor, and how to sand the floor to restore the surface. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get tips on how to diagnose and repair a flickering light fixture, and why it's not safe for there to be a delay between the time when the light switch is flipped and when the lights turn on. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Broken bathtub stoppers can cause a tub drain to become clogged. Learn the steps to fix a bathtub drain stopper to restore the water flow wiuthout a major plumbing expense. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Radiant heat floors are a luxury that can be timer-controlled for efficiency and savings. But find out whether installing them will offset existing utility costs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There are limited options for updating old wall paneling. Before drywalling over it, though, determine whether there's a simpler, existing solution for giving your space a new look. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get suggestions on how to seal off an abandoned fireplace chimney. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to transform a twin metal bedframe into a bunk bed suitable for an over the road trucker.. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Plumbing transmits sounds very effectively, making even the smallest noise sound loud as it travels through pipes. Find out the cause of a high-pitched whine that's heard whenever water is running or when toilets are flushed - and what to do about Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why condensation forms around air conditioning registers. Get tips on installing insulation around the ducts to lock in warmth and mitigate the temperature difference in the wintertime. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When it comes to choosing a central air-conditioning unit, find out which surprising factors are as crucial to coolness as the unit itself. Also, get tips on keeping that cool air free of odors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Spackeling a crack in drywall won't keep it from progressing. Get a DIY solution to fixing drywall cracks that stops them from getting worse. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to determine whether low water pressure means there's a problem at the street level or with your home's plumbing. Also, not sure whether your house gets water from the city or a well? There's an easy way to find out! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get tips on the best flooring choices for kitchens and baths. Damp locations make carpet a poor flooring choice. Find out about new options in laminate flooring designed for damp locations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The popularity of wood-grain tile is on the rise. Despite its deceiving look, though, tile's composition is nothing like wood's - and its longevity depends upon properly prepping for installation. Get the steps necessary to preventing cracks in your Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn about available tax credits for heat pump heating systems as well as rebates. Get tips on how to reduce the cost of a new geothermal heat system. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices