The Money Pit Calls & Answers

Find out what kind of siding to use if you live in an area that gets a lot of wind and rain. Learn why Hardiplank is weather-resistant and get tips on installing it on top of your old plywood siding instead of removing it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to fix a cold shower. If your shower is the only fixture in your house that doesn't produce hot water, the problem is most likely the valve, and the solution is to replace the faucet set. Learn why you should consider a pressure-balanced Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why a wood fireplace generally provides more home value than a wood stove. A fireplace makes a home more attractive to buyers, and stoves can pose decorating problems. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to insulate your crawlspace to keep your tile floors warm and keep your plumbing from freezing. Get tips on insulating the pipes and insulating the floor joists to make things more comfortable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to properly insulate a crawlspace. Get step by step instructions for sealing gaps with expandable foam, pressing unfaced batts into the floor joists and putting plastic on the floor of the crawlspace. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get tips on checking with the townhome association to find out who is responsible for fixing structural problems. Learn how to fix cracks in your walls with perforated drywall tape. If it turns out the structural issue is your responsibility, get tips Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to renew the look of vinyl siding with paint. Get tips on getting a paint rated for vinyl siding that is designed to adhere and not peel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to keep squirrels out of your yard. Get tips on laying garden netting on the perimeter of your yard to repel squirrels. Learn about Whole Control, a solution you can spray on your lawn that tastes bad to squirrels. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out if you should be worried about black mold developing in your home after a one-time leak. Learn why mold only develops in a place that stays wet for a long time, and get tips on doing something counter-intuitive when your ceiling starts bowing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to deal with pet urine and feces that have penetrated the floors in the home you rent out. Get tips on a product called 1-2-3 odor free to get rid of the odor. You can also pull up all the carpeting and use a primer on the subfloor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to fix a banging noise caused by a kitchen water sprayer. Get tips on replacing the handle in the handheld sprayer to see if that fixes the problem. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to repair a chipped laminate floor. Get tips on contacting the manufacturer to see if they have a touch-up compound you can use on the floor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to use a floor-leveling compound to even out your floor so you can install engineered hardwood on top of it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Before you agree to a service agreement for your HVAC system, find out what it entails. If the HVAC people are just going to look at your system, that's one thing, but if they are going to actually inspect it and do maintenance work, that's worth it Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to keep your sunroom cool in the summer. Get tips on using a separate HVAC system for the sunroom -- Tom recommends a Mitsubishi Mr. Slim. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to seal out window drafts in the winter. Get tips on using weatherstripping caulk -- the temporary kind that you can peel off in the spring. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why you shouldn't worry about a crack in your foundation as long as it seems to be stable and isn't growing. However, if it starts widening later, learn why you should have a structural engineer inspect it and report on what needs to be done Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to catch squirrels in your attic, repair the holes they've chewed and keep them from coming back. Get tips on using humane traps called Havaharts, and try moth balls, which they don't like. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn about storage solutions for kids' toys. Get tips on making a storage bench with a cushioned top and slow hinges that won't hurt their fingers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why a radiant barrier is not the most effective way to reduce your home's energy consumption. Get tips on installing adequate insulation as well as soffit and ridge ventilation in your attic to control the moisture level and help you save Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why a fireplace, unlike a central heating system, does not distribute heat evenly throughout your house. Get tips on installing a duct booster in the wall between the two sides of the house to move air from one side to the other. Consider a Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why you shouldn't build a fire pit in your gazebo, because there's nowhere for the smoke to go and the roof will burn down. Learn why we don't really heat gazebos in winter months because they aren't meant to be enclosed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to use a garden hose to narrow down the location of a roof leak. Learn why the intersection between two roofs must be properly flashed, or the water will back up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to winterize your home. Get tips on adding antifreeze to all the fixtures in your home so they won't crack in the event that your home loses heat. Learn about freeze-alert systems and asking a plumber to install a drain valve. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to install the plastic floor guide for your floating closet doors. Get tips on pilot drilling the laminate floor and then screwing through the guide into the pilot holes to secure it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to update your kitchen countertops on a budget. As long as your laminate countertops are structurally sound with no water damage, you can relaminate them. Another option is to tile the countertop using Bondera Tile MatSet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to reduce dust inside your home in the winter when you can't run the central air and filter it out. Get tips on installing a whole-house electronic air cleaner and running the fan to circulate the air. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why high humidity can cause a wall to separate from the ceiling, leaving a gap. Get tips on repairing the issue with perforated fiberglass tape instead of paper tape. Sand down the area, use the mesh tape and then put spackle up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out about homes that are built on concrete slabs, a common and stable construction that should serve you well unless you want to run a new set of pipes for a bathroom. Learn why you can't install a hardwood floor over a concrete slab; it will Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why you should skip the pest-resistant, flame-retardant TAP insulation and just add more fiberglass insulation to your attic if that's what you already have. Learn why 5-inches of flame-retardant insulation won't do much to help if your home Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to insulate your exterior walls. Get tips on insulating between the stud bays with as much insulation as they'll properly hold. Then put on the sheathing, Tyvek, foam, furring strips, and finally the cedar shingles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to eliminate a rotten egg odor that arises when you turn on the hot water. Learn why the smell is probably caused by the sacrificial anode in your water heater wearing out. Get tips on considering replacing the water heater if it is Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to restore a terrazzo floor. Get tips on using an adhesive remover and floor scraper to bring up the glue and then hiring a professional to restore the floor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why metal ducting should not be noisy if it is installed properly. Get tips on having your fiberboard ductwork replaced with metal ductwork and having the contractor build in a place for the filter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to stop plants from growing underneath your deck. Get tips on using a funnel around each individual plant that comes up through your deck so you can target it specifically with Roundup. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out what kind of windows are the best for replacing your current windows. Get tips on choosing the best energy-efficient windows you can find, that have an Energy Star rating. Also get do-it-yourself installation tips. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out whether it's worth the cost for you to install a tankless water heater to heat the water in a distant bathroom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out what constitutes proper chimney flashing and how to locate a potential leak in the flashing. Get tips on also checking to make sure the concrete cap is solid. Also get tips on applying a vapor-permeable masonry sealer to slow down the Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to insulate a beach house that is on stilts. Get tips on adding fiberglass insulation between the floor joists and adding blue Styrofoam foam board over that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to clean a patio screen without bending or damaging it. Get tips on using your vacuum with the upholstery brush attachment or soapy water with a soft bristle brush Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why it's a good idea to refinish your cast iron tub instead of remodeling, since they are so rare and desirable. Get tips on hiring a professional rather than trying to do it yourself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to create a nonslip surface on a garage floor. Get tips on first applying an epoxy floor coating, and then using a separate nonslip product, rather than mixing sand into the epoxy mix, which might affect the curing process. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to keep your house warm on a budget. Get tips on making sufficient attic insulation your first priority and learn how much insulation is recommended. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn about the relationship between circuits and outlets. The number of outlets doesn't matter; the number of amps does. Get tips on having one outlet every 6-10 feet and learn what size circuit is appropriate for different rooms in your house. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to insulate the ceiling of an unfinished basement. Learn why you should never put insulation between two heated spaces. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out which type of tankless water heater to buy. Get tips on looking at Rheem and Rinnai, two well-respected brands that make reliable products. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out whether Hardie Trim is a good product for siding. Learn about the product, which doesn't rot and is available either primed or fully painted. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why portable dishwashers will sometimes lead to broken faucets. Get tips on buying a new faucet rather than trying to repair it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to stop your wet clothes from smelling musty. Get tips on making sure your water is not hard and checking the venting of your washing machine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why you should change the filter on your water heater every month or every six months depending on the filter. Get tips on turning off the water before you do this. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices