The Money Pit Calls & Answers

Learn about gutter guards and which type works best. Get tips on using mesh type gutter guards, such as Gutterglove. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why you should hire a service contractor rather than try to solder your outdoor A/C unit back together yourself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how carpenter bees can cause serious damage to your rafters. Get tips on having them exterminated and then sealing the holes they'ved drilled in your rafters before it's too late. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why a tankless water heater is a good option if you have gas heat in your home. Learn what kind of maintenance they require. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to insulate a fireplace. Get tips on going to the manufacturer's website for instructions on how the fireplace was supposed to be installed and how much insulation you can use. You want to do it properly to avoid creating a fire Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to keep moisture from building up in your attic by ventilating it properly. Get tips on installing ridge and soffit vents and visiting AirVent.com to find a ridge vent with a baffle on it that speeds up depressurization. Learn why there Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out whether you should caulk around your windows on the outside of your house. Get tips on using a very good quality window and door caulk and applying it patiently and accurately around the window trim. Learn a trick of the trade: caulk inside Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to level a metal garage door. Get tips on sealing the gap by adding another piece to the back of the door. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to fix an ice maker that churns out smelly, bad-tasting ice. Get tips on replacing the water line and putting a charcoal filter on the ice maker. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to insulate between drywall and brick. Get tips on blowing in fiberglass or cellulose and learn why you should also make sure you have adequate insulation in your attic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to prevent icicles from forming on your roof. Get tips on improving the insulation and ventilation in your attic to keep your roof surface at the same temperature as the outside. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to cover up cement brick walls in a basement. Get tips on making sure your basement is dry before you take any steps toward finishing your basement and learn why you should frame a wood wall in front of the bricks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to fix a concrete porch. Learn why you can't repair concrete with concrete; it'll eventually break apart. Get tips on using an epoxy patching compound instead. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn why you can't solve a wet basement problem by painting the walls with sealer. Get tips on getting to the root of the problem by making sure your gutter system is adequate and that the soil around your home slopes away from the foundation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to find a good contractor to drill a well for you. Get tips on looking at Angie's List or Service Master to find a reputable professional with references. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to get rid of mold inside and outside your home. Get tips on using a product called Wet and Forget on your siding and improving the drainage conditions around your home to reduce interior moisture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to fix a shower that goes from burning hot to icy cold with no in-between temperatures. Get tips on replacing the pressure-balance valve to moderate the temperature. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to stop deck posts from warping. Get tips on switching out your 4x4s for 6x6s, which twist less. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to get rid of a sulfur odor in your washing machine. Get tips on upgrading your whole-house filtration system and getting specific filters for hydrogen sulfide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to fix a squeaky deck floor. Get tips on screwing six screws in each floor joist. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn about lightning arrestor systems, which are metal rods connected to heavy grounding wire. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to maintain a stone foundation that has started to deteriorate. Get tips on having a mason repoint the mortar in between the stones. Also learn why the best way to reduce basement moisture is to improve the drainage conditions surrounding Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to winterize your pool. Get tips on custom-ordering a self-draining pool cover to protect your irregularly shaped pool Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to get rid of a strong musty odor in your basement. Get tips on reducing the level of moisture in the basement by creating ideal drainage conditions around your home. Also learn why you should repaint the interior of the foundation with Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to repair a cracked concrete walkway. Get tips on using an epoxy patching compound, which will adhere to the old concrete. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why you should set the thermostat to 84 or 86 instead of turning it down to 78 or turning it off completely when you're not home. You want to leave it on so it dehumidifies your home. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why the best time to trim your trees is late winter or early spring. Get tips on visiting Gardenality.com for trimming diagrams for different kinds of trees. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how radiant barriers actually shorten the life of your roof. If you want to lower your energy ills, the more cost-effective route is to make sure your home is properly insulated and that your attic has sufficient ventilation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out the most cost-effective heating system to install when building a new home. Learn why natural gas is preferable to electric, and find out the pros and cons of forced air vs hot water heat. If you go with hot water heat, get tips on using PEX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why laminate flooring rather than carpet is a good choice for a high traffic area like a church floor. Get tips on buying commercial-grade laminate flooring, which will be more durable than residential grade. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to fill in a gap between your second-floor deck and the gutter attached to it. Get tips on sanding off the anti-slip surface of your deck, using an epoxy patching compound to perfect the slope and then coating the whole thing with Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why you shouldn't paint your brick house. It's a big commitment and you will have to repaint every 7 years or so. Plus, a brick facade is an attractive feature for a buyer. Instead of painting, get tips on transforming your brick home by Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out the safe way to remove asbestos shingles. Get tips on wearing respiratory protection and wetting the shingles to keep the dust down. Once you properly dispose of the shingles, you can nail your new vinyl siding onto the sheathing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why it is not a good idea to put granite over your formica countertop. Granite is not flexible, while laminate is, so a granite veneer would not stand up well. If you want to replace your countertops, get a new countertop rather than put a Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out the right way to use a heat pump. You should set it at a comfortable temperature and leave it there instead of constantly moving it up and down. When you fiddle with it too much, your electric resistance heater comes on and that costs about Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to dry out a wet basement so you can paint it. Get tips on keeping water away from the foundation walls by cleaning your gutters, extending your downspouts well away from the house, and sloping the soil around your home down and away. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to repair a cracked fiberglass bathtub. Get tips on using Bondo from an auto parts store or a fiberglass patch kit to repair it. The way to do it is to use resin, then fiberglass material and more resin on top of that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to remove storage boxes from your attic through a louvered vent. Get tips on taking the opportunity to reinsulate the area after you remove everything. Learn why ridge vents should be paired with soffit vents, not power turbines. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to kill mildew and keep it from coming back. Get tips on using a caulk with a mildicide in it, such as DAP, and controlling the humidity in the bathroom with a dehumidifier. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out what to do about floors damaged by ice cleats. There is no way to repair a linoleum floor with this type of damage; you will have to replace it. However, you might be able to sand and refinish a hardwood floor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to clean Plexiglas windows. Learn why cleaning them with Windex will cause an irreversible reaction that turns them cloudy. Instead, get tips on buying a special Plexiglas cleaner from your local home center. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to replace asphalt shingles with a tin roof. Learn why a metal roof is a long-lasting, energy-efficient roofing option. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to cover over a popcorn ceiling with drywall. Get tips on using 3/8-inch drywall and covering the ceiling one 4x8 section at a time. This method will give you a much smoother ceiling than if you tried to actually remove the popcorn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to finish a concrete porch with exterior-rated epoxy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to stain a cedar deck to cover up black streaks from nail heads. Get tips on using a semi-transparent or solid-color exterior stain. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why it's OK to get your septic tank pumped every four years instead of every two years like the septic tank guys say you should. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to solve the problem of condensation in your dryer. Get tips on reducing the overall humidity in your basement by taking steps to redirect water away from the foundation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to fix a water heater leak. Learn why mineral-salt deposits react with copper to make a multi-colored stain. Get tips on solving the problem by resoldering a solder joint. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to remove a rust stain from marble. Get tips on making a poultice out of kaolin or fuller’s earth or diatomaceous earth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out where to look for wooden accordion doors. Get tips on visiting Woodfold.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices