The Money Pit Calls & Answers

Get tips on replacing old skylights. Find out how you can qualify for a tax credit by replacing old skylights with energy efficient models. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get tips on how to install laminate flooring over carpet glue that can't be removed. Find out how scraping as much of the old carpet and glue up and adding an underlayment can help get rid of the uneveness that may be left behind. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get tips on how to fix a caved-in brick foundation. Learn which product to use to rebuild the foundation, and how cleaning the gutters may help fix the water problem that cause the foundation to crumble. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to fix gaps in a wood parquet tile floor. Learn what needs to be done to get rid of the gaps and make the floor square. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get tips on how to fill the gap between roofs so that animals, insects and debris don't get into the gap and cause a problem with the roof. Find out what to use to fill the gap and what to do if debris does accumulate in the gap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to remove wallpaper from sheetrock that was not prepared in any way. Get tips on scoring the paper with a paper tiger or a matte knife, then saturating the wall with steam to loosen up the glue so you can peel away the paper. If the Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to fix a squeaking wooden deck. Get tips on identifying the noisy boards and putting deck screws in them using a power drill with a screwdriver tip on it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get the name of a website you can visit to find out whether your CertainTeed roof shingles are part of the class action lawsuit settlement against the company. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn why the best option for adding more insulation to an attic with fiberglass insulation is to put in unfaced fiberglass batts perpendicular to the existing batts. Although spray-on insulation has the added benefit of reducing air movement between Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why you should replace your central AC unit instead of putting in a new coil if it is very old. If you are interested in a heat pump, consider whether the placement of your duct system will allow it to heat evenly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why a radon pipe should never terminate in the attic. Get tips on extending it through the roof and putting a proper plumbing vent and flashing sleeve around that. If this problem exists in a house you are looking to buy, bring it up during Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why putting screening on the underside of your porch might be the solution to bugs getting in. This is only recommended if the porch has a roof--otherwise the screen will trap grit and grime. If you have dogs, put the screen on the underside Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why a leak from a central AC unit might not actually be a leak, but normal drainage from the condensate pipe. If you are not happy with where the pipe is dropping the condensate, you can divert it or use a condensate pump. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out where to look for assistance financing energy efficient home improvements such as window replacement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to solve crawl space humidity by putting good quality, thick plastic sheeting with as few seams as possible on top of the dirt floor. No gravel necessary. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to paint over wall paneling. Get tips on using a good quality, oil based primer so the paint adheres well. However, if there are gaps between the panels, your best bet is to cover the walls with 3/8 drywall and spackle the joints. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to cut off the old nosing at the edge of your stairs and put on an end cap so it looks like there's hardwood floor there. You will still need a carpet runner in the middle. Other options to update your stairs include staining the wood or Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why you should invest in a home energy audit if your utility bills are too high but you don't know what specific energy efficient improvements to make. You'll get a comprehensive report that tells you what you need to do and even predicts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn why a bedroom over the garage will be hard to cool if there is not enough air being supplied there. You will need to have an HVAC contractor put in additional ducts and returns. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why poor drainage conditions surrounding the foundation of your home can cause water to show up in your basement even days after it has rained. Get tips on solving the problem by keeping your gutters clean, extending your downspouts away from Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to keep woodpeckers away from your wood siding. Get tips on attaching something reflective to the siding, like tin pie plates, so that it catches the wind and scares them off. Try putting on one every 10 feet or so. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out what the alternative is to a generator run by diesel fuel. Learn about natural gas standby generators from Generac, which turn on within about 15 seconds of losing power. Visit NeverFeelPowerless.com to calculate the generator size that you Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to install a curbed skylight, which sits about four inches above the roof and is easier to make water-tight. Learn why you should use low-e glass that reflects the sun's heat and also add insulation to keep your house cooler in the Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to clean soot from a brick fireplace using trisodium phosphate. Get step by step instructions for diluting it with water, spraying it on, scrubbing with a bristle brush and rinsing with a clean sponge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why installing an underground drainage system is not the way to keep water from seeping through your foundation. Instead, make sure your gutters are clean and free-flowing, your downspouts extend four to six feet away from your foundation, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get tips on using soundproof drywall products such as QuietRock to insulate a home theater in the basement. Also learn about another option, a plastic tracking and foam system that you can purchase from AcousticalSurfaces.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to replace a bathroom floor underlayment that has rotted away because of a leak. Get tips on removing the toilet and the sink and matching the thickness of the existing underlayment. As for the new floor, laminate is your best option Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn about geothermal systems, which take the constant temperature of the Earth and both heat and cool your house based on that. It’s an excellent way to heat your house if you’re in an area that doesn’t have access to natural gas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why you can't use elastomeric paint to seal an asphalt shingle roof like you would a ceramic tile roof. Instead, you should use fibrous aluminum paint, a silver paint commonly used on flat roofs or low-sloped roofs where you have built-up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn what may be causing a bow in a kitchen floor. Learn how to fix the floor by cutting the floor joist and installing a new floor joist. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out which deck stain to use to provide protection for your deck for years to come. Get tips on how to apply the deck stain for maximum application and protection. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out which trees and shrubs grow fast and can be used as a privacy barrier. Learn how they can be used in direct sunlight and shade, and can grow up to 15 feet in as little as 5 years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to drain water away from the house with a channel drain and pipe that will carry the water away from the structure. Learn why it is a better idea to install a channel drain than to have a dry well. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get tips on how to patch a concrete walkway with an epoxy compound. Find out how Roundup will kill crabgrass and keep it from growing up through the concrete. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to fix holes in walls. Get tips on how to patch the holes so that they blend in with the existing walls. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to go about insulating a subfloor and which insulation is best to use in a subfloor. Get tips on why you should insulate the subfloor, and which website to go to to learn how much insulation you will need to get the job done right. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to get warm with baseboard electric resistance heaters when the existing heat in your home is not sufficient to warm your home. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get tips on where to shop to find matching sink faucet and shower faucet handles. Learn how to match your vessel sink faucet with a shower faucet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn basement flooring options. Find out why carpeting is a bad choice for wet basement floors, and why gutters and better grading around the foundation are necessary for keeping a dry basement floor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn about impact resistant windows designed for storm areas. Get tips on how to keep your windows safe by installing storm shutters and by making sure that your home is tied down and storm ready. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to go about filling in a hole in a concrete porch. Get tips on which flooring is best to lay over a concrete porch floor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get tips on sealing and repairing a crumbling brick chimney. Find out what product to use to repair the brick, and learn what to put on the brick to prevent future crumbling problems, as well as what to do to protect the chimney from inclement Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get tips on diagnosing a leaking electric hot water heater. Learn what the issue may be, and find out what the tearm recommends when needing to replace the hot water heater. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get tips on staining a pergola, and what to use for sun protection and privacy. Learn how using drapes can protect your pergola from the sun, and add privacy at the same time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get tips on whether or not it is okay to lay tile flooring over linoleum. Find out what needs to be done to get rid of the linoleum and then properly lay a tile floor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get tips on how to stop a well pipe from leaking into the basement when it rains. Learn how grading around the foundation and having gutters will help keep water from leaking into the basement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to test for septic system drainage by doing a septic dye test. Find out how doing the dye test in your toilet will determine if sewage is draining into an outdoor pool. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get advice on whether replacement windows should be put in before siding is replaced. Learn about putting up siding with new construction windows, and how replacement windows fit in the existing frame without the need to replace siding. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn about zero clearance energy efficient fireplaces. Find out the benefits of zero clearance fireplaces, compared to masonry fireplaces. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how the size of your air conditioning unit is essential to cooling off your living space. Find out why installing an attic fan is not recommended with central air, and how ridge and soffit vents will help to cool down your space. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices