The Money Pit Calls & Answers

Find out how to use a bleach and water solution to clean mold off the closet walls. Learn why you should also remove the carpet and put down a laminate or vinyl floor. Finally, you'll want to either undercut the closet door, add a vent or get a Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why you don't need to vacuum out your heating ducts unless you have done construction in the house. Instead, you should install a good quality electronic air cleaner on your system. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why condensation is unavoidable with windows made of uninsulated glass. You can take steps to reduce the amount of moisture, such as using dehumidifiers, but unless you replace your windows you will always have some level of condensation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out what causes drywall to crack at the seam where two walls meet. Get the trick of the trade for using fiberglass drywall tape and layers of spackle to create a covering that will allow for wall movement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why light-colored carpet and cheap laminate are not good flooring choices for a rental home. Commercial grade laminate will provide the best durability and resistance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to get rid of gophers and moles in your yard. You will need a season-long grub control product to eliminate their food source. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out the best replacement for a gas hot water heater. The Money Pit recommends a high efficiency gas water heater or gas tankless water heater. The latter requires a slightly bigger pipe but uses less gas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out what color to paint a home theatre. Get tips on choosing a fairly neutral color that won't compete with what you're viewing or the decor. Learn why you should paint the ceiling a similar tone to the wall color, but a shade lighter, and avoid Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to fix the problem of low water pressure in your home. First check to make sure the main water valve is not partially closed. Then have the water company check the pressure at the meter. If you don't have 50-70 pounds of pressure, the Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to repair cracks in a plaster lath ceiling. The solution is to repatch the ceiling with perforated drywall tape. Then put on a layer of spackle no wider than the tape. Let it dry, sand it, and apply two more coats, going wider each time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why a water heater that is too far from the master bathroom could cause water to stay boiling hot after a shower, then go cold before heating up again. The solution is to zone your domestic hot water by adding a second water heater closer to Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to solve the problem of moisture in your basement by using clean fill dirt to slope the soil away from the foundation wall. Also make sure you have enough downspouts; you generally want one for every 600-800 square feet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why you should never use wood filler to fill in gaps between wooden planks. Instead, stain some jute to match the color of your floor and then use a paint scraper to shove the jute into the cracks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to paint vinyl-covered wallboard. Learn why you should use Kilz with an oil base instead of an acrylic base. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If your house has a structural problem, find out why you should have a professional engineer analyze the situation. Learn how to get a report you can show to a prospective buyer or a contractor who can fix the issue according to the engineer's Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to use the mixing valve on your boiler to control the temperature of the water. Also learn about using an Amtrol tank, another option for heating water that is more stable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn about repairing holes in copper pipes. Get tips on what kind of pipe is best to replace the copper pipes so that a leak doesn't recur. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get tips on priming drywall before adding paint and texture. Find out why it is important to prime the drywall before adding any paint or texture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn why it is important to replace the floor when replacing a toilet in a small bathroom. Get tips on determining if the subfloor is rotted, and why a leaky toilet seal may be the culprit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how adding a programmable thermostat designed for a heat pump can save you energy. Find out how a setback thermostat works, and keeps an electric furnace from running and hiking up an electric bill. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how replacing a full size bathtub with a shorter bathtub can help make room to make a small closet bigger. Get tips on where to find the tubs online. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out your options for choosing a new water heater, whether you choose a new tankless propane fueled water heater, or choose a high-efficiency, electric heat pump water heater. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to eliminate odors from old hardwood floors, and from ceilings and walls. Get tips on how stripping the floor and finishing it can seal in the odor, and how using an odor eliminating paint on ceilings and walls can get rid of bad smells in Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get tips on installing insulation underneath your house. Find out which is best to use in a crawl space: fiberglass or spray foam insulation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn about low-slope roof coatings that can help control heat in a hot house. Find out whether or not it is a good idea to put shingles on a low-slope roof. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to eliminate wasps, bees, and other flying insects and pests from an unfinished attic space. Find out how using a professional exterminator can cut down on your bug problem. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out if laminate flooring is a good choice for installing in your basement. Learn your heating options for keeping warm when using the basement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get tips on how to remove rust from your water. Find out how to get rid of the rust with a water filtration system, installed by a professional. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to get rid of stains on walls and celings with a bleach and water solution and then painting the area. Find out how adding more insulation can also get rid of the streaks and spots. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to fix a dripping temperature pressure release valve on a hot water heater. Get tips on how to determine why the TPR valve is leaking and how installing plumbing equipment can stop the drip. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how installing a curtain drain in your backyard can keep rain water from flooding your basement. Find out how a curtain drain works to divert water away from your house so that your basement stays dry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out using a pumice stone and lamp oil can help you start a wood fire faster. Learn how using lamp oil with the torch will not give off much odor, and can be used with sensitive people. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how an air conditioning system doesn't remove moisture from the air well, and find out how adding an Ultra-Aire system can remove up to 100 pints of water from your home every day. Get tips on how installing a whole home dehumidifer in your home Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get tips on choosing a rubber floor for the basement. Learn why a rubber floor is a good basement flooring option, and find out a website to help you choose your rubber floor options. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to repair a leak in a roof valley. Find out how to rebuild the valley and use the right flashing so that you get up to 20 years from the flashing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn solutions to heating flow problems. Get tips on checking dampers, installing a duct booster, and finding out where the return register is so that you have even heat flow. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how insulation installed incorrectly can cause moisture problems. Find out why it is important to install the vapor barrier the right way to keep moisture at bay and prevent mold and rot in the walls. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get tips on how to remove mold from a bathroom ceiling. Find out how to prevent the mold from returning with proper ventilation, and which paint is best to use in a bathroom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get tips on where to go to find out whether or not your home has bad unhealthy drywall. Find out how to identlify if your drywall was made in China, and how to identify bad drywall by its sulfuric rotten egg smell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn about encapsulating a crawl space. Get tips on whether encapsulating or insulating a crawl space is more economical, and how routine maintenance might affect the encapsulated crawl space. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get tips on which shrubs to plant for quick privacy. Find out how tall certains shrubs can get and whether or not they get bushy enough for needed privacy, as well as what their sun and shade requirements may be. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn which insulation is best to use in the ceiling and attic of older homes. Find out how much insulation to add to your existing insulation, and get tips on adding ventilation to the roof space so that the living space can breathe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how insulating noisy plumibing pipes can stop water hammer when the toilet is flushed. Find out how PVC pipes in the walls are the cause of the water hammer, and how easy it can be to get rid of the noise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to fix scratches in a cast iron porcelain-finished bathtub. Find out how to match the color of the tub, apply the product, and buff out the scratch so the tub looks like new. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out if a leaking faucet should be replaced with a WaterSense faucet. Learn tips about inspecting leaky faucets and how to replace them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn about windows which won't close tightly. Find tips about deciding if windows should be replaced or adjusted by a professional carpenter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn about the types of blown in insulation. Find tips for choosing blown insulation for stud spaces and between joists. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out about properly removing mold. Learn tips for preventing the return of mold after drying out your basement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why lights go dim when large appliances turn on. Learn about correcting a voltage loss which is causing dimmed lights. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn about proper grounding of an electrical service box. Find tips for having an electrical service box grounded by a professional electrician. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices