The Money Pit Calls & Answers

Learn how to diagnose and repair cracks in a brick chimney, and how a professional home inspector could provide better advice than a contractor or chimney sweep. Find out why cracks in brick chimneys tend to appear toward the top of the Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to avoid peeling paint on a concrete foundation. Find out why you should only use epoxy paint on a cement foundation and why good drainage is important to stopping peeling exterior paint. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to remove stains from aluminum siding. Find out where to buy house cleaners for home siding. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn whether or not your roof needs ice and water shield. Find out how to prevent roof leaks and shingle damage caused by ice dams. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn why electrical upgrades are not a do-it-yourself project. Find out why you should never install a circuit breaker with higher amps than what you already have. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to prevent rust stains on your fence. Find out how water from lawn sprinklers can contain hard water and leave orange stains behind on PVC and wood fencing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to use vapor barrier to warm up drafty floors. Find out how to install a vapor barrier under your house over existing insulation to warm up a cold floor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn why bowing foundation walls call for a structural engineer. Find out how having the repair designed by a structural engineer will help if you ever want to sell your home. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get hardwood floor finishing tips. Find out why you should apply stain or sealer to the floor working backwards toward the exit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn about energy efficient options for replacing a boiler. Find out about the Energy Star rating system for appliances that help you save money on your home energy bills. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn why you might have a problem with your pilot light if your water heater is turning off frequently. Find out how a thermal couple that isn't close enough to the pilot could cause your water heater to shut off. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get flooring options for a motor home. Find out why carpet tiles and laminate flooring are smart choices for a mobile home. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to restain a spot on a wood table. Find out how to apply a patch of wood stain with a paintbrush on a damaged wood table top. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to reduce moisture in a Florida room. Find out how installing a whole house dehumidifer and a vapor barrier under the floor can help lower the amount of moisture in a sunroom or Florida room. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to clean a wood door. Find out how a product called Simple Green will help clean dirty film from interior and exterior doors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to fix loose bricks on stairs. Find out how to purchase a Quikrete product that bonds brick. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to find where your French drain is draining. Find out about special penetrating radar and cameras that plumbers use to look inside pipes and underground. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn where to find an antique window replacement. Find out how architectural salvage shops can help you replace a broken pane of antique or vintage glass. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn why you should get a home inspection before your warranty expires. Find out why calling your builder does not count as notice to your warranty company. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn the easiest and best way to clean dirty, stained grout using a grout stripper. Find out why you should seal grout after stripping to keep it clean. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to live safely with old electrical wiring. Find out why it's important to make sure old fuses are inactive, especially in an attic near insulation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to remove stains from a brick driveway. Find out how cleaning brick pavers with TSP may help remove oils stains, and how turning brick pavers over can help hide stains. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to prevent moisture on concrete flooring. Find out how to choose an underlayment for hardwood or laminate flooring. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to prevent white crusty stains on basement walls. Find out how to stop mineral salt deposits from forming by keeping your gutters clean and extending your downspouts away from the house. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how composite decking compares to wood decking in terms of cost, maintenance and ease of construction. Find out what is available in railing systems to match composite decking. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to get rid of odor from a laundry tub. Find out how sewer gas and bacteria in your washing machine can cause a bad smell in your laundry tub and how to remove the smell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to choose insulation for a crawlspace. Find out how to install a vapor barrier against a dirt floor in a crawlspace to control moisture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to remove clinging vines from a house. Find out why you should not use a pressure washer, and begin with a Roundup weed killing product. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to prevent a concrete slab from freezing and lifting. Find out how improving drainage around your home can keep water under a concrete walkway or slab from freezing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to get grout clean without chemicals. Find out how to use lemon juice, baking soda and a grout stripper tool to remove dirt from your tile grout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how clean gutters keep basements dry. Find out how to keep water from seeping into your basement by installing gutters and keeping them clean. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to repair holes in a hollow door. Find out how you can use a thin wood veneer and contact cement to repair a damaged hollow wood door. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to reroute a kitchen exhaust fan. Find out why a fan that vents outside is more efficient than a fan that vents through the roof. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn the possible cause of soot stains near a heat vent. Find out why you should have your furnace inspected immediately by an HVAC contractor to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to prime and paint exterior metal doors. Find out why using a primer is important to getting paint to stick to metal doors and other exterior surfaces. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to lay a brick patio. Find out why you should begin with a base of mixed gravel to prevent weeds from growing between the bricks of your patio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to clean shingle stains. Find out how to use Jomax cleanser and cover plants and vegetation with a tarp to protect them while removing stains from the roof. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to clean grout without chemicals. Find out how to use a grout saw to remove grease stains from grout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn the best way to add a ducted air conditioning system to a house that has hot water heat. Find out about a system that uses flexible ducts small enough to fit inside the home's walls. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to remove grease stains from a concrete driveway. Find out how a product called TSP from the hardware store, when used as a paste, will clean stains from cement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to replace exterior flashing to prevent moisture behind siding. Find out about a product called Tri-Flex by Grace that will keep moisture from getting trapped behind your vinyl siding. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn why a plumbing issue with your dishwasher might cause your house to shake. Find out how to installing a water hammer arrestor can fix the problem. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how a burned out water heater coil can cause a shortage of hot water in your house. Find out how to get a continuity test by a plumber can help identify if this is the cause of the problem. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to remove squirrels or carpenter bees. Find out how a professional exterminator can apply pesticides to get rid of carpenter bees, but you can get rid of squirrels with a Havahart trap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to install an artificial lawn. Find out about two companies that manufacture artificial grass: WaterlessGrass.com and Synlawn.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to stain a deck made of pressure-treated lumber. Find out why you should stain your deck on a dry day, and how to clean a deck. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to get rid of snakes. Find out how eliminating hiding places and food sources for snakes, including rodents, can help get rid of snakes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to repair pitted or deteriorated concrete. Find out how to use an expoxy coating for cement that will fill in holes and cracks and leave the surface level and smooth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn about the best heating and cooling options for a Victorian house. Find out about heating and air conditioning systems like SpacePak that can deliver cooling to an old home. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how bulging vinyl windows may indicate a bigger structural problem. Find out why you should hire a structural engineer or a home inspector to determine the cause of bulging windows. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices