Status: U Return-Path: Received: from mx-mcdonald.atl.sa.earthlink.net ([127.0.0.1]) by mx-mcdonald.atl.sa.earthlink.net (EarthLink SMTP Server) with SMTP id 1l1Ygc1H53Nl36F0; Mon, 17 Nov 2008 02:11:00 -0500 (EST) Received: from wsmarth-swift.pas.sa.earthlink.net ([207.217.120.253]) by mx-mcdonald.atl.sa.earthlink.net (EarthLink SMTP Server) with ESMTP id 1l1Ygb5fA3Nl36F0 for ; Mon, 17 Nov 2008 02:10:59 -0500 (EST) Received: from domrl-brush.atl.sa.earthlink.net ([207.69.231.198]) by wsmarth-swift.pas.sa.earthlink.net with smtp (Exim 3.36 #4) id 1L1yGB-0007ps-00 for merileek@earthlink.net; Sun, 16 Nov 2008 23:10:59 -0800 X-ELNK-Loop: merilee@kerncommunications.com Received: from dukecmmtar01.coxmail.com ([68.99.120.48]) by domrl-brush.atl.sa.earthlink.net (EarthLink SMTP Server) with ESMTP id 1l1Yga1to3Nl5vE0 for ; Mon, 17 Nov 2008 02:10:58 -0500 (EST) Received: from merilee07cf8a9 ([68.15.13.44]) by dukecmmtar01.coxmail.com (InterMail vM.6.01.06.05 201-2131-130-106-20070212) with SMTP id <20081117071057.XYZB27464.dukecmmtar01.coxmail.com@merilee07cf8a9>; Mon, 17 Nov 2008 02:10:57 -0500 Message-ID: Reply-To: "Merilee:::Kern Communications" From: "Merilee:::Kern Communications" To: "Merilee:::Kern Communications" , , , "Christina King" Subject: The Money Pit Audio/Transcript from Nov 10 show Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2008 23:11:04 -0800 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_12CE_01C94840.992C8BB0" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2900.5512 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.5579 X-ELNK-AV: 0 X-ELNK-Info: sbv=0; sbrc=.0; sbf=00; sbw=010; This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_12CE_01C94840.992C8BB0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Transcript For November 10, 2008, Hour 2 http://www.moneypit.com/listen/past-shows-transcripts/mp2-11-10-08.mp3 Hosts: Tom Kraeutler & Leslie Segrete (NOTE: Timestamps below correspond to the running time of the = downloadable audio file of this show. Text represents a professional = transcriptionist's understanding of what was said. No guarantee of = accuracy is expressed or implied. 'Ph' in parentheses indicates the = phonetic or best guess of the actual spoken word.) BEGIN HOUR 2 TEXT: (promo/theme song) [audio timestamp: 0:025] TOM: Coast to coast and floorboards to shingles. This is The Money Pit = Home Improvement Radio Show. I'm Tom Kraeutler. LESLIE: And I'm Leslie Segrete. TOM: Call us now with your home improvement question. Call us now with = your do-it-yourself dilemma. The number is 1-888-MONEY-PIT. = 888-666-3974. You know with the holidays coming up in - wow, it's just a = couple of weeks now, you might be getting ready to give your oven a = workout with all that holiday baking and cookies and turkeys and all of = that. But you know, there's one thing that you should not do with your = oven this holiday season. It could shut down the whole party.=20 LESLIE: (chuckling) The entire operation. TOM: We're going to tell you what it is in just a bit.=20 LESLIE: And while we are on the hot topic of your kitchen, now is a = great time to make some improvement that'll leave it looking light and = airy. That's why we've cooked up a solution for a lighter-looking = kitchen that doesn't cost you a dime. TOM: Also, coming up on today's show, is it possible for a paint job = on a house to last for 25 or even 50 years? Well, there is some new = technology that can deliver just that. It has a lot to do with applying = the paint right at the factory in a climate-controlled setting. It's = quite new; it's fantastic; it's a great innovation and with us to talk = about it, at the bottom of the hour, will be the editor of Fine = Homebuilding magazine, Kevin Ireton, to fill us in.=20 LESLIE: And don't forget to get in our prize giveaway this hour. We're = giving away the Kill a Watt Electricity Meter. It's up for grabs and = it's a little gadget that's going to help you figure out exactly which = of your household appliances are eating the most electricity so you know = what to turn off and what to unplug and where to save energy. It's worth = 30 bucks but it could save you a ton more. TOM: Call us right now at 1-888-MONEY-PIT. 888-666-3974.=20 Leslie, who's first? LESLIE: Heading out to Oregon to talk with Sheree about rust stains. = What happened? SHEREE: Hi. Yeah, I have a concrete slab patio in my backyard and I = think the fertilizer has caused some staining on the patio; it looks = rust colored. And I'm wondering if there's a product or a process that = will remove those stains for me. TOM: Do you have a sprinkler system? SHEREE: I do. TOM: I doubt it's the fertilizer that's causing the rust. It's = probably just the rust that's coming up through the sprinkler system.=20 SHEREE: Oh. TOM: Do you have well water? SHEREE: No. Runs the city water. TOM: Hmm. Well, regardless, I think that you can clean it with a = solution of TSP, trisodium phosphate. SHEREE: Oh, OK. TOM: Available at hardware stores, home centers. Mix up a fairly = strong solution; use a brush, like a bristle brush on a stick. SHEREE: OK. TOM: Scrub it in a little bit; rinse it off. That ought to brighten it = up. And make sure you direct those sprinkler heads so that the water = does not reach the patio because I think you're going to find that = you're pulling up some iron from the ground and that's probably what's = causing this rust stain. SHEREE: Yeah, it does seem to be around the edge of the patio, too; so = that could be. OK, well thanks. I really appreciate it. TOM: You're welcome, Sheree. Thanks so much for calling us at = 888-MONEY-PIT.=20 SHEREE: Jim in South Carolina needs some help with a kitchen flooring = project. What's going on at your money pit? JIM: Well, greetings. I'm contemplating putting some tile down in our = kitchen. TOM: OK. JIM: In my rough guesstimation, with my backer board I'm going to use = under the tile and then my grout and then the tile, I don't feel like = I'm going to have enough clearance under my dishwasher. It'll bottom out = against my countertop. TOM: Right. JIM: And if I just tile up to the dishwasher and then the dishwasher = dies on me, what'll I do; take the countertop off? LESLIE: (overlapping voices) How are you going to get it out?=20 TOM: And therein lies the problem and the solution. LESLIE: (overlapping voices) Which Tom had to do. (laughs) TOM: Yeah, I actually had to do that, Jim, for my sister. She bought a = house that had the tile right up to the front edge of the dishwasher = and, of course, her dishwasher did eventually go and that was the only = way we were able to get it out. So we were able to take the Formica = countertop off but I mean if it had been Corian or solid-surface = material or something like that, then we would have been chiseling out = that floor, which would have been a big, stinking mess. So the point is = that whenever possible, you do want to tile under the dishwasher but, as = you have wisely calculated, you need to make sure that you have enough = room left to get that dishwasher in there. Now what kind of flooring is on there right now and is there any = opportunity to lower it? JIM: No, it's a regular plywood floor with just some raggedy linoleum = over it. TOM: Well, you know it seems to me that you might have enough space = then because, generally, you can put a floor that's about an inch thick = down and still have room for the dishwasher. So I would remove the kick = plate off of the front of the dishwasher and see how much adjustment you = have left there. LESLIE: Yeah, how much clearance do those adjustable legs give you? TOM: And you can actually . JIM: About an eighth of an inch. TOM: Well, you know you can actually unscrew the legs off the = dishwasher . LESLIE: And drop it down. TOM: . and just set it right back on top of the frame. Yeah. JIM: OK. OK. Well, keep your fingers crossed for me. (laughs) TOM: We'll do that. We'll do that. Jim, thanks so much for calling us = at 888-MONEY-PIT. 888-666-3974. LESLIE: You are tuned to the Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show. = Pick up the phone and let us know what you're working on 24 hours a day, = seven days a week; we can help you get the job done right the first time = at 1-888-MONEY-PIT. TOM: 888-666-3974.=20 Up next, there is one thing you definitely should not do with your = oven before you take on a marathon baking session this holiday season. = We're going to tell you what that is, next. [audio timestamp: 0:05:45.8] (theme song) ANNOUNCER: This portion of The Money Pit is brought to you by = Aprilaire, makers of professionally-installed, high-efficiency air = cleaners. For more information go to Aprilaire.com. Now, here are Tom = and Leslie. TOM: Making good homes better, welcome back to the Money Pit Home = Improvement Radio Show. I'm Tom Kraeutler. LESLIE: And I'm Leslie Segrete and you should give us a call at = 1-888-MONEY-PIT because one caller that we talk to on the air this hour = is going to win a prize. We're giving away, from our friends over at = CableOrganizer.com, a little tool called a Kill a Watt and it's an = electricity meter. It's worth 30 bucks and you walk around your house = with this little tool and it helps you assess the efficiency of all of = your electric appliances throughout the house. And you can even = calculate the cost of that appliance by the day, the week, the month or = the year so you know exactly which appliances and what-not is going on = in your house and wasting all of your energy dollars and then you can = make those corrections to fix it. So really, it's a prize that keeps on = giving. TOM: 888-666-3974. Call us right now with your home improvement = question at 1-888-MONEY-PIT, which could be, "How can I get my house = ready for the hordes of holiday visitors?" Well, if you're working on = that, you know there's one thing you might not want to do and that is to = clean your oven. Why? Because you know when you put the oven through the = self-cleaning cycle, it actually puts that entire appliance under the = most stress that it's really designed to take. And take this from = experience, if you try to clean your oven like the night before = everybody shows up, if it's going to break it will break right then . LESLIE: (chuckling) Of course it will. TOM: . and you will be out of luck trying to cook your holiday turkey. = I don't think it will work really well if you try to toast it over a = grill (Leslie chuckles) or something like that because you've got to = like set up the Hibachi in the backyard or something.=20 LESLIE: And this isn't just scare tactics. This actually happened to a = friend of ours. TOM: Well, and it's happened, actually, to - it happened originally to = a friend of mine and I started talking about it on the air and then a = lot of people said it happened to them. So if you're going to clean your = oven, don't do it like the night before the holiday. I mean do it now = when you have some time to actually go to the store and by the repair = parts if it happens to break (Leslie chuckles) or have the appliance = repairman come out and work on it. But don't do it the evening of = because you may find yourself oven-less the next day. 888-666-3974. Let's get back to the phones. LESLIE: Kathleen in Florida is dealing with some leaky copper pipes. = Tell us about what's going on.=20 KATHLEEN: OK, within the last six months I've had pinhole leaks in = three pipes in three separate areas of the house . TOM: Hmm. KATHLEEN: . one of which we repaired by putting new copper pipe in, = which is all the soldering; another one we repaired by PVC pipe; and the = one out in the garage, we repaired it by putting two clamps and a piece = of soft rubber hose. TOM: OK. (chuckles) OK. That'll do it, too. KATHLEEN: So what's our life going to be like for the next year? TOM: Well, and that is the question, isn't it? Pinhole leaks are = typically caused by a chemical reaction between the water and the copper = and there are varying opinions on what exactly has to happen to cause = that. But generally, you have to have a pH between 7 and 7.8 to make it = start.=20 There's a good article on this on a website called Toolbase.Org. It's = an entire case study on pinhole leaks and, essentially, the strategy for = repairing them is really three-fold. First of all, you repair the needed = leaks as they develop, which is what you're doing now; but then you also = plan and budget for a more major upgrade at the accessible parts of the = plumbing system in the future. So in other words, whenever you have, = say, some areas of plumbing pipe exposed, then you replace it and you do = that sort of as the second stage. And then the third stage is to replace = the pipes in the inaccessible areas but only if the leak develops. I would recommend that you consider using PEX, the plastic piping, = whenever you do these replacements because that stuff seems to be really = indestructible and is a good solution for replacing pinhole-failed = copper pipes.=20 LESLIE: Would it make sense if you're doing any renovations where = you've got drywall off and plumbing pipes are exposed, to go ahead and = do the changes then? TOM: Absolutely, you never want to cover the old copper pipe. If you = have it exposed you want to replace it at the same time. So I would look = for that case study. It's at Toolbase.org. Click on - Toolbase.org and = then search for pinhole leaks. You'll find lots more solutions there.=20 Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT. LESLIE: Heading way out west to Hawaii to chat with Frank about the = toilet. That's what you're calling us about? You don't want to invite us = surfing? (Tom chuckles) FRANK: This is probably a very stupid question but I just have asked = people and I just cannot get an answer. TOM: OK. FRANK: OK, is there any way to control the amount of water in the = toilet bowl itself? TOM: Have you replaced the flush valve or fill valve lately and have = seen the water going down? Has anything like that happened? FRANK: Oh, no. No, no, no. This is . TOM: No? It's just - by design it just doesn't seem to have too much = water in it. FRANK: Right. And that - it has too much water in it. Is there any way = I can decrease the amount goes into the bowl? TOM: Is this a high-efficiency toilet? FRANK: Yes, I guess so. TOM: OK. I would suspect that however much water is in that toilet, = it's designed to have that; because the engineering on these toilets is = such that they put the right amount of water and they also widen the = trap and they glaze the inside of the trap. That's the path the waste = flows through on the way out. And they do that so that they can be = assured that when you flush the toilet it's actually going to work and = that's as far as we're going to go with that explanation but you know = what I mean. (Leslie chuckles) So I wouldn't - if I were you, I would = not mess with that.=20 FRANK: OK, I thank you so much. TOM: You're welcome. FRANK: It was a dumb question but thank you anyway. (Leslie chuckles) TOM: No problem. No problem. No dumb questions here. Thanks so much = for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT. 888-666-3974. I think Frank's got way too much time on his hands out there in = Hawaii. LESLIE: And the worst is now there's a whole host of scenarios going = through my mind about why, perhaps, there might be too much water in = there and what causes the water (Tom chuckles) - I'm like, I don't even = want to think about it.=20 John in South Carolina is having some water issues at his house. = What's going on? JOHN: Well, we're purchasing a house that was built in 1926. It's been = added on over the years. It's got a wonderful piece of property. The = problem is it has not been occupied for a year.=20 TOM: OK. JOHN: And we had a home inspection and the home inspector detected a = strong odor of rotten eggs when he ran the hot water through the kitchen = sink. TOM: (overlapping voices) Mm-hmm, right. Mm-hmm. And did he tell you = what was causing that? JOHN: He suspected that there was a bacteriological problem within the = hot water heater itself . TOM: (overlapping voices) Hmm, no.=20 JOHN: . and that I needed to install a sacrificial anode and that went = right over my head. TOM: Well, actually, I think it's the opposite. I think it is the = water heater anode rod. It's a rod that is made of sort of = self-sacrificing magnesium and, basically, what that's designed to do is = dissolve in certain conditions and it protects the tank from rust out = but it can result in a sulfur odor.=20 Now how old is the water heater? JOHN: Don't know yet.=20 TOM: Take a look at the data plate on the water heater. It almost = always has the date stamped on it. If it's close to 10 years old, = replace the water heater. LESLIE: Just get a new one. TOM: Yeah, and if it's not, you can actually remove the anode. Now = that will void the water heater warranty because it won't be protected = against corrosion, but it will make the sulfur smell go away. LESLIE: So you would never replace the anode? TOM: Nah, I'd just remove it. LESLIE: Heading out to North Dakota to talk to Paula about a = decorating woe. How can we help you? PAULA: Hi, I'm calling because I have a bathroom that is covered in = popcorn (Leslie chuckles); the little stucco that's supposed to be on = the ceiling is actually on the walls, too. TOM: Wow. Well, it's a good thing it's a bathroom because it's a small = room.=20 PAULA: Yep. TOM: Getting rid of it is a bit of a hassle but not impossible. What = you want to do, Paula, is first of all you want to spray it down with = some water and what works well for that is one of those pump-up garden = sprayers. Get it sort of saturated and then you're going to carefully = scrape it off. And the best tool that I've found to use for this is a = spackle knife. And after you get it all off and you get it as smooth as = you possibly can, two things: first of all, make sure you prime the wall = with a good-quality primer; and then, secondly, when you put your = topcoat on, make sure you use flat paint - don't use anything with a = sheen. Even if you do a really super-good job at trying to get all that = popcorn off, it's still going to be somewhat uneven on the wall and if = you use a paint with a sheen it'll show up whenever the light hits it. = So if you use a flat paint it'll look really good. PAULA: Right. But there again, my problem too is that being a bathroom = it needs to be really scrubbable, too. TOM: Then I would use a scrubbable flat. I would use a washable flat = and I would use one with a mildicide. PAULA: OK, thank you. TOM: You're welcome, Paula. Thanks so much for calling us at = 888-MONEY-PIT. LESLIE: HVAC maintenance is on Eileen and George's minds. What can we = do for you? TOM: I was wondering - I have to maintenance my furnace. It's a new = house that I have; about three years old. What do I need to do and why = do I need to do it? TOM and LESLIE: (chuckling) OK. TOM: Eileen, I guess suffice to say you've never done any maintenance = work to this furnace before, huh? EILEEN: Well - no, actually, my mother used to do it . TOM: OK. EILEEN: . and she's no longer - she's passed. TOM: What kind of furnace is this? Is it gas? EILEEN: It's electric heat and air with a heat pump. TOM: Oh, it's a heat pump. OK. EILEEN: Brand new. TOM: Alright. Well, if it's a heat pump, then you may actually not = need to do too much because the service for the heat pump is essentially = the same as the service for the air conditioning. A heat pump is = essentially an air conditioner that's got a reversing mechanism so that = it can actually heat in the winter and cool you in the summer. It's not = like having a gas furnace where . EILEEN: Right. TOM: . you know you have to run that in the winter and it gets dirty = and needs to be cleaned separate from the air conditioner. But have you = - did you have the air conditioning system serviced this summer? EILEEN: Yes. TOM: Well, I think you're probably OK, then. There's not much else you = need to do. EILEEN: So I don't . TOM: No. Just because it's turned to the heating season, you don't = have to actually do something extra because it's the same service. You = essentially have a compressor. Now, you know the only other thing you = might want to make sure that you're doing is changing those filters on a = regular basis or installing an electronic air cleaner. EILEEN: Right, I do that. TOM: But other than that, there's not much that you need to do. EILEEN: OK. TOM: Alright? EILEEN: I thank you very much for your help. Appreciate it. TOM: Alright. Well, good luck with that project. Thanks so much for = calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT. LESLIE: Rick in Washington needs some help with a bathroom remodel. = How's the project going? RICK: It's going pretty well. We're down to deciding which type of tub = we want and we're wondering if a ball-and-claw cast iron tub would gain = us any value in the home after the remodel, versus a resin-style - the = newer-style resin tubs. TOM: Well, the good news, Rick, is both will get you equally clean. = (Leslie and Rick chuckle) In terms of return on investment, you know I = think that a remodeled bathroom by itself is going to be a great = improvement because surveys are showing that you get somewhere in the = area of 80 to 90 percent return on investment for remodeled bathrooms = and remodeled kitchens.=20 Now in terms of which one is going to be right for your project; = that's more of a decorating choice, I would think, Leslie. LESLIE: Yeah, I mean absolutely. If your home is of the certain time = period and architectural styling where the claw-footed tub is really the = right choice, then - I mean in my opinion, you cannot compete with a = claw-footed tub. They're gorgeous; they're ginormous; you can take a = beautiful, deep, long soak in a bathtub like that and you've just hit = the nail on the head for my dreams of a bath and I would buy your house = tomorrow if that was the case. But I really think it's up . RICK: See, the house is - I'm sorry. The house is a 1931 farmhouse, so = we didn't know if there was an inherent value in going with an = older-style tub versus a newer-style resin tub. LESLIE: I think if, consistently, you're going with historically = accurate details, you're better off to go with the cast iron tub. RICK: OK, very good. Also, we love your show. Thank you so much for = the help. LESLIE: (overlapping voices) Oh, our pleasure. TOM: (overlapping voices) You're welcome, Rick. Thanks so much for = calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT. LESLIE: Well, the fall is the perfect time of year to tackle a = painting project, but what if you never, ever wanted to paint ever = again? Well, it is a possibility and we're going to tell you all about = it, next. [audio timestamp: 0:18:19.1] (theme song) ANNOUNCER: The Money Pit is brought to you by the Western Red Cedar = Lumber Association. Discover western red cedar's unique beauty, = performance and environmental benefits at RealCedar.org. TOM: This is The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show. I'm Tom = Kraeutler. LESLIE: And I'm Leslie Segrete. TOM: Call us right now with your home improvement question. Call us = right now with your do-it-yourself dilemma. The number is = 1-888-MONEY-PIT. Call us right now if you'd like to find out how you can = have a house that you can paint once - well, sort of - or at least order = it painted (Leslie chuckles) and never have to touch it again for a = long, long time. You know we are big fans here of modular homes; those = that are built in factory settings that are climate and quality = controlled. LESLIE: Yeah, and now there is a way for you to actually get a = factory-finished paint job for your existing home that you live in right = now - whether it's a brand, spanking new home or a hundred-year-old home = - and this paint job could last you 25, even 50 years. We've got a great = guest here to tell us all about it and it's our friend from Fine = Homebuilding magazine, the editor, Kevin Ireton. Welcome. KEVIN: Hi, Leslie. Hi, Tom. TOM: Kevin, you know this is something that I don't think we ever = would have thought of as recent as just a few years ago; that you could = have a paint application on wood siding that would last more than, say, = seven or eight years. So how is it that the modular industry has sort of = figured this out? KEVIN: Well, I mean as you point out, everything is getting painted in = a factory these days and finally somebody realized, "Hey, you know we = mill this siding and then we ship it to a lumberyard. We can ship it to = a factory finisher to have it painted first." And I'm sort of = embarrassed that I didn't realize that this was going on because I've = known for a few years now that you can get your cedar siding or fiber = cement siding preprimed.=20 TOM: Right. LESLIE: Mm-hmm. KEVIN: And it's just - you know it's sort of obvious, when you think = about it, that they can - you know they've got it at a factory where = they're putting that primer on. While they've got it there, they can = also put on one or two finish coats of whatever color you specify. LESLIE: How is it possible? I mean is it really just the interior = conditions, climate control, that actually cause the paint to adhere = better, longer than if you were to put it on in an exterior setting? KEVIN: That's most of it but another factor is UV degradation. It = turns out that if raw wood - cedar, in particular - gets exposed to = sunlight, it begins to degrade immediately and paint will not adhere as = well to it.=20 TOM: So one of the keys here is that as soon as the wood is milled by = the manufacturer it's sent right to the finish house so it never sees = the light of day, literally. LESLIE: Interesting. KEVIN: Exactly. And then as Leslie points out, because you can control = dust and humidity and temperature in a factory and you obviously can't = on a jobsite, those things also contribute to the paint lasting much = longer than it typically would. TOM: Well, it sounds like it would definitely last a lot longer but = what about the cost? Is this a situation where it's also less expensive = to paint it in a factory than to, say, hire a housepainter to come out = and do it after the siding is installed? KEVIN: Tom, our research showed the answer to that question is yes. = It's really hard to get an estimate on a paint job, hypothetically, but = we tried. And what we came up with was a 3,000-square-foot house with a = factory-finished paint job coming in at about $3,500 and site-painted, = that same house would cost from $7,000 to $10,000. TOM: Oh, yeah. Or more. $3,500 is a pretty inexpensive paint job. Now what about, say, the damage that's done as a result of the siding = installation process? I mean we have cuts and nail holes and trim and = things like that . LESLIE: (overlapping voices) Mm-hmm, things that need to be touched = up. KEVIN: That's a really important sort of caveat to talk about here = because in many cases, even with the factory-applied paint job, you will = need to put one final coat on after the siding has been installed. It's = definitely true with cedar; a little less the case with fiber cement = because fiber cement seems to hold up a little better and you can get = color-matched nails for your fiber cement. TOM: Yeah, but since that siding is now being protected from UV; = really, since it actually arrived at the site, there's really no chance = for degradation. So you're really just putting a coat on for extra = measure there. KEVIN: Exactly. And again, important to remember that when you're = installing the siding, any of those cut ends will need to be painted = before the siding goes up.=20 LESLIE: Is there any guarantee to the durability of the paint? Are = there warranties that come along with this? I mean can they even give = you a warranty? KEVIN: They absolutely give you a warranty. Most warranties are for 15 = years if you've got one finish coat at the factory and if you put two = finish coats on at the factory, the typical warranty on the paint job is = 25 years. TOM: What wood siding manufacturers are using this process now, Kevin? KEVIN: In terms of wood siding, you know a lot of the cedar siding = that we use in this country is actually milled up in Canada. TOM: Right. KEVIN: So the way to get at this is simply to go to your local = lumberyard and find out whatever cedar siding they're carrying and they = can usually, at the lumberyard, arrange for a factory-finish paint job.=20 TOM: Fantastic. Kevin Ireton, the editor of Fine Homebuilding = magazine. Great tip about a way to, essentially, order your siding = prepainted and have it last up to 25 years. Thanks, Kevin. KEVIN: You're welcome. LESLIE: Well, thank you so much, Kevin, for thoroughly making my = laziness legitimate - now I never have to paint the outside of my house = again (Tom laughs) and I'm going to use it when I tell my husband, "But = let's get the manufactured tiles (ph) to come put them on the outside of = my house. Kevin says I can." So I thank you for that. Alright, is your dark and gloomy kitchen making your cooking chores = just plain dreary? Well, let the light in. It's easy and it's free and = we are going to tell you how, next. [audio timestamp: 0:24:27.1] (theme song) ANNOUNCER: The Money Pit is brought to you by Therma-Tru, the nation's = leading manufacturer of fiberglass entry and patio door systems. Choose = the brand more building professionals prefer and add up to $24,000 to = the perceived value of your home. For more information visit = ThermaTru.com. TOM: Making good homes better, welcome back to the Money Pit Home = Improvement Radio Show. I'm Tom Kraeutler. LESLIE: And I'm Leslie Segrete. TOM: And did you ever wonder which appliance in your house uses the = most energy? Well, it can be hard to tell; in fact, you might be = surprised when you find out there is one way to tell for sure and we're = giving it away this hour. It's a cool tool called a Kill a Watt = Electricity Meter. It's available from the folks at CableOrganizer.com = and it's going to go off to you if you pick up the phone and call us = right now at 1-888-MONEY-PIT with your home improvement question. LESLIE: And that Kill a Watt is certainly going to help you save a lot = of money and if you're looking to save a few more bucks here and there, = think about turning off the lights. We've got a tip that's really going = to help you let in the light, save some money and especially if you = don't like working in a dark area and a dark workspace or if your = kitchen is just plain dreary, this is the tip for you and it's perfect = for the cooler months - fall and winter. All you need to do is go into your kitchen or your dining room and = take off those window coverings and take advantage of the full, natural = light. You can forego those window treatments just for these seasons. = Put up some mirrors across from the windows. It's going to help double = the light that's coming in and it's going to make the room feel a lot = more open and a lot more airy. It really does help to change the feel of = the space. And in the winter months, it gets dark so early; you really = don't need them anyway.=20 TOM: And that tip comes straight from the pages of our new book, My = Home, My Money Pit: Your Guide to Every Home Improvement Adventure, and = I think it's titled Get Naked. (Leslie chuckles) Not you. Your windows. = It actually is a great decorating tip.=20 Let's get back to the phones. 888-666-3974. Leslie, who's next? LESLIE: Paul in Indiana has a roofing question. What can we do for = you? PAUL: I have a house that was built in 1928. It is two stories and it = has the red tile roof. TOM: That sounds gorgeous. PAUL: They're nice. They're nice looking. But during a heavy rain, we = have recently developed a leak that will come to the main floor, = basically in the kitchen area, from either the upstairs - not totally = sure if it's the attic or we do have a door to outside that looks like = it might have been a patio design at one point. But on the red tile = roof, I'm not comfortable taking that stuff off and I'm kind of looking = for maybe a contractor that would specialize in that type of stuff if = it's determined to be that. TOM: Well, first of all, in terms of sourcing out that leak, if you = can get up into the attic with a flashlight, the place that I would = check is specifically around where plumbing vents come through the roof. = Very often you get a boot around that that will break down because it's = only rubber, generally, and it'll break down. So matter how good your = tile is - the chances are the leak is not coming through the main field = of the tile; it's probably coming at one of the points where there's = some break in the roof, like where a chimney is or where a plumbing vent = goes through. Now, in terms of finding a contractor, it is difficult to find = good-quality contractors but there are some services that can help you = do that, one of which is called Angie's List. LESLIE: It's a great resource. In fact, every person who is making a = recommendation has no affiliation to the business whatsoever. PAUL: Ah. LESLIE: They're just regular consumers, like you and myself, who were = really happy or unhappy with a job and then go ahead and post it there. = So it's policed in a way to know that the company themselves are not = putting up good information about themselves. And it's very local, so = you can find a lot of folks in your area. PAUL: Oh, OK. Great. TOM: Sort of a social networking solution for finding a good-quality = contractor. PAUL: Very good. TOM: Paul, thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.=20 LESLIE: Now we're going to talk to Michelle in Utah about brightening = up a door. What can we do for you.=20 MICHELLE: I have an exterior door that I just had installed and it = wasn't painted. It's a fiberglass door with some glass inside of it and = around the glass there is a vinyl or plastic sort of material that's = holding the glass in there. And I had to paint the door and I got some = acrylic paint from a paint store. TOM: Mm-hmm, and it peeled right off, right? MICHELLE: And yeah, it's peeling off. The fiberglass part it's staying = on just fine. But I've tried twice. I . TOM: Well, when you painted it, have you used a primer or are you just = putting the topcoat of paint right over it? MICHELLE: I'm putting the top coat right over it.=20 TOM: OK, here's what I would do. I would try to get all the old paint = off; I would clean it really well with mineral spirits or acetone or = whatever type of product you're using. And then I would get a small pint = can of oil-based primer and I would prime it first. Primers have more = adhesive qualities than the topcoat and they're designed to stick. I = would prime it with an oil-based primer; nice, dry day; let it dry = really, really well and then you could put whatever topcoat over that. = And I think you'll have better adhesion luck with that. Now, if your door was new and you didn't want to paint it; you wanted = to stain it, there actually is a brand new stain kit on the market = that's made by Therma-Tru that works very well. It comes with a = five-year warranty and you can actually stain the door to look like = wood. And these guys invented the fiberglass door so you know this is = going to work. So that might be an option if you didn't want the paint = look. But if you want the paint look, then what I think you should do is = clean off what you have there, prime it and then repaint it. LESLIE: Jan in Michigan needs some help with a patio. What happened? JAN: Oh, well I have a patio that's quite old; it's about 20 years = old. And they used pavers and in between each paver they grouted it with = mortar.=20 TOM and LESLIE: OK. JAN: And it's all broken up. I'm tired of killing the weeds. I'm = always trying to kill the weeds. I'm tired of it. So I asked the one = landscape guy in our town to come and could he fix it and he said, = "Yeah." So he brought a bag of like quickset cement and brushed it in = and watered it and that didn't work at all. Now it's worse than ever = because he had powerwashed it before he did that; so now I have these = big, old gaping holes where the mortar was (Tom chuckles) and plus the = weeds. So I have everything. TOM: Alright. That's what happens when you call 1-800-SOME-GUY (all = chuckle) to come fix it, you know? JAN: Yeah. TOM: You know there's a product for this that QUIKRETE makes. It . LESLIE: Mm-hmm, it's called Joint-Lock; PowerLoc jointing sand.=20 TOM: It's a sand that basically you sweep in and then you do water it, = but it has a polymer in it so it solidifies and stops the weeds from = growing back up.=20 LESLIE: Mm-hmm, but it's sort of still kind of flexible; so as it = moves about with pressure from walking it's not going to crack apart. If = you do ever need to change out a paver, you can sort of break that seal = and pull out the stone without having to deal with a major concreting = issue.=20 JAN: OK, thank you so much. I'll try that fix. TOM: You're welcome. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT. LESLIE: I mean it's just a major, major maintenance project. You know = where we live, on the northeast, my family has a vacation home that has = slate; beautiful slate around a pool. But even out there on Long Island, = you get the freeze and thaw cycle. Every, single summer it's a major = maintenance project with that concrete and the mortar joints. It's just = terrible. TOM: This is The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show.=20 Up next, tips to help maintain your hardware floors. They take a = beating. We're going to tell you how to keep them looking in tiptop = shape, next. [audio timestamp: 0:32:21.1] (theme song) ANNOUNCER: This portion of The Money Pit is brought to you by Ryobi, = manufacturer of professional-feature power tools and accessories with an = affordable price for the do-it-yourselfer. Ryobi Power Tools. Pro = features. Affordable price. Available exclusively at The Home Depot. = Now, here are Tom and Leslie. TOM: Welcome back to the Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show. I'm = Tom Kraeutler. LESLIE: And I'm Leslie Segrete. Head online and click on MoneyPit.com and ask Tom and Leslie your = question by e-mail and we're going to jump right into that e-mail bag = right now. We've got one from Maurice in Connecticut who writes: "What = wax would you recommend for a hardwood floor with a poly finish?" TOM: Actually we would recommend no wax, Maurice, because you're not = really supposed to hard wax over polyurethane finishes; you're just = supposed to clean them. LESLIE: It's one or the other, right? TOM: Yeah. If you have a varnish finish - you know the old-fashioned = kind - then you might want to use like a paste wax; a floor paste wax. = It's important that it's a floor wax because they're not slippery. But = for polyurethane, you're really just supposed to clean them. Now, if the floor is really getting worn and has totally lost its = shine, it might be time to refinish the floor and a good trick of the = trade for that is to not sand it down all the way but just to lightly = sand the surface with a floor buffer and a sanding screen instead of a = buffer pad. That will just sort of smooth off the surface of it and you = can put one or two coats of poly over that and it'll be looking shiny = all over again. LESLIE: Alright, now we're going to take one from Roma in Washington = who writes: "We're finishing a new basement apartment in a 1920s house. = We cut an exterior door hole into the concrete foundation and now we = realize the bottom of the door foundation is almost seven feet to the = ground surface." TOM: Don't you think you should have figured that out before you cut = the hole in wall. (chuckles) LESLIE: Ooh. "We need to protect the house from water and install = stairs." Do you think? "In all our reading, it appears we will have to = dig down from our already seven feet to drain the water away from the = cement pad area outside the door. Is there another - and they write = "read magic" - way to do this?" (Tom laughs) "The apartment is nearly = ready to live in but we need the exterior entrance." TOM: Hmm. Well, you're going to have to create, essentially, a = stairwell that would be like retaining walls that surround the sides of = that opening. Now, in terms of the drain, you could, in fact, install a = drain beneath that and then run that sort of around the house out to the = street. I suspect that part of the landscape of this area is going to be = lower than that actual doorway; that would be the way to drain that. But = as far as the rest of the area, just make sure it slopes away from those = retaining walls so no water falls back into that space.=20 LESLIE: So Roma, no magic; just a lot of hard work. Good luck. TOM: Well, many of you don't know that Leslie is a fantastic cook. But = the truth is that before she became so talented at that, her = Thanksgiving shopping list used to include a turkey, stuffing and a fire = extinguisher. LESLIE: (chuckling) That's terrible.=20 TOM: Fortunately, things have gotten a lot better around the Segrete = household since those days - those early days of her cooking adventures = and in today's edition of Leslie's Last Word she's got some tips on why = turkey and stuffing don't necessarily go together. LESLIE: And I have to tell you, I speak from experience. This happened = a Thanksgiving when I was much smaller and not doing as much of the = cooking. And my sister Stephanie - gotta love her - she created this = sort of lamb, rack of lamb, masterpiece; you know you deviate from the = menu once and then 15 family members are in the bathroom fighting for = hours and hours . TOM: There's no going back. LESLIE: . and there's not enough toilet paper to fix the situation. So = cook what you know but make sure that you maintain a proper food prep = area. It really is so important because you don't want the folks that = you've invited over to get sick. So you want to make sure that you never = prepare food on a surface that's been previously touched by the raw = turkey or any raw meat that you're preparing. You also want to be sure = to thoroughly clean and sanitize all your cutting boards, your = countertops and the utensils that have come in contact with any raw = meat. Wash your hands a lot. This is going to help prevent spreading = harmful bacteria, because the last thing you want is your entire family = reunion heading on over to the emergency room because, believe me, the = party does not continue there. TOM: Speaking of which, coming up next week on The Money Pit, we're = going to have toilet tips (Leslie laughs) info on everything that you = need from finding a leak to some great innovations in new toilets. = There's a theme for the whole end of the show. (Leslie laughs) I'm Tom Kraeutler. LESLIE: And I'm Leslie Segrete. TOM: Remember, you can do it yourself . LESLIE: But you don't have to do it alone. [audio timestamp: 0:37:00.3] (theme song) END HOUR 2 TEXT ------=_NextPart_000_12CE_01C94840.992C8BB0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Transcript For November 10, 2008, Hour=20 2
http://www.moneypit.com/listen/past-shows-transcripts/mp2-11-10-08= .mp3
 
 
Hosts: Tom=20 Kraeutler & Leslie Segrete

(NOTE: Timestamps below = correspond to=20 the running time of the downloadable audio file of this show. Text = represents=20 a professional transcriptionist's understanding of  what was = said.=20 No guarantee of accuracy is expressed or implied. 'Ph' in parentheses=20 indicates the phonetic or best guess of the actual spoken = word.)

BEGIN=20 HOUR 2 TEXT:

(promo/theme song)

[audio timestamp:=20 0:025]

TOM: Coast to coast and floorboards to shingles. This is = The=20 Money Pit Home=20 Improvement=20 Radio Show. I=92m Tom Kraeutler.

LESLIE: And I=92m Leslie=20 Segrete.

TOM: Call us now with your home improvement question. = Call us=20 now with your do-it-yourself dilemma. The number is 1-888-MONEY-PIT.=20 888-666-3974. You know with the holidays coming up in =96 wow, it=92s = just a=20 couple of weeks now, you might be getting ready to give your oven a = workout=20 with all that holiday baking and cookies and turkeys and all of that. = But you=20 know, there=92s one thing that you should not do with your oven this = holiday=20 season. It could shut down the whole party.

LESLIE: = (chuckling) The=20 entire operation.

TOM: We=92re going to tell you what it is in = just a=20 bit.

LESLIE: And while we are on the hot topic of your = kitchen, now is=20 a great time to make some improvement that=92ll leave it looking light = and airy.=20 That=92s why we=92ve cooked up a solution for a lighter-looking = kitchen that=20 doesn=92t cost you a dime.

TOM: Also, coming up on today=92s = show, is it=20 possible for a paint job on a house to last for 25 or even 50 years? = Well,=20 there is some new technology that can deliver just that. It has a lot = to do=20 with applying the paint right at the factory in a climate-controlled = setting.=20 It=92s quite new; it=92s fantastic; it=92s a great innovation and with = us to talk=20 about it, at the bottom of the hour, will be the editor of Fine = Homebuilding=20 magazine, Kevin Ireton, to fill us in.

LESLIE: And don=92t = forget to get=20 in our prize giveaway this hour. We=92re giving away the Kill a Watt = Electricity=20 Meter. It=92s up for grabs and it=92s a little gadget that=92s going = to help you=20 figure out exactly which of your household appliances are eating the = most=20 electricity so you know what to turn off and what to unplug and where = to save=20 energy. It=92s worth 30 bucks but it could save you a ton = more.

TOM: Call=20 us right now at 1-888-MONEY-PIT. 888-666-3974.

Leslie, who=92s = first?

LESLIE: Heading out to Oregon to talk with Sheree about = rust=20 stains. What happened?

SHEREE: Hi. Yeah, I have a concrete=20 slab=20 patio in my backyard and I think the fertilizer has caused some = staining on=20 the patio; it looks rust colored. And I=92m wondering if there=92s a = product or a=20 process that will remove those stains for me.

TOM: Do you have = a=20 sprinkler system?

SHEREE: I do.

TOM: I doubt it=92s the = fertilizer=20 that=92s causing the rust. It=92s probably just the rust that=92s = coming up through=20 the sprinkler system.

SHEREE: Oh.

TOM: Do you have well = water?

SHEREE: No. Runs the city water.

TOM: Hmm. Well,=20 regardless, I think that you can clean it with a solution of TSP, = trisodium=20 phosphate.

SHEREE: Oh, OK.

TOM: Available at hardware=20 stores,=20 home centers. Mix up a fairly strong solution; use a brush, like a = bristle=20 brush on a stick.

SHEREE: OK.

TOM: Scrub it in a little = bit;=20 rinse it off. That ought to brighten it up. And make sure you direct = those sprinkler=20 heads so that the water does not reach the patio because I think = you=92re going=20 to find that you=92re pulling up some iron from the ground and = that=92s probably=20 what=92s causing this rust stain.

SHEREE: Yeah, it does seem to = be around=20 the edge of the patio, too; so that could be. OK, well thanks. I = really=20 appreciate it.

TOM: You=92re welcome, Sheree. Thanks so much = for calling=20 us at 888-MONEY-PIT.

SHEREE: Jim in South Carolina needs some = help=20 with a kitchen flooring project. What=92s going on at your money=20 pit?

JIM: Well, greetings. I=92m contemplating putting some = tile down in=20 our kitchen.

TOM: OK.

JIM: In my rough guesstimation, = with my=20 backer board I=92m going to use under the tile and then my grout and = then the=20 tile, I don=92t feel like I=92m going to have enough clearance under = my=20 dishwasher. It=92ll bottom out against my countertop.

TOM:=20 Right.

JIM: And if I just tile up to the dishwasher and then = the=20 dishwasher dies on me, what=92ll I do; take the countertop = off?

LESLIE:=20 (overlapping voices) How are you going to get it out?

TOM: And = therein=20 lies the problem and the solution.

LESLIE: (overlapping voices) = Which=20 Tom had to do. (laughs)

TOM: Yeah, I actually had to do that, = Jim, for=20 my sister. She bought a house that had the tile right up to the front = edge of=20 the dishwasher and, of course, her dishwasher did eventually go and = that was=20 the only way we were able to get it out. So we were able to take the = Formica=20 countertop off but I mean if it had been Corian or solid-surface = material or=20 something like that, then we would have been chiseling out that floor, = which=20 would have been a big, stinking mess. So the point is that whenever = possible,=20 you do want to tile under the dishwasher but, as you have wisely = calculated,=20 you need to make sure that you have enough room left to get that = dishwasher in=20 there.

Now what kind of flooring is on there right now and is = there any=20 opportunity to lower it?

JIM: No, it=92s a regular plywood=20 floor with just some raggedy linoleum over it.

TOM: Well, you = know it=20 seems to me that you might have enough space then because, generally, = you can=20 put a floor that=92s about an inch thick down and still have room for = the=20 dishwasher. So I would remove the kick plate off of the front of the=20 dishwasher and see how much adjustment you have left = there.

LESLIE:=20 Yeah, how much clearance do those adjustable legs give = you?

TOM: And=20 you can actually =85

JIM: About an eighth of an = inch.

TOM: Well,=20 you know you can actually unscrew the legs off the dishwasher = =85

LESLIE:=20 And drop it down.

TOM: =85 and just set it right back on top of = the=20 frame. Yeah.

JIM: OK. OK. Well, keep your fingers crossed for = me.=20 (laughs)

TOM: We=92ll do that. We=92ll do that. Jim, thanks so = much for=20 calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT. 888-666-3974.

LESLIE: You are = tuned to the=20 Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show. Pick up the phone and let us = know what=20 you=92re working on 24 hours a day, seven days a week; we can help you = get the=20 job done right the first time at 1-888-MONEY-PIT.

TOM: = 888-666-3974.=20

Up next, there is one thing you definitely should not do with = your=20 oven before you take on a marathon baking session this holiday season. = We=92re=20 going to tell you what that is, next.

[audio timestamp:=20 0:05:45.8]

(theme song)

ANNOUNCER: This portion of The = Money Pit=20 is brought to you by Aprilaire, makers of professionally-installed,=20 high-efficiency air cleaners. For more information go to = Aprilaire.com. Now,=20 here are Tom and Leslie.

TOM: Making good homes better, welcome = back to=20 the Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show. I=92m Tom=20 Kraeutler.

LESLIE: And I=92m = Leslie Segrete=20 and you should give us a call at 1-888-MONEY-PIT because one caller = that we=20 talk to on the air this hour is going to win a prize. We=92re giving = away, from=20 our friends over at CableOrganizer.com, a little tool called a Kill a = Watt and=20 it=92s an electricity meter. It=92s worth 30 bucks and you walk around = your house=20 with this little tool and it helps you assess the efficiency of all of = your=20 electric appliances throughout the house. And you can even calculate = the cost=20 of that appliance by the day, the week, the month or the year so you = know=20 exactly which appliances and what-not is going on in your house and = wasting=20 all of your energy dollars and then you can make those corrections to = fix it.=20 So really, it=92s a prize that keeps on = giving.

TOM:=20 888-666-3974. Call us right now with your home improvement question at = 1-888-MONEY-PIT, which could be, =93How can I get my house ready for = the hordes=20 of holiday visitors?=94 Well, if you=92re working on that, you know = there=92s one=20 thing you might not want to do and that is to clean your oven. Why? = Because=20 you know when you put the oven through the self-cleaning cycle, it = actually=20 puts that entire appliance under the most stress that it=92s really = designed to=20 take. And take this from experience, if you try to clean your oven = like the=20 night before everybody shows up, if it=92s going to break it will = break right=20 then =85

LESLIE: (chuckling) Of course it will.

TOM: =85 = and you=20 will be out of luck trying to cook your holiday turkey. I don=92t = think it will=20 work really well if you try to toast it over a grill (Leslie chuckles) = or=20 something like that because you=92ve got to like set up the Hibachi in = the=20 backyard or something.

LESLIE: And this isn=92t just scare = tactics. This=20 actually happened to a friend of ours.

TOM: Well, and it=92s = happened,=20 actually, to =96 it happened originally to a friend of mine and I = started=20 talking about it on the air and then a lot of people said it happened = to them.=20 So if you=92re going to clean your oven, don=92t do it like the night = before the=20 holiday. I mean do it now when you have some time to actually go to = the store=20 and by the repair parts if it happens to break (Leslie chuckles) or = have the=20 appliance repairman come out and work on it. But don=92t do it the = evening of=20 because you may find yourself oven-less the next = day.

888-666-3974.=20 Let=92s get back to the phones.

LESLIE: Kathleen in Florida is = dealing=20 with some leaky copper pipes. Tell us about what=92s going on. =

KATHLEEN:=20 OK, within the last six months I=92ve had pinhole leaks in three pipes = in three=20 separate areas of the house =85

TOM: Hmm.

KATHLEEN: =85 = one of which=20 we repaired by putting new copper pipe in, which is all the soldering; = another=20 one we repaired by PVC=20 pipe;=20 and the one out in the garage,=20 we repaired it by putting two clamps and a piece of soft rubber=20 hose.

TOM: OK. (chuckles) OK. That=92ll do it, = too.

KATHLEEN: So=20 what=92s our life going to be like for the next year?

TOM: = Well, and that=20 is the question, isn=92t it? Pinhole leaks are typically caused by a = chemical=20 reaction between the water and the copper and there are varying = opinions on=20 what exactly has to happen to cause that. But generally, you have to = have a pH=20 between 7 and 7.8 to make it start.

There=92s a good article = on this on=20 a website called Toolbase.Org. It=92s an entire case study on pinhole = leaks and,=20 essentially, the strategy for repairing them is really three-fold. = First of=20 all, you repair the needed leaks as they develop, which is what = you=92re doing=20 now; but then you also plan and budget for a more major upgrade at the = accessible parts of the plumbing=20 system=20 in the future. So in other words, whenever you have, say, some areas = of=20 plumbing pipe exposed, then you replace it and you do that sort of as = the=20 second stage. And then the third stage is to replace the pipes in the=20 inaccessible areas but only if the leak develops.

I would = recommend=20 that you consider using PEX, the plastic piping, whenever you do these = replacements because that stuff seems to be really indestructible and = is a=20 good solution for replacing pinhole-failed copper pipes. =

LESLIE: Would=20 it make sense if you=92re doing any renovations=20 where you=92ve got drywall off and plumbing pipes are exposed, to go = ahead and=20 do the changes then?

TOM: Absolutely, you never want to cover = the old=20 copper pipe. If you have it exposed you want to replace it at the same = time.=20 So I would look for that case study. It=92s at Toolbase.org. Click on = =96=20 Toolbase.org and then search for pinhole leaks. You=92ll find lots = more=20 solutions there.

Thanks so much for calling us at=20 888-MONEY-PIT.

LESLIE: Heading way out west to Hawaii to chat = with=20 Frank about the toilet. That=92s what you=92re calling us about? You = don=92t want to=20 invite us surfing? (Tom chuckles)

FRANK: This is probably a = very stupid=20 question but I just have asked people and I just cannot get an=20 answer.

TOM: OK.

FRANK: OK, is there any way to control = the=20 amount of water in the toilet bowl itself?

TOM: Have you = replaced the=20 flush=20 valve=20 or fill valve lately and have seen the water going down? Has anything = like=20 that happened?

FRANK: Oh, no. No, no, no. This is = =85

TOM: No?=20 It=92s just =96 by design it just doesn=92t seem to have too much = water in=20 it.

FRANK: Right. And that =96 it has too much water in it. Is = there any=20 way I can decrease the amount goes into the bowl?

TOM: Is this = a=20 high-efficiency toilet?

FRANK: Yes, I guess so.

TOM: OK. = I would=20 suspect that however much water is in that toilet, it=92s designed to = have that;=20 because the engineering on these toilets is such that they put the = right=20 amount of water and they also widen the trap and they glaze the inside = of the=20 trap. That=92s the path the waste flows through on the way out. And = they do that=20 so that they can be assured that when you flush the toilet it=92s = actually going=20 to work and that=92s as far as we=92re going to go with that = explanation but you=20 know what I mean. (Leslie chuckles) So I wouldn=92t =96 if I were you, = I would not=20 mess with that.

FRANK: OK, I thank you so much.

TOM: = You=92re=20 welcome.

FRANK: It was a dumb question but thank you anyway. = (Leslie=20 chuckles)

TOM: No problem. No problem. No dumb questions here. = Thanks=20 so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT. 888-666-3974.

I think = Frank=92s=20 got way too much time on his hands out there in Hawaii.

LESLIE: = And the=20 worst is now there=92s a whole host of scenarios going through my mind = about=20 why, perhaps, there might be too much water in there and what causes = the water=20 (Tom chuckles) =96 I=92m like, I don=92t even want to think about it. =

John=20 in South Carolina is having some water issues at his house. What=92s = going=20 on?

JOHN: Well, we=92re purchasing a house that was built in = 1926. It=92s=20 been added on over the years. It=92s got a wonderful piece of = property. The=20 problem is it has not been occupied for a year.

TOM: = OK.

JOHN:=20 And we had a home inspection and the home inspector detected a strong = odor of=20 rotten eggs when he ran the hot water through the kitchen=20 sink.

TOM:=20 (overlapping voices) Mm-hmm, right. Mm-hmm. And did he tell you what = was=20 causing that?

JOHN: He suspected that there was a = bacteriological=20 problem within the hot water=20 heater=20 itself =85

TOM: (overlapping voices) Hmm, no.

JOHN: =85 = and that I=20 needed to install a sacrificial anode and that went right over my=20 head.

TOM: Well, actually, I think it=92s the opposite. I think = it is the=20 water=20 heater=20 anode rod. It=92s a rod that is made of sort of self-sacrificing = magnesium and,=20 basically, what that=92s designed to do is dissolve in certain = conditions and it=20 protects the tank from rust out but it can result in a sulfur odor.=20

Now how old is the water=20 heater?

JOHN:=20 Don=92t know yet.

TOM: Take a look at the data plate on the water=20 heater.=20 It almost always has the date stamped on it. If it=92s close to 10 = years old,=20 replace the water=20 heater.

LESLIE:=20 Just get a new one.

TOM: Yeah, and if it=92s not, you can = actually remove=20 the anode. Now that will void the water=20 heater=20 warranty because it won=92t be protected against corrosion, but it = will make the=20 sulfur smell go away.

LESLIE: So you would never replace the=20 anode?

TOM: Nah, I=92d just remove it.

LESLIE: Heading = out to=20 North Dakota to talk to Paula about a decorating woe. How can we help=20 you?

PAULA: Hi, I=92m calling because I have a bathroom that is = covered=20 in popcorn (Leslie chuckles); the little stucco=20 that=92s supposed to be on the ceiling=20 is actually on the walls, too.

TOM: Wow. Well, it=92s a good = thing it=92s a=20 bathroom because it=92s a small room.

PAULA: Yep.

TOM: = Getting=20 rid of it is a bit of a hassle but not impossible. What you want to = do, Paula,=20 is first of all you want to spray it down with some water and what = works well=20 for that is one of those pump-up garden sprayers. Get it sort of = saturated and=20 then you=92re going to carefully scrape it off. And the best tool that = I=92ve=20 found to use for this is a spackle knife. And after you get it all off = and you=20 get it as smooth as you possibly can, two things: first of all, make = sure you=20 prime the wall with a good-quality primer; and then, secondly, when = you put=20 your topcoat on, make sure you use flat paint =96 don=92t use anything = with a=20 sheen. Even if you do a really super-good job at trying to get all = that=20 popcorn off, it=92s still going to be somewhat uneven on the wall and = if you use=20 a paint with a sheen it=92ll show up whenever the light hits it. So if = you use a=20 flat paint it=92ll look really good.

PAULA: Right. But there = again, my=20 problem too is that being a bathroom it needs to be really scrubbable, = too.

TOM: Then I would use a scrubbable flat. I would use a = washable=20 flat and I would use one with a mildicide.

PAULA: OK, thank=20 you.

TOM: You=92re welcome, Paula. Thanks so much for calling = us at=20 888-MONEY-PIT.

LESLIE: HVAC=20 maintenance is on Eileen and George=92s minds. What can we do for=20 you?

TOM: I was wondering =96 I have to maintenance my furnace.=20 It=92s a new house that I have; about three years old. What do I need = to do and=20 why do I need to do it?

TOM and LESLIE: (chuckling) = OK.

TOM:=20 Eileen, I guess suffice to say you=92ve never done any maintenance = work to this=20 furnace=20 before, huh?

EILEEN: Well =96 no, actually, my mother used to = do it=20 =85

TOM: OK.

EILEEN: =85 and she=92s no longer =96 = she=92s=20 passed.

TOM: What kind of furnace=20 is this? Is it gas?

EILEEN: It=92s electric heat=20 and=20 air=20 with a heat pump.

TOM: Oh, it=92s a heat=20 pump.=20 OK.

EILEEN: Brand new.

TOM: Alright. Well, if it=92s a = heat pump,=20 then you may actually not need to do too much because the service for = the heat=20 pump is essentially the same as the service for the air=20 conditioning.=20 A heat pump is essentially an air=20 conditioner=20 that=92s got a reversing mechanism so that it can actually heat in the = winter=20 and cool you in the summer. It=92s not like having a gas=20 furnace=20 where =85

EILEEN: Right.

TOM: =85 you know you have to = run that in=20 the winter and it gets dirty and needs to be cleaned separate from the = air=20 conditioner. But have you =96 did you have the air=20 conditioning=20 system=20 serviced this summer?

EILEEN: Yes.

TOM: Well, I think = you=92re=20 probably OK, then. There=92s not much else you need to = do.

EILEEN: So I=20 don=92t =85

TOM: No. Just because it=92s turned to the heating = season, you=20 don=92t have to actually do something extra because it=92s the same = service. You=20 essentially have a compressor. Now, you know the only other thing you = might=20 want to make sure that you=92re doing is changing those filters on a = regular=20 basis or installing an electronic air cleaner.

EILEEN: Right, I = do=20 that.

TOM: But other than that, there=92s not much that you = need to=20 do.

EILEEN: OK.

TOM: Alright?

EILEEN: I thank you = very=20 much for your help. Appreciate it.

TOM: Alright. Well, good = luck with=20 that project. Thanks so much for calling us at = 888-MONEY-PIT.

LESLIE:=20 Rick in Washington needs some help with a bathroom remodel. How=92s = the project=20 going?

RICK: It=92s going pretty well. We=92re down to deciding = which type=20 of tub we want and we=92re wondering if a ball-and-claw cast iron tub = would gain=20 us any value in the home after the remodel,=20 versus a resin-style =96 the newer-style resin tubs.

TOM: Well, = the good=20 news, Rick, is both will get you equally clean. (Leslie and Rick = chuckle) In=20 terms of return on investment, you know I think that a remodeled = bathroom by=20 itself is going to be a great improvement because surveys are showing = that you=20 get somewhere in the area of 80 to 90 percent return on investment for = remodeled bathrooms and remodeled=20 kitchens.=20

Now in terms of which one is going to be right for your = project;=20 that=92s more of a decorating choice, I would think, = Leslie.

LESLIE:=20 Yeah, I mean absolutely. If your home is of the certain time period = and=20 architectural styling where the claw-footed tub is really the right = choice,=20 then =96 I mean in my opinion, you cannot compete with a claw-footed = tub.=20 They=92re gorgeous; they=92re ginormous; you can take a beautiful, = deep, long soak=20 in a bathtub=20 like that and you=92ve just hit the nail on the head for my dreams of = a bath and=20 I would buy your house tomorrow if that was the case. But I really = think it=92s=20 up =85

RICK: See, the house is =96 I=92m sorry. The house is a = 1931=20 farmhouse, so we didn=92t know if there was an inherent value in going = with an=20 older-style tub versus a newer-style resin tub.

LESLIE: I think = if,=20 consistently, you=92re going with historically accurate details, = you=92re better=20 off to go with the cast iron tub.

RICK: OK, very good. Also, we = love=20 your show. Thank you so much for the help.

LESLIE: (overlapping = voices)=20 Oh, our pleasure.

TOM: (overlapping voices) You=92re welcome, = Rick.=20 Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.

LESLIE: Well, = the fall=20 is the perfect time of year to tackle a painting project, but what if = you=20 never, ever wanted to paint ever again? Well, it is a possibility and = we=92re=20 going to tell you all about it, next.

[audio timestamp:=20 0:18:19.1]

(theme song)

ANNOUNCER: The Money Pit is = brought to=20 you by the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association. Discover western red = cedar=92s=20 unique beauty, performance and environmental benefits at=20 RealCedar.org.

TOM: This is The Money Pit Home Improvement = Radio Show.=20 I=92m Tom Kraeutler.

LESLIE: And I=92m Leslie = Segrete.

TOM: Call us=20 right now with your home improvement question. Call us right now with = your=20 do-it-yourself dilemma. The number is 1-888-MONEY-PIT. Call us right = now if=20 you=92d like to find out how you can have a house that you can paint = once =96=20 well, sort of =96 or at least order it painted (Leslie chuckles) and = never have=20 to touch it again for a long, long time. You know we are big fans here = of=20 modular homes; those that are built in factory settings that are = climate and=20 quality controlled.

LESLIE: Yeah, and now there is a way for = you to=20 actually get a factory-finished paint job for your existing home that = you live=20 in right now =96 whether it=92s a brand, spanking new home or a = hundred-year-old=20 home =96 and this paint job could last you 25, even 50 years. We=92ve = got a great=20 guest here to tell us all about it and it=92s our friend from Fine = Homebuilding=20 magazine, the editor, Kevin Ireton.

Welcome.

KEVIN: Hi, = Leslie.=20 Hi, Tom.

TOM: Kevin, you know this is something that I don=92t = think we=20 ever would have thought of as recent as just a few years ago; that you = could=20 have a paint application on wood siding that would last more than, = say, seven=20 or eight years. So how is it that the modular industry has sort of = figured=20 this out?

KEVIN: Well, I mean as you point out, everything is = getting=20 painted in a factory these days and finally somebody realized, =93Hey, = you know=20 we mill this siding=20 and then we ship it to a lumberyard. We can ship it to a factory = finisher to=20 have it painted first.=94 And I=92m sort of embarrassed that I = didn=92t realize that=20 this was going on because I=92ve known for a few years now that you = can get your=20 cedar siding or fiber cement siding preprimed.

TOM:=20 Right.

LESLIE: Mm-hmm.

KEVIN: And it=92s just =96 you = know it=92s sort=20 of obvious, when you think about it, that they can =96 you know = they=92ve got it=20 at a factory where they=92re putting that primer on. While they=92ve = got it there,=20 they can also put on one or two finish coats of whatever color you=20 specify.

LESLIE: How is it possible? I mean is it really just = the=20 interior conditions, climate control, that actually cause the paint to = adhere=20 better, longer than if you were to put it on in an exterior=20 setting?

KEVIN: That=92s most of it but another factor is UV = degradation.=20 It turns out that if raw wood =96 cedar, in particular =96 gets = exposed to=20 sunlight, it begins to degrade immediately and paint will not adhere = as well=20 to it.

TOM: So one of the keys here is that as soon as the = wood is=20 milled by the manufacturer it=92s sent right to the finish house so it = never=20 sees the light of day, literally.

LESLIE: = Interesting.

KEVIN:=20 Exactly. And then as Leslie points out, because you can control dust = and=20 humidity and temperature in a factory and you obviously can=92t on a = jobsite,=20 those things also contribute to the paint lasting much longer than it=20 typically would.

TOM: Well, it sounds like it would definitely = last a=20 lot longer but what about the cost? Is this a situation where it=92s = also less=20 expensive to paint it in a factory than to, say, hire a housepainter = to come=20 out and do it after the siding is installed?

KEVIN: Tom, our = research=20 showed the answer to that question is yes. It=92s really hard to get = an estimate=20 on a paint job, hypothetically, but we tried. And what we came up with = was a=20 3,000-square-foot house with a factory-finished paint job coming in at = about=20 $3,500 and site-painted, that same house would cost from $7,000 to=20 $10,000.

TOM: Oh, yeah. Or more. $3,500 is a pretty inexpensive = paint=20 job.

Now what about, say, the damage that=92s done as a result = of the siding=20 installation=20 process? I mean we have cuts and nail holes and trim and things like = that=20 =85

LESLIE: (overlapping voices) Mm-hmm, things that need to be = touched=20 up.

KEVIN: That=92s a really important sort of caveat to talk = about here=20 because in many cases, even with the factory-applied paint job, you = will need=20 to put one final coat on after the siding has been installed. It=92s = definitely=20 true with cedar; a little less the case with fiber cement=20 because fiber cement seems to hold up a little better and you can get=20 color-matched nails for your fiber cement.

TOM: Yeah, but since = that=20 siding is now being protected from UV; really, since it actually = arrived at=20 the site, there=92s really no chance for degradation. So you=92re = really just=20 putting a coat on for extra measure there.

KEVIN: Exactly. And = again,=20 important to remember that when you=92re installing the siding, any of = those cut=20 ends will need to be painted before the siding goes up. =

LESLIE: Is=20 there any guarantee to the durability of the paint? Are there = warranties that=20 come along with this? I mean can they even give you a = warranty?

KEVIN:=20 They absolutely give you a warranty. Most warranties are for 15 years = if=20 you=92ve got one finish coat at the factory and if you put two finish = coats on=20 at the factory, the typical warranty on the paint job is 25 = years.

TOM:=20 What wood siding manufacturers are using this process now,=20 Kevin?

KEVIN: In terms of wood siding, you know a lot of the = cedar=20 siding that we use in this country is actually milled up in=20 Canada.

TOM: Right.

KEVIN: So the way to get at this is = simply=20 to go to your local lumberyard and find out whatever cedar siding = they=92re=20 carrying and they can usually, at the lumberyard, arrange for a = factory-finish=20 paint job.

TOM: Fantastic. Kevin Ireton, the editor of Fine=20 Homebuilding magazine. Great tip about a way to, essentially, order = your=20 siding prepainted and have it last up to 25 years.

Thanks,=20 Kevin.

KEVIN: You=92re welcome.

LESLIE: Well, thank you = so much,=20 Kevin, for thoroughly making my laziness legitimate =96 now I never = have to=20 paint the outside of my house again (Tom laughs) and I=92m going to = use it when=20 I tell my husband, =93But let=92s get the manufactured tiles (ph) to = come put them=20 on the outside of my house. Kevin says I can.=94 So I thank you for=20 that.

Alright, is your dark and gloomy kitchen making your = cooking=20 chores just plain dreary? Well, let the light in. It=92s easy and = it=92s free and=20 we are going to tell you how, next.

[audio timestamp:=20 0:24:27.1]

(theme song)

ANNOUNCER: The Money Pit is = brought to=20 you by Therma-Tru, the nation=92s leading manufacturer of fiberglass = entry and=20 patio door systems. Choose the brand more building professionals = prefer and=20 add up to $24,000 to the perceived value of your home. For more = information=20 visit ThermaTru.com.

TOM: Making good homes better, welcome = back to the=20 Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show. I=92m Tom = Kraeutler.

LESLIE: And=20 I=92m Leslie Segrete.

TOM: And = did you ever=20 wonder which appliance in your house uses the most energy? Well, it = can be=20 hard to tell; in fact, you might be surprised when you find out there = is one=20 way to tell for sure and we=92re giving it away this hour. It=92s a = cool tool=20 called a Kill a Watt Electricity Meter. It=92s available from the = folks at=20 CableOrganizer.com and it=92s going to go off to you if you pick up = the phone=20 and call us right now at 1-888-MONEY-PIT with your home improvement=20 question.

LESLIE: And that Kill a Watt is = certainly=20 going to help you save a lot of money and if you=92re looking to save = a few more=20 bucks here and there, think about turning off the lights. We=92ve got = a tip=20 that=92s really going to help you let in the light, save some money = and=20 especially if you don=92t like working in a dark area and a dark = workspace or if=20 your kitchen is just plain dreary, this is the tip for you and it=92s = perfect=20 for the cooler months =96 fall and winter.

All you need to do = is go into=20 your kitchen or your dining room and take off those window=20 coverings=20 and take advantage of the full, natural light. You can forego those window=20 treatments=20 just for these seasons. Put up some mirrors across from the windows. = It=92s=20 going to help double the light that=92s coming in and it=92s going to = make the=20 room feel a lot more open and a lot more airy. It really does help to = change=20 the feel of the space. And in the winter months, it gets dark so = early; you=20 really don=92t need them anyway.

TOM: And that tip comes = straight from=20 the pages of our new book, My Home, My Money Pit: Your Guide to Every = Home=20 Improvement Adventure, and I think it=92s titled Get Naked. (Leslie = chuckles)=20 Not you. Your windows. It actually is a great decorating tip. =

Let=92s=20 get back to the phones. 888-666-3974. Leslie, who=92s = next?

LESLIE: Paul=20 in Indiana has a roofing=20 question. What can we do for you?

PAUL: I have a house that was = built=20 in 1928. It is two stories and it has the red tile=20 roof.

TOM:=20 That sounds gorgeous.

PAUL: They=92re nice. They=92re nice = looking. But=20 during a heavy rain, we have recently developed a leak that will come = to the=20 main floor, basically in the kitchen area, from either the upstairs = =96 not=20 totally sure if it=92s the attic or we do have a door to outside that = looks like=20 it might have been a patio design at one point. But on the red tile roof,=20 I=92m not comfortable taking that stuff off and I=92m kind of looking = for maybe a=20 contractor=20 that would specialize in that type of stuff if it=92s determined to be = that.

TOM: Well, first of all, in terms of sourcing out that = leak, if=20 you can get up into the attic with a flashlight,=20 the place that I would check is specifically around where plumbing = vents come=20 through the roof. Very often you get a boot around that that will = break down=20 because it=92s only rubber, generally, and it=92ll break down. So = matter how good=20 your tile is =96 the chances are the leak is not coming through the = main field=20 of the tile; it=92s probably coming at one of the points where = there=92s some=20 break in the roof, like where a chimney=20 is or where a plumbing vent goes through.

Now, in terms of finding=20 a=20 contractor,=20 it is difficult to find good-quality contractors but there are some = services=20 that can help you do that, one of which is called Angie=92s = List.

LESLIE:=20 It=92s a great resource. In fact, every person who is making a = recommendation=20 has no affiliation to the business whatsoever.

PAUL: = Ah.

LESLIE:=20 They=92re just regular consumers, like you and myself, who were really = happy or=20 unhappy with a job and then go ahead and post it there. So it=92s = policed in a=20 way to know that the company themselves are not putting up good = information=20 about themselves. And it=92s very local, so you can find a lot of = folks in your=20 area.

PAUL: Oh, OK. Great.

TOM: Sort of a social = networking=20 solution for finding a good-quality contractor.

PAUL: Very=20 good.

TOM: Paul, thanks so much for calling us at = 888-MONEY-PIT.=20

LESLIE: Now we=92re going to talk to Michelle in Utah about = brightening=20 up a door. What can we do for you.

MICHELLE: I have an = exterior door=20 that I just had installed and it wasn=92t painted. It=92s a fiberglass = door with=20 some glass inside of it and around the glass there is a vinyl or = plastic sort=20 of material that=92s holding the glass in there. And I had to paint = the door and=20 I got some acrylic paint from a paint store.

TOM: Mm-hmm, and = it peeled=20 right off, right?

MICHELLE: And yeah, it=92s peeling off. The = fiberglass=20 part it=92s staying on just fine. But I=92ve tried twice. I = =85

TOM: Well,=20 when you painted it, have you used a primer or are you just putting = the=20 topcoat of paint right over it?

MICHELLE: I=92m putting the top = coat=20 right over it.

TOM: OK, here=92s what I would do. I would try = to get all=20 the old paint off; I would clean it really well with mineral spirits = or=20 acetone or whatever type of product you=92re using. And then I would = get a small=20 pint can of oil-based primer and I would prime it first. Primers have = more=20 adhesive qualities than the topcoat and they=92re designed to stick. I = would=20 prime it with an oil-based primer; nice, dry day; let it dry really, = really=20 well and then you could put whatever topcoat over that. And I think = you=92ll=20 have better adhesion luck with that.

Now, if your door was new = and you=20 didn=92t want to paint it; you wanted to stain it, there actually is a = brand new=20 stain kit on the market that=92s made by Therma-Tru that works very = well. It=20 comes with a five-year warranty and you can actually stain the door to = look=20 like wood. And these guys invented the fiberglass door so you know = this is=20 going to work. So that might be an option if you didn=92t want the = paint look.=20 But if you want the paint look, then what I think you should do is = clean off=20 what you have there, prime it and then repaint it.

LESLIE: Jan = in=20 Michigan needs some help with a patio. What happened?

JAN: Oh, = well I=20 have a patio that=92s quite old; it=92s about 20 years old. And they = used pavers=20 and in between each paver they grouted it with mortar.

TOM and = LESLIE:=20 OK.

JAN: And it=92s all broken up. I=92m tired of killing the = weeds. I=92m=20 always trying to kill the weeds. I=92m tired of it. So I asked the one = landscape=20 guy in our town to come and could he fix it and he said, =93Yeah.=94 = So he brought=20 a bag of like quickset cement and brushed it in and watered it and = that didn=92t=20 work at all. Now it=92s worse than ever because he had powerwashed it = before he=20 did that; so now I have these big, old gaping holes where the mortar = was (Tom=20 chuckles) and plus the weeds. So I have everything.

TOM: = Alright.=20 That=92s what happens when you call 1-800-SOME-GUY (all chuckle) to = come fix it,=20 you know?

JAN: Yeah.

TOM: You know there=92s a product = for this=20 that QUIKRETE makes. It =85

LESLIE: Mm-hmm, it=92s called = Joint-Lock;=20 PowerLoc jointing sand.

TOM: It=92s a sand that basically you = sweep in=20 and then you do water it, but it has a polymer in it so it solidifies = and=20 stops the weeds from growing back up.

LESLIE: Mm-hmm, but = it=92s sort of=20 still kind of flexible; so as it moves about with pressure from = walking it=92s=20 not going to crack apart. If you do ever need to change out a paver, = you can=20 sort of break that seal and pull out the stone without having to deal = with a=20 major concreting issue.

JAN: OK, thank you so much. I=92ll try = that=20 fix.

TOM: You=92re welcome. Thanks so much for calling us at=20 888-MONEY-PIT.

LESLIE: I mean it=92s just a major, major = maintenance=20 project. You know where we live, on the northeast, my family has a = vacation=20 home that has slate; beautiful slate around a pool. But even out there = on Long=20 Island, you get the freeze and thaw cycle. Every, single summer it=92s = a major=20 maintenance project with that concrete=20 and the mortar joints. It=92s just terrible.

TOM: This is The = Money Pit=20 Home Improvement Radio Show.

Up next, tips to help maintain = your=20 hardware floors. They take a beating. We=92re going to tell you how to = keep them=20 looking in tiptop shape, next.

[audio timestamp:=20 0:32:21.1]

(theme song)

ANNOUNCER: This portion of The = Money Pit=20 is brought to you by Ryobi,=20 manufacturer of professional-feature power=20 tools=20 and accessories with an affordable price for the do-it-yourselfer. = Ryobi Power=20 Tools. Pro features. Affordable price. Available exclusively at The Home=20 Depot.=20 Now, here are Tom and Leslie.

TOM: Welcome back to the Money = Pit Home=20 Improvement Radio Show. I=92m Tom Kraeutler.

LESLIE: And I=92m = Leslie=20 Segrete.

Head online and click on MoneyPit.com and ask Tom and = Leslie=20 your question by e-mail and we=92re going to jump right into that = e-mail bag=20 right now. We=92ve got one from Maurice in Connecticut who writes: = =93What wax=20 would you recommend for a hardwood floor with a poly = finish?=94

TOM:=20 Actually we would recommend no wax, Maurice, because you=92re not = really=20 supposed to hard wax over polyurethane finishes; you=92re just = supposed to clean=20 them.

LESLIE: It=92s one or the other, right?

TOM: Yeah. = If you=20 have a varnish finish =96 you know the old-fashioned kind =96 then you = might want=20 to use like a paste wax; a floor paste wax. It=92s important that = it=92s a floor=20 wax because they=92re not slippery. But for polyurethane, you=92re = really just=20 supposed to clean them.

Now, if the floor is really getting = worn and=20 has totally lost its shine, it might be time to refinish the floor and = a good=20 trick of the trade for that is to not sand it down all the way but = just to=20 lightly sand the surface with a floor buffer and a sanding screen = instead of a=20 buffer pad. That will just sort of smooth off the surface of it and = you can=20 put one or two coats of poly over that and it=92ll be looking shiny = all over=20 again.

LESLIE: Alright, now we=92re going to take one from Roma = in=20 Washington who writes: =93We=92re finishing a new basement=20 apartment in a 1920s house. We cut an exterior door hole into the concrete=20 foundation=20 and now we realize the bottom of the door foundation is almost seven = feet to=20 the ground surface.=94

TOM: Don=92t you think you should have = figured that=20 out before you cut the hole in wall. (chuckles)

LESLIE: Ooh. = =93We need=20 to protect the house from water and install stairs.=94 Do you think? = =93In all our=20 reading, it appears we will have to dig down from our already seven = feet to=20 drain the water away from the cement pad area outside the door. Is = there=20 another =96 and they write =93read magic=94 =96 way to do this?=94 = (Tom laughs) =93The=20 apartment is nearly ready to live in but we need the exterior=20 entrance.=94

TOM: Hmm. Well, you=92re going to have to create, = essentially,=20 a stairwell that would be like retaining=20 walls=20 that surround the sides of that opening. Now, in terms of the drain, = you=20 could, in fact, install a drain beneath that and then run that sort of = around=20 the house out to the street. I suspect that part of the landscape of = this area=20 is going to be lower than that actual doorway; that would be the way = to drain=20 that. But as far as the rest of the area, just make sure it slopes = away from=20 those retaining walls so no water falls back into that space. =

LESLIE:=20 So Roma, no magic; just a lot of hard work. Good luck.

TOM: = Well, many=20 of you don=92t know that Leslie is a fantastic cook. But the truth is = that=20 before she became so talented at that, her Thanksgiving shopping list = used to=20 include a turkey, stuffing and a fire extinguisher.

LESLIE: = (chuckling)=20 That=92s terrible.

TOM: Fortunately, things have gotten a lot = better=20 around the Segrete household since those days =96 those early days of = her=20 cooking adventures and in today=92s edition of Leslie=92s Last Word = she=92s got some=20 tips on why turkey and stuffing don=92t necessarily go = together.

LESLIE:=20 And I have to tell you, I speak from experience. This happened a = Thanksgiving=20 when I was much smaller and not doing as much of the cooking. And my = sister=20 Stephanie =96 gotta love her =96 she created this sort of lamb, rack = of lamb,=20 masterpiece; you know you deviate from the menu once and then 15 = family=20 members are in the bathroom fighting for hours and hours = =85

TOM: There=92s=20 no going back.

LESLIE: =85 and there=92s not enough toilet = paper to fix the=20 situation. So cook what you know but make sure that you maintain a = proper food=20 prep area. It really is so important because you don=92t want the = folks that=20 you=92ve invited over to get sick. So you want to make sure that you = never=20 prepare food on a surface that=92s been previously touched by the raw = turkey or=20 any raw meat that you=92re preparing. You also want to be sure to = thoroughly=20 clean and sanitize all your cutting boards, your countertops=20 and the utensils that have come in contact with any raw meat. Wash = your hands=20 a lot. This is going to help prevent spreading harmful bacteria, = because the=20 last thing you want is your entire family reunion heading on over to = the=20 emergency room because, believe me, the party does not continue=20 there.

TOM: Speaking of which, coming up next week on The Money = Pit,=20 we=92re going to have toilet tips (Leslie laughs) info on everything = that you=20 need from finding a leak to some great innovations in new toilets. = There=92s a=20 theme for the whole end of the show. (Leslie laughs)

I=92m Tom=20 Kraeutler.

LESLIE: And I=92m Leslie Segrete.

TOM: = Remember, you=20 can do it yourself =85

LESLIE: But you don=92t have to do it=20 alone.

[audio timestamp: 0:37:00.3]

(theme=20 song)



END HOUR 2=20 TEXT
------=_NextPart_000_12CE_01C94840.992C8BB0--