Episode #2049: Making Leftover Last | Better Tool Organization | Refinishing Hardwood Floors | Most Efficient Heating
In this chapter …
Did you ever notice that some leftovers seem to last a very long time and other turns shades of lettuce is an instant? Tom& Leslie explain why that happens and what you can do to make sure your leftovers last.
Do you ever feel like you’re ever having trouble finding the tool you’re looking for? If your workshop or craft opening is cluttered, disorganized, maybe even overflowing, a standard toolbox might not be cutting it for you. Get helpful tips for implement constitution.Hardwood storeys are great to have but if yours are worn, how do you know if they can be refinished? Well share tip-off for a storey redo that doesn’t involve hiring pros with big sanding machines that turn you home into a wooden “dust bowl.”Heating and cooling is one of the biggest expenses of owning a home. We look atone type of system that specifies heating, central air conditioning and hot water at over four times the efficiency of any furnace on the market
Plus, provide answers to your dwelling increase a matter of … removing wallpaper and installing wainscotting, restore peeling bathroom paint, steps to installing a tile floor, waterproofing a basement storey.
Do you have a home improvement or decor question? Call the show 24/7 at 888 -MONEY-PIT ( 888 -6 66 -3 974) or post your question now.
Read Transcript
TOM: Coast to coast and floorboards to shingles, this is The Money Pit Home Improvement Show.
How are you guys doing today? It’s a beautiful dusk weekend in our neck of the woods. I hope it is where you are, as well. We are well into November now, so anniversary season is not extremely far apart, which means you may be coming hectic with some indoor jobs. But whether your campaign is inside or out, whether it’s something you want to do or something you have to do in way of a fixing, we would like to help.
You can get in touch with us several ways. You can pick up the phone and call us at 1-888-MONEY-PIT. We’ll call you back the next time we’re in the studio. Or you can post your questions to MoneyPit.com.
Coming up on today’s show, with the holidays coming soon we’re doing a lot of cooking, which I think is kind of peculiar, Leslie, because we’re not doing a lot of entertaining but I predict …
LESLIE: I’m like, “Who are we cooking for? ”
TOM: You’ve got to eat, you are well aware? But I think that means we’re going to have a ton of leftovers, probably more than ever before overflowing in the fridge.
And speaking of leftovers, did you ever notice that some leftovers seem to last-place a really, certainly long time?
LESLIE: Well, because the other ones are so yummy you eat them all up right off or- and the other ones exactly get left in there?
TOM: Maybe, perhaps, perhaps. But others turn shadows of dark-green, seemingly in an instant. Well, there’s a reason that some turn quicker than others and it’s not exactly having anything to do with the menu. It has to do with the temperature and the container. We’re going to explain what you need to know, in really a bit.
LESLIE: And if you’re a renter, you’re probably doing that to save money. But we don’t crave you to waste it on high utility monies, so we’re going to have some gratuities on how you can save money heating your suite, in today’s Smart Spending Tip. It’s going to stimulate you a lot more comfortable and it doesn’t involve any types of major restores that exclusively the landlord can do. This is stuff that you can do yourself to cut back on that chill and become yourself a great deal happier.
TOM: And hardwood storeys are fantastic. But if yours are worn, how do you know if they can be refinished? We’re going to share some tip-off for a storey redo that does not involve hiring pros with big sanding machines that turn your home into a wooden dust bowl.
LESLIE: And we’re launching a brand-new sweepstakes for all our Money Pit love. It’s called the Holiday Home Decor Giveaway. It’s presented by Arrow Fastener, who has fastened us up with a dozen sets of implements, worth over $125 each, to give away.
TOM: Yep. You’re going to get tools to help with all your celebration decoration and crafts assignments, including the T2 1X Wire Stapler, which I cherish because you can use it to hang those holiday light-footeds. Enter now at MoneyPit.com/ Sweepstakes.
But first, we want to know what you want to know. What job do it is necessary to some assist with? Give us a call at 1-888-MONEY-PIT or affix your questions online at MoneyPit.com.
Let’s get to it. Leslie, who’s firstly?
LESLIE: Lynn in Florida is on the line and has some problems with wallpaper. What’s going on?
LYNN: We actually bought a house about three years ago that is just a traditional vicinity dwelling- brick home- but it’s about 40 year olds. And there was quite a lot of wallpaper put in the home. It actually was a model home for the neighborhood we’re in.
TOM: OK.
LYNN: So, it had one owner before we bought it in really good shape. But as we were taking wallpaper down, it’s kind of turned into the wallpaper nightmare. And the wallpaper pullings off part of the sheetrock no matter what product we try to use or how we try to do it.
TOM: Oh, boy. Wow. Mm-hmm. Yep.
LYNN: So, my neighbor across the street bought their residence a few years ago and they started abusing beadboard as opposed to- to cover the wallpaper in their remodel versus trying to take the wallpaper down.
So I have a question about our lord tub. Especially, it has a window in the chamber, in the small bathroom.
TOM: Right.
LYNN: So it did not require an air-conditioning vent.
TOM: Right.
LYNN: It has an exhaust vent but- so I’m wondering if we tried to do the beadboard, would there be a risk of going molding on top of the wallpaper, but behind the beadboard, because of the lack of really good circulation? Or am I doing something wrong with the wallpaper removal? Or what is your opinion about beadboard?
TOM: OK. Let’s break it down.
Leslie, why don’t we talk about perhaps the wallpaper first?
Now, when you have been trying to remove this, you mentioned that you’re do a lot of different things. Have you leased a steamer before? A professional wallpaper steamer.
LYNN: No, I has not been able to leased a professional one, exactly because our regional dwelling supermarket now charges about $35 a day. And it’s not something I’m going to be able to do in one day. So I thought that price may be prohibitive. My neighbor had one that they did dictate, that I tried. I likewise employed, I believe it was Piranha; I can’t recollect accurately the call of the product. I’ve too exploited steam, I’ve too worked vinegar and hot water with a sponge.
TOM: I entail it may seem expensive but not when you compare it to all the hours you’re putting into this thing.
So, two things. First of all, I’d like to see you try this whenever- I don’t know- whether it’s the shower or another room. But try hiring a professional wallpaper steamer. And furthermore, there’s a real handy, little, inexpensive implement made by Zinsser called a Paper Tiger. And what you do is you roll this across the wall before you steam it and it keeps all kinds of little prickly gap in the paper. And what that does is presents the steam all these residences that it can get in there and start to work and separate.
LESLIE: That’s underneath it.
TOM: Do underneath it, yep. So I would try both of those things together, right?
Now, let’s talk about the shower itself. You mentioned that it doesn’t have cooling, it doesn’t have ventilation. Or it has an exhaust fan. One of the points that you really should be doing, if you’re working in that space, is moving sure you have an exhaust fan that’s on a humidistat, that can be added to an existing exhaust fan or you could replace it. And with the humidistat, you can automatically have it race whenever it needs to so it doesn’t really compile a lot of humidity in that small-scale space.
I’m not seriously concerned about anything flourishing underneath beadboard- which, by the way, for those who are unaware, is a kind of paneling. But it’s made of cellular PVC, so it’s plastic. But when it’s covered, it ogles just like wood. And usually, you use it like wainscoting. You situated it halfway up the wall and then maybe do something on top of that.
And then, Leslie, I guess the last thing is that she could make-up the wallpaper which, in such cases, we don’t like to say do this a lot. But in this case, you’ve came so much better of it it may not be a bad step.
LESLIE: I have not positive feelings for that.
TOM: Yeah.
LESLIE: I see, in a tinge, it use. It’s just going to make it harder to eventually take it down later. I thoughts the seams never look cohesive, if you will. They’re ever obvious to me. If the paper has any texture or funny brightnes or something on it, that’s going to show up. I don’t love that one of the purposes of it.
LYNN: We actually had one of our areas- or had the major part of the house coated before we moved in. And it wasn’t until months later that I noticed seams in one of the bedrooms. So the actual one- it had already been coated over, which we didn’t know.
LESLIE: And that’s impelling it harder.
LYNN: Exactly. So that one I’m not even trying to take down. I kind of have it hidden with videos. I know.
But my neighbors did a really good job, the person or persons that they hired with the beadboard. I precisely didn’t know if that was a positive make. I think it has- it’s gotten real popular, from what I understand.
TOM: Yeah. But not for the entire house. Use it in small quantities but not for the entire place.
Look, if the walls are that bad and you can’t possibly get this wallpaper off, the second thing to do here is you could have all those walls surfaced with brand-new drywall. Not 1/2 -inch-thick drywall but you can buy much thinner drywall that’s 1/4 -inch thick or 3/8 -inch thick and go on top of the old drywall.
You know, I live in a exceedingly, very old house and I had plaster walls. And in one section of the house, I made all the plaster down, which was a big, stinking mess. Truly soiled, dust-covered job and a great deal of work. And in the other section of the house, I said, “I’m going to be smarter this time.” And I barked the age-old plaster walls with this new, thin drywall. And that room examinations better than the one where I took it all the way down to the ornaments, because those ornaments are old and uneven.
So, I feel putting another bed of drywall is not a bad solution, either. And certainly, if you’re thinking about lay beadboard up the whole- to do the same thing, this would give you another alternative that would be pretty much the same price.
LYNN: OK. That’s a great idea. I know that my- the handyman I use, when I mentioned beadboard to him, he various kinds of sighed at it. But he did mention re-skimming with- so that must be what he’s talking about. Because he says he elevates that over wallpaper. So it affixes well? Does it poke well to wallpaper?
TOM: No, we’re not even talking about an application of anything, re-skimming. If he’s talking about putting plaster on it or something like that , no. My answer to that is no. I’m talking about new- brand-new- drywall, 4×8 membranes of drywall, but they’re thinner. The standard drywall is 1/2 -inch. When you’re putting a second layer on, it’s like a 1/4 -inch, OK? And you have to screw it in place and you have to spackle the seams and paint it and such. But it basically would give you brand-new walls.
LYNN: Gotcha. So it’s actually brand-new drywall; it’s not just going over the existing.
TOM: Yes, ma’am. Correct.
LYNN: OK. Perfect.
TOM: Yep.
LYNN: Alright. Well, thank you for all of your advice and your suggestions. I regard the call.
TOM: Well, we’re happy to help you out. Good luck with that projection. You’ve got a lot going on there, so don’t get overwhelmed. Just take it on formerly section at a time. I look at it like chipping at stone, right? Eventually, you’re going to have a masterpiece.
LYNN: OK. Thank you so much.
LESLIE: Heading over to Alabama with Sonny on the line who’s got a question about peeling depict. What’s going on?
SONNY: Yeah. Well, on the ceiling and on the walls of my shower, the paint is just peeling off in big slice there. And I didn’t know what would be the best thing to do- is rind everything there is off or treat it some other way or whatever to do to it to get that fixed in there.
TOM: Hey, Sonny, when’s the last time you decorated the bathroom?
SONNY: Oh, it’s been probably 5 years, at least.
TOM: OK. And this is a new problem then? It lasted 5 years and …
SONNY: Yeah, it exactly started rind real- actually, it has rind a little but big cases, mostly. But this is big time.
TOM: Yeah. And when you depicted it last experience, do you recollect if you used a primer on the walls first? Or did you exactly settled another coat of make-up on top of what was there?
SONNY: Actually, I just introduced- had it decorated. I had a professional painter to paint it but I don’t know what he did.
TOM: Yeah.
SONNY: I didn’t supervise it or anything.
TOM: Yeah. Well, OK. So here’s the thing. Normally, if you’re going on top of an old decorate occupation and if you have any area where you’re concerned about adhesion, especially, or it’s exactly an old-time skin-deep, it’s always smart to do a primer coat. Because that’s the cement that performs the decorate stick.
Now, when you said the peel that you’re hear coming off, do you think- is this peeling back to the layer you had before you had it coated last? Or is it pulling deeper coatings of decorate off?
SONNY: I think it’s merely one layer.
TOM: So this all tells me that I don’t ponder the walls were prepped right and it probably didn’t have a primer exploited when they did the number of jobs 5 years ago for you. So, unfortunately, you are going to have to pull off all of this old paint, because you can’t kept good cover over bad coat. So you need to get as much of this liberate make-up off as is practicable. Scrape it and sand it and scrub it and do whatever you have to to get it off.
And then I miss you to use an oil-based or solvent-based primer, like KILZ or Sherwin-Williams, Benjamin Moore. Use a good-quality product like that and tell it cool truly, really well. Now, that’s going to give you a good surface that’s going to do two things. First of all, it’s going to make sure that the next mantle of paint you put one over there clings properly, for 5 years and well beyond. Secondly, it’s going to make sure that that new blanket of draw flows delicately and smoothly and inspects stupendous when you’re done.
And unfortunately, there’s no shortcuts here. You just can’t placed brand-new dye over that peeling depict, because it’s really not going to stick.
SONNY: You’re in a different part of the country than I am but what should that cost to get that coat done- that work done?
TOM: Well, certainly, the cost is going to depend on the area of the country, so I can’t estimate exactly what it should expense in your sphere. And likewise, I’ve not realized the room. But what I would recommend is you go to HomeAdvisor.com. And on that website, you can fill out a species and they’ll find a contractor for you. And in fact, a number of contractors. I think they give you two or three. And then you can speak evaluations about tribes that have used those contractors and find soul good there. And then have them come out and give you estimations. Then you’ll have some estimates that you are eligible to compare.
But in this case, you’ve got to get rid of that old-fashioned dye and start over again.
LESLIE: Now we’ve came Deanne on the line who needs some help with the windows at her money cavity. What’s going on?
DEANNE: I have old-time, steel-framed, metal business openings in my home. And the outside walls are doubled brick. There’s no grove in the outside walls, so such is clamped right into the brick. And we made out one and replaced it and we had a very hard time doing that. And I don’t know if we should replace them or merely try to repair them.
TOM: Well, if you restore them, they’re- I can’t imagine they’re awfully energy-efficient. So, repairing them and procreating them operational could rebuild some of the part but I don’t think they’ll be energy-efficient. Replacing them is a better option but of course, as you cited, because they’re built into the wall it’s a difficult installation because you’ve got to get the old-time ones out.
So, is this a project you want to do yourself or you think maybe you want to have a pro help you?
DEANNE: I used to have a builder’s license but I- physically, I can’t do that anymore. So I’d probably hire someone.
TOM: Yeah, I think you might want to think about doing that. Because taking out those aged, metal openings that are screwed into the brick is an dreadful great deal of work. And also, if you’re going to positioned substitution windows in, they’ve got to be measured just right and they’ve got to be installed just right so that they don’t leak. And I don’t think you want that responsibility. You ought to have a pro measure them and install them. I think this way, you’ll is ensured they come out just right.
Thanks so much for announcing us at 888 -MONEY-PIT.
LESLIE: Well, we are super close to Thanksgiving. I’m going to say it’s the yummiest celebration of the calendar year. And I’m truly looking forward.
TOM: I’d agree with you on that.
LESLIE: I necessitate every bite is so savory. And I have to tell you, if we go to someone else’s house, I then “re going to have to” originate Thanksgiving myself a few weeks later because it’s never as good as my own. Sorry, everybody else.
But you guys, you’re going to do a ton of cooking and then you’re going to have, probably, a assortment of leftovers since it’s just going to be your immediate clas in your home or inside your bubble. So, what are you going to do with all of those leftovers? You want to make sure that you’re keeping them safe so your family are to be able experience them.
So to do so, you want to make sure that your fridge is running optimally. First, you’ve got to make sure that it’s not too cold. You need to keep that temperature between 37 and 40 units. You likewise have to make sure that the seal on that door is airtight so that that cold breeze isn’t escaping. And the most efficient way that you can test for this is with a dollar bill. You sort of insert it into the door, close the door. And if it slips out readily when that doorway is closed, that implies the gasket isn’t working right, it’s not shutting right.
Now, you can replace those door gaskets for a better shut. Truly, only look up online the model of the refrigerator that you have and you’ll find a ton of places that render that permutation part.
Now, here’s another idea that you might not have considered. If you want to reduce costs, you need to be sure to cover the meat that you’re putting in the fridge. Because the uncovered food, it’s going to release moisture and that’s going to prepare your fridge employ a lot harder. So simply prevent everything shut delightful and tight, including the fridge door, and you’ll be able to enjoy those.
TOM: And that’s why you really ought to have a really good placed of menu receptacles, you are well aware, with the really tight, closed lids. If they’re the looser lids, it exactly doesn’t last as long.
Now, it may also seem counterintuitive but a near-empty fridge actually expends more capability than a full one. And here’s why: meat and liquids accumulate and accumulate the cold. So, if your fridge is working harder to maintain that cold when it’s empty, you’re going to be expend more coin on that. So you might want to take into consideration how much food you actually store and consider downsizing to a smaller fridge the next time yours needs a replacement.
LESLIE: Rob in Oregon, you’ve got The Money Pit. What can we do for you today?
ROB: Oh, I’d like to get some information about putting down storey tiles. I know there’s a claim style to get it on and a lot of parties I’ve seen do it doesn’t look like they’re doing it right.
TOM: What kind of floor tile are we talking about? Are we talking about ceramic tile?
ROB: Yeah, ceramic tile.
TOM: And what are you going to be putting the tile on? Is it a timber substrate or what?
ROB: Yeah, it’s a plywood, 3/4 -inch over storey joists.
TOM: What size are the tiles that you’re going to put on? Are they small tiles or big tiles?
ROB: They’re 12 -inch.
TOM: OK. So the most important thing is that you have a really sturdy base, because tiles don’t bend, right? And if you don’t have a good, sturdy locate, you could have those tiles crack and sound. Three-quarter-inch plywood is pretty thick but I suspect that you’re going to need to positioned an underlayment under that tile or to frame a cable mesh down and positioned a slime storey under it, which is the best. Because that absolutely, positively will not move. And the better job you do with going those tiles on the right base, the longer it’s going to last-place. If you don’t have a solid cornerstone and you start getting some progress, you’ll get fissures in the joint and then you’ll get cracked tile on top of that.
Is this the first time you’ve done tiling?
ROB: Yeah. I’ve seen at Home Depot, the government has that 1/4 -inch move card and 1/2 -inch crack board.
TOM: Yeah. The move boards, yeah. And I think that that’s a great idea. In fact, what you- if you settled that down, you want to make sure that you overlap the joists- the seams- of the plywood below it. And that would give you a good, solid basi. Alright?
ROB: That’s why you probably measure it out, make sure you don’t come up with a little sliver of tile.
TOM: Measure twice, trimmed once, Rob. Good luck with that activity. Thanks so much better for calling us at 888 -MONEY-PIT.
LESLIE: Hey, with the festivity season now, we mulled, “Why don’t we get to give away some things that determine people super happy? ” So, we’ve got the Arrow Fastener Holiday Home Decor Giveaway.
This is a marvelous reward, you guys. It’s a sweepstakes that you have to enter. “Theres going to be” 12 wins that are going to receive a regulate of tools from Arrow Fastener, importance over $125.
Now, this is going to help you get your house beautified and holidayed up for the anniversary season. And one of the great tools in this kit is the GT3 00 Professional High-Temperature Glue Gun. Now, this cement handgun is so awesome, guys, because you can control how much glue is coming out of that adhesive shoot. It’s got the movable spring right there. So it’s not ever going to be too much or too little and it’s going to help reduce the risk of that cement get elsewhere, like your fingers, which is never fun during the celebration season.
So, go online. You can participate today at MoneyPit.com/ Sweepstakes. And the champions are each going to be, also, a supplying of adhesive sticks and staples. So, get crafting, guys.
TOM: You can enter once a day, again, at MoneyPit.com/ Sweepstakes.
LESLIE: Heading out to Columbus, Ohio. We’ve came Rita on the line. What’s going on at your fund excavation?
RITA: I was wondering about what I can do about the facts of the case that I had some- a new sidewalk put in. And that afternoon, the mailman came and sauntered in the wet cement.
TOM: Oh , no.
RITA: And he ambled- I have footprint ways and also in the cement and also in my grass.
LESLIE: Oh, geez.
RITA: And I tried to call back the post office and they don’t seem to care about or want to do anything about it. And the chap did it more than formerly, because the man came and tried to redo it and he did it again.
TOM: Wow. That’s not very nice, is it?
LESLIE: Maybe remind him to look where he’s walking.
TOM: Yeah, really.
RITA: I mean there’s barriers up and everything but he spanned over the ribbons and so forth and just …
TOM: That’s awfully planned, isn’t it?
LESLIE: That’s his signature. He’s like, “I am writing my name.”
TOM: Yeah. Well, I’ll tell you, there is a way to restore these footprints in the sidewalk and it’s a commodity that’s made by QUIKRETE- Q-U-I-K-R-E-T-E. And it’s announced Re-Cap- R-e-C-a-p.
Now, Re-Cap is a patching cement that is designed specifically to an existing surface. And it’s really important that you use this kind of product because generally where people go wrong, when they try to patch stuff up like this, is they use regular cement. And then it simply separates and falls off after the first freeze.
So, Re-Cap is really inexpensive. It comes in different size containers. There’s tiny do-it-yourself packages, there’s bigger suitcases for bigger activities. Relatively easy to do. You just moisten the concrete down, you desegregate this trash up, you trowel it on the sidewalk. And if- since it’s a sidewalk, it’s going to have a rough finish by design, so you could take a broom and sort of set boundaries in it. Only kind of sweep it and it’ll leave those little differentiates in it so you have a little traction.
And if I were you, I would plan on doing this maybe on a Saturday afternoon, after the mail delivery, so it’ll dry by Sunday, you are well aware?
RITA: Talking a good idea.
TOM: And this space, he won’t be able to ruin this. But that’s just terrible. But I think that’s an easy solution to fix this right up, OK?
RITA: OK.
TOM: Good luck. Thanks for calling us at 1-888-MONEY-PIT.
RITA: Thank you for calling me back.
LESLIE: Well, most of us will invest more on heating this wintertime than we truly wish to. But while homeowners can do things like obtain new energy-efficient heating system, add isolation or even supersede windows, renters don’t have those same options to improve heat in a residence that they don’t own. Or do they?
TOM: Well, actually, renters can see several easy betterments that’ll keep them both heated and prevent that coin close at hand. We have those suggestions, in today’s Smart Spending Tip presented by Bank of America.
Now, first up, if your apartment’s heating system and rental agreement let you do this, you should install a Wi-Fi-enabled programmable thermostat. That’ll let the hot kick down when you’re home but it’ll automatically dial it back when you’re not. These thermostats are super easy to hook up. And the good thing is that you can replace them with the old ones that you took out originally when it’s time to move out. So, take the old-fashioned one out, save all the fractions, make pictures of the wires where they became. And you can replace it, putting it all back together when you move out. And take your Wi-Fi thermostat with you.
LESLIE: Now, you also want to make sure that all heating registries or radiators aren’t blocked, so that that warm air can spurt freely into each room in your accommodation. Now, if your section has radiators, you want to slide heat-resistant reflectors between the radiator and the wall. And then that can help send even more warmth into the room.
TOM: Now, let’s talk about ways to cut back on enlists, peculiarly drafty windows. You want to look for possible aura flee street there and then seal those off with a removable caulk or sometimes called a “weather-stripping caulk.” This is pretty cool stuff because what it basically does is supply a weatherproof railing against the drafts and the humidity when implementing it. But then it can easily be removed without make any impairment. It’s pretty much like a temporary sealant that plucks right off in the spring.
LESLIE: Now, if the window needs to be open year-round, you can go with weather-stripping, which is also good for openings. You only have to shop at your neighbourhood home better core or hardware supermarket, as they were you’re going to find a variety of easy-to-use weather-stripping concoctions that are tailored to different surfaces and different constructions.
Now, because that’s certainly the key, you’ve got to make it stick to whatever and wherever that you’re trying to put it. So you have to make sure that you buy the right make of the human rights place.
TOM: And ultimately, did you realize that all homes have dozens of pits in the exterior walls where cold breeze permeates in? They do. They’re announced “outlets” and “switches.” Just encumber the back of your hand against one of those on a windy date and you will feel a spray brook of icy-cold air leaking in, which are capable of stimulate you embarrassing and drive up the cost of heating.
The solution, though, is super simple. You want to pick up some foam outlet gaskets or some foam switch gaskets. These are influenced like the cros plates on channels and substitutions. And they go under the cover plate and they close those breaches around all of that electrical wiring. And that stops the text of the proposed from coming back in.
So, easy things to do even if you’re a renter. There are lots of ways that you can save money on heating and feel a lot more pleasant in the process.
LESLIE: And that’s today’s Smart Spending Tip presented by the Bank of America Cash Rewards Credit Card. We’re all shopping for importants online these days. Get reinforced for it with the Bank of America Cash Rewards Credit Card. You can choose to earn three-percent cash back on online shopping.
TOM: Visit BankOfAmerica.com/ MoreRewarding to apply now.
LESLIE: Well, hardwood floors are a real benefit to any home. They include knockout, durability and value when it does come time to resell but they do need to be refinished from time to time.
TOM: Yep. And if that’s the occurrence, how do you are well aware, though, if your floors actually do need replacement or really refinishing? Well, there’s a simple test, actually, that can give you some manifestation of how seriously they’re worn.
If you go to a high-traffic area- like maybe where there’s a entrance in the next apartment or something like that, where the finish takes a lot of abuse- and pour about a tablespoon or two of sea on the floor. Now, if the spray shapes a pellet, the floor is still properly shut. If it takes a few minutes to seep in and it various kinds of merely darkens the storey somewhat, that finish is probably partially attire. You’d better get it scheduled to be updated soon. But if the irrigate drenches right in and needles a dark blot, it is definitely time to refinish.
LESLIE: Now, if you do have to refinish your floor, it’s a pretty big job. And while you might be able to do it yourself, it’s probably not a project that you’re going to want to tackle yourself. Now, the process is going to start with removing all of that aged finish. And that’s one region which is something we persistently witness well-meaning DIYers get themselves into a jam.
Now, the pros are going to use floor sanders for that part of the project. And even if you were to rent one, it does take a lot of practice to get the skills to use it properly. And if you have one slip-up, it means you’re going to be staring at a penetrating, ugly gouge for pretty much the rest of the life of that storey or that you stay in the house.
TOM: That’s right.
LESLIE: Because I imply it’s so easy. Even if you merely get off balance, all of a sudden, it’s like( inaudible) gouge.
TOM: Yeah. And there’s also the vibrating sanders now or disk sanders or pad sanders that you can use. If the finish is not abysmally deteriorated, if it doesn’t have a bunch of digs and gashes in it, that’s another way that you can sand it. So what the hell are you do there is you leased these machines. And these machines are easy to use, comparatively, to the floor sander, which is a big region sander. Then you thinly sand the entire storey face. A mint of them have vacuum pouches building in, so it keeps the dust down.
Then you could sort of damp-mop the storey a little, time to get the dust off, and vacuum-clean it. Let it baked really well and then you could leant, I would say, two to three hairs of good-quality, oil-based polyurethane on it. The finish on the petroleum cornerstone is so much stronger than the latex finishes. If you’re finishing a piece of furniture or something like that, I’m OK with a latex urethane. But for the floor, ever use the solvent-based or the oil-based and you’ll be very, very happy with the result.
One final target is when they tell you on the can it’s going to give- I don’t know, what?- three hours or 4 hours to dry, pretty much double that before you plan on walking on it because it depends on a lot of factors. And causing it cool more is never going to be a bad thing, extremely if you’re putting numerou hairs on it. If that first coat doesn’t fully baked, the second coat tends to get a little gooey and that’s not a good thing. Because you typically have to bring out the heavy grease-guns to draw off both coatings and start again. So, give it batch of time to cool, specially if it’s damp or chilly out.
LESLIE: Paul in Massachusetts is on the line with a basement question. What’s happening at your fund quarry?
PAUL: I have a question on waterproofing a basement flooring. I have a unusually, very old house. It’s over 100 year olds. I have a fieldstone foundation and I waterproofed that with a concoction called DRYLOK.
TOM: Yep.
PAUL: But I was wondering what- how do- what the hell is I do for my storey?
TOM: OK. So, why are you subjects of concern waterproofing? Are you going spray infiltration into that vault space, Paul?
PAUL: Yes, I was, in one area.
TOM: OK. So, waterproofing is not the mixture; it’s not the fasten for spray coming through the walls or through the floor.
PAUL: OK.
TOM: You can throw all that stuff on you crave and it might slow-paced it down but it’s not going to fix it. You need to fix it and the fix is outside your room, especially if that liquid comes in consistent with heavy rain or a snowfall melting. You know, whenever it’s consistent with precipitation like that, it comes down to two things: the grading, direction of the soil around the house. If it’s flat, if it’s pitched back towards the house, it musters a lot of water at that foundation perimeter.
But even more important than that is the gutter system. If you don’t have a channel system or your ditch organisation is undersized or blockage or the downspouts are dumping- as most are, frankly- right near the foundation perimeter, right near the foundation areas, you need to extend those out 4 to 6 hoofs. If you manage the spray carefully around the outside of the house like that, you are much, much, far more likely to not have any issues with ocean infiltration.
PAUL: Even if you live on a slope?
TOM: Yep, extremely if you live on a hill.
PAUL: OK.
TOM: It doesn’t matter. With hillsides, sometimes the liquid is worse because it comes right at the members of this house. And in that case, you need to have what’s called a “swale, ” which is where the position various kinds of splits to divide the liquid around it.
But generally, if you keep the water away from that first 4- to 6- to 8-foot perimeter of your home, try to keep that immediate bound as dry as is practicable, you’re not going to be water infiltration.
PAUL: OK. Alright. And don’t even worry about the floor.
TOM: Yeah, don’t worry about the storey. That’s the very last thing you do. You deal with those large-hearted things outside with the grading and the sewage first.
PAUL: Very good.
TOM: And then the storey may never be an issue again. Alright, Paul?
PAUL: Well, thank you very much.
TOM: Good luck with that campaign. Thanks so much for announcing us at 888 -MONEY-PIT.
LESLIE: Post your questions to us by going over to Facebook.com/ TheMoneyPit.
Now, Michael writes to us. He says, “We’ve got a metal roof and we really like it. But all of the runoff spray from the ceiling is definitely causing erosion. I placed some medium pond stones where the flood is falling. Is that going to be sufficient enough to stop the eroding? Or should I place plastic under those rock-and-rolls, as well, like making a dry creek? ”
TOM: Well, listen, first off, it’s probably best to add weed cloth for the purposes of the rock-and-rolls. But I’d also be concerned about all that water potentially affecting the foundation.
Another option might be to run a pall pump under the grade, exactly below position, to catch that runoff and move it away from the foundation. This is a simpler way to move that water off. There’s a commodity called EZ-Drain that has the exhaustion and the deplete tile and all of that sort of built into one bit. You could look into that.
The thing is here you don’t want to have that water rally too close to the foundation. It will disturb the soil. It may cause the foundation to become somewhat precarious. In the winter, it will freeze and push inward- the soil will- when it’s wet. And that can crack the foundation. So you’ve got to collect the water and move it away.
LESLIE: Alright. I hope that helps you out, Michael.
Next up, Justin wrote to us. He says, “I merely bought a new straddle and now my other kitchen devices are looking a little tired, even though they’ve got plenty of life left in them. Is it possible to paint a major appliance? ”
TOM: It’s the viral character of dwelling progress, right? Once you get on board with those, you just keep going.
Yeah, you can paint them. I would recommend the epoxy spray paints. They have appliance coat that’s made from epoxy. Now, the downside is that it takes a long time to dry, so be patient with it. The upside, though, is it really is a very hard and sturdy surface. And it will last just as long as the original finish.
LESLIE: Yeah. Make sure, though, that you countenance the suitable drying term. And don’t start touching everything and coming fingerprints in it. So take the time and do it right.
TOM: Well, there’s no doubt that heating and cooling is one of the biggest expenses of owning a dwelling. But there is one type of system that actually stipulates heating, cooling and hot water at over four times the efficiency of any furnace on the market. Leslie clarifies, in today’s edition of Leslie’s Last Word.
Leslie?
LESLIE: Yeah. You know, we’re talking about geothermal heat shoots. Now, these harness the Earth’s warm temperature to safely and reliably heat your residence. And it does this without “il rely on” any traditional expensive heating ga, like petroleum or propane.
Now, a homeowner who shall be decided by realize the switch to geothermal heating is going to save, on average, $2,250 per year. And the system is going to pay for itself in 3 to 7 years. And it has a lifetime of 25 times, so it can really be an cheap action to cut your heating, your oil, your propane, all of those monies. I mean you will see a huge reduction in your expenses.
Now, it’s genuinely heating and cooling reimagined. It’s clean, it’s quiet, it’s safe. It’s also nice that you’ll be energy-independent. You’ll never have to wait on heating oil or propane bringings ever again. You will own your own heating and cooling and there’s something really fantastic about that. Plus, you feel like you’re doing something really great for the planet.
TOM: This is The Money Pit Home Improvement Show. Hey, thank you, guys, for spending these sections of your era with us. We hope that we’ve been able to share some good feelings, some good gratuities to help you get those enterprises done once, get it done right and not “re going to have to” get it on again.
If you’ve get questions, you can always reach out to us anytime at MoneyPit.com. Exactly click on the button to send us a question. You are also welcome to announce us at 1-888-MONEY-PIT and we’ll get back to you the next time we are in the studio.
Hey, coming up next time on the program, has your electric bill ever granted you a sticker stupor? Well, used to identify how to alter that direction began with a solid understanding of where all that power is going. We’re going to have tips-off to do exactly that, on the very next edition of The Money Pit.
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.
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