Q&A / 

July 26, 2017 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

If you haven't noticed, I tend to let up on the throttle in the summer. Why?

I happen to live where hundreds of thousands come to vacation. Yes, it's that gorgeous.

opens in a new windowCLICK HERE to see hundreds of photos taken by others of what's within fifteen or so miles from my home.

I try to spend as much time outdoors enjoying the scenery and amazing WX. What's more I can look at my newsletter software and it tells me that you might be doing the same thing and often be too busy to read what I send.

It's all good. Get outdoors if you can where you live and enjoy this summer WX if you live north of the equator! If you're down under, then you're in the midst of your most dismal winter weather.

The Solar Eclipse

Just under a month from now, there's going to be a rare total solar eclipse that's going to cross the entire USA from coast to coast.

It starts in Oregon and moves towards the Carolinas. Do you live within a few hundred miles of the path of totality?

Are you thinking of taking a leisurely drive to just park to experience the eerie deep twilight?

Think again.

You must not be old enough to remember the Woodstock music festival in the 1960s. A group of guys from my neighborhood and I were going to go. Our plans fell apart. It's probably for the best!

Tens of millions of people planning to see the eclipse are going to be stuck in perhaps the worst traffic jams the USA has ever seen. If you're bound and determined to go, you better take lots of food, water, gasoline, TP and leave your modesty at home.

opens in a new windowCLICK HERE to see what's going to happen on all those expressways and small two-lane roads you've been scoping out as your viewing place.

Upcoming Portland, Oregon Meetup

I announced two weeks ago I'm going to be on the Left Coast of the USA for a tad over two weeks very soon. I'm flying to Portland, OR, on August 1st for a two-day KEEN footwear factory tour. The event ends late evening on August 3rd.

Bright and early, say 8 am, on Friday, August 4th, I'm going to have a breakfast meet up in downtown Portland. I know I'm staying in the Sentinel Hotel in downtown and I'm sure there's some quiet breakfast place nearby. I'll scope that out when I get there.

If you want to attend, you MUST email me so I can put you on the list. Be sure the subject line of the email says: Portland Meetup. If you've already contacted me, please do that once more so I can make up my final list.

That afternoon I plan to start to drive south hitting the coast of Oregon, any nearby state parks and for sure Crater Lake NP.

What great places in Oregon and northern CA should I visit? I've got eight days to kill.

If you live in any of these areas or in northern CA, and want to meetup, I need to hear from you NOW.

I'll be in the San Francisco area for two days, but will have very limited time to meet up. The best I can do would be some early morning coffee on Tuesday, August 15th, near the Embarcadero BART station.

Drainage Issues

Over the past few days, I've done quite a few phone consults. Today I've got two scheduled.

Yes, you and I can opens in a new windowtalk on the phone to solve your home repair problem. Often the advice I give will save you many hundreds or thousands of dollars.

Just two days ago, I was talking with Kali who lives in east central Idaho. She has water running through her crawlspace.

Kali was thinking of calling a soil engineer to issue a report. My guess she would have spent close to $1,500 for this study.

She ordered one of my $50 phone consults and I solved the issue in about twelve minutes. I even made two super-quick drawings for her to help show her what to do.

After I send this newsletter, I have to make up a quick plumbing drawing for Perry in Texas. He and I jump on the phone this afternoon. Here's what I drew up for Kali:
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I'm doing more and more phone consults about wet backyards, wet crawlspaces and wet basements.

When the homeowner sends me photos and I look at their house using Google Maps, I discover in most instances the builder put the house into the ground too deep.

If you're building a home, you can't allow this to happen.

opens in a new windowCLICK HERE to look at a much better hand-drawn diagram of how your foundation should relate to the ground around your home just after the foundation forms are stripped off.

opens in a new windowCLICK HERE to see how to STOP all water leaks into your crawlspace or basement.

opens in a new windowCLICK HERE to set up a phone call so I can solve your problem, no matter what it is, at your home.

Tool of the Week

Yesterday I was doing some digging. I needed to use a spade to slice into the soil and to make the bottom of the area somewhat flat.

I grabbed Kathy's stainless-steel spade for the job.

Yes, you can get certain garden tools in stainless steel so they don't RUST!!

WOOT!!!!
opens in a new window
opens in a new windowCLICK HERE to have one delivered in days to your home.

opens in a new windowCLICK HERE to see a huge assortment of stainless steel garden and digging tools.

I'll bet you had NO CLUE you could buy rust-free shovels, forks, spades, etc. did you?

​​​​​​​Tell the truth.....

New & Revised Columns

Here's a list of new and revised columns that should save you lots of time and money:

opens in a new windowBrick Mortar Repair Mix - BEST Mortar Known

opens in a new windowDrain Cleaner TIPS

opens in a new windowLot Clearing Tips

opens in a new windowDIY Patio Pavers - Yes, You CAN DO THIS Job

opens in a new windowAir Filter Particle Size Chart

opens in a new windowFIXING a 3-Way Switch - You CAN TACKLE THIS

Okay, that's enough for today.

I'll try to reach out to you while I'm out west, but don't hold your breath. I may be enjoying the scenery too much and doing LOTS of outdoor amateur radio. opens in a new windowCLICK HERE to read my radio stories.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

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