March 11, 2014 AsktheBuilder Newsletter & Tips

Stop and think for a moment. What did you discover in the past two weeks?

I'll go first. I discovered you, yes, you, are the most valuable thing about AsktheBuilder.com. My daughter, Meghan, has said that for years, but I guess my tinnitus was very bad on those days and stopped her wisdom from getting into my brain.

Your importance became crystal clear to me on the third day of the Treasure Hunt and by the end of Day Four, my eyes were bigger than the owner of that opens in a new windowhorrible greasy baseball cap. Remember that? WOW!

Anyway, from now on my primary focus is:

make the AsktheBuilder.com newsletter better
make the newsletter something you can't wait to open
introduce you to more and more new products
give you more how-to videos each week

I've got my marching orders for the remainder of 2014. Let's get started now.

Would you like a chance to win a opens in a new windowNEW Rotozip Rotosaw? Or a small Perfect Sample Size of Stain Solver?

All you have to do is opens in a new windowcomplete this two-question New Product survey for me and you'll be entered to win.

It will take you less than 90 seconds! I've got one Rotosaw to give away and five of the small bottles. You can't win unless you take the survey. Just Do It.

I'll announce the winners of the Rotozip Saw and Stain Solver next Tuesday. Thanks!

So tell me now. What did you discover in the past two weeks that amazed you?

Tip of the Week - STOP Deadly Electrical Fires

Yesterday, I drove to town to mail a bunch of the small Stain Solver boxes. At the epicenter of Meredith Center, NH, a road was blocked by a police car. Up ahead were four fire trucks. While I saw no smoke or fire, something was going on.

Mark, the clerk I normally see at the post office, is a volunteer firefighter. He told me received a text message indicating it was an electrical wall outlet that started sparking and smoking.

It's a good thing the homeowners were there and awake. If this would have happened eight hours earlier, the county coroner's van might have been at the scene.

There are many reasons why an outlet might catch on fire. Here are but a few:

missing or cracked wire insulation
arcing where wires connect to outlet screws
overheating of outlet from current overload

Do you use these things in your home?

high-output hair dryers
four-slice toasters
big countertop microwave
countertop fryer or grill

If so, you should periodically check the outlets you plug these things into. Make sure the screws on the sides of the outlet where the power lines connect are TIGHT. Be sure you turn off the power to the outlet before taking it out of the box.

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If the wires become loose over time because of repeated expansion / contraction from heat, arcing can occur. Arcing is what you see when a welder is using an electric arc welder to melt steel or other metals. When it happens in your outlet, it's on a small scale but creates plenty of heat to start a fire.

Fein Cordless Drill Driver and MultiMaster Review Videos

I just finished taping two review videos about two marvelous power tools - the opens in a new windowFein MultiMaster multi-tool and the opens in a new windowFein 18V Cordless Drill Driver.

Wow! Watch the two videos. NOTE TO SELF: Remind you about this as we approach Mothers and Fathers Days.

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STOP Basement and Crawlspace Leaks FOREVER

In just a matter of days, hundreds of thousands - possibly millions - of people will suffer leaks in their basements and crawlspaces as spring rain and snowmelt saturate soil. You might be one who is about to suffer.

Do you want to stop the leaks forever? All you have to do is install one of my Linear French Drains outdoors. I created a opens in a new windowLinear French Drain Streaming Video that shows you exactly how to do this.

This is a professionally produced video. It comes with my MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE. If you don't feel the video is worth it, just let me know. NO HASSLES.

NOW is the time to tackle this project, not when it's blazing hot this summer.