Q&A / 

Jim Elliott had some engineered hardwood installed at his home in Encinitas, CA. However, the installers were rookies. Let Jim tell you why: "We just had engineered hardwood flooring installed in our living room and dining room by a contractor.  I wasn't available to make an examination of the floor until after they had left our […]

READ THE ANSWER »

Barbara rents a house or apartment in Guilford, CT. But she's got a problem with her new furnace. "My landlord just installed a gas furnace. When it is running, cold air is leaking into the bathroom through the ceiling exhaust. When the furnace is at rest, no cold air is coming in. Why? and am […]

READ THE ANSWER »

DEAR TIM: Now that we're past Christmas, it's full steam ahead on our kitchen remodel. One of the things that I've never liked about our kitchen is the drab lighting. All we have is an ancient surface mounted center light that takes two 75-watt bulbs. There are shadows everywhere. If I could hand you a […]

READ THE ANSWER »

When you think of a man up in the mountains digging with a mattock and shovel, you probably conjure up a vision of a prospector looking for gold, silver or other valuable mineral. I doubt you'd imagine a man creating caves full of sculptured art. When you watch this video, I hope you take away […]

READ THE ANSWER »

DEAR TIM: I've got numerous cracked ceramic floor tiles and my wife wants them replaced. I'm very lucky in that the builder and previous owner left extra tile for just this reason I suppose. I've never done this before and feel like a lost ball in the high weeds. Can you guide me through the […]

READ THE ANSWER »

Sewer Smell When Using Fireplace Tom Grote, who lives in Ivoryton, CT, has an unpleasant experience when he starts a fire in his fireplace. It's not a smoking issue, it's a sewer smell. Read what he sent me: "I live in a two-story colonial with a bathroom and fireplace on the first floor. Every time I […]

READ THE ANSWER »

Heidi Halvorson had a sewage backup in her Rushford, MN home. Guess what happened to her flooring? "What kind of flooring do you suggest for a basement? We put a laminate board type thing down (suggested by Menards) but had a sewer backup and the flooring is curling around the edges. We need to replace, but […]

READ THE ANSWER »

Thanksgiving and Christmas are bearing down on you. When I still was building and remodeling six days a week, I clearly remember how customers wanted me gone and out of their homes during this festive season. The stress level that accompanies turkeys, family, gift giving and parties is already high enough so the dust, plastic […]

READ THE ANSWER »

Tim Carter, demonstrates the Scotsman SCN60 residential ice machine and goes over key installation tips. Scotsman ice machines make the chewable nugget ice you often see at restaurants.

READ THE ANSWER »

Quick Column Summary: Intake vent for makeup air What height from the ground Be aware of blockages Randy King, who's in need of makeup air in Madison, WI, wrote: "I saw your video on make-up air. I'm installing Skuttle's Model 216-6 (6") damper control and exterior intake vent. The intake vent needs to exit through […]

READ THE ANSWER »

SPONSORS /