Repair Blacktop Driveway Crumbling - Don't Use Cold Patch You may have an asphalt or blacktop driveway as I do. Mine was installed twenty-five years ago and is in good condition. The mix ordered at the asphalt plant was key to its longevity. The stones in the mix are larger than normal. Keep in mind […]
Outdoor Room Ideas - Use Bushes and Walls Several days ago, I was on magical Mt. Desert Island in Downeast Maine. I was visiting my daughter and granddaughter. Seven years have passed since I helped build her quaint three-story home with an attached garage. I was the plumber, electrician, and radiant heat installer. My daughter […]
Chimney Fire Danger - No Flue Liner Each week, I receive quite a few emails from readers of this column. I treasure each one because they provide a window to view the real problems and challenges you face with your home. Some messages are small, some are medium, and others are extra-large. One reader sent […]
Clinker Brick Wall - Stunning and Unique My guess is that most of the bricks you’ve seen in your lifetime have been very uniform in shape. Each brick is rectangular. This is by design in almost all cases. The length of a brick plus one mortar joint in the USA is supposed to equal 8 […]
Outdoor Kitchen Ideas - Plan for Weather You may be dazzled by the outdoor kitchens you see on home improvement TV shows. Designers work hard each year to create trends of every type. You see it in clothing, paint colors, new cars and trucks, etc. This is done to pry dollars from your savings account. […]
Recycled Asphalt Driveway - Don't Fall For the Hype I perform media scanning on a routine basis. I’m constantly on the lookout in publications and the Internet for new products, techniques, and hokum. I do this, in part, to keep my ear to the ground, but I also do it to help you save time […]
Types of Construction Defects This column is all about types of construction defects and misplaced hope. You can lose thousands of dollars, and sometimes tens of thousands of dollars, should you make this mistake. I do at least five short consult calls each week. The common denominator in almost all of the calls is that […]
DIY Wood Preservatives There’s a very good chance you own something made of wood that’s exposed to the weather. It might be a fence, a deck, a dock, patio furniture, wood siding, a shed, etc. Wood is a marvelous material. It’s favored by many because it’s easy to cut, shape, and install. Wood can also […]
Trex® RainEscape® Class Action Lawsuit My Trex® RainEscape® has developed cracks and is leaking. I recorded this short video showing a few of the cracks. Other Trex® RainEscape® owners might have the same issue. At least one person who has the same problem has left a comment on my video. I predict, at some point, […]
Zip System Leaking - The Weak-Link Tape You prefer hearing stories rather than being subjected to a lecture, don’t you? The most popular person at a holiday party is often telling stories to a small throng of people gathered around her or him. Allow me to take you on a psychic journey over the past […]
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