July 18, 2018 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on July 18, 2018 by Tim Carter

New Subscriber? Welcome to the island!

Battle-scarred survivor? Tell the new residents how much fun we have!

Tomorrow I have to drive north and east. I'm headed to the Sunday River ski resort in far western Maine. This is the base of operations for the New England Forest Rally (NEFR). I'll be there until Sunday morning when I'll wake up early to drive back home so I can attend 10:30 mass with Kathy.

Three months ago, I was recruited to be the Chief of Communications for the NEFR. That's a fancy name for Herder of 40+ Radio-Operator Cats.

Amateur radio operators are needed along all the circuitous race routes to provide much-needed safety communications for the world-class driving teams, spectators, and all other volunteers. Believe me, there are crashes and people can get hurt.

CLICK HERE to get a grasp of why this is an intense training exercise for radio operators in the event of a local disaster. Be sure to watch the video on the page. I shot that last year as Travis Pastrana left the start line of one of the races.

Turn up your speakers and listen to the engine and turbo spin up at 0:17!!

Help My Buddy Jim

I helped launch a very secret Internet mastermind group back in 1999. It was filled with lots of smart and energetic entrepreneurs. One was Jim Kukral.

Jim's written several books and happens to be an expert on how to get people to notice your business. If more people notice your business, usually you get more sales.

Jim wrote an AMAZING book that shares simple secrets about how you can get LOTS of attention. Most of the tips are low cost. You don't need a massive advertising budget.

What if I told you that one company increased their product sales 700 percent by investing just $50? That's not a typo.

Before we go any further, you need to know that Jim was NOT responsible for the cover of his book. His publisher did the artwork.

This is a FANTASTIC book. If you have your own company or work for ANY company big or small, this book will HELP YOU.

Here's the deal. Jim just needs to sell 65 more copies of the HARDCOVER version to regain all his rights to the content from the publisher.

I bought a copy ten days ago to help him. Can you do it too?

You have NOTHING TO RISK. Why?

Jim emailed me saying, "Tim, if any of your subscribers buy the hardcover book and don't feel it's worth it, I'll send them a check for their entire purchase price."

I pretty much know that you'll not be reaching out to Jim for a refund. You may reach out to me for Jim's email address only to THANK HIM for making you and your company more money!

CLICK HERE NOW to order a hardcover copy. Remember, it MUST BE a hardcover copy that you buy.

Getting Organized

On Monday night, James from Kenya delivered a tool chest to me. Just eleven hours before, the tool chest was in Baltimore. He drove it straight from there to my house in central New Hampshire. He arrived four minutes EARLY from the guaranteed time of arrival!

James Kenya Tool Delivery

Did you know there are several websites where you can have guys like James bid transporting just about anything to anywhere for a reasonable price? Uship.com is but one of them.

James and I rolled down a ramp the new KOBALT series 3000 stainless-steel tool chest. It's equipped with the Kwikset SmartKey technology.

Currently my hand tools are in the worst state of disarray as I've ever experienced. One reason is I keep accumulating MORE tools. I ran out of space to put them several years ago, so I now have a small mountain range of them on my workbench and others are scattered in various cardboard boxes. As the Ask the Builder guy, it's extremely embarrassing to put it mildly.

I'll be creating a video of this nightmare and how this 3000 series stainless-steel KOBALT tool cabinet is going to bring organization and LESS FRUSTRATION to my life. Watch for the video in about three weeks.

How many times have you cursed like a sailor looking for a tool? How much time have you WASTED? How GRUMPY were you?

Perhaps it's time you bite the bullet and invest in a tool cabinet. I should have gotten one years ago. When I was still building, my tools were perfectly organized in cabinets on my utility body truck. Once I got rid of that truck, trouble started and it's just gotten worse and worse.

The video is going to also feature the Kwikset SmartKey technology so you want to be sure to watch it.

Revised Columns Aplenty

I'm on a mission revising all my past columns at the website. It's lots of work, but it's rewarding.

I've decided I'm going to have to start sending out at least TWO newsletters a week to try to keep you up to speed on the revisions.

I've got a BUNCH for you today.

Change the Color of Tile Grout

Stop Water From Entering Brick

Glass Panels for Shower Walls - WOW!

Save Crumbling Concrete - Overlay

That's quite enough for today.

I'll be back at you next week with more information.

Do you have questions? CLICK HERE and be sure to upload a few photos!

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
Clean ANYTHING ANYTIME - www.StainSolver.com
Create Happiness - www.W3ATB.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

New Concrete on Old and Change Tile Grout Color

Posted on July 16, 2018 by Tim Carter

New Concrete on Old

Question #1: Tim, I desperately need your help. The concrete sidewalk and driveway at my house are falling apart. The top surface is crumbling yet just below the surface the concrete is as solid as rock. It’s only a few years old. What’s causing this? Contractors have told me I need to tear it all out and start over. I can’t afford this. Is there a DIY solution or a far less-expensive alternative that a handyman can do? I’m looking for a repair that will stand the test of time. Mona G., Lexington, KY

Crumbling concrete like Mona’s is very common. You may have it at your home on your driveway, patio, outdoor steps, or even a retaining wall. The great news is you can often repair this yourself with minimal expense and tools.

There are lots of reasons why concrete spalls. Spalling is where the top surface of concrete flakes off or crumbles. In many instances, it’s traceable to workmanship errors where the concrete finisher added extra water to the concrete while putting the final finish on or he started finishing the concrete while bleed water was still up on the surface.

Mixing extra water with the concrete dilutes the amount of Portland cement in the upper surface. It’s important to realize that the cement is the only component holding the sand and gravel together. If you have too little cement, the concrete can’t withstand freezing and thawing cycles and heavy use. More Portland cement in concrete is always better. This is why the concrete abutments on railroad bridges last for over one hundred years. The railroad owners only wanted to build the bridges one time so they made sure the concrete mix had extra Portland cement added.

You can repair your concrete by installing a thin overlay on top of the old concrete. There are several important steps, but they’re all easy. The first thing is to remove all of the crumbling surface concrete. A pressure washer wand held at a low angle is perfect for this job. Remove all the old failing concrete until you get to solid material.

A concrete overlay can be as thin as 1/16th of an inch or as thick as several inches. Another key point is the size of the stone or aggregate in the overlay mixture. The size of the largest stones in the mix can never exceed 1/3 the total thickness of the overlay. For example, if you’re going to add a 1/2-inch overlay, be sure the size of the largest stones in the mix is not much larger than 1/8th inch! You need a blend of stones and sand in the mix with some of the sand being extremely small. Silica sand is the strongest sand you can use and I’d suggest you buy a bag of it to include in your overlay mixture.

The secret step of the process is cement paint. This nearly forgotten trick ensures the new overlay bonds permanently to the old concrete Cement paint is made blending cold water with pure Portland cement until it resembles latex paint. You brush this onto the damp old concrete one minute before you apply the concrete overlay.

I’ve got all sorts of extra concrete overlay installation tips, mixture ratios, videos at my website waiting for you. Just go to: Concrete Overlay

Change Tile Grout Color

Question #2: Tim surely you can help me. I want to change the color of the grout in my floor and wall tile. I’ve seen ads for miracle roll-on products and wonder if they can be trusted. Can you change the color of grout so it looks fantastic? What do you use? Is it hard to do? Don’t sugar coat the answer as I can handle tough love. Margaret R., Boxboro, MA

You may be in the same situation as Margaret. There are many reasons why you might want to change the color of the tile grout. Fortunately you can do this, however, you need to realize there are scam products out there.

I’ve changed the color of grout before and it’s not easy. The color of the grout between the pieces of real slate in the entrance hall of my last home was supposed to be black. However, it came out a mottled dark gray because I foolishly added a grout additive to the mix. My wife hated the ugly appearance. I discovered there are liquid grout stains that are just like penetrating wood stains.

Using an expensive small square-tipped artist’s brush, I slowly applied the rich black stain to the grout lines. It took weeks of time doing this at night after I had come back from building homes all day.

Avoid using products claiming to be grout stains but are really just paint. Do NOT paint your grout. Keep in mind that you can really only go from light to dark when changing color. It’s virtually impossible to find a penetrating stain that will transform dark grout to a light color. If you put a form-filming paint on your grout, I guarantee you it will peel. Be sure the grout is perfectly clean BEFORE you start the process.

I’ve got great videos and extra tips for changing grout color at my website. Go to: Change Tile Grout Color

Drywall that Gets Wet and Sinks That Fall

Posted on July 16, 2018 by Tim Carter

Drywall That Gets Wet

Question #1: I need your help Tim. I’ve talked to several contractors and their advice is not in agreement. The dilemma is what drywall should be used in what areas of my house. One contractor talks about green board. Another one mentions MMR board. The third contractor hasn’t heard of either of those two. Help! Can you shed any light on what drywall should be used in my bathrooms, kitchens and other areas where water might get on the walls or ceilings? Debbie T., Boulder, CO

Last week I had a conversation with a homeowner and we wandered into the area of contractor competence. Based on the email I receive each week, I’m certain I have enough evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that there’s a definite downward trend in the level of skill and knowledge in the residential contracting field.

Some of it can be traced to the vast amount of inaccurate information I see out on the Internet. There are hundreds of hobby bloggers who publish this or that on their websites yet they’ve never worked a day in a paying customer’s home. If you wander onto YouTube, you’ll be flooded with videos showing the wrong way to do things. It becomes your job to try to sort out the wheat from the chaff.

When it comes to drywall, fortunately, the answer is easy. One of the top manufacturers of drywall in the USA, USG, has published for decades the bible of drywall and plaster. It’s titled The Gypsum Construction Handbook.

If you open this incredible text, you’ll discover a collection of facts, methods and step-by-step instructions you’ll discover exactly what each drywall product is designed for, how to install it, and where not to use it.

The green board drywall the one contractor mentioned is just like regular drywall, however, the multi-layered facing paper on the front and back has been treated to resist moisture. The gypsum core of the board also contains chemicals to resist moisture. Note I’ve not said the green board is waterproof. It’s NOT waterproof.

It’s not recommended for use in areas that are subject to constant moisture. The handbook gives examples of these areas, but I maintain based on my experience that your tub and shower area would fall into this group. I’d not use green board in a tub or shower area that gets covered with tile.

The MMR board is the new name for green board. It’s an acronym that stands for mold, mildew and moisture-resistant. If you don’t want the tile to fall off the walls in your tub, shower, and kitchen backsplash areas, use a waterproof substrate like cement board or some other product that’s guaranteed to be waterproof.

I’ve got several helpful videos for you at my AsktheBuilder.com website showing the difference between the different drywalls as well as a link to get the Gypsum Construction Handbook. Just go to: Greenboard

Sinks That Fall

Question #2: Tim, we had a disaster in my new kitchen. I was washing dishes and the sink dropped into the cabinet below. It’s an undermount sink with a gorgeous granite top that overlaps the edges of the sink. How could this happen? What do you think went wrong? Can it be fixed with ease? What a mess! Krista C., Salt Lake City, UT

Distraught homeowners like Krista contact me once a month with the exact same problem. Their sinks were installed by unskilled workers who thought caulk would hold the kitchen sink to the underside of the stone tops. Oh how I wish we could rid the workforce of these dunderheads!

Professionals install undermount kitchen sinks using several different methods. My favorite happens to be small machine-thread studs that have a flat head with tiny holes in them. These are permanently affixed to the underside of the countertop with high-strength epoxy. It’s important to realize the underside of the top must be clean and free of all dust for the epoxy to work well. That could have been why your sink fell.

Some installers choose to use a non-epoxy method. A special harness that laps over the sides of the sink base cabinet cradles the sink. Special hardware that’s part of the harness draws the sink up tight against the bottom of the stone top. These systems are usually best installed before the countertop is set on the cabinets.

A professional can come to your home and repair the sink. It’s going to take two days as I’d suggest the epoxy cure for at least 24 hours before you finish re-installing the sink.

I’ve got great videos showing the epoxy studs and harness system at my website. Go to: Undermount Kitchen Sink

July 8, 2018 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on July 8, 2018 by Tim Carter

New subscriber? Welcome to the relaxed summer publishing schedule.

Been-around-the-block subscriber? Tell the newbies summer is like being in a slow-jazz club.

We just endured a six-day stretch of oppressive hot WX here in central NH. Looking at the national map it's been VERY HOT in lots of places. You could have been far hotter than me, I'm so very sorry about that!

When the temperature soars, I get LOTS of email.

If I could boil them all down to one sentence the question would be, "Tim, what can I do to cool down my attic?"

Before I answer, look at this photo and peer at the white crosshairs and the white temperature reading just below the center of the photograph. That's an infrared image of my own DaVinci Roofscapes virgin polymer synthetic slate. Want to see what it really looks like? WATCH THE VIDEO.

infrared image of DaVinci Roofscapes shingles

CLICK HERE to read what you're up against when you decide you want a cooler attic. You'll discover what I'd do if I was faced with the challenge.

My answer may surprise you.

Painting Rusty Metal

I'll bet you own something that's rusting. The past week I've been under my Ford F-250 Super Duty painting rusty steel trying to extend the life of my truck.

I've been using XO Rust spray paint because I've been painting hard-to-reach places and everything is above me. There's nothing worse than painting with the brush up above you. No matter how careful you are, gravity wins and paint drops on your arm and if you get complacent, on your face.

CLICK HERE to read why I prefer XO Rust spray paint.

I tested a remarkable new rust paint at the same time. I'm impressed with it because of the type of resin that's used to make it.

Resin is a fancy name for glue. Remember, all paint is just colored glue.

The new paint I tried was Rustproof M/D.

Rust Proof Paint Can - Mower Blade

The paint is made with a urethane resin. Urethane is one of the stickiest adhesives known to woman, man, or avatar.

CLICK HERE to see the final photo of what that lawnmower blade looked like 93 seconds after I started painting.

There was NO SANDING involved! All the questions you have about this new paint are at the column. Go ahead, CLICK THAT LINK.

Bar Harbor - MDI Meet Up

I'm going to be on Mt. Desert Island in Downeast Maine next Thursday and Friday night, July 12th and 13, 2018. I'm open to a meet up on Friday night July 13th.

If the WX is marvelous, this is what you'll see:

Mt. Desert Island Maine

If you want to eat dinner together and chit chat for a few hours, then REPLY BACK to this email. It's five days from now, so act fast.

I'll have the big beast with me, the Ford F-250 Super Duty, and you can see the fresh paint under the wheel wells. Of course, you're more than welcome to crawl under the truck to see the other painted areas.

Extension Cords - Don't Pick the WRONG One!!!

House fires are often caused by extension cords. The homeowner unknowingly chose poorly and got one that's too small.

By too small, I don't mean its LENGTH.

CLICK HERE NOW to see how easy it is to make sure you're using the correct extension cord for the job.

I'd only do this if you don't want your house to burn down.

P.S. Yes, that's Rustproof MD paint at the base of my thumbnail. I knew you were wondering!

HUGE Hot Water in a Box

Meghan, my oldest daughter, is getting ready to build a new home on MDI in Downeast Maine.

She's asking for my help in picking out the best products for the home. Radiant floor heating is going to keep her, Brent and the new baby warm.

What would you say if I told you that ALL of the hot water to heat the home and ALL of the hot water for showers, cleaning, washing dishes, etc. is going to come out of a smallish metal box that hangs on a wall?

I'm SERIOUS. You MUST CLICK HERE to see how this magic is possible.

Meghan's going to use a Noritz combi water heater boiler.

You'd never have thought technology could come this far. Wait until you watch the video on the above page. Holy Tomato!!!

What's the Right Drywall for a Wet Location?

Do you think you REALLY know the answer? What is a WET LOCATION?

What is a location with HIGH MOISTURE? Confused? Bwahahahahaha!!!

I'll bet you don't know the answer to that last question.

CLICK HERE, read the column and pay CLOSE ATTENTION to the one photo.

I'm talking about the one that has a RED LINE under some words on a giant sales placard that you no doubt IGNORE when you go to the store.

That's enough for a Sunday morning. I'm getting ready for church.

What are the odds you and I will be on MDI at the same time next Friday night? I hope I get to meet you!

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
Cleaning Crystals - www.StainSolver.com
Happiness Waves - www.W3ATB.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

RustProof MD Paint

Posted on July 7, 2018 by Tim Carter

"The paint is a single-component moisture-curing urethane. Urethanes are one of the stickiest paints you can buy."

Rustproof MD Paint Checklist

primer and finish coat in one
sticks well to slightly rusted metal
paint steel or aluminum
two coats five hours apart provide the best protection
thin with acetone

RustProof MD Paint - Paint Rusty Metal

Rustproof MD paint is a special coating for rusty metal. Coating is a fancy word for paint.

The Rustproof MD has a very stick urethane resin, or glue, in it that allows it to bond to rusty metal like your shadow sticks to you.

Do You Have to Remove All Rust?

No, you don't have to remove the rust. I'd get rid of the loose scale and wire brush any really rough areas. Just brush off any rust dust and apply.

Free & Fast Bids

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local painters who can get this paint.

Do You Need a Primer?

No. There's no need for a primer with Rustproof MD paint. It flows onto the rusty metal and its thick body produces a smooth finish in most cases.

Why is Rustproof MD so Sticky?

The paint is a single-component moisture-curing urethane. Urethanes are one of the stickiest paints you can buy. The paint is so sticky that if you don't clean all the paint from the lip of the can as well as the lid before you tap the lid back on to put the paint away, you'll never get the lid off again.

Is It Hard to Clean Up Rustproof MD Paint?

This paint is not water-based and it's more of a challenge to clean you and anything else that gets paint on it. The special solvent vehicle is but one reason why it sticks so well to the rusty metal. I used mineral spirits to clean my hands. You may want to think about using disposable chip brushes you can throw away as you may spend lots of money cleaning a high-quality brush.

Will Rustproof MD Resist Sunlight?

Yes, this paint has special built-in UV resistance. Over time the sun's photons will blast apart the paint, but you might have sold the item you painted on Craigslist or a Facebook Garage Sale group.

Where Can I Buy Rustproof MD Paint?

You can only get this great paint at a NAPA Auto Parts store. Most give you a discount if you're an AAA member. Ask for it.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local painters who can get this paint.

Stinky Garbage Disposal and LED Bulbs that Flicker

Posted on July 2, 2018 by Tim Carter

Stinky Garbage Disposal

Question #1: Tim, no matter what I do, my garbage disposal has a foul stink in it. It’s disgusting. What’s causing it and most importantly how can I get rid of the odor? Once the offensive odor is gone, is there some magic way to ensure it never comes back? Susanne W., Tacoma, WA

You may be one that suffers like Susanne. Smelly garbage disposals in kitchens are more common than you might think. A large number of homeowners reach out to me on a routine basis with the identical problem.

The odor in the disposal comes from rotting food. Your garbage disposal is a machine that grinds up food into a slurry. This slurry coats the inside of the cylinder chamber that contains the spinning grinding teeth.

If you have a disposer that smells like Susanne’s, then you’re not removing all of the sludge from the insides of the disposal each time you use it. What’s more, you could be creating clogs in your plumbing drain lines by the misuse of the disposal because you’re not fully rinsing out the disposal with enough water after each use to carry the sludge out to the city sewer or your septic tank.

Cleaning the disposal is not too hard, but it takes a few steps. You need to re-hydrate any dried food slurry on the side walls of the disposal. You do this by installing the stopper in the large hole at the bottom of the sink. Fill up the sink 1/3 or 1/2-way with warm water.

Leave the faucet water running, pull the stopper out and immediately switch on the disposal. The spinning grinders create a vortex of water in the disposal getting all surfaces nice and wet. Wait 20 minutes and repeat this process. The softer the dried food becomes, the cleaner the disposal will be after the final step of the cleaning process.

Wait another 20 minutes and repeat the process but this time before you switch on the disposal squirt into the water a 1/4 cup of liquid dish soap. Squirt more soap into the disposal as the water runs from the faucet so you create a spinning slurry of soap suds in the disposal.

Adjust the water flow from the faucet to a trickle so the soap suds slurry comes to the top of the disposal. Add more soap if necessary. Keep the disposal on allowing the slurry to scour the inside of the disposal.

Turn off the disposal after 30 or 45 seconds and then rinse away all the soap. To prevent future odor, you need to fully rinse the disposal after each use. Each time you finish grinding up food, fill the sink 1/2-way with clear water. Pull the stopper and turn on the disposal to spin the rinse water around the insides of the machine. This large amount of water helps flush out all the drain pipes preventing future clogs.

I’ve got great a great video for you at my AsktheBuilder.com website showing exactly how to use liquid dish soap to clean a disposal. Just go to Smelly Disposal

LED Bulbs that Flicker

Question #2: Help me Tim! I feel like I’m going to have a seizure at my home. I’ve tried three different LED bulbs in my home and all of them flicker. I’m convinced I’m getting bad bulbs, and the people at the store are being patient. Why are my LED bulbs flickering? Do you think the bulbs are bad or is it some other sinister problem in my electrical system and my house might catch on fire? Brad G., Tulsa, OK

You’d be stunned by the number of people that have the same flickering light problem as Brad does in his home. Guess what? It’s almost never the bulb. LED bulbs, for the most part, are very reliable and create consistent non-flickering light when they get a uniform current flowing through the bulb.

LED bulb flickering can be traced in almost every instance to a non-compatible dimmer switch in the lighting circuit. Modern dimmer switches create the dimming effect by switching the power supply on and off many times per second. Traditional incandescent bulbs have a glowing white-hot piece of metal that creates the light. When the dimmer switches the power on and off the glowing metal starts to cool down and the net result is the light dims. There’s no flickering.

LED bulbs don’t have glowing filaments. When the dimmer switch goes off and on many times per second, the LEB bulb becomes a flickering strobe light. In rare cases, the flickering can be some other power supply issue in case you don’t have dimmer switches. Contact your utility company in this case.

Some switch manufacturers make dimmer switches they claim to work well with LED bulbs. It’s easy to switch out a dimmer switch and this simple project might prevent you and Brad from having a seizure!

I’ve got a great video about flickering LED bulbs and a current list of dimmer switches that work with LED bulbs at my website. Go to Flickering LED Lights

June 26, 2018 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on June 26, 2018 by Tim Carter

Newbie Subscriber? Welcome!

Seasoned Veteran? Happy Summer - if you're north of the Equator!

I've got lots going on and a few balls in the air right now. That's why I didn't reach out to you last week. I've also discovered over the years, you can get busy too during the summer months.

Reading a newsletter might be a low priority for you!

Crazy Request 1974 F-100 Ford Truck

I'm starting to look for something I've wanted for a few years and you might be able to help. Within the next year, or possibly sooner, I'd like to buy an old pickup truck.

It's not just any truck. I'd love to find my original pickup truck that I bought new in 1974. I don't expect to find my exact truck as the odds are it's been recycled and could be a bunch of soup cans, a small I-beam, or several refrigerators for all I know.

I'm well aware of all the websites and services that have old cars and trucks for sale.

I'm looking for you to spot what I need perhaps in your neighborhood or town. You may know someone who's got the truck I want in their garage, driveway, barn, or ?

I'm looking for a 1974 Ford F-100 with a three-speed manual transmission on the steering wheel column. It would be ideal if it came with the 240 cubic-inch straight six engine too.

CLICK HERE to see what my truck looked like.

This is the crazy color I had. Mine had white racing stripes that went up and over the wheel wells running front to back. I don't need the truck to be orange! I'm not married to that color at all.

The one you just looked at won't do because it's an automatic and has the giant V8 engine. I'd compromise on the smaller V8, but I MUST HAVE the 3 on the tree baby!

Maybe you know someone who's got this rare truck that's not yet ready for the blast furnace. Let me know.

Klein Pocket Knife Review

I recently tested a very handsome pocketknife. The Klein 44223!

CLICK HERE to check out more photos and how I felt about this bad boy.

Turn off Leaking Gas

A month ago, two friends of mine were killed instantly in a tragic gas explosion.

I shared that news with you and you may have been one who asked me how to shut off gas.

I created this fast page for you. Be sure to watch ALL THREE videos in case you happen to be someplace that has a different gas supply than what you have at your home.

CLICK HERE to discover how to safely TURN OFF natural gas or propane.

Many More Revised Columns

I've gotten far ahead of you in revised columns. I'm having lots of fun doing them.

What's super cool is I'm putting in no less than one video per column. Many columns have MULTIPLE videos. The videos really help explain what's going on.

I URGE you to at least open the following links and just SCAN what you see.

Here's why.

Just yesterday, Arlen reached out to me asking for help about a clogged sewer line. Arlen's a seasoned newsletter subscriber and he told me that once a year he had to rent a sewer cleaning machine to remove roots from his sewer line.

He asked if there was a way to stop the reoccurring madness.

Little did he know I had the EXACT COLUMN with MULTIPLE VIDEOS showing exactly how to STOP TREE ROOTS from getting into sewer lines!

Had I shared the revised column a few months earlier and had Arlen just SCANNED it, he probably would have thought, "Wait a minute! My buddy Tim has a column about tree roots in a sewer line. I'll go read it now and watch his videos!"

Oh, you want to see the Tree Roots in a Sewer Line column? I thought so after that little anecdote!

Grouting Tile - Water is Friend & Foe!

Flickering LED Bulb - ACCCKKKK!

Wet Bar Ideas - Easy to GOOF UP!

That's quite enough for a Tuesday.

Oh, be SURE you OPEN the Flickering LED bulb column above and LOOK AT THE LED light I just installed at my house! It's at the bottom of that column.

You're going to LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it. It's awesome and makes me quite HAPPY because of what comes out of it besides light!!!!

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
Magic Crystal Purveyor - www.StainSolver.com
MHz Wave Manipulator - www.W3ATB.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

Turn Off Natural Gas

Posted on June 26, 2018 by Tim Carter

Turn off natural gas by rotating this simple ball valve 90 degrees to the right. The red arrow points to the valve. Rotate it so the hole at the top of the valve lines up with the the other hole that's in the 3 o'clock position. Copyright 2018 Tim Carter

Turn Off Natural Gas - It's Very Easy

If you smell natural gas at your home, do the following things:

GET OUT of the house immediately (read the tragic story of Tim's friends)
Turn off natural gas to house if the meter is outside
Call 911
Get at least 200 feet away from the house

Turn Off Natural Gas to House - Be Safe!

Most natural gas valves are the same. They have a ball valve on the street side of the meter. Watch this video to see how easy it is to shut off the gas:

What Wrench Should be Used to Turn Off Natural Gas?

You should use an adjustable open-ended wrench or a pipe wrench. Use one that's at least 12-inches long.

This is a dandy 12-inch adjustable wrench. It's affordable. Keep it in a plastic bag out by the gas meter. CLICK THE IMAGE now to have this wrench delivered to your home.

How Do I Turn Off a Propane Tank Valve?

Watch this video to see how to shut off a propane tank valve.

Broken Sink Stopper and Wet Bar Project

Posted on June 25, 2018 by Tim Carter

Broken Sink Stopper

Question #1: Tim, is it true you said in a past column you’re a master plumber? If it is, I need your help. My bathroom sink stopper is not working right. When I pull up the knob in the center of the faucet not much happens. It used to work great. The sink also drains slowly. Can you tell me how to fix all of these issues? Do you feel it’s a DIY project? Be honest as my skills are limited. Roxanne P., Tempe, AZ

Roxanne’s got a good memory. I’ve been a master plumber since age 28 or 29 as well as being a builder, remodeler, and carpenter. My interest in plumbing, I believe, was rooted in the three-dimensional nature of creating a drainage and vent system in a home. If you ask me, it’s like solving a real puzzle!

If you’ve got a cranky bathroom sink like Roxanne’s, I’ve got good news for you. You can get the sink stopper working correctly and have the drain cleaned out with just a small amount of work. It’s absolutely a DIY project even if you’re a rookie. Often it takes more time to get things out of the way and put them back than it does to make the adjustment!

My favorite go-to tool for this simple job is an adjustable set of pliers. I have one that has jaws shaped to grab hex nuts as well as larger rounded nuts. If you don’t have this exact set of pliers, you’ll just need an adjustable wrench as well as the standard pliers.

When you lay on your back and slide into the vanity cabinet you’ll see a strange set of rods and a perforated metal bar that makes up the sink stopper mechanism. A chrome rod connects to the actual drain pipe that exits the base of the sink. The end of the rod connects to the sink stopper.

When you pull the control knob on the faucet up, the end of the chrome rod below drops down taking the stopper with it. Push the control knob down and the stopper lifts up. If you have a helper do this action while you look at the moving parts you may see the control knob rod is slipping just a bit. Tighten the nut on the flat metal bar to solve this problem. The flat metal bar may have disconnected from the chrome rod that connects to the sink drain. Reconnect it.

The horizontal chrome rod that lifts the stopper connects to the drain pipe with a round nut. Turn that counterclockwise to pull this rod out of the drain pipe. Once you do this, you can lift the stopper out of the sink. A large glob of hair and goo may come with it. Clean all of this out and your sink should drain like new. Do everything I said backwards to put everything back together so you have no leaks

I’ve got great photos and how-to videos for you at my AsktheBuilder.com website showing how you and I would fix your sink stopper if I came by to help. Just go to: http://go.askthebuilder.com/sinkstopper

Wet Bar Project

Question #2: Mr. Carter, can you share any thoughts about wet bars? I want to include one in my home and don’t want to mess it up. Have you installed any and what are some of the best practices? What’s the biggest mistake you’ve seen someone make? Marty H., Pensacola, FL

Mr. Carter was my dad. My name is Tim, Marty. You bet I’ve got some thoughts about wet bars. I’ve built quite a few for customers and I put one in the last home I built for my family.

You can get into trouble quite fast with wet bars. The biggest mistake I’ve seen is homeowners thinking they can use standard kitchen base cabinets for wet bars. They soon discover they can’t reach the bar surface without some discomfort.

The first thing I’d do if I were you is to go visit no less than four real bars. Do this when they’re not busy and chat up the bartender. Ask if you can take photos and some measurements. Determine what’s the best width of the bar top. Do you want your guests to be able to have a plate of food on the bar or just drinks? The width of the top controls this.

Pay attention to how wide the lower counter is that the bartender works on. Note its height and the height of the actual bar. Ask the bartender what she/he hates and loves about the bar. What would they change if given the chance?

You need to also decide what direction the bartender will face at your home. Most people want to face the guests they’re serving. Preplanning and getting the bar dimensions right are well worth the investment of time.

I’ve got great videos of wet bar ideas and concepts you should see. Go to: https://www.askthebuilder.com/wet-bar-ideas/

This wet bar fits nicely into the corner of living room. Photo credit: Tim Carter

Holes in Ceramic Tile and No Shower Water

Posted on June 18, 2018 by Tim Carter

Holes in Ceramic Tile

Question #1: Tim, how in the heck do you drill a simple hole into ceramic tile? I’ve been trying to do it for the past half hour and nothing is happening except the drill bit is getting red hot. I just grabbed my husband’s cordless drill and put a bit into it. Is it the drill? I’m trying to install a few plastic anchors and am getting very frustrated. Charlotte M., Morgan Hill, CA

Not too long ago I heard a saying, “You don’t know what you don’t know.” All I have to do is look back in time just forty-five years ago to get an idea of the vast depths of my own ignorance about all things having to do with building. You may be like Charlotte and you’ve not yet been exposed to enough challenges to know what tools to use when and how to use them.

The first thing that comes to mind is the drill bit. Charlotte may have grabbed the wrong one. A drill bit used for wood or metal is not going to do much to drill into ceramic tile. You need a special drill bit that’s got a carbide tip.

It’s important to realize not all ceramic tile is the same. They come in a wide range of hardnesses. You can run into trouble fast if you’re trying to drill into porcelain tile. This tile is some of the hardest out there because of its high silica content and the high temperatures used to transform the soft clay into the hard tile.

Ceramic tile is often glazed. This glaze is just a very thin layer of glass. A wood or metal drill bit will not penetrate glass. Carbide is harder than glass and it will grind its way through.

Not wanting to assume anything, you also need to make sure the drill is in forward, not reverse. Believe me, I’ve seen people try to drill holes with the drill running backward wondering why nothing is happening.

Another key point is you need to use a slower speed when drilling through ceramic tile. High speeds create too much friction too fast and elevate the drill tip speed. This can dull the carbide bit quickly.

Do not use a hammer drill setting when drilling tile. This rapid pounding will crack the tile in almost all cases. Keep nice steady pressure on the drill and before you know it, you’ll have created your hole.

Large-diameter holes can be created in ceramic tile using diamond-tipped hole saws. These are quite affordable and most have adapters to fit your normal drill.

I’ve got several great videos for you at my AsktheBuilder.com website showing how you and I would drill ceramic tile if you invited me over to your home. Just go to: https://www.askthebuilder.com/drilling-ceramic-tile/

No Shower Water

Question #2: Tim, I know you’ve got the answer. All of a sudden the water pressure in my shower has dropped. It’s fine in my bathroom sink and all other places, except that I have noticed the flow at my kitchen sink is getting worse. It takes forever to rinse the soap from my long hair. What might be the problem and is this a DIY project? Janey M., Clearwater, FL

Low water pressure in showers is a more common problem now than it used to be when I was growing up. A few decades ago government officials enacted laws to try to conserve water. Little did they know the secondary effects of these laws would be millions of frustrated homeowners.

Plumbing fixture manufacturers had to install flow restrictors inside shower heads and other faucets to comply with the new laws. These tiny discs have all sorts of different designs, but one thing they share in common are screens or small holes to limit the flow of water.

Small pieces of sediment and gunk in the water start to clog these holes one at a time and soon the flow of water is much reduced. Fortunately, you can remove these flow restrictors and clean them out. You can also remove your shower head and soak it in warm white vinegar for a few hours in case hard water deposits are clogging the tiny outlet holes in the head.

Many of my neighbors here in New Hampshire have well water and they take out the restrictors and throw them away. People on wells don’t waste water. Every drop is recycled instantly because for every gallon of water that flows from the house into their septic tank, a gallon of water flows from the septic tank back into the ground to recharge the local aquifer.

I’ve got great DIY videos showing how to remove a shower head and clean out the flow restrictors. Go to: https://www.askthebuilder.com/low-shower-head-water-pressure/

At the bottom of this shower head inlet is a small plastic disk. It has small holes that can readily clog with sediment. When this happens, the water flow can be reduced to a trickle. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

Column 1253

Help My Buddy Jim

Getting Organized

Revised Columns Aplenty

New Concrete on Old

Change Tile Grout Color

Drywall That Gets Wet

Sinks That Fall

Painting Rusty Metal

Bar Harbor - MDI Meet Up

Extension Cords - Don't Pick the WRONG One!!!

HUGE Hot Water in a Box

What's the Right Drywall for a Wet Location?

Rustproof MD Paint Checklist

RustProof MD Paint - Paint Rusty Metal

Do You Have to Remove All Rust?

Do You Need a Primer?

Why is Rustproof MD so Sticky?

Is It Hard to Clean Up Rustproof MD Paint?

Will Rustproof MD Resist Sunlight?

Where Can I Buy Rustproof MD Paint?

Stinky Garbage Disposal

Crazy Request 1974 F-100 Ford Truck

Klein Pocket Knife Review

Turn off Leaking Gas

Many More Revised Columns

Turn Off Natural Gas - It's Very Easy

Turn Off Natural Gas to House - Be Safe!

What Wrench Should be Used to Turn Off Natural Gas?

How Do I Turn Off a Propane Tank Valve?

Broken Sink Stopper

Wet Bar Project

Holes in Ceramic Tile

No Shower Water

Expert Advice For Your Home