June 17, 2018 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on by Tim Carter

New subscriber? Welcome. This is a quirky issue, but important.

Veteran sub? You know every now and then I have an issue like this that's a KEEPER.

Belated Happy Mothers Day

I just realized today is Fathers Day and I FORGOT to wish all you mothers out there a great day a month ago!

Well, I recommend we have a REDO and next Sunday is another day to honor all the great moms out there!

Today is Fathers Day and I plan to do a live video chat with my two daughters who are thousands of miles away. Meghan is in California and Kelly is working in Puerto Rico.

Happy Fathers Day to you if you're a dad.

Fog of Complacency

The fog of complacency is a normal human condition.

It's happens to just about everyone, including you. It can have disastrous effects on your life and all the things you treasure if you allow it to settle over you when you decide exactly where you want to live and build.

My college degree is in geology. One of the TOP things on my personal bucket list is to be near an erupting shield volcano to see lava flowing down a slope like concrete coming out of a ready-mix truck.

Unless you've been living under a rock, an historic eruption like this is happening in Hawaii. The Kilauea volcano is creating new land and expanding the size of the big island.

Kilauea volcano

 

Land building is a natural geologic process, although to those 700-800 people who have watched their homes disappear under millions of tons of new mafic and basaltic rock from the mantle, they might think it's highly unusual.

I've been watching from the sidelines the comments from people who live in Hawaii who are quite close to this devastation.

I'm very empathetic to their suffering, but I'm not too sympathetic. Blame my college professors.

I've read hundreds of comments from many who have lost their homes and possessions. If you asked me to combine their emotions into one question it would be:

"Why didn't someone TELL ME it was dangerous to buy a lot here?"

Guess what?

It's your job to look out for yourself. It's your job to ensure the SAFETY of yourself, your family, and your treasures.

​​​​​​​Don't lay the responsibility at someone else's feet.

There's danger lurking on many building lots. A building lot for sale you might think is perfectly fine, may be a ticking time bomb.

A prime example of this is the lot my two friends Audri and Jim bought in Boone, NC over a decade ago. To them, it seemed just fine. Sure it was a little steep, but they could carve out a nice flat spot to build.

But they're dead now because a natural geologic process helped to cut their lives short. Read all about the tragedy here.

I decided to create a new column about Buying a Building Lot in their honor.

NOTE: This is NOT the column I'm writing about the tragedy that will appear in newspapers all across the USA. That column is still in the works.

You should read the following column and SHARE IT with anyone you know that's thinking of buying land and building a new home.

CLICK HERE to read Building Lots for Sale.

Revised Columns - Full of GREAT Video

Please check out the latest revised columns and watch some of the videos.

Low Shower Head Water Pressure

low shower head water pressure

Drilling Ceramic Tile

drilling ceramic tile

Removing Ceramic Tile

removing ceramic tile

That's enough for a Sunday.

I need to get ready to leave for church.

More news soon!

Tim Carter

Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
Superb Magic Crystals - www.StainSolver.com
​​​​​​​Extraordinary Tales - www.W3ATB.com

Building Lots For Sale

Posted on by Tim Carter
building lots for sale

A building lot may seem quite normal until the ground gets hot and then molten rock comes out in your front yard. This is the before and after satellite photos of the May 2018 Kilauea Hawaii Fissure 8 volcano eruption. Yes, it's possible you could buy a building lot that might become a volcano. Copyright 2018 Washington Post - Fair Use Doctrine Usage. Read more on this under Tim's Fog of Complacency in his June 17, 2018 Newsletter.

 

"Flash floods are the most common hazards for building lots. These floods affect land that may seem safe."

Building Lots For Sale - Not All Are Great

The building lots for sale you're looking at may seem to be fine, but there could be many hazards that could affect the lot.

Here are the most common building lots for sale #FAILS:

  • fill dirt lot
  • flooding
  • wildfire
  • earthquakes
  • landslide
  • debris flow

Related Links

Building Lot Selection Tips - Use This Checklist

A Survey of Your Land Will Save Your Bacon and Money!

Soil Testing For Building Lots - It's Easy

Why is Fill Dirt a Danger?

Fill dirt is a danger because it may not have been compacted the right way. The dirt may have been piled on top of organic debris or it could be an ancient garbage landfill.

A friend of mine bought a building lot that was fill dirt. His house eventually split in two as the ground settled. He sued the developer and won the case getting a better lot and a new home.

Fill dirt is always a gamble because you hope the dirt was compacted properly and it will not settle more.

What Kind of Building Lots Flood?

Here's a short list of building lots that can flood:

  • lots in a floodplain
  • lots in a creek valley
  • lots in a subdivision near an old dry creek bed
  • lots near the ocean subject to wind-driven storm surge

Flash floods are the most common hazards for building lots. These floods affect land that may seem safe.

Watch this video and tell me if you felt it would be safe to buy one of the buildings on that city street?

Here's the topography map of Ellicott City, Maryland. Note how the town is in a small river valley.

building lots for sale

Most people would think it's completely safe to build near the small creeks at the red arrows. Don't be "most people". Copyright 2018 Google Inc.

The red arrows point to three small creeks or streams that drain towards the major river. A huge rainstorm caused the raging waters you see in the video above. The small shallow creeks feeding into Ellicott City became raging torrents of water as evidenced in the video.

It's important to realize that hurricanes and Nor'easters can create a huge storm surge walls of water that create flooding a mile or more inland from the coast. Pay attention to how high the building lot is above sea level and realize some storm surges are 15, or more, feet high.

Will Wildfires Affect a Building Lot?

Wildfires are a real danger to building lots. You may keep brush away from your home, but wind-driven embers from the fire can land on your home.

There are not enough firefighters to save all homes. Will your home be one that's lost?

Are Earthquakes a Danger to All Building Lots for Sale?

Yes, earthquakes are a danger to all building lots in seismic zones. You can do many things to strengthen a home and make it more resistant to earthquake damage.

How Do Landslides Impact Building Lots?

Watch this video. If you saw giant boulders in a somewhat level field, would you wonder how they got there?

How can a Debris Flow Hurt a Building Lot?

A debris flow can hurt a building lot because it's a giant mass of moving slurry containing water, sand, rocks, and boulders. It's like a massive amount of moving concrete coming at you, your home and your lot.

All you need to do is read The Great Crescenta Valley Flood to understand how you can make a mistake buying the wrong building lot.

The author, Art Cobery, talks about the fog of complacency. This is the real danger. In a short amount of time people get complacent.

A disaster happens in a city or town and within a few years, the memory starts to fade or get foggy. A generation, or two passes, and the current residents have no memory of the ticking time bomb around and under their homes.

Debris flows are deadly, sudden and can overtake you in seconds.



Klein 44223 Review

Posted on by Tim Carter
klein 44223 open

The Klein 44223 is a handsome pocket knife. Don't allow your friends to hold it. You might not get it back. CLICK THE PHOTO to have one delivered to your pocket.

Klein 44223 Spring-Assisted Open Pocket Knife - Tough as Nails

The Klein 44223 spring-assisted open pocket knife will not disappoint you.

The first thing I noticed when I removed it from the packaging is its weight. It's got some heft to it as it tips my accurate postal scale at 5.5 ounces. Weight can be an advantage with some knives.


My favorite pocketknife for the past few years has been the Sog Flash II. The primary reason is it's so light. It weighs just 2.9 ounces.

Does the Klein 44223 Have a Stainless Steel Blade?

Yes, the Klein 44223 has a 440A stainless steel drop-point blade. You're fooled at first because the blade has a black finish.

klein 44223 blade

If you need to cut things, this knife is going to not let you down. CLICK THE IMAGE if you want one of these in your pocket.

Does the Klein 44223 Have a Safety Lock?

The Klein 44223 has a handy safety lock. When you see the red showing, it means you can flip the thumb stud and it will open.

klein 44223

The Klein 44223 pocket knife is something Rambo would like. It's built to last. CLICK the photo to have one delivered to your pocket.

Does the Klein 44223 Have a Pocket Clip and Lanyard Hole?

You bet! The rugged 44223 has both a pocket clip and a lanyard hole. The only trouble I have with the pocket clip is it's not reversible.

There's the Klein name on the low-carry pocket clip. The lanyard hole is at the left end and is easy to access. CLICK THE PHOTO to have this knife delivered to your pocket.

This review was shared in the June 26, 2018 AsktheBuilder Newsletter.

Roof Moss and Algae and Cast Iron Pipe

Posted on by Tim Carter
cast iron pipe

This cast iron drain pipe is over 100 years old and in perfect condition. (C) Copyright 2018 Tim Carter

Roof Moss & Algae

Question #1: I need your expert advice, Tim. My asphalt shingle roof has some green stuff on it. I’m not sure if it’s moss or algae. How do you tell the difference between the two? What’s the best way to remove them without harming the shingles? Once the roof is clean, is there a way to prevent the odious organic crud from growing on my roof? Many thanks. Cindy M., Mobile, AL

I’ve had the same problem at my home as does Cindy. The last home that I built had an asphalt shingle roof and was surrounded by some very large trees. The trees created lots of shade and provided a source of food for the moss and algae that grew in abundance.

While moss and algae tend to look good in illustrations in children’s books about fairy tales with cottages in the forest, most people don’t care for it on their own homes. Moss is a small plant. It comes in many forms, but the type I’m familiar with looks like small gobs of medium steel wool, although it would be green in color.

Algae is a very thin organic coating. It’s often the thickness of a sheet of paper or even thinner. It’s usually green and is extremely slippery when it’s wet. You don’t want to walk on a wet algae-covered roof.

I’ve discovered that moss is quite easy to remove. I use a very stiff scrub brush attached to a fiberglass extension pole. I start at the top of the roof and use downward brush strokes to dislodge the moss from the shingles. Never brush up the roof. You don’t need water to do the job and it works best when the shingles and moss are very dry.

Algae is harder to remove. It requires scrubbing with water, soap and sometimes other cleaners. Liquid dish soap and water will do the job. But this solution makes the roof even more slippery than if you put just water on the algae! Trying to clean algae from a roof is not a job for a DIYer because of the inherent danger of falling.

Roof cleaning is best done by a professional. You can slip in an instant even on a low-slope roof. The next thing you’ll know you’ll be at the ER or worse.

Once your roof is clean you can stop the growth of moss and algae. You’re going to use time-tested technology that shipbuilders have employed to keep the hulls of their ships smooth so they sail faster across the oceans. They used copper plates because copper is a natural biocide.

All you have to do is put a thin strip of copper on the cap shingles that cover the ridges and any hips on your roof. Each time it rains, some copper washes down onto the roof.

I’ve got a great video for you at my AsktheBuilder.com website showing one method to remove roof algae. Just go to: https://www.askthebuilder.com/roof-moss-video/

Cast Iron Pipe

Question #2: Tim, I was visiting my son’s new home and someone upstairs flushed a toilet. It sounded like Niagara Falls across the ceiling and in the walls. I thought there had to be a leak. My older home doesn’t have this sound issue. Did the builder or plumber do something wrong at my son’s new home? What’s causing the problem? Phil C., Tyler, TX

Have you heard this same noise in your home or that of a friend or relative? Phil’s son is a victim of PVC drain pipes. I’ve been a master plumber since age 29 and can tell you that PVC has some advantages, but it comes with some baggage too.

Older homes almost always had cast iron drainage pipes and vertical stacks. The cast iron is dense and it’s very hard to get it to vibrate to create noise. PVC is the opposite. It’s not dense and the cascading water from a toilet flush vibrates the pipe creating the unpleasant noise.

New cast iron pipe is made much better than old cast iron pipe. Plumbers connect one piece to another using rubber seals and large stainless-steel band clamps. It’s easy to adjust and it takes just a little bit more work to install it. You don’t have to do the entire house in cast iron to stop the noise.

All the plumber had to do at Phil’s son’s home was to use cast iron for the toilet drain pipe and for the vertical stack in the wall. All the other pipes could have been PVC. You can try to insulate PVC pipes to stop the noise, but by the time you do that, you could have paid the small extra price for the cast iron pipe.

I’ve got great videos of cast iron pipe being installed at my website. It’s so very easy to do. Go to: https://www.askthebuilder.com/pvc-pipe-vs-cast-iron-pipe/

Column 1252

June 10, 2018 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on by Tim Carter

New subscriber? Mahalo for trusting I can help you.

Veteran? You know why I said Mahalo above. 😉

Stain Solver FLASH SALE

We're about to manufacture more Stain Solver.

Kathy and I own the company. For you new subscribers, it's the only certified organic oxygen bleach I'm aware of in the USA.

Here's my FAVORITE before/after photo set of all time demonstrating the power of what Stain Solver can do.

CLICK HERE or the photo to read Georgia's very cute story:

Stain Solver

If something can be cleaned with water, you can use Stain Solver on it.

Here's the issue. We have to forecast how much of each size we're going to sell when we manufacture. The LAST RUN, we guessed too many 9-pounders.

We need to DEPLETE the number of 9-pound Stain Solvers.

The sale is just on the 9-pound size and the price per pound with the discount makes it a great buy.

Use this promo code to get a 10% discount on the 9-pounder:

777

CLICK HERE to place your order. The sale ends when one of two things happens:

  • we RUN OUT of the SKU
  • next Sunday

Do you feel lucky? CLICK HERE NOW to order.

Sandi Issue

Two days ago, we got a message from Sandi. She was trying one of my products and felt it didn't work.

This is one of my teaching moments, so allow it to soak in.

Sandi decided she wanted her money back. I have no issues with that at all.

I offered to call Sandi to discuss what went wrong, but she wanted no part of talking to me. She had already taken the product to a UPS store to ship it back.

The issue is, in my opinion, Sandi didn't use the product right. She probably made a few mistakes. That's why it didn't work, not that it's a piece-of-crap product.

If you have a tendency to react like Sandi, I urge you to do one simple thing BEFORE you go to all the trouble to return a product you've bought:

CALL THE MANUFACTURER

Yes, call the manufacturer, or vendor, and ask for HELP.

Sandi now has a bitter taste in her mouth about this one product of mine.

Because I've been selling it for twenty-three years and have talked with customers over the phone when they call, I'm 99.9999% sure she didn't follow the use instructions.

Just a month ago, the same thing happened with Roberta. But guess what? I called her and discovered what was wrong.

Roberta is now a super-happy customer!

Why is this important?

Years ago, it was almost impossible for a customer to tell the world how they felt about a product.

Today you can go to numerous websites and leave reviews. In many cases, the reviews stay up there forever.

You may rail on a product talking about how bad it is, when the truth is it's a great product and you goofed up using it.

Promise me you'll always CALL the manufacturer, or vendor, for help if you have an issue.

TNX as we say in Morse.

New Revised Columns!

Here are a few revised columns for you. ALL of them have fantastic videos in them. Check them out:

PVC vs Cast Iron Pipe? Answer My Surprise You!

PVC vs Cast Iron Pipe

Roof Moss Removal - Algae Too!

Removing Moss

Framing Nail Gun - Money Saver!

Framing Nail Gun

Garage Shelving Ideas - Clever!
Garage Shelving Ideas

That's enough for a Sunday.

I'll be out in a big field this afternoon participating in an amateur radio contest. A low-powered one. Wish me luck!

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
Purveyor of Cleanliness - www.StainSolver.com
Grasper of Happiness from Ether - www.W3ATB.com

​​​​​​​Do It Right, Not Over!

June 6, 2018 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on by Tim Carter

New subscriber? Welcome and this is not a normal newsletter.

Veteran? Even more sad and disturbing news.

The Lanfords

A few days ago, I shared the story about my friends Audri and Jim Lanford who got sent to the Pearly Gates when their home exploded in Boone, NC last Thursday at 5:08 p.m.

This tragedy (click that link to discover what happened) made the national news last week.
The Lanfords

I've decided to do a large in-depth article about how their deaths might have been prevented.

I'm in the process of gathering all I need to create a very authoritative article outlining the latest safety devices and simple steps you can take to save your life and those of your loved ones. It might take me a month to complete my research and write the article.

Yesterday, I had a conversation with Detective Carolyn Dragg of the Watauga County Sheriff's department. I had a list of questions for her. Unfortunately she could only answer a few of them at this point in the investigation.

My questions were based on the official press release issued this past Monday by the Watauga County Sheriff's department.

CLICK HERE to read it. The timeline of cascading events is chilling.

A question should be SCREAMING in your head after reading the Sheriff's official statement. I'm going to give you a troubling fact that will answer it:

There was only one call to 911. That call was made by a neighbor after she/he finally walked around the neighborhood to discover the source of the explosion.

Please don't bother asking me questions about gaps and oversights in the timeline. I don't have the answers and can only speculate.

Det. Dragg said most of the unanswered questions should be answered in a follow-up statement issued by the Sheriff and the local Fire Marshal. I don't know when it will be released, but Det. Dragg told me I'd be one of the first to know.

I was in contact on Monday with the American Gas Association and today I made progress talking with Greg Walker the Communications Director of the Propane Education and Research Council.

Greg sent me an email shortly after the call and there were two videos he shared with me.

You need to watch both of them IMMEDIATELY.

I've been making a HUGE MISTAKE at my own home for years and it's my guess you're making it too.

Sadly, Audri and Jim didn't do what you're supposed to do when you smell gas. That's covered in this video:

CLICK HERE to see what to do when you SMELL LEAKING GAS.

Please consider FORWARDING this newsletter to as many as you can so they can watch that video too.

What mistake do you think I've been making with small propane tanks? I'm wondering if you're guilty too.

WATCH THIS VIDEO and reply in the comments below the video if you've been goofing up too.

What an idiot I've been! Before creating this newsletter, I took care of the problem at my house. You need to do the SAME at your home ASAP.

I'll have a more normal newsletter for you probably Friday morning.

PLEASE WATCH BOTH VIDEOS ABOVE.

Tim Carter

Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
Magic Crystal Man - www.StainSolver.com
Purveyor of Happiness Waves - www.W3ATB.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

What To Do If Gas Leak

Posted on by Tim Carter
what to do if gas leak

What to do if gas leak: Use a wrench like this to turn off the gas. Then immediately get out of the house and away from it. Then call 911. Copyright 2018 Tim Carter

What To Do If Gas Leak Video

Do you know what to do if there's a gas leak? Watch this video and save your life and that of loved ones:

Click to read Tim's article about the Lanfords. They were friends of Tim's and tragically were killed when their house had a gas explosion.

If you have natural gas, you'll need a wrench to turn off the gas at the gas meter. You should keep an inexpensive pipe wrench at the gas meter or very close to it. You don't want to be wasting time trying to locate a wrench in a cluttered workbench or have to go back inside the house to the basement to get the wrench.

If your gas meter is in the home's basement, do NOT attempt to turn it off, EVACUATE the house and dial 911 a safe distance away from the home.

The gas concentration in the basement could be deadly. Propane is heavier than air. It will COLLECT in a basement.

Natural gas is lighter than air, but it could still collect in a basement to deadly and dangerously explosive concentrations.

Do NOT attempt to open windows. GET OUT OF THE HOUSE.

Concrete in a Bag and Heat Pumps

Posted on by Tim Carter
concrete in a bag

You may think that concrete in a bag is inferior. It’s not. (C) Copyright 2018 Tim Carter

Concrete in a Bag

Question #1: Hello Tim. This summer I’ve got a few outdoor projects that involve pouring small amounts of concrete. I looked into having a ready-mix truck do it, but the cost is so expensive. I’ve seen the bags of concrete in stores. Is it any good? Have you used it? Can I modify the mix to increase the strength? If so, what do you use and how? Malcolm McC., Albany GA

Do you have exciting project plans like Malcolm’s that involve concrete? I can clearly remember my first experience working with this magic material. I formed and poured a large set of steps that led up to the front door of the first house I remodeled. Looking back, it was too big a project for a rookie. That said, the job turned out not too bad!

The good news is the bagged concrete you can buy at local hardware stores is a fantastic product. The man who invented it built his first plant just a few miles from my childhood home in Cincinnati, OH.

It’s important to realize that basic concrete contains just four ingredients: small rocks, sand, Portland cement, and water. The cement is the glue or binder that holds the sand and rocks together. When water is added to the other three ingredients, it starts a chemical reaction. Countless invisible Portland cement crystals start to form and interlock all the sand and rock together. 

I’ve used bagged concrete for years and had great success with it. My two most recent uses were for the in-ground piers that support a massive deck and the piers for my giant two-story shed. The piers are going to last for many decades because I used the right amount of water to mix the concrete. Add too much water and you’ll ruin the concrete.

You can add more Portland cement to bagged concrete to make it stronger. You can also add some hydrated lime. To make the strongest concrete, the sand should be sourced from volcanic lava that has a high silica content. This is not easy to locate and I’d not worry about it. But you should get a bag of pure Portland cement and lime and add some of those two things. Both ingredients are inexpensive.

Most bagged concrete comes in standard-sized bags. If I wanted to make it stronger, I’d take an old kitchen measuring cup and add 16 ounces of Portland cement and 8 ounces dry measure of hydrated lime to each bag of concrete.

You want to blend the extra cement and lime with the bagged concrete in dry form. Use a newer plastic mixing bag and roll around the dry ingredients before adding the needed water. The concrete should have a consistency like stiff applesauce when you add the correct amount of water.

I’ve got many other bagged concrete tips and videos showing the magic plastic mixing bag at my AsktheBuilder.com website. Just go to: https://www.askthebuilder.com/working-with-concrete-in-a-bag/

Heat Pumps

Question #2: I’m about to put an offer in on a home that has a heat pump. I don’t understand how this machine could possibly produce heat in the winter months using air from outdoors. My friends are warning me that the air that comes out of the indoor registers is a cold heat. What does that mean and do heat pumps really get heat from cold air? Sue W., Orlando, FL

You may be like Sue and wonder about heat pumps and how in the world they work. It’s true, they can squeeze heat from the cold air. It’s all about the boiling temperature of the refrigerant that’s kept at very high pressure inside the heat pump and the copper lines that connect it to the indoor air handler.

The dirty little secret most HVAC people don’t tell you is the heat pumps also come with large electric resistance heating coils inside your home. As the temperature of the air drops outdoors and approaches 32 F, the heat pump needs help creating heat and electricity starts to flow through these coils making them glow just like a toaster. It’s common sense that as the outdoor air gets colder, there’s less heat to extract from it.

Heat pumps do a fantastic job of getting heat from the outdoor air if that air temperature is in the 50-55 F range. Technology is constantly making the machines more efficient so they produce more heat from a given amount of electricity.

The temperature of the air flowing out of the supply registers in the home will seem cold. Often the temperature of the heat-pump air is 90 F or less. Homes that heat with natural gas, propane, oil, or wood can see air temperatures of 110 F or even greater. This is why as a kid I used to put my feet right on top of the register in our living room. The metal got so hot I’d have to lift my feet every few minutes so I’d not get burned!

I’ve got lots more facts about heat pumps and great videos showing exactly how they work for you.  Go to: https://www.askthebuilder.com/heat-pumps-how-well-do-they-work/

Column 1251

June 3, 2018 AsktheBuilder Newsletter Update

Posted on by Tim Carter

About ninety minutes ago, I sent out a newsletter about my two friends being killed in a tragic explosion.

I FORGOT to make a valuable suggestion. I failed to remind you to consider FORWARDING that newsletter from earlier today to:

  • your family
  • your friends
  • your co-workers
  • your neighbors

It's one of the RARE newsletters I send out that might save a life or two or three.

Please consider FORWARDING it to as many as you might think it will help.

I've reached out to the American Gas Association and will be providing you with much more information about automatic gas shutoff valves in the near future.

Thanks,

Tim Carter