June 26, 2018 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on 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!

Klein 44223 Knife

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!

Tree Roots in Sewer Line
Grouting Tile - Water is Friend & Foe!

Grouting Tile

Flickering LED Bulb - ACCCKKKK!

Flickering LED Bulb

Wet Bar Ideas - Easy to GOOF UP!

Wet Bar

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 by Tim Carter
Turn Off Natural Gas

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:

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.

turn off natural gas

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 by Tim Carter
Bathroom Sink Stopped

Put your head under your bathroom sink and this is what you’ll see. That horizontal chrome rod lifts the sink stopper up. (C) Copyright 2018 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/

corner wet bar

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 by Tim Carter
Shower Head

This orange plastic disc inside a shower head can clog with ease and the water pressure drops like a rock. (C) Copyright 2018 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/

drilling ceramic tile red tape on wall

Drilling ceramic tile requires a sharp carbide or diamond drill bit, a slow drill speed and a steady hand. © 2017 Tim Carter

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/

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

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!