CLICK HERE to download the FREE PDF file about oxygen bleach and pressure washer DANGER video.
Here's the certificate that proves that Stain Solver oxygen bleach is certified organic:
Clean Decks, Docks, Patios, and Siding
This outdoor deck, railing, tables, chairs, steps, etc. can all be cleaned safely with oxygen bleach mixed with water. Tim sometimes writes his Newsletters while sitting on the deck, but not this Newsletter! (C) Copyright 2018 Tim Carter
Question #1: Tim, I’m in need of your help. I own a summer home on a lake that has a dock and large deck. I’ve also got my normal home that has an outdoor patio surrounded by huge trees and expensive landscaping. All of these things, as well as the siding on my home, need to be cleaned. Online research has resulted in lots of confusion. Some websites say to use chlorine bleach and water to clean everything using a 1:1 ratio. Other websites say to use something called oxygen bleach. My wife wants me to do the right thing and not ruin anything. What would you use and more importantly, why? Brad - Worcester, MA
Brad’s question reminds me of a dinner I had twenty-two years ago with a physical chemist. Ten days earlier, I had started to do research for my first-ever deck cleaning column. Before I share what happened at the dinner, allow me to tell you what I knew before meeting the chemist.
CLICK this image and listen to the first story - Vic has a gorgeous patio on the back of his house. One part of the patio has sunken down. I've got the fix.
Back in the mid-1990s all the information out there said to use chlorine bleach to clean decks and patios. I intuitively knew this was not the best product because of what my next-door neighbor did each spring.
Each spring my neighbor always poured three or four gallons of pure chlorine bleach onto her concrete patio stepping stones that were under a majestic maple shade tree. She spread it around with a push broom to clean the patio and the bleach seeped down into the soil. The fumes were so powerful they made me sick. I warned her the chlorine was so toxic it would kill the tree. She frowned at me and told me to mind my own business.
Each year more and more of the tree died. After spending thousands of dollars on root treatments and injections, the tree company finally came and cut the poor tree down.
Let’s get back to the dinner meeting conversation. Before driving to the meeting to consume some tender barbecue ribs and Saratoga potato chips, my research had uncovered these additional detrimental effects of using chlorine bleach outdoors on anything you own:
- it destroys the lignin fibers that hold the wood together
- it removes the natural color of the wood
- it’s highly corrosive to metal fasteners and framing connectors on wood decks
- it will poison ponds and lakes
At dinner, the chemist introduced me to oxygen bleach. I thought chlorine bleach was the only bleach out there. I was wrong.
Stain Solver is MADE in the USA with USA ingredients that are food-grade quality. CLICK THE IMAGE to order some NOW.
It turns out oxygen bleach had been around for decades. Stain Solver is a brand that's certified organic.
This product is a powder that’s mixed with water. Once you mix it, it releases trillions of invisible non-toxic pure oxygen ions into the solution. These ions are powerful cleaners and blast apart any organic stain, mold, mildew, algae, sun-damaged deck sealers, cooking grease, etc. It’s safe to use on docks as the solution that drips into the water adds needed oxygen to the lake or pond.
The best part is the oxygen bleach doesn’t harm any vegetation or trees. It doesn’t remove the color from anything. It doesn’t harm the lignin in natural wood. Oxygen bleach is completely safe for all composite decking, vinyl siding, fiber cement siding, outdoor furniture of all types, etc.
The more the chemist told me about this magical product the more intrigued I became. It turns out it was developed for the hospitality and hospital industries. Hotels, motels, and hospitals were tired of spending vast amounts of money replacing bedding ruined by washing it with chlorine bleach. Oxygen bleach was both color and fabric-safe!
In the late 1980s, an enterprising entrepreneur found out about oxygen bleach and introduced it to consumers like you and me. He started out selling it as a carpet cleaner at small home and garden shows. Soon he was advertising his brand on TV.
Fast forward to 2018 and now there are any number of oxygen bleach brands out there that you can buy. Some are certified organic and some are not. It’s probably a good idea to use a certified organic one if you want to ensure you don’t damage any of your expensive outdoor possessions. The certified organic brands are also safe to use around all vegetation.
I’ve created a free downloadable document for you at my website. This document contains a list of all oxygen bleaches I’m aware of. It also has links to videos, one of them showing why you do NOT want to use a pressure washer to clean your wood deck or teak outdoor furniture. A pressure washer can RUIN anything made from wood.
Just go to: https://www.askthebuilder.com/b1242/ to get the free PDF document.
Column 1242
April 1, 2018 AsktheBuilder Newsletter
I have to admit it, I was tempted to pull a prank on you with today being April Fools Day.
Kathy, my wife, would say I'm the only fool in the room so I'll just leave it at that. She loves the saying, "All men are fools and my husband is their King."
I still love her to death as I'm reasonably sure she's teasing me. Hmmmmm...... :-/
What's that photo above? It's a house foundation in Southwest Harbor, Maine on Mt. Desert Island.
Why did I take the photo on Friday morning?
A month ago, I asked if you wanted me to write a book about the BEST products/methods/systems when building a new home or remodeling.
The response was overwhelming. I've started the project.
But it's NOT going to be one book.
It's going to be a series of smaller digestible booklets about a category.
The first one is: House Foundations
The photo above will be in the booklet and it will describe that foundation OPTION.
The first book in the series could be complete in just ten days or less if all goes well. I'm going to offer the first one to you at a steep discount so you can dip your toe in the water.
I'll be VERY INTERESTED in your opinion of the format of the information. My goal is for you to be able to read the entire booklet in twenty minutes or less.
When you responded, you told me to tell you the time, not build the watch. That means most of you just want me to tell you WHAT thing I'd use on my home and what are the BEST alternatives if cost becomes a deciding factor.
In twenty minutes or less, you'll know the pros and cons of each choice and you'll have countless links in the booklet to videos, great additional sources of in-depth information, etc.
I think you're going to be blown away by the booklet. But as Kenny Chesney said in his hit song, "Only time will tell, but it ain't talkin'."
Oxygen Bleach - Miracle Cleaner
I want to WARN you now that on Tuesday the entire newsletter is going to be devoted to oxygen bleach.
Have you ever heard of it? I discovered this magical cleaner back in 1996 or so.
If you're worried about HARSH and TOXIC cleaning chemicals, you're going to love Tuesday's newsletter.
Happy Easter!
I'm dressed in my finest clothes for Easter Mass this morning. I'll have my daughter snap a photo in case you're interested. Wait until you see my electric-blue bow tie!
Stain Solver Easter SALE
The Stain Solver Easter SALE ends in one week.
If you LOVE the larger sizes of Stain Solver - our 9 and 50-pounders - then you MUST REACT NOW and order.
There are LIMITED NUMBERS of each size and we WILL RUN OUT at some point. We can't make more of each size at the drop of a hat. Trust me I wish it were that easy.
Use this promo code NOW to get your 10% off and FREE SHIPPING to the lower 48 states:
EASTER18
CLICK HERE to place your order for my Stain Solver. If you've never ordered before, you ENTER the promo code on the last page of the checkout process in the cart.
That's enough for a Sunday morning.
You'll REGRET not ordering a larger size of Stain Solver.
Don't make my say in a few weeks when you see the Out of Stock message, "I TOLD YOU SO!"
Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
Do It Right, Not Over!
March 30, 2018 AsktheBuilder Newsletter
New subscriber? Greetings! Not-So-New? TNX for hanging around.
It's a rainy chilly morning here in Downeast Maine. I'm composing this sitting in a rental home in Southwest Harbor on Mt. Desert Island (MDI).
The past two days, I've toured some new homes with my daughter Meghan and her husband Brent. They're going to select a builder to construct their first home here on MDI.
It's imperative you go look at some of their houses and pay attention to detail. I asked if I could take some photos and was granted permission. I did it primarily for you.
You'll see some stunning photos below in a second. First, we need to get the news out about the Stain Solver SALE.
End-of-Winter Stain Solver SALE
If you're a new subscriber, you probably have no clue that my wife Kathy and I own a small niche business - www.StainSolver.com
Please go look at the home page of Stain Solver. You'll see my all-time FAVORITE before/after photos. Look at the baseball cap.
Stain Solver is a certified organic multi-purpose cleaner. You may have seen commercials on TV for a competitor's product that begins with Oxi. That product is NOT organic. But I digress.
Stain Solver cleans anything that's water washable. Decks, patios, laundry, floor tile grout, camping gear, musty coolers, grease from cabinets, etc.
You name it, Stain Solver can CLEAN and RESTORE it. Kathy and make Stain Solver here in the USA up in Chicago. The two ingredients are also made in the USA.
We have a huge sale at the end of each winter. That's now for us up in the Northeast.
Sale Facts:
- LIMITED QUANTITIES of each size. Big sizes - 9 and 50 pounds - will SELL OUT most likely
- Sale ENDS in nine days
- FREE SHIPPING to any lower 48 states
- Promo code works on any size except our small sample size
- CLICK HERE TO ORDER
Here's the promo code:
EASTER18
Cool New House Photos
Here are a few very colorful things I saw in the houses I toured. I shot more photos, but these were my favorite ones that really caught my eye:
Don't ask me where to get that blue tile. I have no clue, but I thought I overheard it was a special order from Italy.
The stunning granite fireplace pulled at me like a tractor beam. Look at the variety of colors and minerals!!!!
I shot the switch cover plate because I wanted you to keep in mind you can add flair and color to a room with these. All too often people forget about decorative cover plates!
Want to see MORE decorative cover plates??? I thought so.
Next Tuesday, I'm going to devote the entire issue to why you should try oxygen bleach to clean things. It's been years since I've shared WHY hospitals, hotels, motels, universities, etc. use oxygen bleach to CLEAN THINGS.
Once you know this, you'll probably become a believer.
I need to pack and start to get on the road. It's going to be a gray drive back to central New Hampshire.
Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
Do It Right, Not Over!
March 28, 2018 AsktheBuilder Newsletter
New subscriber? Howdy! Past patron? You're the best for sticking around!
I happen to be in Southwest Harbor, Maine right now. My oldest daughter Meghan and her husband are about to fulfill a dream.
They've wanted to move here for nearly ten years and are days away from buying a building lot.
What does this mean for you? More than you can ever imagine.
I'm helping them through the new-home building process and the end result will be a vast series of small downloadable PDF files that share with you the BEST products / methods for each step of the building process.
I'll list: Good - Better - BEST so you have choices. I'll also list the major pitfalls to help you avoid nightmares.
I'm starting the first one next week:
Watch for these as they become available.
Metal Kitchen Backsplashes
I'm staying at a house while here in Southwest Harbor. The rental has a spacious kitchen with a metal backsplash.
I'm VERY INTERESTED in how you feel about this material. I've got all sorts of great photos of the system in a new article I just uploaded to my website.
Would you consider doing me a favor? Would you go look at the photos and check out the Pros and Cons lists?
CLICK HERE to see all the photos.
Then would you scroll down and LEAVE A COMMENT as to how you feel about this backsplash material?
Remember, I moderate all comments so your comment won't appear until I approve it. Just submit it and believe me it will show up within hours or later tonight when I'm back at my laptop.
On-Demand Ask the Builder Show
Do you want to get ADDITIONAL FREE TIPS from me?
You can by just listening to my new on-demand radio show.
CLICK HERE to *hear* all of them. They're FREE and you can listen right on your computer, tablet or smartphone.
On my latest show I shared a somewhat funny story about my FIRST job where I was a general contractor. I do have a transcript of the story in case you want to read it instead of hearing me tell the story. CLICK HERE for it.
Time for breakfast and then off to a meeting with a local builder Meghan and Brent are considering.
Have a great day.
Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
Do It Right, Not Over!
Metal Backsplash
This is a metal backsplash above the gas range. The only thing missing is a vent hood to capture all the greasy vapors. This column was SO GOOD that I shared with the 31,000 subscribers who read my March 28, 2018 AsktheBuilder Newsletter. Copyright 2018 Tim Carter
"Modern metal backsplashes are easy to install if the wall surface is perfectly flat. The metal panels come with an adhesive backing."
Metal Backsplash Requires Confidence
A metal backsplash sends a powerful message. You're not afraid to take chances. Typical non-metal backsplashes you could have chosen might be:
- ceramic tile
- painted drywall
- plastic laminate
It's important to realize there's no perfect backsplash material. Painted drywall is by far the easiest because it's on the wall by default. You don't need to add anything. If you coat the paint with two coats of clear water-based urethane you end up with a very durable and washable surface.
Related Links:
Custom Ceramic Tile Backsplash - Add A Dramatic Look
Crown Tile Backsplash for Ultra Master Bathroom
Free & Fast Bids
CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local handymen that can install your new backsplash.
This is the typical look between a countertop and wall cabinets. Note the matching metal electrical cover plate. Copyright 2018 Tim Carter
What are Metal Backsplashes Benefits?
- unique look
- trend-setting when in style
- bold retro appearance
Here's a narrow strip of the metal. Note the open overlap seam at red arrow. Copyright 2018 Tim Carter
What are Negatives for Metal Backsplashes?
- contoured surface harder to clean
- overlap seams require expert installation
- cutting material not easy
- harsh glare possible from low-angle sunlight
Here's a typical electrical outlet cut through a metal backsplash. You need a small grinder to make precise cutouts like this. Copyright 2018 Tim Carter
Is it Easy to Install Metal Backsplash?
Modern metal backsplashes are easy to install if the wall surface is perfectly flat. The metal panels come with an adhesive backing.
Another key point is the wall surface must be clean. Remodeling jobs in existing kitchens require you deep-clean the walls to remove all dirt and grease.
Use Stain Solver certified organic oxygen bleach to remove all grease from wall surfaces.
CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local handymen that can install your new backsplash.
B1241
White Salt on Brick and 3 Ways
The white stains on Joel’s brick are water-soluble salts. Trying to clean them off with more water or acid is a MISTAKE. (C) Copyright 2018 Tim Carter
White Salt on Brick and 3 Ways
Question #1: Tim, I’ve got a mess on my brick home. I live in Houston, TX and have a sprinkler system for my lawn. The water sometimes gets sprayed on my brick exterior. White stains appear. I’ve tried scrubbing with water and a water/acid mix. Nothing is working. What’s going on and how do I stop it? - Joel
Answer #1: Joel’s problem is quite common. I even have the issue in my own garage in the winter months. He’s dealing with efflorescence.
Joel sent me three photos using the Ask Tim page on my website that allowed me to zero in on the exact problem. That old saying, “A picture is worth 1,000 words” is so very true. If you’ve got a problem at your home, by gosh I want to hear from you!
There are dissolved minerals in just about all drinking water. Some cities, towns, and wells have more than others. You might see white water stains on your drinking glasses or a dark countertop if a water drop dries.
The minerals can also be in Joel’s brick or the mortar in between the brick. Even if he poured pure distilled water on his brick, that water could soak into the brick and mortar, dissolve the salts and then bring them to the surface when the water evaporates.
The efflorescence on my garage floor is caused by snow and slush that contains rock salt used by my town in the winter to melt snow on the roads. This saltwater drips from the underside of my car and soaks into my garage floor concrete. As the water is drawn to the surface to evaporate the water goes into the air, but it leaves behind gorgeous fluffy salt crystals.
The only way to solve the problem is to stop getting the brick wet. When salts do appear, brush them off with a stiff brush while the brick is dry. Do NOT wet the salts. That just drives them back into the brick and mortar.
Question #2: Tim, I tried to be a hero at my house and now I’m a heel. I wanted to replace a dingy 3-way switch in our dining room with a new one. Now the light switching doesn’t work right. Sleeping on the couch is getting old. Help! - Rich
Answer #2: Ten years ago I taped a video showing how the wires are connected to a 3-way switch. It’s the most popular 3-way switch video in the world as it’s been watched over 1,293,393 times! You can watch this video on my AsktheBuilder website. CLICK HERE to watch the video.
The issue with the video is that it shows the wires with no drywall on the walls. That’s not too helpful to Rich or possibly you when you just see four wires poking from a hole in the wall!
Here’s how to get the switch working again. Be sure the current is off to the switch by turning off the power at the electric panel. Take small pieces of painters tape and put a little tab on the three wires that have insulation on them. The bare wire or one with green insulation is the ground wire. Connect that to the green grounding screw on the new switch and leave it there.
Number each of the tape tabs: 1, 2 and 3. Orient the new switch so the screw that’s painted black is pointing up and the two brass screws are aiming down to the floor. Keep the switch in this position the entire time.
Start to attach the numbered wires to the screws in a clockwise fashion as you face the front of the switch. The #1 wire should be on the black screw then the #2 wire should be on the screw down low and to the right with the #3 wire on the remaining screw to the left of the #2 wire.
Carefully turn the power on and see if the switch works right. You may have lucked out and got it right the first time. If not turn the power off again and start to play musical chairs with the wires. Put the #1 wire where the #2 wire was before. Put the #2 wire where the #3 wire was just before and finish up putting the #3 wire where the #1 wire was.
Turn the power back on and see if the switches work correctly. If not, you’re one step away from success! Turn the power off and do musical chairs one last time. Move the wires around the switch one last time just like you did before. I guarantee you it will work perfectly this time!
I’ve created a free downloadable document for you at my website. This document contains diagrams of how the wires should be connected each time to the new 3-way switch. It also contains links to both my 3-way and 4-way switch videos. The PDF document also has several great photos of efflorescence and a link to a video I recorded about efflorescence. You’ll also discover the best brush to use to remove efflorescence from brick or concrete.
Just go to: https://www.askthebuilder.com/b1241/ to get the free PDF document.
March 25, 2018 AsktheBuilder Newsletter
New subscriber? Greetings! Past patron? TNX, as we say in Morse, for your continued attention and trust!
Winter won't let go here in central New Hampshire. I woke up this morning to a fresh inch of snow. It will melt today, but that's not the point.
You may already be in flip flops and a t-shirt. That's why I'm going to start sharing tips about spring and summer.
Let's start with a fantastic gas can I've been testing for a month.
SureCan Gas Can
I've tried many gas cans looking for the perfect combination of features. I've finally found the Holy Grail of gas cans.
Here's what I don't like about other gas cans:
- spout is too short requiring a pesky funnel
- handle wrong orientation when filling - wrist bend
- spout in the way when not pouring
- hard to control flow
The SureCan solves all these. The spout ROTATES down so you can fill while the can stays in the same position ALL THE TIME.
The flow of gasoline can be controlled with ease by how much pressure you apply as you squeeze a lever. If you want a trickle, just give it a slight push. Full flow? Squeeze away baby. Look at the photo below. Note how the black lever is pushed down by the man's thumb and gas is now flowing.
That black lever has a NICE safety underneath it. You have to squeeze the safety before the black lever will go down.
Remember, I only share links to products that I use myself. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my SureCan gas can!
On-Demand Radio Show 4
My good friend Chuck uploaded my fourth FREE on-demand radio show on Friday morning. Already without telling you just under 100 people have listened to it. It costs you NOTHING to listen.
What does that mean to YOU that so many have beat you to it? It means:
- my on-demand show is gaining traction
- others are getting FREE TIPS you're ignoring
- others are SAVING MONEY that you're wasting
I talked with Robert, Bob and Sue last week on the phone.
Robert's got a cracked floor joist under his bathroom. Bob wants to know if it's SAFE to use chemical weed killers and fertilizers on his rural lawn. Sue's got some rotten wood siding panels and wants to know the most cost-effective way to permanently repair them.
I end with a pretty funny story about my first job acting as a general contractor. I've uploaded a written TRANSCRIPT of that story should you just want to read it. Scroll down to get to it.
CLICK HERE to listen to my latest FREE on-demand radio show.
If you want to listen to my first THREE on-demand radio shows, CLICK HERE.
Attic Ventilation - The Real Scoop
A few days ago, I revised my past column about attic ventilation. There's lots of hocus-pocus out there concerning this topic.
I'm STUNNED by the amount of information that's not based in science I see at other websites. BE CAREFUL of following that other advice.
CLICK HERE to see how to COOL DOWN your attic. You need to do the work NOW before it gets too damn hot to be up in your attic or on your roof.
Clean Kitchen & Bath Cabinets
I had a subscriber contact me asking if our certified organic Stain Solver oxygen bleach was safe to use on kitchen or bath cabinets to deep clean them. This person had been ill and not been able to clean on a regular basis and things got a little out of hand.
The answer is YES it's SAFE to use Stain Solver on cabinets. This is because most painted cabinets are not damaged by sunlight. Sunlight breaks down the resins and pigments in paint.
Stain Solver will remove sun-damaged resin and color pigments. You WANT to remove these if you're repainting the outside of your home.
But if you're cleaning inside, you don't want to harm the paint. Stain Solver is SAFE on interior paints. Look at the stunning Before and After photos of these gorgeous cabinets:
The After photo is just below. What a difference. The subscriber just mixed up some of the Stain Solver powder with HOT water.
She stirred the powder for a minute and then poured the solution into a small hand-pump spray bottle.
She spritzed the painted cabinet and let the solution work for just ten minutes. Then she rubbed the surface with a nice sponge.
The dark line above the lower handle is not dirt. The paint has worn away here because fingernails catch on that groove. The woman shared this because she didn't want anyone to think the Stain Solver didn't work in that spot. CLICK HERE to order some Stain Solver now.
Spring Means WET Basements and Crawlspaces
My college degree is in geology. I had a focus on hydrogeology and geomorphology. Hydrogeology is the study of ground water and how it MOVES through soil and rock.
Geomorphology is the study of the surface of the earth. Think hills, valleys and other shapes.
Mix these two together with some common sense and you quickly DISCOVER how to STOP WATER from entering a basement or crawlspace.
CLICK HERE to see how it's done.
I'll Call You
Do you have a problem around your home you need help with? I'm now making no less than four or five FREE phone calls per week.
The calls are FREE. All you have to do is supply me with two or three decent photos so I can SEE what's going on.
If you want me to call you, take a few photos and then CLICK HERE and fill out the form. Or, just send them out of your phone to my email address - you've already got it if you're reading this - and send me a simple email with the photos attached.
I'd say that's enough for a Sunday.
Be SURE to read that story about my first general contracting experience. CLICK HERE for it.
Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
On-Demand Radio Captain Magic
Do It Right, Not Over!
Heat Loss Photos
This is a thermal image taken in my own home. It's normal for the french door and the windows to be the purple and magenta. But you should NOT see that color up on the slanted part of the ceiling. The insulation contractors did a bad job. I didn't build this house, so it's not my fault. Copyright 2018 Tim Carter
Heat Loss Photos - I've Got Plenty
Heat loss, and heat gain in the summer, are both responsible for costing you money.
It's important to realize that you can't stop heat loss, but you can slow it down. In the photo above the purple areas on the sloped ceiling are caused by air flowing through the batt insulation.
The air enters the soffit just outside the wall under the roof overhang and travels up to the roof ridge vent. The air could have been blocked from entering the insulation by using baffles that shield the fiberglass from the moving air.
Seeing Heat Loss With a Thermal Camera
The human eye can't see heat loss or the heat signature of objects. But you can purchase an affordable thermal camera that can see it.
I happen to own the FLIR One camera that attaches to my Android smartphone.
This is my FLIR thermal camera that attaches to a smartphone. It can even show you where water leaks. Copyright 2018 Tim Carter CLICK THE IMAGE to have one delivered to your home.
The top photo was taken with my FLIR and so are the ones you see below.
I've turned on the temperature function of the FLIR camera. You can see how cold the ceiling surface is in my dining room. Copyright 2018 Tim Carter CLICK THE IMAGE NOW to have a FLIR thermal camera in your hands in days.
This is a very interesting photo. The bright yellow line on the right side is my baseboard hot water radiator. The diagonal orange stripe on the floor with the temperature crosshairs is a sunbeam! Look how powerful the sun is coming in and heating up that strip of flooring and carpet. Copyright 2018 Tim Carter CLICK THE PHOTO now to have the FLIR camera in your hands in days.