Flexible Gas Lines- Are You Serious?

Posted on September 12, 2017 by Tim Carter

Flexible Gas Line | Here's a flexible gas line. These are two short pieces of the flexible stainless-steel gas lines or CSST. You can practically tie it in a knot it's so flexible. If you have lots of pipes to run, this may be the way to go. But before you decide, realize there's a fire and an explosion hazard with this because of lightning! Keep reading! © 2021 Tim Carter

"A flexible gas line is made from thin-wall stainless steel. It's not durable as a traditional black-iron pipe. Lightning has caused many house fires that have flexible gas lines."

Revised January 2021

Flexible Gas Line TIPS

Flexible gas lines are safe so long as you have little lightning
Not as durable as traditional black iron
Require special installation tool for fittings
Installs faster than black iron
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DEAR TIM: The natural gas lines that are being installed in our new home are not the heavy black iron pipe. They're a new flexible stainless steel piping system that is installed like electrical wire.

What is this material? Is it safe to use? Are there advantages to using this pipe?

Can you cut into the pipe at a future date to install an added gas appliance? Is there another alternative gas piping material? Betsy F., Augusta, GA

Are Flexible Gas Lines Safe?

A flexible gas line is an ingenious method of supplying natural gas to fireplaces, furnaces, cooktops, clothes dryers and any other gas appliance. Virtually all state and local code authorities permit its use and many contractors are finally embracing it.

I have this flexible gas line in my own home in central New Hampshire and never worry about it at all. Some plumbers will tell you it's faster and cheaper to install this new CSST piping. However, we don't get frequent thunderstorms here in central New Hampshire.

I happen to be a master plumber and given the choice, I'd install traditional threaded black iron pipe. More on this in a just a moment.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local plumbers to install flexible gas lines in your home.

CSST Video

Watch this video to see how CSST pipe is installed.

When Was CSST Flexible Gas Line Introduced?

I remember when the material was first introduced in 1989. Many of my fellow contractors who install gas lines thought it was unsafe. Some of their arguments never made sense to me.

For as long as I have been in the home building business, we always used similar brass appliance connector tubing when gas was supplied to a clothes dryer, a cooktop, or a gas range.

Hundreds of thousands of houses have these corrugated appliance connectors in service right now. They have worked well for many years.

Why Were You Afraid of CSST?

I was afraid of CSST because of the thin nature of the pipe. There are lots of instances of houses that have been destroyed in gas fires because CSST pipe was ruptured by a lightning strike.

The pipe in the walls acts as an interior lightning rod. It's vital to follow all instructions provided by CSST manufacturers and to BOND the tubing electrically.

Errant screws or nails used to attach cabinets, trim, pictures, etc. can puncture this pipe. That would never happen with a piece of traditional black iron pipe.

Only a direct hit from a hot bolt of lightning will bore a hole in a traditional black iron pipe.

Dangers Of CSST Video

Watch this video to see what you think about the dangers of the material.

Do You Have CSST in Your Home, Tim?

The current home I live in here in central New Hampshire had these flexible gas lines installed in 2001. I've had no issues with them at all and I even had to do a kitchen remodel where I extended an existing line.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local plumbers who install gas lines.

What are the Advantages of CSST?

The CSST has many advantages. Perhaps the biggest one is labor savings. Traditional black iron pipe takes a lot of time to cut and thread.

I know as I have installed thousands of linear feet of the heavy material. As you said, the new CSST is installed like electrical wire.

You simply pull the material between two points and cut it to length with simple tubing cutters.

Is Black Iron Gas Pipe Labor Intensive?

Black iron pipe is very labor intensive. A typical black iron pipe installation requires a professional to precisely measure, cut, and thread the individual pieces of pipe. All of these steps are very time-consuming.

It's important to realize you need to think about overall safety. Spending hundreds of dollars more for black iron pipe may be well worth it in the long run if you have a house fire.

CLICK HERE to get FREE BIDS from Plumbers to install Flexible Gas Lines.

Does CSST Create Fewer Leak Locations?

When you use CSST, you can minimize potential gas leaks. A typical black iron pipe installation has many 90-degree, tee, and coupling fittings.

These fittings are used each time you change directions or join two pieces of straight pipe together. Each of the cast fittings can be the source of a leak.

What's more, the threaded joints on both sides of the fitting can also be potential leak points. Because the CSST snakes its way around bends and obstructions as one solid piece of tubing, you only have a fitting at each end of the line. If you do have a leak, these fittings are almost always readily accessible for adjustment.

Is CSST DIY Friendly?

CSST is not user friendly for a DIY installer. It's not really a do-it-yourself proposition. Many of the manufacturers of this material require professional installers to take a short training course that familiarizes them with the small nuances of this unique gas piping system.

What are the Two Gas Line Install Choices?

These are traditional black iron pipes that I installed in 1987. Each end of a piece of pipe must be threaded. It's messy and hard work, but I must admit I sort of enjoy it. The pipe is extremely durable and rarely has a lightning strike cause a fire in a house with black iron pipe. © 20187 Tim Carter

Is it Easy to Install Additional Gas Lines?

Adding additional gas lines at a future date is not a problem if you plan for the possibility during the original installation. The CSST systems can be installed one of two ways:

series
parallel

The series installation resembles traditional black iron piping. A larger diameter mainline CSST pipe supplies gas to smaller branch tubes that feed each appliance. This is often the easiest system to adapt at a future date.

What is a CSST Manifold Method?

A parallel CSST manifold system mimics an electric panel. All of the gas lines that feed each appliance start at a central distribution point or manifold. To add a line in the future you need to have an extra gas port on the manifold within the panel.

Can I Use Soft Copper for Gas Lines?

Yes, you can use approved soft copper for gas line work.

If you are not able to get CSST tubing and can't handle working with black iron pipe, consider using soft copper. It offers all of the same advantages of the CSST systems.

Soft copper is approved for interior residential gas piping in many cities and towns. You don't solder it like water lines.

How Do You Make Soft Copper Connections?

Connections are made with common flare fittings that tighten with standard wrenches. The only specialized tool you need is a flaring tool made to fit the pipe size you are working with.

If you use copper for gas lines in your home, be sure to paint them yellow and label them with red lettering "GAS LINE" so a future weekend warrior doesn't mistake them for a water line!

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local plumbers who install gas lines.

Author's Notes:

If you have ANY DOUBTS about flexible gas lines or CSST, visit a local firehouse and talk to the team leader that's on duty. Visit SEVERAL firehouses to get different opinions.

In regard to your article on the CSST systems being installed in new homes. If you care to, read an article that was published in April of 2003 in the Dallas News regarding banning this installation in the city of Frisco, Collin County, Texas. Lightning strikes have caused numerous fires in residential homes as a result of CSST failing. Although the manufacturer states that it is completely safe, in fact safer than ridged black pipe, it has some serious issues. I have seen three fires in our own community as a result of CSST failure. The manufacturer accepts no responsibility for improper installation, and does not provide in any great detail, of detrimental or catastrophic failure if done so. I just saw your article and thought I would provide feedback. If you have questions on the article I mentioned, you may contact the Dallas News. Thank you for your time.

Maxwell J. Brunner
Lieutenant
Menomonee Falls Fire Department
Email- [email protected]

I responded to this very interesting email with a few thoughts of my own. My first suspicion would be that the tubing acts like a lightning rod of sorts. The thin walls of CSST might not seem to handle as much of a strike as black iron. Black iron is so much thicker that it may actually take a lightning strike better.

I suggest you look up the article in the Dallas News if you want more details.

Column 296

Painting Vinyl Siding

Posted on September 12, 2017 by Tim Carter

Paint Vinyl Siding - You can paint vinyl siding. This faded siding was dark red from the factory. Use a light color paint for the best results. A link to a GREAT paint that will stick is below. Vinyl siding trim should be a different color than the siding. What are exterior painting costs 2021? Copyright 2021 Tim Carter

You can paint vinyl siding. It's important to realize you must use urethane paint and chose a light color for the best results.

Paint Vinyl Siding Checklist

Use urethane resin paint - see link below
void dark colors to prevent peeling
WATCH painting video below
Clean siding with Stain Solver oxygen bleach
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DEAR TIM: My house has a combination of wood and vinyl siding. The wood siding needs a fresh coat of paint, but I want the color of the two sidings to be consistent.

My wife wants a new color that is different than what we have now. Can you paint vinyl siding?

If it is possible, are there special paints and techniques that I must use? Donald N., Scranton, PA

CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE BIDS from local painters.

DEAR DONALD: You can paint vinyl siding! If you had asked this question several years ago, I don't think you would have liked the answer. But fortunately, there have been some major breakthroughs in the paint and coatings industry.

How Do I Paint Vinyl Siding?

You paint vinyl siding using a special paint made for vinyl siding. The paint must have a special urethane resin or glue.

Several new exterior paints are available that have been formulated to stick to vinyl siding. They perform so well that the paint manufacturers offer a long-term warranty so long as you follow the paint label instructions.

Why Does Paint Peel From Vinyl Siding?

Paint peels from vinyl siding because vinyl expands and contracts as it gets hot and cold. This back-and-forth movement breaks the bond between the paint and siding.

Painting vinyl siding is challenging for several reasons. Vinyl siding has a very high expansion/contraction coefficient.

This simply means that it expands and contracts significantly as it experiences periods of exposure to sunlight and then periods of shade or darkness. When direct sunlight hits the siding, it grows dramatically.

This movement of the siding caused older traditional exterior paints to fail in short order as the bond between the paint and the siding was severed by this constant back and forth movement.

CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE BIDS from local painters.

Can Vinyl Siding Be Painted With Dark Paint?

Do not paint vinyl siding with a dark paint. It will absorb too much heat when the sun strikes it. Vinyl siding soaks up the heat to a great degree. If it gets too hot, it can buckle and distort.

Are Lighter Paint Colors Best for Vinyl?

Light colors reflect more of the sun's heat and are best for vinyl siding.

This is why many vinyl products are offered in lighter colors. Because of this fact, you can actually damage your vinyl siding if you paint it a color that is too dark.

IMPORTANT TIP: The paint manufacturers highly recommend that you paint the vinyl siding a color that is no darker than the current shade of your vinyl siding.

Should I Paint My Siding With a Similar Color Shade?

Yes, paint your siding a very similar shade if possible using a high-quality paint that says on the label it's made for vinyl.

For example, if your siding is currently a light shade of beige, you can paint it a light shade of green, blue, tan, etc. The trick is to use paint store color chip cards to guide you.

Locate a color that is as close as possible to your existing vinyl siding. Use that color chip card as a benchmark and find complimentary paint chip cards that have the same depth of color as the paint chip that matches your siding.

You can then select a color that is equal to or less in color richness and depth as your existing vinyl siding color.

Painting Vinyl Siding Video

Here's how pros paint vinyl siding. I can't vouch that everything they're doing in the video is correct, but if you do decide to paint, you may want to use a sprayer as you see in the video. It's the ONLY way to apply paint to vinyl.

Is Urethane Paint Best?

You must use the right paint to achieve victory. The ones that seem to work best with vinyl siding are ones that have a urethane resin. You can also use a paint that has a blend of urethane and acrylic resins.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local painters.

Why is Urethane Paint Super Sticky?

Water-based urethane paints have extraordinary adhesive qualities. This is exactly what one needs to combat the daily movement of the vinyl siding.

Here's a great urethane-fortified paint. That's why on the label it says it's for porches and floors! It's tough enough to walk on so you know it will perform really well on your vinyl siding where no one can walk except squirrels. CLICK THE IMAGE NOW TO have this paint delivered to your home.

Exterior latex paints that contain urethane are readily available. Simply look for the word urethane on the label of the paint can.

Do I Have to Clean the Siding First?

Yes, you must clean the siding before you paint. Follow the exact directions on the paint can label to get the absolute best results from this paint job. I feel that a clean, dry surface is very important.

If you clean your house like your own body or your car, you'll have a great head start. This means using soap and water and some good old-fashioned elbow grease.

Rub & Scrub

Stain Solver is MADE in the USA with USA ingredients that are food-grade quality. CLICK THE IMAGE to order some NOW.

You must mechanically remove the dirt film from the existing painted surfaces with soapy sponges, rags or brushes.

The best cleaning solution is a mixture of Stain Solver certified organic oxygen bleach and a small amount of liquid Dawn dish soap.

Stain Solver is a powder you mix with water. I use hot water and stir it for two minutes making sure all of the powder is dissolved.

You apply it to vinyl siding that's in the shade. Keep the siding wet with the solution for up to 15 minutes then scrub the siding with a brush used to clean RVs.

Are Pressure Washers Good?

Don't count on pressure washers to clean your existing surfaces. Not only do they not get all the dirt off the surfaces, but they also can inject massive amounts of water into and behind the siding. This hidden water can cause big problems as you begin to apply the new paint.

Should I Remove Mildew Before I Paint?

If mildew is present on the existing surfaces, use an oxygen bleach solution to remove it. Stain Solver Oxygen bleach will not harm the vinyl siding nor any vegetation near your home.

IMPORTANT TIP: Avoid chlorine bleach as it's highly toxic to vegetation.

Should I Paint In Direct Sunlight?

Painting in direct sunlight is also not the best idea. If you can paint your home in cooler weather and preferably on overcast days, the paint will have excellent conditions in which to dry and bond to the vinyl siding and existing wood siding.

Windy, hot and sunny weather is not the best time to paint contrary to what many people believe.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local painters.

Message from Tim:

Years ago while researching a column about cleaning decks, I discovered the wonders of Oxygen Bleach. It is perhaps the 'greenest' cleaner I know of as it uses oxygen ions to break apart stains, dirt and odor molecules. There are no harsh chemicals, and it works on just about anything that is water washable.

I decided to create my own special blend using ingredients made in the USA. In fact, the raw materials in the active ingredient are food-grade quality registered with the FDA. I call my product Stain Solver. I urge you to use it to help with cleaning your vinyl siding. You will be amazed at the results!

Painting vinyl siding was mentioned in Tim's May 20, 2018 AsktheBuilder Newsletter.

September 12, 2017 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on September 12, 2017 by Tim Carter

Are you captivated by the weather news? Have you ever thought why this is so?

I think it's a scale issue. The wonders of Mother Nature are so much larger than us and contain such vast amounts of power and fury.

Your appetite to know more about hurricanes, cyclones, tornadoes, earthquakes, forest fires, blizzards, etc. no doubt is hard coded into your brain stem.

I feel part of the attraction is scarcity. All of those natural forces can take away something from you that's pretty valuable - your life.

Then there's the inner morbid curiosity we all seem to possess that Don Henley explores in his famous hit song Dirty Laundry.

If you've not listened closely to the lyrics, you should.

CLICK HERE to read them.

You & Clutter

Let's be honest with one another. I'd like you to answer these questions:

Can you see the top surface of your workbench?
Do you know where all your tools are and can put your hand on each one in less than a minute?
Is your garage floor covered with (begins with the letter C) that you've not touched in months / years?
Are shelves in your garage or basement packed with you-know-what and you can't find anything?

The past three weeks I've been involved in a massive project here at my house solving all those above problems. It's a project you might have to do to, but have been putting off.

I put mine off for nine years and simple could no longer stand it.

Years of clutter are disappearing. I've just about wrestled the demon to the ground. I can see large sections of floor again in my shed.

I'll be able to park two vehicles in the garage this winter with lots of extra space.

My garage attic will be so open I may create a man cave extension with a lounge chair and my model-trains-under-glass coffee table!

I inherited the horrible packratitis disease from my mother. She had a chronic case. I don't have it quite as bad as she did, but I'm infected. My wife Kathy may disagree.

I just wanted to share how liberating it is to be free of so much stuff. It's a fantastic feeling.

I was able to sell many things. Other things went to the free room at our town dump. I discovered the best thing to do is create a FREE pile in the garage and when someone comes to buy something, they can pick anything they want from the pile. It's a FUN GAME and people are delighted to get something for free in addition to paying for what they came for. It's a win win win.

To help put the declutter icing on the cake, I had Kathy order a few things for me yesterday from Amazon.com. I need to finish organizing decades of accumulated nails, screws, bolts, nuts and many other small items that are very handy to have.

You can have your own small hardware store and save yourself LOTS of money. Have you noticed the outlandish price hardware stores and big box stores charge for one screw, bolt or nut? WOWZA! No way I'm throwing all mine out!!!

I've had lots of great durable plastic bins for years. I got most of mine 30 years ago. They were in the rear of my utility body truck holding nails, screws and other small parts.

Now they're on some narrow shelves in my garage, but I need more.

What you see above is an Akro bin. They come in all sorts of great sizes. They're also very affordable.

They come in about seven or eight colors. Black, red, blue, gray, green, yellow, purple, clear, bone, etc.

They stack very nicely. You can store lots of different things in these bins so you can find them!

I'm using different colors to help me easily identify groups of things like:

nails
screws
electrical parts
plumbing fittings
misc hardware
etc.

CLICK HERE to see all the Akro bins.

They have a lip on the back you can hang them from the Wall Control metal pegboard I so love. CLICK HERE to see the wonderful Wall Control pegboard I've got in my garage.

Stop the BANG!

Are you remodeling or getting ready to build a new home? Then you MUST give SERIOUS consideration to pocket doors.

Not just any pocket doors, but ones made by LE Johnson that have the newer soft-close feature. Yes, you can get heavy pocket doors to close SOFTLY and not BANG!!!

You've surely seen cabinet drawers and shelves and other sliding things that have this wonderful feature.

CLICK HERE to discover more about the fantastic LE Johnson soft close hardware.

Guess what? If you have an existing LE Johnson pocket door, there's a great chance you can ADD this new hardware.

It only takes a decent handyman about an hour to complete the job.

CLICK HERE to watch a video showing how the soft close STOPS a pocket door from SLAMMING going either direction.

CLICK HERE to see how to install the soft close hardware in a pocket door frame.

Subway Tile Backsplash - It's All In The Prep

I got a great question from Pam in Columbus, Ohio on Saturday.

It was so good I turned it into one of my national columns.

CLICK HERE to see an amazing photo.

Hurricanes / Floods & Mold

With all the extreme weather happening, it's time for you to get back up to speed on mold and how to STOP IT.

CLICK HERE for a quick refresher course on MOLD PREVENTION.

That's quite enough for today.

I've got some great projects happening here at my house this week and need to take advantage of the great weather.

I'll be taping a swell video or two tomorrow showing you step-by-step how to create threads on black iron pipe. You may not realize how easy it is to do assuming you've got the right tools!

I want you to understand it's not magic to cut threads on a smooth black iron pipe.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

Installing Copper Strips Under Shingles

Posted on September 10, 2017 by Tim Carter

Install Copper Strip on Roof | You can install a 12-inch-wide thin copper strip on a new roof so an inch of the copper strip rests under the cap shingles and the copper folds under the last full shingle on the roof. Copyright 2019 Tim Carter. Click on the sketch to purchase copper roof strips for your roof.

"A copper strip on each side of the roof will extend the life of asphalt shingles 40 or 50 years. The copper prevents the asphalt from becoming brittle."

Tim Carter | Founder - AsktheBuilder.com

Installing Copper Strips on a Shingle Roof

Revised 2019

Look at how the small amount of the copper on the roof of the cupola prevents the shingles from aging.

Watch this short video first. It shows installing the copper strip on an existing roof, not a new one.

The column below it was written ten years before I taped the video.

How Many New Roofs Are Installed Each Year?

Think of how many people are out there who just had a new roof put on this past year. Not counting the one million new homes built last year I'll bet there were at least three million new asphalt shingle roofs installed on existing homes in the USA.

Why Do Asphalt Roofs Fail So Fast?

Asphalt shingles are going bad too fast because many manufacturers blow too much air into the liquid asphalt at the plant. This extra air pre-ages the asphalt making it think it's already thirty years old.

I wrote a book - Roofing Ripoff - about WHY asphalt shingles are failing and how I was the FIRST PERSON in the world to discover that copper prevents asphalt shingles from becoming brittle. Brittle asphalt produces loss of colored granules and curled shingles.

CLICK HERE to discover more about my Roofing Ripoff book. You can read the first part of the book for FREE.

Does Copper Stop Roof Algae?

Yes, copper will stop the growth of roof algae too. This has been known for hundreds of years and it's why copper plates were put on the hulls of wooden warships and clipper ships. The copper stopped the growth of barnacles on the hull that would slow the ships moving through the water.

The sad fact is that the wide majority of those new roofs have no protection against roof algae. The roofers or the homeowners simply are unaware of the problem and unaware that you can buy shingles that have copper coated colored granules.

I hope you are not in this situation. If so, no problem, as there is a way for you to poison those little devils, bacteriologically known as Gloeocapsa magma. We just need to clean your roof and then introduce copper onto your shingles. I know, you may not like the look of a 2-inch copper strip at the top of your roof. However, it will look a whole lot better than the unsightly algae stains!

Clean the Roof First

Common sense should tell you that you need to clean your roof first. That process is described in another article.

Getting the Copper or Zinc

Sheet copper or zinc is usually available at any roofing supply house. These are the places that REAL roofers go to purchase their roofing products.

What is the Best Copper to Install on the Roof?

The best copper is a lightweight version.

Do NOT confuse these places with the large home center stores sprouting up everywhere! The roofing supply houses sell copper for all kinds of roofing uses. They also sell zinc. Both metals will kill the algae, but I think you should use copper. Zinc has a tendency to produce a grayish film over time, so it may discolor your shingles. Copper should not cause a problem on your roof.

How Many Strips and Where?

That's tough for me to answer without seeing your individual roof. One thing is for sure, you need the strips as high up on the roof as possible, so that the copper coats as many shingles as possible.

It's best to install a 10-inch-wide strip just under the cap shingles.

Installation of the Strips

Most asphalt shingles are installed so that they have a five-inch area of the shingle exposed to the weather.

On a new asphalt shingle roof, just install a 12-inch-wide strip up at the top of the roof just before you apply the cap shingles.

The bottom edge of the copper strip can fold underneath the last full shingle placed on the roof. Fold the copper back over so it's exposed to the weather and extend it up to about an inch or two ABOVE where the cap shingles will overlap it.

The key is to adjust the placement of the copper so you have about 10 inches exposed if possible and the cap shingles overlap the top of the copper so the roof remains watertight.

It's really easy to accomplish this.

Column B374

Repair Wall After Removing Ceramic Tile

Posted on September 10, 2017 by Tim Carter

Repair Wall After Removing Ceramic Tile TIPS

Wall must be flat & smooth or tile will telegraph defects
Do NOT use cheap pre-mixed spackling or drywall mud for repair
WATCH repair videos below
Patching compound MUST BE waterproof
CLICK HERE to Get Tim's FREE & FUNNY Newsletter!

DEAR TIM: We’re in the home stretch of a delightful bathroom remodel job. One of the final steps is to install subway ceramic tile as the backsplash above the dual-bowl sink.

The plaster wall above the new granite top needs to be repaired. After we removed the old ceramic tile there were giant holes.

My husband is in a hurry and wants to do the patch fast with a pre-mixed product that comes in a tub from the local big box store. I want your expert opinion as to the best way to repair the massive depressions in the wall from where old trim tile pieces were removed.

Do we need to remove the old hardened glue from the walls too? Pam L., Columbus, OH

DEAR PAM: I’m humbled that you feel the expert opinion will emanate from my fingertips as I type this!

Countless Wall Repairs

The truth be told I’ve been in the exact situation you’re now facing countless times while working in paying customers’ homes. The tile style changes from year to year, but the method of getting the wall ready for the tile has not changed.

High-Gloss Tile Shows Wall Defects

Let’s first talk about high-gloss finish ceramic tile first before we go much farther. We need to do this to slow down your husband so he keeps the key out of the car’s ignition as he tries to get to the big box store.

Have you ever noticed how a small dent in the door of a new car stands out like a sore thumb? The paint may not be chipped or scratched, but you can clearly see the inward depression.

Free & Fast Bids

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local tile contractors who can do this repair for you.

Light Reflection

This happens on high gloss surfaces like car paint because the reflected light off the metal is bent by the dent. In other words, high gloss finishes are unforgiving if the surface beneath the gloss is not in the same plane.

Wall Must Be Flat & Smooth

If you want every aspect of your bathroom remodeling to be gorgeous, you need to be sure the wall surface under the tile is not only perfectly smooth, it needs to be in the same plane. If the subway tile pieces are not in the same plane on a flat surface, they’ll reflect light differently and it will look like a drunk tile setter installed them.

Repair Wall Early

I see by the photos you sent that the new granite top and faucets are installed. This is going to make the job of repairing the wall much harder as you work around these finished items. The wall repair should have been done long before the cabinet, top and faucets were installed.

Chain Of Adhesion

You also need to be concerned with what I call the chain of adhesion. What’s that old saying? “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.” I can clearly see in your photo that you’ve got traditional plaster applied to gypsum lath panels nailed to the wall studs.

For the tile to stay affixed to the wall for decades, the bond between all the wall elements needs to be as strong as possible. The pre-mixed compounds I see in the big box stores contain very weak glues in almost all cases. What’s worse is some of the glues in these products are water soluble. Premixed drywall joint compound and common spackling are great examples of products with these weak glues.

Cheap Products Not Waterproof

Once these two products are dry, you can dissolve them by rubbing them with a wet sponge. Rub your plaster walls for days with a wet sponge and nothing happens except for you getting blisters and sore muscles. Plaster is waterproof and it bonds tenaciously to just about anything.

Remove Old Adhesive

Here’s how I’d proceed to make your walls ready for the stunning subway tile I’m sure you’ve selected. First you need to purchase some liquid adhesive remover.

Here's a great adhesive and mastic remover. Don't use just any adhesive remover. It needs to say it's made for tile mastic. CLICK THE IMAGE NOW to have this delivered to your home in days.

This product brushes on much like liquid paint remover. it’s imperative you protect the granite top and faucets and any other finished item like the front of the vanity cabinets from this harsh chemical.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local tile contractors who can do this repair for you.

Follow Directions

Follow the directions and get all the old yellowed tile glue off the plaster exposing the original white lime finish plaster. Once it’s off, now it’s time to start to repair the deep depressions.

Traditional Base Plaster

Purchase a bag of Structolite base plaster. You can get this online or from a local building supply store. Be sure the holes in the wall have all loose material removed and brush away and dust.

This is a fantastic gypsum base-coat plaster. You just mix it with water and it really sticks to wallboard and other old gypsum plaster. CLICK THE IMAGE NOW to have this bag at your doorstep in days.

Mix up the Structolite plaster per directions on the bag. You want it to be the consistency of somewhat stiff applesauce.

Structolite Mixing Video

Watch this video to see how to mix Structolite. For small amounts you can just mix by hand with a stiff 3-inch broad scraping knife.

Take a wet sponge and lightly pat the old base plaster in the hole to get it slightly damp just before you’re ready to apply the Structolite. Pack in the new plaster being sure to keep the new plaster 1/8-inch lower than the existing white lime plaster finish you exposed once you removed the old glue.

Use a straightedge to ensure the Structolite is lower than the old white lime plaster. Allow the Structolite to cure for one day.

Finish With Durabond 90

The next day fill in the slight depression and all other tiny holes in the plaster wall with Durabond 90. This is a dry-setting joint compound that’s much like the white lime finish plaster on the wall.

This is the dry setting joint compound I prefer. It mixes easily with water. Use COLD water to slow set time. Mix until it's like warm cake icing. CLICK THE PHOTO NOW TO HAVE THIS DELIVERED TO YOUR HOME. NO NEED TO FIGHT TRAFFIC AND RUDE SHOPPERS.

Mix it with water to the consistency of warm cake icing so it’s silky smooth. You only have 90 minutes to work with it before it gets hard. You can use cold water to slow the hardening process.

Take your time and be sure the wall surface is as smooth as glass and in the same plane. Use a long straightedge or metal level to help you locate small depressions that may exist in the old white plaster finish. Fill those with the Durabond 90 product so the final surface under the new subway tile is as flat as possible.

Durabond 90 Video

Watch this video to get an idea of how to work with quick-setting plaster or setting compound.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local tile contractors who can do this repair for you.

Related Column: Tile Setting on Cold Surfaces

Column 1213

Stop Mold Growth

Posted on September 8, 2017 by Tim Carter

Here's an example of some excellent chimney flashing and mortar joints that prevent water from entering a home. The water would create severe mold and rot issues in the attic and roof framing. Copyright 2017 Tim Carter

Stop Mold Growth TIPS

Water is the primary source of mold growth
Do whatever is necessary to keep all surfaces inside dry
WATCH mold growth video below
Use Stain Solver oxygen bleach to clean up mold and remove spores
CLICK HERE to Get Tim's FREE & FUNNY Newsletter

DEAR TIM: There's been so much news lately about mold that I am very concerned about what might happen to my family and myself in my new home. When I was growing up, mold was never and issue.

What is different now? Why is mold such a problem with newer homes?

Older homes seem to be somewhat immune.

How do you STOP mold growth?

Chad G., Birmingham, AL

DEAR CHAD: As much as I hate to say it, I think the mold problem is just starting to raise its ugly head.

Poor Building Practices

For many years I have witnessed building construction practices that, in my opinion, contribute to severe mold growth and subsequent structural failure from wood rot. The problems can be traced to several things.

Water Vapor & Condensation

First and foremost among them, many modern builders simply do not understand the dynamics of water vapor, condensation, ventilation and exterior moisture protection.

In the years ahead, I predict that mold discovery and mold related issues will reach epidemic proportions in recently built homes.

Free & Fast Bids

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local mold control experts.

No Old Mold

Let's discuss the older home you grew up in and the thousands of older homes that are still occupied and in excellent condition in your community and others around the USA.

Older homes simply were not built as tightly as the homes of today. The weatherstripping around doors and windows was poor or non-existent.

Many homes had little or no wall insulation. The houses were drafty.

Cheap Fuel

Inexpensive heating fuel allowed these building practices to exist. Residential central air conditioning had yet to be invented. Builders understood the importance of tar paper beneath wood siding.

Brick structures were two or often three courses thick. Indoor humidity in the winter time was very low.

Why Mold Grows

Mold and mildew require just three things to form and grow:

mold spores
food
water

It's virtually impossible to eliminate the first two in the list. Mold spores are everywhere. Thousands or hundreds of thousands are in your home.

Food for mold is everywhere. Dust, sugars, dirt, wood, paper, fabric, are all food sources for mold.

But you can stop WATER. If no water is in contact with the spores and food, there's NO MOLD.

Stop Mold Video

Watch this short video. He explains what I just mentioned above.

Air Movement

Because of these factors and several more, water that triggers mold growth didn't collect inside of wall cavities, on interior wall surfaces and in attic spaces. The drafty nature of the construction allowed the water to rapidly evaporate into the atmosphere.

Mold most certainly did grow, but only in places where water leakage had become a chronic problem.

Energy Crisis Chaos

The energy crisis of the 1970s turned the residential construction industry on its ear. There was a rush to seal air leaks in houses and improve the weatherstripping on doors and windows.

But many didn't think about the secondary long-term effects of installing many of the new energy products.

Vapor Barriers Trap Water

Vapor barriers in exterior walls became a building code requirement. In many areas of the nation, forced air heating and central air conditioning with its necessary duct work replaced traditional hot water or steam radiant heating systems.

Humidifiers Add Water!

Along with the duct work came whole house humidifiers. Humidifiers are a good thing, but if not operated properly, they can become mold's best friend.

New Builders - No Training

The rapid growth in the overall population created a housing boom. This led to an influx of builders and sub-contractors into the residential housing industry that had little or no formal training.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local mold control experts.

Doing It Wrong For Decades

These individuals, without knowing it, started a trend of poor building that was, and continues to be, unknowingly passed on to subsequent builders and sub contractors. Just because an individual has been doing something for 20 or 25 years doesn't mean it is right!

Caulk Is Not A Permanent Fix

For example, go back in time and you would never see a roofer caulk metal flashing in place. Sure, modern caulks are a far cry better than old brittle butyl caulks, but they can and do break down over time.

On the other hand, 40-pound tin flashing embedded 3/4 inch deep into a mortar joint has been known to last 70 years or more. It's hard to get tin-coated steel now, so opt for 1/32-inch-thick sheet lead.

Tar Paper Works

Old builders discovered well over 100 years ago that overlapping layers of ordinary 15 pound tar paper stopped rain water and snow melt from touching vital wall sheathing and wood framing members.

Air Infiltration Barriers

Today we have modern air and water infiltration barriers, but many houses are built without this vital secondary moisture protection. Wind-driven rain can and will get behind all types of siding.

It can also penetrate the single layer of brick veneer that so many homeowners think is waterproof.

Builder Must Understand Water

To stop mold growth, your builder must be well educated and be able to demonstrate a knowledge of how to use modern building materials in such a way that water does not condense within wall cavities and attic spaces.

Building Code = Minimum Standards

He needs to build your home to standards that exceed what the building code states. The building code is a wonderful set of guidelines but many code officials will agree that is a set of minimum standards.

If he does not agree with this point, it is time to re-open the bidding process on your new home.

Mold Removal

If you have mold growing on a surface, it can be removed by using different types of bleaches. Not all bleaches are the same.

The most common bleach that most people use is chlorine bleach. It's a liquid purchased at just about any grocery store. The chemical name for chlorine bleach is sodium hypochlorite.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local mold control experts.

Toxic Fumes

Chlorine bleach is a very effective mildew and mold killer, but its fumes can bother some people. Mixing a 50/50 solution of chlorine bleach and water is often all you need to do to make a powerful solution.

Spray it on the mold and mildew and let it sit for several minutes. Scrub it with soap and water and then rinse.

Stain Solver is MADE in the USA with USA ingredients that are food-grade quality. CLICK THE IMAGE to order some NOW.

If you want a less toxic bleach, you may want Stain Solver Oxygen bleach. Oxygen bleach is a powder you mix with water.

Stain Solver produces no fumes and it also does a good job or removing mold and mildew, but it doesn't do it quite as fast as chlorine bleach.

The Oxygen bleach solution is also safe for any vegetation and nearby plants should you be working with it outdoors.

Message from Tim:

I decided to create my own special blend using ingredients made in the USA. In fact, the raw materials in the active ingredient are food-grade quality registered with the FDA. I call my product Stain Solver. I urge you to use it to help with your cleaning project. You will be amazed at the results!

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local mold control experts.

September 7, 2017 AsktheBuilder Emergency News

Posted on September 7, 2017 by Tim Carter

This is a RARE EMERGENCY alert message.

I did this a few years back with Hurricane Sandy that pummeled New Jersey and New York City back in late October, 2012.

Hurricane Irma LOOMS

This is really for folks who live NORTH of FL. If you're in Florida, you're about out of time and you may have already evacuated.

Here's what you need to know about the aftermath of Hurricane Irma:

Your local police and fire department will BE THERE TO HELP after the storm, but you're not their top priority. It's not because they don't care, it's just they have more valuable community assets they have to protect.

For example, think about fuel depots, grocery stores, hospitals, nursing homes, all energy infrastructure, etc. Anything that's important to get the community back up on its feet so the masses like you and me can get things are far more important than some house located at 4893 Vista View Drive.

Your home and all others in the community are at the BOTTOM of the pre-plan list fire departments maintain. Investing valuable first responder assets after natural disasters into one single home is not a wise thing to do. It works when just your home is on fire, but not when 10,000 houses in the community are destroyed.

Cold Truth

How many fire trucks are within fifty miles of your house? How many ambulances? Unless you live in a huge city like Chicago, Los Angeles or New York City, I'd venture to say less than 250 TOTAL.

How many houses are going to be damaged by the storm? Tens of thousands / hundreds of thousands?

Do you see why you can't count on first responders to come to your assistance?

Your neighbors and friends probably will NOT be able to help you. They'll have their own homes to contend with.

It's going to take MONTHS to get repairs done. The law of supply and demand is in play. There are only so many contractors and if 20,000 homeowners need work, many are going to wait. That'll be you.

You're going to have to make emergency repairs to protect your home from more weather after the storm.

You need to TAKE ACTION NOW to protect VALUABLE things. Get sentimental items that can't be replaced protected. Wrap in heavy garbage bags to keep them dry. Keep them up high somewhere.

How are you going to survive?? What about food and water? What about temporary shelter?

What about all your important papers? WHERE ARE THEY? Gather them up. They should have been scanned and put up in the cloud, but it's too late for that now.

TAKE PHOTOS NOW of everything you own to show the insurance company. Upload the photos to the CLOUD!!!! You could lose your cell phone in the storm.

Cover important furniture with plastic tarps or sheets to prevent water damage from roof leaks. This will only work in areas where the windows and doors won't be blown out by the storm.

Don't try to stick around if you're near the coast and you think you can win. The storm surge will kill you.

I could go on and on and on....

The biggest thing I want you to realize is it's up to YOU to protect yourself and to account for your survival. Don't count on any first responders. They'll be busy with MORE IMPORTANT community assets.

I wish you the best of luck if you're in harms way.....

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

Author's Note:

Within eight hours of sending out this emergency newsletter, I heard from Butch. Here's what he sent me:

Tim,

This is well written and very true. I’m a retired emergency management director from a Florida coastal county. Everything you said, I have already said to the people in my county. Thank you for putting this on your web site.

Butch Baker

Cement Stucco Foundation Finish

Posted on September 7, 2017 by Tim Carter

Cement Stucco Foundation TIPS

Use traditional cement stucco - it lasts
Mix Portland cement, medium sand and lime
WATCH stucco video below
Use secret cement paint on existing concrete block / concrete
CLICK HERE to Get Tim's FREE & FUNNY Newsletter

DEAR TIM: My home has two types of foundation: concrete block and poured concrete. They look horrible because of the different colors and textures.

How can I make them look uniform? I've seen other homes where the foundations have been covered with a stucco material. Is it too late to do this?

How was the stucco successfully applied to my neighbors' foundations? Lori B., Bright, IN

DEAR LORI: I couldn't agree more with you with respect to the contrasting colors and textures of concrete block vs. poured concrete.

Concrete Block Lines

There's simply something about the horizontal and vertical lines in the concrete block that clashes with the monolithic appearance of poured concrete. Making the two different foundations appear as if they are one is going to be fairly easy.

Cement Stucco = The Solution

You're going to cover the poured concrete and the concrete block with a thin layer of cement stucco. Masonry walls have been stuccoed for thousands of years and some still retain their stucco. Visit the Middle East and ancient cities in Europe and you'll see stucco that's thousands of years old. When installed correctly, it lasts because stucco is nothing more than a thin layer of artificial rock.

Free & Fast Bids

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local stucco contractors. Many also do plastering.

Sand, Cement & Hydrated Lime

High quality ingredients to make stucco are probably close at hand. Visit a building supply material business or a brick dealer and you should find bags of Portland cement, hydrated lime and different sands. Hydrated lime can also be ordered online and delivered to your home.

This is great hydrated lime. It's label for use on farms, but believe me it's GREAT to use for brick, stone mortars and whitewash. CLICK THE PHOTO OF THE BAG NOW TO HAVE THIS DELIVERED TO YOUR HOME IN DAYS.

The Portland cement made today when mixed with clean sand and a little hydrated lime will produce a stucco that's easy to apply. It's like spreading margarine on toast.

Low Cost

The best part is the cost: You can probably purchase the needed materials for the entire job for less than $100.00. That's a bargain when you think about the longevity of the finished product.

Clean Foundation First

The first thing you need to do is clean the foundation surfaces. This is one of the few instances where I advocate the use of a pressure washer.

Often rainfall causes dirt and silt to splash up onto a foundation. If you live in an area with clay soil, very fine clay silts can get deeply embedded in the pores of both the poured concrete and especially the concrete block. Pressure washers quickly and efficiently remove this silt.

Garden Hose Is No Good

Squirting the dirty masonry with a regular garden hose and a nozzle will not remove all of the dirt. A stiff scrub brush with soap will work, but that method involves considerable work. Once you have cleaned the walls, rinse them with clear water making sure they are perfectly clean.

Stucco Overview Video

This is a great video that shows you the stucco process on concrete block.

Time To Test

Next I suggest you buy one or two pieces of one-half inch thick cement board. You're going to need these to build a small test wall where you discover how to install the stucco. You don't want to make a mistake on your house and then have to chip it off.

Cement board typically comes with one side slightly rough and one side smooth.

Tack this cement board with the rough side facing out to an existing wall surface so that it does not flex. If you have to build a small temporary wood stud wall, do so. This surface is going to be your stucco simulator practice area.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local stucco contractors. Many also do plastering.

Mix The Stucco

Mixing stucco is easy. Here's a recipe that's worked well for me:

3 parts medium sand
1 part Portland cement
1/2 part hydrated lime

Blend Before Water

Mix the dry or damp sand with the cement and lime until you have a uniform color and texture. It's now time to slowly add clean water to the mix. Blend the water, sand, cement and lime until the final texture and consistency resembles bricklaying mortar or a standard applesauce that's not runny.

When the correct amount of water is added, the stucco mix can be formed into a ball that is fairly plastic and will hold its shape if set on a flat surface.

Secret Cement Paint

The next step is to mix some cement paint. This is the most critical aspect of the application of the stucco.

The cement paint is made by mixing pure water with some Portland cement powder. Mix enough water so the powdered cement turns into a slurry that resembles paint.

Mist the cement board with a little water to get it damp, brush on some cement paint and immediately apply some stucco. Don't allow the cement paint to dry before it's covered with stucco.

Thin Layer

The stucco thickness should not exceed one-quarter inch. Use a regular steel trowel to apply it with arcing strokes.

The stucco should magically stick to the cement board without falling off. If it does fall off, the stucco mixture may be too dry. The hydrated lime in the mix makes the stucco sticky and improves the workability of it.

Infinite Designs

Now comes the fun part. There are an infinite number of designs, techniques, tools and textures you can create.

For example, you can use a stiff brush and stipple the stucco. You draw a brush across the stucco to create random brushed texture.

The steel trowel can be dabbed randomly into the stucco to create a different texture. Small angular colored stones can be cast into the wet stucco. The only thing holding you back is your imagination.

Stand Back

Be sure to stand back 20 or 30 feet to look at the practice stucco simulation. This is what people will see from the road or your yard. Looking at the stucco up close will give you a false impression of the real look you will see once the job is complete.

Cool Overcast Days

The best time to install stucco, in my opinion, is cool to slightly warm weather. Working on an overcast day with little or no threat of rain is best.

Sunny, hot and breezy days are the worst as the stucco can dry too quickly. You want the stucco to dry slowly.

Follow The Sun

Try to follow the sun. This means work on a wall surface that has just entered the shade and the sun will not strike the wall until the next day.

Keep It Damp

Once the stucco has hardened to the touch, keep it slightly damp with very light misting of water. If possible, try to do this for two to three days.

This added water allows the cement in the stucco to cure allowing millions of microscopic crystals to grow into the poured concrete and concrete block surfaces. These crystals are the glue that permanently bond the stucco to the masonry surfaces.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local stucco contractors. Many also do plastering.

Column 512

Sliding Door Leak Repair

Posted on September 5, 2017 by Tim Carter

Sliding Door Leak Repair Tips

DEAR TIM: I’ve got a sliding patio door on the back of my home. There’s a moisture problem directly under the door in the basement. The gutters are clear and the patio is level. I plan to seal between the bottom aluminum threshold and the concrete curb and caulk the gap between the side trip and my brick. I know I need to install a concrete overlay to get my patio to drain. Is that all I have to do? How would you repair my sliding door leak? Doug T., Windsor, Ontario, Canada

DEAR DOUG: You’re suffering like many other homeowners. Not a week goes by that I don’t get a request for help from one of my newsletter subscribers or a visitor to my AsktheBuilder.com website. When each homeowner sends me photos as you did, it’s almost always crystal clear that many builders, remodelers and carpenters are clueless with respect to flashing exterior doors.

I regret to inform you that your plan of attack may not solve the problem. What’s more, caulk is not a permanent solution no matter what the warranty on the label of the tube states. I’m beginning more and more to think that caulk manufacturers are using warranties more as a marketing gimmick rather than a factual statement as to how long the product will really perform without failure.

Your photos show that you’ve got a brick exterior with raked mortar joints. This method of dressing the mortar creates a small shelf on top of each horizontal row of brick and it’s the least waterproof mortar joint. The most weather-resistant mortar joint is one that’s been created with a convex rounded tool. When the bricklayer uses the tool on the soft mortar, the resulting shape is a slightly concave mortar joint where the edges of the mortar touch the outer edges of the brick.

Water flowing down the wall during an intense wind-driven rainstorm is automatically forced down the wall by the concave joints. With your raked joint, water can collect to a slight degree on the small shelf. If a brick or two or three has a backwards tilt, the water can begin to seep behind the brick.

Your photos also scream at me that your builder or the carpenter didn’t put a proper flashing under the door threshold. This flashing is designed to shed water to the outside of the concrete step beneath the door threshold.

Think for a moment how overlapping shingles work on a roof or lap wood siding works on the exterior wall of a house. Each successive shingle or piece of siding overlaps the one below. This is no different than the way feathers work on a bird. Gravity pulls the water over each shingle, piece of siding or feather and the water never can get into the core of the building or bird.

In your case, if you look at your threshold, water can get behind the concrete curb that’s under the door threshold. While there might be a hidden flashing behind the concrete curb, how is it possible for the water to get back out on top of the patio and drain away from the house? The concrete curb is acting like a dam.

My advice to you is to carefully remove the aluminum trim that’s covering the wood trim that surrounds the sliding patio door. You’ll then remove any wood trim around the door. You need to first determine if the top and sides of the door have proper flashing.

As drastic as it sounds, you also need to remove the simple concrete curb that’s under the door threshold. While this may seem like a difficult task, I’m quite sure it’s only going to take an hour or less using a four-pound hammer or even less time if you rent an electric demolition hammer from a tool rental business. Be sure to tape thin sheets of plywood over the glass to protect the door from flying pieces of concrete.

Once you’ve exposed the top, sides and bottom of the door you can do an assessment of what needs to be done to make the door waterproof. I’m hoping that you discover the builder or carpenter installed a proper flashing pan under the entire door threshold. That’s the first step that should have been done even before the door was lifted into the rough opening.

If there’s no flashing pan under the door, I’m afraid that you need to remove the entire door from the opening and start the entire installation process over from scratch. There are pre-formed plastic flashing pans that you can use under the door or you can create one with thin sheets of lead or the modern rubberized-asphalt-based flashing tape. There are countless videos online that show you how to install these flashings under a door or window.

The ultimate goal is to create a series of overlapping layers of flashing material so that any water that gets behind the door trim from above the door or along the sides is captured and redirected back out to the front face of the house below the door threshold.

Years ago builders used soldered sheet copper or tin-coated steel. The flashing issue is mission critical in homes that are framed with wood. It’s unacceptable for any water to gain access to the wood framing behind brick, siding or stucco. The technology to achieve this goal has been known for hundreds of years, but unfortunately many modern builders don’t study old buildings to see how the master builders of old kept houses dry.

Column 1212

Clean Hard Water Stains Tile

Posted on September 4, 2017 by Tim Carter

Clean Hard Water Stains TIPS

Hard water stains caused by hard water minerals
Use regular white vinegar and paper towels to remove
Longer soak time means less scrubbing
Prevent stains using a squeegee - see GREAT ONE below
CLICK HERE to Get Tim's FREE & FUNNY Newsletter!

DEAR TIM: I’ll admit it. I’m not the best housekeeper and I’m frazzled. My tile shower floor is filthy with hard water stains. I don’t like using harsh chemicals for a number of reasons and because the stains are so hard to clean, I’ve neglected the floor.

Is there an easy way to clean hard water stains from tile? How is is done?

Or, do I have to rip out the tile and start over? Is there a way to prevent the hard water stains once I get the tile clean again?

Thank you Tim! Tom Y., Tampa, FL

DEAR TOM: Many people place a low priority on cleaning their homes for any number of reasons. Some are unable to do it, some are just too busy and some may not even see the dirt. The good news is that with minimal effort and a bottle of something you most likely have in your kitchen pantry and eat on a regular basis, you’ll have gleaming and clean tile in less than a day!

What is the Best Product to Remove Hard Water Stains?

The best product to remove pesky normal hard water stains is white vinegar. You can buy it at your grocery store in gallon jugs. You can have concentrated white vinegar solution delivered to your doorstep.

This is strong concentrated white vinegar. It will do a fantastic job of removing hard water deposits. CLICK or TAP HERE to have it at your doorstep in days.

Before I tell you how to clean the hard water stains from your tile floor, allow me to explain how they form. Once you understand this, then you’ll realize how easy it is to prevent them from happening in the future.

Free & Fast Bids

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local cleaning services who'll keep your tile looking great or will RESTORE it.

What Causes Hard Water Stains?

Hard water stains are caused by minerals in your water. Just about all tap water from your house faucets has dissolved minerals in the water similar to sugar being dissolved in coffee or salt being dissolved in water. Once the water dries, the minerals are left behind.

In many places in the USA, and across the world, the water coming from wells and municipal water pipes has dissolved minerals in it. The most common elements in these minerals is calcium and magnesium.

Do Minerals Make the Water Hard?

Dissolved minerals make the water hard as opposed to soft. Soft water feels slippery when you rub your hands together. You don’t have this sensation with hard water, thus the descriptor.

The hardness of water is measured in grains with one grain equal to one seven-thousandth of a pound. To put this in perspective a typical grain of wheat weighs the same and evidently it takes about 7000 grains of wheat to equal a pound. But I digress.

Why Do I See the Hard Water Deposits?

When hard water containing calcium and magnesium evaporates, the water component goes into the air as a vapor leaving an ultra-thin coating, often invisible, of the calcium and magnesium on the surface. You can test this easily if you have a dark countertop or piece of dark plastic.

Allow a drop of water to dry and you may see a very faint white ring of the crystals marking the outline of the drop as it shrinks and evaporates.

Do Hard Water Deposits Build Up in Layers?

Hard water deposits build up in layers each time you allow water to evaporate on top of an existing hard water deposit.

If you don’t clean off these deposits on a regular basis in a shower floor, each time you get into the shower with dirty feet, you press tiny dirt particles into the fresh mineral crystals.W

hen you get out of the shower and the water on the floor dries another layer of new crystals locks in the last layer plus the new dirt. Can you see what happens if you do this for months on end? You end up with a layer cake of hard water deposits and dirt.

Will Mild Acid Remove Hard Water Deposits?

Yes, mild acids like citric acid and acetic acid will dissolve hard water deposits. White vinegar is a mild acetic acid.

I’d like you to now recall some of your high school chemistry. The hard water deposits are alkaline in nature. This means they have a pH greater than 7. If you pour an acid which has a pH less than 7 onto the hard water deposits, they’ll soften and start to dissolve.

But as you indicated, you don’t want to use harsh chemicals and many acids are harsh. Guess what? Common white vinegar that you use to cook with and put into your body is a mild acid. It’s safe and non-toxic.

How Long Should the Vinegar Soak?

The white vinegar should be allowed to soak for hours. The best thing is to do an overnight test.

Here’s all you need to do to remove the hard water stains from your shower tile floor. For real impact, I only want you to do this on half the floor. Make sure the tile floor is dry.

Put a double layer of dry paper towels on half the tile. Saturate the towels with pure white vinegar. Really soak the paper towels with the vinegar.

How Do You Apply Vinegar to Wall Tile?

You apply vinegar to the wall tile by saturated paper towels with the vinegar. Then press them against the stained wall tile pressing out all air bubbles. Just imagine the paper towels are wallpaper.

IMPORTANT TIP: You'll have to spritz the paper towels with fresh vinegar every 30 minutes as gravity will pull it out of the paper towels to the floor.

How Long Should the Vinegar Stay on the Wall Tile?

Allow the vinegar to sit on the tile for at least eight hours, possibly more. At the end of the wait period, squeeze out the paper towels and throw them away.

Before you get into the shower, scrub the floor with a stiff scrub brush where the paper towel was and around the towel.

Dramatic Before, During & After Photos

A wonderful woman, Saskia, who lives in Palos Verdes Estates in California read all of my hard-water-stain-removal columns. She decided to try the white vinegar method. Here's what she sent to me:

"I cannot thank you enough! We moved into our new home 7+ years ago. We have a lovely fountain in our entrance. Over time, the tile became whitened and crusty. I don't think we paid much attention at first--it happened gradually.

Recently, after a trip, I looked at it and was horrified. I googled how to clean tile and was directed to your site. My husband thought the discoloration was from the bleach we used to keep the fountain pool water clean, but I knew it was calcium.

The first picture is of the original tile. The second is after 24 hours of a sponge sitting on the tile, soaked in 100% vinegar, per your instructions.

The last is our final result after a month(!!!) of soaking and some gentle scraping with a razor blade at a 30-degree angle.

You're the very best. I was ready to use some nasty corrosive stuff, but this was so much better and did the job beautifully.

THANK YOU!"

Saskia - Palos Verdes Estates, California

Fortunately she took photos of the process. Here they are:

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local cleaning services who'll keep your tile looking great or will RESTORE it.

Will Vinegar Create a Slippery Scum?

Sometimes vinegar can react with soap scum and create a slippery mess and you could fall if you don't clean it before stepping on the slime. Be sure to rinse well and check the area with your hand to ensure it's not slippery.

After scrubbing, the tile might look like new or there should be far less hard water deposits.

How Do I Get Rid of Tough Hard Water Deposits?

Tough hard-water deposits may require multiple applications of vinegar and multiple scrubbing attempts. If you see progress after the first application of vinegar, you know it's going to work in the long run.

If there’s a great improvement but the tile doesn’t look like new, you just have to repeat the process to get the tile looking perfect. There’s no need to scrub the tile with a harsh abrasive cleaner that can scratch the fine clear glaze on the tile.

Should I Test Vinegar on Marble?

You must test vinegar on marble. Marble is an alkaline stone and it's possible a strong vinegar could etch the surface or reduce the polish level.

Do NOT do this with any marble surface without carefully testing with a cotton swab. Marble is alkaline and the vinegar might etch and remove some of the polish from marble.

Carefully test using any acid on marble. Apply a drop of vinegar in a place not too noticeable and let it set for hours. Rinse and see if the finish of the marble has changed.

How Do I Prevent Hard Water Stains?

Hard-water stains are prevented by removing any water from the tile or other surfaces. I use a squeegee at my home.

Keeping your tile looking like new from now on after you get all the hard water deposits removed is easy. Purchase a high-quality squeegee with a good rubber blade.

This is a great squeegee. I have it in my own shower at my home. I love the suction-cup holder for it. CLICK THE PHOTO NOW TO HAVE THIS DELIVERED TO YOUR HOME IN DAYS.

After each shower use the squeegee like a window washer cleans glass to remove all the water from the walls and floors. Get as much water as possible into the drain. If there’s no water to evaporate on the tile, there will be no hard water deposits.

How Often Should I Use Vinegar?

I’d also just get in the habit of using the vinegar every two weeks to keep ahead of any minor deposits that may develop because you can’t get all the water off the tile. Let me know what happens. Actually I already know that you’ll have success, but I’d still like to read your joyful email!

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