Water Heater Problems

Posted on by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: My sister recently purchased an older home and the home inspector she hired before buying it recommended that she replace the aluminum tubing supplying natural gas to the water heater in her basement. The tubing is ½ inch diameter and about 30 feet long. Is it acceptable to replace the aluminum tubing with type k or l soft copper tubing? I know that black iron pipe and corrugated stainless steel tubing are commonly used for natural gas, but I would like to use copper if it won't cause problems. Also, why does the aluminum tubing currently in place, and seems to be in good condition, need to be replaced? Kevin H. Erie, PA

DEAR KEVIN: The flexible aluminum tubing is usually intended for appliances that are intended to be moved into place such as a gas range or a gas clothes dryer. While these pipes are safe, some code officials don't like to see them used to connect fixed appliances such as a water heater or a furnace.

That's not to say it's illegal where your sister's new house is. You'd have to talk with a local building inspector to get the final word on whether the pipe can stay.

In many localities, soft copper is an acceptable pipe to use to connect the water heater to the gas line. If this is legal is your area, be sure to use flare fittings for the connections. Don't use slip compression fittings. A flared fitting is much stronger and it's virtually impossible to pull the copper tubing out from behind the brass nut once it's tightened.

I prefer to use black iron myself to connect water heaters. It takes a little more time, but the black iron pipe is so much more durable in case something heavy falls near the water heater and hits the pipe.

If that happens now with that thin-wall flexible pipe, a hole could form, gas leak and KABOOM!

Click here to get my Hot Water Installation Checklist. This Checklist tells you the top five important things that must be done during the water heater installation. The Checklist also contains videos that show you exactly how to find the right contractors to call.

Rigid Foam Insulation

Posted on by Tim Carter
foam insulation above window

Rigid Foam Insulation | This is a beam across the top of a window. It has too many 2x10s. Instead of three, two would have been plenty allowing for more window foam insulation. (C) Copyright 2019 Tim Carter

"It's a basic law of thermodynamics that heat travels to cold, not the opposite."

Rigid Foam Insulation - Closed Cell is Superb

DEAR TIM: I'm currently installing rigid foam insulation around the exterior of my foundation. I’m installing 3 inches of it to a depth of 10-13" below grade to keep the heat in and the cold out. I told my neighbor about this idea and he thinks I’m wasting my time.

A clerk at a local home center agrees with me, but he may be biased and trying to sell products. Who is right? Do you have any tips for installing these great insulation products? Randy McL., Gilmanton Iron Works, NH

DEAR RANDY: You’re not going to like my answer, but you’re both right to a degree. There's no doubt that the rigid foam insulation boards you’re installing work. All you have to do is take a modern picnic cooler to a New England Patriots tailgate party. Those coolers typically contain foam insulation, and they do a great job of keeping sodas or other liquid courage icy cold inside the insulated box.

How Far Does Frost Penetrate in the Ground?

Frost depths in the lower 48 USA states range from 1 foot to 8 feet for the most part. Frost can penetrate many feet into the soil. In the Arctic, the ground below the surface can be permanently frozen. It's called permafrost.

The reason your neighbor feels that you’re wasting time and money is because he probably knows the frost depth in New Hampshire. Where you’re located, it’s 4 feet down below the surface of the top of the soil. This means that the soil, to a depth of 4 feet all around your home can freeze into a solid block of ice.

CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE BIDS from local contractors who can install foam insulation.

What is the Temperature in Soil?

Six or more inches below the 4-foot depth, the soil temperature could be in the upper 30-degree F range. Go down to 6 feet below the surface and the soil temperature might be in the 40-50 degree F range. That’s still pretty cool. This cold soil is touching your foundation, and since cold is the lack of heat, the cold walls are pulling the heat from your house into the surrounding earth every minute of every winter day.

Is it a Waste to Install Foam Insulation?

Putting the rigid foam insulation basement panels as shallow as you’re doing is futile in my opinion. The exposed foundation above and below the narrow strip of your insulation is going to be very cold in the middle of winter. This will negate any benefit whatsoever as the temperature of the surface of the interior of the foundation will probably be as cold as if you had done nothing.

This exposed concrete foundation needs rigid foam insulation to minimize heat loss. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

This exposed concrete foundation needs rigid foam insulation to minimize heat loss. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

What Do You Have to Do to Get a Good Result?

For you to get an effective result for the cost of the rigid foam insulation, you need to cover more of the foundation. To get the best result, you need to cover the foundation that’s exposed above grade and is directly exposed to the frigid air temperatures. However, this extra step is not easy to do after a house is built.

Is the Advice Given by Clerks at Home Centers Trustworthy?

I don’t know the clerk you spoke with at the home center, but I have to tell you that my experience with most of them has been dismal. I’ve asked many of them pointed questions over the years about product installation techniques, and most have given me the wrong answer.

Do the Home Center Clerks Have Great Attitudes?

Many of these clerks have great attitudes, are hardworking and well-intentioned. But many have limited, or no, hands-on experience working with the products they’re selling. I’d be very leery of getting information from young employees that are at the bottom of the pay food chain in that business. How much construction experience can a 22-year-old adult have? It’s always best to take the time and get the real answers from the manufacturer of the product.

What's the Correct Way to Install Exterior Foam Insulation?

If you want to really get some benefit from the rigid foam insulation panels, I suggest you do the project the correct way. You need to install them to a depth of 6 feet or more below grade. To get the best result, extend the panels all the way to the top of the foundation.

Are Foam Panels With Drainage Channels a Good Idea?

Consider using the special foam panels that have drainage channels cut into them that allow water to pass quickly to the foundation drain tile. Any foam insulation that’s above grade needs to be covered with a masonry stucco for fire-prevention reasons and aesthetics.

Do I Need a Flashing On Top of the Foam?

Should you decide to cover the exposed part of your foundation above grade, you’ll need to install a special flashing on the top of the foam panels. This flashing should extend up behind any wood siding or other exterior wall material. It then slopes down slightly and bends over the top of the foam insulation. This flashing prevents water from getting behind the panels.

Does R-value Go Up With Increased Thickness?

The R-value of rigid foam insulation increases with the thickness of the product. It’s possible to get a panel that’s 4x8 feet in size and 2-inches thick that has a R-value of 10. That will do a very good job of keeping a concrete foundation from conducting cold back into the basement.

Does Concrete Conduct Heat?

Concrete, because of it’s density, conducts both heat and cold quite effectively. If you put your hand on the inside of an uninsulated concrete foundation in the middle of winter here in New Hampshire, you’ll feel like you put your hand inside a refrigerator. It's a basic law of thermodynamics that heat travels to cold, not the opposite.

Be sure to read and follow all written installation instructions provided by the manufacturer of the foam you choose to use. Taking the time to do this will save you time and money in the long run.

Column 863

Cold Air Return

Posted on by Tim Carter
HVAC Return Air

Cold Air Return

DEAR TIM: We live in a Cape Cod style house that was built in the early 1960's. The problem is that in the summer the basement is cold, the main floor is comfortable, and the upstairs is hot. In the winter the reverse is true. The basement is hot, main floor comfortable, and the upstairs is cold.

Every supply vent is open on the upstairs, and closed in the basement. There is no cold air return from the upstairs, so from what I've read, that seems to be my problem. I would like to know where to install return ducts.

I understand what you said about them being near the ceiling to bring the hot air back down in the summer time. But in the winter, would that not also return the hot air needed to heat the room. Should there be two sets, one for summer near the ceiling, and one in winter, near the floor to get rid of the cold air? Tim Schoell, Omaha, NE

DEAR TIM: Ideally you want to have cold air return registers in every room. These should be located at the top of the wall on an interior wall. The supply registers should always be on an exterior wall preferably under a window or near a door.

You don't need two sets of cold air return vents. The reason is simple. The supply vents should be in the floor and the cold air return grilles are high on wall. If you could see the air come out of the floor registers, you'd see it be pulled across and up through the room. Because your body is in this path way, you get the benefit of either hot air or cold air being drawn across your skin providing you comfort.

If you can't easily install a true cold air duct back to the furnace from each room, you can sometimes fake it. You can install a cold air return register above the door from each room that connects to the hallway. The air flows through these openings from each room. The air flows across the ceiling in the hallway towards a larger cold air return that does extend to the basement furnace.

You do this and I guarantee you that the second floor is going to be much more comfortable year round.

Reference: March 9, 2011 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Garage Flooring

Posted on by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: While touring new homes, I see different garage flooring systems. When I grew up, our garage flooring was concrete. I’m intrigued by the new products that make the floor dazzle, but I’m wondering if they are worth it. What do you think about the epoxy garage flooring and garage flooring paint? Would you do any of these in your own garage? What can I do to revive the look of my current dirty and stained garage floor? Shane G., Naperville, IL

DEAR SHANE: I’m old fashioned and I’ll admit it. You might not like my answer, but the best garage flooring, in my opinion, is plain old concrete. It’s time tested and in most cases is maintenance free. You can seal a clean concrete floor making it resistant to almost any stain.

As plain as it is, poured concrete is really a great garage flooring material. It’s not sexy, but it’s durable. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

As plain as it is, poured concrete is really a great garage flooring material. It’s not sexy, but it’s durable. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

You’ve got lots of options to choose from when it comes to changing the look of your garage floor. By all means don’t ignore the old standby used by my dad when I was a kid. He took high-gloss paint, and as crazy as this sounds, painted our concrete basement floor.

Do you know what color he used? Gray. It looked like concrete when he was done. In a matter of an hour, he took a maintenance-free surface and turned it into one that required periodic cleaning and repainting to look good. My mom thought he was an idiot.

Because our home was built just before WW II, there was no vapor barrier under the concrete. As a result, water vapor passed right through the concrete from the moist soil beneath and would cause the paint to peel periodically. Most modern homes have plastic vapor barriers, so you should be okay to paint if that’s what you decide to do.

Be sure you read the instructions on the paint can and use a paint that’s designed to be applied to floors. You may need to use a special primer to get great results. Think about slip resistance. Painted floors can be slippery when wet.

I’ve seen rubber garage flooring. You can get interlocking tiles that come in different colors and patterns. They’ll make your garage look spiffy indeed. Be aware they come in different levels of slip resistance and price.

Rolls of vinyl garage flooring might catch your eye. These come in colors and clear. I can’t understand why someone would want a clear vinyl product, as you can see through to the concrete. Perhaps you would have a double covering in this instance!

If your budget is low, you may be able to find discount garage flooring or cheap garage flooring. Be careful if you go this route, as I’m quite sure not all the products would stand the test of time. There always seem to be inexpensive products to appeal to the people at the bottom of a market. More often than not I’ve heard the lamentations of these buyers several months down the road when the products fail or underperform.

In the event you decide to go with a paint, take your time and do the research. I’ve had any number of homeowners contact me about hot-tire syndrome. You live where it can get beastly hot in the summer.

If you’ve been driving around on hot roads for a while and pull into your garage, the tires on your car can be very hot. This concentrated heat coupled with the weight of the car, has caused the paint to peel and pull up in certain situations.

Be sure you research this extensively online and see if the paint you intend to use has a history of peeling. Contact the manufacturer. Be sure you follow all instructions to the letter when applying it, as paint is just glue with color in it for the most part. Be sure the concrete is clean, dry and has been prepared to get the best bond.

To revive the look of your existing garage floor I’d start by trying to deep clean it. You’ve got nothing to loose by using a pressure washer to remove years of dirt and grime. Oil stains and other organic stains can sometimes be removed by soaking the floor with a solution of oxygen bleach and then scrubbing it. This non-toxic product is readily available online.

If the floor doesn’t come as clean as you like, you can actually apply a thin coating of cement plaster that will make the concrete look like it’s brand new. This plaster is just a mixture of fine silica sand and Portland cement. It’s applied as thin as an eighth of an inch and can be troweled as smooth as glass.

To get it to bond to the old concrete, be sure the concrete is clean and paint on a thin coat of Portland cement paint just before applying the stucco. Don’t allow the cement paint, just a mixture of Portland cement and water, to dry before you cover it with the stucco. After curing for 30 days, apply a clear silane-siloxane sealer to prevent stains in the new cement coating.

These cement or concrete overlays will last 50 or more years if done correctly. What’s more, they can be far thicker than an eighth of an inch. If you want to level out a floor that’s dropped, you can install concrete on top of concrete. If the new overlay is about 1 inch thick, be sure to put small rounded gravel in the mix. It should be no larger than peas you might eat. If the overlay is about a half-inch thick, use regular coarse sand instead of fine sand.

Column 862

Marble Floor

Posted on by Tim Carter

HI TIM: So glad I found you.We bought a new home 4 years ago in Vegas. I wanted marble. We have 1200 sq. ft. of marble downstairs. We recently noticed tons and tons of cracking on the marble. The marble cracks are all over, different directions, all rooms. Some are very long. A builder is coming out in 2 weeks to check them out. I spoke with the contracting company who layed the marble and was told they used thin set. Could it be the foundation? This job cost us over $25,000. Who should be responsible to take care of this? We see new cracks starting as well. The existing cracks are not small either. Can you give me some advise on this? Also is there a marble cleaner that would help clean my marble flooring and grout? Thanks so much. - Linda, Las Vegas, NV

DEAR LINDA: If I could come to your home, I'll bet I'd discover that the cracks in the marble are directly over cracks in the concrete slab.

In Las Vegas, your builders pour concrete on the dry soil that's really gravel. If they didn't put in reinforcing steel or use fibers in the concrete, the concrete can develop significant cracks that pull apart. Had they used steel or fibers, the cracks would be hairline in nature.

I'm sure your slab has shrinkage cracks. Concrete shrinks as it cures. It can lose 1/16th of an inch in length for every 10 linear feet.

The marble then cracked because it was locked to the slab with the thinset.

The marble setter should have put a crack isolation membrane down on top of the slab. That way the slab could crack and the marble would have floated over the slab. What a shame!

I recommend that you now just grout the cracks with a grout that matches the color of the marble or is actually a color of the veining in the marble. This way the cracks will appear as if they are part of the marble. It may take repeated grouting to ensure the cracks all get filled. Done correctly, a visitor to your home will never know that the marble's cracked.

You can fix the unsightly cracks in the marble by just regrouting. It's not as hard as you think and I have a four-part set of videos that shows you how you might do this yourself. Here are the links, in order, to the four videos:

As far as marble floor cleaners, oxygen bleach does a great job of cleaning marble flooring. Oxygen bleach is a grout cleaner also.

December 17, 2010 AsktheBuilder Tips And Newsletter

Posted on by Tim Carter

What's in This Newsletter?

Latest News
LE Johnson on Twitter
Builders Show in Orlando
Dishwasher Gasket Tip
Snow and Snowblowers
Meet Up in DC
The Grinches of Christmas

Remember, Do it Right, Not Over!

I do product reviews frequently. Please read my Disclosure Policy to understand the relationship between me and the companies that make the products or offer the services I review.

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER

Friendly Question Reminder!

If you have a question for me, don't hit the Reply button just yet. Go immediately to my web site and type in the keywords about your problem into my Search engine. The search box is at the top of every page of my web site. You could have your answer in seconds if you do this! Please pay attention to all links you see at my web site. The exact products and services you often need are right in front of you, and you might be ignoring them.

Latest News

Christmas is now just 8 days away. Kathy (my wife if you're a new subscriber) is not too happy. This is her first Christmas in New Hampshire and there's not a flake of snow on the ground around our house. She was counting on a Norman Rockwell White Christmas.

I'm pleading with Mother Nature to cooperate. Snow is in the forecast for Monday. Let's hope it happens and stays cold to preserve it. When it does snow up here, it's gorgeous. Here's a video of last year's first significant snow.

Speaking of hope, I'm wishing for you to have a Merry Christmas. My Christmas will be very special, as it's the first one where my family will be all together here in New Hampshire. Kathy and I have been looking forward to this for 36 years. There's nothing like setting a goal and then accomplishing it.

Next year will be very exciting for AsktheBuilder.com. I've many new things planned. The biggest initiative is a series of step-by-step photo guides that will help you make repairs around your home in this these tough economic times. I'll be surveying you just after the New Year to see what you want and how I can best provide it to you. If you're an expert photographer AND DIY guru, I'm looking to hire you as I need help with this project.

Oh, and there is huge, and I mean HUGE, Stain Solver news in January. I've been waiting for this for *years*.  What's the news? You'll have to wait. Are you a new subscriber? Visit Stain Solver.

LE Johnson on Twitter

LE Johnson, a manufacturer of superb pocket-door frames and hardware, is now on Twitter @JohnsonHrdware. You can see them at:

If you're not familiar with Twitter, it's a social network that allows you to follow what certain people are doing, working on, or thinking. The best part is that the messages are limited to 140 characters. That means it's tiny blasts of information.

You can see at the TOP of this newsletter that I'm on Twitter. Follow me if you desire.

If you use Twitter and want to stay abreast of trends, tips and all things pocket doors, I suggest you follow LE Johnson!

Builders Show in Orlando and Meet Up!

I'll be attending the Builders Show in Orlando, FL, the second week of January. The plan is to come back with lots of information about new products.

I'm doing a meet up there the morning of January 14th. We're going to have breakfast near the Orlando Convention Center. Email me if you want to come and visit.

Dishwasher Gasket Tip

I've got a Kitchenaid dishwasher here in my house in New Hampshire. I'm not happy with it, as it does a really poor job of cleaning. I've checked everything to make sure the water squirts out of the spinning wands, cleaned all filters, etc. I'm convinced that it's just a ho-hum dishwasher. Kitchenaid used to be a powerhouse brand about 35 years ago, but in my opinion, it's far down the food chain now.

Lately, the gasket around the door that prevents leaks was pulling out of its channel. This was bothersome. After looking at it and the door, I detected the issue. There was a buildup of gradoo on the surface of the gasket and the stainless-steel door where it touches the gasket. After cleaning off the grunge (food particles and who-knows-what), the gasket is no longer coming out when I open the door.

Speaking of Snow and Snowblowers

I just installed a pair of cool roller skids on my one snow blower. These machines tend to have hard plastic adjustable guides on the sides of the hopper that gobbles the snow. Adjusting these up and down allows you to navigate over gravel and other bumpy surfaces.

The old type just scrape along and wear out over time. But these new ones have a wheel in them so the snow blower easily skims across your drive or sidewalk. I'm anxious to try them out! They appear well made and were easy to install.

If you want to buy a pair, just email Bill Raftery at: [email protected]

Bill will be especially delighted to hear if you were ever a Girl or Boy Scout. He's got great memories of Scouting as do I.

Meet Up in Washington DC!

I'll be in Washington DC on January 5, 2011, to attend a reception for New Hampshire's newest US Senator, Ms. Kelly Ayotte. I've got about 4 hours to kill between 3 and 7 pm before I take my US Airways flight back to New Hampshire. If you want to grab an early dinner or liquid refreshment, email me. I'd love to meet you. If we're lucky, we'll have a decent sized turnout. We can talk about anything that's on your mind.

I'll be leaving the Russell Senate Office Building at 3 pm, and will not have any wheels. I have no idea where to go, so I'd love your suggestions. I want to stay close to the Mall so I can get to DCA with no issues. Email me and tell me if you're interested in getting together.

The Grinches of Christmas - Computer Viruses and Malcontents

Bob Dawber emailed me after the last newsletter with a virus ALERT. If you do online shopping, you're a target because you MIGHT be expecting an email from UPS or FedEx. Here's what Bob sent me:

The newest virus circulating is the UPS Delivery Failure (or USPS or FedEx). You will receive an e-mail from UPS Service along with a packet number. It will say that they were unable to deliver a package sent to you on such-and-such a date. It then asks you to print out the invoice copy attached. DON'T TRY TO PRINT THIS. IT LAUNCHES THE VIRUS! Pass this warning on to all your PC operators at work and home. This virus has caused Millions of dollars in damage in the past few days.

Snopes confirms that it is real.

http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/ups.asp

MERRY CHRISTMAS to you and your family from the Carter's !!

AsktheBuilder.com
100 Swain Rd.
Meredith, NH 03253, USA

December 8, 2010 AsktheBuilder Tips And Newsletter

Posted on by Tim Carter

What's in This Issue?

Winter
Kitchen Video Responses
Chat Survey
An Example of a Helpful DIY Guide
One Last Thing about Energy Savings
Bob Kennedy
Latest Videos
New Columns

I do product reviews frequently. Please read my Disclosure Policy to understand the relationship between me and the companies that make the products or offer the services I review.

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER

Friendly Question Reminder!

If you have a question for me, don't hit the Reply button just yet. Go immediately to my web site and type in the keywords about your problem into my Search engine. The search box is at the top of every page of my web site. You could have your answer in seconds if you do this! Please pay attention to all links you see at my web site. The exact products and services you often need are right in front of you, and you might be ignoring them.

Winter has come to New Hampshire. The ground is frozen and the frost gets deeper by the day in the soil. Today is a gorgeous bluebird day with abundant sunshine, but temps in the 20's F. Soon I'll be skiing on my new K2s that I bought at the end of last season. Yippee!

Here's the Executive Summary: A NEW DIY Guide is on sale in this issue! Tons of new video and column links. Have fun!

Kitchen Video Responses

Wow! I want to thank you for your input about what you'd like to see in the upcoming kitchen videos. I can't satisfy all of your requests, because some of the things you want to see I'm not doing in my kitchen.

However, I was stunned by the number of requests for a video about a country kitchen sink! Guess what? That's what where installing here. In fact, Kathy's selected a country sink from Herbeau.

Take a look at this double-bowl sink and tell me what you think. In the videos I create, I'll be showing each step of how you cut the cabinet to accept it, how you create the inner support - the sink I'm using weighs 91 pounds!, and how to make all the connections. You'll be very interested to know how I detail the granite countertop for this sink. Many make a mistake when they install the countertops on these country sinks. Be patient, you'll see this in a video.

Your suggestions for kitchen videos were amazing. All I can say is that you're going to see many videos that show you, hopefully, the entire process. I'm even thinking of taping some videos that I'll package into a cool product for you.

The remodel job starts just after Christmas. The materials are all ordered and on their way here.

Chat Survey

You may have answered Yes on the live chat survey. If you were, you were in the vast majority. Thanks for participating.

The comments from those who answered "No" were eye opening. Thanks for taking the time to communicate your concerns to me. I learned very much that's going to be quite helpful.

You may be one who feels nothing is for free. Well, believe it or not, I do that now everyday. At AsktheBuilder.com you get to see all my past and new columns and videos for free. This newsletter is free.

What's more, at the AsktheBuilder.com website I have an Ask Tim feature where you can ask questions. You get free answers. I pay an employee to do this all day every day. It costs me a significant amount of money each year. The sad thing is that rarely we receive a Thank You back from anyone. Less than 5 percent of the people we answer ever thank us. Heavy sigh ......

You might have wondered who Tommy was. Tommy was an imaginary Certified AsktheBuilder team member who's qualified to answer questions, as I can't possibly deal with tens of thousands of requests per day. That was enlightening to say the least.

You may have been one who was suspicious. Would you be obligated to buy anything? Absolutely No!

Imagine this. You decide to use the chat and start it up yourself. After one of my certified experts helps you solve your problem, what happens if we have an inexpensive DIY Guide or a product to help you find the pro? Would you want to know about that? I would surely hope so, after all you don't want to make a mistake on your project, do you?

Would you be interested in saving hundreds/thousands of dollars and lots of time? After all, isn't that why you came to the website? You've got a problem and you need a solution. If I happen to have a great solution for you, don't you want to hear about it? If I'm off base here, PLEASE let me know.

The bottom line is live chat is coming to AsktheBuilder.com. It will be free. It WILL help those who use it. Those who use my Live Chat WILL get special deals on products. In fact, it's there right now at the website. I'm testing it in a few very specific columns. You'll have to initiate the chat. I've decided NOT to have it automatically turn on for you. Where is it? Right here.

If I'm not online, you'll see what happens.

An Example of a Helpful DIY Guide

While doing research the past few days with the live chat software, I discovered that hundreds of people a DAY have all sorts of questions about Deicing Salts. This morning, with the help of my crack team, we put together what I believe might be the most authoritative set of questions and answers about deicing salts.

What happens if you take a chance and put deicing salt on new concrete? Let's say it's a $6,000 driveway. Would you want to be told about a fantastic 24-page electronic guide that you could have in seconds that tells you just about everything you ever wanted to know about deicing salts?

I've got that guide now. Go look at it and see what you think. You can have it moments from now for just $4. It's going to regularly sell for $7, a price I feel a person would readily pay to get answers to many questions.

This special price of $4 is only good until Sunday (December 12, 2010) at midnight. I'll be sending you a reminder, but I suggest you just go get it now so you discover a ton of things you didn't know about deicing salt and your concrete drive, sidewalk or patio. Oh, you have blacktop? I cover that as well!

For example, did you know you can get severely hurt by deicing salt? It's absolutely true, I know as it happened to me.

Anyway, you're soon going to see many of these new products that can help you in a pinch. And one of my team members may tell you about them should you decide to use the chat feature to discover all we know that you don't. That was a friendly jab - in case you can't tell. :->>>

One LAST Thing about Energy Savings

The saga continues. My oh my! I keep getting email from subscribers about the prospect of spending money to get energy savings.

First, you may have been one who felt I was rude to Carl saying his email was just "magic dust". That was never meant to insult Carl. The point was a clever salesperson in your home might use Carl's CORRECT mathematics to convince you that spending the money is a great investment. I called it "magic dust" because it was putting a spin on the facts. You may buy windows based on a salesman's spin.

You may have emailed me telling me about solving drafts, replacing windows that are broken, ones that were made in 1912, ones that look horrible, ones that have broken seals, etc. That was never the point of the newsletter item. If you need to replace windows because you HAVE to, that's fine. I get that. I have to replace things in my home too.

But if you're replacing windows JUST to save energy, well, don't expect to get paid back anytime soon in energy savings for all the money you spent. End of story.

Bob Kennedy

I'm blessed beyond belief to have you as a subscriber. Why? From time to time you may be one who hits the Reply button and shares something about yourself with me.

Several days ago, Bob emailed me. He reminded me of something I knew, but had allowed to get covered up with clutter in my brain.

Bob reminded me about determination. If you want something bad enough, you'll do it even if there are no lights on. Go to Bob's website and be absolutely certain you click the link way at the bottom of his page that says:

Some pictures of past products

Latest Videos

Some New Columns

AsktheBuilder.com
100 Swain Rd.
Meredith, NH 03253, USA

Ice And Water Shield Video

Posted on by Tim Carter

Ice And Water Shield

Hello, I'm Tim Carter from AsktheBuilder.com. I am up here on the roof and I want to show you something that is really awesome. Many people don't get to see this up close. I am talking about an ice and water shield that roofing contractors put on the wood sheathing, underneath the shingles. Look at this.

You can see the OSB board which forms the roof of the home. There is a roofers' stand, they use when working on steep roofs. Here is a fascinating material. This is a membrane that covers the whole roof. This particular shield is a Grace Ice & Water Shield. The membrane is sticky on the under side. It is not sticky in the video because it is so cold during the particular installation. This is a rubberized asphalt product.

When the nails from the shingles are driven through this product, it will seal around the nail shaft. In traditional roofing felt as the rain came down under the shingles, it would seep down around the nail hole and cause a leak. In areas where there is lots of wind or ice dams, this ice and water shield will stop the water from leaking into the house. This a great product to use in areas with blowing snow storms and lots of rain.

Control Joint Video

Posted on by Tim Carter

Hello, I'm Tim Carter from AsktheBuilder.com. It's a cold winter day and I want you show you something that is pretty neat. If you recall a few weeks ago, we poured this concrete slab. Now look at this.

There are cut lines in the slab that were added later. These are concrete control joints. The contractor came back and used a gas-powered saw with a dry diamond blade to cut these lines in the concrete slab. They were put here for a reason. We are looking at an inside corner of the foundation. That is a point where the slab would want to crack. It would want to crack right at the corner, if the control joints weren't cut into the slab.

Understand this about concrete. When you pour concrete, as it cures and hardens, it shrinks. Some of the water leaves the concrete because it is used in the chemical reaction of the curing. It will shrink one-sixteenth of an inch for every 10 linear feet that is poured. That shrinkage creates tension that will literally rip the concrete apart. So if you saw cut in these control joints into slabs (some times they are cut into sideways with a special tool as the concrete is still in its plastic state), it will help relief some of the tension.

The depth of the control joint needs to be a minimum of 1/4 the thickness of the slab. So if the slab is 4" thick, the saw cut has to be 1" deep. Many times, the contractor doesn't cut the control joint that deep.

Control joints control where the slab should crack. They don't always work that way, but they should.

Granite Countertops Tile

Posted on by Tim Carter
granite countertop tile

This single piece of granite tile will join others one day to make a complete countertop, but not without lots of work. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

Granite Tile Countertops

DEAR TIM: Granite countertops are still very popular, and I love the look of natural stone. But I can’t afford the giant thick slabs of granite. I’ve seen the thinner affordable granite tile and wonder how well these work for a kitchen countertop. What can you tell me about granite countertop tiles? Are they hard to work with? What are the challenges I’ll face if I try to do this job myself? Kim S., Chicago, IL

DEAR KIM: I’m also smitten with granite. No doubt it’s related to my college degree in geology, and the fact that many granites are drop-dead gorgeous. The mineral crystals, when highly polished, absolutely can grab and hold the attention of anyone who looks at them. When you then add in the range of color and the randomness of the crystal matrix found in most granites, you have the perfect storm for a material that’s a show stopper.

I’ve used both the traditional large slabs of granite for countertops and the granite tiles you’re looking at as a substitute material. The actual granite in the two products, assuming they come from the same quarry, are identical in durability, look and performance.

The difference is finished appearance. When you use the granite countertop tiles, you’ll have to deal with grout lines in most instances. Grout is used to fill the gaps between the tiles.

However, with practice and great skill you can substitute colored epoxy for grout. Professionals use colored epoxies to hide the seams of the large slabs used for most granite countertops. A real pro can tint the epoxy different colors along the seam to match the colors of the mineral crystals in the granite matrix. This secret trick cleverly disguises the seam. Imagine doing this between each piece of granite tile.

When you use granite tiles, you have to construct a hidden countertop that supports the tiles. This step is not necessary with the thick giant slabs. The thick one-piece granite slabs have the strength to span the open void spaces of the base cabinets.

granite countertop no support

This granite top is doomed for failure the moment someone decides to sit on it unless a support is put underneath it. © 2016 Linda Hewing Perpetual license to publish it granted to Tim Carter - AsktheBuilder.com by Linda

This hidden countertop can be fashioned with high-quality plywood that is not warped. Look for plywood that’s 3/4-inch thick and has at least six or more plys of veneer wood that are cross layered to make the plywood. More plys usually mean a plywood that is often perfectly flat.

Once the plywood countertop is fashioned and secured to the base cabinets, you’ll need to apply a second substrate that’s water resistant. Before you do this, coat the plywood with at least three coats of water-based urethane. Each coat will dry in less than an hour, and this coating will prevent the wood from rotting or warping in the event water reaches the wood.

The second substrate can be a 1/4-inch layer of cement board or a waterproof gypsum board that has a waterproof fiberglass coating. The granite tiles will be adhered to this thin substrate.

You’ll quickly discover at this point that you have an issue with the exposed edge of the plywood and thin substrate. You need to cover this unsightly edge with thin cut pieces of granite tile. If you’re lucky you may be able to discover granite countertop edging that matches your granite tile and has the shaped profile you want. But my guess is that you’ve got a better chance of winning the lottery.

You’ll need a diamond saw to cut the granite tile. You can’t use the inexpensive ceramic tile snapper tools on granite tiles. A wet saw cuts without creating any dust.

If you decide to just fashion a square edge at the countertop overhang, note that most granite tiles do not have a polished edge. You’ll have to figure out how to polish this. It’s not hard, but you do need special tools to do it.

It won’t take long for you to discover that applying the small pieces of granite to hide the plywood is problematic. The heavy granite, under the perpetual influence of gravity, will want to fall to the ground. You’ll have to devise a temporary support system until such time as the adhesive is fully cured.

You’ll also have to get special diamond drill bits to cut the circles for your sink faucet. Wait till you see what those bad boys cost. Ouch!

Once your new granite countertop is installed, you’ll discover it’s pretty easy to care for. The lighter granites need to be sealed well. These clear liquid granite sealers are easy to apply. Darker granites often are more dense, and while they need to be sealed they’re not as susceptible to staining.

I’ve discovered a great granite countertop cleaner in oxygen bleach. Oxygen bleach is a powder you mix with warm water to make a powerful cleaning solution. You just apply the liquid solution and billions of oxygen bubbles attack food stains as well as oils. Fruit juice stains and wine are also rapidly removed by oxygen bleach.

Referenced in the January 18, 2011 AsktheBuilder Newsletter.

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