January 18, 2011 AsktheBuilder Tips And Newsletter

Posted on by Tim Carter

What's in This Newsletter?

Latest News
Builders Show
New Products at the Show
AsktheBuilder Facebook Page
New York City Moms & Stain Solver
New Share Button
Latest Columns

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

There's a light snow falling here in New Hampshire as I write this newsletter. It's a gorgeous winter's day. I'm absolutely going skiing tomorrow. No doubt about it. Come with me tomorrow afternoon over at Ragged Mountain.

I hung and filled all of Kathy's bird feeders out on the deck a couple of weeks ago. The hungry birds have a convention of their own outside each day gorging themselves on the food since the snow cover has cut them off from easy pickings.

Yesterday in the trees closest to the house, I saw a giant pileated woodpecker. Wow, those birds have a brilliant red head and are enormous. I thought a pterodactyl had landed in the tree at first!

Last Week at the Builders Show

I believe I've been going to the annual Builders Show for almost 16 years. The first one I attended was in Houston at the Astrodome. I'll never forget how confused I was and how out of place I felt. The size of the show made me feel very insignificant.

Go back about seven years ago when the real estate and building bubble was growing larger and larger, the show was expanding faster than Oprah's waistline when her personal trainer goes on vacation.

Five years ago, the show was in Orlando, Florida as it was last week. If you've ever been to the Orange County Convention Center, then you know how big the show can be when both the West and South Buildings are packed with booths. It's enormous.

However, for the past four years the show has been shrinking. This year, I estimate, the show was just 35 percent the size it was five years ago. The entire South building was shuttered and vacant. In the West building, there had to be at least 100,000 square feet of show floor that was void of booths.

On opening day, the aisles were not overflowing with attendees. It was eerily quiet and subdued. Many manufacturers of products had no presence at the show. In years past, the aisles were so crowded with people, you were constantly bumping into one another and it was very difficult to make your way through the crush of people.

I don't see this changing anytime soon. The show is just a ghost of what it once was. It's so bad that you can't even find a bottle of water in the Press Lounge. What a way to treat those who are there to advertise the show for FREE! It's a shame. I will be attending the Kitchen and Bath Show in Las Vegas at the end of April. This show has, I believe, been growing in size. We'll see.

New Products I Saw at the Show

Even though the show was dismal from my perspective, I did see some products that may be of great interest to you.

At the Sears Craftsman display, I saw two fascinating products. One was their cordless tool Quikboost battery charger. Let's say your run out of power on a job. You take out your battery and pop it in the charger. Push the Quikboost button and in three minutes the charger gets you back up to 25 percent charge. That may be enough juice to allow you to complete the job.

Sears was also showcasing a riding lawn mower that had Turn Tight Technology. It's a special linkage in the front axle that turns one wheel more than the other. On most riding lawn mowers both front wheels stay parallel as you turn them. By making the inner wheel turn tighter, you get a much tighter turning radius. This large mower had, I believe, just an 8-inch turning radius. That's more than enough to get you around a small tree that's got some mulch around it.

At the Daltile booth, I saw all sorts of new or newer tile that looks like hardwood flooring, or textiles of all things! Yes, you can buy ceramic tile in 6-inch by 36-inch strips that have a hardwood design and color imprinted on them. You lay them randomly to look like strip hardwood flooring.

Do you want a log cabin? But not the maintenance associated with logs? I saw vinyl siding that resembled logs. Crazy. This is not necessarily a new product, just that it was at the show. You can Google "log vinyl siding" to see it.

Here's another product that's not new, but was on display. At the LE Johnson booth, they had their magnificent hardware that's made for bi-fold doors. If you're an old-time subscriber to this newsletter, you know that they make the best pocket door hardware.

But I'll bet you didn't know about their 1601 hardware for bi-fold doors. This hardware allows the doors to swing out completely from the frame giving you great access to the entire closet. Traditionally bi-fold doors have been a royal PIA as when folded up. They were in the way of you accessing things in the closet.

Announcing the Long Awaited AsktheBuilder Facebook Fan Page!

For well over six months, you may have been one of my great fans who's begged me to start a Facebook Fan Page. I was bogged down with the move and just had too many irons in the fire.

But now it's up and live. If you're a Facebook user, I'd love for you to become a fan and send the word out to your Facebook friends about the page. Here's a few reasons why it pays to be a fan of AsktheBuilder on Facebook.

First, I'm going to try to post late-breaking news and tips on the page frequently. You'll see these posts on your Facebook News Feed, and all posts will be archived on the Ask the Builder Facebook fan page.

For example, I could have used this tool last week while at the Builders Show to update you with great products I was seeing. I did this on my Twitter feed, and it showed up at the Facebook fan page because I have the two accounts connected.

Emergency messages, recall alerts, or other last-minute news will also be put on my fan page. This means you get these messages quickly if you're a Facebook user.

You also get to write on the Ask the Builder Wall at the Fan Page. I have that unlocked. This allows you to share tips so others can benefit. The intention is to create a community so that we can all discover new things that will save all of us time and money. Of course you can comment on posts of mine or add a comment to that of another fan. Ah, the complexity of Facebook!

The bottom line is this new Fan Page should be beneficial to you. I'm hoping you Like it, get it? You need to go to my fan page and click the Like button!

www.facebook.com/AsktheBuilder

New York City Moms and Stain Solver

Moms, I need your help to introduce Stain Solver to the nation.

Fifteen years ago, I lugged the first 100-pound sack of oxygen bleach Stain Solver down the basement stairs at my home. We used to mix it back then a bucket at a time using a garden trowel. Ellen, Kathy and I would bottle it and carry the boxes ready to ship to you back up the steps. It was insane. As you might expect, the business has grown. Now, we regularly ship truckloads from our distribution center.

This year, Kathy and I have assembled a crack team to take Stain Solver to the next level. We're finally ready spread the good word and enlighten as many people as possible how to clean and save their stuff with Stain Solver.

With the help of a professional public relations firm, we've sent out invitations to the top lifestyle magazines to meet up with us in New York City for a little event we're putting together Tuesday, March 1st. You and your stories about Stain Solver are at the heart of this event.

If you're a mom and have used Stain Solver, we'd love for you to share your story with us. What has Stain Solver saved in your life and how can it help the lives of others? Would you consider sending your photos, videos, drawings, and stories of anything you'd like to share with us and the magazine editors? Your experiences will go a long way to prove to the magazine mavens that Stain Solver is really an amazing product.

Wait, there's more. If you're a mom who has saved something with Stain Solver and live in the city or within driving distance to New York City, we want to invite you to the event on March 1st. All you have to do is share your story, in person, with the magazine editors at the event. Just an honest conversation with me and the editors about Stain Solver. There will be good food, good conversations and lots of fun.

Afterwards, I'd love to say thank you by taking you out to dinner. We'll have a blast. Please email me soon if you can come to the event with your story and possibly the item you saved with Stain Solver!

New SHARE Button

When you go read all the latest columns at the AsktheBuilder website below, you'll see something new. Look just to the right of the headline above each column. See the Share button? We just installed it yesterday on every column. Take your mouse and hover over it. Look at all the options you have.

In seconds, you can share a helpful column with your friends, on your Facebook page, your Twitter feed, email it to a relative or co-worker, etc.

I'd appreciate it if you would start to use that each time you're at the site. The increased exposure and traffic helps me to keep the content at AsktheBuilder for free. More traffic to the website also allows me to improve it and to add more features that will help you.

Latest Columns - Try the Share Button!

Do you struggle with a Clogged Toilet?
What's Sheathing?
Discover Deck Piers
Joist Hangers Allow You to Hide Beams!
Get Engraved Brick for your Patio!
Wood Beam Benefits
Granite Countertops Tile - Crazy, but True

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

Discount Ceramic Tile

Posted on by Tim Carter
ceramic floor tile

This snap-together ceramic floor tile can save you money in hidden ways. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

Discount Ceramic Tile

DEAR TIM: I don’t know about you, but money is really tight in this economy. I want to install a new kitchen floor and desperately need discount ceramic tile. Ceramic tile costs seem to be through the roof, so I need a tile that I can install myself with little experience. Do you know of any discount tile flooring that will allow me to freshen up a room that really needs help? Can you share some ceramic tile flooring installation tips? Amy B., Baltimore, MD

DEAR AMY: Discounted ceramic tile can be found in many places, but you need to look way beyond the price of the actual tile to see what your floor will end up costing you in the long run. Some tile stores and home centers operate like grocery stores.

A savvy ceramic tile store owner may get you in the door with an attractive price on the tile, possibly selling it at cost or at a thin margin, but then they soak you for all the other supplies you’ll need to install the floor. The cost of the grout, adhesive, underlayment board, etc. may be way overpriced.

You also need to know that discount tile may be inferior. The clay that’s used, the glaze and the firing process may be all substandard. You may get a tile that fractures or cracks easily or doesn’t wear well. Not all ceramic tiles are made the same, not by a long shot.

Porcelain ceramic tile are currently the rage right now. They are very durable, and the modern printing technology and equipment allow patterns to be imprinted that mimic the look of natural stone. The downside to porcelain tile is that you need a diamond wet or dry saw to make all cuts. Dry saws create lots of dust, so make cuts outdoors and wear a great mask to ensure you don’t breath in any silica dust from the tile.

You may be very interested in a new ceramic floor tile that can be found online. This tile requires no adhesive, often no underlayment and absolutely no grout. You save money on all three of those components before you even lay your first tile!

These new tiles snap together just like old-fashioned interlocking acoustic ceiling tile. They are precision made and come with recessed edges that create a natural-looking grout line once the tiles are connected. I estimate that a person could install an entire 10 foot by 12 foot kitchen floor, with all cuts made, in several hours. The best part is that you can walk on the floor immediately and move in furniture the moment the last tile is snapped into place. There’s no wait period for adhesive or grout to dry and cure.

This floor tile comes in attractive designs and finishes. It’s very durable porcelain tile. You will not be able to cut it with a traditional tile cutter that snaps tile along a scored line. The trick to minimizing your rental time on a wet saw is to install all the uncut tile first and then leave the cut tile as the last ones.

Another trick to lowering your cost when renting a saw is to have at least two helpers. One helper is marking the tile to be cut and the second helper is the saw operator. In the time he makes trips to and from the saw, the marking helper hands him the next tile to be cut.

The most important thing about installing this new snap-together ceramic tile is understand your floor needs to be solid and in the same plane. Same plane doesn’t necessarily mean level. It means that there are no humps or low spots in the floor. Uneven subfloors mean the tile will not fit together well and that they may crack. If you step on a tile with a void spot under it, that tension can easily crack a tile.

AsktheBuilder Podcast

CLICK this image and listen to the second call on the podcast. I talked to Greg about what can be done with porcelain tile, including borders to offset certain spaces. Copyright 2018 Tim Carter

You can eliminate humps and dips by using pourable self-leveling compounds. Using these materials adds an additional step that will slow you down as the material needs to dry and harden. But if you want professional results, the smoother and flatter the subfloor is, the better your new tile will look once installed.

Discount tile stores can be found both online and in traditional sticks and bricks stores. If you want an education about how different the tile can be, take the time to visit a ceramic tile store that sells high-quality or expensive tiles. Talk to the store manager and have her/him demonstrate how inferior a discount tile may be.

I clearly remember years ago buying discounted ceramic tile. We used it in a sun room in the second home I renovated. This tile had a great pattern and color, but the core of the tile was a deep red clay. When the tile chipped, which it did with little effort, you would see through to the red core of the tile. It was a stark contrast to the lighter glaze that made up the color you saw on top of the tile.

This tile was also quite soft. It took very little effort to snap or crack it. That’s not an issue if the subfloor is rock solid. But if you’re installing ceramic tile on a wood floor system that has some flex to it, be prepared for lots of cracks in the tile if its strength is low.

Column 866

January 12, 2011 AsktheBuilder Tips And Newsletter

Posted on by Tim Carter

What's in This Newsletter?

Latest News
AsktheBuilder Meet Up In Orlando
The New American Home
New eGuide
DoorSaver

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

I started writing this newsletter as I was climbing out of 12,000 feet in one of Southwest Airlines 737's on my way from New Hampshire to Orlando, Florida. Today the annual Builders Show begins. I'm predicting a very small turnout and a fairly small show compared to the boom years five years ago.

I plan to take all sorts of video of new products and will be uploading them to my YouTube channel throughout the show.

 

AsktheBuilder Meet Up in Orlando

This Friday morning, January 14th, at 8:30 am, we're going to have an AsktheBuilder meet up at the Village Inn Restaurant just across from the front door of the Doubletree Hotel at 10100  International Drive. The only problem is that the driveways to both places is NOT on International Drive. You have to turn onto Westwood Boulevard. We should have a great time if it's anything like the one last week in Washington DC.

 

The New American Home

Last night after getting to Orlando, I went to see the New American Home. Each year, a striking new home is built for all the attendees to see.

These houses are glamorous beyond belief and almost always incorporate the latest technology and products.

My only problem with these houses is that they don't represent what 98 percent of homeowners can do in their own homes. Only very wealthy people can afford much of what you see in these homes.

Yes, some of the inner workings of the home you might see in a tract home, but you're not going to see the over-the-top appliances, the stunning bathrooms, etc.

I'd love to see this annual project be a home that's targeted to the average middle-class family with two kids and a modest budget. I've lobbied for this for years, but to no avail.

My guess is because a house like that would have little sizzle.

http://go.askthebuilder.com/newamericanhome

 

New eGuide for You

Ten days ago, I took a couple of hours to create a step-by-step color photo guide titled:

Fixing a Stripped Wood Screw Hole

Have you ever drilled a hole too big in a piece of wood or over tightened a screw? Yu know what happens, the screw doesn't bite or it spins and spins never tightening.

How would you like a special introductory 50-percent-off price for this eGuide hoping that you'll provide we with some feedback.  Your price for this eGuide, that has many clear color photos is only $1, yes, one dollar.

After you purchase it and look at it, could you do me an enormous favor and tell me how I can make it better? More importantly, what new eGuides would you like me to create?

What projects do you need help with? These eGuides are going to sell for just $2. I want them to be colorful products  that show you how to do something with many photos and a few words. It's my intention that they'll pave the pathway to home-improvement success!

I'm looking for ideas for small projects where 20-40 photos completely tell you the story. Here are a few examples:

  • Install a doorknob
  • Install a toilet
  • Replace a shingle

On the other side of the coin, here are ideas that you could never do in 20-40 photos. Please avoid suggestions like these:

  • Build a house
  • Remodel a bathroom
  • Construct a room addition

Click here to submit your suggestions.

Fixing a Stripped Wood Screw Hole

Use this promo code fixing-sale to get your 50-percent discount.

If this eGuide doesn't interest you, I still need your suggestions for new eGuides!

 

DoorSaver

You know those pesky bumper door stops that fit on a hinge pin? Or those door stops that screw into baseboards?

I'm now here in my hotel room and in my show packet there was an ad for a new product called the DoorSaver. It's sleeker and appears it might work. I'll try to get one to test it!

That's it for this week.

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

Low Water Pressure

Posted on by Tim Carter
Water Pressure Gauge

Low Water Pressure | This gauge on the water system tells you how much pressure you have. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: I’ve got low water pressure in my house. Is there any way to improve it? My neighbors all seem to have much better pressure, and we’re all on the same city water main out at the street. I do also have this problem at a summer cabin where the water is supplied by a well. What are the main causes of poor water pressure? How can they be fixed? Frankie S., Kingston, RI

DEAR FRANKIE: I sure can sympathize about your low water pressure. The house I purchased in New Hampshire has minimal water pressure. The house I moved from had great high water pressure, just under 85 pounds per square inch (psi). I’m lucky now to have 45 psi.

You did the right thing checking to see if your water pressure was prevalent in your neighborhood. I know many city locations where water pressure is low in every house on adjacent streets. As crazy as this sounds, you’ll often have this problem at houses up on top of a hill very close to one of those massive water towers that help create pressure in a municipal water system.

My house in New Hampshire is on a well, and the pressure gauge clearly shows that my pressure is just above minimum standards. I’m going to install a water pressure booster pump several weeks from now to solve my problem.

As for the causes of low pressure, there are so many I just can’t list them all. In your case, the main water line feeding your home could have a kink in it that’s restricting water flow. The line could be partially clogged with deposits. You may have some sort of inline water filter that’s clogged with debris and this is restricting the flow.

If your home is an older one and has galvanized iron water pipes, the horizontal pipes that run under floor joists could be clogged. This is very common, while believe it or not, the vertical pipes that run between floors don’t suffer from this sedimentation issue to the same degree.

Some people suffer from point-of-use low water pressure. The most common locations are showers and kitchen and bathroom faucets. To comply with Federal water-use regulations, shower heads have flow restrictors in them.

These restrictors have very tiny holes in them to slow down the flow of water. Very tiny pieces of sediment can quickly clog these openings. When enough openings get clogged, you see the water pressure drop faster than a falcon going after a pigeon.

You can see water pressure drop drastically at a kitchen or bathroom vanity faucet for the same reason. But in this case, the pieces of sediment clog holes in a similar plastic disc and the aerator that creates the uniform flow of water.

Shutoff valves within your system could be partially closed causing the problem. Perhaps someone turned down the main shutoff valve at your house and didn’t open it up fully after a repair was completed.

Your home water pressure might be suffering because of a faulty water pressure relief valve. You can determine this, with some effort, by installing a water pressure gauge on each side of the pressure relief valve or a pressure reducing valve.

The gauges tell you the pressure being supplied by the city water main or the well pump. But the secondary pressure gauge, installed downstream of the other valves will tell you how much the pressure has dropped because of those other devices that are in your water system.

If you have water pressure issues just at a few faucets and your shower heads, you can pretty easily solve the problem. Just carefully remove the aerator from a faucet and carefully take it apart away from the sink so parts don’t fall into the abyss. Remove a shower head and pull out the flow restrictor.

Use a pin or needle to push sediments out of the holes. Soak the parts in warm white vinegar to remove scale buildup. Let the parts soak overnight, and then lightly scrub with an old toothbrush.

If you’re thinking of adding pressure gauges or replacing clogged pipes, be sure you test your plumbing skills first. Also make sure you’re allowed to perform DIY repairs on your water pipes. Some localities prohibit this and require work to be performed by a licensed plumber.

I shared this information in my February 9, 2011 AsktheBuilder Newsletter.

Column 865

January 4, 2011 AsktheBuilder Tips And Newsletter

Posted on by Tim Carter

What's in This Newsletter?

Latest News
Ordering Ceramic Tile Online
Green Movement Survey
Condensation on Windows and Doors
Boosting Water Pressure
Sewer Gas Smell

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

What a crazy several days it's been. Did you open up my Massive Mistake email? Man oh man was that a doozy. I want to thank you for sending me kind words. I've received nearly 1,500 responses, many with the same "No problem, Tim. If that's the biggest mistake you make, you'll be fine the rest of the year." I sincerely appreciate your tolerance of my human nature.

I'm excited about the Washington DC meet up! That happens on Wednesday, January 5, 2011, at Pat Troy's Ireland's Own pub in Alexandria, VA. I'll be there no later than 4 p.m. and intend to stick around until a little after 7 p.m. I hope you come!

Finally, look below for the Green Home-Improvement Products Survey!

Ordering Ceramic Tile Online

The economy is not roaring. I believe we can all agree about that. But I can tell you that the number of people buying things online is absolutely increasing. There are all kind of studies out about that.

I want to tell you what happened to me the past two weeks in case the company you work for has a website that talks about the products or services you offer.

Kathy and I want to redo the tile in our master bathroom shower. We loved the tile I installed 18 months ago in our Cincinnati, OH master bathroom shower.

I went to that company's website, and it was pitiful. They didn't have great photos of all of their products, they didn't have any way to see colors, and they didn't have a dealer locator.

Here I was, with a credit card in hand, ready to place an order for the same tile and they were basically saying to me, "Go away. Leave us alone. We DON'T want your business."

Perhaps you work for a company that doesn't sell direct to consumers. I can understand that. But by gosh, on your company's website be sure there is an easy way for you to turn prospects into customers!

Oh, so you know. I'm convinced you can easily sell ceramic tile online. Looking for a new business? UPS will pick up the boxes of tile you're sending to your customers all day long. I know as they pick up our Stain Solver orders every day, and those can be heavy boxes!

 

Green Movement Survey

Last issue, I asked for your help to craft a survey about the Green Movement. You really came through. I used your responses to fashion just about every question on the survey. You're not going to believe the questions. I never even thought about some of the things you wanted to know.

Would you do me an enormous favor? Please take the survey. (Survey is now closed.) Share the link with as many as you can. If possible, place the link and a note about it on your Facebook page. I'm trying to get a ton of folks to take the survey so we can see how many feel.

Here's the link for you to paste into Facebook:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/V5R393G

Remember, I used your input to write the questions and answers. When you click "Done" at the bottom of the last question, I'll going to show you to the best Green cleaner I'm aware of.

I'll share the results of the survey in the next newsletter.

Condensation on Windows and Doors

I get a ton of emails this time of year about condensation. There's an entire Condensation category at my website that explains why it happens and how to avoid it.

Here's the bottom line. If you have chronic condensation on surfaces, you either have to lower the humidity in your home, increase the temperature of the thing that has the condensation on it, and/or increase the amount of air blowing across the thing that's got all the moisture on it.

You can do just one of the above and have success, or a blend of all three.

Boosting Water Pressure

In two weeks, I'm going to have a very cool booster pump installed here at my house to increase the dismal water pressure. I'll tell you more about this when the project starts to happen. Suffice it to say that if you have bad water pressure, you can solve the problem and it's not hard to install the pump.

Sewer Gas Smell

I recently did one of my 15-Minute consults with a young woman who lives in western Long Island. She has a horrible issue with sewer gas odor in the bathroom of a condo she's renting. I'm in the final stages of creating a sweet eBook that helps you diagnose sewer gas smells and then shows how to fix them. But that's not what this is about. You'll know when I finish that eBook, as you'll get a special offer on it.

Based on all the things she told me, I'm confident, the problem is coming from a failed toilet gasket. She had a repair person come out and reset the toilet, but it still has the foul odor. Here's part of an email she sent me overnight:

"I called Roto Rooter and the rep would not reset the toilet ... he was convinced it was not a sewer gas because the toilet was stable and there was no bubbling when he sprayed Windex around the periphery of the toilet."

ACCCKKKKK!!! Spraying water around the base of a toilet with Windex or even a soapy water solution is NOT going to help you detect a sewer gas leak. This service technician didn't pay attention in high school physics class.

You use a soapy solution to test for leaks when the pressure inside a CLOSED system is greater than that of atmospheric pressure. In this case, the air on the other side of the water seal in the bowl is at atmospheric pressure. The air inside your drain pipes is at atmospheric pressure because the vent pipes in the roof and the sewer pipes in the ground are all open to the atmosphere.

This is what my checklists are all about. They show you how, in a few minutes, to find the professional contractor or repair person that KNOWS the right way to install or fix things. If Erica had used my Plumbing repair checklist to find her plumber, I would've not been able to share this with you. Why? Because she would have never had to purchase the 15-minute call from me.

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

Christmas Tree Fire Video

Posted on by Tim Carter

Hi, I'm Tim Carter from AsktheBuilder.com. It is January 1st, 2011. We just took our live Christmas tree down. The tree is really dry. I wanted to do a fire safety experiment because you always hear about how these catch on fire, very quickly in a house. Lets see if that happens with this one.

I can tell you this tree is very dry and it hasn't been watered in days. Lets see what happens, if anything. Just using kitchen matches.

Look how quickly this tree burns! You really have to be careful with a live tree in your house. They can be dangerous. My little experiment shows that a tree can be a danger when a live Christmas tree runs out of water. Even though the tree still looks green, it quickly caught fire.

Be careful in your home during the holiday season.

Frozen Pipes

Posted on by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: I woke up to frozen pipes this morning. When I investigated the location, I found the frozen pipes to be in my water heater/furnace room. The builders of the home installed a fresh-air intake in the furnace room, and the water pipes travel right in front of the 9-inch intake pipe. It's about 6 degrees F outside, so the only way to prevent the pipes from freezing is to block the fresh-air intake. What do you suggest I do? Kathryn G., Saratoga Springs, UT

DEAR KATHRYN: I know you get cold weather in Utah, but it can get bone-chilling cold even in places like Florida and Arizona. Phoenix, AZ just recently had snow falling!

I suggest you take steps to prevent frozen pipes, but for now, we need to get water flowing again in those pipes. There are many methods to try, but you need to act quickly now to try to minimize the growth of ice in the pipes to prevent the expansion from splitting them.

This harmless looking fresh-air intake vent can cause massive frozen pipe problems inside a home. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

This harmless looking fresh-air intake vent can cause massive frozen pipe problems inside a home. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

First, you need to make sure you know where the main water shut off valve is in case the pipes burst and you have a mess on your hands. Then you should have a phone number for a plumber that can come out and assist you if you develop a leak.

I would then move anything that’s valuable in the immediate area where the frozen pipes are. If the pipes burst, you don’t want the spraying water to ruin valuable possessions.

If at all possible the next thing I would do is direct the air blast from this fresh-air intake down to the floor. This will stop the water in the pipes from further freezing.

I doubt you have spare 9-inch pipe laying around with the needed fittings. Perhaps you can fashion some type of crude temporary tube from plastic or cardboard be it round or rectangular to connect the end of the pipe. If you can’t do this, at least put in some type of cardboard deflector between the pipes and the intake pipe so that the frigid air is not hitting the pipes directly.

Be very careful if you use a flammable temporary material to create a crude tube. Flames from nearby furnaces, boilers, water heaters, etc. can ignite it. If possible, send a helper to a hardware store or home center to get metal pipe to do this job correctly.

You can now start to thaw the frozen pipes. I would not use a torch. You can put damp towels in a microwave oven and heat them up just like flight attendants do for all those pampered passengers who fly first class on airplanes. Wrap the pipes with these steaming hot towels to start thawing the frozen pipes. It will probably take repeated heatings in the microwave for the towels to thaw the pipes.

Extending the fresh-air intake pipe is not as hard as you might imagine. I’m hoping that you can easily attach a 90-degree bend to the pipe that will allow you to aim the pipe down. Use self-tapping sheet metal screws to connect the fitting to the pipe.

You then do the exact same procedure to connect sections of the metal pipe to the 90-degree bend. Note that sheet metal piping like this typically has a male and female end to it. The male end has crimps in it.

These pieces of round metal pipe usually are sold flat. There is a seam you have to create by sliding one edge of the pipe into the other. It’s caveman simple. Wear light leather gloves to avoid hand or finger cuts from the sharp metal.

As you connect the sections of pipe together, use the self-tapping screws to ensure the pipes don’t fall apart. Your biggest challenge will be securing the pipe so it doesn’t flail about hanging from the ceiling.

If the pipe is near or against a wall, you’ll be able to attach it to the wall using large straps that you can screw to the foundation or outside wall.

This fresh-air intake pipe is mission critical in today’s newer homes. It provides makeup air for ventilation fans, combustion air for some appliances, and it may be providing air for a traditional masonry fireplace.

Without a make-up air or fresh-air intake, you can have dangerous backdrafting of exhaust gases from your fuel-burning appliances. Whatever you do, don’t block this mission-critical pipe.

Column 864

Gun Safe

Posted on by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: I'm in a panic. My new gun safe is being delivered in three days. When I was at the gun safe sale, I never thought about the weight of the thing and my house. The Remington gun safe I ordered weighs 900 pounds. The safe is 3.5 feet wide and 2.5 feet deep. Is it going to crack my floor joists? My wife is wanting me to cancel the sale and get gun safe cabinets that just hang on a wall because she's terrified that the house is going to collapse. Is it safe? Henry I., Aurora, CO

DEAR HENRY: I'll be in your shoes soon. Guns are my new hobby and I need to start safely storing them instead of hiding them all around my house. All of the new products, especially the biometrics gun safe, are fascinating.

You need to reassure your wife that all will be fine if you just think this through. First of all, you want a heavy safe so a thief just doesn't come in and take the safe back to his lair and then open it at his convenience. This is why you smartly purchased a safe that weighs nearly half a ton.

A gun safe in a wall, unless it's hidden well, can usually be overcome and carried out of a house. A gun safe cabinet on a wall can be taken down and carted off by two men with ease in most cases.

But let's solve the weight issue to put everyone at ease. Most houses are built to code, and the minimum code requirement for floors is 40 pounds a square foot of dead load. This means your floor joists, because most act as a system especially if there is diagonal bridging between the joists, can have a 40-pound load on each square foot of floor area and the floor not collapse.

Think about this in reality. No one has weights like that scattered on the floor. You'd never be able to walk around. There is much open space on the average floor. If the room where the safe will be is like this, you'll have no issues.

For example, let's say the room size is 10 feet by 12 feet. This is 120 square feet total meaning you can have 4,800 pounds of stuff in the room safely. I doubt you will have that much weight in the room.

Yes, the safe is concentrating a load in one spot. You'll have a concentrated load of 103 pounds per square foot just where the safe is. That could be a slight problem if you were putting the safe in the middle of the room.

My advice is to place the safe along a wall where the floor joists rest on the foundation wall, a beam, or a bearing wall below. You can place tremendous loads on floor joists immediately adjacent to where they rest on bearing points with no issues.

December 29, 2010 AsktheBuilder Tips And Newsletter

Posted on by Tim Carter

What's in This Newsletter?

Latest News
Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Get New-Looking Kitchen Cabinets
Washington DC Meet Up
Chimney Repair Checklist
Pam on Shovels & Snowblowers
Help with a Green Survey

 

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.

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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 was wonderful up here in New Hampshire, but sans snow. We got plastered 36 hours later with the epic blizzard. Kathy got her snow, but it was two days late. As you might suspect, I taped a four-part blizzard video to show you what happened up here. After coming inside after taping the third part, she said I was an idiot.

I hope Santa was as good to you as he was to us up here. I got a *big* BB gun that shoots large cone-shaped BBs as well as some great books. My youngest daughter Kelly gave me one that I consumed in less than 36 hours. I couldn't put it down.

The book was about one of the greatest unsolved art thefts in the world. It was solved, in part, by a seasoned reporter from the New York Times. You'd think a detective would have gotten to the bottom of this case. But the confusion at the end of World War II in occupied Germany allowed the thief to liberate some priceless items and smuggle them through the mail of all things when there was no real police force or government in Eastern Germany!

The book is called Treasure Hunt. It's an easy read. You'll simply not believe what happened, how the priceless art was hidden in a tiny Texas town, and how the treasure was rediscovered in the nick of time.

I've decided to start sharing with you what I'm reading. You may find it interesting. I'd love to know what you read.

Oh wait! If you like the discovery of treasure, then you've got to read this one. WOW! Talk about not being able to put a book down, this is one that had me tied up for days. Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea.

Both of those links are affiliate links. If you buy either or both books after clicking, I get a tiny commission from Amazon. The Federal Trade Commission mandates that I tell you this. I'm not a big fan of government in our lives, but this one is a good policy. I try never to talk about government stuff here. I do that at my Fire Pit hobby website.

Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

When was the last time you checked your detectors? Have you physically pushed the test button? Is it time to install new detectors? Remember, not all detectors last a lifetime. Some can lose their sensitivity! If in doubt, just talk with the fire prevention officer at your local fire department. This individual is an expert.

Get New-Looking Kitchen Cabinets in Just Days!

Money might be very tight for you right now. If it is and you're tired of your dark or worn kitchen cabinets, you can make your kitchen look new in just a few days with a gallon or two of paint. Yes, you can paint kitchen cabinets and they can look spectacular.

The cost of new cabinets may send you to the emergency room with a heart attack, so you've got little to lose by painting them. Just realize that once you start, there's no turning back. Read my Painting Kitchen Cabinets column of mine and be sure to watch the video at the bottom of the column. That video has a surprise ending.

Pay attention to the STOP sign you'll see in the column. Reading that eBook of mine could save you lots of time and allow you to get professional results!

Washington DC Meet Up!

I asked and you responded. The DC meet up is happening next week. So far at least five people have responded. Let's plan to meet at Pat Troy's Ireland's Own in Alexandria, VA around 4 p.m. on January 5th.

I believe I'm getting a ride from the Russell Senate Office Building around 3 or 3:30 p.m. That would put us at the pub around 4 p.m. if not before. We can shoot the bull and have some dinner until about 7 p.m. Just after 7 p.m., I need to scoot to the airport. It should be a good time! I'm sure you'll find me, as you have the advantage of knowing what I look like. I'll look a little different as it will be one of the rare times I'm in a coat and tie. In case you can't make it, we'll take some photos and maybe shoot  a quick video.

Chimney Repair Checklist

My newest product was completed yesterday. Maybe Santa knocked a few bricks loose or cracked your chimney crown by bumping his sleigh into it a few days ago. No matter what caused the problem, if your chimney needs work and you want it done the right way, you really need my chimney repair checklist.

I don't care if you want to do the work yourself or you want to hire a pro. You really can't believe the tips in this checklist.

You may have no idea what my checklists are about. To clear up that confusion, I taped a video to show you what it looks like and what's in it. Please watch the video at the shopping cart page.

Here's a special offer for you. Buy my new checklist now and I'll give you another checklist - you get to pick which one - for FREE. It's a buy-one-get-one-free offer, but this belated Christmas gift to you expires on Sunday (January 2, 2011) at midnight. That gives you plenty of time to recover from any New Years libations, but my advice is to just go get it now in case you forget.

The promo code is: ChimneyBonus

This gives you a $17 discount when you buy a SECOND checklist of your choice.

For it to work, you MUST add the Chimney Repair Checklist AND your second checklist into the cart.

After you enter the promo code into the Coupon box during checkout, you get the $17 discount.

Good for only one use per customer.

Pam on Shovels and Snowblowers

Jim from Spokane, WA sent in a great tip. To help snow slide off shovels and blast out of snow blowers, spray these things with a little Pam. If you have a can of that baking and cooking aid, give it a try. Just watch your dog. If it's like mine, it will lick the surfaces before you have a chance to try it out!

Help with a Green Survey

Unless you live under a rock, you have to be aware of the Green Movement. I'm all for the wise use of natural resources and recycling. However, I'm seeing lots of green washing. That's when slick marketing is used to promote a product that's maybe not so green. I want to do a survey about this Green Movement, but need your help.

What's most important to you about the Green Movement? Can you just email me one question or comment that's of the utmost importance to you?  If what you're interested in is in the top of the heap, I'll then compose a quick survey for the next newsletter so we can see how others feel about what's important to you. Thanks in advance!

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