January 13, 2010 AsktheBuilder Newsletter And Tips

Posted on by Tim Carter

What’s in This Issue?

Latest News
Lt. Col. Marc Hoffmeister Update
Removing Rusted Bolts
Another FrogTape Success Story
DeWALT Impact Ready Tools
Letter from a Subscriber about Stanley / Black & Decker Merger
Pocket Door Reminder
Last Call for Free Shipping on Stain Solver

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

Yes, I just sent a newsletter a few days ago. But there's some important news I decided to share. Much of the nation has been under the cold grip of Old Man Winter here in the USA. The morning after I send the last issue, the lake here that I live on in New Hampshire froze over completely. You can even see the ripples in the frozen water as if the lake is still liquid. It's absolutely amazing to look at.

Lt. Col. Marc Hoffmeister Update

You may have been one of the subscribers that emailed "Thanks!" to me about last issue's story about Fred Hoffmeister's son Marc.

I want you to know that I forwarded those sentiments along to Marc. What's more, I need to remind you that the voting for this prestigious award ends TOMORROW (January 14, 2010). If you haven't read the story about Marc, and voted a 10 for him, please consider doing so now. He almost made the ultimate sacrifice for you to be able to read this, so I'm hoping you can find the time to go now to the National Geographic website and vote for him. Here's the link to be able to do that:

Remember, you must vote within the next 24 hours. I'll be eternally grateful if you go do this right now.

Removing Rusted Bolts

Mike Cyr, of Presque Isle, Maine, wrote to me about an email he'd received from a relative. Evidently there was a study done by Machinist's Workshop magazine in their April 2007 issue. The story looked at the different penetrating oils to see which one did the best job of removing a rusted bolt by measuring the pounds of torque required to loosen the bolt once treated. If the study was scientifically accurate, it turns out a home brew works best! Here's the summary of the test results:

 

Penetrating oil .
 Average load
None
WD-40
PB Blaster
Liquid Wrench
Kano Kroil
ATF-Acetone Mix		   516 pounds
238 pounds
214 pounds
127 pounds
106 pounds
53 pounds

The ATF is an acronym for automatic transmission fluid. You can readily get acetone and ATF, so mix some yourself and see if you can get the same results. Thanks for sharing this, Mike! Have you ever checked the transmission fluid on a 2004 Volvo XC90? CLICK HERE for a real surprise.

Another FrogTape Success Story

Each week I get really gratifying emails that prove it's worth it to produce this newsletter. This one from Frank Suplee is a little long, but it's worth reading:

Dear Tim,

I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for the garage shelving plans.

I completed a twelve foot section today and I was able to customize them to fit the storage tubs we bought to help get ourselves "organized".  I will have a total 20 feet of shelving when all is said and done for under $100.00.  I found it less expensive to rip 2x4 and 2x6 to get the sizes needed.  This plan was simple and certainly strong enough to hold what I need.

I have been particularly busy this vacation (glad I took an extra week off).  I finally got around to painting our master suite (only took a year to get back to it).  I tried several different masking tapes.  First was a blue one. Not the 3M, but a knock off and it was terrible, wouldn't even stick to the ceiling.  I then tried the orange masking tape from Dunn Edwards Paint and that wouldn't let go.  I had to run a razor knife along the edge and still had to go back and peel off where it had torn.

I decided to try the FrogTape based on your recommendation.

I can honestly say I will never go back to any other masking tape.  It is a bit more expensive but worth every penny in my estimation.  Even on our textured ceilings I was able to get razor sharp lines and a quick and complete release.  I don't think I would have tried it had I not read your newsletter article.  I have been telling all of my friends about this and I hope to see it stay around for a long time.

Thank you again Tim.  I have learned a lot from your newsletters and look forward to reading them.

Regards,

Fred Suplee

You're very welcome, Fred! If you have success using a product I review or a column I write, I'd love to hear from you.

DeWALT Impact Ready Tools

I just completed testing two new tools from DeWALT and some accessories. Holy moly was I impressed. DeWALT has decided to name this line of tools Impact Ready and has created a micro website that tells you all about the tools and the accessory bits, drivers, sockets, etc. that have been designed to use with the cordless drill and impact driver. I loved the pivot holder that allows you to hold the tool at an angle while driving. I could go on and on about all the accessories and the tools, but it's better for you to just watch the videos at the Impact Ready DeWALT site. Be sure to click each of the different areas - Screwdriving, Fastening, Driving and Hole Saws - as each section has its own videos and facts.

You'll love the video about the Hole Saws. Wait till you see the raised shoulder and the spring on the drill bits. I wish these tools had been around 15 years ago!

Letter from a Subscriber about Stanley / Black and Decker Merger

Two months or so ago, I did a quick mention of the merger between Stanley Tools and Black and Decker.

Last week I received this email from Dennis Tarrant:

A few weeks ago, you commented on the merger of Black & Decker and Stanley Works. Your comments about the two companies surprised me. You slammed Black and Decker and praised Stanley. You never did explain what your opinions were based on for the two firms.

Having worked for B&D for several years in the commercial and residential hardware divisions (and still a shareholder) I was disappointed.

Perhaps you are not aware that B&D makes and sells the following power tool brands: Black & Decker, DeWalt, Porter Cable, Delta; and the following other brands: Kwikset, Baldwin, Weiser Lock, Price Pfister, K2 Commercial, and Emhart Technologies.

Are you suggesting that all of these brands are inferior to others? Based on what factual data, I wonder?

I was active in the Hardware and Home Improvement Division (the second Category listed, excluding Emhart, which is an industrial fastener firm).

Consumer reports and every GC that I know, would refute your remarks based on testing and personal experience. If you're basing your opinions on the B&D brand only, you should be mindful that this is intended as a DIY, light use tool, just as most of Stanley Works products are.

Dennis Tarrant

I responded to Dennis that my point was exactly that - that the Black and Decker brand is basically a toy. More importantly, I was totally unaware that the Black and Decker company *owned* all those other brands. It may have been announced at some point to me in a press release over the years, but I told Dennis that I'll bet not one in ten thousand consumers knew that Black and Decker owned all those brands. You discover something new every day if you just keep your sensor turned on! Thanks Dennis!!

Pocket Door Reminder

Last summer I installed another pocket door in my home in Cincinnati. It's a piece of work indeed, and it glides in and out of the pocket as if it floats on air. I discovered over the years that if you want trouble-free pocket doors, you have to start with a great frame and great suspension hardware. That's why I use LE Johnson pocket-door kits. If you follow the instructions, they're easy to install. Pocket doors save space, so don't hesitate to consider one or two or three if you're building a new home or remodeling. I'll have quite a few LE Johnson kits in my new home. That's a fact. It's also a fact that LE Johnson is a sponsor on my site. I'm not ashamed to say that, because I love the product and use it!

Last Call on Free Shipping for Stain Solver

I announced a few days ago that the Free Shipping promotion I have going with my oxygen bleach Stain Solver  is about to end. I'm about to flip the switch on the shopping cart that will bring back shipping charges. You better react now if you want free shipping. (Promotion ended January 14, 2010 around Noon Eastern Time.) Oh, a friend of mine who uses it all the time and subscribes to this newsletter told me to tell you that it cleans hundreds of things other than ceramic tile floor grout. Duh!!! I assumed you knew that. It's the truth, it cleans anything you can think of: dirty car floor mats, Kool-Aid off mattresses, cat urine stains and odors, baby throw-up on bibs, algae on kayak paddles, smelly athletic shoes, etc. In fact, soon I'll be having a weekly contest where you tell me how you used Stain Solver. The most imaginative entries will win a prize! So start using it and tell me what you cleaned!

AsktheBuilder.com

January 10, 2010 AsktheBuilder News And Tips

Posted on by Tim Carter

What’s in This Issue?

Latest News
Water Streaming From Bath Fan
Top Adventurer Award
Ceramic Tile on Top of Vinyl Tile
Stain Solver Promotion

Remember, Do it Right, Not Over!

Welcome if you are a new subscriber. If you like this newsletter, feel free to forward it to as many of your friends as you wish.

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

Happy New Year! It's Twenty Ten, or whatever you chose to call it. It's off to a cold start, that's for sure. I just looked at the current temperatures as I write this and at 3 pm it's 46 F in Miami, FL. Brrrrrrrrr! Yesterday I drove with my son 17 hours to get back to New Hampshire from Cincinnati, OH. It wasn't bad, but it was 9 F in Utica, NY as we stopped for gasoline. With a stiff wind, that was pretty cold. No worries, summer will be here soon. The days are getting longer. Woo Hoo! Get out the wake board.

Here at Loch Winnisquam in New Hampshire, the lake has not yet frozen over. It's tried a couple of times, but the wind picks up and breaks apart the ice and relatively warmer water deeper in the lake is brought to the top by the wind. That melts the ice. But as I type this and look out the window, overnight the ice built out from the shore about 100 feet.

I'm all rested up from the three weeks back in Cincinnati, OH with Kathy and the kids. This is a huge work month for me. There is nothing but opportunity as far as the eye can see. As I said last issue, forget about hoping for change or waiting for help from someone. If you're struggling, you need to pick yourself up and get moving. It's not easy, but there is work out there. It may not be what you want, but now's not the time to be choosey.

Water Streaming From Bath Fan

Paul Greenburg, from Woodbridge, CT wrote to me:

Tim,

I have a Broan Heater/Fan Combination in my bathroom ceiling. There is now a constant stream of water that drips out of it when we use it as we shower. Is there a roof leak?

Paul must have been in a rush when he used the Ask Tim form at my website, as the Bathroom Fan Ventilation column he needed to answer his question was right here:

Top Adventurer Award

Four years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting a man up in New Hampshire named Fred Hoffmeister. Fred and his wife Sandi own The Maria Atwood Inn in Franklin, NH. Sandi is also a dear friend. I stayed in their cozy bed and breakfast the first time I came up to look for land in NH. It turns out Fred is also a real estate agent, and he represented me when I bought my land and the house on the lake. He and Sandi are really good people - hard working and honest.

Two weeks ago they got amazing news about their son Marc. I've never met Marc, but I've heard lots about him. I think it's best you just read what Fred sent me:

As some of you may know, my son, Marc Hoffmeister was recently promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. He is a West Point graduate Class of 1992 who served a tour of combat duty in Kuwait then a second tour in Iraq (2006-2007). He will be going back for a third tour next Fall!

In April 2007, he was severely wounded when his Humvee was hit by an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) near Al Hillah and still struggles with nerve pain and limited mobility in his now titanium arm. Other painful injuries were the result of the blast impact on his head and ears.

He has been an inspiration and voice for wounded warriors to recognize that physical limitations need not change WHO you are, just how you go about achieving things.  An avid adventure racer, mountain climber, and cyclist, last year he led a team of Purple Heart recipient soldiers to climb Mount Denali (a.k.a. Mt. McKinley, the highest peak in North America located in Alaska!).

As a result of those activities, Marc has been recognized by National Geographic as one of the top ten Adventurers of the Year in the Dec/Jan print edition of Adventure magazine! National Geographic is allowing readers to select a Reader's Choice award recipient from this year's class of Adventurers of the Year via ONLINE VOTING.

Click on the Link to read more about his team, see photos from the expedition and watch a You Tube video of their time from Pre- Iraq to the climb.

Okay, I'll give you the link to click that Fred talks about in a moment. But let me explain that the National Geographic site is a little cryptic. When you get to the page, you'll see Marc. I urge you to watch the video and read the story about him. You'll get a taste of what our military is trying to do to keep underpants and diaper bombers from coming over here to kill us. But I digress......

Just to the left of Marc's photo at that page is a Text Graphic that says: B A Best of Adventure in black and red. You need to click THAT link to go to a page that allows you to rate on a scale of 1 - 10 what you think of each person who's been nominated. In other words, it's a little work. But PLEASE take the time to do this as Marc has made a tremendous sacrifice for you and me so that we have the freedom to even vote and surf the Internet freely.

Vote 10 for Marc!

Ceramic Tile on Top of Vinyl Tile

Jeanne Stone of Charlottesville, wrote to me the following:

Dear Tim,

Can ceramic tile be installed on top of vinyl tile?  Our tile retailer says it can, but my husband says no. Help!

I responded:

Jeanne,

I really need to know more. Vinyl tile is really a dense material, so that's why the retailer said Yes. But if the vinyl tile is on a wood-floor system that has lots of bounce, your tile can crack. If the vinyl tile is coming loose from the floor, curled, etc. then that is also a major issue. But let's imagine the vinyl tile is in great shape and firmly attached, it's on a concrete slab that's crack-free, I'd install the ceramic tile over it in a heartbeat. Make sure you consider the use of a crack-isolation membrane under the tile so that the new floor can move independently of the substrate.

 

Stain Solver Promotion

Back in November, I did a promotion with my oxygen bleach Stain Solver that's been pretty successful. But before I tell you about what the promotion is, I have to tell you about a phone call I got while driving back yesterday to New Hampshire. It was from Scott, and he and I had talked on the phone two days earlier.

Go to Stain Solver

Scott had purchased 8 pounds of Stain Solver to clean the horribly dirty grout in his kitchen floor. He used my product and wasn't satisfied. When this happens, 999 times out of 1,000, I discover the homeowner doesn't use it correctly. Scott told me on the phone, "Tim, if your product doesn't work, the floor is coming out. I've tried everything, but nothing even remotely gets the gunk out of the grout. I've HAD it with this tile floor. I'm hoping your Stain Solver can save me thousands of dollars."

As you might imagine, Scott was frustrated. I told him first, that if he can't get it to work, he can get a refund by sending it back. Once we crossed that bridge, I asked him if he'd be willing to do a small test area following my instructions. Scott said, "Yes, but it better work." I told him to mix just one 12 oz glass of hot water with two tablespoons of Stain Solver. Stir till dissolved and pour half of it on 4 tiles. "It's important that the grout joints stay flooded with the solution for at least 15-20 minutes," I said. I also sent him a photograph of the exact brush to use. The other half of the solution is used in the scrubbing process or if the solution soaks into the grout. He said he'd let me know.

On Friday, I got a text message from him saying that my test didn't work. As you can imagine, I was crushed. I knew something was wrong with what he was doing. I texted him back to send the product back to us.

Then yesterday he calls me and says, "Tim, I've got good news. The tile grout in that small test area looks fantastic! Once the grout DRIED, it looked like new. There's still some dirt, but I believe I can get it out." I asked a few questions and discovered what the problem was. His scrub brush was too flimsy, and are you ready for this, the bristles were barely touching the grout because the grout joints were well below the top surface of the surrounding tile. Duh!!!! I never thought to warn people about that thinking that they would always make sure to tilt the brush or do whatever to make sure the bristles were in contact with the grout.

The Bottom Line: Another satisfied customer!! And I discovered something very valuable. Oh, I reminded Scott that he would NEVER have to scrub the floor again. He didn't believe me and asked how was that. I said, "It's easy. All you have to do is add Stain Solver to your regular mop water. Mop the floor and leave the mop solution ON THE FLOOR for 10 minutes. Let the Stain Solver work in the grout by itself with no scrubbing, then come back and rinse the floor with clean water." I know for a fact that works if you do this every week.

Be aware that not only does Stain Solver clean grout, it cleans anything that's  water washable. It gets out odors, even cat urine. It's amazing.

So back to my promotion. You know the old saying, "All Good Things Must Come to an End"? Well, I've decided to end the FREE Shipping promotion that's been going on for 10 weeks. As soon as we sell out of all the product that's in the current warehouse, the Free Shipping goes away. What does this mean to you? It means that if you don't order some within the next few days, you'll have missed out on significant savings. I can't say how much, because the shipping can vary from $6 all the way up to $42. It costs a lot of money to ship 50 pounds to California! I have no clue when, if ever, I intend to bring back the free shipping. You'll be upset if you miss this promotion. If you get to the shopping cart and see nothing about Free Shipping, that means you hesitated.

Go to Stain Solver

AsktheBuilder.com

Ceramic Fireplace Tile

Posted on by Tim Carter
Ceramic fireplace tile

This ceramic fireplace tile is new, but it looks like the fireplace could be over one-hundred-years old. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: I grew up in an old home that had ceramic fireplace tile. I’d love to recreate that look in a new home I’m getting ready to build. What’s it take to install a ceramic tile fireplace that will not be harmed by the heat of the fire? Where’s the best place to look for ceramic tile fireplace designs? I went to several home centers and was rapidly disappointed. There has to be vintage tile out there that will allow visitors to think my tile is from another century. Martha V., Gloucester MA

DEAR MARTHA: Oh, I know exactly what you’re talking about. My childhood home didn’t have a ceramic-tile surround, it had brick. But many of the older homes I visited and worked in early in my remodeling and building career had magnificent ceramic tile surrounds. In fact, in Cincinnati, OH, there was a famous tile company, Rookwood Tile, that made entire ceramic-tile mantles and surrounds. (See the photo below left.) There are thousands of these fireplaces still in service in the original suburbs of Cincinnati that sprouted up on the seven hills above the inner city.

The great news for you is that you absolutely will be able to purchase new ceramic tile that looks like it was made 100 or more years ago. There are several manufacturers that specialize in highly decorative tile that can be used for fireplaces. In fact, some of it is so custom, it’s hand-painted and glazed when you order it. It’s possible they can even do a custom color for you if that’s what you need to have.

As you discovered, you’ll never find this tile at a home center. You have to work a little bit and go to a specialty tile store that not only sells just tile and other stone products, but also sells tile made by hundreds of small obscure companies that make every imaginable tile you can think of.

The tile you see at a big box home center, in my opinion, represents perhaps 0.001 percent of all the tile that’s available to you if you just find the right stores. Many of these do sell online. Keep in mind that no one store can stock, or even display, all the tile that’s available. It pays to visit as many specialty tile stores as you can find near you.

Rookwood Fireplace mantle

An example of a Rookwood Fireplace mantle and surround in the Wiedemann Hill Mansion. PHOTO: Roger R Henthorn

Just recently, I did the same thing you’re going to do. I installed ceramic tile around a fireplace in my home. It was a tile my wife discovered in one visit to the largest tile store in our city. This particular tile has all sorts of different trim tiles that look like door and window trim moldings, and they also have all sorts of tile trim strips that allow you to create any number of designs by intermixing the different trim tiles with the flat and decorative field tiles.

The challenge in working with tile like this and a fireplace surround is making sure you calculate how to get the tile to fit between the mantle and the fireplace opening. It took me an hour or more to determine how I was going to make this happen. Even with that amount of work, I still ended up with a pesky cut tile in the center of the surround. If you want the tile to be installed with no cuts, you have to buy the tile before you build your home and lay it out carefully on a piece of plywood so that the mason who constructs your fireplace can see the exact width and height you need for the fireplace opening.

Keep in mind that the tile must be installed with cement-based thinset mortar. You shouldn’t use an organic mastic to apply this tile. The heat from the fire can cause this mastic to fail when used on the tiles that are closest to the fire. Thinset mortar is easy to work with, and only mix up enough that you can use in 45 minutes or less.

The mason who constructs your fireplace must be very skilled. The surface of the concrete block used to build the rough fireplace needs to be smooth and in the same plane. This means each concrete block must not tilt inwards or outwards as he stacks them one on top of one another.  A wavy surface will cause you grief as you try to install the tile.

To get the strongest bond possible, make sure the surface of the concrete block is free of all dust. You should also slightly dampen it just before you apply the thinset mortar. An old squirt bottle works well for this. I also urge you to dampen the back of the ceramic tile before you place it in the fresh thinset. This water in the concrete block and tile will slow the loss of water from the thinset. This allows the thinset mortar to attain the highest amount of strength so that the tiles never pop off the concrete block.

Getting the tile spacing to work out with some mantles can be a challenge. You may have to add additional trim lumber to the mantle to achieve proper width and height so the tile can be installed with no or minimal cuts.

In my case, I had not only had to add trim lumber, but I also had to add extra mortar to the sides of my rough fireplace opening. When the concrete block was installed, we unfortunately didn’t know what tile we were going to use. To get the spacing correct, I installed the mantle then made a plywood template that was the exact width of the face tile that created the surround. I then added Portland cement mortar to the concrete block so it was even with this plywood form. It worked perfectly creating the exact width so that a full field tile and a trim tile on either side of it could be installed with no cuts.

Column 813

December 29, 2009 AsktheBuilder News And Tips

Posted on by Tim Carter

What’s in This Issue?

Latest News
Crack in a Scotland Ceiling
Basement Waterproofing eBook Update
Residential Architects Looking for Work
My Father-in-Law
Hardwood Floor Scratches
Latest Columns
The Fire Pit

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 wish you a belated Merry Christmas! Because of the rush to drive from New Hampshire back to Cincinnati to be with Kathy and the kids, I was unable to send you Christmas greetings before the grand day. Add to that, me getting the flu five days before Christmas, and you have a recipe for no newsletter! I'm better now with just a slight cold, but two days before Christmas I was down for the count.

The New Year is rapidly approaching, just days away. I'm very excited about 2010. It's going to be a great year for many reasons. History will treat 2010 as the high-water mark for any number of things. Watch and see. If you've lost your job in the horrible economic morass, understand that there's almost unlimited opportunity on the Internet. I liken the Internet to what the land west of the Mississippi must have looked like to settlers in 1860. Stop hoping for change. Forget about others helping you. Control your own destiny.

I wish you a VERY prosperous and happy New Year!

Crack in a Scotland Ceiling

Jacqueline Scott of Glasgow, Scotland wrote to me:

Dear Tim,

I had an extension onto my kitchen 4 years ago.  There is a crack on my ceiling just before the corner that it joins the wall.  It runs the length of the ceiling / wall and there is a hairline crack coming down a supporting post which runs about 12 inches.  The crack has been there almost since the extension was done, but I feel it has widened slightly.  Because it has always been there I wonder if I am imagining it has widened slightly, but my gut instinct, says it has.  The crack is actually on the old part of the kitchen, on the wall that joins my neighbour's house - as it is a semi-detached bungalow. Should I be worried??  I know they put a steel beam on top of the supporting wall (which has the hair-line crack) so could this be putting pressure on this area.  Should I worry?

My reply to Jacqueline was:

Jacqueline,

This is a very common occurrence. Houses have joints in them just as our bodies do. Your arms legs, fingers and toes all can move about, even though they are connected. Where the room addition was added to the house, a new seam was created. To minimize cracking, it's imperative that the new foundation for the addition always do what the existing foundation of the house does. This means they must act as one. If the house foundation is unstable, but the new room addition foundation is rock solid, you can see how the two rooms could eventually separate. This is an exaggeration, however I've seen it happen. Hairline cracks where structural elements of a house exist are very common. Usually they are of no concern.

My gut tells me that the crack you're seeing is really just a shrinkage crack. If your room addition has timber or lumber in it, this wood may be getting smaller in size as it liberates water. It can take several years for this shrinkage to occur. The shrinkage causes tension which tears the finish materials apart. You see the resulting tiny crack. Any wood in the walls of the older parts of your home has long since stabilized.

Start to monitor the crack. At its widest point, take a very fine marker and make tiny marks on each side of the crack opposite each other. Use a very accurate measuring device to measure the width of the crack. Keep a journal recording the measurement you take once a month. You'll be able to see if the crack is getting wider. It's possible it will get smaller if the humidity increases. If the crack keeps getting wider, then call in a structural engineer.

 

Basement Waterproofing eBook Update

The response to my upcoming Basement Waterproofing eBook has been overwhelming. My research has indicated that you want to see actual case studies. So be it. This is where you come in. If you can really describe well your basement or crawl space leak and provide me with great interior and exterior photos that show the leak happening, exterior shots of the land around your home, etc., then I'll include these in the eBook AND tell you exactly the steps and products I would use to make your basement dry as a bone. That's a pretty good bargain if you ask me. You get a FREE consult for just investing a little time.

If this is of interest to you, the first step is to send me just two things:

  1. A very good description of exactly what the problem is, when it happens, how long the water has been coming in and any other facts.
  2. One color photo of the leak.

Send these in a separate email to me with the Subject Line: Basement Leak Entry

Residential Architects Looking for Work

Are you a residential architect whose work has pretty much dried up? Or do you know of one? I have a fantastic opportunity I want to talk to you about immediately. You MUST have great software that can draw simple color plans and convert them to .PDF files. I can offer you a deal where you make ongoing royalties for a very long time. Speaking of time, it is of the essence. Email me right now. I'm ready to start tomorrow on this project. Put this in the Subject Line: Architect for Tim

My Father-in-Law

Just before the holidays, my father-in-law was admitted to the hospital for an intestinal disorder. He's out and doing fine, but at 90, it takes a bit to get back up to speed. I hadn't seen him for several months, as I had scooted back up to New Hampshire in late September. I'm seeing a significant decline in his physical state. He's a great man who served as a proxy father to me since just after Kathy and I were first married. I had to send my dad back to Heaven just 23 months after getting married. I don't know if I've ever told my father-in-law that, but I will today.

I mention this because of what's happened over the past year. Kathy lost her mom in January and I had to send my mom back to Heaven in June. I can see that Kathy's dad's time is near. I urge you to say all the unsaid things you need to utter to your loved ones - assuming these thoughts are good ones! There's a Native American saying that I strive to live by: Your heart may never be as soft as it is today.

Think about that. As we get older, our hearts tend to get rock hard. We hold grudges. We find it hard to say we're sorry. Pride gets in the way. Don't let it happen to you. Say all the things you need to say now before that person is gone forever. It will make them feel like a million bucks, and you'll glow too.

Hardwood Floor Scratches

A few days before leaving the lake house in New Hampshire to come back to Cincinnati, I did an experiment. The previous owner of the home really was abusive to the red birch hardwood floor in the house. The high sand content of the soil outside the house will scratch the finish if you don't regularly vacuum up all this grit. The chairs at the dining table were causing wear patterns, so I decided to try something.

I was alone in the house for five days before heading back, so this was pretty easy to do. In my mind, I had decided the floors probably would have to be sanded and refinished, so I had NOTHING to lose by adding a coat of urethane to see if that made the floors look acceptable. You can do the same. Remember, you have nothing to lose.

My plan was to just add one coat of urethane in the dining room ONLY. The purpose was twofold:

  1. See if it would make most of the scratches disappear.
  2. See if the new urethane would blend almost seamlessly into the existing finish.

It was an amazing success. Ninety-five percent of the scratches vanished. The satin urethane matched the existing finish almost perfectly. You have to look very hard to see where the new finish starts. I've determined that I don't have to sand the floors which will save enormous amounts of time and money.

You should try this on your hardwood floors. Remember, you MUST clean them well - including soap and water to remove all dirt - and you must lightly sand the existing floor finish. Remove ALL dust before applying the urethane. I used water-based Varathane that dried in an hour. Follow the directions on the label.

Allen had a question on hardwood floor scratches also. Read his question in Drill a Well and Hardwood Floor Scratches column.

Latest Columns

Do you know all the toilet parts in your bathroom?

What's it take to build custom stairs?

Are you aware of the different bathtubs out there when you remodel?

Be sure to consider the benefits of casement windows when you need new ones.

The Fire Pit

If you're a new subscriber, I have a second newsletter that I produce. It's not about home improvement, but talks about my feeling about where our great nation is headed. If you're interested in discovering my take on politics, then come and sit around my Fire Pit. I'll warn you now, I'm right of center, love the Constitution, and am attracted to self-sufficient people who get things done.

AsktheBuilder.com

Gutter Repair

Posted on by Tim Carter
Paint Brush Cleaning Gutter

An old paint brush is a great tool to clean the tight inside corners of a gutter. Use lots of soapy water. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: The one-story home I just purchased needs some gutter repair. When it rains, I see leaks at the ends of my aluminum gutters. I also see water streaming from behind my gutters on the facia board.

In addition, I need to make a gutter downspout repair where a downspout has fallen away to the ground. What special tools might I need, and what tips can you share to make this just an afternoon job, instead of a weekend nightmare? Steve F., White Plains, NY

DEAR STEVE: I’d probably tell you to hire a professional for this job had you not told me the gutters are close to the ground. Working up in the air from ladders can be dangerous indeed, and if you’re not experienced, all sorts of bad jujumagumbo can happen. I know of a young widow who lost her husband as he worked on a ladder that was leaning against a second-story roof overhang.

Roof gutter repair is not technically difficult, especially if you’re just trying to seal some seams where the sealant has failed. The job is also easy because you’re working with aluminum. Galvanized steel and copper gutter repair are usually not do-it-yourself jobs, as the seams in these materials almost always are soldered. You’ll be using a special sealant that works like toothpaste on your aluminum gutters. The biggest difference is I don’t want you to get any of the sealant in your mouth.

Aluminum gutter repair starts with clean, dry metal. The odds are the inside of your gutters are dirty and have a layer of muck in them. You need to do whatever is necessary to make the inside of the gutters perfectly clean wherever you intend to perform sealant repairs.

One of the best tools I’ve used for years is an old 3-inch paint brush. After removing all of the debris from the gutter, I dip the brush in some warm soapy water and begin dabbing and sloshing the water in all the tight spaces. The dirt and organic debris usually wash away quickly and with minimal effort. Work until all the dirt is gone, and rinse well with clear water.

If the gutter drains well, the sun is out and you have a breeze, the joint at the end cap and the gutter can be dry in as little as 30 minutes. Use a paper towel to check to make sure there is not trapped moisture in the seam. Purchase a special rubberized sealant from a roofing supply company or a hardware store that carries the special sealants that bond to aluminum. Resist the temptation to use caulk, even silicone caulk. These can and do fail over time. Squirt the sealant out of the tube and spread it around with the tip of the tube. You want to apply a generous amount as much of what you see evaporates.

The leaks behind the gutter may be happening because there is no apron flashing that runs up under the first row of shingles and then laps over the back edge of the gutter. This is a very important piece of metal that many roofers fail to install. I would recommend you hire a roofer to do this unless you can enlist the help of a friend. This metal strip needs to be carefully installed under the shingles without tearing them. If you can’t do this, hire a professional.

Reattaching the downspout to the gutter shouldn’t be too hard. I’ve always used aluminum pop rivets to accomplish this task. Some use self-tapping screws that are colored to match the downspout. My feeling is the pop rivets are sleeker. They do require more work, which is why many run-and-gun gutter installers prefer the snappy screws.

To install a pop rivet, you need to typically drill a one-eighth-inch hole through the two materials that you’re trying to bind together. Position the downspout over the outlet tube that’s extending down from the gutter. Use a drill to create the hole. The aluminum is soft and the hole usually is bored in seconds.

Insert a pop rivet in your pop-rivet tool that matches the color of the downspout. Push the rivet through the hole in the downspout and the outlet tube. Squeeze the handle of the tool and the end of the rivet starts to mushroom becoming larger than the hole. As you continue to squeeze the tool, the rivet presses the two pieces of metal together very tightly. It’s caveman simple to do.

Remember that aluminum expands dramatically as its temperature rises. A long gutter on a one-story house can grow significantly putting all kinds of stress on sealants. Normal caulks aren’t made to handle this movement, but the rubberized sealants are.

If you make a mistake with the pop-rivet tool, you can remove a rivet and start over. All you do is take the same one-eighth-inch drill bit and drill directly through the center of the rivet. The rivet separates into two pieces and you’re ready to start over.

Related Column: Gutter Leak Repair Spray

Column 811

Terrific Workbenches

Posted on by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: I’m sure you know about workbenches. My New Year’s resolution was to build a home workbench. I’ve seen workbenches for sale, but they seem too small for me. I’m up for the task of building a custom workbench, but am worried about the best way to do it. The surface needs to be durable, but affordable. Do you have any secrets you’d like to share about building a workshop workbench? Andy M., Enola, PA

DEAR ANDY: I have many secrets to share, and will try to give you as many as I can in this limited space. Tool workbenches are my favorite, and over the years I’ve built many for clients as well as one for each house I’ve owned. As you might imagine, each time I’ve constructed one, I’ve made an improvement on the design. I’m sure others have great ideas, but here’s what’s worked for me.

This workbench was made using scrap oak parquet flooring. It's an amazing workbench that's been abused by my son. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

This workbench was made using scrap oak parquet flooring. It's an amazing workbench that's been abused by my son. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

I prefer a wood workbench, because wood is easier to work with and it’s very affordable. I have a good friend that has a steel workbench, but he does lots of welding, so wood would be impractical for him. Constructing a steel workbench from scratch is indeed a challenge if you don’t have the right tools. Wood may be your best friend if you have traditional carpentry tools.

You might consider a maple workbench if you’re looking for durability. I’ve built quite a few oak workbenches that really take an enormous amount of abuse showing little wear. Only the top has to be made from the maple or the oak, and you can sometimes get great deals on scrap hardwood or maple flooring that you can nail to a plywood panel that serves just like a subfloor underneath a regular hardwood floor.

The legs of the workbench need to be stout. I suggest wood 4x4 posts. The frame or undercarriage of the workbench can be 2x4s that are secured to the posts. I suggest not making the workbench any deeper than 24 inches. If you go deeper, it will be very difficult to reach across the bench to get tools that might be on pegboard above the work surface.

If you need a wider tabletop to assemble things, you’ll be better off making a roll-away table for the middle of the workshop. These stand-alone tables should always be lower in height than a normal workbench.

The finished height of your workbench is really critical. Too low and you’re bending over to do many tasks. Too high and you’ll stand on your tip toes doing things on the workbench when you place a larger object on the bench.

This is one reason people often look to construct an adjustable-height workbench. There are challenges in doing this, not the least of which is the weight of the workbench top. I’ve found that a 34-inch finished height is very practical. But I’m shorter than average, being just under 5-feet 8 inches tall. Keep this in mind if you’re tall.

The height is so critical, I really recommend that you construct a sample small workbench to see what works for you. If this is too much effort, place some cardboard on your kitchen countertops and see if the tools you work with are comfortable at that height. The time you spend perfecting the height for your own body stature will be well worth it.

As you assemble the posts, the 2x4 undercarriage and the plywood that covers the frame, I suggest using screws. Nails can come loose over time and your workbench may begin to wobble. If you use oak or maple flooring for the top surface, that gets nailed to the plywood with standard flooring nails that are driven through the tongues of the flooring.

I suggest that the finished top of the workbench overhang the 2x4 undercarriage by at least 2.5 inches all the way around. The finished edge you see ends up 1.5-inches thick, and this makes for a firm base to attach a squeeze clamp. I find myself constantly clamping things to my workbench, and this design works great for me.

It’s a great idea to create a shelf below the workbench. This shelf helps stabilize the legs of the workbench. You want the workbench to be rock solid and never sway back and forth. A bench loaded with tools can weigh hundreds of pounds and cause serious injury if it collapses.

You might consider coating the oak or maple with clear urethane to protect the wood from any moisture. Be aware that you’ll surely scratch this urethane if you use your workbench like I do. But if you’re a perfectionist, you can recoat the surface with water-based urethane that dries in an hour.

Column 810

Ceramic Flooring Tile

Posted on by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: I visited a home recently that had an interesting mosaic pattern inset into regular floor tile. I loved the look of that ceramic tile floor, as it broke up the monotony of tile after tile. Can you tell me how to install ceramic floor tile in this manner? I looked closely and the ceramic floor tile designs in each mosaic were identical. I assume these came already fabricated from a factory. Any tips you can share that will ensure success will be appreciated. Melanie W., Center Harbor, NH

DEAR MELANIE: I believe I can help. I’ve installed many ceramic tile floors in my career, and would often dream about them the night before I install them. Every aspect of the job frequently swirled around in my head.

What crazy visions to have when there are so many other things to dream about! When it happened, I believe it was a mixture of excitement about what the tile was going to look like as well as reminding myself of important steps to make sure the job lasts.

tile pattern

This gorgeous tile pattern repeats throughout the room. Patience and skill were required to make the field-tile cuts. ©2017 Tim Carter

Not only have I seen what you’re talking about, but I’ve also installed mosaic patterns in some of the tile jobs I’ve done in the past. It’s not hard to do, it just takes some patience, skill and adds time to the job.

The first thing you need to do is to make sure the thickness of the ceramic flooring tiles matches the thickness of the mosaic tiles you want to use.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local ceramic tile contractors.

If they don’t match in thickness, you may have a nightmare on your hands or some extra work. At the very least, you want the mosaic tiles to be the thinner than the field tiles. The field tiles are the ones that are plain and cover the majority of the floor area.

If the mosaic tiles are thinner than the field tile, then all you have to do is put the thinset adhesive on heavier than you do for the field tile. Can you imagine how hard it would be to do just the opposite?

Trying to build up the field tiles will result in a mess and an uneven floor surface. When setting the thinner mosaic tile, use a straightedge to make sure the top surface of the tile are in the same plane as the field tile. All of this hassle is avoided if you can work with tiles all the same thickness.

The mosaic patterns you are talking about almost always come glued together in a sheet. A thin fiberglass mat holds them together allowing you to place the complete pattern on top of the full field tiles.

Doing this allows you to trace the outline of the entire mosaic pattern onto the field tile that need to be cut to fit around the pattern.

Temporarily tape the mosaic pattern on top of field tile that are placed dry set onto the floor with the proper grout spacing. Use a fine-tipped permanent marker to trace the outline of the mosaic pattern onto the field tile.

Be sure the line you trace is away from the edge of the mosaic tiles the same width as the grout lines in between field tile.

The resulting traced line will no doubt be irregular, meaning you need to use any number of tools to cut the curved, angled or irregular line. A diamond wet saw, an angle grinder with an abrasive wheel, a hand nipping tool, and even a crude carbide rod saw will all work.

Full Tile Tool List

Here's a list of tools that I've used for years to successfully install thousands of square feet of ceramic tile.

  • tape measure
  • pencil
  • tile cutter
  • nippers
  • a 1/4 by 1/4 inch v-notched trowel
  • a hammer
  • some 6d finish nails
  • 8 lineal feet of straight 1/4 inch wood lattice strip
  • putty knife
  • 3-inch wide-bladed scraper
  • grout sponge
  • rubber grout float
  • several buckets
  • accurate 4 foot level

Click the image below to BUY all, or some, of the tools in the above list.

ceramic tile tools list

CLICK THIS IMAGE NOW TO ORDER ALL THE TOOLS YOU NEED TO DO CERAMIC TILE.

Your patience and skill at this point will determine the final look. Cut along the line very carefully removing just the line of the marker and no more.

To achieve professional results as you install ceramic tile flooring, there are several things you need to do. The floor should be as solid as possible with no spring to it. I urge you to use a decoupling membrane so the tile can move independently of the floor.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local ceramic tile contractors.

These plastic membranes look like the bottom of a waffle iron. It’s an extra step in the process, but well worth it if you want your tile floor to be crack free for generations.

Be sure you try to get the floor in the same plane. This doesn’t mean the floor has to be level, but that would be nice. To be in the same plane means no humps, no bumps and no gaps under a long straightedge when placed on the floor. Use self-leveling floor leveling compound to help get the floor smooth.

Use the correct notched trowel that matches the tile you’re using. The tile manufacturer will often publish what the minimum notch size should be. The larger the notch in the trowel, the more thinset adhesive you use. Usually the notch size gets bigger as the tile size increases.

Do not use organic mastic to install floor tile. Organic mastic is a creamy adhesive that looks like cake icing. This adhesive works well for wall tile, but will not work well for floor tile. It will flex slightly when you apply concentrated pressure on a tile. If the adhesive moves, it will cause the tile to crack.

Thinset adhesive is just like brick mortar. When it cures after 24 - 48 hours, it’s as hard as rock and will not flex. Be sure the surfaces you’re tiling over are dust free. Only mix as much thinset as you can apply and cover with tile in an hour or less.

Never add more water to thinset in a bucket that’s starting to harden. This will weaken the thinset and may cause the tile to pop off the floor at a later date.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local ceramic tile contractors.

Column 809

December 11, 2009 AsktheBuilder News And Tips

Posted on by Tim Carter

What’s in This Issue?

Snow
Feedback on the Right Brush and Frog Tape
Flowers Fast
Tiger Woods
Dremel 4000
Skil 18Volt Kit
Delta Pilar Touch Faucet
Rockwell JawHorse
Latest Columns & Videos
The Fire Pit

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.

If you wish to Unsubscribe, look all the way at the bottom for the Unsubscribe link. All you have to do is click it to stop getting this newsletter.

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.

(Written two days ago) I'm sitting here at the lake house in the center of the vortex of swirling snow. Wow, it's really coming down. The forecast is for 6-10 inches. I'm glad I've got my Sears Dual-Stage Snowblower!! In fact, I've got two, as we're testing the latest model this afternoon after the snow stops falling. I hope it's a deep snow, as I want to really put that blower through a tough test. I just went out and measured, and we have 6 inches now with the snow still falling at a furious rate.

Update - in real time on 12-11-2009: We ended up with nearly 11 inches here at the Loch. It's a gorgeous day now as I complete the newsletter. Blue sky, puffy white clouds and a stiff wind from the northwest. The Sears snowblower did a magnificent job. I LOVE it......

There are a boatload of things to share in this newsletter, many additional gift ideas if you need them. I'll not waste any time on other questions this issue. However, I do want to add that the response to my upcoming Basement Waterproofing eBook was far beyond my expectations. In fact, it was so good that I have decided to include in the eBook some fantastic Case Studies. You may be one! I'll talk about that next issue.

Feedback on The Right Brush and Frog Tape

Bill Pass, from Orlando, FL, wrote to me after the last issue. I had the pleasure of meeting Bill on a business trip I made last January to Florida. I try to carve out time to visit with you when I travel. Bill wrote:

Well, regarding the angled paint brush - You may remember I grew up in the painting industry here in Florida, and I'm sorry to bust your perky bubble, but those crazy looking angled brushes have been around as long as I can remember (and I'm now 64). However you don't see them very often. We used to keep them in stock for our painters (1 ½" to 3" sizes) mostly for special uses such as tighter areas behind immovable items and such. I have used them on occasion for cutting in around a ceiling, floor and trim where the angle could made it easier on my wrist, but still prefer a straight handle for this work. Of course, the bristles also come either straight across or angled, flat or chiseled, etc. for selection depending upon the intended use.

So there, for my little bit of historical info.

Thanks Bill for that factoid.

Then I got the most pleasant email from a new friend, April Ball, who lives in Yukon, OK. April exclaimed:

I read, with great interest, your Frog Tape review last week (I think that was it). I have been skeptical of painters tapes for years now and haven't bothered to buy them as I can much more easily paint a straight line than any painters tape has ever given me, and it's very frustrating to both take the time tape off AND correct the leaks - but, I remembered what you had said about not even posting products that fail to impress you and took the plunge last week and purchased a roll. WOW! I put that tape through a ringer of a test; as a set painter, I very often need straight lines, but I'm also lazy enough to hate marking them so I put the tape up, stepped back, made an adjustment, and then repeated the process many times over. I must have pulled each piece of tape off 6 or 7 times, so when I pulled that tape off after I finished painting and my lines were perfect I was stunned!

So a big woohoo, from me, for a great, great product!

Thanks April! It's great to see how these product reviews help folks. It sure helps me stay focused to continue to invest the time as I can see it makes a difference!

I'm devoting the rest of the newsletter to Christmas gift suggestions and a discount or two available to you at different websites.

Flowers Fast

One of my very good friends is named Bob Rankin. He has a wonderful wife named Loreli. What a beautiful name that is! Bob and Loreli and I marched together in Washington DC on September 12. Bob owns a neat online florist website. You may want to give flowers as a gift to someone. If so, Bob has extended a discount to you from his FlowersFast website. He's authorized a 15% discount if you use this promo code: FIREPIT

Make sure there are no spaces. Bob tells me that the promo code expires in just five days (December 16, 2009), so order now to save some sweet moola. I'll use Bob's site for sure to send some flowers to Kathy in the next few days. I've used it before and always been happy with the selection and price.

Tiger Woods - TOTALLY Off Topic

Briefly, I just got an email from an association to which I belong. It told me one of the most popular search terms right now is Tiger Woods. All I have to say is that Don Henley was so right in his song "Dirty Laundry". Go Google this: dirty laundry lyrics

Dremel 4000

I tested the Dremel 4000 rotary tool not too long ago. It's something I don't know how I got by without it long ago. There are small jobs it just does so well. It's perfect for tight spaces and places where you need ultra precision. If you give this to someone for Christmas, they'll be thanking you for sure.

Skil 18Volt Kit

The past few days I completed testing a 18-volt cordless combo power-tool kit from Skil. The kit contains a circular saw, a drill, a light and a sander. These are all handy. The saw had no effort dealing with solid oak pallets I was cutting up for kindling wood. Any woman would LOVE this kit, as the tools are so light and manageable. The soft-sided carrying case is perfect and fits well on my storage shelves in the garage. Kathy, my wife, would have LOVED the flashlight last night. There was a power outage, and she didn't have enough light in the pitch-black house. The flashlight in this kit would have saved her. I give this two hammers up!

Delta Pilar Touch O2 Faucet

I can't tell you how many Delta faucets I've installed over the years, but it's a big number. As with many companies, Delta has grown and introduced some fabulous products. One that I've grown to love is their Pilar pull-down kitchen sink faucet that allows you to turn on the faucet by not moving a lever or handle. It does have a traditional on/off lever, but it's not mandatory you use it to start the flow of water.

This is a handy feature, just like you see in public bathrooms. Imagine your hands are dirty or covered with food goop. Who wants to get that on a handle? So with the knuckle of a finger, the back of your hand or your wrist you touch the body of the faucet. Presto, water flows and you can rinse your hands. If you're about to remodel your kitchen, you should give this faucet a serious look. There are any number of online stores where you can buy this faucet direct and have it shipped to you.

Rockwell JawHorse

Here's a really interesting gift idea. Imagine a traditional saw horse, but one that's been pulled from the future. This work station has three legs for stability on any type of sloped ground, it's all metal, has a foot pedal that generates over one ton of clamping force, etc. It holds just about anything so that you can reduce your reliance on having a helper hold something in position for you. It's the Rockwell JawHorse. You can also purchase accessories for specialized uses like welding, miter-box stands, a plywood jaw that allows it to hold up pieces of plywood flat, etc. This is a killer workstation.

Now, that being said, in a few months I'll have a set of plans for you that will show you how to build your own workstation from framing lumber and some common hardware items. Subscriber Robert Tingler developed the plans, and I'm working with him to get some great step-by-step photos of how to build it. If the JawHorse is out of your budget, then hold tight until we release the plans.

See a picture of this saw horse in the December 21, 2014 AsktheBuilder Newsletter.

Latest Columns and Videos

I'll have some for you next week. For now, concentrate on these tools as great gifts.

The Fire Pit

If you're a new subscriber, I have a second newsletter that I produce. It's not about home improvement, but talks about my feeling about where our great nation is headed. If you're interested in discovering my take on politics, then come and sit around my Fire Pit. I'll warn you now, I'm right of center, love the Constitution, and am attracted to self-sufficient people who get things done.


AsktheBuilder.com

Do-It-Yourself Attic Insulation

Posted on by Tim Carter
Be sure to read the special Author's Note at the end of this column. It provides updated information on this topic.

DEAR TIM: I have to tackle an attic insulation installation at my home. Winter snuck up on me and my heating bills need to go down if at all possible. Is installing additional attic insulation hard? How can I tell if I have asbestos attic insulation now? Can you teach me how to install attic insulation like a pro so that I don’t hurt myself or my house? What are some of the things you discovered the hard way all the years you worked in attics? Leah W., Goffstown, NH

DEAR LEAH: If you’re thinking of replacing attic insulation and there is any chance it’s made from asbestos, stop now. Take a small representative sample of what you have now and send it to an independent testing lab in your area. They’re easy to locate, especially if you have access to the Internet. Do a search for “asbestos testing labs” and you should discover many that will allow you to mail them the sample. Asbestos is a sinister product that has killed many who’ve worked with it and others who were exposed in a secondary fashion by being near a worker or his clothes.

This attic storage area can be insulated in just a few hours by a serious do-it-yourselfer. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

This attic storage area can be insulated in just a few hours by a serious do-it-yourselfer. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

Assuming you don’t have asbestos in your attic, this can be a pretty straightforward project. Perhaps the hardest part will be deciding from the types of attic insulation you’ll use. You can choose from fiberglass, cellulose, foam and even reflective attic insulation. Books have been written about each of these, so it’s impossible for me to tell you in this short space the pros and cons of each one.

Let’s assume you decide to use fiberglass. The first thing to do is determine if you’ll use blown-in fiberglass or batts. The blown-in fiberglass requires a heavy machine that chops up, fluffs up and blows the insulation particles through a large-diameter flexible hose. You typically have a person near the machine feeding it bales of fiberglass, while you’ll be in the attic broadcasting the fiberglass as it chutes from the end of the hose. Some call this loose-fill attic insulation.

Be sure to read all the instructions on the bales of fiberglass to ensure you take all the needed safety precautions. Wear all the right clothes, a fantastic mask so you don’t get the tiny airborne fiberglass particles in your lungs, and goggles. I urge you to have great lighting up in the attic so you can see what you’re doing. If you use batts, just roll those out according to the instructions on the packaging. It’s caveman simple to install residential attic insulation batts on top of an existing ceiling when you’re in an attic.

There are many things you have to take into consideration so you protect your home. This is but a partial list. You need to be concerned with ventilation. Don’t pack the insulation in where the roof passes over the exterior walls. You need to make sure air from any soffits can pass over the insulation on its way to the peak of the roof. A 2-inch space is usually sufficient for this.

Be very careful in the attic where you step. You don’t want to punch through the ceiling with your foot into a room below. Don’t step on any cables or wires in the attic. If you have an older home with ancient knob-and-tube wiring, you really will have a tough time. This wiring is easy to identify. Each wire has coal-black insulation on it and it’s strung between porcelain insulators that are nailed to the ceiling joists or rafters up in the attic. You are not supposed to cover this wiring with insulation as its original design was to dissipate heat into the air. Insulation in contact with the wires can cause it to overheat and start the black wire insulation on fire.

You also need to be on the lookout for any older recessed lighting fixtures. Many of these can have wires that feed them that can catch on fire if they overheat. Some older recessed lights were never intended to be directly covered with insulation. If in doubt, construct a box using plywood around each fixture allowing a minimum of two inches of air space between the wood and any part of the fixture. This air space will help prevent the fixture from overheating when you cover the plywood box with insulation.

Attic insulation costs, especially if you do it yourself, can be recaptured pretty quickly. The trick is to inspect for any air leak passageways where cold attic air can drop down interior walls. Look for these problem areas around plumbing vent pipes where they penetrate the top plate of a wall. Be sure the holes drilled in top wall plates for electrical wires and cables are caulked. You don’t want cold air seeping into the center of your home.

If you decide to get quotes from an attic insulation contractor, be sure you install depth gauges up in the area that will be insulated so you can pop your head up into the attic to see if enough insulation was installed across the entire area.

You may wonder what the best attic insulation might be. That’s really hard to say, as each one has different properties. In the end you’re looking for R-Value. Try to add enough insulation that you meet the minimum guidelines as set forth by the Department of Energy.

Fiberglass will not support combustion. I’ve received emails and comments at my website from contractors and firemen who’ve had fire problems with cellulose, even though the manufacturers say it’s fireproof. It’s possible the problems were from a bad batch. Foam is usually installed by a pro, and it almost always is flammable. Be sure to ask about that.

Author's Note:

Routinely I am blessed to hear from professionals and industry experts who share in-depth and updated information about a topic. You'll absolutely want to read the letter I received from the President of NAIMA (North American Insulation Manufacturers Association). It really helps clarify some of the points I just touched on in the insulation columns.

....

We've received other emails with similar problems or questions. Here's one from Dawn W. of Parma, OH, regarding knob and tube wiring.

"Is it safe to use USA Insulation's Tyrpolymer foam in a 1950's house with knob and tube wiring?"

Dawn, as mentioned above, knob and tube wiring is designed to dissipate heat through the exposed wires. If the wires are covered with insulation, there is a possibility of overheating.

Column 808

Marsh Building Products

Posted on by Tim Carter



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Hi!

The great folks at Marsh Building Products supplied my Marvin Windows when I built my house. Ken Middleton, the owner, is a close friend of mine.

I chose Marvin and Marsh because they have fantastic products, unbelievable customer service and they are honest. I'm sure you want that.

So enter your name, email address, phone number and zip code and one of Ken's team members will get in touch with you about windows and doors for your project!

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