October 14, 2009 AsktheBuilder News And Tips

Posted on by Tim Carter

What’s in This Issue?

Light-Bulb Warning Follow-up
Ice and Water Membranes
Happy Birthday, Larry
Wet / Dry Vac
Help Wanted
Google Maps Problem Reporting
Cold Climate

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

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.

Follow-up on Light-Bulb Warning

You may have been a subscriber that commented on the warning last week about installing the correct-sized incandescent light bulb in ceiling fixtures. That was great advice to consider using a compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL). The globe that covers the bulb was not allowing me to use a CFL as it was rubbing against the bulb. It's crazy it fit that tight. It must have been an older CFL bulb I had here at the house, as I'm certain that the newer CFLs are the same overall size of incandescent bulbs. I'll be getting one or two new CFLs and will compare sizes. However, have you had the same luck I have with those CFLs? I mean bad luck. They don't seem to last anywhere near the advertised bulb life.

Richard Olson got back with a great point about a part I glossed over. I mentioned that using a larger-watt bulb could cause a fire, but didn't really explain why. Richard reminded me about a change to the National Electric Code (NEC) back in the mid-1980's. The NEC officials were having issues with electrical fires caused by insulation on wires in ceiling boxes. The high heat generated by high-wattage light bulbs was causing the plastic insulation to degrade, and I believe in some cases, melt. With no or cracked insulation in place, arcing happens and then fire.

The plastic outer sheathing on Romex cable prior to the mid-1980s was rated at 60 degrees C. That got raised to 90 degrees C with the code revision in the mid-1980's. The cable that has the higher temperature rating is embossed with the letters NM-B. The older cable is embossed with just NM.

This means if you can see the embossing on the cable in your attic and you see just NM, then you must be extremely vigilant. The safest thing you can probably do is switch out all the bulbs in ceiling fixtures to the CFLs as they burn so much cooler.

Another update on this story is covered in the November 11, 2009 Newsletter.

Ice and Water Membranes

Hours ago, I got this email from Stephen Coughlin who lives in Seattle, Washington - the land of much rain as he clearly stated in his subject line. Stephen asked:

"Recently a contractor installed an ice and water underlayment material on my roof prior to installing new composite shingles. Unfortunately, he made an error installing the shingles and had to remove them and install new shingles. But he did not remove the original underlayment material - instead he installed the new shingles right over the underlayment from where the incorrectly installed shingles were removed. I believe the integrity of the underlayment has been compromised by the original (now open) nail holes. Is this not correct? If not, do you have supporting literature to the contrary?"

Stephen, the bottom line is the roofer goofed up. There is no way the nails on the new shingles aligned properly with the old nails. Just as you suspect you have punctures in the membrane.

The way those membranes are designed is the membrane sticks well to the sides of the nail shaft producing the water-tight seal. Remove the nail and the hole may heal slightly, but not enough to block a hydrostatic head of water.

The best way to settle this is for you to contact the membrane manufacturer, talk to either the marketing manager or one of the scientists on staff and get it in writing that the membrane has been compromised. Show this letter or email to the roofer and see what happens. My guess is the roofer will run away from you.

Happy Birthday Larry!

On Sunday October 11th, I was in Burlington, VT to visit my son Tristan, who attends Champlain College. The visit coincided with an invitation to a very special birthday party. We drove south from Burlington into the countryside to Larry Eisinger's daughter's house to partake in the celebration of Larry's 90th birthday party. The name Larry Eisinger may not mean anything to you, but it means the world to me. Larry designed the banner that was stretched out on the wall of the front porch. He also made the pattern for the special cake. The baker made the cake look like Staten Island, New York.

If there was an actual Hall of Fame for Home-Improvement stars, Larry would be in it for sure. After returning from World War II where he served in the Air Corps, Larry got swept up into the publishing business. He was also an avid do-it-yourselfer building his own home with his wife Fran and his cousin Lance on Staten Island, NY. Larry was wise enough to chronicle this entire process with great photos and instructions turning it into a book that sold countless of copies. This was the beginning of a stellar writing, publishing and editing career.

I had the great fortune of meeting Larry perhaps 13 years ago at a Sears Editors Conference. This happened at an early stage of my writing career, and Larry began to mentor me. His advice was bulletproof, and saved me lots of time. Larry also became a father figure to me as I had to send my Dad back to Heaven at the young age of 24. Happy Birthday Larry! I can't wait until you turn 100!

Wet / Dry Vac

I just tested a wet-dry vacuum made by Vacmaster. It's their model VBV1210. This machine comes with a boatload of accessories and has a quick-release head that acts as a blower. This time of year it's perfect for blowing leaves. It can generate a 210 mph continuous blast of air which moves lots of leaves. The 12-gallon rugged plastic canister will handle lots of construction debris. I was really happy with its performance. Two hammers up from me.

Help Wanted

I just read a story at USAToday.com about the horrible suffering that's happening with respect to the millions of lost jobs. It's no secret that many companies are downsizing and laying off people. I'm in the opposite mode. AsktheBuilder.com is growing. I'm trying to find one or two excellent writers, who I'm convinced are out there. You may be the person or know someone that matches my needs.

The person I'm looking for MUST:

  • be a very gifted writer able to mimic voice
  • be a talented photographer
  • have a minimum of 15 years day-to-day hands-on residential remodeling or new-construction experience
  • be able to verify the construction/remodeling experience
  • follow directions to the letter

Do you meet these requirements? Do you know someone who does? Email me your resume, two close-up photos you've taken of home-improvement products/projects and home-improvement writing samples no longer than 500 words each. Be sure you have the subject line read: Writer for Tim. If I feel you qualify, we'll go to the next level of the interview process. Be patient, as I'll be traveling the next three weeks.

Crazy Tip - Reporting Problems with Google Maps

I don't know about you, but I use Google Maps almost daily. Since I'm a subscriber on YouTube to the Google's channel, I get alerts when they post a new video. A few days ago, they posted one showing how you or I can report a problem with their map database. Here in New Hampshire, right by my own home there are at least three major errors. They actually show my driveway as a roadway that connects a tiny gravel road and the cul-de-sac that is at the top of my driveway. There are other nearby errors involving paper streets. These are streets that exist on government plat maps, but have never been built. If you know of errors, please take the time to report them. Watch this video to see how easy it is. There is now a tiny text link in the lower right corner of every Google Map.

Cold Climate People Listen Up

Do you live in a place where it gets cold? I mean below-freezing-pipes-burst cold. If so, get up and go outside and disconnect any hoses from your hose bibs. If you have a frost-proof hose bib, it can and will freeze up if a hose is attached. The bibs only work when the water in the spout can drain after it's turned off. You can't be sure the water has drained if you still have a hose attached to the faucet. What's more, even after you disconnect the hose, you can still have a problem from an air lock. Disconnect the hose, turn the faucet on, and then off. Watch to see that last 4 to 8 ounces of water dribble out of the end of the faucet.

AsktheBuilder.com

Solid Stain

Posted on by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: I visited a national-brand paint store and talked with an employee about solid stain. I told him I wanted a solid color on my home, but that I didn’t want to paint my home because it would peel eventually. The salesman said I should use solid color stain on my home. I bought ten gallons of a custom color on his recommendation and took it home. When I opened up the first can, I was shocked to see how thick the product was. It was full bodied, just like paint. The label says it’s non-returnable because it’s a custom color. Will it be a mistake to apply this to my home? What can/should I do? Bobbie B., Edison, NJ

DEAR BOBBIE: The first thing I would do would be go back to that paint store and discuss the situation with the store manager. I feel you got very bad advice. With all due respect, the employee who serviced you is perhaps one of the lowest-paid employees in the entire company. I doubt he has a chemistry background. Furthermore, my guess is that this employee hasn’t had extensive training as to the difference between film-forming coatings and penetrating wood stains. You wanted to buy a product that would not peel. What you were sold was a paint that’s marketed as a stain. Ask for a full refund.

This association clubhouse has low-quality paint on it. It was sold as a solid stain. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

This association clubhouse has low-quality paint on it. It was sold as a solid stain. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

Let me share a story that just happened to me. I’m convinced that it will help you solve your problem. This past weekend I attended an association meeting in the community where I live in New Hampshire. It’s called Waldron Bay, and has a stunning clubhouse covered with lap cedar siding on the shore of Lake Winnisquam. Years ago, the wood siding on the clubhouse was treated with, what I believe to be, an acrylic solid stain. It’s peeling in places, and needs to be recoated.

You can clearly see the low-quality paint - sold as stain - peeling. It never penetrated into the pores of the wood siding. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

You can clearly see the low-quality paint - sold as stain - peeling. It never penetrated into the pores of the wood siding. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

I was asked a year ago to write a specification for painters to follow so they could give us a bid. The association board wanted the clubhouse to be a solid color just like your home. I discovered years ago that some paint companies play a little shell game with their products as a marketing gimmick so that you buy a product thinking you have something else entirely. It even happened to me 25 years ago on my own home.

Yes, I went into a national paint store 25 years ago asking for the same product you wanted. I didn’t want paint that would peel, so the employee told me to use a solid color stain that would never peel. Guess what? I can show you many places on that house where the “stain” is peeling. In your head and mine, you equate the word stain with a colored liquid that soaks into the pores of wood and doesn’t lay on the surface of the wood. Thus, it can’t peel. Imagine if you label a thin or even thick-bodied film-forming liquid as a stain and sell that? Yes, you’ll confuse and trick many people.

PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

These powerful mind tricks happened to our association board this weekend and even many of the homeowners who attended the meeting. The president of the association visited a local paint store and got the same advice you did. The association members voted to coat the exterior of the clubhouse with a solid color stain that in reality is a lower-quality paint. In a spirited debate, I was defending my specification to use the best paint available that’s made in the USA.

When the votes were counted, there was one person in the audience who voted against the motion to use solid color stain - it was me. The sad thing is that for the amount needed to paint our clubhouse, there was only a difference in price of less that $180 between the solid color stain and the best paint on the market. Oh well, you can aim a hose into a person’s mouth, but you can’t make them swallow.

If you open can after can of solid stains and they have the consistency of paint, that’s what they are - paint. Paint is a film-forming coating. It’s supposed to lay on the surface of what’s being painted and bond to it mechanically and sometimes chemically. Paint doesn’t soak completely into wood pores taking the tiny color pigments with it. Thin-bodied stains that have the consistency of water are formulated to do just that.

Since you want your house to be a solid color, you’re forced to use a paint. There’s nothing wrong with that. But to minimize future peeling, you want to purchase the absolute best paint on the market. The chemistry of paint is nearly identical to many adhesives. Think about it - glues or adhesives are formulated to stick to things or bond two things together. Paint is simply glue with color in it. Great paints stick very well to skin, wood, metal, clothes, rugs, etc. I’m sure you know all about that if you’ve spilled any!

You want to bond the paint film to the wood, so you want to buy the best glue (paint) made and follow the directions on the label to the letter to ensure it will stick for a very long time to the wood. The best thing you can do is wash the outside of your home with soap and water by hand to remove any and all dirt that will interfere with the ability of the glue to stick to your home.

The Federal Trade Commission is tasked with eliminating deceptive trade or advertising practices. It’s my honest opinion that this is one area where strict definitions of words cause a problem. Think about it for a moment.

If you want a piece of wood to have no color change, you coat it with a clear urethane or varnish. If you want to change the color of the wood, you apply a stain. I can live with that. So the paint companies can say with all validity in a hearing that when you use a solid stain, you’re indeed changing the color of the wood. Once again, that’s the truth.

But the disconnect happens because transparent penetrating wood stains have been sold for years as a non-peeling product because, in fact, they don’t peel. Thus consumers equate stain with no peeling. It’s a very gray area. Don’t be fooled.

This column was SO GOOD that I shared with the 31,000 subscribers who read my August 2, 2020 newsletter.

Column 800

October 7, 2009 AsktheBuilder News And Tips

Posted on by Tim Carter

What’s in This Issue?

Disclosure Policy
Simple Light Bulb Reminder
A Wood Stain Tip
Latest Columns and Videos
Cracks in New Stucco

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

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.

Does the week zip by for you like it does for me? I'm busy up here in New Hampshire working on several projects, among them creating a video studio out in the garage. It will be sporting some fantastic metal pegboard from WallControl.com and a radiant heater that will keep us comfortable as we tape. I'll be on the road for three weeks - Gulp! - beginning October 19th. I'll be in Santa Fe, NM, Phoenix, AZ, southern CA and then the San Francisco area in that order. It's a combination business/pleasure trip. The newsletters over that period may be skin and bones, but I'll do my best to share all new things I discover.

New Disclosure Guidelines

I'm not a fan of big government - you can see that below in The Fire Pit if you're a new subscriber. But in certain instances, the Federal government does do something that's very good. On October 5th, 2009, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released guidelines for web sites to follow with regards to product reviews. I'm square in the middle of that, as I regularly test new products and tell you about them. These guidelines go into effect on December 1, 2009.

The guidelines require the reviewer, as well as the manufacturer, to disclose any financial relationships. This is a very good thing, because over the past few years, some companies and bloggers have been very unethical. Fake blogs have been created by companies and certain bloggers have been paid money to say good things or things that might not be true. More and more, you and I are starting to trust online reviews, so guidelines had to be set up.  On the day the FTC went public with this announcement, I published my own Disclosure Policy. It will become a permanent item at the top of each newsletter from now on.

I urge you to be very careful of web sites that don't have a published Disclosure Policy. Use the Contact Form on any web site you find a review but no Disclosure Policy. Try to find out the relationship between the reviewer and the manufacturer or service provider. Remember, you can always visit the manufacturer's website to see what their policy is. That's a good way to double check.

Simple Light Bulb Reminder

I just had to change two burned-out light bulbs in typical ceiling-mount fixtures. These fixtures are less than 10-years old, so they had labels in them as to the maximum bulb wattage. In my case, it was 75 watts. It's really important that you pay attention to these labels. The bulbs produce lots of heat that can cause fires.

Always look to make sure the reflective insulation between the bulb and the wiring in the electrical box behind the fixture is in good shape and that the wires leading from the back of the socket look good with no cracks or degradation. Electrical fires kill people every day here in the USA. It's the silent killer. Never underestimate the power of electricity to hurt or kill you.

Editor's Note: There is an important follow-up to this story in my October 14, 2009 AsktheBuilder News And Tips. Be sure to click here to read it.

A Wood Stain Tip

Years ago, I had a problem with a painter that was trying to match stain on woodwork in a large remodeling job. He stained the poplar wood that was specified for the job, but it wasn't red enough. I was able to easily solve the problem without stripping the woodwork and starting over. I went to the paint store and had them add some red pigment to the clear urethane we used as a finish. I lucked out the first time and put just enough red in the can. Once applied, the woodwork looked perfect. After that coat dried, we put on two coats of clear urethane with no pigment in it to ensure none of the pigment would rub off when it was cleaned.

Latest Columns and Videos

Want to install my latest version of storage shelving in your garage or basement?

Do you have worn wood stair treads in your home? Want to make sure you don't have to refinish them?

Are you attracted to the frameless shower doors? My wife and I were. We just installed one!

Roofing contractors are a dime a dozen. You surely want the best one to do your work, right?

Will you have plenty of electricity when the next storm hits? You will if you have a standby generator!

Cracks in New Stucco

Dean Primrose from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada wrote to me:

"G'day, we just had our home re-stucco'd and after 2 weeks, we have been seeing cracks develop. Is this common? The contractor tells us so. It was done in late July."

Dean, since you say you had an existing home re-stuccoed, I'm assuming that the house is several or many years old. If this is so, then the cracks are probably related to rapid drying of the stucco. This causes plastic shrinkage cracks. The same thing happens in concrete slabs, as just yesterday I was sent a photo of classic shrinkage cracks in a new stamped-concrete slab. You prevent these cracks by immediately spraying new stucco with a high-quality curing compound or covering it with plastic. You do the same with concrete.

In new stucco homes, cracks can be attributed to stresses caused by significant lumber shrinkage. If I was building a new stucco home, I would have it framed, roofed and the exterior covered with a water barrier. Then I would wait 3 months or more before I would apply the stucco. This would allow time for the lumber to dry and shrink. Part of the drying process assumes that you can ventilate the house well making sure no rain water enters the house through window or door openings.
AsktheBuilder.com

Disclosure Policy

Posted on by Tim Carter

Disclosure Policy for Product Reviews

The Federal Trade Commission requires that I disclose any relationship I have between a product manufacturer or service provider when I write about a product or service.

Here are the guidelines I operate under at AsktheBuilder.com:

  1. I rarely am paid to do a review. In almost all cases, I never accept money to review a product or service. I invest my own time to review and test products. I absorb the entire cost to tape and post-produce all videos I tape about products. If I am ever paid to do a review, it will be clearly annotated at the end of the review.
  2. I don't pay for the products I test. They are sent to me by the manufacturer. Rarely, do I request a product. In almost all cases, the manufacturer approaches me first via a press release or a phone call. If I feel it's a product you might get benefit from, then I request they send me the product.
  3. I don't return the products after I test them. In certain cases, the product is used up or destroyed. In other cases, the product may get damaged during the testing. I don't have the staff or the resources to process the return of the products.
  4. If I create a link to a product in a review, sometimes I may get paid a commission if you purchase the product or service. I'll disclose that in the review. If you don't see that disclosure, that means I'm not getting paid any commission.
  5. If you click a link from one of my columns or newsletters and it delivers you to a website selling that product (e.g. Amazon.com, etc.), I get a small commission from that website should you buy.

These are good rules and practices in today's digital world. It's important for you as a consumer to understand the relationship between a person reviewing the product and the manufacturer or service provider. If you don't see a disclosure policy as part of a review of a product, that reviewer may be violating the law or at the very least the Code of Ethics.

Why is this important? Read about Regulating Influencers in Tim's  January 22, 2019 AsktheBuilder Newsletter.

Tim Carter

Founder - AsktheBuilder.com

Do it Right, Not Over

Storage Shelving

Posted on by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: I’m in desperate need of storage shelving. Valuable tools and supplies are scattered on the floor of my garage. How hard is it to build storage shelves? What tools and supplies do you need? My shelving and storage needs are not that great, but I do have room for shelves that would be about 8-feet long. How have you solved this problem I’m sure many homeowners have? Gretchen S., Avalon, CA

DEAR GRETCHEN: I’ve built and assembled home storage shelving in each house I’ve lived in. Over time, I feel I’ve perfected a system that I feel is easy to construct and requires minimal carpentry skills. The most recent home storage shelves I built in the garage of my New Hampshire home really got the attention of my neighbor. He was impressed with how strong my garage storage shelves were, and how efficiently the space was used.

I happen to be fond of wood storage shelves because they are easy to construct, and the material is readily available from a local lumber yard. I’ve discovered that all my heavy tools, tool boxes and supplies do very well on shelving made from one-half-inch-thick plywood. The depth of the shelves can be any dimension, but if you make them 15 and 7/8-inch deep, you can get three shelves from a standard sheet of plywood.

These heavy-duty storage shelves were made in several hours with a few sheets of plywood and some 2x4s. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

These heavy-duty storage shelves were made in several hours with a few sheets of plywood and some 2x4s. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

The tools you need to build my favorite shelves are probably on your garage floor. You’ll need either a circular saw or preferably a miter saw. A screw gun or drill equipped with a screw bit is also helpful. You’ll need a level, measuring tape, and possibly a hammer.

For every three shelves that are just under 16-inches deep and 8 feet long, you’ll need one 4x8 sheet of one-half-inch plywood, three 2x3x8, three 2x2x8 and two 2x4x8. You’ll also need a one-pound box of 2.5-inch drywall screws, and a one-pound box of 1.25-inch drywall screws.

Before you get started on constructing the storage shelving units, you need to do a little planning. Move the cars out of your garage, clean it and assemble the tools and supplies you intend to put on the shelves. Try to group things that you use most often and things that are somewhat heavy and cumbersome.

The things that are used most often need to be on the shelves that are easiest to reach. Heavy things need to be on lower shelves so that you don’t attempt to lift them over your head.

Once you’ve sorted all the things, you need to take a tape measure to see how tall the tallest item will be on any given shelf. I’ve discovered through trial and error that my garage storage shelving is most efficient when the first shelf is 36 inches off the garage floor and there is 17 inches of clear space between the top of a shelf and the bottom of the horizontal 2x3 that forms the support beam for the next shelf above.

If you want to build my system, you simply screw the 2x2s to the wall making sure they are level and the ends are plumb. To create the 17-inch free space between shelves, just install the 2x2s so that the top of each one is 20 inches from the top of the one below it.

I rip the full sheet of plywood into three shelves that are 15 and 7/8-inch wide by 8 feet long. I then lay the sheet onto a 2x3 that’s standing on end on the garage floor. Use the smaller 1.25-inch drywall screws to attach the plywood to the 2x3. The 2x3 acts as a small support beam on the front edge of each shelf. Once all the shelves are assembled, you then screw them into the 2x2s on the wall using the same small screws. Have a helper hold the shelves while you do this. Once three screws are in place, the shelf will droop a little but will be stable. Install at least six screws evenly spaced through the shelf into the 2x2.

The last step is to place the 2x4’s vertically at the front corners of the shelves. The 2x4s are placed flat against the ends of the 2x3s. Using a small level, you level the shelf front to back and then screw through the 2x4 into the end of the 2x3. Use the longer drywall screws for this. I always drill pilot holes through the 2x4s, and I like to install at least two screws at each end for added strength. Do this with each shelf and at both ends. Once you’re finished admiring your work, start moving all your tools and supplies onto your new shelves.

Metal storage shelves and steel storage shelves can be found in some of the houses I used to live in. While they look sturdy, I’ve had failures. Several of the shelves have bent under moderate loads. You also have to securely fasten the entire shelving unit to the wall so it doesn’t tip over.

Industrial storage shelving can sometimes be overkill. Be sure you look at all your options before purchasing this system. Perhaps my favorite accessory is storage bin shelving. I have these small plastic storage bins for all my nails, screws, bolts, nuts and misc. hardware. These storage bins fit perfectly stacked on top of one another on my wood shelves. They even have a handy slot on the front to mark what’s in each bin.

Column 799

September 29, 2009 AsktheBuilder News And Tips

Posted on by Tim Carter

What’s in This Issue?

Ron Goens and the VacuFlo 566Q
Portable Heaters
Molly Malone’s Get Together
AsktheBuilder Contest Finalist
Shower Door
Standby Generator
Paint Simulator
Stain Solver Sale
One Last Task
New Pegboard

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.

The last two weeks have been a blur. Just over a week ago, I got my mother's will successfully filed with the Probate Court. It's not that hard to do, but then again it's not easy. An attorney friend of mine helped explain to me the forms I had to file. The rest of the week was spent in a cage fight with Mother Nature. I was on a tight deadline trying to get a large list of things done on the exterior of my Cincinnati, OH home. High on the list was washing the exterior of the frame house. The biggest mistake I made, and it was a HUGE one, was not taking a video of the process. There simply was no time. As I was finishing the job with my good buddy Dave Buescher, the roofing company supervisor Vern walked around the corner and said, "Wow, the house looks like it was just painted. What is that you're spraying on the siding?" My reply: "Stain Solver". I painted my house about nine years ago with Sears WeatherBeater ULTRA. I can tell you that the house, after cleaning off the diesel soot, grime and mildew that's eating the aerosol sugars from all the trees around my house, looks like I painted it a few days ago. You may be able to save yourself thousands of dollars on a paint job, by just thoroughly washing your house instead. More on Stain Solver later in this newsletter. In fact, the huge sale I mentioned two weeks ago started the instant I sent this newsletter to you.

I also supervised the roofers who are at the house. The first week was glorious weather and they worked every day. But last week 4.75 days were rain-outs. They were able to get some work done on Thursday morning, but it started to rain again at 10 a.m. The GAF Slateline shingles are looking spectacular. I'll have a photo of the completed roof for you in November. Why so long? Because I want to wait until the leaves fall from the oak trees so that you can really see the roof. These special shingles really give the appearance my Queen Anne Victorian home looks like it has a real slate roof from the street.

Ron Goens and the VacuFlo 566Q

I had to make an emergency repair last week on our central vacuum unit in the garage. The motor in the existing one gave up the ghost. Fortunately, I had a new Vacuflo 566Q sitting in a box waiting to be tested. It only took me about 30 minutes to get the new vacuum installed and operating. It was a breeze to hook up, the instructions were clear and it works like a champ. I decided to change how I vent this unit to the outdoors, so I visited a real craftsman Ron Goens. Ron and his wife Donna have operated a true mom-and-pop business for years. Ron has installed hundreds of central vacuums, intercoms, bathroom and kitchen fans, basically anything you see in a Nutone / Broan catalog. Ron had the plastic fittings I needed to complete the job. The PVC pipe used for central vacuums is a different type than that used for plumbing work.

While there, I discovered that Ron is now doing all sorts of service work on Nutone and Broan products. If memory serves me right, he said he was an authorized repairman for all their products. Ron does work in the Greater Cincinnati area only, so if you have a bathroom fan that doesn't work, an intercom, a central vac unit, etc. give him a call. He's a real pro. I love telling you about the real pros I work with and know about from my own personal experience. Call Ron at 513-458-5555.

If you don't have a central vacuum in your home, you can almost always add one. They are FANTASTIC. I have one in my NH home as well. Ask Ron about what it takes to install one in an existing home.

Portable Heaters

Winter is fast approaching. I was surfing the ConstructionComplete website and came across some sweet heaters that can take the chill off a garage or other cold workspace. There are two sizes of these portable propane heaters: 35,000 Btus and 125,000. They both operate on propane, but the larger one can be purchased if you want to direct connect it to a natural gas fuel source. The smaller heater will work great with one of the propane canisters you already own for your outdoor grill. I'm absolutely going to get the 35,000 Btu one for my garage here in NH. Last winter there were times I wanted to work out in the garage, but it was too cold to work in just light work clothes. If you decide to buy one, be sure to pay attention to any venting recommendations.

The Molly Malone's Get Together

While I was in Cincinnati, OH for the two weeks, I announced I'd love to get together with you - that is if you live in or near Cincinnati. Well, I discovered that you might come a long way for such an event! Philip Bender drove from Canada to be there. Wow! Truth be told, he was on his way to Lexington, KY, but all the same he made the effort to show up. Mike Kegley, Fred Sandborn, Janent Dieman, Clyde Wearner, Laurie Bozych, Joe Siefert and Joel Suggs all showed up. The three hours we spent together seemed like 15 minutes to me. It was a fun time! I'll be heading out to Southern CA the last week of October, should you want to have a get together. Let me know if you live in the LA area.

AsktheBuilder Contest Finalist!

I just discovered I'm a finalist in a huge contest. An ad network named Chitika has named me as one of the top four web sites that creatively mixes their ads in with other ad networks. They told me I could announce this to my friends, and you're one! I would appreciate it if you could vote for me. You must act FAST. The voting ends on September 30th. That's tomorrow!! Please hurry and vote now.

Shower Door

Just before I got back to Cincinnati, OH, the top-flight installers from Basco were there installing the fantastic shower door in the master bathroom. It was the last remaining item to complete the job. They did a superb job with the neo-angle shower frameless shower door. You can see the exact shower door and read all about what Kathy picked out in my Shower Door column.

We love the frameless look. If you go visit the Basco shower-door photo gallery, you can see that the possibilities of how you can modernize your bathroom are almost endless. I've used Basco products on my jobs for years, and never did I get a complaint from any of my customers.

Standby Generator

Just before I got back to NH, there was a pretty bad storm. The electric power to the area was down for a while. But at my house, the power outage lasted about eight seconds as our Kohler standby generator kicked in. Recently, I uploaded the video we shot about its installation. If you've never seen a standby generator, you should watch the video. They are totally different from the tiny portable generators that you connect extension cords to. You may want to consider a standby generator if you want to power lots of things at the same time at your home. That's the other big difference. Standby generators can produce much more electricity than the smaller portable generators. Please watch my video!

Paint Simulator

Overnight, I got a press release about an online tool that allows you to see what a room in your house might look like before you paint it. There are similar tools out there like this, but I thought you might want to have some fun with this one.

CRAZY Stain Solver Sale

I talked about the roof on my Cincinnati, OH house last issue. Before I rushed out the door to drive back the 15 hours to NH, I ran out of time to scan the quotation from Joel Cornelius Roofing. Suffice it to say it was over five figures. Ouch!!! And remember, I had to supply the shingles and felt paper. To raise the money to pay for the roofers, I need to convert the bags of powder in the warehouse into cash. It's that simple. To get you to react, I'm having the biggest sale I've ever had. The sale ends in three days. That's when I have to write the check to Joel. You and Joel win.

If you're a previous Stain Solver customer, you know all the things it cleans: clothes, ceramic tile grout, decks, roofs, patios, ANYTHING that's water washable. It's the most natural cleaner out there - just dried hydrogen peroxide and soda ash. That's it - no harmful or toxic chemicals like chlorine bleach.

Anyway, if you buy NOW, I'll take 30 percent off the 50 and 16-pound sizes. If you buy less, you get less of a discount- 20 percent on the 8 and 4-pound sizes. I can guarantee your satisfaction and I GUARANTEE you'll not see a sale like this for many moons. The sale ended at 5:00 PM Eastern time on Friday, October 2, 2009.

One Last Task

I do have one final thing to do in the master bathroom in Cincinnati, OH. The day before I came back to NH, Kathy picked up the edge pull hardware and the face pulls for the pocket door that gives you access to her walk-in closet that's inside the master bathroom. That pocket door will be trouble-free for years because I used the correct frame in the wall and it has bulletproof trolleys that the door hangs from. They simply can't come off the track. If you're going to install one or more pocket doors, use the frame I use all the time.

New Pegboard

In a few days, I'll be installing new pegboard in the garage in my NH house. Right now it has traditional wood pegboard. The previous owner of the house installed it. I wanted the metal pegboard that has the hooks and hangers that simply will NOT come out when you pull a tool away from the wall. That's why I use the pegboard from Wall Control. I met Rick, the owner, at a national products show probably five years ago as I was wandering the aisles. His product really caught my eye as I wanted a smart-looking product that had hooks that don't move. Rick's got what you need. Go see for yourself!

AsktheBuilder.com

Stair Treads

Posted on by Tim Carter
stair treads

These oak stair treads go well with the white square balusters. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

Stair Treads

DEAR TIM: The stair treads in my home are in sad shape. One stair tread is cracked and others are scratched from years of abuse. I know I can hide the problem with carpet stair treads, but that’s not really my style. What’s it take to refinish oak stair treads? If that’s too hard, would you recommend stair carpet treads as an acceptable solution? As you can tell, I’m floundering not knowing really what to do. Please point out any pitfalls if possible. Mary Beth M., Cincinnati, OH

DEAR MARY BETH: Wood stair treads really take a beating in many houses. It’s a combination of things that put them at great risk for damage. For one, the typical motion of a foot is to slightly slide across the tread as you plant it on each tread as you climb stairs. That scuffing action, in the presence of any dirt or grit, can rapidly wear any finish on the treads. Treads can crack if a concentrated load is placed on a single stair tread. This can happen if, for example, a cast-iron tub is carried up a flight of steps, but is set down as the workers rest and reset their grip.

You might be able to make all the repairs to the treads and bring them back to prime condition with a concentrated work effort. I would absolutely try to do this since you do have a fallback position with the rug stair treads.

Hardwood stair treads are primarily finished by hand. You may be able to use a belt sander on a wide portion of the flat tread, but you must be very careful not to sand too much wood. This will cause you tremendous frustration as you then try to blend in the edges next to the stair risers and the side stringers. Professional floor refinishers have scraping tools they use to pull off the old finish and take the wood down to a satin-smooth finish. I highly recommend getting one of these scraping tools.

Don’t cut any corners as you try to refinish the wood. To get professional results, you must have the wood nearly as smooth as glass before you stain it or put on the first coat of finish in case you want the natural look. All dust must be removed with a tack cloth, rags damp with mineral spirits, or use of a vacuum that exhausts outdoors.

Staining oak is not difficult, but you need to wipe off excess stain to prevent a blotchy appearance. The finished color of the stair treads will look exactly what the treads look like as you apply the stain and immediately wipe it off. As the stain dries, it will dull and get somewhat lighter. It will darken when you apply the first coat of clear finish. I would apply no less than three coats of finish to the stair treads. You should lightly sand the treads in between each coat of finish.

AsktheBuilder Podcast

CLICK this image and listen to the first call on the podcast. I talked to Jill about how to repair wood kitchen flooring, and possibly installing an inlay border as an option. Copyright 2018 Tim Carter

You do have a unique option where you can blend carpet with the oak treads. In my home, I have a stair runner carpet that goes up the center of the stair treads. There is about 6 inches of oak tread exposed on either side of the carpet runner. My wife selected an Oriental style runner that really looks superb, but there are an almost unlimited number of carpets that you can use for runners. If you do this, you can shortcut your refinishing efforts by only working on that part of the tread that’s visible.

Repairing the cracked stair tread may not be too hard if you can inject the crack with an expanding urethane glue or a heavy-bodied epoxy that’s formulated to bond to wood. If you carefully place the glue so that the top of the crack is left open for some wood filler, the crack can disappear once you stain and add urethane to the tread. The key is to carefully place the glue or epoxy so that you don’t get any on the wood adjacent to the crack.

If you do decide to use stair tread carpet, it’s really important that you have a professional install it. I would visit one or two specialty carpet stores and talk with the store managers about who they have that’s an expert in stair carpet. The carpet on steps can’t budge. It must be tightly wrapped and fixed to the treads so that it never detaches causing you or someone else to slip and fall.

If you decide to use the carpet runners, take a few minutes to look at the decorative trim you can use to add sizzle to your stairs. There are all sorts of stair rods that are placed at the base of each stair riser. These decorative brass and chrome rods are not functional with modern installation techniques, however years ago they held stair carpet in position.

This hardware is installed after the carpet is in place. Only a few simple tools are required, those being a hacksaw, drill and screwdriver. The rods come in different styles so be sure to look at a good variety before you make your final purchasing decision.

To keep stair treads looking great, be sure to vacuum them regularly. Sand and grit can easily accumulate on stair treads because the soles of shoes bend as you go up and down stairs. If you walk on and slide your shoes on the sand and grit, you’ll ruin all that hard work you invested. This is one reason outdoor shoes are left at the door in my NH home. It’s easy to keep floors and stairs looking great if you just wear slippers indoors.

Column 798

Standby Generator Video

Posted on by Tim Carter

Standby Generator

Here is my standby generator, that creates electricity automatically in case of a power outage. These standby generators are completely different from those portable gasoline generators, that you often see at tool rental stores and home centers. Those don't create nearly as much electricity and are not automatic.

This generator runs on propane, but they use natural gas. My generator creates 17,000 watts or 17 kilowatts of power. That is plenty to operate my boiler, microwave, refrigerator, well-water pump, my septic system pump, miscellaneous lighting in the house and some other circuits. Generators come in different sizes depending upon what you want to operate if the power is interrupted.

An automatic standby generator needs to be installed by a professional. These complex machines must be installed properly. Don't think for a minute, even if you are a serious DYI'er, you can do this job. They require a fancy, computerized transfer switch that automatically turns on and off when the power to your home is lost, and then restored.

Inside the standby generator control box is the transfer switch for my house. On the outside of the box, there is a light indicating whether the power is coming in from the utility company or the standby generator. In a power failure, the transfer switch flips to receive power from the generator. The switch does not allow electricity to go back outside the house through the utility company lines. This protects an utility company employee working on the lines. If power went out to the utility pole, he could be working on a line that he thinks is dead, but it is actually energized.

Secondly, there is a computer inside the panel that automatically turns the generator on once a week to exercise it. That is important so you know that the generator is working in case of that power failure.

The installer used metal conduit to run power cables from the generator to the main circuit panel in your home. Existing cables in your home have to be spliced into a new circuit panel that connects to the transfer switch. It is all very complicated, and believe me, it is not a job for a rookie.

Last year, there was a horrible ice storm here in New Hampshire. Many of my neighbors were without power for days and days and days. But my house was without power for about 5 - 6 seconds. These standby generators turn on automatically. You don't have to worry about a thing. Don't have to fuel it up. I was sitting by the fire, reading a book. It's that simple.

Standby generators are on guard 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. They are waiting to do their job if the power goes out. You don't have to worry about a thing. You don't have to pull a cord to start the generator. You don't have run any extension cords. These generators are already connected to your electric system. Standby generators are fantastic.

Tim's wife, Kathy, was without power for days after a major storm. Click to read about that outage in the September 30, 2008 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Read Rebecca's Generator Mistake in the November 29, 2015 Newsletter.

Read the December 2, 2015 AsktheBuilder Newsletter for a Standby Generator Follow Up.

Shower Door

Posted on by Tim Carter
framelsss shower door

This frameless shower door really adds to the appeal of this custom bathroom. This was installed by Basco as mentioned in the September 29, 2009 AsktheBuilder Newsletter. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: I need a new shower door for my bathroom. While visiting a showcase of new homes, I saw lots of interesting shower doors that had very different glass. After seeing all of them, I’m convinced I want a frameless shower door that will make my bathroom like a dreamy spa.

What do I need to know about frameless shower doors before making a purchasing decision? What do you recommend to ensure the shower door doesn’t leak in the future? Patty P., Stoneham, MA

DEAR PATTY: A glass shower door, especially a frameless glass shower door, can add the pizzazz it takes to really move the needle when it comes to eye appeal in a bathroom. As with many building products, shower doors have really come a long way since the first sliding one my Dad installed at our home over 40 years ago. Cleaning that beast was almost impossible, as gunk would accumulate in the track that sat on the tub edge.

Recently, my wife and I had installed a glamorous frameless shower door in our master bathroom. I’ve always wanted one, but never realized how dramatic the look would be in our own home. I have a second neo-angle shower door in another bathroom, but the aluminum framing around each panel of glass, plus the aluminum at each corner makes it look clunky compared with the new door.

 

Before you make your final decision to buy, there are quite a few things you need to consider. First and foremost, you should make sure you’re dealing with a company that sells both standard and custom shower doors. Look for a dealer that’s been in the business for a long time, preferably over 30 years.

You should be able to choose from numerous frame finishes that should match identically the fixtures and faucets in your bathroom. In our bathroom, the new shower door handle is polished nickel that matches exactly the finish on the shower faucet as well as the nearby vanity faucets. Better yet, the style of the shower door handle also matches the design of the faucets. One would think that they were made by the same company, but they’re not.

I feel the glass options are very important. My wife was able to pick from 16 different types of glass. Our pattern is called Rain, and looks like random vertical grooves made by water drops that might run down a glass panel. The grooves are on the outside of the panels so it’s easy to squeegee the inside to keep it sparkling clean.

The shower door seal is really important, but the curb the door assembly rests on is the foundation of a leak-proof installation. In my opinion, it’s mandatory to use a solid material with no or minimal seams for the curb. I used three pieces of granite for my curb, and the seam at each corner of my neo-angle shower where the granite meets is bonded permanently with epoxy. You can use marble, solid-surface material, cast stone, etc. I would never recommend ceramic tile for the curb, as each grout line is a possible leak location.

The curb should also be sloped back towards the shower. It must be level side to side, but it should slope inwards to the shower so that water doesn’t pool against the intersection of the shower door panels and the curb.

Make sure the shower wall surfaces are squeaky clean before the new shower door is installed. This ensures the caulk that creates the leak-proof seal will adhere well to the wall surfaces. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations as to wait time before you use the shower. Some want you to wait 24 hours, allowing sufficient time for the caulk to cure.

Leaks from frameless shower doors can sometimes be traced to poorly positioned shower heads. There can be a small open gap between the door and the adjacent pieces of glass. Make sure the water stream coming from the shower head doesn’t aim directly at these gaps.

Consider installing a rain shower head if you have a chronic leak. These heads produce a gentle stream, and the water tends to fall straight down instead of an angle. The only disadvantage of the rain heads is they don’t produce a vigorous stream of water that you might need on an early morning as you begin your day.

As you might imagine, over the years I've installed quite a few shower doors on my jobs. In almost every case, it was one made by a company named Basco. They happen to be based in Cincinnati, OH. My customers never had an issue with these doors. That's important to me - no problems after the install. That's why I used them to install the door in my own master bathroom. The order process was easy, the measuring crew and install crew were professional and Kathy is happy. That's all that matters. Of course the door looks fantastic and fits like a glove.

Column 797

September 16, 2009 AsktheBuilder News And Tips

Posted on by Tim Carter

What’s in This Issue?

Roofing Tips
Bathroom Remodeling Rebates
Laptop Incident
DIY Hardwood Refinishing
Massive Stain Solver Sale
Christmas Gifts You Make

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.

Last Friday, I drove from New Hampshire to Washington DC so I could participate in what's believed to be the largest citizen protest in the nation's capital. Suffice it to say this drive of only 515 miles took me 11 hours, two of which were spent crawling across the Garden State Parking Lot, affectionately called the Garden State Parkway by locals. The traffic from the Tappan Zee Bridge to south below Newark was jammed. Rain, mid-afternoon Friday traffic and just general congestion accounted for the mess.

I left DC on Saturday at 2:30 to drive back to Cincinnati, OH. I'm here now starting the probate process for my Mom's estate. Boy is that a rat's nest of paperwork. Next week, I deliver the speech to doctors and other health-care professionals here in Cincinnati. I intend to share some good stuff about the power of geo-targeted search advertising, long-tail marketing and ways to use video to boost business for these pros. If you want me to speak to your group sharing the skills and magic of what I know about Internet advertising, just email me.

While I'm here, I'll also be sprucing up the exterior of the Cincinnati house getting it ready for sale in the spring.

This Thursday night (September 17, 2009) I'll be getting together with subscribers who responded to my invitation last week. We're going to meet at Molly Malone's at 6111 Montgomery Road in Pleasant Ridge here in Cincinnati, OH. Be there at 7:30 p.m. Philip, from Ontario, Canada, is going to try to make it. If he does, he'll win the Most Dedicated Award! If you intend to come, please email me so I know how many tables to reserve.

Roofing Tips

A crew of roofers is at my Cincinnati home installing new GAF Slateline shingles. Wow, are they gorgeous, the shingles not the roofers!

These shingles mimic the look of traditional slate, and are very attractive on my Queen Anne Victorian home. When they get the front of the home done, I'll upload a new video about the finished job. I could have applied the shingles over the existing roof, but chose not to. I feel it's really important to strip off an old roof so you can see the condition of the wood sheathing. Plus, the new shingles tend to look better when they lay on the smooth wood.

I urge you to take the time to read the installation instructions of whatever roofing product you intend to use on your home. Be sure that no shortcuts are taken on your roofing job. This roof of mine is very complicated, and it's a challenging job for the roofers. Watch this video showing all the different angles of the roof.

Bathroom Remodeling Rebates

You can tell the recession is deepening. Deflation is becoming more apparent. Prices of things are dropping. In fact, just yesterday I got a depressing email that the local granite fabricator I used for my own recent bathroom remodeling job went out of business. How does this relate to a rebate? Overnight I received a press release about a rebate program if you are thinking of doing a bathroom remodel. You can get up to $500 in rebates, the news item said. Rebates are not only incentives to buy, but they are a form of deflation. I can't vouch for the quality of the items that have the rebates. You need to do your own due diligence on that. When it comes to fixtures in a bath, I tend to go with a sure thing. I want quality and parts availability down the road. In my own bathroom remodel, I used faucets from the Moen Showhouse collection. Kathy loves them and so do I.

Here's where you need to go to get information on the $500 Rebate Program. (Rebate program has ended.)

Laptop Incident

This newsletter was supposed to go out yesterday. For two years now, I've been using a wonderful Apple MacBook Pro as my computer. One of the software packages I have is iWork. In it is a word processing program called Pages. I use that to write my columns and this newsletter. Well, let's say I *used* to. I had been plugging away for three hours and was just about finished. All of a sudden my laptop completely shut off. The battery had died, and I didn't get the warning the battery was low. Poof! All of my writing was gone. Can you believe that the Pages software has no default AutoSave feature built into it? That's insane. If you are an Apple employee and have access to the software engineers, please tell them that's UNACCEPTABLE. I used to be a WordPerfect user for years and well over 15 years ago WordPerfect had autosave built in.

A buddy of mine who is an Apple expert said I should start to use Google Documents as it autosaves your work every couple of minutes. I've used Google Documents for a few years, but mostly to share documents with others. But from now on, it's going to be my primary word processing software until Apple gets a revision done to Pages. Shame on you Apple.

DIY Hardwood Refinishing

Money is really tight now for many. If your hardwood floors have some minor scratches, you may be able to restore them with minimal effort. Remember, you walk on the floor finish, not the wood. If you allow the finish or urethane to wear away, that's when you have to sand floors. If you periodically add a new coat of urethane, you never really have to sand your floors. Read this past column to get an idea of how easy it is to keep your floors looking great.

Massive Stain Solver Sale

As I said earlier, I have a new roof being installed on my house in Cincinnati getting it ready to sell. I installed the original roof myself with three helpers 23 years ago. You can imagine the shock I had when I opened the bid. I'll scan it and share it with you next week. It took my breath away, and when you see it, note that I had to supply the shingles and felt paper. All 60 squares worth! But to pay for the roof, I need to convert bags of raw materials in the warehouse into cash. My pain is your gain. Kathy and I are deeply discounting the price of the 16 and 50-pound size. The sale will only last three days. You must be prepared to act next week.

When I told this to Ellen, she heads up the Stain Solver operation, her words were, "You're nuts. You'll not make any money lowering the price that low." Well, I need you to make me look good. Watch for the next newsletter.

Christmas Gifts You Make

While on the topic of shrinking household budgets, look at the calendar. Yikes! Christmas is just around the corner. Instead of buying gifts that may put tons of financial stress on you, why not get creative and make some gifts of your own? This past spring I used a very simple tool to make a stunning window seat bookcase frame and two tables.

You can use this same tool to make smaller items out of wood. The possibilities are endless. I'm talking about a pocket-hole jig. Watch the video at this web site to see the pocket-hole jig I own.

AsktheBuilder.com