Asphalt Roofing Shingles Video

Posted on June 29, 2007 by Tim Carter

Asphalt Roofing Shingles Video

Is it Hard to Replace One Asphalt Shingle?

It's easy to replace one, or even two, asphalt shingles.

Repairing or replacing an asphalt shingle is not that hard. Getting on and off the ladder is the hardest part. To replace a shingle, all you need is two different size pry bars and a hammer.

Do I Need to Remove Nails?

First, you need to remove the nails holding the old shingle. There are generally more than four nails in a shingle. There are the four that were used to mount that particular shingle, but the four nails from the shingle above it also go through that shingle.

Do You Have Asphalt Shingles on Your Home, Tim?

No. I used to have them until the 30-year-warranty shingles failed in just 10 years. This is why I wrote my Roofing Ripoff expose' book. I now have synthetic virgin polymer DaVinci Roofscapes slate on my home.

What is the Best Tool to Lift the Shingle?

Using one of the pry bars, lift up the tabs on the shingle above the one you are replacing. Once you see the nails in that shingle, remove them. Do this for all the nails in the bad shingle.

Slide the damaged shingle out after all the nails have been removed. Slide in the new shingle and replace all the nails that hold that shingle and the ones above it. And you are done.

Do You have a Roofing Checklist to Help Me Find a Pro Roofer?

Yes, you should use my roofing checklist to ensure you don't lose money when hiring a roofer.

Asphalt Repair Video

Posted on June 29, 2007 by Tim Carter

Asphalt Repair Video Transcript

You know a lot of you've got holes in your blacktop and I know what you want to do. You want to make permanent repairs. Well, guess what? It's not that hard to do if you've got the right material and the right technique.

Now here's what you need to get. You can buy some really great brand-new cold patch asphalt compounds. Now what these are, don't confuse them with the old stuff that used to come in an old bag that was really hard.

These things have got great new polymer adhesives that are mixed in with the asphalt and if you clean out the hole right you put the right amount in and you compact it these things make permanent repairs. The old compounds would just make temporary repairs.

Now how do you repair the hole? Simple. Use a chisel and a hammer to make sure that the bottom of the hole is as wide as the top of the hole. That means that you can't have sides that slant. It's best to have the bottom bigger than the top. (See this secret tip in the July 20, 2012 Newsletter.)

Now once you get all the loose material out, compact any loose gravel at the bottom

or a loose blacktop. Go ahead and pour your patching compound in there. Make it a little higher than the surrounding blacktop. Use a steel tamper to pat it down really nice and solid and you're ready to go.

You know I told you that patching blacktop holes is really simple. It's so simple in fact that even our garden expert Ron Wilson can do it. You want to discover more home-improvement tips, go to AsktheBuilder.com.

Buy These Cold Patch Blacktop Repair Products

CLICK the photo above to purchase this blacktop cold patch material or to see other similar products. It's good stuff.

Crown Molding Cutting Video

Posted on June 29, 2007 by Tim Carter

Crown Molding Cutting

Installing crown molding is a pretty tough job. One of the hardest jobs is getting the crown molding cut so that the miter joints are tight. Here is a neat trick that will save you time.

Cut two little test miters from some scrap crown molding. Cut them at a precise 45 degree angle. Slide these two pieces in the corner and see how they match. If they meet with no gap, you have a perfect 90 degree corner. If there is a gap, you will have to adjust your cut. A few test cuts will help you figure out the proper angle to cut the molding.

Using scrap lumber and sample cuts, will help your crown molding installation go smoothly.

If you REALLY want to discover how to install Crown Molding, you need my Crown Molding eBook or Installing Crown Molding DVD..

Paint And Drywall Video

Posted on June 29, 2007 by Tim Carter

After sanding your new drywall, it is time to paint it. Be careful not to make big mistakes. Use the right products and right technique to cover the joints and drywall nails.

First, buy a paint that is both a primer and sealer. The primer means there is extra pigment in the paint. This helps disguise any small imperfects in the drywall. The sealer evens out the porosity of the entire surface. The drywall seams have a different porosity then the drywall paper. The sealer evens out the porosity. This creates an even surface for your finish paint.

Most people with painting apply the paint too thin. Apply the paint heavily because most of the paint is water that will evaporate. That leaves behind only the pigment and glue. So apply it thick.

To get that new drywall smooth as glass, be sure to get the right primer and sealer and put it on nice and heavy. It will look swell.

How To Glue PVC Pipe Video

Posted on June 29, 2007 by Tim Carter

How to Glue PVC Pipe

The first step is to cut your PVC correctly. The cut has to be square and free of burrs. If you use a hand saw, make sure the cut is straight. A compound miter saw will provide a nice smooth, straight cut the first time. Before gluing, remove all burrs from the end of the cut pipe. A razor knife can be used to clean up the ends.

Next step is to clean the PVC pipe with a clean cloth to remove any dirt. Then, apply a PVC primer. The primer is a water-like substance that softens the pipe and fitting. As soon as you apply the primer, you can apply the glue.

Put glue on both the pipe and fitting. Press the parts together and twist the parts about 90 degrees to evenly spread the glue. Hold the pieces together for a few seconds to ensure they don't pop apart.

Follow the steps and you will have leak-free connections.

Sanding Tips Video

Posted on June 29, 2007 by Tim Carter

Does your project requires a lot of sanding? There are some really good mechanical tools and handheld tools available. If you have a lot of sanding, consider using a belt sander. Belt sanders work fast and you can switch the belts quickly. Belt grits range from coarse to fine.

For smaller sanding projects, look at one of the handheld oscillating or orbital sanders. These palm sanders come in two styles. One uses a circular sanding pad with holes in it. The holes suck up the dust as you sand. The other style uses a rectangular piece of sand paper and vibrate as it sands.

A new product is sandpaper that is attached to a piece of foam. These soft foam sanding pads allow you to sand items with difficult curves or round surfaces. The pads are reusable. Just rinse it out and start sanding.

If you pick the right tool, sanding does not have to be such a rough job!

House Paint Video

Posted on June 28, 2007 by Tim Carter

Everyone has to paint either the inside or outside of their house at some time. What is the best paint to buy? Here are some tips.

Look on the can for the words acrylic polymer and vinyl polymer. The best paint is 100% acrylic. Acrylic resins are very stretchable and resist the expansion and contraction of wood. This helps them last a long time.

The vinyl paints are ideal for items that get repainted very few years. It does not last quite as long.

There are some new paint that go on almost twice as thick as normal paint. They come with a lifetime warranty against peeling and blistering. That will be the next paint used on Tim's home.

Hardware Store Video

Posted on June 28, 2007 by Tim Carter

The Tri-State area is lucky to have an abundance of old fashion hardware stores. They offer a variety of goods that you just can not find in other places. Have a problem with flies? This hardware store has fly paper in stock.

Many of these stores carry an assortment of old fashion tools, such as oil cans. Great for oiling your lawnmower. See you still need them.

You can find an assortment of corks in these stores. Perhaps you need to stop up a bottle or piece of tubing.

Wire - thin, copper, steel, stainless - is available at your local hardware store.

Nearly all these hardware stores have racks for hardware, such as stainless bolts, nuts and washers. They are available in machine screw type or wood screw. Stainless hardware is great for outdoor use when you do not want to worry about rust.

You can find a variety of items at your local hardware story and personal service. Shop one today!

Surge Protector Video

Posted on June 28, 2007 by Tim Carter

In the spring and early summer, you can experience a lot of thunderstorms. With these storms comes the possibility of lightning. If the lightning strikes a nearby power line, a power surge can travel into your home through your electric meter. Inside the house, it goes on a search and destroy mission - looking for televisions, VCR's, microwaves, computers, laptops or any electronic device.

How can you stop these power spikes? First, install a whole house surge protection. These devices attach right next to your electric panel. They feature audible alarms and diagnostic lights to check if it is working.

Next, purchase point of use surge protections to use at each electronic device. Be sure to get one with a test light. Surge protectors wear out over time. Check them regularly to see if they are still functioning.

A surge protector that is five to 10 years old, may be worn out. Replace them often. An electrician should be used to install a whole house protector.

Grout Sealer Video

Posted on June 28, 2007 by Tim Carter

Ceramic tile is very popular in the Tri-State area. It is found in the bathroom, shower stalls and in the kitchen. The common complaint is how do you keep the grout clean?

Grout gets dirty because it has a very porous surface. Close up, it would look like a sponge. Lots of openings to trap dirt, scrum and soap. That is what the mildew eats and feeds on. So, how do you stop that from happening? You need to seal the grout.

Get some clear grout sealer. These sealers will fills in those holes and crevices to food and soap can not get trapped in the grout. Most sealers have a little application brush build right in.

After each shower, use a squeeze to remove any excess water off the tile and grout. Leave the shower door or shower curtain open to get good ventilation into the shower. This will allow the tile to dry as rapidly as possible.