Very Last Call Newsletter

Kathie Comment - Digital Library

The $29.99 price for FIXED-INCOME folks goes away FOREVER in ONE HOUR.

At 6:01 PM Eastern Time on January 16, 2022, the lowest you can purchase it for will be $49.99.

Kathie wrote to me:

"You are truly priceless, Tim---as is your advice. Thank you for this very generous offer. I am sure we will thank you many times over as we continue to tackle "issues" in the 44-year-old home that we built ourselves."

CLICK or TAP HERE to order it now.

Thanks.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com

P.S. I should get Kathie and my Kathy on the phone. For all the obvious reasons. (fingernail-buffing soft noise... :-> )

January 16, 2022 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Newsletter #1165 (I think...)

My my my. I'm so glad you're here. This might be your first issue. This one is pretty standard, although I've added a few subtle changes.

You, though, might have started our friendship back with issue #874. It doesn't matter. That's a sentence I've been using quite a bit lately on my LIVE video streams! More on that just below.

California Civil Attorney

Are you a CA attorney that specializes in civil lawsuits? I'd like to write a column and need some help. Please reach out to me. Thanks!

Ice In!

lake winnisquam ice
Lake (Loch) Winnisquam froze over sometime early Wednesday morning under the cover of darkness. It's epic ice. It's clear as glass and just as smooth. I went down to the lake today and drilled it to see how thick it was. Can you guess? The answer is in a photograph you can see in a moment.

I'm not a big fan of going out on ice. It's one of my phobias. As always, I just ventured out to where I know the water is 30 inches deep. If I were to crash through, I'd discover what penguins feel like when they take a bath.

CLICK or TAP HERE to watch four short videos of me going down to check it out within HOURS of it freezing over on Wednesday morning. I was really curious as to how thick the ice was after just ten, or so, hours of transforming from liquid water to solid ice.

This is the first time I went down to the lake just after the ice formed. Normally, I'd go down a week or two later.

I also uploaded to that album the photos I shot when I went down just hours ago.

It's a damn shame that a monster snow storm will hit here on Sunday night and cover the ice with a foot of snow. When the ice stays uncovered and is SMOOTH like this, the ice sail-boaters show up. I've only seen it happen one winter in the past thirteen. The ice sailboats streak across the ice like jet airplanes!

Phooey!

Not a Good Look On You

Over the past two weeks, I've been giving away eight free items worth over $110.00. The top one is my Roofing Ripoff expose' book.

By the way, if you're on a TIGHT FIXED BUDGET you can get my entire digital library for just $29.99. Seriously, that price is just for people who no longer are earning a living.

Rick took advantage of this offer and wrote to me:

"Tim Thank you oh so very much for offering this bundle for us older folks. I retired just over a year ago and I'm finding it's not as easy as I anticipated. So, your offer sure makes obtaining knowledge a whole lot easier."

That low insane price vaporizes in 13 hours at 6:01 PM Eastern time today January 16, 2022. After that, you'll pay $49.99.

What I'm about to share is a teaching moment. It's NOT an attempt to belittle or shame anyone. The only way I know how to do it is to share what happened.

The 60+ newspapers across the great fruited plain that publish my weekly column are promoting this free giveaway. Three days ago, I received an angry email from a woman. Here's what she wrote:

"Ok Tim,
I followed your instructions to get your free pdf copy of your ebook. Had to sign up for your newsletter first. Ok, but never saw this free pdf or any of the other things you were offering for the new year to help out consumers. Just a 40% deal. Nice Tim, really nice. Never thought you would be a bait and switch kind of guy. Also your website is so full of adds and gimmicks to buy things, it really is kind of horrible. Thanks for nothing really."

Here was my reply:

Dear Named Withheld by Tim Carter,

"I hate to tell you this, but I'm reasonably sure you didn't follow the instructions. You most likely typed in the URL wrong failing to put in the all-important go. before askthebuilder.com in the URL published by your paper.

Had you done that, you would have arrived at the following page and NEVER seen the 40% offer regular people see who stumble on my website by accident.

Tell me, does this page look familiar?

Newspaper Readers Free Digital Files Giveaway

Once you filled out the form and then clicked the Confirmation link in your email you would have been taken to this page as were thousands of others over the past few days:

Thank You Newspaper Reader Free Digital Files

And you can clearly see the link to the free download.

So, tell me, am I the evil bait-and-switch guy or did you do something wrong?"

I have a feeling this woman was having a bad day, might have lots of stress in her life, or ?????.

BOTTOM LINE: Please don't lash out at people like this. She could have written:

"Dear Tim,

Thanks for your offer of the free PDF files. I may have done something wrong because I don't see the link to them. Instead I saw an offer for 40% off. Can I still get the free files? If so, how?

Thanks, Polite Woman"

BTW, the woman never responded to me offering up an apology. When you make a mistake and it's brought to your attention, apologize. This is what used to be taught in schools.

But what do I know????? I used to each lunch sitting on overturned empty drywall mud buckets for 20+ years...

What You've Been Missing

It's a shame you've not been tuning into my LIVE video streams each M-F at 4 PM Eastern Time on my YouTube channel.

Here's what Will, Steve, Shannon, Lorene, Andrew, Jack, Nala, Jason, and a bunch of others discovered during my wide-ranging discussions in just the past few days:

  • my hat size
  • my top three phobias
  • photos of our two great cats
  • a favorite liquid-refreshment of mine
  • a possible AsktheBuilder parachute drop
  • a spring golf outing with a LIVE streaming fan
  • a recent food craving

The point is, the LIVE streams are NOT some long-winded boring LECTURE about a home improvement topic! I bloviate about a bunch of things that have NOTHING to do with home improvement.

It's TONS of fun!

You get to send me chat messages during the stream. Your comments and questions chart the course of what we talk about!
Live Stream Chat Comments

WE GO to Town!

This past week it's been very cold in NH. A week ago on Monday morning, it was a bone-chilling -6F. My giant F-250 Super Duty Ford truck sat unused and lonely for about five days during this bitter-cold spell.

The big V8 engine was damn cold. The oil was probably the consistency of dehydrated maple syrup.

On Thursday, it was time to go to town to run a bunch of errands. I opened the creaking cold door, jumped onto the block-of-ice seat, turned the key and then: (slow) RRR RRR rrr rr r (rapid clicking noise)

Darn it! (I actually said something else. :-O )
weego 66 jump starter
CLICK or TAP HERE to read the rest of the short saga.

I GUARANTEE you'll laugh out loud.

That's enough for a Sunday.

Remember, mind your manners. Don't lash out at people.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
Hilton Hotels is BUYING! - www.StainSolver.com
Morse-Muff Time - www.W3ATB.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

P.S. How much heat is your home LOSING? It's easy to calculate!! CLICK or TAP HERE to discover how.

Versions of Music for a Found Harmonium

Music for a Found Harmonium - Happy Music Indeed

I first heard this amazing song created by the founder of the Penguin Cafe Orchestra at the end of the Napoleon Dynamite movie. It's one of my favorite movies of all time because it's a simple teenage love story. The Napoleon Dynamite movie reminded me of how clumsy I was around the fairer sex and of those wistful few years back when I was 15-17.

I didn't have enough life experience to appreciate what was happening at the time. I know for a fact I brushed slowly past one young woman, like a stranger in the crowd at a bus stop on a warm summer morning, and we both ended up going our separate ways. Perhaps you had a similar experience when you were young.

In the Napoleon Dynamite movie, Music for a Found Harmonium was blended with a fun mixture of scenes that helped bring satisfying closure to several subplots within the movie.

Watch the first video below and you'll discover all were resolved in a wonderful way. Then watch the Penguin Cafe Orchestra perform the song they created. I also have several other musician groups and solo guitarists doing it too.

You can't get enough of Music for a Found Harmonium. If you don't feel better after listening, you most likely need a serious attitude adjustment.

The last video in the stack has some great hand-held drum solos and a small monkey squeeze box!

There are plenty more versions of this great music online. Get happy!

Weego Jump Starter

weego jump starter battery pack

Weego Jump Starter | This is the Weego 66 jump starter. It allowed me to "we go to town now!!!" No wonder it's named WEeGo!

Weego Jump Starter Lithium Power Pack - We do Go!

I received a Weego jump starter 66 about two years ago. It's now called the Weego 70.

Two days ago I finally used it to start my truck that had been sitting for five days in bitter-cold weather.

It's a giant V8 engine in a Ford F-250. The Weego jump starter battery pack gave the needed boost and the truck turned over like it was 90 F outside!

Do Weegos Come in Different Sizes?

Yes, you can get different Weego jump starters. If you have a small 4-cylinder engine, get a smaller more affordable battery pack. CLICK or TAP HERE to shop for one now.

Weego Jump Starter LIVE Stream Video

CLICK or TAP HERE to watch the first five minutes of my video stream about the Weego jump starter heavy-duty battery pack.

We did go to town that morning! No wonder it's named Weego!

Heat Loss Calculator Tools

Heat Loss Calculator Tools - Easy to Use

Heat loss calculator tools help you discover how fast heat seeps out of your home. You need a building heat loss calculator to properly size a furnace or boiler.

state proline xe combi boiler

A heat loss calculator was used to ensure this combi boiler was the correct size to heat a large 4-bedroom home in New Hampshire.

How to Calculate Heat Loss

There are lots of great free online tools that allow you to perform both a heat gain and heat loss calculation. You need to do a heat-gain calculation to properly size an AC unit.

In the old days before the Internet, you had to use a heat-loss calculation worksheet. This requires you to take measurements of all your exterior walls, the sizes of windows and doors, the amount of insulation in the wall, the wall construction type, the direction exterior walls face, and the things in the house that might create heat like computers, ovens, people, etc.

It's not hard to do the calculations, it just takes time to do all the measurements. You must do this accurately or else your final heat-loss calculation will not be accurate.

You'd do well to read true heat-loss stories about heat loss before you start taking your measurements.

Heat Loss Infrared Photos

It really helps to use an infrared camera when you do a heat loss calculator. You can spot places where insulation is not sufficient and make adjustments in your calculations.

Heat Loss Calculator Websites

Here's a partial list of free heat-loss calculator tools:

Stelrad Calculator

HeatCADD

Engineering Tool Box

January 2, 2022 AsktheBuilder Announcement

Special Announcement - Last Call

This is REALLY FAST. If you subscribed after 4 AM this past Sunday, this is not going to make sense. Hang in there with me.

This message to you is what I call at the Ask the Builder world headquarters a Shot-Across-the-Bow email alert.

This coming Sunday, January 16, 2022, at 6:01 PM Eastern Time the low price of $29.99 for my entire Digital Library is going to disappear forever.

CLICK or TAP HERE and you'll see something unusual. SCROLL DOWN to see the huge list of topics in my digital library.

You'll see FIVE different prices for the same product! The prices range from $29.99 up to $149.99.

As crazy as this sounds, I allow you to decide what to pay. Your clicking one of the radio buttons tells me what YOU think my stuff is worth to you.

Here's what's in store moving forward beyond this Sunday.

On Sunday January 23rd, the $49.99 price will vaporize.

On Sunday January 30th, the $99.99 price will vaporize.

And so on and so forth until the price stays at $149.99 or I RAISE the price.

It's important to realize the retail price of the entire digital library, should you buy each one right now separately in the shopping cart, would be about $1,450.00.

So even at $149.99 it's a tremendous bargain.

BOTTOM LINE: If you feel my entire library is only worth $29.99 to you, you better act on it in the next five days.

CLICK or TAP HERE now to get it before I never let you have it again for that price.

I'm serious. You'll never ever again see it for that price. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Peace out. (in my best Kip voice)

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com

P.S. I will send out two LAST CALL reminders on Sunday in case you're a chronic procrastinator. But under NO CIRCUMSTANCES will I honor the current $29.99 price after 6:01 PM this coming Sunday. Peace out a second time. 🙂

January 9, 2022 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Issue #1164 (I think)

You could be one of the hundreds of new subscribers in the past seven days. If I was a betting man, or had access to my newsletter subscription software :-> , I'd say you probably hail from Chicagoland and read my column each week in the Chicago Tribune.

Chicago is my favorite big city. I used to love walking up and down Michigan Avenue marveling at the stunning architecture and size of the older buildings. Welcome and get ready for some powerhouse newsletters in the near future!

One thing I'm working on right now is the announcement I just saw about GAF's new solar panel roof shingles. In fact, I'm devoting my LIVE video stream tomorrow (01-10-2022) to this very topic. I now LIVE stream each M-F at 4 PM Eastern Time on my YouTube channel.

On Monday, I'm going to share during the LIVE stream a laundry list of questions I'm putting forth to GAF. You need to know these because they're the same questions you should be asking your roofer!!!! BTW, you don't need a YouTube account to watch my LIVE stream each day.

Assuming you're not a new subscriber, you might be one that's been with me since 1996 and still have deep in your email records issue #1. Good for you, because I don't have it!

Forest for the Trees

I'm sure you've heard that old idiom, "You can't see the forest for the trees."

Boy, that sure describes me! I was so focused putting together your gifts over the past weeks, investing countless hours with my nose inches from the grindstone, that I didn't look up and out into the forest.

In last week's issue, #1163 (I think...), I shared how you could get for free all of the following:

  • My Roofing Ripoff expose' eBook where I reveal how you can make shingles LAST for 40 or 50 years!
  • My Linear French Drain 90-minute streaming video - No more WET BASEMENTS, crawlspaces, or soggy yards!
  • My Bath Remodeling Checklist and Contractor Hiring Guide
  • My Water Heater Replacement Checklist and Plumber Hiring Guide
  • My Concrete Sidewalk, Driveway, Patio Specifications, and Drawing
  • My Kitchen Remodeling Checklist and Contractor Hiring Guide
  • My Chimney Crown Repair Specifications - 99.99% of masons do it WRONG!!!
  • My Roofing Replacement Checklist and Contractor Hiring Guide - An amazing 3-page PDF file

While you might be one that did take advantage and downloaded all the free goodies, an astonishing number just shrugged their shoulders and went about their daily business. There are probably twenty, or more, valid reasons for not picking up your gifts.

One of them could have been the timing. You may have been exhausted from the Christmas mayhem. I get it. It's a tough time of year.

Here's your second chance to get over $110.00 of my digital files that you see above at no cost.

CLICK or TAP HERE to get your gifts. But don't shrug it off this time.

When you click that link, you're going to discover a second gift for you. A gift worth well over $1,000.00. That's not a typo.

Ed reached out to me last Tuesday asking me if was a trick. He was hesitant to CLICK the link saying:

"Your offer is TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE. I'm afraid your stuff is filled with malware, spyware, and other bad jujumagumbo."

No, Ed, there's no bad stuff in my products. It's SAFE to download everything.

What's the second gift? You can now, for a very short time, get my ENTIRE digital library of over 112 products for as low as $29.99 if you're on a very tight FIXED INCOME. CLICK or TAP HERE to see how.

Trust me, this opportunity is going to disappear.

Modulating Boilers - True Savings

Two years ago, I installed an amazing Noritz modulating boiler in my daughter's new home. Understand this boiler not only heats her home, but it also is a tankless water heater. She and her family can take a hot shower for as long as there's water in the well and propane feeding the boiler.

What's more, the boiler is about the size of a piece of luggage you might check on an airplane. Much smaller than conventional boilers. Here it is:

noritz combi boiler

Modulating boilers are wonderful for many reasons. That said, my favorite one is:

The burner only produces enough flame to satisfy the DEMAND at that moment. In other words, it works like a typical burner on your stove. You can set that burner on your stove to HIGH or all the way down to simmer.

When a modulating boiler is running with a LOW flame to satisfy just one zone requiring heat, even thought it's a high-efficiency appliance, far less fuel is going up the chimney.

It's important to realize these boilers are not that expensive. I just priced the one I put in my daughter's home days ago. You can buy it now for $2,600 and change online at supplyhouse.com.

Go get one or two before inflation raises the price to $3,000.00. CLICK or TAP HERE to see more photos and to read my story about how EASY it is to install a modulating boiler the size of a piece of checked luggage.

Relaxing Maine Wildlife Video

Things were so busy during Christmas I believe I failed to share a wonderful video created by Paul Cyr who lives in Presque Isle, Maine. His brother is a subscriber to this newsletter.
amish children ice skating
CLICK or TAP HERE and get ready to smile. If this is a repeat mention, it's worth watching a second time.

Install a NEW Concrete Foundation

Is your house's foundation falling apart? You can have a new foundation installed as is being done in the photo below. Look at this:

house up in the air

CLICK or TAP HERE to see other stunning photographs of just how the house is supported and HOW IT'S ACCOMPLISHED.

That's quite enough for a Sunday in cold January. Well, not cold for my fellow parishioners Paul and Rita. They're on the beach in Aruba!

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
Certified Organic Cleaner - www.StainSolver.com
Ham Radio Tales - www.W3ATB.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

P.S. You'd do well to get your FREE copy of my Roofing Ripoff book. Look:

roofing ripoff cover

CLICK or TAP HERE to get it NOW.

This FREE offer is GOING TO EXPIRE for goodness sake!!!

Free Ask the Builder Gifts – Part 2 of 2

New house construction

Building new or remodeling is complex. My checklists relieve anxiety. Each one can save you thousands of dollars. You're about to get a bunch of FREE ones from me. Copyright 2021 Tim Carter

This is part two of a two-part column series. In last week’s column, I shared how a huge tsunami inflation wave is cresting and about to wash over you. You can’t afford to waste a penny on home improvement projects. I decided to gift you some helpful products that ensure you preserve as much of your money as possible.

About eighteen years ago, my future son-in-law was in my office. He and I were going through the many incoming email questions I receive each day. You need to understand I had yet to fully grasp his level of intelligence. After about fifteen minutes he said, “Mr. Carter, you’re in the life-preserver business. Each one of the people emailing you is asking for help about a job gone wrong.”

His description of what I do each day, flinging flat doughnut-shaped flotation devices to people flailing in the frigid waters of failure, was spot on. I knew this from years of building and remodeling as I was often called in to fix something another builder goofed up or sometimes asked to finish a project started by a wet-behind-the-ears overly enthusiastic DIYr.

That’s why early in my Ask the Builder career I decided to create helpful digital PDF checklists, videos, and eBooks to empower you to do one or two things:

  1. Use them to easily understand at least one way to do the job right so you can spot the pro contractor.
  2. Glean information that would allow you to do simple repairs yourself.

In both instances, the end result is that the job would be done right, not over. That Do It Right, Not Over! has become the motto that I place at the bottom of my newsletter each week.

Over the years, I’ve created over 100 of these helpful checklists, videos, and eBooks. My most popular one is my Roofing Ripoff expose’ book where I uncovered why your asphalt shingles don’t last as they used to and what you can do to make sure your new or newer roof lasts for 40 or 50 years. Think of that - the last roof of your life and maybe that of the next owner of your home!

In a few moments, you’re going to have in your possession a free PDF copy of this eBook. I’m also giving you the following at no cost:

  • My Linear French Drain 90-minute streaming video - No more WET BASEMENTS, crawlspaces, or soggy yards!
  • My Bath Remodeling Checklist and Contractor Hiring Guide
  • My Water Heater Replacement Checklist and Plumber Hiring Guide
  • My Concrete Sidewalk, Driveway, Patio Specifications, and Drawing
  • My Kitchen Remodeling Checklist and Contractor Hiring Guide
  • My Chimney Crown Repair Specifications - 99.99% of masons do it WRONG!!!
  • My Roofing Replacement Checklist and Contractor Hiring Guide - An amazing 3-page PDF file

All of the above products can save you thousands of dollars, perhaps tens of thousands of dollars. For example, if you have water leaking into your basement or crawlspace, you might get bids for many thousands of dollars to stop the leaks. What if I told you in most cases it can be done for just hundreds of dollars and if you’re a DIYr, you can do it yourself.

How many nightmares have you heard from friends or neighbors about poor-quality roofing work? How would you like to find out quickly who the best roofer is in your city or town? My Roofing Replacement Checklist helps you spot the pro. The same is true for all the checklists I have.

Just about every homeowner has concrete outside in a sidewalk, driveway, or patio. Did you know in many cases the contractor installs it wrong? The Concrete Specifications you’re about to receive will ensure your new concrete lasts for generations.

Bath and kitchen remodeling is expensive. My checklists will help prevent nothing is overlooked as you plan. They also help you discover the best contractor. Would you think to stuff insulation around all the void space surrounding your new tub so the bathwater stays hot as you soak? Those are the kind of tips you discover in my checklists.

It’s time for you to get all of the above at no cost. Go to the following AsktheBuilder page - and follow the simple instructions. Feel free to share the page with all you know, especially on your social media channels. Let’s help as many as possible save big money in 2022.

Free Digital Files Giveaway

Column 1437

January 2, 2022 AsktheBuilder Very Special Newsletter

If you're a new subscriber, what a first issue to receive! In the 25+ years I've published this newsletter, I've NEVER done one like this.

PLEASE READ it closely. If you've subscribed after December 12, 2021, you should really read that past issue first.

The inflation I talked about three weeks ago is worse. Much worse. You just need a fifth-grade math education to know this to be true.

When you see double and triple-digit price increases in many of the things you buy each week or month, how is it that the experts in an Associated Press story say the annual rate was just around 6%?

Anyone who's been in the Navy knows that's a smoke screen or those compiling the numbers have been getting herb'd up smoking something.

The inflation tsunami that's about to wash over you is what prompted me to do something I've never ever done before.

The Ask the Builder Egg Prize

Remember days ago when I shared the photo of the stunning Faberge' egg? The outer shell of each of the eggs is one-of-a-kind and more than special.

But I believe each one opens and INSIDE the egg there's an even better prize.

That was the inspiration for what I'm about to do.

You're about to receive at NO COST with no strings attached my top seven PDF digital files and free unlimited access to my one-of-a-kind 90-minute streaming video about how to save thousands of dollars if you have a wet basement, wet crawlspace, or soggy yard.

You may not need each present you're about to get right now, but believe me they'll come in handy one day soon.

Here's the outer shell of my egg prize:

  • My Roofing Ripoff expose' eBook where I reveal how you can make asphalt shingles LAST for 40 or 50 years!
  • My Linear French Drain 90-minute streaming video - No more WET BASEMENTS, crawlspaces, or soggy yards!
  • My Bath Remodeling Checklist and Contractor Hiring Guide
  • My Water Heater Replacement Checklist and Plumber Hiring Guide
  • My Concrete Sidewalk, Driveway, Patio Specifications, and Drawing
  • My Kitchen Remodeling Checklist and Contractor Hiring Guide
  • My Chimney Crown Repair Specifications - 99.99% of masons do it WRONG!!!
  • My Roofing Replacement Checklist and Contractor Hiring Guide - An amazing 3-page PDF file

But there's a much better SECOND gift for you inside the egg. It's in the same document you're about to download.

All I ask is that you CLOSELY READ the first page of what you're about to receive. What you'll see there is not a typo.

Some of my friends think I'm insane for doing what you're about to see. My friend Mike, however, said "...it's very very generous."

In reality, I just took a big swig of Abundance Juice.

CLICK or TAP HERE for your belated Christmas gift from Kathy and me. We hope you like it.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If the file doesn't download right away, RELAX. My server could be overloaded with thousands of simultaneous requests. Go do something else, come back in 15 minutes, and try again. Thanks for your patience.

Happy New Year, by the way. It's our hope that our gift to you will help make it an excellent one. We hope that you'll be able to save thousands, and maybe tens of thousands, of dollars using our gifts.

Tim and Kathy Carter
www.AsktheBuilder.com

Do It Right, Not Over!