Plumbing Installation

Posted on by Tim Carter
drain line fittings

You need to assemble the new drain line fittings without cement to see how high the horizontal branch arm will be. Don't forget to account for the height of the clamp below the large 4x2 wye!

Plumbing Installation

DEAR TIM: My husband refuses to help me install a new basement laundry sink. To make it easy I have found a location immediately adjacent to a vertical plastic plumbing stack. Surely it can't be that hard to cut into the pipe and install the necessary fittings. What is involved and what do I need to do to make sure the work meets the plumbing code? Mary C., Edmond OK

DEAR MARY: What a shame your husband is not a team player. I wonder if he is intimidated by the project. There are indeed some challenges you will face, but it isn't hard to cut into the plastic polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plumbing drain pipe. The hard part is knowing where to make the cuts and making sure the new drainage branch you install is vented properly.

Why are vent pipes needed?

Just about everyone understands how water flows down a plumbing drain pipe, but what is particularly vexing to many is the need for vent pipes. When water flows from a plumbing fixture into a drain pipe, it displaces the air that moments before was in the drainage pipe system. This air must be replaced and vent pipes that extend through the roofs of house are usually the entry point for this needed air.

What happens when a vent pipe is clogged?

If a vent pipe becomes clogged or if vent pipes are improperly installed or sized wrong, the plumbing system may get the needed air by sucking it through the drain of one or more fixtures in a home. If you have ever heard a tub or sink drain gurgle or sputter when you flush a toilet, you are experiencing this siphon phenomenon first hand. When water gets sucked from a fixture trap, sewer gas or vermin in the piping system can easily enter your home. This is very unhealthy.

The first thing you must do is calculate the rough-in height off the basement floor for the center of the horizontal drain pipe that will service this new sink. You do this by temporarily setting the new sink in place and connecting the P-trap to the tailpiece drain pipe that extends from the bottom of the sink. Slide the trap up the tailpiece of the drain as high as possible so that the rough-in height of the trap outlet is as high off the floor as possible. Believe me, you will need every inch you can spare.

You will need three fittings to create the new branch drainage line: a wye, a 45 degree fitting and a tee fitting. A wye is a plumbing fitting that allows a new drain line to branch from a stack at a 45 degree angle. The size of the wye fitting will match the diameter of your existing stack. I am confident it is either a 3 or 4 inch PVC stack. Let's assume it is a 4 inch diameter plumbing stack. In this case, you will need a 4 x 2 wye as I suggest a new 2-inch diameter stack for this new fixture. In addition you will need a 2 inch street 45 fitting and a 2 x 1.5 x 1.5 tee fitting.

The street 45 fitting has a male end and a female end. The male end is inserted into the socket of the wye to create a smaller vertical secondary stack next to your existing stack. The tee fitting sits on top of the 45 degree fitting and creates the entry point for the drain pipe that extends from this new smaller vertical stack to the outlet of the trap under the sink.

drain pipes with extra outlet

The large diameter pipe did not have the fitting close to the floor when the house was built. The extra drain line was installed to accommodate a basement laundry sink.

The top of the tee fitting is where the vent for this drain begins. A vertical 1.5 inch pipe extend up above the flood level of the sink and continues upward until it connects to another vent pipe. If you can't find a nearby vent pipe, you may have to extend this pipe all the way up to the roof. In some parts of the nation certain plumbing codes do allow mechanical vent pipes that eliminate the need for traditional vent pipes.

Can you do plumbing projects yourself?

Before you get started I urge you to check with your local plumbing inspector. First, you need to know that some cities and states do not allow homeowners to alter the plumbing systems inside their homes. Make sure you are allowed to do this job by yourself and find out about the necessary inspections. It is vitally important that you use all approved fittings, the correct clamps, the proper plastic primers and welding cements and the proper pipe sizes. The plumbing inspector can assist you with this in many instances.

If you are particularly lucky, the inspector will draw a quick diagram or make a copy of a 3-D illustration often found in most plumbing code booklets. This diagram or drawing will show you the proper pipe sizes and what the new piping system should look like once you are finished.

The weight of existing plumbing stack is significant. If this weight is not supported as the vertical stack is being cut, the piping can drop. This movement can place damaging stress on all of the piping components that may lead to leaks.

Temporary blocking and metal pipe straps and clamps can be installed to support the piping. This should be done before any cutting proceeds. The cuts into the drain piping must be square so that the new wye can be inserted with ease. If the cuts are not square, the new wye may not fit or the clamps that provide a positive seal may not fit as designed.

Watch this video to see how Tim SOLVED a problem in minutes!

Why Seal Brick and Mortar? Simple – Brick Veneer LEAKS

Posted on by Tim Carter
mortar joint

Seal Brick and Mortar | This is a closeup photo of a mortar joint between two layers of brick. Note the tiny cracks where wind-driven water can seep into the wall. (C) Copyright 2018 Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: My brick home and virtually every other brick house in my sub-division leak water when it rains. This water is causing mold growth in our exterior walls. I thought brick walls were supposed to be weatherproof, that is why I specified them. What is wrong? Can the brick be sealed? Does the brick job have to be re-done? Is there a less-expensive alternative? Doug C., Mason, OH

DEAR DOUG: I can't begin to tell you how downcast my mood becomes when I get letters such as yours. In my opinion, there are quite possibly hundreds of thousands of brick veneer homes built in the past 15 or 20 years that are ticking time bombs. Many brick masons and builders do not follow simple and long-established industry standards that would otherwise allow them to construct brick walls that can keep you and your home dry and mold-free.

Do bricks leak during rainstorms?

Yes, brick walls leak during rainstorms. Most of the water enters the wall through tiny cracks in the vertical mortar joints between two brick.

Believe it or not, even the most talented brick masons using the highest level of skill and materials cannot build a brick veneer wall that will stop water infiltration. Brick walls leak water and some leak vast amounts of water during a wind-driven rainstorm. Well over 50 percent of the USA experiences wind pressures of 25 pounds per square foot or greater. Add to this the pounding effect of tens of thousands of raindrops on the side of a brick wall and you have a recipe for disaster.

But that being said by no means lets bricklayers and builders off the hook. The industry has known for years that brick walls leak water and lots of it. The trick is to build a system that:

  • protects the wood framing of the house from getting wet
  • collects all water that leaks through the walls
  • re-directs all of the collected water back to the exterior as quickly as possible

The most troubling thing is that it is very simple to build a brick veneer house that performs exactly as you thought it should. It adds very little extra cost to do so as the house is being constructed.

How do you keep wood framing dry?

Flashings and waterproof membranes help keep wood framing dry.

The builder and bricklayer must work together to install top quality flashings on top of the foundation wall where the first course of brick begins. All inside and outside corners as well as overlap joints must be sealed perfectly. The same flashing material is used where brick passes over the top and under the bottom of all doors and widows. The house framing must be covered with a water membrane such as tar paper or modern water-infiltration barriers. Weep holes that let accumulated water out from behind the brick should be placed on two-foot centers. Special synthetic fabric should be placed behind the first courses of brick. This fabric keeps mortar droppings from clogging the weep holes.

What would it cost to re-install the brick on my home?

But all of this means little to you now unless you decide to remove your existing brick veneer and start over. That is an enormously expensive proposition. I would not be shocked if you received a price of $2.50 PER brick to do such a job. The average house can easily have over 18,000 brick! The cost will be even higher as other exterior building components will undoubtedly be harmed by the processes of demolition and the reinstallation of the brick.

Is there a brick sealer?

The first thing to try is a solvent-based clear silane siloxane masonry sealer. The one below is a great one because it's NOT water-based. Solvent-based sealers penetrate deeper into brick and mortar.

What's the best way to apply brick and mortar sealer?

It's best to have two people apply the sealer. One person is wearing a powerful backpack leaf blower. As the other person sprayes the wall, the person with the blower BLASTS the wall with air to drive the sealer deep into the masonry. The deeper the sealer penetrates, the better protection you'll have.

Be sure to apply MULTIPLE coats of the sealer within minutes of each other. Read the instructions on the label of the product. Once the first coat dries, it will BLOCK the second coat from penetrating into the brick or mortar. You MUST WORK FAST.

silane siloxane brick sealer

This is a magnificent silane - siloxane water repellent that soaks into brick and mortar. CLICK or TAP HERE or THIS IMAGE NOW TO ORDER IT.

Is there another brick sealer product?

There used to be another product, but I'm no longer sure if it's made and I'm now skeptical of the company that used to make it.

But before you begin to demolish your brick walls, I urge you to try an inexpensive yet revolutionary product that appears to be able to absolve the sins of the negligent builders and brick masons. You can purchase via the Internet an elastomeric joint sealant that brushes on the mortar joints in brick, block and stone walls. These are the places where the water gets into the masonry surfaces. The sealant can actually bridge cracks up to one eighth of an inch. It works best if you apply a water based silane / siloxane water repellent just before applying the water based joint sealant.

I applied some of this sealant to my brick chimney. It is very easy to apply. The product is white and has the consistency of vinyl wallpaper paste. But when applied per directions, it dries nearly crystal clear. You can only see something has been applied to the brick wall if you stand close and look at it. If you were to look at my chimney from the street, there is no way you could tell I did anything to it. I urge you to try this product as soon as possible. You must stop the water infiltration immediately if you desire to stop further mold growth.

Ice, Frost and Water in an Attic

Posted on by Tim Carter
roof turbine

This turbine vent spins with just the slightest breeze. It is but one tool to use when you want superior attic ventilation. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: My wife Ali and I bought an old house 18 months ago. Last winter I noticed condensation and water droplets on the nails that stick through the roof into the attic. At times there was ice and frost on the nails. Boxes stored in the attic were sometimes wet. We had our house resided with vinyl and added two gable vents. Was that a mistake? The house has no vapor retarder between the attic insulation and the second-floor ceiling. Should I install one? What can I do to stop the moisture problem? Brian Z., Kingston, PA

DEAR BRIAN: The water problem is serious but can be easily corrected. Hopefully you have no mildew or wood rot in your attic. If you have dodged these two bullets, consider yourself very lucky. Many people suffer from severe mold and wood rot problems because they simply do not inspect their attic spaces until it is too late.

How do you stop condensation in an attic?

The gable vents you added were a good start, but they are probably not enough. To stop the condensation, you must have a continuous, or nearly continuous, flow of air moving through the attic. This air flow exhausts warmer more humid air that is seeping from your living spaces up into your attic. I happen to believe in abundant and continuous soffit ventilation that allows air to enter at the low portions of the attic space and then exit out the top of the roof through wind-powered turbine vents.

roof vent ridge

Roof Ridge Vent

Why do roofing nails show condensation first?

The water develops on the roofing nails first because they readily conduct cold. When you see water and ice on the nails, the actual temperature of the nails is at or below the dew point of the air in the attic that is saturated with water vapor. You see this same thing happen in summer months when you place a glass of cold water or a can of cold soda or beer on an outdoor table. If you live anywhere but the Southwest, water droplets usually form on the cold outer surfaces of the glass or can within minutes.

Will a vapor retarder help? Why not?

Adding a vapor retarder on the warm side of the insulation between the attic and the living areas of your home might be a problem. Not only is it difficult to do, but it might also create hidden problems. If cold attic air somehow makes it way through a weak spot in the insulation, it may cause water to condense on the underside of the vapor retarder. Many in the building technologies sector feel vapor retarders are great in wall cavities, but should be avoided in most ceilings.

What is the best way to allow water vapor to escape from the attic?

The better solution is to let the water vapor escape into the attic but quickly escort it to the outside of your home. As I already said, turbine vents coupled with abundant intake air at the soffit level will keep your attic nice and dry.

In addition, be sure you do not have any exhaust air from any fans or dryers emptying into the attic space. Bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans can pump vast amount of water vapor into an attic in a short amount of time. Clothes dryers are even worse. They can pumps gallons of water into an attic space in just an hour or so. All of these fans and appliances must be vented directly to the exterior of your home. Never allow them to exit near the soffit intake vents as the humid air will then be drawn into the attic space without your knowledge.

I prefer to pipe exhaust air through the attic in solid smooth metal pipe. Several fan companies make special roof caps made for venting the humid air outdoors. They are leak-proof if installed correctly.

Basement Insulation

Posted on by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: I have a question about insulating the basement ceiling in a house that is only 2-years old. The first floor is made from 2x10s and the cost of fiberglass batts to put in the joists is about $1,000.00. How much benefit would I receive if I only added batts say five feet in from the poured concrete walls all the way around the floor, leaving the middle of the floor space open? Is this worth it? We do not use the basement much, but I am hoping to keep the first floor a little warmer. As for heat supply in the basement, there are only two vents for heat. Bill Bosken, Toledo, Ohio

DEAR BILL: My answer is going to bring tears to the eyes of the insulation salesmen and sales women around the world. You should take that $1,000.00 and buy a superb value stock that might jump up in price 30-50% in the next 6 months. Spending it on insulation between a tempered basement area and a heated first-floor is perhaps one of the poorest investments of capital you can make.

Do insulating a basement ceiling help save heat?

Insulation is designed to slow the transfer of heat. Although I do not have a PhD in thermodynamics, I can tell you the transfer of heat is a non-linear function. This simply means that heat loss is great when the differences between the two temperatures is significant. If the temperature of two objects is fairly close, the warmer object slowly cools to the lower temperature. You can prove this very easily.

Take two 16 penny nails and put them in your oven. Set the temperature to 400F and let the nails get up to that temperature. Take the nails out of the oven (use caution, they will be hot to the touch) and place one in an empty metal cake pan and place it in your freezer. Place the other hot nail in a metal cake pan that you set on your kitchen counter.

Learn the secrets for successfully installing insulation with my Insulation Installation Checklist. I offer a 100% Money Back Guarantee.

After one minute, open the freezer door and quickly touch the nail. I am confident you will be able to touch it without getting burned. Wet your finger tip and then touch the other nail that is sitting on your counter. I'll bet you get a quick hiss of steam as that nail is still quite hot.

This simple experiment should tell you that the heat transfer between your heated first floor which is probably 70-72F and your basement which might be 60F is extremely slow. The amount of energy you would save in fuel costs would be measured in pennies and possibly nickels each heating season, not in dollars. It could take you decades before you break even on the initial investment of $1,000.00 for the fiberglass batts you are thinking of placing in the floor joists.

What's more, you will discover that your basement will become more uncomfortable and colder than it is now. If you do any work down there, you may find yourself adding heat so you can work in relative comfort.

Would insulating the foundation be better?

Because your basement walls are conducting cold into your basement via the cold ground outside, it might be worthwhile to add insulation over your exposed masonry foundation. You can choose to use closed-cell foam or fiberglass if you choose. But be sure you check with your local building department as some insulations that are flammable - such as closed cell foam - must be covered with drywall or other approved material to prevent rapid fire/flame spread.

I would also inspect the juncture between the wood framing and the top of the concrete foundation. Do this on a windy day and try to feel for air leaks. Air infiltration can be a major drain on your heating budget. Pack insulation in any cracks you discover or caulk them to stop air flow.

French Doors

Posted on by Tim Carter
French Doors

This is a deluxe french door that requires a different installation skill set than a standard french door. But notice how much light a french door can introduce into a room. PHOTO CREDIT: Marvin Windows and Doors

DEAR TIM: My husband and I think we can tackle installing a set of basic French doors in the interior of our 1939 house. These new doors will bring light and a feeling of openness to a small dark bedroom/media room. Our main concern is that the walls are plaster. Can you guide us through the project or is the plaster wall scenario a red flag to have a plaster pro do the installation? We are budget conscious since we will be selling the house in about eight months but think the improvement will be dramatic and pleasing. Angela B. Reed, Portland, OR

DEAR ANGELA: The fact that the interior wall surface is plaster instead of drywall would not stop me for an instant. I can see though, why it might be slightly intimidating for a person who has never worked with plaster. My advice to you is to start this project and not let the presence of the plaster hinder you in any way.

Check the door jamb depth before installing French Doors

The first thing you need to make sure is that the jamb depth of your new French door matches the conditions in your home. The standard jamb depths we use today in most new construction match the framing lumber and the combined thickness of the interior wall finish and the exterior wall sheathing. But I would lay odds that your 1939 home with plaster walls undoubtedly will require a special custom jamb or at the very least modifications to a standard factory jamb.

For example, a new French door might come from the factory with a 4 and 9/16ths inch jamb. This jamb works perfectly in a wall made from standard 2x4s, covered with 1/2 inch drywall and a 1/2 inch thick exterior sheathing board. It is very prudent to have the jamb extend about 1/32nd or 1/16th inch past the interior finished wall surface. Your jamb depth will most likely end up somewhere between 4 and 9/16ths and 6 and 9/16ths inch. Several high-quality door manufacturers can make the exact custom jamb you need.

How do you create the rough door opening?

The next task, once you have the correct door in your possession, is to create the rough opening in the wall. Take a tape measure and determine the unit dimensions of the new door. These dimensions are the actual outer width and height of the door including the jambs but not any brick mold or other trim nailed to the jamb. The unit dimension height is the distance from the bottom of the threshold to the top of the jamb. The unit dimension width is the distance from the outside edge of one side of the door to the other outer edge of the other jamb.

The rough opening you create for the new door should be one inch wider than the unit dimension width of the new door and 5/8 inch higher than the unit dimension height of the door. This extra space gives you the needed wiggle room to shim the door as you make the necessary adjustments that allow the door to operate perfectly. This spacing also allows you to insert insulation that cuts down on air infiltration around the new door.

Will you need a new structural header?

Undoubtedly, a new structural header will need to be installed as part of the creation of the rough opening. Large dimensional lumber such as 2x10's or 2x12's are often used. These in turn rest upon vertical 2x4s or 2x6s that act as columns supporting this wood header beam. These vertical framing members must transfer the weight of the structure above the beam directly to the foundation of the house. You may have to insert solid blocking immediately below the vertical studs and under the floor to create this load pathway to the foundation. If your home is built on a slab, this is of no concern since the outer edges of the slab often are directly connected to the foundation. It is wise to have a structural plan created by a residential structural engineer if you are unsure exactly what to do.

Should a flashing pan be installed?

Before you get ready to position the door, make sure you install a flashing pan. These ingenious devices collect any water that might run down the sides of the door and any water that tries to pass through or roll under the threshold. If the pan is installed correctly, it captures any water and redirects it to the exterior of the house. Believe me, thousands of people suffer mysterious leaks adjacent to their exterior doors during wind-blown rainstorms. These leaks often manifest themselves as puddles inside their home at the corners or the center of the door units. In almost every case a properly installed flashing pan would have prevented this misery.

How do you refinish around the door?

Once the door is in place and secure, it is time to re-plaster. You can buy some blue board drywall that will help you fill the gap between the rough wall studs and the finished wall surface. This blue board drywall has a special paper that inhibits the water from the plaster from softening and harming the gypsum core of the drywall. Do not use regular drywall under plaster.

This blue board drywall can be covered with a coat of rough base plaster that contains some sand and vermiculite. Build this layer up to within 1/8 inch of the finish surface of the adjacent plaster. The following day add the final coat of plaster or dry setting joint compound to make the wall surface match your existing walls. The dry-setting type joint compounds mix easily with water and have the workability of traditional drywall compounds. Once dry, they can be sanded. Traditional white-coat plaster can't be sanded and is not a product to use if you are a plaster rookie!

 

Concrete Countertops

Posted on by Tim Carter
concrete countertop

Concrete Countertops | This sleek bathroom countertop is concrete. Although it appears to be a no-brainer, you would be shocked at how much work and expertise goes into creating a masterpiece.

! Please Read Author's Notes at End of This Column !

DEAR TIM: I am an owner/builder and have been told that concrete countertops might be an economical alternative and would suit the type of house we are building. What are the pros and cons with using concrete as a kitchen or even bathroom countertop? What are the steps one takes to build one? Do you feel the average person can fabricate and install one? Jane Powers, Brisbane, Australia

DEAR JANE: I love concrete because it is such an astounding material. When installed outdoors per industry recommendations and exposed to the full force of Mother Nature, it can last for 40 or more years. Thus it goes without saying that a countertop made from concrete that is indoors where temperatures are almost always 70F might last forever. Well, they can last forever, but you might not like the way one looks after 6 months.

Is installing a concrete countertop a DIY Project?

Let's first talk about the economics of concrete countertops. You have a distinct advantage should you decide to make them as you would be paying yourself, not a professional, for the labor. Many of the materials needed to make the concrete countertops are commodity items and are somewhat inexpensive. One or two bags of Portland cement will often be enough for hundreds of square feet of countertop surface. The sand, small gravel and coloring pigments are very affordable. The most expensive component is often the sealer that is used to help minimize liquids and foods from penetrating into the concrete once it is a functioning surface.

But if you had to pay a person to fabricate and install the concrete countertops, you might have a mild heart attack when you discover how expensive they can be. The lion's share of the expense is in labor. Building a concrete countertop is extremely labor intensive and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

How do you build a concrete countertop?

There are at least two ways to build these tops. They can be built in a shop and placed on top of the cabinets or they can be poured and finished right on top of the cabinets. In either situation, the forms that have to be built to create the shape of the tops is something akin to finish carpentry. The forms must be perfect, they must be sturdy and they must not fail during the pouring and finishing process. The forms must also come apart easily so as not to damage the fresh and tender concrete once it has hardened.

What are some rookie mistakes?

Perhaps the two biggest places rookies make mistakes are in the fabrication of the forms and the finishing of the concrete. Both are art forms in a manner of speaking. If you think for a moment you will apply a steel-trowel finish that ends up as smooth as glass on your first try, you are dreaming. Once the skill is learned, it is not hard to do, but the problem is getting to that point.

Concrete shrinks as it cures and dries. These internal forces work to rip apart. Sharp 90 degree bends that you often find where countertops change direction or in sink cutouts can be the source of ugly and random shrinkage cracks. Reinforcing steel placed in the thin tops can hold the concrete together so the cracks do not grow much beyond the hairline size. But who wants cracks in a beautiful countertop?

Should a concrete countertop be sealed?

Once the countertop is finished and the forms are off, you need to seal the surface. There can be a significant wait time until you are allowed to apply the sealer. Concrete, even steel-trowel concrete, is an absorbent material. If the concrete is not sealed, liquids, cooking oils and even oil-soaked pizza boxes can cause ugly permanent stains.

But not all sealers perform well over time. Some can scratch, some are heat sensitive and others require periodic application to help keep the protection levels to a maximum. But even still, I have yet to discover a miracle sealer that protects against all possible stains.

Will your concrete countertop look great, like in the magazines?

In my opinion, concrete countertops are one of those things that look great in magazine photos and in museums. If I had one in my own home, my kids would have its surface looking like the concrete pavement of Interstate 75 that passes through my town. In other words, the countertops would work, but they would not look as good as many of the other countertop possibilities I know to exist.

The actual process of mixing, pouring, finishing and curing the concrete is critical. Make one mistake in any of the steps and you can have a failure in the surface. To make matters worse, even if you do everything right, you can still have problems. Building and installing concrete countertops is not unlike spending a night at a casino. You just might get lucky and bring home a winner.

The system that probably makes the most sense is the countertop formed and poured in place. If you try to fabricate the tops in another location and transport them, you might crack the tops as you carry or set them down. Concrete is very heavy and the reality of placing a large slab that is L or U-shaped is not realistic. If you do install the top in pieces, you then have to deal with sealing the seams. It is by no means an easy task to create gorgeous tops that look like ones you see in magazine or book photos.

Author's Notes - November, 2004

This column created a significant response from a few builders who sell concrete countertops in their homes and craftsmen that fabricate concrete countertops. Most of the responses I received were filled with emotion and claims that I did not do proper research to tell the real story. The truth is I did. I contacted two of the top concrete associations in the world for the latest facts and technology about concrete countertops.

Guess what? The concrete countertop fabricators are not passing the latest information back up the food chain to the authoritative voices in the industry such as the Portland Cement Association or the American Concrete Institute.

One fabricator in particular hit the nail on the head. Daryl Lucien, President of FormTops Studio told me how he feels about sharing the latest technology with anyone. He wrote this to me:

".....In as much as I do that, I keep much of what I do proprietary. It's my intellectual property and a key to my competitive advantage in the marketplace. Even my employees sign non-compete/non-disclosure agreements or they don't work. I'll say it again, this is a business with one simple rule ... if it was easy ... everyone would be doing it ... and not making any money."

 

Column 540

Flooded Basement and Hurricane Winds

Posted on by Tim Carter
hand sprayer stone foundation

The hand-pump sprayer is doing a fine job of saturating the stone foundation. If you use the right product, it can block all sorts of gaps where water can enter. Photo Credit: Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: My finished basement was flooded by rains produced as hurricane Frances lumbered across North Carolina. I have a concrete block foundation that has a stone facing above grade. What is the best way to waterproof both the visible and buried parts of my foundation? What kind of drainage system in the yard can I install to help deal with the massive amounts of water that fell from the sky and then into and across the land? Paige H. Black Mountain, NC

DEAR PAIGE: I am sorry to hear about your misfortune. You are not alone in your suffering as I heard from no less than 100 homeowners and builders who have suffered water leakage into brick veneer and concrete block buildings and into basements such as yours.

What can cause basement flooding?

There are a series of factors that may be responsible for your basement flooding. It can indeed be your masonry walls, but it can also be roof gutters and downspouts that are undersized, clogged or empty on the ground next to the house. The soil around your home could have flat or even negative slope so that water pools against your foundation. To add insult to injury, your original builder may have never truly waterproofed your foundation.

Can rain create a leak in walls?

The hurricane or tropical storm winds that pounded your home are powerful. Rain that pelts against houses, with even a mild breeze during a rainstorm, can create leaks in walls that seem to be impervious to water. Each drop of rain water is like a hammer as it strikes the wall surface. It pushes the previous drop of water into the wall. Imagine thousands or even tens of thousands of drops of water combined with the actual wind pressure of a tropical storm or hurricane driving the water deeper and deeper into the walls.

What is the most common entry point for water in a masonry structure?

Perhaps the most common entry point of water into a masonry structure is through the vertical mortar joints in brick, concrete block and stone. Even though you can't see cracks where this mortar touches up against the masonry units, water, and lots of it, can and does penetrate here. If your builder did not create a system for this water to be collected and redirected to the exterior, I can see why you had the leaks.

What is a silane - siloxane repellent?

Once your walls dry out, you can seal them very effectively with a two-step process of water-based products. The first step is the application of a clear penetrating silane - siloxane water repellent that coats the entire masonry wall. Two coats must be applied and they must be applied within 30 minutes of each other. If you wait too long between coats, the first coat of the water repellent actually starts to work and stops the second coat from entering the masonry units and the mortar.

Immediately after the water repellent is applied you can then brush on a masonry joint sealer - very interesting milky product that has the consistency of canned gravy before it is heated. Once applied in a thin coat over the mortar joints and a portion of the brick, block or stone next to the mortar, it dries clear. This amazing product, when applied correctly, can bridge cracks up to 1/8th inch!

Should I divert rain water?

The water that falls onto your roof and the land around your home must be captured and diverted to the lowest spot on your lot. Often I hear about rainfall amounts of four, five or even eight inches of rain from one of these storms.

For sake of discussion, let's say 4.5 inches of rain fell at your house during the storm. If your roof area and combined yard area is say one-half acre, the rainfall dropping onto your property was 61,096 gallons of water give or take a drop or two! If your lot receives water from an uphill neighbor, then even more water was possibly charging towards your basement.

I feel it is imperative to capture all roof water with gutters and downspouts. The water from the roof should enter an underground piping system that directs this water to the lowest part of your property. Be sure your local codes allow this. Some municipalities require storm water to be piped to a special storm water system that retains it and slowly releases it over time to the natural streams and rivers in your area.

Linear French Drain Streaming Video

Do your own DIY install of a Linear French Drain with Tim Carter's time-tested methods and materials! CLICK IMAGE TO ORDER NOW!

You should also install an underground gutter system in your yard that captures any subsurface as well as surface water that is passing through and on top of the soil. You can dig a 6-inch wide trench that is 18 to 24 inches deep. Install a perforated drain tile in this trench and fill the trench to the top with washed rounded gravel.

Once the pipe passes the house and is headed towards the lowest part of the lot, make sure the pipe is level in the trench. Since most building lots have some slope to them, the pipe will eventually extend to daylight and be visible. Water will gush from this pipe during and immediately after a heavy sustained rainfall.

The next time you are a passenger in a car being driven through a moderate rain storm, open the window and let your hand get hit with some of the rain drops. You will be shocked how hard they hit your hand even while driving 30 miles per hour. The force at 70 miles per hour is almost painful.

This type of energy can easily defeat walls that have not been perfectly waterproofed. The new masonry sealing systems are effective, water-based and can last for up to ten years between applications. An even better characteristic is that they are very do-it-yourself friendly.

Column 538

The Mansion Reality TV Show

Posted on by Tim Carter
Mansion Reality TV Show

The Mansion Reality TV Show |Here's the actual mansion! This is what the back of the house looked like the night of the finale. Look to the left and you can see the red carpet!

The Mansion Reality TV Show - I Was One of the Judges!

Are you a reality television junkie? If so, then you might want to watch me on re-runs of The Mansion. I was fortunate to be cast as one of three judges responsible for critiquing the work efforts of eight young people who were contestants in this intense reality television show.

Where Was The Mansion Reality TV Show Recorded?

This very unique reality show was filmed right here in Cincinnati, OH where I live. The actual mansion was on the west side of Cincinnati at the intersection of Anderson Ferry Road and Cleves Warsaw Pike.

Mansion Reality TV Show location

The red arrow points to the Mansion! It was still standing as of April 11, 2021.

When Did the Filming Begin?

Filming for The Mansion started the last two weeks of July and the final filming happened the first week of September 2004. The first episode aired on TBS the Superstation on October 2, 2004. The final episode aired in November 2004.

If you can locate this show on your cable-TV guide or one of the streaming video services like Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon TV, you can then sit back and watch it on your flat-screen TV! Wait for the episode where outdoor gardening was the focus. Oh my!!!

What Was the Plot of the Show?

The plot of the Mansion TV show was to have eight young contestants compete against one another to see who would end up owning the mansion on the last episode. At first, they worked together on various renovation projects during the filming of the show. Then, as with all reality shows, the alliances started to form and the contestants began to claw and scratch at one another to be the winner.

How Were the Contestants Selected?

The contestants for The Mansion were picked from a nationwide search earlier in the summer.

What was the Actual Mansion House Like?

The actual house in the show was an old English Tudor home that sat on four acres of ground. It was a wonderful stately home in a nice neighborhood. The natural oak woodwork in the home was stunning. The house was slightly run down and needed quite a bit of work.

How Much Was the Mansion Worth?

This house is probably worth in the neighborhood of $750,000. That was a significant amount of money in 2004.

Did the Winner Receive Money to Pay the Taxes?

I can't tell you if the winner of the show was also given by the show producers actual cash to pay the taxes owed to the Federal Government for winning the house. I'm not an accountant, but I suspect the IRS would treat the winnings as they would money you might win at a casino or racetrack. There's no doubt the prize has tax consequences.

How Was the Winner Selected?

The winner was selected from the two finalists by the show's viewers. They had a real-time voting system in place.

What Was it Like to Be a Judge?

The experience was fun as I have never seen what it is like to be a part of a large television show. I have been on live national television before and on live large-market newscasts, but never was I surrounded by so many cameramen, sound technicians, field directors, producers, associate producers, grips, etc.! There were nearly 40 people behind the scenes to make the show happen.

What is The Reality of Reality TV?

Each episode of The Mansion is one-hour long. There are about 17 minutes of commercials so you actually only see 43 minutes of programming each week. At the minimum, there are 28 hours of tape that has to be boiled down to these 43 minutes. In some instances, there were over 100 hours of tape!

Mark and I are having some fun at the party after the taping was completed. Mark asked me for some tips to help him install baseboard at his own home.

This is Mark, the host of the show. Mark and I are having some fun at the party after the taping was completed. Mark asked me for some tips to help him install the baseboard at his own home.

How Did the Judging Work?

Let's talk about just the judgment aspect of the show. Each time the other two judges, Tom and Cassandra, and I looked at a completed project with the contestant who was foreman, we inspected and talked with that contestant for usually an hour.

In the three episodes that have aired so far, the amount of time allocated to the three judges is about 2, perhaps 3 minutes. Vast amounts of what I and the other two judges said is not making it to the airwaves. I'm not upset, but I feel you should know I was constantly pointing out errors and deficiencies in the work. Only time will tell how the tape editors and show producers portray me, and so far it ain't talkin'!

The amount of time spent taping just the judgment part of each episode stretched anywhere from 4 hours to 6.5 hours. Yes! I am talking about that part of the show from where you see the host Mark blow the airhorn to the point where he was handing out checks after we three judges decided what we were to give each episode.

What Was it Like Watching the Finale Live?

It was very cool to be part of the taping of the final episode where the winner was revealed. The friends and family of the contestants were invited as well as Tom, Cassandra and myself - the three judges. All of us were assembled in a large heated tent that had a giant flat-screen TV so we could see in real-time what was happening at each segment.

Some things never change....... Need I say more about the imbibing 3 Amigos?

Some things never change... Need I say more about the imbibing 3 Amigos? These three contestants were thick as thieves during the recording of the show.

As contestants were eliminated, they came to watch the rest of the taping in the tent with us. I must tell you it was very uncomfortable watching the show amidst the family and friends.

It was very tense as Mark was about to announce who did not make it to the next level. You could hear the gasps and groans escape from the family and friends as each of the contestants were eliminated. I could have skipped that part thank you very much.

The after-party was very fun. Those contestants who were eliminated didn't seem to mind too much. There was plenty of laughter and good times to be had by all. The liquid refreshments were flowing, and as you can see, it didn't take long for certain individuals to get comfortable!

In my October 7, 2008 Newsletter, there is a humorous article about Foundation Primer. No, it wasn't for the mansion. It was for ME!