Pull Start Fire Review

Posted on October 30, 2020 by Tim Carter

Pull Start Fire | This is the kind of roaring fire you have in just minutes with Pull Start Fire. CLICK or TAP HERE to have six of them in your hands in two days. I started this fire using Pull Start Fire and this is what it looked like in less than 3 minutes after pulling the red string.

Pull Start Fire - It Really Works! Put on a Magic Show

I tested the Pull Start Fire product over the past month. It's pretty amazing and I can tell you I have three of them in my survival kit.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is truly a life-saving invention or tool. You SHOULD absolutely have three of these if you feel the need to stay warm in some sort of disaster situation or accident while out traveling. CLICK or TAP HERE now to order.

How Did You Use Pull Start Fire in a Magic Show?

A week ago, my youngest daughter had two friends over to watch movies outdoors. They used a magic little movie projector that they could download an entire movie into. They wanted to do this down by the lake at my house. They used a white sheet as the projection screen.

This is a tiny movie projector about the size of a can of soda! It has it's own battery! CLICK or TAP HERE to order one.

I knew it would be dark by the time they arrived and the temperature was forecast to drop into the 40s by the time they were done with the movie, so my daughter asked me to help with a fire.

She was at work so I stacked the firewood just like I was taught as a Boy Scout. I put the Pull Start Fire product at the base of the stacked firewood, extended the red string to the edge of the granite fire ring, and covered all of it with dry leaves and pine needles to hide it.

When all the girls came over and we wandered down to the patio by the lake, it was pitch dark. A perfect way to create the illusion.

I had prepared a small prayer thanking the Great Spirit for the gathering, the good food and drink, the magic lightbox, and His ability to keep all warm. It ended with, "... we thank you for your gift of warmth and ask now for your help to ignite the flames!"

I yanked the string in the darkness, the Pull Start Fire went POP, and moments later the firewood was starting to blaze away.

"How did you DO THAT?" The girls asked. Because it was pitch black, they didn't see me pull the string, and of course, had no idea there was any sort of magic firestarter. They probably thought I'd just strike a kitchen match to light the fire.

Like any magician, I just walked back up the stairs to the house saying, "Have a great movie!"

Of course, you don't tell how you do magic, silly!

What is So Fantastic?

You don't need matches to start a fire! Just about every other fire-starting method relies on matches, or a lighter, or a fire piston, or a magnifying glass, or who-knows-what. With Pull Start Fire, you simply pull a string and you've got a roaring fire in three minutes - assuming you know how to stack firewood using increasingly larger sizes in a cross-hatched pattern like cribbing.

How Big is Pull Start Fire?

The magic box is about the size of a traditional ice-cream sandwich. It's 1 inch high, 4.5 inches long, and 2 inches wide.

Will It Ignite Wet Wood?

The manufacturers claim it will. It's KEY to stack the wood like cribbing and to have smaller pieces of wood situated over the top of the Pull Start Fire box. Use common sense.

This is what the box looks like. Don't eat it thinking it's an ice-cream sandwich. CLICK or TAP HERE to have three delivered to your home.

This is how simple it is to start a fire. Even with wet or damp wood! CLICK or TAP HERE to order now.

This is the green string you loop around one of the bottom logs. Be SURE you have lots of air space around the wood. Stack small 3/4-inch pieces over the box so that wood catches on fire fast. CLICK or TAP HERE to order.

This red string is about 24 inches long. You give it a solid YANK to get Pull Start Fire to ignite. CLICK or TAP HERE to order three of them immediately.

Check out my American Standard Saybrook Kitchen Faucet review. You may need to get water from it in case your fire gets out of control!

Tommy Thompson Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea

Posted on October 29, 2020 by Tim Carter

Tommy Thompson - Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea

Tommy Thompson screwed his investors out of the $12.7 million dollars they put up in the mid-1980s to fund his expedition to locate the S.S. Central America. Once he found the ship and salvaged the gold, his troubles started to mount from a slew of lawsuits from insurance companies claiming rights to some or all of the gold. It turns out international marine salvage law is as complicated as Chinese arithmetic.

The gold then consumed his life, his marriage, and then convinced him to go on the lamb until being captured by US Marshals.

What a price to pay for greed! There was PLENTY of money for everyone! He was such an IDIOT.

CLICK or TAP HERE to read Gary's fascinating book of how Tommy found the S.S. Central America and how he drank from the poison chalice of fame and money. How much money?

The S.S. Central America had 21 tons of gold in its hull. At today's price (October 29, 2020 of $1,870 per ounce) that's $1,256,640,000. That's $1.2 BILLION dollars.

Can you imagine being so greedy that you couldn't split the hundreds of millions of dollars with the investors that believed in you?

CLICK or TAP HERE to read about his capture.

LJ Smith Stair Systems

Posted on October 28, 2020 by Tim Carter

These are all LJ Smith stair parts in my Queen Anne Victorian home.

LJ Smith Stair Systems - Many Styles and Species

I've used LJ Smith stair systems for decades. The one in the last home I built for my family was stunning. Here's a photo of the staircase in my last house going from the entrance hall to the second floor. Tim mentioned using LJ Smith Stair Systems way back in his January 25, 2018 AsktheBuilder Newsletter.

Watch this video to see a more sleek system incorporating white oak with powder-coated balusters and newel posts. Look below at the stark before and after photos of my daughter's LJ Smith staircase!

Listen to the second caller in this podcast to discover more about LJ Smith:

These are the stairs going up to the second floor in my daughter's new home.

wood staircase with iron balusters new house

I know, it's hard to believe this is the same house! But that's the magic of using LJ Smith stair parts!

Related Column: Design the Perfect Set of Steps

Richard P. Anderson Cincinnati OH

Posted on October 28, 2020 by Tim Carter

There's my buddy Richard! He's holding the microphone and was kind enough to help me on one of my radio shows. I suspect this photo was shot in 1995-1996. We were doing a live remote broadcast from Lisa Motz's home on Clough Pike. I had a two-hour call-in show on 1450-WMOH. It was all about how Lisa was eating an elephant by undertaking a massive DIY project on her own. She was in way over her head.

Richard P. Anderson - April 16, 1946 | October 25, 2020

Richard P. Anderson was my best friend in Cincinnati, OH. I can't begin to share with you the depth of his wisdom, generosity, integrity, diligence, determination, and discipline. He was an inspiration to me in so many ways and as often happens, I failed to tell him how much I admired him and how much he meant to me before he was sent back to Heaven on October 25, 2020, on very short notice.

Have you made that mistake before with someone you've loved? Don't make it twice.

I feel it's important for you to know as much as possible about Richard because sterile obituaries often just give you the view of a person's life from 30,000 feet. I want you to come to know the Richard I was with down in the trenches of life on a weekly basis.

Mark Ossege's House

Richard and I came to know one another through a mentor of mine, Bill Lange. Bill was a retired engineer, mechanical I believe, who was a friend of my father and mother-in-law. He had a lovely wife named Helen and they lived in Maderia, OH. One day I was with Bill at an old Cincinnati company called Stampco. This was a company that sold heating and cooling ductwork supplies and they made custom ductwork. HVAC contractors would purchase their extended plenums from Stampco. An extended plenum is the large sheet-metal box that fits on top of a furnace.

I was about to build my first custom home for Mark Ossege, the owner of Dillionvalle IGA. Bill and I were at Stampco getting some part and he asked one of the counter employees who was the best small HVAC guy that came in to purchase supplies. "Oh, that's easy. Richard Anderson of Sergeant's HVAC." The Stampco employee wrote down Richard's number and that was the beginning of a most wonderful 35-year friendship.

Richard came to the new house job site as we were framing the house to get a set of blueprints. He was dressed in crisp and clean professional dark-blue uniform pants and a matching short-sleeved shirt with a "Rich" name patch over the left pocket. He also was wearing a Sergeant's HVAC baseball cap. I would come to find out that this is exactly how Richard was to dress whenever I saw him in a work environment. He was the consummate professional.

Do It Right, Not Over

Richard installed a complex heating and air-conditioning system in Mark's house. It was the first custom house I built. I knew just enough about building at the time to be very dangerous. Richard was six years older than I was and it wasn't his first rodeo. It became crystal clear within days that he only did things one way - the right way.

One of the things I noticed right away was how clean all of his equipment was and how at the end of each day he cleaned up any and all debris he had created. Most other sub-contractors and I hate to say this, were slobs. Not Richard. He swept up every day and by the time his white van was driving away, you'd never even know he'd been there.

My customers came to love Richard as much as I did. It was as obvious as the nose on your face that he not only cared about his work, but he also cared about the customer's home. That construction characteristic in workers is rapidly transitioning from history to legend, to myth in today's job-site environment.

One of Richard's favorite tools was a hammer he used to assemble his sheet metal. It had a brown handle and a very square head much like my geologist's hammer from college. I remember how he guarded this hammer as a mama bear would protect her cubs.

This is Richard's favorite tool - his hammer. This photo appeared in a special story I wrote for the Cincinnati Enquirer in June of 1995.

I hope one of Richard's sons or his daughter keep this in the family as a cherished heirloom. I can only ponder how many times Richard grasped this hammer in all sorts of weather on countless jobs to tap together ductwork for a system that kept homeowners comfortable in their homes.

I mentioned Richard and this hammer in a special story I wrote back in the mid-1990s about tools. I need to find that story and republish it here on the website. (Author's Note: Go here to read that special Men and Their Tools story.)

Wisdom

Richard was extremely intelligent. He was wiser than many who have a Ph.D. after their name, yet I'm quite certain Richard didn't graduate from high school. He did receive his GED while he was in the US Marines.

Some of his best mental skills were those about people. Richard is the one who tamed that wild mustang inside of my head when I was in my mid-30s. This brusque attitude caused me to want to be right all the time in any conversation I had with anyone.

"Tim, you need to know that the strongest person is the one that offers the olive branch." That statement seemed so wrong to me. My brain screamed that it should be the weakest person that caves first or offers up an apology. Once again, I was wrong and Richard was right.

Richard always was thinking of things that didn't exist yet, or if they did, we didn't know about them. For example, twenty or more years ago, he thought cars should be equipped with a remote ignition kill switch so in police chases, the police could just turn off the engine to the speeding car. Brilliant!

Well, many cars today have such technology. You can start your car without being inside it.

Vietnam

Richard enlisted in the Marines back in the 1960s if my memory is correct. He became a sergeant and platoon leader. I know after his first tour of duty, he went back a second time. I often attempted to talk with him about his battle experiences trying to get a feel for what my Dad went through in the great WW II.

But Richard never seemed comfortable talking about certain things of his time as a Marine. I'm positive it brought back lots of bad memories. This is why it was never talked about in my own home growing up. My Dad was haunted by demons from his war experience as a medic and German POW for seven months.

One day while at a job site I asked Richard, "How close were you to the enemy in a typical skirmish?" Richard had a way of rapidly blinking his eyes when he was nervous or in deep thought. He didn't answer right away, got up, and picked up a rock that was about the size of a tennis ball.

"Throw this for me as far as you can." He said while handing it to me. I did and it went 60 feet, maybe a little farther.

"That's how close we were. You just threw a hand grenade." It was a sobering moment because I thought about how accurate rifles were at close range like that. In my head, I thought battles were fought at much greater distances.

Richard received great honors while in Vietnam. If I remember his story, he and his platoon were put in charge of a village. As best as I can understand it, Richard was the governor and he had to set up all sorts of services to help make life better for the Vietnamese people in the village. I'm certain he told me about a young teenage girl in the village that knew English. She acted as his translator. I so wish I would have tape-recorded all of this twenty-five years ago when he shared the story.

When the general flew in to give Richard his medals and awards for this great work, I remember him saying the general was very short and Richard was not to look down at him giving him eye contact. The general was very sensitive about his height. Someone took a photo of Richard getting the award or medal and I got to see this priceless moment in time captured with silver bromide crystals on photographic paper.

Being in the Marines no doubt helped polish Richard's amazing diligence, determination, and discipline. My guess is those qualities are beat into recruits in boot camp. I doubt they had to work hard with Richard as they were already instilled in him.

One of his funny war stories was about the transport ships that took him to Vietnam. It was hot and miserable on the ships and often the ships would stop in the ocean and Richard and hundreds of others who could swim jumped in the water to recreate and cool off.

The trouble was US Navy sailors were issued rifles and posted as lookouts on the deck to watch for sharks. At some point after swimming a few times, Richard watched the sailors practice their shooting skills. They would throw an empty 55-gallon drum overboard and use it as a target. Suffice it to say that many of the sailors couldn't hit the drum. If they couldn't hit a large floating drum, how in the world would they shoot a moving shark? I don't believe Richard swam after seeing this poor exhibition of marksmanship!

Speaking of marksmanship, Richard was an excellent shot and got all sorts of high marks for his skills and accuracy. I believe he had the highest rating for both rifle and the .45 1911 pistol.

Ask the Builder

I'll never forget Richard and his wife Linda being my biggest cheerleaders when I decided to stop building and invest all I had in my fledgling Ask the Builder media career. He always offered encouragement and supported me.

Just months after launching my Ask the Builder newspaper column, I started a talk-radio show on 1450 WMOH in Hamilton, OH. I was horrible on my first show. I'm almost certain Linda called in with a fake question to try to get me to calm down. After the show when I got home, Richard called me to tell me how great I was. He was so very good at being mendacious!

Richard and Linda gave Ask the Builder its first dollar. I'm sure you've seen this before in bars and other businesses where they frame the first dollar they get from their first customer. I still have the check for $1.25 they sent for the first Builder Bulletin I published. I framed the check and it was in my basement office. That framed check is now packed away in a box in my garage, but you can bet I'm going to dig it out and proudly display it in my current office.

The Swimming Pool

Richard and Linda had a giant above-ground swimming pool in their backyard. It was an oasis of fun and memories. I had an open invitation to come over and swim on hot humid Cincinnati days. My two youngest kids have great memories of these adventures. I have wonderful vivid memories etched into my gray cells.

I had just made the transition from builder to columnist and money was tighter than a banjo string at the Carter house. I couldn't even think of taking my kids to Kings Island - it was far too much money. Swimming at Richard's house cost $5 in gasoline to get there and back. My youngest daughter reminded me that we got into a rut listening to Van Halen songs going to and from Mr. Anserhan's house. That's how my young son pronounced his name.

One of the things we'd do each time is create the infamous Richard's Whirlpool.

"Let's make a whirlpool!" Richard would exclaim. Everyone would get next to the railing on the outer edge and we'd all try to run in the water around the pool in the same direction as fast as possible. This would get thousands of gallons of water swirling in the pool. It was exhausting trying to battle your way through the water, but fun.

Many a game of Marco Polo was played in this pool. My kids learned to swim in Richard's pool.

Here's Richard with his snorkel mask helping teach my youngest daughter how to swim with water wings and a floatie. RIP Richard!

Linda would always have hot dogs, hamburgers, macaroni and cheese, and other treats for us. She loved my kids as if they were her own. Richard did too.

Projects on Howard Road

Richard and I would never hesitate to help one another. If I needed service on my furnace or AC unit, Richard would fix it as a magic elf might do it. He'd always refuse to take money and for bigger jobs that took the better part of a day, I'd have to force it on him.

Many years ago his house needed a new shingle roof and I put it on with my two helpers in a couple of days. I remember helping Richard extend the drain pipe from his septic tank down into the creek that ran behind his house. The crazy plumber that installed the septic tank put it too deep into the ground. Idiot!

One day Richard came to a job site of mine and said, "I want to build a cool shed in the back yard. Do you have any tips?" I remember helping with much of the shed and framing the roof is a vivid memory because I was horribly sick with the flu when I did it. A task that should have taken two hours took all day I was so weak.

Richard set up a model train setup in the shed and it was his fun adult clubhouse if I remember correctly.

Music

Richard loved music. He liked all types. One of his favorite songs was Joe Walsh's Life's Been Good To Me. We would both enjoy it on many a day when we'd drive from my house to lunch at Skyline Chili in Kenwood.

Politics

Back in the mid-1990s, Richard was consumed by politics. He'd watch C-SPAN and would tell me all about exactly what this or that politician had said in a speech on the floor of Congress. I was so crazy busy trying to scratch out a living with my new Ask the Builder venture I had no time ever to watch any television. What's more, I had my head in the sand about politics in general at that point in my life.

Richard loved to go on and on about how this or that politician was lying or telling half-truths. Little did I realize that this was foreshadowing what I'd learn from Louis Katz, a prominent Amberley Village attorney that I served with on Amberley Village Council.

One day Lou said, "Tim, you know why when a person is sworn in that they have to say they'll tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth?"

"No, why?" I responded. I had never really thought about that oath.

"It's simple. A half-truth is a whole lie. Judges and juries need to hear the whole truth to make correct decisions in legal matters."

Richard thought the act of telling a half-truth was hateful.

Drifting Away

Unfortunately, the farther I walked down the pathway of my Ask the Builder media career, I noticed that Richard and I started to slowly drift apart. When I was still building, we would see each other frequently on the job site. Richard worked so very hard at staying connected after I started working from home and anytime he was working near my house, we'd always try to go out for lunch.

He'd stop by the house and come down to my basement office to get me. Off we'd go in his trademark white van filled with all the tools and parts he needed to service furnaces and AC units. He preferred Gold Star Chili over Skyline - my favorite - and he'd never complain if I nudged us to go to Skyline. We also had many a lunch at Pleasant Ridge Chili too.

When I moved to New Hampshire in the summer of 2008, I know it made Richard very sad. I hated leaving him, but it had been a life-long dream of mine to live in New Hampshire. I always encouraged him and Linda to drive up to visit, but he never was able to pull it off.

The phone calls became more and more infrequent over time, but I knew that we were still the best of friends. Looking back now, I can tell you I made a grave mistake of not calling Richard at least once a month to share what was new and how things were in New Hampshire. He subscribed to my weekly newsletter, but I should have given him a personal full report instead of him getting the version everyone else got.

I'm not ashamed to say I loved Richard, but my only regret is I never said those words to him.

When Linda called us here the day after Richard passed, she shared a funny anecdote. Richard always said he wanted to go first and he told Linda, "Be sure you put $300 in my pocket before they take me away."

"Why?" Linda asked the first time he said this.

"It's simple. I'll need it to pay your way into Heaven."

I hope he took enough money for me too! RIP Richard, I'm going to really miss you.

Author's Note:

Richard's wife Linda and his youngest son Scott discovered this page as I knew they would. It was important to me that it happen that way. Here's what Linda wrote:

"Tim, Thank you so much for this awesome honor to Richard. It brought happy tears to my eyes. It was right on target about him. You were his best friend also, no matter how far away you two were. I miss him terribly, and I will look forward to the day we are together again in God's home. This is the best tribute to him, and I love you for doing it. Take care, and I have an 8x10 picture of him at age 69, in my kitchen, he is flexing his muscles and was working out a lot then. I leave it there. He says to me "BE STRONG". I am trying, not easy, but in time?"

Here's what Scott sent:

"Thanks, Tim! You made my mom's day! He always talked so highly of you. He sure was good with that hammer. I will look for it soon. You take care of yourself and your family! Love, Scott"

I hope Scott does locate the hammer. It should be framed and passed down through the family for generations to come.

I met Scott, Linda, and Scott's girlfriend for breakfast in October, 2021 on a visit to Cincinnati. Scott shared with me a story he wrote about a fun experience he had with Richard one afternoon. I suggest you read it.

I shared this narrative with the 31,000 subscribers who received my November 1, 2020 FREE newsletter.

Tim Bucher

On October 25, 2021 I received the following email from Tim Bucher:

Just wanted to let you know they found the hammer! My name is Tim and I moved next door to Linda in July and just found your page today on the 1st year of Richard’s passing. I don’t think it’s on accident. I have never met Richard in person but I can’t help but feel his presence still here on Howard. Here’s the newspaper articles you mentioned. Richard installed the HVAC unit in our house in 1993 and it’s still working. Like you said “do it right”. Take care.

I responded and Tim then sent this:

I had a good laugh and a few tears reading your tribute to Richard. I myself have always been a skyline man too, but maybe tonight I'll get gold star and take it to Linda. Just reading what you wrote, Richard knew you loved him, I'm going to go crank up some Joe Walsh. I want to try to see if we can locate other recipients of the walking sticks he gave out of the years, Linda said it was over 100!, maybe we could get a picture of everyone or have a walk in Richard's name. I found one in my garage when we moved in, I like to think Richard left it for me. Meeting his family has given me a glimpse of who he was, and I feel obligated to do something to honor him.

We continued the email conversation over a few hours and he sent the following photo looking out of his window over to Richard's deck and the shed I helped Richard build. Tim is holding one of the walking sticks Richard made. I have one of the first ones he hand-crafted.

I asked Tim if I could re-publish the photo and he sent this:

You're looking at Richard's deck with his US Marines flag and Old Glory waving on a gorgeous April 24, 2022 day. That's the top of Tim Bucher's walking stick made by Richard. Photo courtesy of Tim Bucher

You sure can, however you want to reference me or the picture is fine. I read about the shed, I wanted it in the photo too. That shed is going to last longer than me!

Richard's Walking Sticks

Before I moved to New Hampshire, Richard gifted me a walking stick. Prior to this he had given me quite a few unique gifts. When this was happening, I had just started Ask the Builder and money was tighter than a banjo string. I was unable to reciprocate giving him gifts.

Look at the detail Richard put into this stick. My guess is as he made more of them, he became more creative. In the last photo, you can't see the violet color in the one circle very well, but it's vivid in person.

richard anderson walking stick

richard anderson walking stick close

richard anderson walking stick painted

richard p anderson walking stick for tim bucher

This is a walking stick made by Richard. Tim Bucher found it in his home when he moved next door to Richard's house.

Richard's Headstone

Richard's wife, Linda, stays in touch with me. We're dear friends and she was in many ways a fantastic aunt to my kids growing up. She loved all three of them and they talk about her and Richard frequently. The fun summer days swimming in the pool and eating Linda's delicious hamburgers, mac & cheese, beans, and ice cream are tattooed in their brains.

Linda was kind enough to send me this photo of the rear of their joint headstone. I'll never forget when Richard talked to me about buying his Cloud 9 flying machine. He was so excited. It was a two-seater and one day he took me for a ride. It was a marvelous experience. Richard immersed himself in flying and he did it with the same care, thought, and attention to detail he put into everything in his life.

I was unaware the following video existed. It was recorded by one of the top photographers of the Cincinnati Enquirer - Michael Keating. It brought me such pleasure watching it because I could HEAR Richard's voice again! Listen to the amount of pleasure flying gave Richard:

It's only fitting that this image of him be part of his legacy and I can only imagine what visitors to the cemetery might ponder, 'Who was this man who flew that contraption?" I'll tell you - He was my best friend.

richard anderson headstone

Move Pipes in Wall

Posted on October 26, 2020 by Tim Carter

QUESTION: Tim, I need you to weigh in on a remodeling conundrum. Two plumbers and one handyman say that two plumbing vent pipes can’t be relocated to an exterior wall. I took the drywall off the back of a linen closet to open up the space for my soaking tub. I want to have extra space for candles and wine bottles. I live where it can get really cold and they say this can be a problem. Do you know anything about plumbing? Can the vent pipes be moved, yes or no? Can I just cap them off below the floor? Also, what about moving wires and ductwork? Can that be accomplished? What’s involved when moving all these utilities? Suzanne B., Minneapolis, MN

Have you experienced that “Uh oh” moment at some point in your remodeling escapades over the years? You know, when you gleefully start to tear down a wall and find all sorts of unexpected things going up through and between the wall studs?

How easy is it to relocate pipes?

The fast answer for Suzanne is the vent pipes can be moved. I can say this with a considerable amount of authority as I’ve been a master plumber since age 29. The follow-up question might have been, “Tim, how easy will it be to relocate the pipes?”

That question can only be answered by a visit to the job site to see what framing is in the way and what additional demolition needs to be done to create a pathway that will allow the vent pipes to drain any condensate back into the drainage part of the plumbing system. Local codes may require the vent pipes be put in certain walls. That’s up to your local inspector.

CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE BIDS from local plumbers that can move vent pipes or water lines.

Can you cap off a vent pipe?

Never cap off vent pipes. These pipes are vital as they deliver air into the plumbing system. Most people think that the plumbing vent pipe up on the roof is like a factory chimney that exhausts smoke. Vent pipes work in reverse. They deliver air down into the system each time you flush a toilet, drain a sink, or run water into a fixture. The moving water not only pushes air ahead of it as it travels to a septic tank or sewer, but it can also create a vacuum as a slug of water passes a drainage branch within the system.

You can see the two vent pipes combine to become one. You can move these to the exterior wall in almost all cases.

Why do vent pipes need to be sloped?

Vent pipes need to be installed just like regular plumbing drain pipes. They need to have a slope so that any condensation that does form in the pipes can drain by gravity into the plumbing system on its way to the septic tank or sewer. This same condensation can be a pesky problem in cold climates as hoarfrost can choke off a vent pipe. This is why in very cold climates the main vent stack is often full-sized and a 4-inch-diameter pipe. The larger pipe size means that much more frost must form to choke off the air supply.

Can vent pipes be installed on a cold exterior wall?

Vent pipes on exterior walls in cold climates should be located in such a way as to be as far from the cold exterior wall surface as is reasonably possible. You want as much insulation space between the pipe and the outer wall to hopefully keep the pipe temperature just above freezing.

Can electrical wiring be relocated?

Electrical wiring can also be relocated in a remodeling job. There can be significant challenges and the paramount thing you must realize is you or a worker should never ever bury a junction box. If you have to create a splice to add additional wiring, the junction box must be visible. You can often achieve this in a closet.

I always wrote a note and included a small drawing in the junction box of what had to be done to move the cable. Trust me when I say a future electrician will cherish reading this note. It might help him diagnose some future problem within the circuit as he’d have no idea that remodeling work might have happened fifty years prior.

move pipes in wall

Are HVAC ducts hard to relocate?

Heating and cooling ductwork is, by far, the hardest thing to relocate. The size of the pipes and ducts in the first challenge. The second more sinister issue is poor performance because extra fittings and ductwork need to be added to make the change.

The addition of a 90-degree bend to a typical heating or cooling duct line is like adding ten extra feet of pipe. The air moving through a heating or cooling duct is very sensitive to extra friction caused by additional fittings or pipe. More friction equals less conditioned air being delivered to the room where it’s needed.

Be sure to have a frank discussion with your HVAC professional about this if the room being served by the ductwork is currently on the edge of being comfortable in extreme hot or cold weather.

Will photographs during construction help future remodeling?

If you’re building a new home or a large room addition, you can do yourself, remodeling contractors, and future homeowners a huge favor. Try to take as many photos of all the walls, ceilings, and floors in your new home or room addition as possible before utilities are covered with drywall or insulation. Store these photos on a simple storage device like an SD card or micro-SD card. These are so very inexpensive and can hold thousands of photos.

This is a micro SD card as of October 2020. Who knows what we'll be using in 2030! CLICK on THE IMAGE to order one.

Put this memory card in a plastic bag and label it. Tape this bag to the front or inside cover of the circuit-breaker panel. You have no idea how valuable these photos will be to someone in the future and they’ll toast you that day at lunch or dinner!

Column 1377

October 25. 2020 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on October 26, 2020 by Tim Carter

Will wonders never cease? Lookie lookie, another new subscriber! You, yes you! I reserve this first paragraph each week to honor your presence. Thanks for subscribing.

I know, I can hear you! “Tim, for the love of God, I’m NOT new! Each week you greet me as if I just subscribed an hour ago.” Do you know that when you reply to me saying that I actually chortle out loud in my office and thank Charlie Murdock? It’s all about the singular and plural use of a magic word, isn’t it?

Autumn in New Hampshire

Autumn is my favorite season. I love the cool days, crisp mornings, and the ocular-delight show Mother Nature puts on here in the Northeast. This fall the colors started out drab. I thought it was going to be a so-so season because we had a very dry summer.

I was wrong. Some of the tree colors are so vibrant, you'd think they were fake. Here are a few photos of some of the color here this year.
Fall in NH October 2020
This is Pheasant Ridge Golf Course. You're looking down on the pond that dominates the second hole. Far in the distance above the red and orange trees, you can see a sliver of Lake Winnisquam. My house is off to the right above the golden tee box on the other side of the pond.

CLICK or TAP HERE to see more stunning tree photos of the golf course from this past Thursday. I was with my good buddy Glen Aldrich, one of my NH state representatives. Did you know that the NH state house has over 400 legislators? I believe we're second only to the US Congress House of Representatives. That's pretty unique for such a small state!

BTW, I got my money's worth on Thursday if you divide the cost to play 18 holes by my score, I only paid 47 cents a shot!
Tim's Dock
This is my dock on Lake Winnisquam. It cranks up out of the water like a castle drawbridge. I'll be turning that winch crank in a few weeks. I prefer to leave the dock in the water as long as possible because I like to walk out to the end of it this time of year. It's a good place to reset your thoughts and absorb the last waning soul food the liquid water offers up. Once the lake freezes, it's just not the same standing on the shore. At least not for me.

That said, if you get bored in the winter you can play golf on the lake. CLICK or TAP HERE to see me do just that!

Gambling BIG $$$$$

Today I’ve decided to share a few brief summaries of typical emails I get each week. The common denominator in all of them is they require a discussion. A one or two-sentence reply won't suffice to transmit all you need to know. The questions and situations are often complex and after decades of answering tens of thousands of questions, I know each person will have three or four follow-up questions.

Can you imagine how much time you might invest with one person?

Often if you don’t have a discussion, you could end up making a very poor decision that might cost you thousands of dollars down the road.

Over ninety-nine percent of the time, the person emailing me decides to fly solo. I never hear back from them after suggesting they invest in a simple phone call with me.

For example, Nancy from Williamsburg, Mystery State asked, “Is it safe to cut a 1 x 12 with a 10-inch miter saw? If so, what is the best method?”

Can you imagine how much I’d have to type to make sure she doesn’t end up in the ER with two of her fingers in a bag of ice water?

Ben, a young man from Drakesboro, KY wrote, “This is a building history question. I bought a commercial building built in 1890. While doing some floor repairs, I noticed the t&g hardwood on both sides of the 30 ft wide by 100 ft long structure had gaps about 2 inches wide between the last three or four runs. The original owner had funds to build a quality building. So, running out of the material does not seem to be a good excuse for the odd spacing just about a foot along the edges for the 100 ft length. I am baffled at what was found. It was an undertaking shop and he also sold furniture, stoves, and wallpaper. Thank you for any help you can provide.”

Here’s a photo he sent. Can you imagine the back-and-forth discussion we’d have?
Ben's old tongue and groove flooring

Rita, who hails from Perrysburg, OH wrote, “What can cause a wet spot on the ceiling? This is just a wet spot and has never dripped water. The painter says it is a roof leak and the roofer says it is not. I thought I read somewhere that this can be caused by pipes but I cannot find anything on it and I just don't remember the details. I fixed the spot once and it happened again so I need to find out the cause before I try to fix the water spot again.”

Oh my, I probably could write about 5,000 words about that one! How many things can you come up with that could cause wet spots on a ceiling?

BOTTOM LINE: Here at Ask the Builder, we use the buddy system. Be smart and invest in a discussion with me. Think of what you can do with the money you save! WOOT!

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

Lead Paint HAZARD

A very dear friend of mine told me two days ago that her one-year-old granddaughter had a standard check-up blood test come back positive for elevated lead.

This youngster and her parents live in a house that’s about 100-years-old, and I happen to know for a fact, it’s filled with lead paint both inside and outside. You need to be very careful in situations like this.

Please READ my past column about lead paint danger. CLICK or TAP HERE and prevent serious health issues for you and your loved ones.

More Ocular Delights for You

Do you like gazing? It can be productive and provide delicious food for your soul.

CLICK or TAP HERE and let me know what you think of some of the photos. I think #33 might be my favorite. I’d love to have been part of that project.

Why Are Some Rooms COLD?

Old Man Winter is almost here. You might have a few rooms in your home that are always cold. Do you want to know how the HVAC contractor screwed up?

I thought so. CLICK or TAP HERE and don’t let it happen again.

That’s enough for a Sunday.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
WTH? What’s Stopping You? www.StainSolver.com
1st 60-Meter Contact - www.W3ATB.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

P.S. Would you like a wood vaulted ceiling? Of course, you would! CLICK or TAP HERE to see what’s involved.

American Standard Saybrook Filtered Kitchen Faucet

Posted on October 24, 2020 by Tim Carter

American Standard Saybrook | This is a dandy faucet that can deliver filtered drinking water with the touch of a button. See the end of the faucet with the button? You can pull that down about 16 inches to easily rinse things out or to rinse the sink. CLICK or TAP HERE to get one for your home.

American Standard Saybrook Filtered Kitchen Faucet - Beefy!

I've been a master plumber since age 29 and have installed countless faucets. I decided to switch out my basement kitchen faucet and install the American Standard Saybrook Filtered Faucet.

It was a breeze, but only because I've done lots of jobs like this.

This faucet is well-made and I can tell you it will last for quite a long time. The tip of the faucet is attached to a hose so you can pull it down to easily rinse things out.

Were the Installation Instructions Great?

Honestly, I thought the written installation instructions were lacking. I feel a DIYr that has never put in a faucet before will struggle and get frustrated faster than you can say, "Hand me the basin wrench." The instructions rely on illustrations to try to get you to do everything right, but if you don't know how to interpret the small parts, you'll miss a step.

Did You Have any Leaks?

No. American Standard designed all the hose connections so they have the correct compression washers or o-rings. It was really easy to create a leak-free installation with just an adjustable wrench.

What Tools Did you Need?

I needed the following tools to remove the old faucet and install the new one:

plumber's basin wrench
Phillips #2 screwdriver
8-inch adjustable wrench - two of them

How Long Did It Take You?

It only took me 90 minutes at a leisurely pace to remove the old sink faucet and have this one operational.

What Important Tips Can You Share?

Read the instructions and try to understand them.
Assemble all the tools you need before you start.
REMOVE the aerator before you turn on the water! Be careful about misplacing the small black washer!
Get a large plastic zip-lock bag and put the manual, the special aerator-removal wrench, and the filter box in the bag. Tape this bag to the side of the sink base cabinet for you, a plumber, or a future homeowner.

This is the old faucet I was replacing.

The old faucet is gone and I've cleaned and polished the shelf of the stainless-steel sink. Don't skip this step.

Here's the finished faucet. I'd recommend this to any family member, friend, or YOU! CLICK or TAP HERE to purchase one now.

Check out my review of the OUTlet. Uh oh. It was a great idea, but they don't always work. Sorry!

Jack Up Floor Joists

Posted on October 20, 2020 by Tim Carter

The Saga of the Sagging Floor | See that cream-colored painted wood in between the two garage doors? Behind it is a wood column that’s rotting away causing the living-room floor above the garage to sag. Copyright 2020 Tim Carter

QUESTION: Howdy, Tim. Well, I really need your advice. I’m thinking of re-siding my house and it’s time to bite the bullet about repairing a structural issue that’s been getting worse each year. The floor in my living room has sagged two inches! The cause has been traced to a support column in between my two garage doors. I’m terrified as to what this might cost to repair and I have no idea what’s involved. Have you ever had to do a similar repair and who is best suited to correct the problem? What kind of column would you install so it never happens again? Stephen L., Worcester, MA

Why Do Floor Joists Sag?

Do you have a sagging floor like Stephen’s? They’re more common than you might think. In my opinion, the most common causes of sagging floors are wood-eating insects, wood rot caused by water leaks, undersized beams, and lastly soil settlement. There are other possible causes but in my experience the ones above account for much of the misery.

Jacking Up Joists - True Story

Years ago, a married couple hired me to build a room addition and complete a kitchen remodel job. They were so pleased with my work they then re-hired me to do lots of remodeling work on an existing home they moved to as their family grew. The house had a horrible sagging floor situation in the center of the house. An undersized beam in the basement was to blame and I fixed it by installing a new column in the basement.

I had to cut into the basement concrete floor to pour a new 3-foot by 3-foot by 1-foot-thick concrete footing pad. Once that was cured, I rented two house-lifting screw jacks. I installed cribbing on the new footer pad to support the jacks allowing myself space to install a new 4-inch steel column under the sagging beam once we had it re-leveled.

The trick is to lift the floor slowly. There was a staggering 3-inch dip in the floor so I decided to lift the floor 1/4 inch per day. It was easy to do and since I was in the house doing other work. I didn’t have to make all sorts of special trips back and forth to the house to adjust the jacks each morning.

In two weeks, the job was finished. Once the old beam was level again, I got the precise measurement I needed between the bottom of the beam and the top of the concrete pad. In one day my welder cut the steel pipe and welded on plates so I could bolt the column to the concrete footer and to the underside of the wood beam. I had the welder drill a hole near the top of the column so we could fill it with dry sand. This prevents the steel column from bending in the event of a house fire.

Should I Expose a Support Column?

The first step in Stephen’s journey is to expose the support column in between the two garage doors to see what might be the problem. Wood rot from water leakage or an insect issue should be straight forward. It’s important to realize if you see carpenter ants, they usually only like to live and tunnel in soft, moist wood so the issue is most likely a leak.

Settling soil can be a tougher problem to trace. If the support column is not rotted nor eaten by insects, then you need to start to look for other clues that might indicate the footing or foundation below the column has dropped. Check the garage floor for cracks around the support column and use a level to see if the floor is sloping to that area.

Should I Hire a Structural Engineer?

I feel the best money Stephen could spend on the job is to hire a residential structural engineer. CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE BIDS from local structural engineers for your job. This professional has dealt with similar issues and can create a drawing that will communicate to bidding contractors exactly what needs to be done to fix the problem. Don’t allow a contractor to tell you he knows what to do unless he happens to also be a registered structural engineer.

Should I Use Steel Support Columns?

I’m very partial to using steel for support columns. It’s stronger than wood in almost all instances and it’s easy to have a local welder create exactly what the engineer might draw. Just about every engineer will allow the contractor to use solid-steel shims to make it easy to install custom-length steel columns.

How Do You Support Joists?

It’s very important that the engineer show in his drawings how to temporarily support the floor or the house as the repair work is being done. What’s more, be sure the engineer makes a recommendation to the amount of lift the contractor can do each day. You don’t ever want to try to jack up a beam in one hour that’s sagged 3 inches!

When Should I Get Bids From Contractors?

Once you’ve got the engineer’s plan, it’s time to start talking to remodeling contractors. These pros have the required skills. It’s vital you interview them and ask for at least three references where they have had to fix a similar structural issue. You want to call those homeowners to ask how everything turned out. You don’t want to be the contractor’s guinea pig for goodness sake!

Keep in mind steel columns come both round and square. Welders can do all sorts of things to make it easy for you to attach wood to the steel column should that be required. I always used the square columns on my jobs as I found them infinitely easier to work with.

Column 1375

Build a Real Tree House

Posted on October 20, 2020 by Tim Carter

Build a Real Tree House | You need very special hardware and suspension materials to build a real house supported by three, or more, trees. You also need a special engineer to make sure it’s all going to work. Copyright 2020 Tim Carter

QUESTION: Tim, I was spending a lazy weekend afternoon gazing at countless photos of actual treehouses that one could live in. I was intrigued and am seriously thinking of building one. Mind you, I’m not talking about some little box kids might play in and use a clubhouse. I’m talking a real two-bedroom home with everything you’d have in a home that’s built on a typical foundation on the ground. What’s involved in making this happen? Is it foolhardy? Will the house get damaged in a windstorm? Becky S., Rockfall, CT

Have you spent a dreamy afternoon or two as Becky did? I know I have. About ten years ago after first moving to New Hampshire, I thought about building a separate tiny structure up on a giant piece of exposed granite on my land. My oldest daughter had shown me a stunning photo of an enclosed deck surrounded by giant glass windows. The caption of the photo called it a lantern room.

I was mesmerized with this concept and went so far as to seriously think about building a two-room structure surrounded by nothing but glass. After a few days, the magic wore off. It’s a good thing because it would have been a nightmare to get to it in snowy weather much less heat it in the winter!

Can you build a treehouse?

An entire industry has blossomed because of folks like Becky. You absolutely can build a treehouse, a real house surrounding a single tree or suspended in between three, or more, trees. Wind is your biggest enemy when it comes to treehouses. Trees sway back and forth in heavy winds.

This is the tree house I stayed in for three days. It was in Ellsworth, Maine.

Will a treehouse get damaged by the wind?

A well-engineered treehouse will not be damaged in windstorms because it will float on a suspension system that’s connected to the trees. There are all sorts of systems and it’s going to require quite a bit of research as well as field trips to see which one you feel will work best. If you were to bolt the house support beams directly to the trees, the wind would tear the house apart as it stretches and squeezes the house.

Look at the special white slide plates that ensure the house is not ripped apart when it's windy.

How do you know if a tree will support a treehouse?

Before you get too involved in the project, I think the first person I’d consult with would be a certified arborist. I’d want to know if the trees I’m thinking of working with are strong, disease-resistant, and well-suited for holding up a house for 50, or more, years. I know for a fact not all trees are equal and some are far weaker than others. I’d want to know how fast the diameter of the tree increases so the ones supporting the house don’t start to get too close to the exterior finishes.

Once I knew the trees would work, I’d then go travel to see no less than five actual treehouses and talk with the owners. Most are proud of their structures and will almost always share their trials and tribulations. You can even stay in one for a weekend like I did in Downeast Maine. I highly recommend looking online for treehouses that you can rent for a night or weekend. Take lots of photos to see what you like and don’t like. Pay attention to how the house was connected to the trees and how all the utilities stretch up from the ground into the house.

This is the delightful outdoor shower I used while staying at this tree house.

Are construction costs higher for a treehouse vs a normal house?

Be aware that your construction costs are very likely going to be higher than those for a normal house. The builder will face all sorts of challenges working up in and around the trees that will undoubtedly slow him down. Address this topic with the owners of the treehouses you visit. You can diplomatically talk about this speaking in generalities and ranges of prices.

You need to make sure the trees don't hit the house!

How do I find a contractor to build the treehouse?

I feel one of your biggest challenges will be finding a builder who can do the job. My guess is very few builders have built a treehouse. It’s okay to use a builder who has not done one, but he needs to be extremely detail-oriented and he needs to prove to you that he has completed other projects that had very unique engineering challenges he successfully overcame. You must go visit those projects and talk with the homeowners. Do not simply trust what the builder tells you. There’s too much at risk.

CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE BIDS from local Tree House builders.

You can also watch any number of online videos about treehouse construction and the types of suspension systems that are available. Pay attention to all the different products used and try to locate videos showing the methods the builders used to work up in the air. Scaffolding comes to mind, but your wooded situation may not be such a friendly place for pipe scaffolding.

The inside of a tree house can have all sorts of interesting features. Be sure you install a 5-foot diameter staircase, not a narrow 4-foot one like this.

Lastly, you should give serious consideration to all the exterior materials. Think about future maintenance. Imagine how much effort it might be to paint the house or do other things to keep the exterior in excellent shape.

This project will require an enormous amount of preplanning and due diligence if you don’t want your dream to transform into a nightmare. Take plenty of time to parse all the parts of your vision so you don’t overlook something that will leave you awake at night!

Column 1376

October 18, 2020 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on October 19, 2020 by Tim Carter

How are you today? I think you could be a new subscriber! I devote this top paragraph to you. It’s always a pleasure to meet a new subscriber.

On the other hand, you very likely could be a subscriber who’s like a fine wine, getting better with each issue. You’ve been with me so long there could be a layer of dust on your first issue dating back from all those years ago.

Some people dust every other week out of force of habit, and if you’re one, you might try an electric leaf blower for the task. It’s so fast!

CLICK or TAP HERE to see one I’ve used to remove dust from things. I’m telling you, don’t discount using one around or in your home. Inside, be sure to use an electric one.

Pro Dusting Tips: Be sure to use strong adhesive tape to secure irreplaceable family photos on your mantle or walls when directing the blower air at them. Turn on the whole-house fan and open key windows to suck all dust up into the attic and out of your house.

Pumpkin Carving Saw

If you had to carve a pumpkin in less than two minutes, do you think you could do it? I did it two nights ago!

CLICK or TAP HERE to see how fast I did it. Ignore the items on the island! Nothing to see there.

Exploding Alkaline Batteries!

Alan lives in Rochelle Park, NJ, and sent me an urgent communique’ this past week.

He was replacing a triple-A battery in a bicycle light when in another room an older AAA alkaline battery EXPLODED.
exploding battery

Alan said, “The battery had been sitting on a table on the first floor for about a week. I was upstairs and my wife was on her computer about 9 feet away from the battery when it blew up. We have no idea what triggered it.”

Let this be a warning to you. Dispose of old batteries properly and keep them away from any flammable materials. Punch some large air holes in a closed metal container where you intend to place the old batteries. These holes allow explosive forces to hopefully prevent the lid from blasting into the stratosphere. Store the batteries outdoors in case they explode before you can get them to the recycling center.

Noisy Neighbors in Apartment Building

Mary reached out to me days ago. She hails from Rockfall, CT, and had this great question, “What are the absolute BEST blown-in soundproofing materials for an apartment wall that I share with my neighbor? It's just a sheetrock wall. This is HUD housing and the management company here is willing to do this. I will also contribute to the cost to help save my sanity. Any other ideas would be very much welcomed. I trust your judgment and I love your column in the Hartford Courant!”

Let’s start with Mary’s last comment about my syndicated newspaper column. Do you read my column in your local paper? If so here’s a Pro Tip.

My guess is you might like several features in your local or online newspaper. If so, you should periodically write a pithy letter to the editor sharing with her/him WHY you like the feature. Give some examples of how it’s made you laugh, allowed you to make the perfect cake, or in my instance, perhaps I saved you a boatload of money and time.

Editors NEED periodic positive feedback from readers. Without this, they could start to think NO ONE likes a feature.

They’ll cancel it, replacing it with something else and believe me, it’s next to impossible to get them to change their minds. Understand, in my case, lots of editors get negative comments from contractors or manufacturers I call out in my columns. So I need your help to keep my column in your paper.

Now back to Mary’s issue with her sound problem. Sound is transmitted through the air as soon as something starts to vibrate. Thick dense walls and floors in older homes are harder to get to vibrate than thin crap walls in newer apartment buildings and condos.

CLICK or TAP HERE to get a feel about how to make things soundproof in your home. It can be done to an existing home, apartment, or condo with some effort. You need to think of your room or house as a ship at sea! This will make sense once you read the above column.

Granite Cobblestones - Great Edging

Here’s a photo of granite cobblestone edging next to the tar and chip driveway at my previous home in Cincinnati, Ohio. CLICK or TAP HERE to see amazing photos and a VIDEO of how this colored driveway was installed.

Did you know you can often purchase salvaged granite cobblestones? If those aren’t available, you can most certainly obtain new ones.

Granite cobblestones can have an interesting history. I cover that in this column you should peer at. You might be able to get granite that was harvested in Europe of all places!

CLICK or TAP HERE to watch a video about how easy it is to install granite cobblestones at your home.

Installing Flashings on Metal Roofs

Ken, who lives in sunny and on-fire California, did an extensive phone consult call with me several days ago. He had a metal roof installed on his house a few years ago and has been wringing his hands about all of the flashings that surround pipes and vents poking up through the roof.

The installers smeared a bunch of caulk around them like this:
ken's metal roof pipe caulk

Can you see what’s wrong with this installation technique? How do feathers on a bird work? Have you engaged your God-given critical-thinking skills as to how asphalt shingles work with gravity to keep you dry?

You do know that caulking is NOT a permanent roofing material, right? The sun's ultraviolet light destroys caulk as you might crush an oyster cracker in your hand.

Do you have a clue how tinsmiths installed flashings 150 years ago with NO CAULK? Would you like to see how they did it?

I thought so. Ken asked me to make a video for him so he can do the roof repair himself saving thousands of dollars. Would you believe he was quoted $5,000.00 to do the work? I feel Ken could most likely accomplish modifying the flashings in about eight hours. If so, the money Ken invested in the phone consult and the video creation is going to pay off in spades.

Since I don’t have a metal roof with GOOFED-UP flashings to fix, I decided to make a model for the video using a paper cup and some old file folders.

CLICK or TAP HERE and you’ll be amazed at how SMART those old tinsmiths were!

You need to understand I’ve installed lots of flashings in metal roofs for decades using this method and I’ve never had a leak.

That’s quite enough for a Sunday.

Oh, one more thing. After church today, I’m going on a walk down my street with Tamara. She’s a neighbor and board member of my association. She wants me to explain why all of a sudden we’re getting washouts along the pavement.

So simple! I made this fast drawing for Tamara to share with the other board members. You do know that roads have crowns. Why of course you knew that!

road shoulders Image

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
Best Darn Cleaner - www.StainSolver.com
Solved South Arm! - www.W3ATB.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

P.S. How do I stay warm in my cave above my FREEZING COLD garage all winter? I thought you’d never ask. CLICK or TAP HERE and watch the short videos.