Welcome! Have you ever been a guest at an event or attended a club meeting as the newest member? Odds are you were introduced to the membership at the opening of the meeting because you’re a person of distinction! That’s precisely why each week I devote this hallowed first paragraph to welcome you, one of my newest subscribers of distinction!

Do you enjoy music? It can soothe the soul or make you want to get up and dance! I listen to a variety of music while this newsletter shags out of my gray cells. This week’s song most of us can relate to. I’ve got some accumulated occupational hearing loss, so if you're calling to me, I can't hear what you've said, then you say, go slow and I fall behind.

CLICK or TAP HERE and allow this very classic love ballad to saturate you with fond memories.

This part of my newsletter is dedicated to you whether you've been a subscriber for a week, nine months, or twenty years. I’m so glad you take the time to open the newsletter and I hope you find some great information each week. I’m sure if given the chance, you’d clap and welcome the fifty or so new subscribers that have signed on in the past few days.

There’s a possibility you’ve been a subscriber so long you remember the column I wrote about long-forgotten cedar closets. Aromatic eastern red cedar closets are unfortunately transitioning from history to legend to myth just as are tub and shower access panels.

My mother’s cedar chest sits just outside my cave and I think of her each time I walk by it. What amazing memories appear in my head each time I get a whiff of the tantalizing cedar aroma. CLICK or TAP HERE to discover how this time-tested technology is still available to you! Guess what? You can easily revitalize older cedar so it smells fresh and strong once again!

GE Washing Machine Update

I’ve been TESTING a new GE washing machine for almost a year.

It’s time to share with you what I REALLY think about the machine. CLICK or TAP HERE if you’re thinking of getting a new washing machine. SERIOUSLY - you need to read what I now think.

Ethel’s Flood Disaster

Several days ago, I was on the phone with Ethel, her son, and her daughter Rebecca. They live in Chicago and had a flooding disaster from heavy rain that caused water to burst up into a basement window well and then breach the window. It was horrible.

Multiple things caused the flood in her basement. Here’s a partial list:

• Ethel’s builder set the house’s foundation too deep into the ground CLICK or TAP HERE for the solution
• Neighbor’s downspouts, ten feet away, are discharging water directly towards Ethel’s house CLICK or TAP HERE for the BEST WAY to install downspout drains
• Ethel’s own roof water may not be piped to the lowest part of her lot or connected to approved city storm drains

I could go on and on. Fortunately, my college degree is in geology with a focus on hydrogeology - the study of groundwater. I’ve solved thousands of drainage issues like Ethel’s and was able to calm her nerves by sharing exactly what she needs to do to make sure this is the last flood she’ll endure.

CLICK or TAP HERE to discover how I’d solve her problem.

CLICK or TAP HERE to order a DVD that shows you how easy it is to solve wet basement or crawlspace issues. It also works for solving soggy wet yards!

CLICK or TAP HERE if you want me to call you on the phone and help you solve your soggy basement issues or ANY PROBLEM at your home.

The Fun Quiz

Okay, okay, Sunday’s quiz might have stretched the limits of your gray cells. Did you pick the wrong answer as I did? Who knew that you can mix a special tree sap with real gold dust to repair pottery? Stop gloating if you got it right. You’re in a no-buff-fingernails zone, you know.

Are you aware that my college degree is in geology? Silly, I just mentioned that above. Let’s see what you know about glaciers!

Some glaciers, contrary to what you see on the news, feel the need, the need for SPEED. But it’s not what you think! Hah!

CLICK or TAP HERE and I absolutely guarantee you’ll discover something that will make you say, “Tim, where in the world do you come up with these fun facts?!”

Blue Clorox Stains Marble EMERGENCY!

Mandy lives in Westport, CT. She was frantic when she discovered that Clorox toilet-cleaning tablets stained her marble floor. Here’s what she submitted on my Ask Tim page:

“Clorox tablets leaked onto my white marble floor and now there is a big blue stain. How do I get this out? If possible? Please help!”

What do you think I sent back to Mandy?

Wait, wait. I worry that you thought I might have told her to use my Stain Solver to get rid of the stain. You know me well but this time my response might surprise you.

What I told her was, “Mandy, when you reached out to Clorox via their HELP number or webpage, what did they tell you?”

Her response was pretty standard, “I did not call the hotline. I didn’t think of it.”

BINGO! Each week I must get at least ten emergency requests from homeowners like Mandy.

I responded back, “Who betters knows the product than the company that made it? Reach out to them for the best methods to remove the stain.” Mandy thanked me and said she’d get back with their response.

Depending on the emergency, you can change up my response to say, “... reach out to them for the best installation methods.” Or, I might have written, “... reach out to them for the best way to remove the product.”

Here’s what you shouldn’t do:

• Listen to and take advice from people that don’t back up the warranty or from rank amateurs
• Begin doing amateur chemistry experiments that might make the stain worse and/or RUIN the marble
• Panic - in almost all cases there’s a fix - RELAX

Fixing Puddles on Concrete

Check out this photo Amy sent to me:

How might you fix this problem? What should you do if you have a puddle on a driveway or sidewalk?

CLICK or TAP HERE to discover how I’d solve the problem!

That’s enough for a Thursday.

On Sunday, I’ll have a special edition. I'll share with you a chapter from the book I recently wrote for my kids. You'll meet my dad, whose life was defined by the sacrifices he made in the great World War ll.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
BEST DARN CLEANER - www.StainSolver.com
Send Kelp - www.W3ATB.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

P.S. Summer’s just around the bend. It’s already hot down South. Does your central AC leave lots to be desired?

Do you wonder WHY your AC doesn’t keep you cool in ALL ROOMS in your house? Do you have to wear a puffer jacket downstairs and a skimpy swimsuit on the second floor? Guess what? I know how to make each room the same temperature.

CLICK or TAP HERE and discover why your AC is performing as poorly as a pony cart with square wheels.

Hey, I think I see a new subscriber! It's you! After writing my newsletter for nigh on twenty-five years, I’ve gotten pretty good at spotting newcomers! Welcome and thanks for signing up. I think you’ll like the prizes I have in store for you in this issue.

You should know I listen to music while creating the newsletter. It always puts me in a great mood. There was a time when I could call you up invest a dime and you say you belong to me to ease my mind. What am I listening to? CLICK or TAP HERE to discover what song put a smile on my face as I typed these words.

CLICK or TAP HERE to get your groove on listening to past newsletter songs. Most of them cause me to dance and flail my arms around up in my cave!

I know, you’re one of my seasoned subscribers! I remember you, silly! Speaking of seasoning, do you remember what I did to win the war against the pesky woodpecker?

CLICK or TAP HERE to see what that winged devil bird did to my house in just a few days! But better yet, CLICK or TAP to see what I did to STOP HIM/HER!

John’s Roof Paint

A few days ago, John invested in one of my 15-Minute Consult calls. He didn’t want to make a mistake repainting the roof of his Florida home. John told me it’s already reaching the mid-90s there each day so you might imagine how hot his roof is to the touch.

John was interested in my opinion about paint colors. The conversation was fascinating and within five minutes I had decided to do a test for him. Since he’s not painting for three weeks, I have plenty of time. Once my test is complete, I’ll email the results to John.

You may be wondering about the fine points of our conversation. I’m going to share all that and much more when I publish my test results next week.

Look at the pieces of metal I painted after hanging up from the call.

Isn’t that interesting? Most of us don’t hang up anymore from a call. That sure ages me! Here’s a photo of the phone I used to call my first girlfriend as well as the few others that would go out with me. You did have to hang the handset back up in the cradle. Now, of course, you just swipe or tap a button.

I told John I’d put the three painted samples out on my deck table on the next really sunny day, about 30 minutes before solar noon. Solar noon is when the sun is as high in the sky as it’s going to get that day. The sun’s rays are most intense at this point of the day because they go through the least amount of atmosphere. But, you probably knew that.

Once the samples get nice and toasty warm, which should only take a few minutes, I’ll snap some photos using my FLIR infrared camera. CLICK or TAP HERE to see my growing collection of infrared photos taken with the FLIR.

The painted metal samples are vibrant green, white, and flat black. You probably know which one will be the hottest, but will you be able to guess the temperature spread between the three? WATCH for this upcoming report!

The Fun Quiz

How much fun is my new easy-to-play one-question quiz?

If I’m able to satisfy my older sister, then I know I’m hitting the mark. Here’s what she shared with me a few days ago, “By the way, I enjoy your new games (quizzes) of interesting facts. I’ve only had one winner....”

It’s important to realize that we kid each other incessantly, most often in the age department. She tendered an excuse for her inability to get more answers right.

But being the loving younger brother, I didn’t take a swing at that softball pitch across the plate even though I could have hit a grand slam home run with it. I love you, Big Sister!

Please take a look at the quiz illustration for today. It’s just below. Each panel represents one of the five answers.

If these drawings I made for you don’t convince you to invest 30 seconds taking the quiz, NOTHING WILL.

I GUARANTEE you’ll discover a very cool fact you can share with your friends and family! CLICK or TAP HERE and have some FUN.

Hose Bib Dreams Come True

I’ll be honest. I never thought a mundane topic like hose bibs would garner your attention. It’s a good thing I didn’t go to the line bet desk in a casino and wager!

I knew the magic wand question would generate some very interesting answers. Here are a few of my favorites:

“Hot water to a hose bib, wonderful, but that’s a dream!”

“Attachable. Quick-release.”

“Easy connection, doesn't leak, can provide hot water”

“Have two faucets, hot and cold that could be mixed to make warm water.”

I think you see two common themes here, right? Look at this photo of the hose faucet (bib) I'm about to install at my own home.

CLICK or TAP HERE and understand that dreams do, indeed, come true.

You MUST CLICK or TAP HERE to see two unbelievable and AFFORDABLE hose faucets.

I GUARANTEE you'll buy ONE OF THEM and have it installed in an hour or two.

Painting Your Rusty Stuff

It’s that time of year where you may be re-painting something that gets wet and rusty outdoors. Look at this photo and tell me which of the two paint samples you’d want to use:

I intend to repaint the inside of a steel wheelbarrow I use.

Fortunately, I know the BEST paint to use for steel so it will take a while for it to rust again.

CLICK or TAP HERE do discover what paint I’ll be using.

Phil’s Water Damage Drywall Repair

Phil’s a virtual friend of mine. You may be one too. I’m so very lucky to have made friends with folks all over the world via this newsletter.

Phil lives in Australia and has helped me in the past with many ideas about AsktheBuilder.com. It was time for me to reciprocate by helping him with a water issue he has at his home.

CLICK or TAP HERE to see what I have to say about:

• an ingenious way to STOP the water damage
• an easy-to-use product to do the repair
• a secret tip about painting corner bead

That’s enough for a Sunday, wouldn’t you say?

The wretched black flies are flitting around here in central New Hampshire. I’m convinced God was having a rough morning climbing over boulders and logs when He created these despicable insects.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
GET CLEAN - www.StainSolver.com
Happiness Comes in Waves - www.W3ATB.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

P.S. Riddle me this:

What’s the best cleaner for stainless steel sinks? Better yet, what's the WORST thing you can do to a stainless steel sink other than try to clean a motorcycle engine in one? Yes, it’s been done…

CLICK or TAP HERE to see if you know this factoid.

ATTENTION! Will all new subscribers kindly move to the front of the greeting line.

Why? Don’t be silly, it should be so obvious.

Welcome! Be aware that I love, love, love listening to music when I create this missive. Allow me to probe your past liquid-courage experiences.

Have you ever been drinking beer at noon on a Tuesday at that bar across from the giant car wash? What song am I listening to now? CLICK or TAP HERE and be prepared to start dancing no matter where you are or what you’re wearing!

Are you one of my pals who's farther back in the greeting line? Please tell with one of our new subscribers about my column when you discovered how to keep basements and crawlspaces BONE DRY. Yep, it’s the same method I used to dry out my soggy backyard. CLICK or TAP HERE and see how my college degree in geology has paid off in spades!

The Second Autumn - Shades of Green

You may or may not know that I have the distinct pleasure of living in the Lakes Region of central New Hampshire. It’s quite rural and hundreds of thousands of people come to the Live Free or Die state to vacation each year because of its abundance of natural beauty.

Autumn is especially busy as many leaf peepers come from hundreds of miles away. New England, along with parts of Japan, is reported to have some of the most vivid fall colors on the planet. Here’s a photo I shot a few years ago on a peak-color day while target shooting on some land I own.

What most tourists miss is the second autumn we have. It happens each May, two weeks or so before Memorial Day weekend.

The same trees that produce all the varied colors in the fall, sport vivid distinct different shades of green for about four days in the spring. I’ve tried to capture this shading difference several times, but just can’t seem to pull it off.

I’ll try one more time this year. I’m hoping my superb Canon EOS 50D digital camera with its superior light-collecting chip is sensitive enough to do the job.The different shades of lime green almost take your breath away. The leaves definitely put you in the mood for a mojito.

The Fun Quiz

A few weeks ago, on a whim, I decided to try to inject a little more happiness into your day. My simple one-question quiz is my tool of choice for this task. Is it working? Are you happier and do you exclaim, "Well, I'll be! I NEVER KNEW that! That was fun!"

Think about it. What do you have to lose by taking the quiz? Is thirty seconds worth a little more happiness?

Check out what a few fellow subscribers have to say:

Colette said, “I like stretching my mind.”

Robin responded, “Yes, they’re educational and interesting.”

Steve quipped, “It adds something interesting to my day.”

Today’s quiz is quite unusual. I’m pretty sure you’ll agree. Have you ever been here? How about at night? You better not be afraid of the dark is all I can say!

Creating these quizzes has been quite enlightening for me. I’m discovering astonishing new things and my trivia knowledge is climbing faster than a thermometer at Badwater Basin on a blistering July morning.

CLICK or TAP HERE if you feel your gray cells are in the superior range. Oh, are you already boasting that you can’t be easily fooled about those bewildering noises in the middle of nowhere? Actions speak louder than words.

Take the quiz and allow the happiness to ooze into your day like the honey that’s going to drizzle onto my scratch biscuits this morning.

CLICK or TAP HERE to see all the past Ask the Builder quizzes you missed.

Your Hose Bib

Are you frustrated with the hose bib on your home? I know I am and I’m a plumber! Now’s the time to vent and help others with the same complaints.

CLICK or TAP HERE and take a fast three-question short survey about your hose bib and all the things that are WRONG with it.

I hand you a magic wand in question three. Use it wisely!

Do you want to know the two different hose bibs I'm installing this spring at my home and at my daughter's new house? Rest assured it's not the plain vanilla one you see in the photo above. I'm going to share it with you on Sunday once I see your responses in the above survey. Please take the survey, you'll be glad you did.

STOP Mosquitoes!

Here in central New Hampshire, we have mosquitoes all summer long. They love to hang out in the shade around my lower deck. My house is next to lots of woods, where I’m certain they live and breed like bunnies.

I’ve tried all sorts of things in the past with not-so-great results:

• sprays
• UV lamps with fans
• protective spells cast by my fellow NH wizards
• photographs of my foes on pike poles placed around the perimeter of my property
• blah blah blah

Just days ago, I positioned two tubes in trees at the edge of my open spaces. I think they hold great promise based on the reviews I read! One of my goals is to minimize the number of these pests so I can enjoy my deck and eat outside more often.

Did I mention that my hammock is on the lower deck?

This is the tube hanging on the south side of my lot where the pesky mosquitoes go to sleep in the woods.

CLICK or TAP HERE to discover what I deployed in the mosquito conflict. Let me know if you’ve used these tubes and what type of success you’ve experienced. Just leave a COMMENT at the bottom of this page.

Pebble Stone Shower Floor

What size are your feet? Be honest. My guess is they’re smallish as opposed to hobbit feet.

Have you ever had the soothing experience of taking a shower while standing on a floor that looks like this:

CLICK or TAP HERE to get a real feel for how wonderful a pebble stone floor is. You’ll also discover how easy it is to install one and keep it CLEAN.

That’s quite enough for a Thursday!

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
BEST CLEANER - www.StainSolver.com
Wave Bouncer - www.W3ATB.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

P.S. Do you live in an older home? I’m talking about something built before 1978. That may not seem old, but there’s a serious latent defect in almost all homes built before 1978.

I’m talking skull and crossbones hazard.

I’m talking about a serious nervous disorder hazard.

I’m talking male impotence hazard.

Do I have your ATTENTION YET?

CLICK or TAP HERE and be WARNED!

PLEASE PASS THIS LINK TO ANY AND ALL YOU KNOW who live in an older home.