Tim Carter may call you to help you during the health crisis. If he does, he's going to record the call. Please read my LEGAL TERMS.
The call is FREE.
Garbage Disposal Freezes Up
Garbage Disposal Freezes Up | This is a standard garbage disposal. It can FREEZE UP and not work if you don’t use it correctly. This column was SO GOOD that I shared with the 31,000 subscribers who read my March 31, 2020 AsktheBuilder Newsletter.(C) Copyright 2020 Tim Carter
Garbage Disposal Freezes Up - Super Simple Fix
Ann lives in Greensboro, North Carolina and her garbage disposal freezes up. Here's what she wrote to me:
"Tim, I live in a 14-year-old townhouse with almost all original equipment. The garbage disposal keeps rusting and freezing up because I don't need to use it often. I've paid a plumber to come and free it up twice. So far have not had to replace it. What would you suggest I do to keep this from happening?"
CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE BIDS from local plumbers like Ann used to help her.
Why Does the Disposal Freeze Up?
Ann probably has a builder-grade disposal in her townhome. These often have cheap parts and the corrosion-resistance is low-quality. The moving parts start to rust and lock together. Bones, celery fibers, and other food items can also cause a disposal to freeze up and not operate. In these cases, use the hex-head wrench and turn the axle of the disposal to clear the jam.
Related Links:
Get RID of ODORS in Garbage Disposals
SPECIAL Septic Tank Garbage Disposal
How Can I Prevent the Freeze-Up?
It's easy to prevent the freeze-up. Just turn on the disposal twice a week and allow it to run for ten seconds. Be sure water is running while you have it on.
What High-Quality Disposal Would You Install, Tim?
I'd install an expensive Insinkerator garbage disposal. These machines have better parts and I've never had one freeze up on me. Here's a modern one that works well:
This is a great garbage disposal. CLICK or TAP HERE or the photo to have it delivered to your home by a magic courier.
CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE BIDS from local plumbers like Ann used to help her.
New Window in Stucco Wall – Don’t Get Radical
New Window in Stucco | The contractor working on this house ruined the stucco wall by ripping out the old window. Don't make this mistake - ever. Look at the new 2x rough framing sticking out PAST the stucco! This contractor should never be allowed again on a job site. Total #Fail. This column was featured in my March 29, 2020 AsktheBuilder Newsletter.
New Window in Stucco Wall - A Mistake Can Cost You Big $$$
How Do You Install a New Window in a Stucco Wall?
You can install a new window in a stucco wall any number of ways. The best way is to get a new window to fit within the confines of the existing window frame. This ensures you don't ruin the waterproofing integrity of the wall assuming the original stucco man did the job right.
Related Links:
Replacement Windows Inside Existing Window Frames
Buy the BEST Replacement Windows - AAMA Gold Label
Can You Cut a New Window in a Stucco Wall?
Yes, you can cut a new window in a stucco wall. To make the installation truly waterproof, you need to remove stucco from around the cut opening so you can install all the proper weather barriers and the metal flashing above the new window.
CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE BIDS from local replacement window contractors.
What is the Metal Flashing Above a New Window in Stucco?
A simple z-flashing is installed above a new window. This flashing makes sure water flows over the front of the window and not behind it. Stucco masons of old installed these and they're foolproof.
It's important to realize the flashing should slide behind any felt paper or water membrane behind the stucco.
Water that gets behind stucco should never be allowed to touch the wood framing. Layering the flashings, felt paper, and water membranes like overlapping shingles on a roof ensure a rot-free home for decades.
This is a MUST-WATCH video from the top experts in the field:
March 29, 2020 AsktheBuilder Newsletter
Hello! My gosh, it’s so wonderful to meet you. There’s nothing like a new subscriber. Trust me, you’ll feel welcome here and there are no quirky initiation ceremonies. Well, there's one. Each new subscriber is required to watch this video to see how silly I can be! Ready?
Did I fool you? You’ve got Charlie Murdock to thank for that. Charlie was my mentor years ago when I started my live two-hour call-in home improvement radio show on 1450 WMOH in Hamilton, Ohio. He told me on my very first day to remember that I’m really just talking with you. That’s a story for another day. But I’m looking forward to many more conversations with you.
Are You Locked Down?
The COVID-19 crisis is getting worse. I live in central New Hampshire and at midnight this past Friday the governor, for all intents and purposes, shut the state down.
How are you faring if you’re locked down as well? How can I help you fix things around your house? Use my Ask Tim page to send me photos of your dilemma.
Hope for the Future
I search for inspiration in nature each day. It’s also a touchstone for me when I’m troubled and need a refill of inner peace.
I’m blessed by God to witness some breath-taking sunrises. Early morning is my favorite time of day. Yesterday, God treated me to a tasty piece of eye candy. The sun was minutes away from rising in the photo below. Gunstock and Belknap Mountains in central New Hampshire are the two bumps next to one another on the right side of the photo.
If you want to order a large-format print of this sunrise or you want to use it as a screensaver on your computer, I’m happy to send you the photograph. Just ask!
Searching For Answers
Before you ask me a question, there’s a better-than-average chance I’ve already answered it on my website. However, you may have developed a bad habit using the search engine on my AsktheBuilder.com website. What is that bad habit? I’ll share it in a moment.
To extract the most power from my search engine, I encourage you to watch my Clint Eastwood impersonation video that’s on that page. CLICK or TAP HERE to see it.
Pro Search-Engine Tip #1. Enter just one or two words to begin your search.
Let’s say you want to install a paver patio while you’re stuck at home. Don’t type the following into my search engine:
how do I install a paver patio at my home
Instead, type this:
paver patio
By using just TWO WORDS in the search, ALL of my past columns that have paver patio in them show up in the results.
It’s BEST that you open EACH PAST COLUMN because there could be valuable tips scattered in several columns that might help you!
New Windows in Stucco NIGHTMARE
I’m doing a long-distance consult with a man in Chicago. He’s renovating a home and hired me to help him by using my phone consult service.
Rather than getting on the phone every few days, he sends me photos and questions via email and I answer them in great detail.
This past week, he sent me a six-page PDF file. It included several photos that made my heart sink.
Before I show you the worst photo, I want to share the mistake he made. This owner FAILED TO TELL ME he was going to RIP OUT the old windows in the house. The contractor told him to do this before getting new windows installed.
It became obvious to me the contractor on this job has no experience installing stucco and he’s now created a situation where the wood walls can, and will most likely, ROT OUT in the future. This can be prevented, but now it’s going to require so much additional work because of the error made by ripping out the windows.
In other words, STOP and THINK or talk to me BEFORE you do something, especially if you have little experience. Okay, look at this photo and see if you grimace too.
Do you know what’s wrong? ARE YOU SURE?
Do you worship at the Altar of Caulk? As Captain Hook (Dustin Hoffman) said in the remake of the Peter Pan movie, “Bad form, Peter.”
It’s bad form for you to think that caulk is the miracle waterproofing material that will stand the test of time in all situations.
CLICK or TAP HERE now to watch two videos that show you how to make sure your windows NEVER LEAK.
Be absolutely sure you watch the video at the BOTTOM OF THE PAGE.
Instant Hot Water - It’s Possible
Would you like instant hot water at all your faucets?
Do you happen to live in a ranch home with an unfinished basement? If so, you’re in luck! The job is easy.
Your home may be two-story or you might be on a slab or even have a finished basement.
No worries! You can have instant hot water too.
CLICK or TAP HERE to see how easy it is to have hot water in seconds.
Building a new home? With just a few hours of extra work, you can have the luxury of hot water in seconds. Just follow my advice.
That’s enough for a Sunday.
I want you to know that we’re all going to make it through the crisis. It’s vital that you don’t touch your face if you’re out. Touching your eyes, nose, or mouth is the fastest way to get sick in these troubling times. Be safe.
Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
Hydrogen Peroxide CLEANER - www.StainSolver.com
Emergency COMMS - 3.539 - www.W3ATB.com
Do It Right, Not Over!
P.S. Do you need a small flashlight to hunt for things? Maybe you want to play a board game under the covers as you did when you were a kid. Cribbage comes to mind for me. CLICK or TAP HERE to see the flashlight you’ll want to have on your bedside table. It’s the best and I own a bunch of flashlights made by this company!
Clean Refrigerator Condenser Coil
Refrigerator Condenser Coil | This is a clogged refrigerator condenser coil on a SubZero upright built-in refrigerator.
Clean Refrigerator Condenser Coil - Save Big Money on Repairs
Clean your refrigerator condenser coil every few months. This coil looks like the radiator in your car and can get clogged with dust.
Why Should I Clean the Coil?
The refrigerator has to work harder if the coil is clogged with dirt and hair. A dirty coil can cause the compressor to overheat.
The refrigerator condenser coil is behind this cover plate on the bottom front of the refrigerator. Remove four screws and bingo, you're ready to vacuum.
How Should I Clean the Coil?
It's best to use a vacuum cleaner to pull the dirt back at you instead of through the coil. Do NOT blow the dirt through the coil.
Use a vacuum cleaner to clean the coil. Don't bend the fins! Be careful.
Why Should the Fins Be Straight?
The fins need to be straight to allow air to flow through the coil.
The coil is now clean. The refrigerator will operate at peak efficiency saving you sweet moola.
Sewer Gas Smell Vent Pipe
Sewer Gas Smell Vent Pipe
Some people have a sewer gas smell in their yards. The odor comes out of the vent pipes up on the roof.
Here's how to stop the odor:
Lot Drainage Solutions Prevent Flooding
Lot Drainage Solutions | Water flows towards the grass in this photo. It can get high enough to get into the garage. The solution is just below.
Lot Drainage Solutions - Some are Tough To Do
Do you have lot drainage problems as Arlen does? When it rains hard water can flow into his garage in the photo above.
Here's a lot near my home that requires at least two lot drainage solutions:
What Causes Lot Drainage Problems?
Flat ground is the primary cause of lot drainage problems. The other top causes are:
- dense clay soil
- roof rainwater dumping next to a foundation
- regrading soil that blocks water movement
CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE BIDS from local regrading contractors.
Why is Clay Soil Bad?
Clay soil is bad because water can't move down through the soil. The water travels through the topsoil and once it is saturated the water flows overland.
Why is Roof RainWater Undesirable?
Water pouring off a roof in heavy rain can be measured in the hundreds or thousands of gallons. CLICK or TAP HERE to discover how much rain dumps onto the ground from an average home in a typical 1-inch rainfall event. You'll be STUNNED.
What are Examples of Regraded Soil?
Raised landscape beds next to houses are the best example. It's common to see mounds of mulch about 6 feet away from a foundation. This mulch prevents water from draining freely away from the house.
On a bigger scale, builders can create nightmares by not installing drainage swales around a house in the final grading stage of the building process.
How Can You Solve Arlen's Problem?
The ground around Arlen's house can't be regraded because the abutting property owners lots would also have to be regraded.
The best solution, but it's not affordable nor practical, is to raise up his entire house 12 inches and slope the ground away from his house and garage. This would cost tens of thousands of dollars now, but wouldn't have cost one penny more when Arlen's house was built.
The only thing he can do easily in my opinion, is to install a curb in front of the garage door to prevent water from entering the space. Think of the curb as a tiny levee that you might see next to the mighty Mississippi River near New Orleans. Here's an example of one in my neighborhood that prevents street water from running into a driveway:
The red arrows point to a concrete curb that stops water from flowing down the driveway you see on the left side of the photo. The rounded curb is about 5 inches tall at the center. Copyright 2020 Tim Carter
March 27, 2020 AsktheBuilder Newsletter
You’re new here, aren’t you? Welcome! You might be hunkered down at home like so many of us. Now is as good a time as any to discover how to save sweet moola around your home. I’m pretty good at doing just that. I’m just not as good at telling jokes.
And you ... I know, you’ve been here since I was catapulted off the USS George Washington all those years ago. Remember how excited I was to have the chance to be on board an aircraft carrier at sea for two days? WOWZA! CLICK or TAP HERE if you want to relive that surreal experience.
Donn’s Driveway Dilemma
Donn is a newsletter subscriber like you. During this health crisis, he wants to repair his driveway but he’s afraid the patch will not match.
How would you make sure the patch matches? Did you know there’s a fascinating way to make Donn’s driveway, and yours, any color he/you might want? How would you like a green driveway to match your lawn?
CLICK or TAP HERE to see if you’d do what I recommended Donn should do.
Sewer Gas Smell - Roof Vent Pipe?
Do you have sewer gas smell out in your yard? CLICK or TAP HERE to see how to stop it.
| CLICK or TAP HERE to get a FREE BID from local contractors for ANY JOB at your home. |
House Hacks to Save $$$$
Right now, money might be tighter than a banjo string for you. The last thing you need is an expensive repair bill that could be AVOIDABLE.
For example, when was the last time you completed some simple service on your refrigerator or freezer? What do I mean by simple service?
CLICK or TAP HERE to discover what I did a few days ago that probably saved me $500 and will continue to save me money each month on my electric bill.
What does it cost to have a plumber come out to clear your kitchen sink plumbing drain? $200, $300, maybe more?
How about heating up ten gallons, even fifteen, of boiling hot water and pouring it down your kitchen sink? This will dissolve the grease that I GUARANTEE is starting to choke off your horizontal branch arm in the wall and the vertical kitchen drain stack.
You may spend less than 50-cents in gas, electric, and water to do this simple task.
Lot Drainage Solutions
Arlen has a chronic problem at his house each time there’s a hard rain. Look at this photo:
Can you tell me what you would do to solve his problem? Oh, wait, you need to know what it is! CLICK or TAP HERE to discover what’s been plaguing Arlen for the past 28 years! What a shame I didn’t build that garage for him!
New REVISED Roofing Bid Sheet
I spent the past two days developing a new roofing bid sheet that you can hand to the contractors who come to your home to give you a quote.
Jean, who resides in FL, got a copy and you need to see what she had to say about it. CLICK or TAP HERE and look at her quote at the top of the page in RED.
“The pitcher gets the sign, he coils up like a viper and sends a scorcher over the plate. Tim swings, connects, and it’s a frozen rope over the centerfield wall! A walk-off grand slam to end the game!”
That’s enough for a Friday afternoon.
Hunker down, save some sweet moola and BE SAFE!
Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
Dried Hydrogen Peroxide - www.StainSolver.com
Emergency Comms - 3.539 - www.W3ATB.com
P.S. Do you have yucky caulk around your kitchen sink? What’s the best way to clean it or deal with it? You knew I’d have an opinion, didn’t you? CLICK or TAP HERE to see if we’re on the same wavelength.
March 24, 2020 AsktheBuilder Newsletter
You may be a brand-new subscriber. Boy, am I glad you’re here! It’s always a treat to meet a new friend. I’ve got a few prizes for you in this issue. Be sure to look for them.
I know, you’ve been here since the mastodons roamed up and down the Mill Creek Valley in Cincinnati, Ohio. I’m pretty sure in this issue you’ll discover something that’s not as big as an ancient buried tusk but might change your life in an enormous way.
Cleaning During COVID
These are extraordinary times here in the USA as well as many other parts of the world. You may be home-bound and under orders from your government officials to stay at home.
To avoid depression about all this, I think it might be a good idea to stay busy and tackle some projects around the house. This will get you away from the TV where just about everything spewing out of it is cheerless and bleak.
What’s more, your spending habits may have changed drastically. I can help you SAVE MONEY.
Instead of being able to buy something new, perhaps you need to make something you own LOOK new again. The Stain Solver product you’ve heard me talk about for years can do just that to HUNDREDS of things inside and outside your home.
Noah and Jonah are excited about their Stain Solver! I remember when their dad was as small as they are in this photo! Stain Solver keeps all their clothes and everything around their house CLEAN.
Don’t believe me? Peer at the photos just below. But before you do that, continue to read.
Perhaps you’ve decided to jump into your spring cleaning full-force. I can tell you that I’m about to go room-by-room here at my house, deep cleaning in my free time.
Yes, I'm going to use Stain Solver, an exceptional certified organic powdered oxygen bleach. I own the company with my wife, and over the past twenty-three years, we’ve sold TONS of the product.
Why? Because Stain Solver works.
Here’s a list of things you might clean at your home during the current crisis to stay busy while lifting some stains along with your spirits:
INSIDE:
- Floor Tile Grout - CLICK or TAP HERE to watch how I do it
- Pet Stains - CLICK or TAP HERE to watch me clean up cat puke
- Coffee & Tea Mugs - CLICK or TAP HERE for amazing photos
- Carpet Stains - CLICK or TAP HERE for unbelievable pro photos
- Kitchen Cabinets - Melts grease and dirt from cabinets
- Bathroom Floors - Deep clean ALL germs and microbes using Stain Solver
OUTSIDE:
- Wood & Composite Decks - Safe for all nearby vegetation
- Siding - Clean Mold and Algae from all sidings
- Kayaks & Boats - Cleans algae, mold, hull stains, etc.
- Outside Furniture Cushions & Awnings - COLOR & FABRIC SAFE!
- Car carpets - Gets out oil!
If you have something you want to clean and it can get WET with water, Stain Solver can RENEW it. Money is TIGHT. Now is the time to SALVAGE what you have not, BUY something new.
Stain Solver makes things look like new. Don’t believe me? Look at these two photos.
These are my FAVORITE all-time customer before-and-after photos. CLICK or TAP HERE to read the story behind the photos. I’m certain you’ll be stunned.
Have I convinced you to TRY it for the first time?
Go back up and look at Noah and Jonah. Their faces tell the story.
Your face is going to have a similar SMILE when you restore something and make it look new!
It truly is an amazing product. Some people get it as a gift and never use it - trust me, that’s a mistake.
Here’s a promo code that will get you a respectable 10% off any purchase greater than $25. If you live in the four commonwealths that touch the other lower 44 states here in the US, you also get FREE SHIPPING: (This offer expired on April 6, 2020.)
CLEANCOVID
CLICK or TAP HERE to place your order.
If you have a question about cleaning something with Stain Solver, just ask.
If you’ve never tried Stain Solver can you do me a favor? Can you reply to this message and share why. I’m trying to figure out what I’m doing wrong in my messaging. Thank you so much for your input.
Roofing Bid Sheet VIDEO
I promised you I’d share the new Roofing Bid Sheet video. I re-recorded it yesterday and I know it’s going to help save you thousands of dollars on your next roof.
CLICK or TAP HERE to watch the video.
That’s quite enough for a Tuesday morning.
What questions do you have? CLICK or TAP HERE to ask them.
NEXT ISSUE TOPICS
Donn asked me how to match the color of a patch he needs to do to his concrete driveway. I’ll share that with you on Friday as well as a new video about Sewer Gas Smell! I'm also going to share some simple preventative tips to save you money on costly surprise repairs!
Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
CLEAN up Your COVID Stuff - www.StainSolver.com
Emergency COMMS 3.539 - www.W3ATB.com
P.S. Are you finally ready to get an outdoor shed and STOP paying all those insane fees at the storage place you’re currently using?
Do you know how to do a simple exercise to MAKE SURE your shed is the right size?
CLICK or TAP HERE and watch this cool video I shot to show you how simple it is.
Matching New Concrete to Old
The homeowner wants to repair this broken chunk of concrete driveway, but he wants the new to match the old. Copyright 2020 Tim Carter
This column was shared with my 31,000 subscribers who read my March 27, 2020 AsktheBuilder Newsletter.
QUESTION #1: Tim, it’s time for you to reach into your magic tool bag. I need to replace a cracked-off section of my concrete driveway. My primary concern is I want the color and texture of the new patch to match as closely as possible to the existing driveway. It doesn’t need to be perfect, just close. How in the world does one accomplish this? I’ve read all of your past concrete repair columns at your AsktheBuilder.com website, so I understand how to mix, place and finish the concrete. Also, what do contractors use to paint the concrete to make it white? Donn R., Clemson, SC
You may be facing the same conundrum as Donn. Maybe you’re trying to match a wall stucco patch. Or, perhaps you want to repair the mortar between brick on your home.
I’m sure you’ve seen garish repairs where the new patching material stands out like a red wine stain on a white blouse. While it’s possible to get close when doing these types of masonry repairs, it’s next to impossible to get a perfect match. If you’ve got patience, and many don’t, you can really come very close to achieving perfection.
My advice to you as well as Donn is to do a thorough cleaning of the concrete before you start. You can accomplish this using a pressure washer equipped with a 15-degree tip at the end of the wand. Cleaning the concrete allows you to see exactly what you’ll be matching.
After your clean concrete is dry, get on your knees and really look at it. Odds are you’ll be amazed. You’re going to see the individual pieces of sand and tiny stones that were used to make the artificial rock. Your first task is to go to local gravel pits and find sand that looks just like what you see.
Pay attention to the different colors of the sand as well as the grain size of the sand. You may have to mix sand from different sources and blend them to get a close match. It’s imperative that you get the sand right.
Now it’s time to look at the cement paste that’s in between the grains of sand in the concrete. What color is it: gray, buff, off-white? The odds are it’s going to be some shade of gray. Gray is good and it’s the easiest to match.
Remember where I talked about patience? You can only achieve perfection or get close to it by practicing. You’re going to mix up a test batch of concrete yourself. Don’t purchase the pre-bagged concrete from the home center or local hardware store. Visit a local building supply store and get a bag of pure Portland cement.
You’ll need some clean gravel where the stones range in size from grapes to green peas. Mix three parts of the gravel with two parts of the sand and 1.5 parts cement. Blend all this dry and add water until the concrete is the consistency of stiff applesauce. You can watch my AsktheBuilder.com Mixing Concrete Video where I show the perfect consistency.
Pour this mixture in a small 1-foot by 1-foot form and finish it where the top texture matches the existing concrete as close as possible. Cover the test patch with a new plastic garbage bag and secure it so it doesn’t blow off. Wait for two weeks.
At the end of the waiting period, mix one part of muriatic acid to ten parts water. Read the warnings on the label of this powerful acid and follow all instructions. Remove the plastic from the test patch, spritz the concrete with a small amount of water, and brush on the acid solution. It should immediately start to fizz. Brush on more acid solution and let it work for about ten minutes never allowing it to evaporate. Use an old scrub brush to brush the concrete patch, rinse with plenty of clear water and allow it to dry.
The acid will wash off the gray cement paste from the sand on your new patch allowing you to see the color of the sand grains. If you don’t do this step, you’ll have a monolithic color gray for years on end. You’re just doing in minutes what Mother Nature has done since the day the driveway was poured.
There’s a great chance you’ll have a close match. If so, celebrate and proceed to duplicating your efforts on the actual driveway.
Are you like a few of my friends and don’t have this patience? Clean your entire driveway and just patch the area as I state in the columns at my website that Donn read. A month later, purchase some penetrating colored masonry stain and colorize your entire driveway! I’ve got a video on my website that shows how to colorize Mexican tile. It’s the same process for your concrete driveway.
The white paint that Donn asked about might be a traditional hydrated lime whitewash. It’s a great way to make your driveway one color. You can colorize whitewash any color using dry pigments! Do you want to know how to do that? Well, just go read all my past whitewash columns!
Column 1346