Toilet Tank Leak – No Leaning!

Posted on January 20, 2020 by Tim Carter

Toilet Tank Leak - Don't Lean Against The Tank

QUESTION #1: An unnamed person (rhymes with house) living in my home says that the toilet seat lid and the toilet tank are made for leaning back against while using the fixture for personal needs. In a negotiation debate with this person, I mentioned that the bolts fastening the tank to the bowl aren’t strong enough for leaning as one might against a standard chair. What say you, oh wise Tim? Do you arbitrate these touchy discords between coinhabitants on a frequent basis? Donn R., Shelby Twp, MI

I live in New Hampshire and mice are as common indoors in the winter as snow is outdoors. That said, I’ve never known one to be able to use a toilet. Oh, wait, Donn isn’t talking about a mouse! Truth be told I adjudicate disputes, or should I say spirited discussions, between two people living under the same roof at least once a month.

Why Would a Toilet Tank Leak?

All that said, the bolts in either design are plenty strong and should never break if someone leans back against the tank while sitting on the toilet bowl. It’s the rubber o-rings that surround the bolts that are the issue. It’s entirely possible to create a leak between the toilet tank and bowl if you push back against the tank too much.

This is quite possible as the toilet ages and the rubber o-rings become less pliable. I’m sure you’ve seen rubber that becomes brittle with age. You don’t want to hope that the rubber o-rings stay supple indefinitely. You hope for things you can’t control like the weather or when a volcano might erupt.

Should A Toilet Tank Be Snug Against a Wall?

Plumbers can install toilets so the tank is snug against a wall, but this requires quite a bit of planning. What’s more, if the tank is tight against the wall, the tank lid might not fit well because the lids are larger than the tank and often have an overhanging rear lip.

How Can I Fix The Tank?

It’s easy to keep peace in these situations. When the leaning coinhabitant is out and about having coffee with a friend or picking up materials from the grocery store, you can glue some wood shims between the back of the toilet tank and the wall behind the tank.

You can use wood paint stirring sticks, regular tapered wood shims, and construction adhesive that comes in a standard caulk tube to accomplish this simple keep-the-peace fix. The key thing to remember is to be sure the shims are about 1/2-inch below the top of the tank lip so the tank lid doesn’t touch the shims when you put it back on.

CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE Quotes from LOCAL handymen that can stop toilet tank leaks.

Column 1337 Part 1

Magic Mold Removal on Vinyl Siding

Posted on January 20, 2020 by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: My house is now twenty-five years old. It’s covered with vinyl siding. Every summer I have mold and mildew that develop on the north side of my house. Every few years I remove it. Is there some coating I can apply to the siding to stop the mold and mildew from reappearing? It’s aggravating. What about some sort of magic paint? I’m open to any and all ideas. Robert C., Sylvania, OH

Robert doesn’t suffer alone. I have the same exact issue here at my own home, although my house is covered with fiber-cement siding. You may have black mold and mildew or green algae growing on the north side of your home if you live north of the equator. The north exposure provides the perfect conditions for this organic growth.

Here’s the bad news for Robert, in my opinion. There’s no magic paint or coating I’m aware of that will keep his or your siding free of mildew, mold, and algae. Here’s why.

These three living organisms are just about everywhere. They just need two things to grow: water and food. The northern exposure of houses provides ample amounts of water.

It’s important to realize that direct sunlight doesn’t wash the house walls facing north. This means water is often slower to evaporate. Morning dew can and does form on all the surfaces of the house when the surface temperature drops below the dew point of the air.

Those surfaces on the north side of the house lose this dew last allowing the mold, mildew, and algae to get a drink before the next morning. The soil just below the siding stays far moister than the soil on the other sides of the house all things being equal. Water evaporates from this soil and some of this water vapor might also quench the thirst of the organisms.

Food is readily available in almost all areas of the USA for mold, mildew, and algae growth. Robert lives in Ohio where deciduous trees are as plentiful as kids at an amusement park on a sunny summer day. Some of these trees, especially maples, broadcast a fine aerosol. These microscopic drops of elixir contain sugars that are delicious food for mildew, mold, and algae.

Dust, and other pollutants, can also be food for some of these organisms. Realize that food is everywhere even though it’s invisible and you can’t see it. Old oil-based paints were made from alkyd oil resins. These oils are scrumptious food for mildew and mold!

This is why some modern deck sealers that are made using natural oils turn black in months after you go to all the work to make your deck look nice. You’re slathering on food for the mold and mildew to munch on! Some natural-oil sealers contain chemicals to slow organic growth.

Three years ago, I wrote a book, Roofing Ripoff, about why the asphalt shingles on your roof are falling apart faster than they should. The inspiration for the book came when I was the first person in the world to discover that copper ions will extend the life of asphalt shingles for decades.

Many have known for hundreds of years that copper is also an amazing natural biocide. This is why the hulls of clipper ships and Old Ironsides have copper plates on them. I’ve used liquid copper solution to keep algae off patios. The only issue is the copper washes away with each rainfall and it can create a bluish cast. Some people are very much against the use of aqueous copper like this thinking it harms the environment.

Robert may want to experiment with spraying a copper sulfate on the vinyl siding. However, if he’s got valuable landscaping or trees nearby, the copper is not going to help them live. The issue is the copper on the vinyl siding is temporary and it will wash off with repeated rainfalls.

I think the easiest thing to do, but this is not what Robert wants, is to just wash the siding once a year around Flag Day. It’s warm by then and the chore won’t be too hard. If you wash the house when the siding doesn’t yet have mold or mildew growth, you might be able to accomplish it using a garden spray attachment to your garden hose.

Instead of putting dangerous chemicals in the sprayer, just put in some powdered oxygen bleach as well as some liquid dish soap. Spray this soapy solution on the house and allow it to sit for 15 or 20 minutes. This allows the oxygen bleach to attack and breakdown any invisible food particles. The liquid dish soap lubricates the surface so any food comes off with minimal effort when you rinse the siding.

This simple cleaning procedure ensures the siding looks great all year.

Column 1336

January 19, 2020 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on January 20, 2020 by Tim Carter

Are you so new that this is your first newsletter? Welcome! Be aware that you may score a prize or two each week. Some are hidden within this issue of the newsletter!

You may be an experienced subscriber. One that's seen me on both bad and good days. Remember that issue where I talked about my adventure to mukuntuweap? Yeah, that was crazy exciting!

Six years ago, I almost cut off my finger using a power miter saw. I was cutting chunks of oak from a small piece of firewood. It was a stupid thing to do.

The accident happened because I forced the spinning sharp saw blade down into the wood too fast. There was an explosion of wood in front of me. It's a good thing I wear glasses and why you should wear safety glasses. I should also wear safety glasses OVER my regular glasses.

The next thing I knew my left middle finger was hurting. I looked at it and it was still there so that was good news! But a piece of the wood with a sharp edge somehow slammed into the top of the fingernail. Little did I know at the time but it caused some sort of permanent damage to the nail bed below the nail.

The result is the nail is always split in two when it grows out. If I don't keep that nail trimmed close, it snags on fabrics. It's become a persistent pesky problem.

Three days ago, this fingernail snagged on a nice fleece I was wearing. Fortunately, the fleece didn't get damaged. I got frustrated with the nail and rather than walk thirty feet to get a nail clippers I ripped one part of the nail off. This impulsive reaction caused part of the tender nail bed to be exposed. It not only hurt, but it also started to bleed.

I washed my hands, put on a bandage, and grumbled for about two hours about my bad luck as my lovely daughter Kelly would say to me if she were here. Once the bleeding was staunched, I removed the bandage as I wanted to see if I could discover the true cause of the nail-bed flaw.

Out came my trusty Hastings Triplet - a 10X magnifier I've had since the fall of 1972 as a Geology 101 student. You use a 10X magnifier much like you see a jeweler use her/his loupe. You put it up to your eye and get really close to what you're looking at.

I couldn't see exactly what was going on in the nail bed but I started looking at my fingers. Oh my! When you think you have clean hands, think again!

To the naked eye, my hands looked clean. Looking at them through the powerful magnifier it appeared someone sprinkled a tiny box of Trix cereal on my fingertips. There were micro fibers and lots of colored particles of who-knows-what in the countless curved grooves that create fingerprints.

No wonder surgeons and operating nurses scrub their hands with those special sponge pads for five minutes or more!

CLICK HERE RIGHT NOW to get FREE Quotes from local contractors for ANY JOB on or in your home!

Cranberry or Any Fruit Stain

Look at this photo:
Peggy's Sleeveless Top
You're looking at Peggy's very nice sleeveless once pure-white top. That's a spatter of cranberry juice. Ooops!

Guess what? Stain Solver made Peggy's white top WHITE again. Peggy loves Stain Solver because it's certified organic.

She didn't use HARSH chlorine bleach. Chlorine bleach RUINS fabrics!!!

CLICK or TAP HERE to see the rest of Peggy's cranberry-juice story and the AFTER photo of her stunning sleeveless top.

No scrubbing was required to restore the top. My Stain Solver is both FABRIC and COLOR-SAFE!

Stain Solver will clean THOUSANDS of stains from anything water washable.

And with it being winter here north of the equator it's time for the first-annual Old Man Winter Stain Solver SALE.

You can get 10% off any sale over $25 and FREE SHIPPING to the forty-four states that are glued to the four commonwealths.

CLICK or TAP HERE to order now and use this promo code:

OMW

The sale ENDS in just seven days. ORDER NOW before you forget, silly!

Smoking Fireplace - Not Vaping or Cigarettes!

Four days ago, a contractor purchased one of my VIP Fast Answers. A homeowner hired him to try to figure out why a pass-through (double opening) fireplace was smoking.

See Through Fireplace Smoking | This is my own see through fireplace. Guess what? It doesn't smoke!!! Want to know why? Keep reading!

I immediately knew why the fireplace was smoking even though I was 1,500 miles away and had not seen the fireplace.

Do you think it's because I have strong mystic powers, or, do you think it might have something to do with me owning a see-through fireplace? That's my fireplace in the photo above.

CLICK or TAP HERE to discover WHY the fireplace was smoking.

If you have a normal fireplace - not a see-through one - that's smoking CLICK or TAP HERE to discover what you need to do to stop choking smoke from billowing into your house.

I NEED Your Help - Pocket Door Questions, Please!

I'm working on a fun project and need your help.

I can't share exactly what the project is about - yes, you'll know soon - but it involves me answering a question you might have about pocket doors.

If you take the time to ask ONE question, you'll get a special prize. You'll get a PROMO CODE for 30% off ALL of my digital download products at my AsktheBuilder.com store.

When you go to my store, just about every publication is digital. You're smart. Anything made from atoms and would be delivered by UPS or the USPS would not be considered digital. Examples: Rolls of copper are not digital. Me drawing Plumbing Plans for you is not digital because I use paper and a pen to create the drawings.

Believe me, there are MANY digital download products you might be interested in!

For example, Mary just a day ago purchased my Cork Flooring eBook. What? You didn't know about cork flooring? Tsk tsk!

Now, back to the pocket door questions.

For example, do you have questions about pocket door:

installation
repair
design - what types of doors can you use
latest technology
magic that keeps the doors ON THE TRACK
????

CLICK or TAP HERE and submit your question.

Toasty Warm Bathroom Floors

I've got a tile floor in my bathroom. It used to be ICE COLD.

I'm talking, continental glacier ice cold, not the wimpy Athabasca Glacier ice.

Four years ago, I was remodeling a basement bathroom below the master bathroom and all of a sudden I had access to the underside of the master bathroom floor. I could clearly see the PEX heating line that went to the baseboard heaters in the master bathroom.

BANGO! I got some aluminum heat transfer plates and screwed them to the underside of the floor. The next step was to cut into the PEX heating line to install additional PEX that snapped into the heat transfer plates.

Now the bathroom floor is TOASTY WARM. I mean lay-on-the-floor-think-you're-in-Heaven warm.

So, do you have access to the underside of your bathroom floor? You can do a simple radiant heat retrofit like this without needing a boiler. You can use a SMALL water heater - a normal water heater - to provide the heat.

SECOND ALTERNATIVE:

If the hot-water method described above seems too hard, you can do it with ELECTRIC heat mats under the tile.

Now, this assumes you're going to be remodeling your bathroom, building a new home, or adding a bath in a room addition.

CLICK or TAP HERE to see how I installed these mats in my man cave where I'm TOASTY WARM and it's 5 F outdoors. Yes, I heat my lair with electric floor mats under my laminate flooring.

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

Thanks for looking at all the links in this issue. Don't forget, you can get a one-time 30% OFF DISCOUNT PROMO CODE to use on all my digital downloads if you ask a pocket-door question!

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
Old Man Winter SALE Man - OMW - www.StainSolver.com
5-Watt Man - www.W3ATB.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

P.S. Have you never tried Stain Solver? Why not? Tell me what it would take to get you to try this truly magic cleaner. Remember, you can be part of the Old Man Winter Sale NOW!

Need a FREE Quote or Bid from a local contractor? It's FREE and EASY. CLICK or TAP HERE

Pocket Door Questions

Posted on January 18, 2020 by Tim Carter

Do me a favor and ask at least ONE question about pocket doors.

If you invest your time to do this, you'll get at the END of the survey a SECRET PROMO code to get 30% off ALL of my digital download products at my AsktheBuilder.com store. That's a HUGE SAVINGS.

Be SURE you answer the LAST question at the bottom of the survey!!!!

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See Through Fireplace Smoking

Posted on January 17, 2020 by Tim Carter

See Through Fireplace Smoking | This is my own see-through fireplace. Guess what? It doesn't smoke!!! Want to know why? Keep reading!

See Through Fireplace Smoking - Mason Screwed Up

Last week I did a consult phone call with a contractor. He was called into a job because a see-through fireplace was smoking.

The fireplace was a kit, but it needed work to be done by a mason in the field.

It turns out the mason who put everything together goofed up.

It's important to realize you need to follow the written instructions that come with kits. The instructions clearly said: "Do NOT install a damper."

Guess what? Mr. Mason installed a damper!

That's just one of the mistakes he made. A list of all the possible mistakes is below.

CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE quotes from local fireplace masons who can follow instructions!

Smoking Fireplace Video

Watch this video to understand some of the issues involved in smoking fireplaces.

Tim, Does Your See-Through Fireplace Smoke?

No, my see-through fireplace doesn't smoke. It's got a properly designed smoke chamber above the firebox and no smoke enters either room.

A fireplace smokes because the mason who built it doesn't know about the simple physics of fireplace design.

The Brick Industry Associaton publishes a series of technical notes that show you, or your mason, exactly how to size the firebox, what all the dimensions should be, how big the flue should be, and how tall the chimney should be.

Smoking Fireplace Mistakes:

A fireplace can smoke for any number of the following reasons:

the firebox width, depth, and height is wrong or out of proportion
the smoke chamber is not big enough
the throat above the firebox is designed wrong
the chimney flue is oversized
the chimney is too short

CLICK or TAP HERE and read my all-important Fireplace Design column to see all the correct dimensions.

CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE quotes from local fireplace masons who can follow instructions!

Building Technology – First in a Series

Posted on January 13, 2020 by Tim Carter

This is the first column in a series where I’d like to share with you how technology improvements have helped improve building products. That said, not all improvements have worked out so well and sometimes it takes several permutations until the manufacturers get it right.

It’s important to realize I’ve been blessed to have worked in the residential construction industry for decades. This span of time gives me a unique perspective on new products. Another key point is that early in my career, I spent years taking apart 100-year-old houses and was able to see how the craftsmen of old built. Some of their methods, in my opinion, are far better than the way things are done today. I’ll share much of that with you in this series that will unfold as the year progresses.

Today, I’d like to dive into plumbing as it’s an area in many homes that causes lots of consternation with consumers like you because repairs can be costly. You’d probably not think that you could change much when it comes to simple pipes and fixtures, but you’d be wrong. The sad thing is there’s not enough space in this column to tell you about everything.

Let’s start with simple advancements in both drainage and water-supply piping. Go back in time and plumbers used cast iron, galvanized iron, and copper for drain lines. In rare instances, they’d have to use a lead pipe to make certain drains work. The old cast iron was susceptible to leaks and cracks because of how it was made. Galvanized iron pipes would corrode and start to choke off with deposits causing clogs.

Today’s cast iron is spun cast and has a uniform wall thickness. You create leak-proof joints in seconds with rubber gaskets and stainless-steel band clamps. It’s the perfect material to use for vertical stacks in your home to prevent noise caused by water cascading down large-diameter vertical pipes.

The entire plastics industry exploded in the 1960s and codes permitted plastic drain pipes. Plastic drain lines perform quite well and I’ve installed miles of this pipe. Not too long ago it experienced another technology jump when it was made lighter than the first-generation plastic. You can purchase foam-core plastic drain pipe now.

Water supply lines many years ago were made using galvanized iron. These would suffer from corrosion and choke off too. Copper became the standard but once again, plastic muscled its way into the marketplace.

Imagine installing plastic water lines in a new home that have no joints or fittings. It’s installed much like an electric cable. That’s what I just did at my daughter’s new home. The only joints are in the mechanical room at a distribution manifold and the shut-off valve under a sink or where the pipe connects to a shower or tub valve.

I installed all of the water supply lines to four bathrooms, a kitchen and five outdoor hose bibs in less than four hours. Using traditional copper with hundreds of fittings I might have gotten part of one bathroom done in that same amount of time.

Copper water lines have also seen tremendous technological advancements. In a recent column, I shared with you the new fittings that require no solder. You can create a leak-proof joint in less than five seconds using fittings that contain a rubber o-ring. You can’t imagine how much time these save. The best part is you never have to wonder if a soldered joint will leak!

Accessory plumbing products have also seen big changes. For years the plumbing vent pipe flashing up on your roof has been made with a standard rubber that gets destroyed by the sun’s ultraviolet rays in just a few years and then starts to leak. You can now buy a vent-pipe flashing that has a superior siliconized rubber boot that might not be destroyed by the sun for five, or more, decades.

Water supply lines that connect sink faucets, toilet tanks, and washing machines to the water supply have seen amazing changes. Not too awful long ago plumbers had to carefully bend soft copper tubes to make connections. Washing machines used old rubber hoses. Now you as a DIYr can use flexible hoses protected by braided stainless-steel wire to make leak-proof connections in seconds!

Faucet manufacturers continue to make improvements with the cartridges that control the water flow when you turn a handle. I clearly remember years ago having to change rubber washers inside faucets to stop drips. It used to take some skill to change a washer to stop a faucet leak. Now you can stop faucet drips without calling a plumber. With the plethora of how-to videos on the Internet, you can switch out a faucet cartridge faster than you might read this column.

My advice to you if using a brand-new product is to read the installation instructions and be sure everything is being done correctly. Also, keep in mind that the first generation of some new products might not have all the bugs worked out. If you’re installing a product that’s going to be hidden behind walls or under slabs, think about waiting several years so you don’t become a statistic. Go with proven technology in these situations.

Column 1335

Wire Nut Arcing

Posted on January 12, 2020 by Tim Carter

Wire Nut Arcing | Arcing can happen inside a wire nut if the nut is not tightened securely. It's very dangerous.

Wire Nut Arcing - Loose Wires Inside = FIRE!

A wire nut arcing situation like you see in the photo above can kill you. The arcing can get so hot the actual plastic wire nut starts to melt. It doesn't take long before it's burning and the fire spreads to other breakers. WATCH the second video below to see a fire start INSIDE a wire nut!

Is Electrical Arcing Dangerous?

Yes, electrical arcing is dangerous and very serious. Electrical arcing is the same process used by welders to melt solid steel to create strong welds. The arcing in your home is not as big, but it creates enough heat to start a fire.

Circuit breaker crackling noise is arcing. The circuit breaker busbar is not making good contact with the prongs on the circuit breaker. Breaker box humming and sparking are symptoms of dangerous arcing.

What Causes Electrical Arcing?

The invisible electricity in your house wires has power similar to that stored in the muscles of your body. The electric power wants to move towards the ground. Just as you can jump over a water puddle, the electricity can jump across an air gap between an energized wire and a screw, an energized wire and another wire, or an energized wire and some other piece of metal. When the electricity jumps across the gap, it creates sparks. This is electrical arcing.

How Fast Can Arcing Cause a Fire?

Watch this video to see how fast arcing starts a fire in a normal electrical box in your home:

Are There Special Breakers That Can Sense Arcing?

Yes, you can install arc fault circuit interrupter breakers in your panel to help keep you safe.

Is There Advanced Technology to Monitor My Home for Arcing?

Yes, there's a sophisticated device called Ting that plugs into an outlet in your home. Look below at the photo caption for a SPECIAL promo code. It connects to the Internet via WiFi. The device sends data about your electrical system to a company that monitors your entire home.

This is the Ting Arcing monitor. It plugs into any outlet, connects to the Wifi in your home, and then starts to protect you, your family, and all your possessions. CLICK or TAP HERE for a Special Discount exclusive to Ask the Builder newsletter subscribers and website visitors. IMPORTANT: Use the promo code TIM10 (note UPPER CASE) at checkout for exclusive savings. Note that Tim Carter gets a very small commission from TingFire should you purchase using the above link. Tim only promotes products he trusts and uses in his own home.

An app on your smartphone allows you to check the condition of your home's wiring at any time. Here's a screenshot of the app on my phone showing all is well:

This is the home screen of the Ting App. The green bar at the top shows all is well. If Ting senses an issue in your home's wiring, you get an instant push notification on your smartphone app as you see above, the red #1 above Notifications. In addition, the Ting service center CALLS you on your phone should it detect hazardous arcing! In my case above, that notification told me that I had a minor power outage at my home. CLICK or TAP HERE to purchase one priced with a special AsktheBuilder discount. Don't forget to use the promo code: TIM10 for a big savings!

CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE BIDS from local electricians to check your house for electrical arcs.

Electrical Panel Arcing

Posted on January 12, 2020 by Tim Carter

Electrical Panel Arcing | You're looking at an infrared photo of an electrical panel. You can see the heat from the arcing happening where a circuit breaker is making poor contact with the bus bar.

Electrical Panel Arcing - Very Dangerous and Fire Happens!

An electrical panel arcing situation like you see in the photo above can kill you. The arcing can get so hot the actual plastic breaker housing starts to melt. It doesn't take long before it's burning and the fire spreads to other breakers.

Is Electrical Arcing Dangerous?

What Causes Electrical Arcing?

How Fast Can Arcing Cause a Fire?

Watch this video to see how fast arcing starts a fire in a normal electrical box in your home:

Are There Special Breakers That Can Sense Arcing?

Yes, you can install arc fault circuit interrupter breakers in your panel to help keep you safe.

Is There Advanced Technology to Monitor My Home for Arcing?

An app on your smartphone allows you to check the condition of your home's wiring at any time. Here's a screenshot of the app on my phone showing all is well:

CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE BIDS from local electricians to check your house for electrical arcs.

January 12, 2020 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on January 12, 2020 by Tim Carter

Are you a brand-new subscriber? I don't know if you realize how lucky you are. Never before have I offered free Stain Solver to Ask the Builder subscribers like you much less other humans I've not met face-to-face!

You, on the other hand, may have been a subscriber for quite some time. You know the above to be true. Did that headline about FREE Stain Solver put your head on a swivel?

Floor Tile Grouting Secrets of Old

Each Sunday, I stand in the back of St. Joseph's Church in Laconia, NH to greet parishioners. The vestibule has a stunning multi-colored 6x6-inch tile floor with sanded-grout joints that are about 1/2-inch wide.

Both the tile and the grout are in extraordinary condition. However, the grout is dirty.

My Stain Solver (deep clean floor grout) would remedy that. Aside from the dirt, the grout looks like the day it was installed nearly 100 years ago.

The floor grout is not crumbling. It's not cracking. It wears like iron.

How did the tile setters do this when your floor grout may have already turned to powder after ten years or developed cracks worse than those that happened to Humpty Dumpty when he had a great fall?

Would you like your new floor grout to be as durable as what I stand on each Sunday morning?

"Why Tim, of course I want to know how to do this! How did those master tile setters of old create long-lasting floor grout?"

I thought you'd never ask. I happen to know exactly how the craftsmen mixed and placed floor tile grout that can last decades, even 100 years or more.

CLICK or TAP HERE now to discover the secrets of the old tile setters.

Watch my four-part step-by-step video series demonstrating how EASY it is for you, yes you, to create grout like the master tile setters of old.

Yes, I know I should have been using knee pads when recording the videos. I was just so excited to get working so I could share the time-tested secrets with you!

FREE Stain Solver - Are You CRAZY, Tim?

Please peer at this photo:

You're looking at a food-stained Corian sink.

It could have just as easily been a cast-iron sink, or even one made from stainless steel.

BWHAHAHAHAHA - we all know stainless steel STAINS. Who came up with the name stainless? Yes, I know why it's called that.

Now, I need you to CLICK or TAP HERE to see the after photos of that sink just above.

Can you take great before and after photos like this?

Why of course you can!

A few days ago, I came up with an idea for a Stain Solver Smackdown.

The Smackdown can only happen with your help. I'm looking for stunning before and after photos of lots of different things that Stain Solver can clean.

Stain Solver can clean just about anything that's water washable. That means THOUSANDS of things, many of which you own or use each day.

You may be a Stain Solver non believer. You've grown more tired of me talking about the great and powerful Stain Solver for years than if you had hiked twenty-three miles on the Tulip Tree Trace in east central Indiana on a hot and humid summer day.

Now's your chance to get a FREE sample and then allow me to transform you into a believer and customer for life!

Do you want a chance of getting some Stain Solver for FREE?

Here's what you need to do.

Take a photo, a really good one, of something at your house or where you work/play that's dirty or grungy.

It could be an article of clothing with a tough stain. Maybe it's carpet that has a pet stain. Perhaps it's camping equipment. Is your kayak covered with algae?

Do you have a grandchild that gets her/his clothes dirty playing or while eating? How about your tile floors? Is the grout dirty like that at St. Joseph's Church?

The list of dirty things is endless.

Once you take the photo, you need to send it to me using THIS FORM. You'll also need to fill out your contact information.

I'll look at your photo, or even multiple photos.

The best twenty photos I get in the first five days will then get a free sample bottle of Stain Solver. This will be enough to clean what I see in the photo or at least do a great test area.

NO LOSERS: You get a PRIZE even if you send a photo and it's not in the top twenty that I select. As soon as you submit the photo, I'll be sending you a SECRET one-time promo code via email you can use to purchase some to try out. You can use this promo code on ANY size you want from 2.2 pounds up to our massive 50-pound size.

If I do select your photo, you'll hear from me. I'll send you personal instructions on HOW I'd use the Stain Solver to get your item in the photo CLEAN.

All I ask of you is to follow my instructions when you clean the item, take an after photo, and email me the photo.

Are you game? Do you have the right stuff? CLICK or TAP HERE now and get in on the Stain Solver Smackdown!

What's My New Home Going to Cost, Tim?

Are you thinking of building a new home?

How would you like to get a pretty close idea of what it's going to cost with a minimal amount of work?

Did you know most new-home dreams get CRUSHED because the bids come in over budget?

Would you like to get a CLOSE ROUGH IDEA of the cost early in the process? This helps you manage your expectations.

I thought so!!!

I've put my New Home Cost Estimator magic spreadsheet on sale for you for ONE WEEK.

CLICK or TAP HERE to save 25% on this Instant Download product.

This discount ONLY LASTS one week. Get it NOW and you'll have it later if you need it.

Smelly Men's Room

Two days ago, I went to lunch with my good friend Jim. He's taught me so much about low-powered outdoor amateur radio.

We went to a national chain restaurant. After we were seated, he decided to take a nature break.

"Oh my, did the Men's Room smell!" He exclaimed after he sat back down.

"It was so bad I had to hold my breath."

Jim went on to say someone was using the stall so I thought that perhaps that person ate far too much of something that caused the stench.

When we went to leave, I decided to check out the room. My thought was that by now the ventilation system would have cleared up the odor.

I opened the door slowly and took a whiff.

OOOOOOoooooeeeee! It did smell!

Within seconds I figured out what the source of the problem was.

CLICK or TAP HERE to discover what it was.

I made it a point to talk with the manager before I left as I knew exactly WHY the problem happened. I mentioned to her how easy it was to remedy and how to prevent the odor from happening again.

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

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
Smackdown Stain Man - www.StainSolver.com
Di Dah Man - www.W3ATB.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

P.S. What's the truth about chimney crowns? Do you know that 99.5% of them are built WRONG? Do you want to see if your chimney crown is right or wrong? I thought so. CLICK or TAP HERE.

Circuit Breaker Arcing

Posted on January 12, 2020 by Tim Carter

Circuit Breaker Arcing | Here's an infrared photo that shows a circuit breaker in a panel arcing. A real fire is the next step!

Circuit Breaker Arcing - Very Dangerous and Fire Happens!

An arcing circuit breaker like you see in the photo above can kill you. The arcing can get so hot the actual plastic breaker housing starts to melt. It doesn't take long before it's burning and the fire spreads to other breakers.

Is Electrical Arcing Dangerous?

What Causes Electrical Arcing?

How Fast Can Arcing Cause a Fire?

Watch this video to see how fast arcing starts a fire in a normal electrical box in your home:

Are There Special Breakers That Can Sense Arcing?

Yes, you can install arc fault circuit interrupter breakers in your panel to help keep you safe.

Is There Advanced Technology to Monitor My Home for Arcing?

This is the Ting Arcing monitor. It plugs into any outlet, connects to the Wifi in your home, and then starts to protect you, your family, and all your possessions.CLICK or TAP HERE for a Special Discount exclusive to Ask the Builder newsletter subscribers and website visitors. IMPORTANT: Use the promo code TIM10 (note UPPER CASE) at checkout for exclusive savings. Note that Tim Carter gets a very small commission from TingFire should you purchase using the above link. Tim only promotes products he trusts and uses in his own home.

An app on your smartphone allows you to check the condition of your home's wiring at any time. Here's a screenshot of the app on my phone showing all is well:

CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE BIDS from local electricians to check your house for electrical arcs.

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Why Would a Toilet Tank Leak?

Should A Toilet Tank Be Snug Against a Wall?

How Can I Fix The Tank?

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Smoking Fireplace Video

Tim, Does Your See-Through Fireplace Smoke?

Smoking Fireplace Mistakes:

Wire Nut Arcing - Loose Wires Inside = FIRE!

Is Electrical Arcing Dangerous?

What Causes Electrical Arcing?

How Fast Can Arcing Cause a Fire?

Are There Special Breakers That Can Sense Arcing?

Is There Advanced Technology to Monitor My Home for Arcing?

Electrical Panel Arcing - Very Dangerous and Fire Happens!

Is Electrical Arcing Dangerous?

What Causes Electrical Arcing?

How Fast Can Arcing Cause a Fire?

Are There Special Breakers That Can Sense Arcing?

Is There Advanced Technology to Monitor My Home for Arcing?

Floor Tile Grouting Secrets of Old

FREE Stain Solver - Are You CRAZY, Tim?

What's My New Home Going to Cost, Tim?

Smelly Men's Room

Circuit Breaker Arcing - Very Dangerous and Fire Happens!

Is Electrical Arcing Dangerous?

What Causes Electrical Arcing?

How Fast Can Arcing Cause a Fire?

Are There Special Breakers That Can Sense Arcing?

Is There Advanced Technology to Monitor My Home for Arcing?

Expert Advice For Your Home