March 31, 2020 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

You’re new here, right? We need to have a little talk. First and foremost, I’m really happy you’re here. Second, when you leave a room, please turn out the lights. Third, please watch the video on this page just below the treasure map and know that I do have a sense of humor and a chronic case of Peter Pan syndrome.

No, you're not a new subscriber, I'm sure I recognize you. How do you manage to look so good each day? What the heck are you eating or drinking? Is it a blend of walnuts, cashews, raisins, and chopped dates? Are you grinding up celery stalks each morning and drinking that elixir? I want some!

A New Free Service

You may not be religious, but I am. Yesterday morning, I had a vision just before breakfast. I’ve had about five of them in my lifetime. The first one, twenty-seven years ago, was the inspiration for my syndicated newspaper column.

These visions run in the family. My mom told me about a vision she had many years ago. She was told to stop smoking. She never touched another cigarette after this vision, even though she’d been a heavy smoker for years.
free home improvement help

In yesterday’s vision, God told me that I need to alter my schedule so I can start calling homeowners like you on the phone for FREE.

CLICK or TAP HERE for all the details. If you’ve got a question about anything to do with your home, you MUST READ THIS NEW COLUMN.

STOP Garbage Disposal Problems

Preventing costly plumbing bills can be easy to do. You can’t afford to have a plumber come out to your house for a visit that could have been avoided. If Ann had done ONE SIMPLE thing each week, she could have prevented an expensive plumbing service and used that money instead for some prize.

Garbage Disposal

CLICK or TAP HERE to discover how you can save hundreds of dollars and avoid visits from plumbers.

New Bid Anxiety-Relief Products

Last week, I created three new products that may be of great interest to you. I’m saying this assuming you still want contractors to come to your home to work on things during this wretched health crisis.

Based on input I received from many, I’ve created a way you can have me look over bids you get for projects around your house.
bid review services

The benefits to you are:

  • I spot oversights in the bids
  • I check to see if the proposed work is adequate
  • I make sure no inferior products are being suggested by the contractor(s)

CLICK or TAP HERE to see my new Bid Review Services.

PLEASE WATCH the video at the top of the page. If that doesn’t convince you why you need this service, then I’ll eat two pieces of pecan pie in your honor.

Best Caulk Gun

You might think that all caulk guns work the same way. You’d not be entirely correct.

Were you lucky enough in your lifetime to drive a car or truck with a standard transmission? I bought myself a brand new VW Beetle for my 17th birthday. It had a 4-speed manual transmission.

When I was 22, I bought myself a brand-new Ford F-100 pickup truck with a three-speed transmission on the steering column. I LOVED that truck and transmission. What an idiot I was to sell it!

Anyway, buy the right caulk gun and you’ll completely understand the comparison. Think granny gear.

caulk gun

CLICK or TAP HERE to discover the absolute BEST caulk gun I’ve ever used. I own two of them.

That’s enough for a Tuesday.

Remember, if you want me to call you, you need to fill out the form I link to on this page.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
Hydrogen Peroxide Cleaner - www.StainSolver.com
Life-Saving Radio - www.W3ATB.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

P.S. While you’re locked down at home, are you thinking of doing some fence work? Do you know what the most common mistake is when building a fence and/or installing fence posts? I didn’t think so. CLICK or TAP HERE to see what I’d suggest if I were helping you.

Free Home Improvement Help

free home improvement help

Free Home Improvement Help | It’s time to brush off the dust from my microphone to help you through this massive health crisis. Copyright 2020 Tim Carter

Free Home Improvement Help on the Phone

There’s not a doubt in my mind that you’ve been directly affected by the current health crisis that’s sweeping over the USA like a plague of plant-devouring locusts mentioned numerous times in the Bible. These are extraordinary times and they call for extraordinary effort from many of us, me included.

Several years ago, I was involved in a discussion with a dear friend. We are polar opposites on political issues. I think the discussion had to do with giving things to people who are less fortunate. My friend said to me, “... to those who much is given, much is expected.” She knew that God had blessed me with success with my building and media career. Her statement cut deep to the bone, but it rang true - once I had cooled down.

Do You Offer Free Home Improvement Help?

Just because the economy has shut down for all intents and purposes, that doesn’t mean the problems and challenges at your own home have stopped. In fact, you may be more desperate now than you were a month ago.

Perhaps you don’t want strangers coming to your house. I get that. The virus we’re all battling is invisible. It’s not like a person with a sunburn who you could see and avoid.

Your challenge could be financial. So many are suffering. I get that. Just nine years ago, I had to face an incredible financial challenge of my own. I’m quite sensitive to this particular situation and understand the difficulty you might face.

Can You Answer Complex Questions?

This morning God sent me a vision of how I might be able to help you long distance. He told me that I need to radically alter my schedule, work longer hours, and that I need to step up to the plate to help you. He blessed me years ago with the ability to explain complex building issues in a way you can understand.

He also trained me on how to talk on the radio and in front of a camera. I did a two-hour live call-in radio show for twelve years, and I was the weekly home improvement expert on the ABC and NBC-TV affiliates in Cincinnati, Ohio. It’s time to brush off the dust from those past experiences to help you.

How Do I Get the Free Help?

Beginning in just a few days, I’ve decided to devote two hours a day minimum calling homeowners all across the USA. You may need to know how to do a simple repair. I can help get you started over the phone.

Because money is tighter than a banjo string right now, you can’t afford to buy something new so you need to know how to protect what you have. I can help. Or, if you are buying something, perhaps you want to know what might be the best product so you don't waste precious money.

In many cases, a simple quick phone call may help you. In others, I may have to record a short video with some drawings as I made all those years ago sitting at future customers’ dining room tables showing them how I was going to solve a particular issue when building their room addition or house.

The point is, it’s time for me to try to share my knowledge far and wide. I intend to record each phone call, keeping your identity private. I'll then upload the recording to my website so everyone with the same problem can listen and benefit.

Any video I do, I’ll upload to my AsktheBuilder YouTube channel so you can watch it. It’s my hope that your newspaper will allow me to devote a small section of this column to all the recordings and videos I completed the previous week.

I actually think this could help save tens of millions of dollars collectively, and lessen your anxiety about issues you face with your home in these trying times.

I’ve created a form on my website that you need to fill out with some information so I can do my best to help you. Remember, your privacy is paramount. No one will know it’s you who’s asking for help.

If you want me to answer your question(s) all you have to do is go to the form on my AsktheBuilder.com website. Below is the Link:

Tim Carter Calls You

I don’t yet know how many will respond. I don’t know how many different problems a week I can solve. I do know that your problem may be shared by someone else so even though I don’t call you, a phone call or video I create for someone else may be all the help you require.

I’m wide open to ideas on how to make this work for you as the concept is not cast in stone. We can work together to refine how to transfer the knowledge. If you have a better mousetrap that will allow me to help more people faster, I’d love to hear from you.

Stay safe and I pray each day that you’ll survive this crisis stronger than before.

Column 1347

Tim Carter Calls You

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.

free home improvement help

Garbage Disposal Freezes Up

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:

insinkerator garbage disposal

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

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!
Sunrise in NH

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.
Dirty Harry Worx SD Driver

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.

new window in stucco

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

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.

refrigerator condenser coil cover

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.

refrigerator condenser 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.

refrigerator condenser coil clean

The coil is now clean. The refrigerator will operate at peak efficiency saving you sweet moola.

 

Lot Drainage Solutions Prevent Flooding

lot drainage solutions

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:

lot drainage solutions

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.
Matching New Concrete to Old

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.
sewer gas smell vent pipe

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:

lot drainage solutions

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.