February 2, 2020 AsktheBuilder Newsletter Treasure Hunt Game

Posted on February 3, 2020 by Tim Carter

Today is the biggest event of the year for AsktheBuilder.com. I look forward to this newsletter issue ALL YEAR!

It's time for the annual LE Johnson Treasure Hunt Game.

I know, I know! I promised you the nutty video this past Thursday.

You probably want to watch it first. You mean this one? CLICK or TAP HERE or my nose and be prepared to laugh.

Tim, what is the Treasure Hunt Game?

My Treasure Hunt game is a fun, simple game where you'll look at several stunning photos and then answer five easy questions!

Think Where's Waldo.

What's in it for ME? Why should I play?

Here's why you should play:

the stunning LE Johnson photos will inspire you and you could win a $50 Amazon Gift Card
you'll have fun in five minutes of Treasure Hunting fun!
playing the game ensures this newsletter will continue to show up in your inbox

Tim, I don't want to play the game BUT I sure want to see all the new gorgeous photos of the LE Johnson interior doors. Where are those links?

I put all the links to the stunning room photos just below. You'll see the most gorgeous doors, some with glass, and interior decorating ideas that will take your breath away.

How do I play the game, Tim?

It's EASY!

select one of the clue images
look at all the photos and find the photo where the clue image is located
answer five easy questions to have a chance at winning one of FIVE $50 Amazon gift cards

REMEMBER, you can go back and look at the photos as often as needed to help you answer the questions.

Will it Take Much Time to Play?

Five or ten minutes start to finish - Pirate's Pledge!

Will I get any SPAM or unwanted emails from LE Johnson?

NO! You'll not get any SPAM. I NEVER share any of your personal information with anyone. The only thing you'll get is lots of laughs and maybe, just maybe, a $50 Amazon gift card!

Tim, I want to play the Treasure Hunt game. It sounds like FUN! How do I get started?

I thought you'd never ask! CLICK or TAP HERE to play the 2020 Treasure Hunt game!

Thanks so much for playing. This newsletter, each and every issue all year long, is made possible by LE Johnson. In my opinion, they make the absolute BEST moving-door hardware in the USA.

I've used this hardware for decades in my own home, my daughter's new home, and in countless jobs of mine. It's NEVER FAILED me.

Captain Tim Carter
SS Ask the Builder

Here are the links to the stunning interior door photos from LE Johnson:

Walk-the-Plank Cove

Rum Runners Den

Skull Rock Graves

Lucy's Forsaken Lagoon

Deadman's Hill

Buckaneer Bounty Paper Towels

Feather Thee Jib Before the Wind

Walk the Plank or Ponder

Swab the Deck or Dust

Old Salt Sailing Cologne or Indecent Perfume

Captain Kidd's Secret Treasure Map!

Pirate's Pillage and Plunder

Crow's Nest Chowder and Crackers

Grog Island Brew

Hornswaggle Harbor Loot

Swab the Deck Danger

Davy Jones Locker Key

Mutiny Madness Mayhem

January 30, 2020 AsktheBuilder Spoiler – Treasure Hunt

Posted on January 30, 2020 by Tim Carter

The 2020 AsktheBuilder.com Treasure Hunt begins this Sunday, February 2, 2020. Think about that date! It could be a lucky sign for you! Look at all those twos.

02/02/2020

You're not going to believe how much fun it is to play the Treasure Hunt. Not only will you have FUN, but you might also win one of the $50 Amazon Gift Cards I'm giving away.

Annual Treasure Hunt

This year I've created a special video for you.

You've NEVER EVER seen me before in all of my hundreds of videos like you'll see me on Sunday.

For my new video to make sense to you on Sunday, I need you to watch a short 30-second video now that provided the inspiration for my video.

FAIR WARNING: Please go to the bathroom before you watch the video on this page.

Preview SECRET LINKS!

You may be one who's asked me for a peek at the secret photos of the stunning LE Johnson pocket doors that are part of the Treasure Hunt. You want more time to study them before the game begins.

I've NEVER before shared a few of the secret photos early but I'm going to do it this time to see if it helps you.

Let me know if this gives you an advantage.

CLICK or TAP HERE to watch the video and to gain early access to the secret links.

Remember, watch your email early Sunday Morning!

Captain Tim Carter
SS Ask the Builder

Do It Right, Not Over!

P.S. If you have a powder monkey, be sure that little guy is available to help you with the Treasure Hunt. You'll never regret it.

Infrared Photos

Posted on January 27, 2020 by Tim Carter

Infrared Photos | Use an infrared camera to spot problems. These are the heating supply pipes in my daughter's new home. Can you tell how many zones of the seven are calling for heat? Can you see which are the outgoing supply pipes with hotter water than the return pipes coming back to get reheated? Can you see why having one of these infrared cameras is such a good idea? CLICK or TAP HERE to purchase the infrared camera I have!

Infrared Photos - Use Them to Help Save You Money

Infrared photos can help you discover problems at your home before they become giant nightmares.

I own a FLIR ONE PRO infrared camera that plugs into my smartphone. I can take unlimited photos using my phone.

You don't own a smartphone?

CLICK or TAP HERE to purchase a fantastic stand-alone infrared camera.

This is my FLIR ONE Pro. Note how small it is. It plugs right into my smartphone and the FREE FLIR app allows you to capture infrared images. It's MAGIC. CLICK or TAP HERE or the photo if you want to order one now and have it in your hands in hours.

Check out some of my favorite infrared photos below. CLICK or TAP ANY of the photos below should you want to purchase your own FLIR ONE Pro camera that will connect to your smartphone. Just be sure you get the right one to match your phone's operating system and the USB charging port.

This is my master bathroom floor. You can see why I NEVER have cold feet! The floor is 82.2 F and the hot water flows through Uponor hePEX tubing. You can also see the brighter yellow Uponor Aluminum heat transfer plates that the tubing snaps into.

This is one of my two cats. Nala's fur registers 76 F. You can see the heat coming out of the bottom of the under-counter refrigerator behind her. Just to her right is the bottom of the main refrigerator and you can see the heat pouring out of it.

This is my giant family room with a vaulted ceiling. Can you see how the insulation contractor really goofed up at the base of the vaulted ceiling? Those blue and magenta areas are missing insulation or it's compressed. Look at how cold the bottom of the exterior french door is.

This is the baseboard heater in my mud room next to the garage. Hot water flows through the device and keeps that room warm. Note the water temperature is down to 83.1 F by the time it gets to here. This heater is linked to other ones on the first floor in a series. After the water passes through this heater, it goes back to the boiler to get reheated. The water entering the first heater in the series is around 120 F.

This is a window in my living room. The outside temperature at the time I shot this photo was about 37 F. I aimed the crosshairs at the center of the double-pane glass and you can see it's 66.6 F. As it gets COLDER outside, the temperature of the glass will go DOWN. If it gets below zero outside, the temperature of the glass could get below the dew point of the air inside. If that happens, you'll see liquid condensation start to form on the glass.

This is a photo of my Davinci Roofscapes synthetic slate roof. The photo was taken on a cool summer morning before the sun has yet to hit the shingles. Note the temperature is 64.2 F. This south-facing roof will get a broadside shot of infrared from the sun in less than an hour and the temperature of the surface will climb to around 163 F. That's HOT!

I aimed the FLIR ONE at my blacktop that's been in the sun for hours on a summer day. You can see it's 127.3 F. Not quite hot enough to cook eggs!

This is my Therma-Tru fiberglass front door. It's in full sun on a blistering hot summer day. The door faces south and has a small overhang to protect it. Note how the door is 160.4 F. No wonder paint peels and blisters on doors like this especially those protected by a glass storm door!

This photo is part of set. See the one below it. You're looking at two scrap pieces of decking supported about 19 inches up off my Trex Transcend deck on a hot summer day. The crosshair of the FLIR ONE are aimed at a piece of 1-inch-thick Trex Transcend trim board. It's dark brown. Note the 151.8 F temperature. I wanted it suspended in the air so it would simulate being put on floor joists.

Here's the second photo of the set. The camera is now aimed at a piece of scrap treated lumber 2x4. Note how it's much cooler than the composite material. It registers 126.5 F. That's just about hot enough to scald bare feet!

infrared Trex Transcend composite decking photo

This is my Trex Transcend deck. The color of the Trex is a medium brown - Tiki Torch. It's a very hot summer day here in New Hampshire and you can see you don't want to walk on this deck with bare feet! 147.1 F. Yeeeeouch!

This is the Noritz combi boiler I installed in my daughter's new home. Note how you can tell which is the exhaust pipe and which one is bringing in cold combustion air into the propane-fueled boiler. You can also see the hot primary loop sending water to the seven different heating zones in the house. CLICK or TAP HERE or the photo to purchase the wonderful infrared camera that captured this image.

bug

The wretched insulators did not split the batt and carefully fill the voids behind the electrical box. Idiots.

How hot is hot tea? Lookie lookie. 170 F CLICK or TAP HERE to purchase a FLIR infrared camera.

Use an Infrared and Other Cameras to Spot Problems

Posted on January 27, 2020 by Tim Carter

This is an infrared photo of an exterior door at my own home. You can clearly see small air leaks (darker blue spots) where cold air is leaking around the weatherstripping. (C) Copyright 2020 Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: I’ve seen odd-looking photos taken with infrared (IR) cameras. They seem to me to be more of a novelty than a useful tool. Do you own one and how do you use it to help you around your home? What was the most shocking thing you discovered while using an infrared camera? Can you get one that attaches to a smartphone? Do you have a collection of photos you can share? Mandy P., Montgomery, AL

I don’t know about you, but I love questions like the ones Mandy poses. Just a few weeks ago, I started a new series where I wanted to share with you how advances in technology in all aspects of residential construction are helping you, but sometimes hurting you.

This week, I’m happy to announce that an affiliated area of technology, photography, has made vast improvements to help you spot all sorts of problems around your home. Let’s get started.

I was very interested in photography in high school and college decades ago. It’s important to realize I had my own darkroom and I helped run the largest darkroom on the University of Cincinnati campus. Yes, those were the days of real film and black and white photos were still quite the rage - believe it or not.

Before I share all the good news and the ways that infrared cameras can help you, let me just briefly touch on digital photography. You and I now live in the world of pixels instead of the days of small silver salts on cellulose acetate film! Each year new technology is making digital photography far better than the best old-fashioned large-format photos. There’s not a doubt in my mind that our digital spy satellites high in the sky have such advanced technology they can read the print of the open book in your hands while you’re out on your deck. But I digress.

Because you don’t have to pay for film or get it developed, you should take advantage of this to take hundreds, or thousands, of digital photographs of any project you’re doing. Take multiple photos of each step.

Why? Every week I do phone consults where people have huge problems with their homes. Each time I get to see detailed photos of the job in progress, I can see exactly why they have the problem. The clarity and high resolution of modern smartphone cameras is remarkable. I can zoom in and see very small details.

Keep in mind that you can store thousands of photos online for free. Depending what service you use, your photos automatically get transferred off your phone and stored on secure cloud servers. It’s a painless process you should be doing with all your photos.

Let’s switch to infrared, the subject Mandy wants to know about. I’ve been taking infrared photos for about five years and love this technology. You can buy dedicated infrared cameras just like a normal point-and-shoot camera, or you can buy a sleek tiny infrared camera that plugs into the charging slot of your smartphone. I have a smartphone infrared camera.

I’ve used my infrared camera to take all sorts of interesting photos. I discovered exactly why I got second-degree burns on my hands while installing my new roof five years ago. The synthetic-slate shingles I used heat up to about 160 degrees F in the mid-day sun! If you don’t work fast and keep moving with fresh shingles, you can get a burn in just two seconds or less touching a hot shingle!

I didn’t build the house I live in right now and I’ve used my IR camera to discover where the builder and his subs did a less-than-satisfactory job of installing insulation. The infrared camera shows you in just an instant where insulation is compacted or missing. It shows up as dark blue or violet on my camera.

I’ve also used it to locate air leaks in interior walls of all places! Down in my basement, I have an electrical outlet on an interior wall that leaks cold air. I noticed this by accident by scanning this wall with my infrared camera! No doubt the insulating contractor didn’t squirt expanding foam in the holes the electric cable passes through on the wall studs or the top wall plate.

You can also use an infrared camera to spot dangerous electrical arcing in your home. Electrical arcing that’s not yet started a fire will heat up where the arcing is occurring whether it be a screw on an outlet or switch, a lose connection at a circuit breaker in your panel, or even loose wires inside a wire nut. Purchasing an infrared camera for just this purpose may more than pay for itself in your peace of mind.

You can also use an infrared camera to help you spot possible water leaks that you don’t yet see in your home. Wet areas from hidden condensation or just damp areas behind walls or ceilings often show up on the camera as blue or violet because evaporating water by its very nature creates a cooling effect.

I do have a collection of infrared photos on my AsktheBuilder.com website as you might expect. All you have to do is type: “infrared photos” into the search engine there to view them.

Column 1338

January 26, 2020 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on January 27, 2020 by Tim Carter

Is this your first newsletter? Well, I'm most certainly glad to make your acquaintance! I've got a crazy question for you, and BTW it won't be my last one! By any chance are you a fan of hayrides? I'm told they can be life changing just like knowing how to have a basement or crawlspace as dry at the Atacama Desert. CLICK or TAP HERE if you'd like to know how to have a DRY BASEMENT!

You may be one of my old friends, now mind you I'm not referring to the crispiness of your bones and gray cells. If that describes you, then you know this issue could be one for the record books.

Why?

The Annual Treasure Hunt - Next Week!

It's a pretty long story but about six years ago, I discovered, quite by accident I might add, that you love love love to discover new products. But you prefer to do it wrapped up nicely in a challenging game topped off with a fancy bow.

Annual Treasure Hunt

I came up with the idea of a Treasure Hunt that you could do to find out all the great things LE Johnson makes. My talented son drew the map you see above.

Bottom Line: LE Johnson makes, hands down, the absolute BEST hardware for any type of sliding, by-pass, bi-fold, or pocket door.

Next week I need you to participate in the Treasure Hunt game next week. It's really a FUN brain teaser.

Why?

LE Johnson makes this newsletter possible. If it weren't for them, this newsletter would disappear.

It's important for you to play the game next week, discover new things about LE Johnson, and be inspired about how you can recapture space and have GORGEOUS DOORS at your home.

CLICK HERE to get FREE QUOTES from LOCAL contractors for any job in or around your home.

STOP Your House from Burning Down!

Look at this infrared photo:

arcing house wiring
What do you think it is? What is WHITE HOT - see the crosshairs? - and WHY is it so hot?

CLICK or TAP HERE to discover why you should really be concerned about what's going on in the photo. My friend Steve, and his gorgeous wife Karin, were almost statistics from a similar electrical problem in their home.

CLICK or TAP HERE to make sure you don't make the innocent mistake that Steve and Karin made.

You'll discover some new technology I'm using right now in my own home to ALERT me instantly if it senses a problem with my house wiring!

Cleaning Common Stains - Bedding

Do you own a one-of-a-kind quilt like this or some amazing blanket you inherited or made yourself?
fancy blanket with stain

Tell the truth. You weren't reaching for that bottle of chlorine bleach thinking that a dilute amount would be okay, were you?

I'd use certified organic Stain Solver to restore this heirloom quilt so it looks like new.

WHY? CLICK or TAP HERE to get a feel for how SAFE Stain Solver is and how DANGEROUS chlorine bleach is.

Do you finally want to try Stain Solver to restore hundreds of things around your home? My Old Man Winter SALE ends TOMORROW NIGHT.

Use this promo code: OMW

to get 10% off any purchase greater than $25 and FREE SHIPPING to all four commonwealth states and the other 44 that all touch one another.

CLICK or TAP HERE now to save all your things and some SWEET MOOLA.

Winter Photos from My House

You may be one that's been asking, "Hey Tim, how bad is it this year up in New Hampshire? Do you have much snow?"

Well, here's but one piece of eye candy for you. CLICK or TAP HERE or the image below to see MANY MORE:

Here's the sun rising just about a month after the winter solstice. This photo was taken on January 22, 2020.

Tim the Builder - Solomon of Modern Marriages

More often than you might guess, I'm asked to settle an argu..., er I mean a spirited discussion, between two people living under the same roof.

Look at this photo and tell me if you can guess what got someone's blood pressure up higher than the Goodyear Blimp.

CLICK OR TAP HERE to see if your guess was correct.

BONUS points if you know the CORRECT ANSWER before you click!!!

That's enough for a Sunday morning!

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
CLEAN all your Stuff - www.StainSolver.com
Send Kelp or is it HELP? - www.W3ATB.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

P.S. Do you have a ghost door? Do you know what that is? CLICK or TAP HERE to discover how to get rid of the pesky spirit forever!

Lake Winnisquam Winter Photos

Posted on January 24, 2020 by Tim Carter

Lake Winnisquam Winter Photos - Gorgeous in White

I live on the west shore of Lake Winnisquam in central New Hampshire. It's a gorgeous lake and the third largest one fully within the borders of the state.

Enjoy these photos that I've shot over the past month or so.

It looks like Norman Rockwell stopped by.

Smartphone digital zoom features pretty much are useless. The moon crescent was so crisp with the naked eye.

The sun is about to rise. It gets nice and bright on most days before it pops out over Belknap Mountain across the lake.

Here's the sun rising just about a month after the winter solstice. This photo was taken on January 22, 2020.

The ice is safe enough to walk on for some. Not me! No way, no how!

Ice fishing happens inside this box. Liquid refreshments are also rumored to be consumed by the gallon.

January 24, 2020 AsktheBuilder Spoiler Alert

Posted on January 24, 2020 by Tim Carter

This is a SUPER FAST message. I wanted to share with you what I'm working on right now for Sunday's newsletter.

First, I received a few grumbles about the last AsktheBuilder newsletter.

The messages all were pretty much like this:

"Tim, I WANT to get the great 30% DISCOUNT on all your digital products, but dang it, I don't have any pocket-door questions. NO FAIR!!!!!"

What was I thinking?

Do you want 30% off all my digital products at my AsktheBuilder store?

POCKET is the promo code.

The promotion ENDS this Sunday at midnight. ACT NOW!!!!

CLICK or TAP HERE to get started on saving sweet moola.

You're going to discover on Sunday what's going on here in this photo:

Thermal image Whisker Labs

And check out the following photo. How would you clean the stained heirloom blanket so it's NOT RUINED?

You weren't reaching for that bottle of chlorine bleach were you? That's a huge mistake. Chlorine bleach RUINS fabrics and it causes color fade for goodness sake.

I'm going to share how I'd preserve this one-of-a-kind blanket making it look BRAND NEW.

fancy blanket with stain

Third-Last CALL!

The Old Man Winter Stain Solver sale ENDS in just two days!!!

I'm going to warn you again twice on Sunday.

USE the following promo code to save 10% on certified organic Stain Solver and get FREE SHIPPING to the four commonwealths and other 44 states here in the USA that are all glued together.

OMW

CLICK or TAP HERE to place your order. The promo code works on any purchase greater than $25.00.

Remember, we have a LIMITED NUMBER of the big sizes ( 9 and 50 pounds) in stock!!!!

I've got more for you on Sunday in the newsletter, especially some winter photos of what's happening here around my house.

Don't let the two above promotions pass you by.

It's VERY RARE I have giant sales - especially at my AsktheBuilder store. Any seasoned subscriber will attest to that!

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com

Door Opens On Its Own

Posted on January 21, 2020 by Tim Carter

Door Opens On Its Own | The secret to stopping the door from opening is right there in between the two hinge halves!

Door Opens On Its Own - Easy to Fix in Minutes

QUESTION #2: Hey Tim, thanks for all the free tips and hundreds of videos on your AsktheBuilder website. I just moved into an apartment that’s tired and old. My dad told me about you and I wonder if you can help me as my landlord is slow at making repairs. Can you help me fix a closet door that wants to always shut on its own without having to use a doorstop? Nancy P., Nashville, TN

You don’t have to be a young adult living in an apartment to have the challenges Nancy is facing. These pesky problems can happen in homes, condominiums, as well as apartments. I have a ghost door in my own master bathroom that wants to close on its own and she-who-must-be obeyed has let me know that it must be fixed. I don’t see why I have to be reminded every six months, though!

Door Opens On Its Own Fix

The self-closing door is perhaps the easiest thing to cure. I’ve had great success by simply bending one of the door hinge pins. The bend in the pin creates just enough additional friction to overcome the force of gravity that closes the door without your help.

I prefer to bend the top hinge pin. Open the door partway and slide a folded magazine or some thin pieces of cardboard under the far bottom tip of the door under the handle. This will support the door when you remove the top hinge pin.

Step 1 is to remove the hinge pin as you see me doing above.

The hinge pin is out. Note how the hinge is still together because I supported the lower corner of the door with some cardboard.

I'm about to strike the center of the hinge pin to put a slight bend in it. This will create the needed friction to stop the door from moving on its own.

Sometimes the bottom of the hinge has a hole so you can insert a large nail to get the pin to move up. Once the hinge pin is out, take it outside to a concrete surface and lay it on its side. Strike it in the center with moderate force to put a slight bend in the steel shaft. Reinsert the pin and let’s move onto stopping the door rub.

CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE Quotes from local Handymen to fix your doors.

I had this happen in my own home. Read about it in the September 28, 2010 Newsletter.

Sara had a door that was driving her crazy. It would slowly close in its own. CLICK HERE to read her story and how to fix the self-closing door.

Column 1337 Part 2

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

Tim, what is the Treasure Hunt Game?

Preview SECRET LINKS!

Infrared Photos - Use Them to Help Save You Money

The Annual Treasure Hunt - Next Week!

STOP Your House from Burning Down!

Cleaning Common Stains - Bedding

Winter Photos from My House

Tim the Builder - Solomon of Modern Marriages

Lake Winnisquam Winter Photos - Gorgeous in White

Third-Last CALL!

OMW

Door Opens On Its Own - Easy to Fix in Minutes

Door Opens On Its Own Fix

Toilet Tank Leak - Don't Lean Against The Tank

Why Would a Toilet Tank Leak?

Should A Toilet Tank Be Snug Against a Wall?

How Can I Fix The Tank?

Expert Advice For Your Home