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!!!!
See Through Fireplace Smoking | This is my own see-through fireplace. Guess what? It doesn't smoke!!! Want to know why? Keep reading!
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!
Watch this video to understand some of the issues involved in smoking fireplaces.
RELATED LINKS
Build a Smoke-Free Fireplace - It's Easy!
Smoke-Free Fireplace Specifications
Outdoor Fireplace Magic - Do Them Right!
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.
A fireplace can smoke for any number of the following reasons:
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!
This looks like an ordinary 1/2-inch copper 90 bend for a water supply line. It’s got cutting-edge technology inside! (C) Copyright 2020 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 | Arcing can happen inside a wire nut if the nut is not tightened securely. It's very dangerous.
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!
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.
Related Links
Arc Fault Circuit Breakers - Great SAFETY
CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE BIDS from local electricians to check your house for electrical arcs.
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.
Watch this video to see how fast arcing starts a fire in a normal electrical box in your home:
Yes, you can install arc fault circuit interrupter breakers in your panel to help keep you safe.
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 | 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.
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.
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.
Related Links
Arc Fault Circuit Breakers - Great SAFETY
CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE BIDS from local electricians to check your house for electrical arcs.
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.
Watch this video to see how fast arcing starts a fire in a normal electrical box in your home:
Yes, you can install arc fault circuit interrupter breakers in your panel to help keep you safe.
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.
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?
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!
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!
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.
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 | Here's an infrared photo that shows a circuit breaker in a panel arcing. A real fire is the next step!
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.
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.
Related Links
Arc Fault Circuit Breakers - Great SAFETY
CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE BIDS from local electricians to check your house for electrical arcs.
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.
Watch this video to see how fast arcing starts a fire in a normal electrical box in your home:
Yes, you can install arc fault circuit interrupter breakers in your panel to help keep you safe.
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.
Outlet Arcing | The wire on this outlet came loose and the tiny gap between the wire and the screw started to arc. Many people die in electrical fires each year caused by arcing like this.
An arcing outlet like you see in the photo above can kill you. You can see how the insulation on the wire has burned away and the actual plastic outlet started to melt.
It was only a matter of time before flames would erupt and spread.
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.
Related Links
Arc Fault Circuit Breakers - Great SAFETY
CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE BIDS from local electricians to check your house for electrical arcs.
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.
Watch this video to see how fast arcing starts a fire in a normal electrical box in your home:
Yes, you can install arc fault circuit interrupter breakers in your panel to help keep you safe.
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 is 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.
Arcing House Wiring | The wire on this outlet came loose and the tiny gap between the wire and the screw started to arc. Many people die in electrical fires each year caused by arcing like this. This column was shared with my 31,000 newsletter subscribers in the January 26, 2020 Newsletter. Wire nut arcing can also be a dangerous fire hazard. You can even get arcing burying electrical wire underground.
An arcing outlet like you see in the photo above can kill you. You can see how the insulation on the wire has burned away and the actual plastic outlet started to melt.
It was only a matter of time before flames would erupt and spread. Circuit breaker arcing is possible too. This is why you need to really make sure the screw fastening the wire to the breaker is tight.
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.
Related Links
Arc Fault Circuit Breakers - Great SAFETY
Watch this video to see how fast arcing starts a fire in a normal electrical box in your home:
Yes, you can install arc-fault circuit interrupter breakers in your panel to help keep you safe.
Yes, there's a sophisticated device called Ting that plugs into an outlet in your home. It connects to the Internet via WiFi. The device sends data about your electrical system to a company that monitors your entire home. Your home insurance may provide you one for free. If not, CLICK HERE to get immediate protection.
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 HERE to purchase a Ting.
An app on your smartphone allows you to check the condition of your home's wiring at any time. Here is 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.
A special alert to this column was given in the January 24, 2020 Alert Newsletter.
Are you as new here as the New Year? Welcome! I see you're still wearing your party hat. Next issue I suggest you don your adventure hat. Why? CLICK or TAP HERE to discover why.
You might be a subscriber that's well aware of my impish behavior. If so, then let the 2020 AsktheBuilder Games begin!
Did you see the wrapped gift box in the headline of this newsletter? It's supposed to represent a prize.
My goal for the new year is to shower you with surprises, tips, and special offers throughout the upcoming year. Consider each one a special prize as if you won a competition.
For example, you're going to start seeing at least once a month, special offers on my Stain Solver. Stain Solver is a certified organic oxygen bleach that cleans anything water washable.
I'm guilty of being lax at showering you with all the ways you can save your things using magic Stain Solver.
CLICK or TAP HERE now to watch a few videos that will inspire you on how to save lots of money and be organic at the same time.
If you like what you see in those videos and want to try out my Stain Solver, use this promo code now to get 10% off and FREE SHIPPING to the four commonwealths and forty-four states in the USA that are all glued together.
The promo code only works on the 2.2-pound size for now and it EXPIRES TONIGHT.
Yesterday afternoon, I did a short consult phone call with Mike. He lives in Indiana. Mike had invested in another call back in the spring and needed more advice. I can record these calls and send you a link to the recording so you don't have to take notes, but I digress.
Mike decided to convert a bonus room on the top level of his house made with attic trusses (click that link - WATCH the video!) as you see in this photo:
This is an attic space in a new home. Most builders would have used standard trusses and wasted all this space. (C) Copyright 2019 Tim Carter
Insulating these spaces is critical. Do it wrong and you can have serious wood-rot problems.
Mike told me how he had used the best insulation team in the area for the job. When I heard this I chortled and said, "Mike, you need to listen to this true story."
I then shared the encounter I had with an experienced insulation contractor last spring in Bar Harbor, Maine. CLICK or TAP HERE to read the story and be prepared to be DEPRESSED.
It's important to realize Mike made a grievous error. He had me call him AFTER the insulation job was complete.
You see, Mike's top-rated insulation crew sprayed open-cell foam DIRECTLY to the underside of the roof sheathing. They also sprayed it so it completely clogged the gap at the peak of the roof where the ridge vent is.
They said, "The air will go through the foam and get to the exterior. It's open cell."
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAAHA
Mike should stop trusting contractors. Many are ill-informed.
Mike should have taken the time to READ these columns on my website BEFORE he even talked to a contractor:
Attic Ventilation Facts - Great Infrared PHOTO Here
Truth About Ridge Vents - The Incense TEST
PAVs - What Are They, Tim? Well, They're Just About...
Mike should have had me CALL HIM BEFORE he hired the contractors.
It's possible Mike could be replacing his entire roof structure at some point in the future. Isn't that crazy?
Don't be Mike.
Insurance Product and Scarcity
Last week I saw a commercial on TV. It featured Mike Rowe, the guy from Dirty Jobs, popping up out of a trench in a front yard.
He was talking about an insurance product for your home's plumbing lines sold by HomeServe dot com. The person who wrote Mike's script for the commercial was using the most powerful psychological button of all: scarcity.
I've been a master plumber since age 29 and this commercial put my head on a swivel. I sent myself a quick email from the couch to remind me to check into it the next day.
I went to the company's website and it has a soft and fuzzy feel. Being the inquisitive guy I am, I started to peel back the layers of the onion to discover exactly what this company is selling, or better yet, what they're NOT SELLING.
After peeling back multiple layers, I discovered this language:
"Not Covered: Appliances; repair or replacement of fittings or fixtures, e.g., water tanks, water heaters, radiators, bathroom fittings, faucets, toilets, baths, shower pans, shower/bath diverters and sinks, pressure reducing valves and backflow prevention devices, pumps or grinders; any non-conforming drain line, such as a basement or storm drain; thawing of frozen pipes; and damage from accidents, negligence or otherwise caused by you, others or unusual circumstances."
Being a professional writer that deals in words, lots of them each week, as well as an expert witness in building construction lawsuits for decades, the last part of that text really got my antenna up.
If you have a failure in your "basement building drain" - that's the primary drain pipe all others flow into - who pays to fix it? Seems to me they don't cover that.
And WTH is a "non-conforming drain line"? You better get them to define that before you invest in their policy!
What about "damage from ... negligence or otherwise caused by you..."
If you have a grease clog in your drain lines that YOU caused because you put grease down your drains do they pay or do you pay?
Well, if you get into a dispute, you have to go to binding arbitration. You know what arbitration is about don't you? It's about splitting the loaf.
Here's what you need to do before you EVER look at supplemental insurance.
STOP and call your regular house insurance agent and ask if you already have some sort of plumbing failure coverage. There's a possibility you MAY have some relief from your current policy about plumbing issues. You can also take the time to read your policy.
Second, stop and really read the fine print you see in the policies offered by companies like HomeServe. Be sure you understand the language.
Third, consult with a plumber and ask what are the odds of certain failures. In other words, what are the chances that a pipe behind your wall suddenly fails? Is it 2 percent, 0.05 percent, or 50%?
Finally, understand that in the case of HomeServe if you find you have a problem and try to buy the coverage to take advantage of it, good luck with that! There's a 30-day wait period after you buy before the coverage kicks in!
Can you imagine buying house or car insurance where the agent says, "I'm sorry but your car and house have NO COVERAGE for the first month. I hope nothing happens!"
That's laughable. Think about that. Why would HomeServe not want to cover you immediately like most other policies?
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Dave reached out to me two nights ago because he was quite observant and saw the P.S. I put at the bottom of each issue of this newsletter. Last issue I shared a link to a topical column this time of year.
You simply can't believe how many houses are uncomfortable and HOW EASY it is to ensure it doesn't happen.
CLICK or TAP HERE to discover how you can be warmer in your home.
This is an absolute MUST READ if you're thinking of building a new home or a room addition.
WATCH THE VIDEO in the column for sure.
That's quite enough for a Sunday morning.
Remember, the Stain Solver 2.2 offer expires in HOURS. CLICK or TAP HERE to get some.
I'm permitting you to purchase multiple bottles, but not too many. SAVE some for the other customers for goodness sake.
Promo code: 2020
Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
Clean Everything - Including Dentures! - www.StainSolver.com
Send KELP! www.W3ATB.com
Do It Right, Not Over!
P.S. What about circuit breakers? What about a house sentry that tells you if DANGEROUS arcing is happening while you snuggle under the covers or are away? CLICK or TAP HERE for secret info.
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