Prevent Sewer Backup

Posted on by Tim Carter

 

prevent sewer backup

Prevent Sewer Backup | This is a sewer pipe leaving a house and entering a septic tank. It's easy for a pipe like this to back up.

"I also flush the toilet each time I walk by it even if it has clear water in it."

Prevent Sewer Backup By Flushing More Often

You can prevent sewer back up in many houses by just adding more water to your plumbing drain system.

Why Does my Sewer Backup?

Sewer backups happen for many reasons:

  • tree roots in a sewer pipe
  • broken sewer pipe
  • sewer pipe with not enough slope
  • too little water to push waste and paper to sewer or septic tank

Tim, Has Your Sewer Backed Up and Why?

Yes, in the past four years my own sewer under my house has backed up four times. It all started happening after I installed a new low-flush toilet in my basement bathroom.

The toilet has a flushing mechanism where a quick push only delivers a small amount of water for removing liquid body waste. You need to hold down the handle to put a full 1.6 gallons of water into the drain to remove solid body waste. My son and wife were not holding down the handle long enough.

CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE BIDS from sewer cleaning companies.

What's the Easiest Way to Prevent Sewer Backup?

The easiest way to prevent sewer backup is to add more water to the system to ensure the waste makes it all the way to the city sewer line or your septic tank. Modern low-flush toilets are causing all sorts of problems in many homes because they simply don't provide enough water to get the waste to where it needs to be.

I now pour ten gallons of water into my toilet each week as you see in this video to prevent sewer backup. Ten gallons of water weighs 83.2 pounds. If you remember your high school physics, you know that Force = mass (weight) times acceleration.

Eighty-three pounds of water falling ten feet down a plumbing stack and then racing down a pipe towards a city sewer or septic tank has lots of force is all you need to know.

I also flush the toilet each time I walk by it even if it has clear water in it. WATCH the flushable wipes video too just below.

How Much Does it Cost to Flush a Toilet?

If you have a private well as I do, you get your water for free. I only have to pay a tiny fraction of a penny for the electricity to get water from my well into my home. It's such a small amount of money, you simply can't comprehend it.

A very good friend of mine lives in Cincinnati, Ohio and uses water from a public utility. I used the rate chart they provide and did the math. She only has to pay just under eight-tenths of a penny ($0.0077) each time she flushes her 1.6-gallon toilet.

clogged toilet

You often don’t need a plunger to unclog a toilet. Just use 3 or 4 gallons of water from a bucket. (C) Copyright 2020 Tim Carter

However, she also has to pay to get rid of the water. The sewer district bases her sewer bill on the amount of water she discharges into the sewer system. The sewer charge is about 2.82 times the water bill. Thus each time she flushes the toilet, it costs her $0.02247 or just over two cents.

Doesn't Using All This Extra Water Defeat the Purpose of Low-Flush Toilets?

Yes, it does. But use some critical thinking skills here before jumping to conclusions. Not everyone needs to use low-flush toilets, right?

I'm on a private well. I have unlimited water at my house. Why should I be forced to use a low-flush toilet?

What's more, as soon as the water from my toilet enters my septic tank, the SAME VOLUME of water exits my septic tank and re-enters the ground!

The same thing happens if you live in a large city that gets its water from a river like Cincinnati. The only way there could be a water shortage is if the Ohio River dries up. The chances of that happening are so small as to be irrelevant. And don't forget, the Cincinnati Metropolitan Sewer District discharges the SAME VOLUME of water back into the Ohio River as is being taken out upstream by the Cincinnati Water Works!

The only people that need low-flush toilets are those that choose to live in arid locations where water is in short supply. If they want to conserve water then they can use a bucket to flush their toilets only using as much water as they feel they need to use. Forcing ALL of us to use low-flush toilets is simply unacceptable.

If an area is growing, then they just have to increase the capacity of their water treatment plants to meet the demand. This has happened as all cities have grown.

Related Link

Fixing Low-Flush Toilet Problems

 

Cleaning Outdoor Wood and Composite Decking & Homeowner Phone Calls

Posted on by Tim Carter
shed ramp cleaned with Stain Solver

Cleaning Outdoor Wood | This is a ramp to a shed made from treated plywood. It’s being cleaned with STAIN SOLVER a certified organic oxygen bleach made in the USA. The white foam you see is trillions of oxygen bubbles scrubbing the wood while I stand there taking the photo! Copyright 2020 Tim Carter

Cleaning Outdoor Wood and Composite Decking

DEAR TIM: Every year, I’ve got some wood or composite decking to clean outside. This year I need to clean and reseal a ramp that leads up into my outdoor shed. I've also seen all sorts of conflicting information out on the Internet about the best way to clean wood. Many say to use a pressure washer. What do you feel is the best way and why? What do you feel is the best sealer and how long can I expect one to last? Wendy B., Bangor, ME

You may have a similar spring routine at your home. I know I do. I have a boat dock that has cedar panels and a large set of treated lumber steps leading from the shore to the dock. I also have a treated-plywood ramp that allows me to get my motorcycle and snowblowers in and out of my shed with ease. All of this wood requires periodic cleaning and sealing so the wood isn’t ruined by Mother Nature.

Is There Bad Advice on the Internet?

Yes, there's lots of bad home improvement advice on the Internet.

The Internet is a wonderful thing, but one of the downsides is that it gives everyone a voice. While that may seem like a great thing, it often makes it harder for you to separate the wheat from the chaff. Each day, I battle fancy websites created by people who’ve never worked a day in a paying customer’s home, yet the website owner thinks he’s an authority on all things having to do with home improvement.

Can Pressure Washers Damage Wood?

Yes, pressure washers and power washers can damage the wood fibers in decking, fencing, and house siding and trim.

Here’s a fact about pressure washers and wood. Pressure washers can be highly destructive, even in the hands of a paid professional. The intense stream of water forced from the nozzle of the wand is measured in thousands of pounds of pressure per square inch.

Can the High Pressure Erode Soft Wood?

This forceful blast has no trouble at all eroding the soft lighter-colored wood fibers in between the darker bands of the wood grain. The light wood is called springwood as it’s what grows in the spring. The darker bands of wood are summerwood. These are far denser and grow in the second half of the season before fall arrives.

What is the Best Wood Cleaner?

The best and safest wood cleaner is certified organic oxygen bleach.

Stain Solver black background yellow scoop

Stain Solver is MADE in the USA with USA ingredients that are food-grade quality.

I prefer to clean all my outside wood with a solution of oxygen bleach and water. This chemical is safe for all vegetation around the wood, it doesn’t take out the natural color of the wood and it removes old sun-damaged wood sealers with ease. I apply it to dry dirty wood and composite decking, let it sit for 15 minutes, scrub with a brush, and then rinse with a garden hose.

Should Chlorine Bleach Be Used to Clean Wood?

Do NOT use chlorine bleach to clean wood. The chemical name for chlorine bleach is sodium hypochlorite. It’s very toxic to vegetation, it turns wood white, and it’s corrosive to any metal fasteners or structural connectors.

What is the Best Wood Sealer?

The best wood sealer is one that penetrates into the wood and doesn't form a film on the surface.

cabot australian timber oil

This is the best penetrating wood sealer I know of as of 2021. CLICK on the IMAGE to have it delivered to your home.

I’ve had the best luck with penetrating wood sealers. These soak into the wood grain once the wood is clean and dry. Many popular exterior wood sealers are similar to paint. They form a protective film on top of the wood. The trouble with film formers is when they fail, they peel like paint. If you don’t get all the film off, you can end up with a blotchy finish when you apply the new sealer as the sheen may be different where it’s bare wood vs. where the new sealer covers the film you weren’t able to remove.

Be sure to read the label on the can of sealer. Follow the directions to the letter making sure you pay attention to the temperature ranges. It’s best to apply the new sealer on overcast days or in the shade. Working in direct sunlight can cause rapid drying which will lead to overlap marks where you failed to apply the sealer fast enough.

Homeowner Phone Calls

Last week, I announced I’d be calling homeowners for free to help them with concerns during the COVID pandemic. Here are a few of the calls I made. You can listen to the entire phone call if you just go to the following URLS. You’ll also see photographs of the problems and sometimes products I feel that will solve the problem.

If you want me to call you, then go here: Tim Carter Calls You

Jan’s Leaking Patio Enclosure Roof

I called Jan about her patio roof enclosure. It recently started leaking and it’s ruining a couch. I offered her two possible solutions. If the first one works, it will save her about $3,000.00. Go here: Leaking Patio Enclosure Roof

Eric’s New Attic Floor Storage Area

Eric wanted me to call him because he’s tired of paying fees to remote storage locker businesses. He has attic space that he can use, but an electrician laid cables on top of the attic joists. I offered up two clever solutions: How to Install Floor in Attic

Bill’s New Basement Bathroom Rough In

I’ve been a master plumber since age 29. This allowed me to share with Bill some great tips so he could rough in a new basement bathroom. Fortunately, there are pipes already in place, he just has to move the primary building drain 15 feet to plumb for the new bathroom. Go here for tips: Rough In Basement Bathroom

Column 1348

April 5, 2020 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on by Tim Carter

Hi, and welcome to my newsletter family! Can you open doors with just a smile or do you have to use your arms as I do? I like to listen to music while I create the newsletter. Do you know what I’m listening to now? Care to make a guess?

If you’ve been here for many moons, did you know I own a 12-string Gibson acoustic guitar? After handing over the hard-earned cash to the salesman at Ray Lammers, a music store in Cincinnati, I carried it a few blocks to the bus stop, jumped on either the 61 or the 17 bus, and took this beauty home to admire it. I used to play it fairly well. Now it’s time to dust it off and learn how to pick it. Check out the date on the receipt! That's a 6 in front of the 7!
Tim's Guitar Receipt

FREE Over-the-Phone Help

This past Friday, I helped Jan with her leaky patio enclosure roof. CLICK or TAP HERE to listen to that short call. I shared a tip on how she could save $2,000 or $3,000. She was pretty happy as you might imagine. Here's her roof. Can you see where it's leaking?

leaking patio enclosure roof

Yesterday, I jumped on a call with Eric. He wants to convert unused attic space to an in-home storage facility. However, he’s got electric cables draped on top of the ceiling joists.

I came up with a clever way to solve that conundrum, keeping in mind that safety is paramount. CLICK or TAP HERE to see if you agree with what I suggested Eric undertake.

I also chatted with Bill. He wants to create a bathroom in his basement. I’ve been a master plumber since age 29, so I was able to give him advice that will save him at least $3,000, probably more.

rough in basement bathroom

We talked all about the importance of venting. You don’t want to miss this podcast! CLICK or TAP HERE to discover something about plumbing you probably didn’t know.

How would you like to save thousands of dollars? If you don’t have a money tree in your yard where you can just go out and pluck Ben Franklins, then I CAN HELP!

CLICK or TAP HERE if you want me to call you. The call is FREE but the money-saving advice could be priceless!

Water Leaks Into Basement or Crawlspace

Do you have chronic leaks in your basement or crawlspace? Spring is the time of year many have this issue with seasonal snowmelt and spring showers.

french drain pipe

I majored in geology in college and had a particular interest in hydrogeology. That’s the study of groundwater.

Think about how a gutter on the bottom of a roof works. It captures moving water and redirects it to another location.

Water moves sideways through almost all soil. CLICK or TAP HERE to see how I’ve transformed thousands of wet basements into miniature dioramas of the Atacama Desert.

Secrets of Old - Grouting Floor Tile

Have you ever been in an old church or some other old building that has floor tile? Here’s a photo of the tile floor in St. Joseph's Church in Laconia, New Hampshire. This tile and grout are over 100 years old.
St Joseph Church Tile Floor

What did the tile setters do to make the grout last for 100 years without crumbling or cracking?

I happen to know and created a few videos to demonstrate just how you can do it. CLICK or TAP HERE and be prepared to be amazed. You’re going to be SHOCKED by how simple it is.

I’d say that’s enough for a Sunday. What say you?

Is there a topic you’d like me to cover? REPLY to this newsletter and share your thoughts. I’d love to hear from you.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
BEST Organic Cleaner in the Galaxy - www.StainSolver.com
Invisible Happiness Waves - www.W3ATB.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

P.S. When do most gutter guards FAIL? Not the fall, silly! You’ll never win a prize with an answer like that! They fail in the spring.

CLICK or TAP HERE to see two revealing videos about the TRUTH concerning gutter guards. Check out the entire column. The videos are at the bottom.

April 3, 2020 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on by Tim Carter

I’m pretty sure you might be a new subscriber. Thanks for your trust in me during these trying times.

On the flip side, this could be your second edition or your 873rd one. Yes, I’ve been producing this newsletter since 1995 or so. Do you want to see just about every past one? CLICK or TAP HERE to see countless past newsletters.

COVID and Me

I don’t know about you, but I’m finding this entire virus dilemma a surreal experience. Here are a few personal stories.

Yesterday, the local cable-TV repairman had to replace our cable box that had overheated and died. BTW, you need to make sure you INSPECT yours. Look at the intake ports where cooling air enters and look at the cooling fan. My fan was completely blocked with dirt and dust. Never set anything on top of the boxes. They need air to stay cool.

In the past, the repairman would have come inside and switched out the equipment. Yesterday, he arrived, walked up to the front porch, reached as far as his arms would allow, handed me the new box and RETREATED as fast as possible saying, “I’ll be in my truck waiting for five minutes. Call me if you get it hooked up correctly.”

What would have happened if I didn’t possess the skills to disconnect and reconnect the box?

Then an hour ago, I went to a new grocery store, Market Basket, and it was really interesting. They limited the number of people who could be shopping in the store at once to 147. When I got there, I was able to walk right in. When I exited the store, about fifteen people were standing in a chilly rain waiting to buy food for goodness sake!

Not surprisingly, there were limits on several products to stop the hoarders from getting their greedy hands on lots of stuff.

I never thought I’d live to see this day. I felt like I was living in a socialist country where society is crumbling and decaying. We’re also dealing with an influx of people trying to escape the virus. I live in sleepy central New Hampshire. There are some who live in more populous states south of here, where the virus is more rampant, who are trying to find a safer place. It’s upsetting many of the locals.

Free Phone Calls
free home improvement help

If you haven’t already heard, I’ve been making free phone calls to help you and others. In the past few days, I talked with Maggie, Jason, Gary, Bob, Gary, and I’m about to call Jan after I type this.

I’m hoping in a few days to have the phone calls produced so you can listen to the advice. The topics were great and I guarantee you’ll discover something new from one or all of the calls.

If you want a FREE CALL from me, you need to CLICK or TAP HERE and fill out the form.

Pocket Door Secrets
LE Johnson Pocket Door Frame LE Johnson Pocket Door

LE Johnson, a USA company based in the Midwest, makes the best pocket door hardware I’m aware of. Yesterday, I went back and revised a column about these magic doors.

I URGE you to give it a serious look. You’ll see a great video I shot of a pocket door being installed in a new home. CLICK or TAP HERE to watch the video and discover how to ensure a pocket door doesn’t jump the tracks.

Brick Leaks Water - LOTS of Water

brick mortar joints under window

Please, please, please check out this revised column if you own a brick home or are thinking of building one.

You might be one of the many who feel brick homes are waterproof and the best homes out there. That might be true if you happen to know a kindergarten teacher who reads fables to you like the one about the Three Little Pigs.

Don’t get me wrong. I love kindergarten teachers and they do marvelous work. But it’s important to realize a brick house is going to keep you happy and healthy ONLY if the builder and bricklayer know exactly what to do.

CLICK or TAP HERE to see how I’d build your brick home and WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO STOP WATER if you have an existing one.

New Roof Means New Flashings

Are you getting ready to have a new roof installed?

roof-vent-flashing

If so, you MUST WATCH a video about the best plumbing vent pipe flashings. Don’t allow your roofer to install the sub-standard ones that you see at the home centers.

CLICK or TAP HERE to watch the video.

That’s quite enough for a Friday.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
Hydrogen Peroxide CLEANER - www.StainSolver.com
Morse Code and More - www.W3ATB.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

P.S. Are you going to purchase new replacement windows after the health crisis subsides? Are you building a new home?

Do you know how to tell if you have the BEST windows? I’m willing to bet you one pound of dark chocolate that you don’t know how to identify them. CLICK or TAP HERE to see what companies make the best windows.

March 31, 2020 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on by Tim Carter

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

Posted on by Tim Carter
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

Posted on by Tim Carter

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

Posted on by Tim Carter
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

Posted on by Tim Carter
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

Posted on by Tim Carter

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!