Asphalt Sealer – Be Careful!

Posted on December 19, 2019 by Tim Carter

Ask The Builder · 62: Seal Asphalt Driveway

DEAR TIM: I had a new asphalt driveway installed back in the fall. It’s gorgeous and I want to keep it looking that way. I was told not to seal it until the spring. Is that correct? Is it possible to put on too much sealer? I don’t want to waste money so I’m looking for the solution that is the least amount of work over the long run if that makes sense. Does climate play a part in asphalt maintenance? Maggie M., Topeka, KS

Maggie’s got some great questions and you might have wondered about a few of them as well.

Asphalt driveways, some call them blacktop or hot top, are really a magnificent surface if they’re installed correctly. I’m hoping Maggie’s drive had at least 8 inches of compacted base stone that extends at least 6 inches wider than the actual asphalt paving on each edge of the drive. This extra stone ensures if a truck or car tire tracks on the edge of the drive, it won’t crack from lack of lateral support.

Asphalt driveways are much like concrete. The ingredients of both pavements are quite similar. Both contain rocks of different sizes and sand. Asphalt driveways then incorporate liquid asphalt cement to bind the rocks and sand together. Concrete relies on Portland cement that’s activated by the addition of water.

When the asphalt material is made, it’s tumbled in a giant mixer where the sand and rocks get heated, uniformly mixed, and completely coated with the proper amount of asphalt cement. Once the asphalt material is installed, compacted and cools, the lightweight oils in the asphalt cement need to evaporate.

This curing process takes a minimum of 90 days in ideal conditions where the temperatures are above 70 F or so in the daytime and don’t drop below 50 F at night. In colder climates, the curing might extend out six or even nine months. Don’t seal your new blacktop drive in its first year to ensure it’s fully cured.

In fact, you may not want to seal your new asphalt drive for several years. The reason new asphalt pavement is jet black is that the stones and sand are completely coated with the liquid asphalt cement. It can take several years before this coating wears off exposing pieces of stone. The pavement will then start to change color as you start to see the color of the stone matrix. This is your signal that it’s time to think about sealing the asphalt.

Climate plays a very big part with respect to the importance of sealing asphalt. I live in New Hampshire where the winters are brutal. Water that enters tiny cracks in asphalt paving freezes. Water expands as it freezes and this can start to widen cracks over time and pluck out individual stones in the asphalt paving. High-quality asphalt sealers can prevent this water damage if you monitor your asphalt making sure you seal the cracks.

The ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun also pose a danger to all asphalt paving. A certain amount of UV light contains active photons. These energized particles act like miniature torpedoes and can blast apart the asphalt that’s holding the sand and stones together. Asphalt sealers can act as sacrificial coatings that prevent the UV rays from attacking the asphalt cement within the pavement.

You can put on too much sealer. It’s important to realize asphalt sealers are coatings. You need to put on a somewhat thin coating following the coverage instructions on the bucket. If you apply too much sealer too often before it wears out, it can start to peel and look horrible.

The best practice is to apply a great sealer and then let it wear off over a few years before you consider applying another coat. Once again, you’ll know when it’s time when you start to see lots of the stones with no coating on them and/or you start to see very tiny cracks that might be as wide as a piece of paper.

You may want that jet black look every year. I know a few people that do. If so, I urge you to buy the cheapest lowest-quality asphalt sealer you can find so that it wears off in nine months.

Climate does pay an important role in asphalt maintenance. Colder climates punish asphalt paving far more than warmer climates. Here in New Hampshire, we deal with wretched frost heaves that crack asphalt paving as if it were an egg being tapped on the side of a skillet.

Should you live in a cold climate it really pays each summer to clean your asphalt drive well. Check the entire driveway and inspect the pavement for tiny cracks. If you see them, then, by all means, begin a routine asphalt sealing program.

Column 1333

What Do Circuit Breakers Do?

Posted on December 18, 2019 by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: Several weeks ago, I read your column in our paper and you talked about installing electrical wiring. I found that very interesting, but now I’m very curious about circuit breakers. What’s the primary purpose of circuit breakers? Are there different types of breakers? What do the numbers on the breakers mean? I’m deeply concerned about house fires caused by electrical malfunctions. Is there any new technology that will give me peace of mind? What else can I do to prevent electrical fires? Valerie B., Kenosha, WI

You may be like Valerie and wonder about those nondescript black rectangles in the electrical panel in your garage, basement, or hallway. The odds are you’ve never had to touch one and if that’s the case that’s actually very good news. On the other hand, if you find yourself routinely resetting a tripped circuit breaker, you should be very concerned.

Circuit breakers are trustworthy guardians of your life and your possessions. Their primary purpose is to protect the integrity of the wires hidden behind your walls and ceilings. A circuit breaker will turn off the power to the wires should it sense too much current passing too quickly and/or if the current draw is so high it begins to overheat the breaker.

Wires behind your walls can be damaged if they heat up. The insulation can melt and catch fire. I’m reminded of a near tragedy at a close friend’s home a little over two years ago. My friend made a mistake of plugging in a portable electric space heater into an outlet that was controlled by a dimmer switch.

Most dimmer switches are only rated for a moderate amount of current passing through them. The usual limit is about 600 watts. The heater was able to draw 1,500 watts and the inside of the dimmer switch got so hot it melted the switch and started to burn. Fortunately, my friend’s wife was in the room, smelled the acrid smoke from the burning plastic and they switched off the power. Had they been elsewhere or asleep, the outcome could have been far different.

It’s important to realize the plastic insulation on wires can do the same thing. If the wire gets too hot, then the insulation can melt, start to burn and create a devastating house fire. The National Fire Protection Association reports that between 2012 and 2016 there were 44,880 residential house fires in the USA directly related to electrical failure or malfunction. Thousands of people died and were injured in these fires. The total property damage estimate exceeded $5 billion dollars. Those numbers should place your head on a swivel.

Another key point is the wires in your home are not all the same size. This is what the numbers on the breakers are for. You need to match a breaker to the minimum size of the wire on a circuit. For example, a 12-gauge wire is normally rated for 20 amps. You’d then use a 20-amp circuit breaker to protect the wires on this circuit.

There are quite a few different circuit breakers. The most common one is a single-pole breaker that operates much like a single wall switch you might use to turn on and off a light in a bathroom. This common breaker takes up one slot in the electrical panel.

You can also purchase unique tandem single-pole breakers where two different circuits are controlled separately yet the two breakers only take one place in the electrical panel.

There are other breakers used to control appliances that need extra power. Your electric oven, electric clothes dryer, a well pump, and exterior air conditioning compressors are great examples. These require a breaker that will switch off all power to the appliance if it senses a problem on either of the two wires that are required to provide the extra power to the equipment.

Decades ago a breaker was developed to protect your body from electrical shocks in wet areas. You may be familiar with the ground fault circuit interrupters, or GFCIs. These breakers can be found in the electrical panel or they might be a point-of-use tiny breaker right on the face of the outlet in your bathroom, kitchen, garage, or an exterior wall outlet.

Not too long after the development of the GFCI, a newer breaker became available that could sense electrical arcing in a circuit that can lead to fires. These are arc-fault breakers and the National Electrical Code has adopted the widespread use of these throughout most new homes. They are a very good idea.

I’m currently testing the latest technology - TingFire. You can now purchase a plug-in monitor that is constantly checking all the wiring in your home for minor arcing that will eventually grow and lead to major arcing that would eventually trip the arc-fault breakers. The new monitor is connected to the Internet and you get an alert via email should it sense a problem in the early stages long before it could cause a fire.

I suggest you do preventative maintenance on all outlets that draw lots of current like your bathroom, kitchen and any other area where you plug in things that consume lots of electricity. You should check to make sure the wires are tightly connected to the outlets. You should also make sure that outlets don’t move when you plug something in or you pull the plug out of the outlet.

Column 1332

December 15, 2019 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on December 15, 2019 by Tim Carter

Quick question: Are you a new subscriber? Are you ready for some fun and tips that will save you sweet moola? Good. You're at the right place.

Have you been a subscriber for more than a week? I'm pretty sure the reason you continue to open these newsletters is to see if they've rescinded my Internet privileges here at the sanatorium! 😉

Make Up Not Out!

I'm involved in a fun project of curating lots of the stories about me growing up. As I get deeper into this project, I find myself basking in memories so thick I have to brush them away from my face! Trust me, it's liberating to turn the skeleton key unlocking the attic door of your mind. Dusting off certain memories can reward you with quite a bit of pleasure.

CLICK or TAP HERE to read one of the stories.

Just today I was thinking about my first kiss and making out. It happened at Versailles State Park in Indiana when I was maybe 12 or 13. I'm pretty certain I was wearing brown shoes, but I digress!

What I really want to talk to you about is makeup air, not make out kisses that might take your breath away for goodness sake, silly!

CLICK or TAP HERE to discover more about what you see in that image above.

But, for the full story, CLICK or TAP HERE to understand WHY you should consider a makeup air vent so you DON'T DIE of CARBON MONOXIDE poisoning!!!

Repointing Fireplace Mortar

A few days ago, I received a question via the Ask Tim page on my website. The gentleman wanted to know about tuck-pointing mortar INSIDE his fireplace.

fireclay
I know that's not the best photograph but what you're looking at are the actual high-temperature firebrick in the last house I built.

What's that gray stuff in between each of the brick? The exact name?

Are you SURE you know? Come on, be honest. CLICK or TAP HERE and let me know if you were right.

I'm willing to bet you don't know what it is. In fact, I'm willing to wager you one delicious giant Aglamesis dark chocolate pecande, but not the one on my desk! You should only be so lucky to have a prize like this!

If you were wrong and accepted the bet, then email me and I'll give you the address to send me my pecande!

Compact LED Flashlight!

Are you looking for a fabulous flashlight? You know, you can't have too many flashlights.

Honesty Moment: I do have a tendency to hoard flashlights like I do jackets. It's nice-to-know information about how many of each I have!

Your eyes are locked onto the Coast G10 LED flashlight.

I'm here to tell you this LED flashlight is one that you MUST HAVE. It's an excellent prize to give to someone who might put it on a nightstand. It could come in handy in a power outage. You might find it useful to find small chunks of pecans that spewed from your mouth as you were savoring that dreamy caramel and dark chocolate pecande under the covers.

CLICK or TAP HERE now to see lots of different photos of the G10 and to discover WHY I'd have one of these Coast G10s on every floor of my house and in my car and truck.

CLICK or TAP HERE to order one before they sell out. This is the perfect stocking stuffer for all those on your Christmas list.

I LOVE the quality of Coast products. I've had their flashlights for years.

Penny-wise or Pound Foolish

Each day, I get quite a few questions at my Ask Tim page on my website.

All too often, the questions are quite involved and require quite a bit of typing. I've answered hundreds and hundreds of questions like this over the 25-plus years I've been doing Ask the Builder and know that each time I provide an answer the homeowner comes back with two, three, or more followup questions.

It's not a prudent use of my time to do this as you might expect.

This is why I developed my 15-Minute Phone Call product.

But here's what you need to know. Those questions I can't answer in 15 seconds or with a fast "Yes" or "No", I send this:

"Your situation requires lots of typing and I know you'll have more questions. I can solve your problem over the phone for an affordable price. If you're not happy with the call, it's FREE."

Here's the sad truth:

Only one in fifty homeowners decides to make the investment in the phone call that can save them HUNDREDS or THOUSANDS of dollars.

I'm convinced that those who ignore the offer of my protection think, "Hells bells about investing in the right answer! I'll go find it for FREE online!"

Well guess what? There's a good chance you'll discover the wrong answer long before you uncover the right answer. And if you don't know the RIGHT answer, then how do you know if you stumbled upon it?

Don't be foolish. Don't HOPE you have the right answer. You only should hope for things you can't control like the weather.

Deluxe Shed Plans

Are you paying lots of money each month to store a bunch of your stuff at one of those steel buildings somewhere? SCREW THAT!

Build your own shed - a DELUXE one - and have all your stuff where you can get it easily. What's more, a great shed ADDS VALUE to your casa.

Here's my Christmas prize for you.

Normally these amazing super-detailed plans cost $19.95 at my shopping cart.

Purchase them now. I'm offering them to you for a LIMITED TIME at the unheard of price of $9.95.

You don't have to build the EXACT shed as I did, but you can use the plans for inspiration or you can modify them to your situation.

You'll discover all the information you need on the SEVENTEEN PAGES of the plans!!!

CLICK or TAP HERE to get these INSTANT DOWNLOAD plans now.

Listen, that's enough for a Sunday.

Don't forget to get a pecande and send it to me if you were wrong about the firebrick mortar!

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
So Clean I Beam - www.StainSolver.com
Morse Forever - www.W3ATB.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

P.S. Riddle me this:

Do you know how to identify what circuit breaker controls WHAT outlets and lights in your home? Can you do it ALONE without SCREAMING ten times from the garage, "Is THAT THE ONE?!!!!!"

Would you like to see how I discover what breaker controls WHAT outlets in my house? I thought so.

CLICK or TAP HERE now.

Aunt Margaret the Maven

Posted on December 14, 2019 by Tim Carter

Aunt Margaret

“Let’s go visit Aunt Margaret,” my Dad said. If I’d had a mirror in front of me, there’s no doubt my eyes and grin were wider than an airplane-hanger door. Margaret was my Dad’s older sister, and she lived with my Uncle Louie in a majestic old home in North Avondale, an original suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio. Aunt Margaret was a fun aunt. Trips to her house were guaranteed good times.

Aunt Margaret was a magical woman. I’m not an expert in human genetics, but there’s not a doubt in my mind that my positive attitude, Peter-Pan maturity, and my-cup-is-overflowing outlook are directly related to her DNA.

This isn't the best photo of Aunt Margaret. She's on the left. She was the maid of honor at my Mom and Dad's wedding. This photo was taken at Aunt Margaret's house on Reading Road in North Avondale - an old Cincinnati, OH suburb.

Aunt Margaret always greeted me with a huge smile, a hug and something nice to say, except for those days when Uncle Louie had stretched her patience tighter than a banjo string.

Aunt Margaret on the right. She was 31 in this photo. What a piece of eye candy. WOWZA! I have no clue who the older woman is but she could be my grandmother!

Once my Dad and I got to Marge’s house, my Dad called her that, we entered through the back door into her huge kitchen with soaring 10-foot ceilings. I remember it was a Saturday and for some reason that always meant moist cinnamon coffee cake was somewhere on the counter. Margaret knew that I savored this treat and no sooner had I entered the room from the climb up the outside steps she inquired, “Timmy, how about a piece of coffee cake?”

My face told her all she needed to know. Standing in the center of the kitchen she handed me a generous piece of the pastry. Not wanting to sit down, I immediately took a bite and crumbs exploded from the edges of my mouth landing on her spotless floor. She just laughed poking fun at her brother asking him if they never fed me at home. Aunt Margaret always teased my Dad, but it was all in good fun. That’s what most brothers and sisters do.

Here's Aunt Margaret fishing in Florida. No sunscreen back then!

Once I devoured the last bite of the coffee cake Aunt Margaret chuckled, “Well Timmy, you made a little mess. Let’s clean it up.” She didn’t get a broom or a mop out of the closet. In one quick motion, she touched the crumbs with the tips of her fingers and they stuck to her skin like nails to a magnet. I was dumbfounded. In my five long years on the planet’s face, I had never seen crumbs magically attracted to fingers like that. The floor was spotless and she just laughed. What was this mystic power that my Aunt possessed? Just like all professional magicians, she didn’t reveal her secret, but years later I figured it out.

My First Time

Aunt Margaret and Uncle Louie loved to entertain. I have crystal-clear memories of adult parties at their home. My sister and I would amuse ourselves running up and down the plush carpeted stairs to their second floor as the adults talked about money, politics, work and who knows what. The steps were unlike any I had ever seen. When you got to the top of the steps, the hallway went left and right. It was the coolest thing ever.

Margaret was all about appearances. She dressed to the nines, had gorgeous black hair and a drop-dead gorgeous smile. Although not full-figured, she was very attractive. She applied this same set of standards to the buffet of food at her parties. The sterling silver and cut-glass platters, bowls and silverware gleamed. They were filled with all sorts of scrumptious food and treats. The sideboard table in the dining room where they all resided was as crowded with people as opening day at the Reds baseball stadium.

One particular party she gently took my hand while no one was watching and whispered in my ear. “Timmy, I’ve got something I want to show you. Come with me,” the words escaped her lips like a puff of fragrant spring air. We walked across the crowded dining room to the sidebar table that was overflowing with food of all sorts.

“Try this for me please,” she purred with a smile on her face. Aunt Margaret had never led me down the wrong path. I trusted her more than an explorer does a compass. But she was handing me the strangest white thing I’d ever seen, and it appeared to be covered in thick blood. I must have grimaced and pulled back, but with her lips inches from mine, she softly implored, “I know you’ll love this. Go ahead and take a bite.”

Mustering up all the courage a kid can when presented with strange food, I gulped and didn’t disappoint her. After all, it was Aunt Margaret, I loved her, and she was looking deeply into my eyes as any temptress would. At that instant in time, I’m convinced she wanted me to eat that cocktail shrimp more than she wanted life itself. She knew how good they were, and she wanted to be the first person to show me.

I bit down into the ice-cold crustacean, and the cocktail sauce flavor set my mouth slightly ablaze. There was just enough horseradish in the ketchup to give the sauce a tangy flavor. The firmness of the shrimp was intoxicating, not to mention it was tasty. Aunt Margaret’s laughter undoubtedly was sparked by my eyes lighting up in response to the heat and taste. I’m sure my request for more intensified her chuckle.

Aunt Margaret was but one of my fun aunts. All three of her other sisters had great smiles, perky personalities and each took me under their wings in a special way. Thelma, Juanita, and Edna Mae were a bright spot in my childhood, but Margaret’s magical fingers are something I’ll never forget, much less her raven hair, sweet smile, and taste in food.

Even as she aged, Aunt Margaret was gorgeous. This photo was probably shot in the late 1960s at Aunt Juanita's 3rd wedding is my best guess.

As I’ve grown older, I’m convinced Margaret saw herself in me. I often have that same vision when I see children. You just seem to be able to predict what they’ll turn out to be. I wish Margaret were still alive today, so she could see if her intuition was spot on. Now that I think about it she didn’t need the proof - she already knew. God bless you, Aunt Margaret!

Coast G10 Flashlight

Posted on December 11, 2019 by Tim Carter

Coast G10 | I don't have big hands. Look how the flashlight is a little longer and as wide as my biggest finger! But it's BRIGHT! You can get it in Black or Silver. CLICK or TAP HERE or the image to have one in your hands in days.

Coast G10 Flashlight - Very Small But Very Handy!

I had a chance to test out the Coast G10 LED that sports a cone-shaped inspection beam.

I loved it! It's a perfect prize flashlight to give to someone for their purse or pocket. It's about the size of a jumbo Tootsie Roll, so that's not big at all!

This little guy or gal is bright as can be. You can see things up to 65 feet away. That's plenty of time to throw a snowball, golf ball, or ping pong ball at the banshee you've highlighted. CLICK or TAP HERE or the image to get one now. This flashlight is SO AFFORDABLE!

One AAA battery is all you need to turn night into noon. CLICK or TAP HERE or the image to astound your friends and enemies with your savvy buying skills!

One fresh AAA battery in warm temperatures should provide 2.5 hours of light. CLICK or TAP HERE to see if that's true. Don't use crap batteries. Consider rechargeable ones like I use.

December 9, 2019 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on December 10, 2019 by Tim Carter

Are you a new subscriber? Thanks for being here. It's my job to surprise you, as often as I can, with dandy home improvement tips and special prizes. A prize is just a gift and it can be something as simple as a past helpful column on my website.

Are you a subscriber that remembers when I had blonde hair? Thanks for staying on the list. You know I'll try to continue to aim the fire hose of money-saving tips at you week after week after week.

Christmas is Looming

Wow, Christmas is just a little over two weeks away! It's on a Wednesday this year and that makes for an odd week.

Are you looking to get that special someone some great tools?

CLICK or TAP HERE to see a list of some of my favorites. I add to this list from time to time.

Garage Floor Drains

Last week in the newsletter I made an off-the-cuff mention about my daughter's new house and how it had floor drains in the garage.

garage floor drain ideas
Who would ever think that simple statement would create a mini tsunami of email responses?

I decided to expand on the topic and directly and indirectly answered all the questions asked of me in the new column.

CLICK or TAP HERE to discover all you might ever want to know about garage floor drains.

REMEMBER, if you have a QUESTION, put it in the COMMENTS section at the end of the column. That way EVERYONE gets to benefit from my answer. The comments are moderated and you may not see yours appear for hours or a day. Be patient if that's not your strong suit.

Dandy Coast Small Personal Lantern

I had the chance to try out a very very interesting small personal lantern.

It's the Coast EAL13.

coast eal13

You might think this is some giant lantern that's the size of giant can of baked beans. Boy, baked beans with a touch of brown sugar, some Raye's mustard, and chopped onions with fresh steaming chicken wings sounds good, doesn't it? WHAT???? You've NOT HAD Raye's mustard????

Eating the many different flavors of Raye's mustard can be life changing. I've have a few life-changing encounters, so I speak with authority here, trust me. But I digress.

This is a midget lantern is just the thing you need for your car or truck or where you do desk work in case of a power outage!

CLICK or TAP HERE to discover more about this high-quality Coast product.

There are MANY MANY photos of this lantern in the above column. I highly recommend you read the captions below them if you're having a bad day.

Getting Old Stuff

Steve from Scarsdale sent me this photo:
Steve's Trex Railing

Here's what Steve sent me in addition to the photo:

"I have a deck railing made of a Trex early generation composite material. Part of the railing has gone missing. The railing and deck are from the same material and in good shape. Any idea where I can source some of this material/railing to make the repair?"

How would you answer Steve?

I told him to set up an ALERT on Craigslist because that's where I sold all my OLD deck railing and ALL of my first-generation TREX decking three years ago.

Local people were SO HAPPY to discover old stuff for sale as they needed it just like Steve does.

Don't believe me? CLICK or TAP HERE and have your curiosity satisfied more than you would be if you opened a box of Christmas prizes early!

That's enough for a Monday. I tried to get this newsletter to you yesterday, but walking on my Kahtoola microspikes on 3/4-inch of ice took priority.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBulider.com
Certified Organic CLEAN MAN - www.StainSolver.com
Morse Muff Man - www.W3ATB.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

P.S. Tell me something. Did you know this SECRET way to unclog a toilet without having to stick the plunger in the gross water?

CLICK or TAP HERE and watch the video with the blue water in the bowl.

Let me know if you think this is a better idea! READ the comments below my idea. WATCH the video!!!

Stop Water Mess in Your Garage

Posted on December 9, 2019 by Tim Carter

Garage Floor Drain | This piping looks complicated but it’s not. You’re looking at two new garage floor drains, a simple running trap, and a surface clean-out for the trap! A garage floor drain is an excellent dream garage idea. (C) Copyright 2021 Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: I’m about to build a new home with both an attached garage and a separate free-standing three-bay garage. The house I grew up in had floor drains in the garage and they were wonderful. My builder has never heard of garage floor drains and insists on sloping the concrete floor so all liquids flow to the doors. I can see this will be a nightmare in the winter when ice and snowmelt from cars and trucks. What would you do if you were me and how do you install garage floor drains in your jobs? Steve H., Madison, WI

Have you run into the situation Steve’s facing? I can tell you I live his nightmare each winter here in my own home here in snowy New Hampshire. I didn’t build the house I live in and my garage doesn’t have magical floor drains like the house I grew up in as a kid. Water melts from my car and truck and puddles down at the closed garage doors. It’s a nightmare.

Is the Building Code a Set of Minimum Standards?

It’s important to realize the building code is a set of minimum standards. You can always build things better than what the building code mandates. The building code is revised every few years and I can tell you that some fantastic things have been forgotten or changed in past revisions.

CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE BIDS from local plumbers who can install a garage floor drain.

I checked several citations of the International Building Code and there was language that garage floors must slope to the door so liquids drain to the door or to a drain. Another key point is that cities or towns can make their own revisions to the code. What’s acceptable in one town, may not be allowed in another city nearby. You always need to check with your local code official and see what you can do.

Did You Install a Garage Floor Drain in your Daughter's New Home?

This past year, my daughter and son-in-law built a new home on Mt. Desert Island in Downeast Maine. I specified that floor drains be put in the garage and made sure with the local building inspector, Ms. Angela Chamberlain, that she allowed this. Not only did she permit the floor drains, she indicated the water from the drains could drain to the surface beyond the house just like downspout water from the roof.

How are Garage Floor Drains Piped?

The floor drains in older homes were piped in almost all cases with a simple p-trap just like you might find under your bathroom sink. The u-shaped pipe under the drain created a water seal but it also allowed sand and dirt to accumulate fast. You had to be really careful in older garages so as to not clog the drain line past the u-shaped running trap.

What Kind of Garage Floor Drain Fixture is Best?

I installed modern side-outlet box drains in my daughter’s garage. These measure about 14 inches square and are about ten inches deep. The drain pipe exits out the side of the box drain and the bottom of the pipe is about 1.5 inches up from the bottom of the box.

This allows sand and grit to settle out and not be carried into the drainpipe leaving the box drain. However, you need to keep up with making sure this sand, dirt, and grit never get any thicker than the 1.5-inch catch area!

Do You Put in a P-Trap in a Garage Floor Drain?

Downstream from the box drains I installed a self-made p-trap using 90-degree fittings. I also used a tee fitting so I could create a surface clean out that rises up from one end of the p-trap under the slab.

This clean-out allows my son-in-law, or a future homeowner, easy access into the p-trap using the hose from a wet-dry vacuum. Should the p-trap get clogged it will be very easy to clean it out.

Is Car Oil a Pollution Hazard?

Some people worry about oil getting into the floor drains and it causing pollution of the ecosystem. That’s a valid concern if you have a massive oil spill in a garage. I maintain this is a rare occurrence. If you’re worried about oil pollution, you can install a commercial oil separator as part of your drainage pipe installation. And as for car and truck oil pollution, imagine how many gallons per day leak onto the roadways around your town or city from pesky drips from engines, transmissions, and hydraulic hoses.

Common sense also is required if you have a car or truck that has a tired engine or transmission. If these do leak small amounts of oil, for goodness sake lay out some cardboard to soak up the leaks and replace the cardboard once it becomes saturated. There are also dry granular products made to soak up oil spills. You see this product at many gas stations when someone spills diesel fuel or other oil products.

How Far Below the Floor Surface Should the Drain Be?

It’s very important to make sure the tops of the floor drains are about 2 inches below the primary level surface of the garage slab. The concrete contractor needs to create large shallow funnels around the floor drains.

The size of the funnel depends on the size of the car or truck. At the very least, the funnel should be a total of 10 feet wide and 22 feet long. Center the floor drains so they’re exactly under the center of where the car or truck will be parked in the garage.

What are Floor Drain Benefits?

Another side benefit of having garage floor drains is you can wash your car or truck inside on blistering hot days or in colder months should you live where it gets cold. You can purchase a special hose bib that has both a hot and cold handle just like any indoor sink. This way you can use warm water to rinse off your vehicle.

Column 1331

Garage Floor Drain Ideas

Posted on December 8, 2019 by Tim Carter

Garage Floor Drain Ideas | This is a simple illustration of a modern side-outlet garage floor drain. There's a small area at the bottom of the drain to capture sand, dirt, and debris so it doesn't clog the drain pipe.

Garage Floor Drain Ideas - Time Tested Technology

The inspiration for this column came from unexpected comments about a brief mention of garage floor drains in my December 1, 2019 AsktheBuilder newsletter and my December 9, 2019 AsktheBuilder newsletter.

The house I grew up in had a garage floor drain. The concrete floor was sloped like a giant shallow funnel so all water that got on the concrete flowed to the drain. That floor drain never caused any issues in all the years I lived in that home.

My current house doesn't have a garage floor drain. In fact, there's not even one in my all-important mechanical room where the boiler and water heater are located. You know at some point you'll have a leak in this room for goodness sake! I don't think plumbers in New Hampshire know about floor drains. My garage floor is sloped from the back of the garage to the doors.

I live in the snowy and cold Northeast USA where ice and snow are as common in the wintertime as whoopie pies in the grocery store. Water flows to the garage doors and puddles when snow and ice melt from my car and truck. Some seeps under the door and on cold days the garage door weatherstripping freeze to the floor!

It's ridiculous, as are many things in life! A floor drain or two in my garage would prevent this madness.

Silly Building Code Revisions - They're NOT Always Right

It's insane! The building code was altered some time ago prohibiting garage floor drains in certain cities and towns. The reasoning, I'm told, was that spilled gasoline and oil would cause explosions, death, and destruction.

Can you think of the last time in your city or town that you read about or saw on the local TV news that a house was destroyed and people killed by a garage floor drain or gasoline spilled in a garage without a floor drain?

Yeah, I thought so.

Did you know you can make your own silly TV news graphics like this one? Yes, you'll have eaten, drank, slept in a hammock, went kayaking, played epic games of ping pong against your nemesis, and maybe opened a prize or two before you ever hear about a garage explosion caused by a frivolous floor drain.

Newsletter Response - "Where's the Oil Separator, Tim!"

One or two subscribers who read my newsletter wondered if I had a special way to clean out debris from the floor drain. I've been a master plumber since age 29 and you bet I took that into consideration. Go back up and look at the illustration to see how debris is captured and prevented from entering the drain line.

It's important to realize you need to clean out the debris periodically so it doesn't accumulate to the height of the drain pipe. Look at the following illustration to understand how old floor drains, like the one in the house I grew up in, were piped.

This is how hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of floor drains are piped. You can see that the bottom of the trap can fill with sand and debris. You can't get your hand down the pipe, but you can insert the end of a wet-dry vacuum hose!

You can see old floor drains are much like the p-traps under your bathroom or kitchen sink. It's easy for them to get clogged.

Why Put Traps in Garage Floor Drains?

Traps should be incorporated into garage floor drains to prevent vermin from entering the garage. This is especially true of drains that are piped directly outdoors on the land just outside the garage.

I'd never connect a garage floor drain to a septic system because I don't want any oil or mystery chemicals stored in the garage to have a chance to get into the septic tank.

It's unlikely that a plumbing inspector would allow a garage floor drain to be directly connected to a municipal sewer system. At the very least it should only be connected to a municipal stormwater drainage system.

The traps should be under the garage floor to help prevent them from freezing in cold climates. Water frozen in a p-trap will stop the flow of water out of the garage.

In April of 2019, I had to re-plumb the floor drains in my daughter's garage. The contractor who put them in didn't include a trap and he just ran the drainpipe to the footing drain. This allowed radon to fill the garage like hot air fills a political debate.

Look at how I installed the drain so it has a vertical riser that allows you easy access to the p-trap. That capped pipe is flush with the concrete floor now that the slab is in place. In addition, I made sure the drain line leaving the floor drain on the right was a straight shot into the p-trap for the same reason.

Quite a few subscribers were wondering where the drain water goes from the garage and if I had installed an oil separator.

The pipe drains to the ground outside about 40 feet from the garage door. I didn't install an oil separator and it's not required by the code.

Let's Apply Common Sense

What do you think the odds are of more than a tablespoon of oil reaching that floor drain on any given day? When was the last time you had a massive oil spill in your garage? If you did, did you clean it up or just hose it outside?

How many total gallons of oil drip from trucks, cars, and heavy equipment up on Mt Desert Island each day where my daughter will live?

What happens to that oil? Is most of it broken down in the soil at the side of the road and/or does a certain amount evaporate over time? Think about where you live. Think about how much oil is spilled on the ground in your town or city each day.

Much/most of the motor oil you put in your car or truck comes from the ground in the first place. It's as organic as it gets. Yes, it almost always needs to be extracted from bedrock, but there are natural seeps.

The point is most responsible people will clean up spilled oil in a garage. Most probably put down old cardboard under a tired engine or transmission.

Lastly, Mother Nature has great healing properties. She can and does clean up oil spills. It may take her more time than you would like, but She gets the job done.

Oil Separators

Let's imagine you're very concerned about getting oil on your land or into the ecosystem. You can install an oil separator as part of your drainage system. You just have to remember to get the oil out by pumping it or scooping it into bottles that you then drive to the recycle center.

It's important to realize the oil in the separator will be underground. You'll be on your hands and knees dealing with it.

If you have strong feelings about garage floor drains and oil, I urge you to spill your thoughts below in the comments. I moderate all comments to prevent SPAM, so it could take a day or two for your comment to appear. I publish all comments that aren't SPAM.

Coast EAL13 Lantern Review

Posted on December 3, 2019 by Tim Carter

Coast EAL13 Lantern | You can see how petite this powerful lantern is. You can use it for emergency lighting for your car or soft lighting for your campsite or even on your patio in the summer.

Coast EAL13 Lantern - It's Small But Handy For Sure

I've had the opportunity over the years to test many flashlights and lanterns. I even own an official Amtrak lantern used by train crews. I was a conductor on a scenic train in New Hampshire for two summers and had to follow all the FRA rules.

The Coast EAL13 lantern is a very handy one that I recommend in every vehicle you own. It's small enough, only 5 and 3/4 inches tall and 2.5 inches in diameter, to fit in center consoles or glove boxes.

The following pictures tell the rest of the story.

This is the handle you hold it with if you were an old-time RR switchman telling the engineer the switch is safe to travel over.

This is a carabiner on the top so you can hang the lantern from anything that will fit into the spring-loaded clasp.

I know! You want to see how much light it puts out. It's got three levels: low, medium, and blinding. This is on low.

There are five lantern settings. This one just glows red to alert anyone, including space aliens, of danger and they should stop and deposit all cheese coneys they have in their possession. The last setting on the switch is blinking red. This comes in handy if you're broken down on the road.

This dandy lantern has a carabiner on the bottom too! It's specifically made for all users Down Under!

You need three AA batteries to power this bad boy. Remember, always take the batteries out if you're not going to use it for a while.

The lantern will attach and hold itself to any steel or iron surface. It's got four magnets in the base. If you fly an F/A-18 Hornet, don't expect it to hold onto the fuselage.

Did you like this lantern? Speak up in the comments below for goodness sake!

Zircon Breaker ID Review

Posted on December 2, 2019 by Tim Carter

This is the receiver that you touch against the circuit breakers. CLICK or TAP HERE or the image to have one delivered to your home.

Zircon Breaker ID - Works Well

I've had the Zircon Breaker ID for a while, but only today had a reason to put it to the test. It got an A++!

How Does the Zircon Breaker ID Work?

The tool has two parts, a transmitter, and a receiver. The transmitter is the black part you plug into the wall and the receiver is the yellow part of the tool. The receiver is used at the circuit panel.

This is the transmitter. You plug this into a regular 120-volt outlet on the circuit you're trying to locate. CLICK or TAP HERE or the image to have this dandy tool in your trembling hands in just hours.

The receiver has two LEDS on top. One red and one green. They're so bright they wash out the color in the photo. The tool also has a buzzer, but I couldn't get mine to work even with a new battery. Not to worry, just trust the LEDs. CLICK or TAP HERE to purchase this tool before clicking on and off all your breakers hoping you hear the person inside the house.

Here I am scanning the breakers. You need to calibrate the tool by running it up and down all the breakers in the panel. It only takes seconds to do. CLICK or TAP HERE to preserve your sanity and voice. Once you scan all the breakers, you do it one more time. When the tip of the scanner is on top of the breaker that powers the outlet that the transmitter is plugged into, the green LED lights up brighter than your eyes when you get a prize from your best friend!

When you go to store the tool, you insert the receiver into the transmitter and this is what it looks like. CLICK or TAP HERE to order one of these now. You'll not regret it.