This Old House On The Money Pit

SHOW NOTES: Adding a basement bathroom can make the space more useable and but below grade bathrooms need special designs in order to drain. We’ll share what you need to know to make sure your bathroom will “go with the flow”. When you ask for a 2x4 at the local lumber yard, did you now that the wood they give you actually measures a lot less? These days it’s not always easy to get what you pay for – and that includes buying lumber. We share why and how make sure your money goes as far as it can when buying materials. Wondering how much it costs to maintain a house? We share a simple formula to lay out what you should you budget for the cost of home repair and maintenance. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions: Nadine in Iowa has an unusually noisy countertop. Tyler from Indiana wants to know if he should do a full basement remodel to sell his house. Don in Illinois has a slippery sidewalk and wants to know if he can put a sealer on the sidewalk to give it more traction. Sandra from North C

SHOW NOTES: If you are planning to make the switch from carpet to one of the many beautiful solid surface floors, getting the old carpet torn out can be a hassle. Worse, it can reveal problems that need to be fixed before the new floor can be installed. We’ll share how prep for your new floor like a pro. When it comes to maintaining your home, painting is a project that’s among the most basic of DIY projects. But it’s also a project that can go terribly wrong if you don’t take just three steps before your start. Learn how to avoid the most common painting mistakes. Ever had a bath or shower drain get clogged due to long hair getting stuck in it? we’ll share a $5 solution that’s so handy, you’ll want to start using it on all your sinks and showers. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions: Jennifer in Maryland needs a solution how to fill in a gap in siding. Kenny from Mississippi wants to know the best insulation for a tin roof. Penny in Illinois wants to know how to stop frost coming in throug

SHOW NOTES: Natural stone countertops are beautiful but also require a ton of maintenance to keep them looking as good. We sort out whether these attractive kitchen surfaces are worth the hassle, along with some equally attractive but easier to care for alternatives. If getting rid of old wallpaper stands between you and your dream room, we can help! Learn the right steps to remove wallpaper quickly and easily. If you’re a pet-lover and taking on new decor or remodeling projects, we’ve share tips for the best pet friendly floor and walls surfaces. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions: Dave from California needs a recommendation for the best solar batteries for his new home. Dana in Georgia wants to know if mold in her home is an issue and how she can remove it. Jeff from Massachusetts wants to know the best insulation for a basement.  Sylvia in Pennsylvania is curious if he can heat his terrazzo floor. Sparky from Georgia is replacing coaxial cable and is looking for the best possible wa

SHOW NOTES: Winter is rough on roofs so now is a good time to plan for any roof work that might be needed to be done come spring. We’ll share tips for a DIY roof check to know if a roof needs to be repaired or replaced - in today’s Smart Spending Tip. Got closets busting at the seams? We’ve got steps for a simple closet makeover that takes less than an hour or two to get done and will help you find the space you need.  If you’d like to make your home more energy efficient, a home energy audit is a great place to start. We’ll share how details to get this done, and highlight a DIY option, just ahead. Say goodbye to the dark days of winter with the best lighting for your home. We share the bulbs and fixtures that deliver the brightest outlook for the days ahead. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions: Risa from Oregon needs a good gutter guard recommendation. John in Missouri is building a guest home and wants to know if it’s better to start from scratch or if he should use a prefab. Kathy fro

SHOW NOTES: Want to tackle a home improvement project but don’t have much time? Tom & Leslie share 5 fast hacks that take 30 minute or LESS to complete. Plus share a full list of 30 more home improvements you can do in under 30 minutes! Home fire risk goes up in the winter, but did you know that not all smoke detectors work with every type of fire? We’ll explain how to choose the best smoke detectors to make sure you’re protected. If you’re a renter, we share tips to help you save money heating your apartment that’ll make you a lot more comfortable and won’t require any major changes to your place, or risk losing your security deposit! Radon is a soil gas that is present under homes and can put your health at risk. We share how to know if radon levels are high in your area and what to do if they are.   Plus, answers to your home improvement questions: Andrea in Pennsylvania has a sloping floor in her bathroom and doesn’t know how to fix it. David from Ohio is having a hard time keeping paint from peeli

SHOW NOTES: Thinking adding solar power to your home can reduce electricity costs? Not all panels deliver the same amount of electricity. Tom & Leslie explain which options deliver the most power and best savings. And if you like homes that feel bigger than they are, there’s a new trend in what’s known as a broken or semi-open floor plan beginning to catch on. Well top-line those details. With half of the winter behind us, it’s time to think about making sure your outdoor trees will bloom this spring. We’ve got tips on keeping trees alive through winter. Plus, answers to these home improvement questions: Pat in South Dakota wants to know more about vinyl flooring she’s looking to install on her first floor. Phillip from Massachusetts is replacing his cape cod roof and wants to know his options and if he should put in an ice guard. Carolyn down in Florida needs advice on repainting her metal garage door. Eric in Michigan is asking if gutters are needed if your home is on a concrete slab? Debs from Pen

SHOW NOTES: Improving your insulation is the easiest and least expensive way to get comfortable and save money. To help, Tom & Leslie review the most popular types of insulation – including a new “itch-free” fiberglass insulation plus another that’s fire resistant to over 2000 degrees! A serious commercial stove can boost both your cooking powers, and your home's resale value. We’ll share what you need to know if you’re looking for one of these brawny commercial beauties in your kitchen. And are you laying your head down on a bed of bacteria every night? We have tips to help de-tox your mattress to keep IT clean and YOU, healthy. Plus how to spot and get rid of bedbugs. Plus, answers to these home improvement questions: Joan in California is ready for a kitchen remodel and doesn’t know where to start! Kirk from North Dakota is ready to convert incandescent bulbs to LED’s and needs to know how lumens compares to light bulb wattage. Jody in Delaware needs help fixing a foundation with dry lock that is pe

SHOW NOTES: Do you enjoy watching birds visit your yard in warmer weather, but miss them in the winter? Tom & Leslie share tips to help attract visits from your fine feathered friends all year long: even in the cold months! Need a workshop, maker space, sewing center or other studio space? We share tricks for carving out room for your past time using hidden space you may not even know you have! Cold floors can be very uncomfortable and raise your heating costs. We identify the top causes of cold floors and the easiest ways to warm those surfaces, and your feet! Got a smelly sink? We solve that one too with a hack that can help. Plus, here’s one for the rule-breakers out there. Leslie shares design rules that are worth breaking with amazing results. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions: We help Kayla in Iowa who has a dehumidifier that keeps tripping her circuit breaker.  Tom gives Manny from Rhode Island some money-saving advice about service contracts offered for water lines. Ellen in N

SHOW NOTES: Icicles may be attractive, but they’re an early warning of some potentially serious roof leaks. Learn how to stop the leaks caused by ice dams and even get your homeowners insurance company to pay for a new roof! Painting is the easiest and least expensive way to completely change the look of a room. But many DIYers struggle when it comes to picking the best color for their project! We’ll share simple tips to help chose the perfect paint colors Did your furniture pick up a little extra wear and tear over the holidays? We’ve got hacks to fix water rings, dings and dents. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions: Joel from Michigan wants to know choose the best stud finder? Nancy in Arkansas needs help to fill a gap in hardwood floor and her front door threshold. Ken has wants to know what’s best way to repair water damaged sheetrock and wants to know if it’s a DIY project. Karen in Tennessee wants to know how to keep her house warm during the night using her thermal pane windows.

SHOW NOTES: Buying a house in 2022? We’ve got 4 key questions you might want to ask the home seller before you move in. Kitchen floors can take a real beating, especially over the holidays. If your floors are ready for a refresh, we’ll share tips on the best kitchen flooring for this hardworking space. Undecking the halls is never fun, but you might be making it tougher than it has to be. Get hacks for taking down and storing holiday decorations quickly and easily. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions: Kathy in Indiana noticed that snow melts on her roof quicker in some areas more than others.  She wonders if her heat pump is the cause? Its not, but she’s close! We explain why. Cheryl in Texas has plywood countertops and wants an affordable temporary option to replace it. Jim from Louisiana is concerned a loose brick wall in his garage and wants to know how to determine if it’s a structural problem. Laurie in Texas needs help matching the sheen of paint originally used on her cabinets.

SHOW NOTES: A wood stove is a fantastic way to stay warm in winter. But not all wood delivers the same heat. Learn how to supercharge your wood stove for max heat and which fuels can actually be unsafe to burn or can damage your stove. Natural stone countertops are a popular choice for kitchen renos - but they need a lot more care than most people know. We’ll reveal what type of stone countertop is hardest to maintain and reveal an alternative that delivers the same beauty with almost none of the daily maintenance. Hundreds of children are injured every year from furniture, TV’s or appliances that that tip over, especially when kids climb them. We share how to anchor large furniture to the wall and avoid a preventable problem. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions: Sue from Ohio needs help cleaning a carpet that has some mold on it. Jim in Delaware wants to know his options for replacing his shower stall. Melina in Texas is asking if she should be worried if new electrical wiring is too clo

SHOW NOTES: If you need new furniture for the New Year but fear it may not be in the budget - Upcycling may be a great solution for a fresh look at a fraction of the cost. Tom & Leslie have tips to help you get started. If you are a renter, did you know that your possessions are usually NOT covered by your landlord’s insurance? We’ll tell you the one thing you can do to make sure your covered in the event of a flood, fire or other disaster. Doors that stick are an annoying problem that doesn’t really have to be. We’ll tell you how to make it go away once and for all. If you take on New Year’s Resolutions each year only to see them fizzle quickly, we show you how your house help you save money, eat better and get in shape! Plus, answers to your home improvement questions: Laurie wants to know where to get a remote for her Chamberlain garage door. Mike in Iowa wants to know if he can additional insulation to his garage Cheryl from Texas wants to modernize her bathroom and replace her bathtub with a sh

SHOW NOTES: Have you made energy saving improvements to your home that upped its “green” factor? Those improvements may help you sell your home more quickly than the competition. Tom & Leslie share improvements with the best ROI along with tips on how to present these when it comes time to sell. When the weather outside turns frightful, a fire might be delightful – but not if it drives up your heating costs! We have tips on simple steps to make your fireplace energy-efficient. You are probably inside more often than not this time of year… so how healthy is the air you’re breathing? Maybe not as healthy as you think! Find out how to cut down on dust, allergens and even germs with a whole house air cleaner. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions: Brian from Kentucky wants to know the pros and cons of various types of stucco.  Gail in Georgia wants to know how to clean stains from her driveway that are caused by acorns. Pete from Ohio needs to know more about how a how tankless water heaters wo

SHOW NOTES: It’s not easy to keep track of every little thing in your home that requires attention upkeep. Well now, there’s an app for that! It’s been created by Consumer Reports and helps manage your home like a pro.  Vinegar works well as for salads and cooking, but did you know there are many ways to use it to keep your home clean? We’ll share 5 ways to use vinegar to keep your appliances, your bathroom and even your tools clean and working well. The holidays leave little time for things to go wrong…but what happens when they do? We’ll have simple solutions to solve the most common holiday home improvement hassles just ahead. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions: Marlene in California is having a rotten egg smell from her master bathroom shower. William from Delaware has mice problem he needs to get rid of. Denise in Ohio is constantly battling condensation in her double pain windows and wants to know if there is a solution. Olin wants to some advice about installing wainscoting in his

SHOW NOTES: Getting ready to refresh your home with some new décor for the year ahead? We’ll share 5 ways to save lots of money decorating your home sweet home for 2022! We know your kids are counting the minutes, but is your chimney ready for Santa – and for the colder temperatures right behind him? We’ve got advice for chimney repair and cleaning tips that keep your home safe and structurally sound. Lots of cleaning going in this month with all the holiday visits happening – one of the harder surfaces to get clean are tile floors. We’ve got some quick cleaning tips to help you get tile bright and clean tile floors in no time at all. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions: Laurie in Nevada wants to know how to repair a cement sink. Lawrence from Wisconsin needs help fixing a rotting porch post. Kathy in Florida is asking about a product to seal a door. Ames from Colorado has horizontal cracks in his masonry stucco siding. Nora in Texas needs help painting a textured wall. Peter from Flori

SHOW NOTES: With the holidays almost here, many parents are already dreading the moment when neatly wrapped presents become incoming piles of toys. We share easy organizing tips to help. You can’t see it or smell it but according to the EPA, hundreds of people die accidentally each year from CO poisoning caused by heating systems -- We’ll have a way to keep you safe. Your basement may serve as your home’s storage area, an extra play space for the kids or even your laundry room … but basements are also a major source of wasted energy usage. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions: Mike in Iowa wants to know if he can lay foil face on top of existing insulation. Marlene from Iowa has a moisture issue on her windows every morning after she replaced her siding. Frank needs help fixing a foundation beam that has cracked diagonally. Ann in Georgia is needs help dealing with excessive dust in her house. Carol wants to paint her stained bathroom cabinets and wants to know how to remove the current s

SHOW NOTES: If you’d like to improve the energy efficiency of your home but wondered whether the improvements would pay off, the EPA now has a program that can prove the savings before the projects even started.  Bathtubs can last a lifetime, but their finishes won’t! If your bathtub finish is worn, you don’t have to get rid of the whole tub. We share much less expensive solutions. As you do your gift shopping – have you noticed how many retailers offer the opportunity to purchase an “extended” warranty? These seem to be available on everything from a toaster to a television, but do they ever make sense? Plus, answers to your home improvement questions: Robert in Alaska has water penetrating his foundation and wants to know how to stop this. Terri from Missouri is having a crack issue that won’t go away on her wall leading up to her vaulted ceiling and needs a permanent fix. John in New Jersey wants to know if he should flush his water heater annually. Leslie needs advice on cutting down a door. Bren

SHOW NOTES: Winter weather can be especially hard on your home’s plumbing system – especially if your pipes freeze and break. We’ll share simple tips to stop this from happening this holiday season. Now that we’ve sailed past Thanksgiving, Christmas is right around the corner so if you’re thinking about decking those halls – you might be wondering whether you should go with a fresh or fake tree this year. Coming up – we’ll talk pros and cons of each, including some tips on how to choose the freshest fresh tree available. If you have an older house with beautiful – but drafty – windows, then adding a storm window may be a smart move, especially because today’s storm windows have gone high-tech with coatings that make them even more efficient – details ahead. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions: Dena in Iowa has floor to ceiling brown paneling and wants to know how she can cover it up. Luke from North Carolina has floors that are buckling and wants to know how to fix it. Christy in Delaware

SHOW NOTES: As heating bills are starting to rise, we share are several low cost to no cost things you can do to keep them under control while also staying comfortable.  Ready for a quick kitchen refresh? Kitchen backsplashes keep the walls behind your counters clean and updating them can be a fun and affordable project to do yourself.  Hanging holiday lights only to find that half a string is out? Get fast, free and easy holiday light fixes to restore the festive spirit! Is your bathroom floor looking like it need a do-over? We share several new types of bathroom floors that you can install yourself over a weekend.   Plus, answers to your home improvement questions: David from Texas wants to know how to freshen up his concrete patio. Mindy needs advice on what product to use when fixing joints on her concrete porch. Mike in Arizona has worn out siding and wants to know if he should replace it or re-stain it. Natasha from Missouri has dents appearing in her corner molding and wants to know how to rep

SHOW NOTES: Breathing fresh clean air inside your home is more important than ever but you don’t have to throw open windows to let in freezing air to get it. We share tips on the best air filters for a steady supply of fresh indoor air. With all the holiday meals happening now, have you noticed that when you run your dishwasher, are dishes coming out dirtier than when they went in? We’ll share tips for keeping your dishwasher working properly – and end once and for all the often-debated family question: Do you need to pre-rinse your dishes before putting them in the dishwasher? One appliance that you may own, and you’ll never want to be without again, is your garbage disposer. But during the holidays, disposers get jammed more than any other time in the year. We’ll tell you about a super easy way to get it back in action. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions: Russell in Rhode Island is looking to replace the knobs on his kitchen cabinets and drawers. Diana from Arkansas has a broken beam in