This Old House On The Money Pit

SHOW NOTES: Just about time to wrap up gardening for the year. But if you had a greenhouse, you can extend your gardening well into the Fall! Plus, you can start back up even earlier next spring. We’ll share the best DIY Greenhouse Kits to hook you up with a 4-season crop of veggies. When you flick on the bathroom light first thing in the morning, do you scare yourself? That frightening reflection may not actually be all you – just bad bathroom lighting. We’ll share tips to help you improve your natural glow. Is painting a fireplace ever a good idea? We walk you through the pros and cons. Before winter arrives, it’s time to make sure your outdoor concrete surfaces are protected from cracks, worn-out surfaces and stains. We’ll share an easy way to do just that. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions: Russ from Iowa needs to replace a casement window and wants to know if he can put double windows instead. Valerie from Arizona wants to know if she can fix a cracked ceramic tile without replacing

SHOW NOTES: Buying new replacement windows can be confusing. But if you learn how to read a single label that’s required for every new window, finding the best window becomes instantly simplified. We walk you through what to look for. Leftover paint can feel like a headache when every other aspect of a project is done. But with a little imagination and creative flair, we share ideas to use paint that is left over to give your home extra appeal…and have lots of fun in the process. A firewood pile can become a termite buffet if the firewood mixes with moisture or is stacked too close to the structures on your property.  We’ll share tips for the best way to store firewood so it's ready to deliver the most heat when you need it. Fall is the perfect season to take on key home improvements and do home maintenance that can help avoid serious issues that can happen in colder weather. We share a pre-winter checklist to help. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions: Sue from Rhode Island is looking for s

SHOW NOTES: As we head into Fall, it’s a good time to assess your home’s insulation needs. Most homes simply don’t have enough and that results in higher than necessary heating bills as well as a very uncomfortable space. We’ll share a new insulation product that’ll allow you to get the insulation job done fast and safe. Fall is also the time of year when beautiful foliage assembles into a rotted rooftop mess when gutters get clogged! We’ll explain how a clogged gutter can lead to everything from washed out landscaping to a seriously damaged foundation. Plus, we look at the most popular gutter guards and talk about what works and gutter guards to avoid. Termites typically show up in Spring but one homeowner learned the hard way that’s not always the case. Find out what happened when thousands of termite wings were discovered near a basement window and how to get rid of termites. Construction adhesive can be a handy product for heavy duty projects like gluing a mirror to a wall or house numbers to brick, a

SHOW NOTES: College parents beware, we are about to enter “silly season” when real estate agents press young, inexperienced students to sign leases that are chock full of ridiculous requirements, and stiff fines and fees that anyone renting outside of a college town would find ludicrous. We’ll tell you what to look for to prepare your young renters from these predatory practices. As the end of summer approaches, it'll soon be time to bring the green inside with houseplants. But if you feel like you never had a green thumb, fear not! We can help get you on the path to redemption and forgiveness with our list of the top 5 healthiest and hardest to kill houseplants. Are cracks, holes, and nail pops taking away from your otherwise well-maintained walls? We share DIY Tips to fix them yourself for good. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions including: Caitlin moved into a fabulous old house and would love to resurface a beautiful clawfoot tub. We share her options. Fred in Iowa wants to know how to

SHOW NOTES: With fall approaching, and you might be wondering if replacing old or drafty windows is a wise move. We walk you through 7 key questions to ask yourself to determine if this project is right for you. Painting seems like a simple DIY project but that’s exactly why it is even more frustrating than ever when your painting project comes out badly. We’ll share pro painting tips to help. As we head into pandemic season two, many Americans will continue to work from home fueling the need for more home office space. If you are ready to set up a new more organized space for your work life, we’ll share tips on furniture and organizers you can build yourself. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions: Beverly wants to add vinyl siding to a shed and needs to know the best way to attach it. Tom shares a key trick of the trade to make sure the vinyl is secure but won’t expand and cause the vinyl siding to warp when the sun hits it. Abe needs help solving a plumbing mystery that causes the water in

SHOW NOTES: Your house is your biggest investment – but how much, exactly, should you set aside for the cost of home maintenance? We share a simple formula to help you determine what that is. Floors need to handle wear and tear and be easy to clean. But when you have pets, that durability raises to a whole new level! We’ll share what you need to know to choose pet friendly floors that can handle that kind of traffic. Painting the exterior of your home is one of the most important types of home maintenance. And while many homeowners choose to hire a painting contractor, new technology in paint sprayers makes this one project you may be able to tackle yourself. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions. Joe from Iowa isn’t happy with his deck and asks if it should be repaired or replaced with composite decking? We walk him through the pros and cons. Linda from Florida needs a really tough paint for the floor of an airport hangar! We share options for concrete finish that can take the punishment. D

SHOW NOTES: (Episode Summary, and Links) Have you ever taken a shower and received a blast of water that was freezing cold or scalding hot? That’s what we call shower shock! Tom explains exactly why this happens and how to stop the shower-shock for good. By now, garages are usually a mess of toys, tools and toxins like lawn chemicals and paints – all of which are too close to each other for comfort. We share garage organization solutions that can help. If you’ve ever tried to repair old, worn-out concrete by covering it with new concrete only to find it didn’t last, we’ll share a solution that will, and delivers a beautiful new finish in just a few hours. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions: John in Maryland wants to reno a small bathroom that contains the home’s water heater. He’s looking for a recommendation on the smallest possible water heater that will do the job. Phyllis from New Jersey is buying a home built in the 1960’s and want to know what repairs to expect in an older home. Tom

SHOW NOTES: Painting your kitchen cabinets is one of the most popular ways to update a kitchen. But can this DIY project deliver the same level of beauty and durability of a factory applied finish? It can - if we get the painting steps right! Tom & Leslie walk you through what you need to know to get Instagram worthy results!  If a vacation home is out of reach… you might want to consider GLAMPING instead! Glamping is short for “glamor camping” and we’ll share tips on how to do just that by converting a camper or trailer into a comfortable getaway that comes home with you after every vacation. The laundry room might seem safe enough, but anywhere there’s extreme heat and lots of water, there’s potential for trouble. We’ll walk you through the most common laundry room hazards and tell you how to prevent leaks, fires and breakdowns. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions. James from Virginia wants to know how difficult it would be to install a ceiling fan in a house with no lighting fixtures. L

SHOW NOTES: Buying new lawn furniture this summer was a challenge due to the disruption of the pandemic. That's why now may be a good time to build your own. We’ll help by walking you through how to build one of the most iconic pieces of outdoor furniture, the Adirondack chair, including a source for detailed step-by-step plans to build your own Adirondack Chair. If you’ve taken on paint projects, you may know that using a primer is the first step to making sure your paint project comes out exactly as planned. But you may not know that there are key differences between the type of primer you select from your project – especially if it includes painting the kitchen or bath. We’ll fill you in on the best primer for trim and cabinet painting to use and why, just ahead.  If you’re planning a painting project like painting a fence, deck, or the outside of your home, you won’t need to hire a pro. New technology in high efficiency airless paint sprayers makes this an easy DIY project. We explain how the sprayers

SHOW NOTES: Post pandemic, 65 percent of people house hunting demand one feature more than any other. The pandemic has changed a lot about how we buy things and that includes what we look for in a new home! We share the list of new home buyer demands. If you’ve ever taken on a tiling project, you may know that some of the more inconvenient parts of the project are that it’s messy and takes DAYS because you have to wait for the adhesive to set, before you can grout. We’ll show you a trick of the trade to install tile that’s a lot less messy and far faster. If you’re ready for a new floor and have pets, it’s smart to choose the best pet resistant flooring  to stand up to the wear and tear our pets can dish out. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions. Bill in Florida is trying to get rid of a smoker’s stench throughout his house. Pat in Michigan wants to know how to hide water stains on her ceiling without repainting the whole thing. Lee wants to know how to install a koi pond. Stewart wants to

SHOW NOTES: Replacing your garage door can be a simple and affordable project that delivers a 94% return on investment when the house is sold. Get tips on the many styles, colors and designs for garage doors and how to choose from and how to a garage door that rights for you. As the saying goes, good fences make great neighbors. But as simple as it seems, adding a fence is something many DIY’rs get wrong. We’ll walk you tips for picking out the best fence so you can get it right, the first time. If you’ve been dealing with expensive cooling bills, stuffy room or a dusty house, the problem may be your duct system. Learn how to check your ducts for leaks and fix them fast. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions. Tracy in Texas wants to know how to get started with a universally designed bathroom. Tyler asks how to deal with moles that are tearing up his lawn Janet in Georgia is wondering when the best time to stain a wood deck would be. Ian from Vancouver wants to know if there is a tip to n

SHOW NOTES: Consumer Reports is out with the Top Toilets for 2021!  We will flush out the details – including the very unusual way they test toilets using plastic balls, screws and sponges to simulate the real thing!  If you’re buying a new home, you’ll have lots of options to choose from. But many of these don’t really have to be done when the house is being built. We’ll tell you which upgrades make sense to buy from the builder, and which you can get done on your own – and often save a lot of expense in the process. Bathtubs can last a lifetime, but their finishes won’t! The good news is you don’t have to get rid of the whole tub just because of a worn finish. We’ll layout DIY and pro-options to restore the finish and brighten up your bathroom space.   Plus, answers to your home improvement questions. Amanda is asking how to stop floor squeaks in her 100-year-old home. James wants to know how to set an above ground pool into his deck? Terri from Pennsylvania is asking why are her gutters always overflow,

SHOW NOTES: Do you need more storage space? Who doesn’t! We’ll explain the many nooks and crannies where storage space hides that you may never have thought of! Breathing fresh clean air inside your home is more important today than ever. But during these hot “dog days” of summer, you don’t have to throw open windows and let in hot humid air to get it! We’ll share easy ways to make sure the air INSIDE your home is as clean as possible. Adding a backyard deck is one sure-fire way to increase your home's living space. But if you’re not careful, there’s easy ways to make costly mistakes. We’ll show you what you’ll need to avoid. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions including: Mike is working on an interesting historic restoration and wants to know how to seal shower walls to prevent rusting. Cindy from Ohio wants tips for restoring the color of original cedar siding. Mike in Pennsylvania to figure out how to replace big, decorative columns on his porch with something more modern and appealing. Pa

Show notes: Every summer, the #1 danger for children is drowning! Tom & Leslie share a pool safety system you can put in place to help makes sure that tragedy never strikes close to home. It’s National Garage Sales Day and that time of year when millions of folks transform their garages and yards into a storefront to get rid of the junk they no longer want! whether you need to clear garage clutter or maybe make a few bucks, or both, we’ll have tips to help your garage sale go smoothly, including how to protect your privacy and how to price your treasures!  If you’ve ever tried to repair cracked, deteriorated concrete like on a sidewalk, driveway or garage floor – you might have found that those repairs have to be made to the same spots over and over again. We’ll share a way to do these once and have them stick. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions: Justin from VA needs to know the best options for a laundry room floor. Margie in OH needs deep cleaning advice for kitchen cabinets. Judy in M

SHOW NOTES: Want to refresh your home with new décor but aren’t sure if your budget is ready to handle the hit. We’ll share 5 ways to save lots of money decorating your home sweet home. The real estate market is very hot and for first time home buyers, that makes it even tougher to find an affordable house. We’ll share new data on the best and worst markets for first time buyers. Window screens let fresh air into your home, while keeping pesky bugs out! If yours aren’t doing the job, we’ll tell you about new technology options in invisible screening that does just that and a whole lot more. If you’ve ever had to do deal with an uneven concrete walkway that’s causing people to trip, the solution may be easier than you think. We’ll share the best fix. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions about: Sherri from TN needs help with strange dryer problem. Her machine generates moisture when the load is finished. Tim from Michigan has a 2nd floor deck and wants to know how to install fiberglass floor

SHOW NOTES: During summer’s hottest months, buying a pool may seem like a pretty good idea. But several pool pitfalls that can lead to a real financial soaking. Tom & Leslie share dos and don’ts. If you’ve ever picked up lumber for a project that measure 2 by anything (like 2x4, 2x8 and so on) did you ever notice that the wood actually measures a lot less? We’ll share what happens to all that missing wood you thought you were paying for. Homeowners insurance is an important way to protect yourself from financial disaster. But you might be surprised to learn the most common things that are NOT covered. We share how to make sure your totally covered. One incredibly common home improvement tool sends hundreds of people to emergency rooms every year. Learn what this is and how to stay safe Plus, answers to your home improvement questions: Bill is trying to decide between a concrete patio or wood deck and wants to know how much to budget for the project and which one lasts longer? Lorraine needs help gett

SHOW NOTES: Learn how to keep your lawn green and healthy through the hottest months of the summer, plus how to handle droughts or water restrictions. Drain clogs can be a real hassle – but they don’t have to be complicated to free up. We’ll share quick solutions to get things flowing. If you love to grow herbs in your garden for cooking, many of the most popular also can be used as herbal medicines. We’ll share a few of the most popular If your gas grill needs a mid-season grill cleaning? The same char broiling grill action that flavors ribs, chicken, steaks and burgers all summer long can really cause problems if you don't stop and do a thorough grill cleaning once in a while. We walk you through the steps. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions: Jeff is looking for the easiest way to clean out the shower drain. Dixie needs a step-by-step walkthrough of how to handle repair of major cracks in a foundation. Spray foam insulation vs. blown-in. Max wants to know if spray foam insulation is

SHOW NOTES: Most kitchen renos are expensive. But there’s actually a lot you can do yourself over a single weekend that can deliver a big impact without a big budget. We share a checklist of low-cost kitchen remodeling projects that deliver the biggest impact. If your patio is worn, weathered or even cracked, we’ll share how to do a makeover using a new type of paver brick designed for remodeling that any DIY’r can accomplish in just a couple of hours. The hottest part of the summer always brings out the most bugs – including disease-carrying tics! We’ll explain the best ways to stop ticks from taking a bite out of your summer fun. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions: Tom wants to know to clean and paint a pocket door. Marianne wants to know if her floor tile might possibly contain asbestos. Steve is dealing with a leaky water heater. We share a new technology in water heaters that include a water heater that automatic shut offs if a leak is detected. Elanor wants to know how best to remo

SHOW NOTES: Spaces under outdoor decks can be dark, dirty wastelands! But with a deck ceiling, you can drain the rain and clean up the look below. We walk you through build-from-scratch and manufactured options to create a dry hangout space below an overhead decks. Finding a foundation crack can be quite disturbing, but not all cracks spell disaster! We’ll share how to sort out the minor from the major, and what to do if you find yourself unsure of what you’ve got. You may think of Ivy as a way to make your home look distinguished – but did you know it can also wreak serious havoc on your siding and cause major carpenter ant problems? We’ll have tips on the best way to get rid of ivy and manage those creepy vines. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions: Courtney wants to know how to get rid of tree roots so she can build a new patio. Larry needs to know how to replace his concrete driveway. Lucille is trying to seal a hole to repair a cracked fiberglass tub. John asks if cleaning solar panel

Show notes: On a warm summer evening, there’s nothing better than sitting out on the porch… until the mosquitoes arrive! We’ve got tips on retractable screens to keep pesky pests away. Some home décor can practically guarantee you’ll lose money selling a home. We share the top 10 worst décor choices to avoid at all costs! The pandemic drove a surge of home buying from millennials, but it turns out that nearly half blew their renovation budgets within the first year! We dig into why this happened and what the home buying economy looks like going forward. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions about: Best options for affordable kitchen countertops How paint your front door and make it last Replacing a 15-year-old roof that should have lasted longer Right way to assess and repair foundation cracks Best way to repair or replace rotted wood trim behind gutters. Do you have a home improvement or decor question? Call the show 24/7 at 888-MONEY-PIT (888-666-3974) or post your question here! Learn m