The Money Pit Calls & Answers

Find out what you can use to stain your deck naturally and inexpensively. Get tips on using boiled linseed oil instead of regular linseed oil, which takes forever to dry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to get paint to stick to your concrete basement walls. Get tips on reducing moisture in your basement by cleaning your gutters, extending your downspouts and sloping the soil away from your house. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to put latex paint on top of oil-based paint. Get tips on sanding the surface before applying a good quality primer, and then the latex paint. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to strip a painted deck without harming the wood. Get tips on scraping off the loose paint, then priming and repainting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to stain the interior of a greenhouse made from repurposed wood. Get tips on using an exterior wood stain if you think the wood will get damp or moist. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why you should incorporate the roof portion of your covered back porch throughout the entire designing and building process rather than building a deck and having a contractor add a roof to it. Also learn about the benefits of composite Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why there is not really any kind of sealant you can put on brick pavers to protect them. Get tips on replacing damaged brick pavers with concrete pavers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out what your options are for wind-resistant roofing. Learn about the benefits of a metal roof vs high-wind asphalt shingles from Owens Corning. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why you don't need multiple plies with a modified bitumen roof. Get tips on using a garden hose to check if your roof is properly flashed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why you shouldn't use expandable foam to fill in mortar joints. Get tips on using a premixed mortar and pointing trowel to replace the old mortar after scraping it out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why a finished basement adds value to a house by significantly increasing the amount of usable space. Get tips on properly extending the heating and cooling to the basement and having plenty of wiring down there. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to build pantry shelves that will hold substantial weight. Get tips on using a tracking system rather than individual brackets. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to install an efficient sprinkler system. Get tips on working with a WaterSense certified irrigation specialist on a sprinkler system that conserves water. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out the correct way to install replacement windows. If there is a gap between the frame and the window on the outside of your home, get tips on retrimming the window to cover the gap rather than filling it with insulation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out whether it's cheaper to build an ecologically sound house, or buy a house and make green retrofits. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out the correct way to insulate a finished room above your garage. Get tips on using fiberglass insulation and leaving ventilation space rather than using spray-foam insulation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to replace rotted foundation sills. Get tips on building a temporary wall underneath the floor joists to hold them up while you cut out the rotted sills and slip the new ones in place. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why you should not keep knob-and-tube-wiring in your home. Get tips on calling in a professional to replace it with modern wiring. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to strip sticky, dirty paint from a banister. Get tips on using a product called Rock Miracle and then applying an oil-based primer before repainting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to build a deck with a ramp. Get tips on how to plan for a safe ramp height and incline and consulting with the Building Department of your town before you proceed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to solve water heater noise. Learn what causes it and get tips on flushing out the water heater to get rid of the mineral deposits that have accumulated in the tank. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to install vinyl siding on concrete. Get tips on using a 3/4"-thick furring strip and the installation manual of the Vinyl Siding Institute of America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to fix water hammer. Get tips on increasing the number of fasteners that secure the water pipes and the sprinkler pipes and installing water-hammer arrestors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to fix a concrete garage floor damaged by salt. Get tips on using a two-part epoxy product and adding a color flake to hide dirt. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to get colored concrete for a walkway. Get tips on ordering it precolored from the concrete company and doing a standard broom finish. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices