The Money Pit Calls & Answers

Find out why you don't need to vacuum out your heating ducts unless you have done construction in the house. Instead, you should install a good quality electronic air cleaner on your system. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out what causes drywall to crack at the seam where two walls meet. Get the trick of the trade for using fiberglass drywall tape and layers of spackle to create a covering that will allow for wall movement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why condensation is unavoidable with windows made of uninsulated glass. You can take steps to reduce the amount of moisture, such as using dehumidifiers, but unless you replace your windows you will always have some level of condensation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to use a bleach and water solution to clean mold off the closet walls. Learn why you should also remove the carpet and put down a laminate or vinyl floor. Finally, you'll want to either undercut the closet door, add a vent or get a Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to get rid of gophers and moles in your yard. You will need a season-long grub control product to eliminate their food source. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why light-colored carpet and cheap laminate are not good flooring choices for a rental home. Commercial grade laminate will provide the best durability and resistance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out the best replacement for a gas hot water heater. The Money Pit recommends a high efficiency gas water heater or gas tankless water heater. The latter requires a slightly bigger pipe but uses less gas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out what color to paint a home theatre. Get tips on choosing a fairly neutral color that won't compete with what you're viewing or the decor. Learn why you should paint the ceiling a similar tone to the wall color, but a shade lighter, and avoid Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to fix the problem of low water pressure in your home. First check to make sure the main water valve is not partially closed. Then have the water company check the pressure at the meter. If you don't have 50-70 pounds of pressure, the Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to repair cracks in a plaster lath ceiling. The solution is to repatch the ceiling with perforated drywall tape. Then put on a layer of spackle no wider than the tape. Let it dry, sand it, and apply two more coats, going wider each time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why a water heater that is too far from the master bathroom could cause water to stay boiling hot after a shower, then go cold before heating up again. The solution is to zone your domestic hot water by adding a second water heater closer to Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to solve the problem of moisture in your basement by using clean fill dirt to slope the soil away from the foundation wall. Also make sure you have enough downspouts; you generally want one for every 600-800 square feet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why you should never use wood filler to fill in gaps between wooden planks. Instead, stain some jute to match the color of your floor and then use a paint scraper to shove the jute into the cracks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to paint vinyl-covered wallboard. Learn why you should use Kilz with an oil base instead of an acrylic base. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If your house has a structural problem, find out why you should have a professional engineer analyze the situation. Learn how to get a report you can show to a prospective buyer or a contractor who can fix the issue according to the engineer's Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to use the mixing valve on your boiler to control the temperature of the water. Also learn about using an Amtrol tank, another option for heating water that is more stable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn about repairing holes in copper pipes. Get tips on what kind of pipe is best to replace the copper pipes so that a leak doesn't recur. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get tips on priming drywall before adding paint and texture. Find out why it is important to prime the drywall before adding any paint or texture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn why it is important to replace the floor when replacing a toilet in a small bathroom. Get tips on determining if the subfloor is rotted, and why a leaky toilet seal may be the culprit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how adding a programmable thermostat designed for a heat pump can save you energy. Find out how a setback thermostat works, and keeps an electric furnace from running and hiking up an electric bill. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how replacing a full size bathtub with a shorter bathtub can help make room to make a small closet bigger. Get tips on where to find the tubs online. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out your options for choosing a new water heater, whether you choose a new tankless propane fueled water heater, or choose a high-efficiency, electric heat pump water heater. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to eliminate odors from old hardwood floors, and from ceilings and walls. Get tips on how stripping the floor and finishing it can seal in the odor, and how using an odor eliminating paint on ceilings and walls can get rid of bad smells in Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get tips on installing insulation underneath your house. Find out which is best to use in a crawl space: fiberglass or spray foam insulation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn about low-slope roof coatings that can help control heat in a hot house. Find out whether or not it is a good idea to put shingles on a low-slope roof. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices