The Money Pit Calls & Answers

Find out why it's dangerous to place a lamp cord under a book in order to keep it in the "on" position. Get tips on taking the lamp to a hardware store or lamp repair shop to have the cord and switch replaced. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to get rid of ants in your house. If it’s a persistent problem, your best bet is to go to a pest control professional who will choose the right product, put it down in the right places and use the right amounts. If you try to do it Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn a rule-of-thumb for choosing which direction to lay hardwood.  Also, measuring tips for making sure floor planks are evenly distributed.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to get Polyseamseal for caulking your leaky windows. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out what to do about a cloudy mirror. Get tips on using a strong glass cleaner or white vinegar. If that doesn't work, the mirror might be deteriorating and it's probably time to get a new one. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why putting good paint on top of bad paint will cause it to peel. Get tips on removing all the paint and getting down to the raw surface so you can apply primer, which will act like glue for the new layer of paint. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to repair scratches in a hardwood floor.  Find out how to sand a scratched floor and refinish sections that are gashed, scratched or otherwise damaged. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out if it's possible to tear down a wall yourself. Learn how to determine whether a wall is load-bearing or not. Get tips on taking apart the drywall and bringing in a carpenter to pull the wall out and an electrician to rerun the outlet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why your wash machine may not be draining properly when it goes through the spin cycle. Get tips on diagnosing the drainage problem. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get tips on how to stabilize your old wooden floors. Learn how to stop your wooden floors from bouncing and the methods of floor stabilization. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get tips on tiling your bathroom walls. Learn how to create an even grout line by yourself and which direction to tile your bathroom walls Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to prepare asphalt driveways to seal cracks. Get tips on how to seal the cracks with a latex crack filler, and find out when the right time of the day is to do the driveway repair. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn about properly painting wood furniture. Find tips for stripping and repainting outdoor wood furniture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to clean a wooden parquet floor.  Find out how to use a sanding pad on a rented floor buffer to remove the top layer of dirt from a parquet floor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to remove soot from the walls of your fireplace so you can repaint it. Get tips on using trisodium phosphate, also known as TSP, a degreaser and cleanser that can be found in the painting aisle of your local home center. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to improve air quality at home.  Find out how an Aprilaire Model 5000 air cleaner can filter particles from your furnace. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to dry out a wet basement.  Find out how changes to drainage and your gutter system can help in drying out a wet basement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out what to do about a crack in the wall that's coming from the door frame. Learn why it's a fairly common problem, and get tips on rehanging the door rather than trying to reinforce the foundation, which might not be necessary. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to install crown molding in your home. Learn why it can be difficult to use a compound miter saw, and get tips on using a modular foam product called Simple Crown instead of wood. You can glue it in place with caulk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to eliminate hard water and stains. Get tips on cleaning hard water stains and installing a water softener in your home. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to install new tile over Formica.  Find out how to prepare a Formica surface for optimal adhesion when you install new tile over Formica. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get tips on heating bedrooms and hallways with radiator heating. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get tips for removing paneling.  Find out why you should remove a small section of paneling first to see how it's attached. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out whether to use propane or oil to power your boiler. Get tips on how to get the best out of your boiler for the money. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to prevent basement flooding with good drainage.  Find out how cleaning your gutters and sloping soil away from your house foundation can eliminate floods in your basement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices