The Money Pit Calls & Answers

Find out how to repair scratches in a wood laminate floor. Get tips on finding out if the floor manufacturer has its own product for that purpose. If not, you can use a generic product like Bruce's Acrylic Wood Filler. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out what you can do if you have dogs who run roughshod in your backyard and leave mud in their wake. Get tips on putting down Zoysia grass, which is a bit tougher than regular grass. Your other option is to put down a stone or slate pathway that Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to repaint kitchen cabinets. Learn why you can't simply add a new layer of paint without prepping the surface first. Get tips on using a paint stripper, followed by sanding, and then a coat of good-quality glossy paint. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to repair a ceiling that wasn't spackled properly. Get tips on spackling over the thin areas, then sanding the whole ceiling. Finish with a good coat of primer and plaster paint as a final step. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to remove paint from a concrete floor. Get tips on using a good-quality paint stripper such as Rock Miracle to remove the paint until you have a good base. Then apply a two-part epoxy paint mix for a durable finish. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to repair a rotted section of parquet floor. Get tips on doing the structural repair and then putting a layer of laminate floor on top. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to paint over nicotine stains on your textured ceiling. Get tips on applying an oil-based primer with a special roller designed to get into the nooks and crannies of a textured ceiling. Then use a latex ceiling paint on top. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to ventilate a roof without soffits. Get tips on installing a drip-edge vent, which extends the line of your roof. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to fix a leaking hose bibb. Get tips on taking apart the valve stem and replacing the faucet washer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to refinish an engineered hardwood floor. Get tips on renting a floor buffer with a sanding screen to take off the upper layer of the finish so you can refinish it with another coat of urethane. Learn why replacing the floor won't bring Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to clean a sink stained by rust. Get tips on trying a product called Bon Ami, which is like a gentler Comet, if your sink is made of a synthetic material. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to replicate an existing wall texture. Get tips on using spackle and wallpaper brushes of different sizes to make circles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to exterminate carpenter ants. Get tips on having a professional apply Phantom pesticide, a non-detectable pesticide that ants carry back to their nests, where it wipes out the population. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to solve condensation on the ductwork in your crawlspace. Get tips on reducing the humidity level in your crawlspace in a number of ways: directing water away from your home's foundation, opening the vents in the crawlspace, insulating Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get tips on using a DIY spray-foam insulation called GREAT STUFF to seal gaps around your rim joists. On the other hand, learn why an entire rim joist is too big for DIY spray-foam, and why you will need a professionally applied insulation like Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out what kind of kitchen flooring will be easy on your joints. Get tips on installing cork, which is soft, durable and great for a kitchen environment when sealed properly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out whether you can install ceramic tile on top of a hardwood floor. Learn why hardwood is a great base for ceramic tile. Get tips on using an underlayment and thinset adhesive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out the best way to stain a log cabin to protect the wood. Get tips on applying a solid-color exterior stain with a paint sprayer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get tips on staining your cedar fence to preserve its color. Use a solid-color exterior siding stain. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to scrape, sand, prime, repaint and seal windows and doors to protect them from UV rays in an area that gets a lot of sun. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to install unfinished wood flooring. Get tips on laying down rosin paper first and then using a flooring gun to drive nails at an angle into the tongue of the floor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to solve the problem of a slow-draining toilet and bathroom sink. Learn why the first thing you should check for is an obstruction in the drain, rather than assuming it is a septic system issue. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out why the chances are lower that you would have an elevated radon level if your home is on a concrete slab vs. you having a basement. If you're still concerned, get tips on testing with a charcoal absorption canister to find out if you have a Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to choose among different brands when shopping for a new central air conditioning unit. Get tips on comparing models that are Energy Star-rated so you have a cross-brand basis for comparison and know you are getting an AC unit that will Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to replace roof shingles that have blown off in a wind storm. If you can find the shingles, use them only if they are not damaged. Learn why extra nails is not necessarily the best way to secure shingles against strong wind. Get tips on Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices