This Old House On The Money Pit

SHOW NOTES: If we had to name a project that can really change the look of a kitchen, or even a bath, replacing the countertop would be high on the list! But while removing and replacing a countertop is a costly and complicated project, simply restoring the surface with a stone coating is not. We show you how to do it in a weekend! There’s nothing like a good, steamy shower – BUT too much moisture can cause paint to peel, and mold to grow. We’ll share a solution to keep that moisture in check. Consumer Reports runs thousands of products through thousands of tests every year to find the ones that provide the best performance and value. But they also point out many to avoid. We’ll share appliances that earned the not-so-prestigious do-NOT-buy recommendation. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions: Brian from Delaware and wants to know more about the best water softening systems to get rid of hardwater. Marta in Iowa has concrete steps that are separating from her driveway and needs a solution. D

SHOW NOTES: Thinking about updating your kitchen in time for holiday meals but concerned about the timing and costs? Get tips on easy updates you can do over a weekend that can totally transform your space without the hassles. If you love the personality of older homes, some of that personality can come out in the way of a noisy plumbing system! We’ll share the source and the solution to all that banging and clanging. Chilly weather may leave your home looking dark and dreary, but not if you spruce up your front porch for the color of the seasons. Get tips on adding rich colors with accessories and simple hardware switch-outs you can do yourself. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions: Joe in Rhode Island wants to know wants to know if he needs to add attic ventilation in a home with spray foam insulation. Julianne from Massachusetts wants to know how to fill in a crack between a garage and driveway. Richard in Washington is looking for tips on how to replace his broken composite siding. San

SHOW NOTES: Fall weather may be refreshing but the cooler temperatures can also usher pests like stink bugs into the warmer spaces of your home. Get tips to keep these smelly invaders out. Weather-related power outages are becoming more frequent but choosing the right type of backup generator to power your home can be difficult. Consumer Reports Home & Appliances Reporter Paul Hope joins us with tips and the results of their latest testing. Are you faced with beautiful, old but drafty windows? New storm windows can help and now they’ve gone high tech with coatings that can keep the heat in. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions: Scott in Missouri needs to research building codes for fixups at some recently inherited rental properties. Corrinna in Arizona is wondering why she’s having electrical problems with multiple kitchen appliances failing at the same time. Eddie from Delaware needs help solving has a moisture problem in his bathroom’s ceiling. Debra from Pennsylvania wants to know if s

SHOW NOTES: DIY is on the rise but according to a new survey, 40% of homeowners report their projects were more difficult than expected and 80% admit to making a mistake along the way. We’ll dig into the most common ways DIY goes wrong to make sure that doesn’t happen to you. With the chilly weather upon us – now is a great time to take on projects to improve your warmth and comfort as temperatures drop – starting with a little hot water heater maintenance to help make sure you never run out! If you’re missing the days of spending warm evenings outside on your deck or patio, there’s no need to stop. You can use your outdoor spaces for a bit longer if you know how to easily add heat to outdoor spaces. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions: Sandi in Texas would like to know how to add a textured surface to paint. Mike in Ohio needs some suggestions of what some emergency sources of heating if your furnace goes out. Jean from Tennessee wants to know how to paint stucco siding. George in Tex

SHOW NOTES Are winter winds streaming through your windows? We share a step-by-step checklist to help make sure you are not wasting a single energy dollar! Painting a room is a fun and inexpensive home improvement project that can make a big impact. But while most people spend a lot of time picking the perfect color for their rooms, choosing the perfect paint sheen is just as important! We’ll share tips on how the best sheen to make your project shine. Is doing a DIY project with your spouse a sure-fire way to add stress to your home life? We’ll share the results of a new survey that reveals how relationships survived when doing-it-yourself, means doing it together. If your driveway looks like a sea of cracking and shifting waves, we’ll share some DIY tips to help fix it up for the long winter ahead. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions: Katherine wants to know what she can do patch up unused electrical outlets without the help of an electrician. Andrew in Arkansas wants to add a garage or

SHOW NOTES: There’s no shortage of ways to make your home energy efficient – but what if there was a way to build a home that was already efficient? Tom and Leslie explain the very successful “Energy Star Homes” program plus answer your home improvement questions. They call it “fall” for a reason… and if raking leaves is the last thing you want to do with your weekend, we’ve got tips, techniques and tools that make leaf collection much easier. Halloween is right around the corner! Find out how to make sure your sidewalks, walkways and driveway are safe for your littlest Halloween Trick or Treaters.  And with the holiday baking season ahead, there’s no worse time to have your oven break down. We share how to troubleshoot your oven, before stomachs start grumbling. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions: Susan from Texas’ curb is starting to crack and needs a solution. Jack in Michigan has a strange noise coming from his pipes after using the washer and sump pump. Tony from Montana wants advic

SHOW NOTES: In a strong home sellers-market, selling your home “as-is” is a popular way to avoid buyer demands for repairs. But that strategy often backfires and hurts your chances of getting the best price for your home. We share a better strategy to get the best price with the least hassles. Whether your furniture is heirloom or Ikea, it’s likely to take a few hits from time to time - especially if you have kids! But while the water rings, dings, dents and furniture scratches are inevitable – they are also easy to fix! Do you need to hire a contractor, but afraid you’ll get a bad apple? You can weed out the unqualified or reliable GCs by asking the right questions – we share an easy-to-follow checklist that walks you through. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions: Casey from Oklahoma wants to know how to properly seal a pressure treated deck. Nancy in Pennsylvania is wondering, how do you identify asbestos in her ceiling tiles? Ed in Iowa wants to know if he has an insulation problem with

SHOW NOTES: A survey of 32,000 homes by Zillow showed painting with the right colors can help your home sell faster and make you more money in any real estate market. We’ll share the paint colors that really pay off. Garage floors need to be one of the most durable floor surfaces in any house. They have to take the punishment of hot tires in the summer or dripping road salt in the winter, plus a ton of storage needs. We’ll share a finish that’s tough, durable and slip-resistant AND DIY!  As the weather turns chilly, it might be time to light your fireplace for the first time this season. We’ll have the how-to you need to know to make sure your chimney, damper, and firebox are all safe. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions: Sam from Tennessee has a water pressure problem with his bathtub. Laura is having an erosion problem with her sloped yard and wants to know what the best way to stop it is. Dave from Washington wants to know if insulation tape he is using is fire safe? Diane in South Dak

SHOW NOTES: If you enjoyed garden-fresh veggies all Spring and Summer, now is the time to plant cool weather crops that thrive in autumn’s cooler weather. Learn what grows best straight through to the first frost. Adding shrubbery to the front of your house adds curb appeal and the cooler Fall weather offers plenty of time for the roots to grow deep before next summer’s heat sets in. Get step-by-step tips to get this project done. Whether you live in a climate that’s warm or cold, insulation is the key to keeping your home comfortable. But most homes simply don’t have enough. We’ll share a new product that’ll allow you to get the insulation job done fast and safe – and without any special tools. If you’re planning to add a new fence, learn the easiest way to set posts without mixing any concrete. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions: Tommy from Nebraska wants to know what the best dryer vent hose is. Mike in North Carolina needs to fix a crack on his garage wall and a void under the apron o

SHOW NOTES: Spotted a roof leak and wondering if your roof can be repaired or needs a complete replacement? We’ll tell you how to know. It doesn’t matter if you heat by gas, oil, propane or electric, it’s time to get your heating system serviced. We share key components that have to be checked to make sure the system remains safe and efficient. If there’s a way to do a home improvement project that’s fast, simple, safe, costs less and makes a positive impact, that project would be a no-brainer—right? We share one energy saving project that does just that. As the weather cools down, we share five easy Fall weekend projects to get your home ready for winter. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions: Pat in Illinois is needs help with a drainage issue due to large gutters and downspouts. Mary from Alaska wants to know if her new HardiBoard siding was correctly installed. Barry in Iowa wants to know how put in a door sill so he can install carpeting. Eunice in Arkansas has a masonry retaining wal

SHOW NOTES: Hiring a gutter company to install gutter guards can be ridiculously expensive. But buying the product and then either installing the gutter covers yourself -- or hiring a handyman to do the installation -- can be far less expensive. We walk you through the project. Laminate countertops can give you the look of natural stone without the price – but they’re not quite as durable. But the good news is that laminate tops are actually pretty easy to repair. We’ll share some tricks of the trade to keep your tops -- in tip-top shape Are you ready to give your walls a new look just in time for fall – we’ve got tips on wall coverings that can add interest and color to your décor. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions: Betsy in Georgia wants to know how to replace popcorn ceiling. Leonard in South Carolina wants to make a structural repair and asking if he needs a flinch plate for the header he is looking to install? Judy in Iowa is trying to make sure she has the right ventilation in her

SHOW NOTES: Ready to blast away piles of leaves this Fall? Paul Hope, the Home & Appliance Editor from Consumer Reports, dishes on this season’s best leaf blowers including some that won’t wake the neighborhood! As we move closer to Fall, we move closer to Fall storms which can bring on MOLD! But is getting rid of mold a DIY project, or do you always need a pro? The answer is – it depends! We’ll share DIY tips to help clear the air. If you’ve been putting off insulation because it’s always been an itchy and difficult job, we’ll share a new product that is as soft as cotton to handle. When temperatures drop: mice, rats and other rodents make their way into homes for relief from the chill – we have tips on how to keep them away. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions. Brent from West Virginia wants to know how to fix uneven heat in a split-level house. Sheila in Oklahoma wants to know if it’s possible to paint a countertop. Elizabeth in New Jersey is having a water pressure issue with her outd

SHOW NOTES: Everyone wants a perfect remodel but home improvement and perfect are two words that you don’t often hear in the same sentence! We share tips on how to avoid the hidden surprises that come with the territory. Home prices are up and that means successful home buyers may not have much money left for unexpected repairs once they close on the house.  Service contracts can help handle a lot of those surprise costs. We explain the options. Terrazzo has been proven as a floor that is both durable and beautiful. But while traditional terrazzo is costly and expensive to install, stone-based terrazzo coating systems are not – and they’re super easy to install. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions. Susan from Montana wants to know how to fix the pitch on her driveway so it will drain properly. Ron in Florida wants to diagnosis the cause of his water heater overheating and tripping his circuit breaker. Jeanette from Colorado wants to know if radiant flooring is a good option in a cold clima

SHOW NOTES: Hate waiting for your shower water to heat up? Hot water recirculation pumps can help, delivering hot water to faucets almost immediately. We’ll tell you how it works and what it takes to install one in your own house. Do dishes come out of your dishwasher dirtier than when they went in? The culprit could be a clogged drain valve that’s easy to fix. We’ll tell you how! Want to be comfortable this winter? Adding insulation is the most cost effective and smartest energy saving improvement. But fiberglass is itchy and hard to work with, right? Now there’s a new generation of fiberglass insulation that is easy to handle and as soft as cotton, making this project far simpler to get done. Plus, if you want to avoid a frozen mess, now’s the time for lawn sprinkler systems to be winterized. We’ll explain what needs to happen to make sure the system is set for the winter. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions. Randel from West Virginia wants some solutions for his damp and humid basement.

SHOW NOTES: Are you living with the heating system that was in your house when you bought it? Old furnaces and boilers can be inefficient. We help you figure out if a replacement or conversion to another tup of heat is worth it. If you’ve shopped for a house in what’s been a crazy market, you probably spent more than you wanted to. That leaves little for hidden home repairs that can cost you big bucks. We identify the top home buying hazards to watch out for. 90% of homes in America are wasting energy dollars due to a lack of adequate insulation. We’ll share where all that lost energy is going and how to cut the waste and increase comfort. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions. Keri from Nebraska wants to know whether to go upstairs or downstairs with her new bathroom. Kevin from Ohio needs help dealing with ants taking over his property. Rochelle from Nebraska need to replace her facia board and replace gutters Ed from Arkansas is asking if it’s safe to use coal in a regular fireplace.

SHOW NOTES: For renters, heat is a big expense you might feel you can’t change. We’ll share tips to save money heating your apartment that won’t require any major changes and make you a lot more comfortable. Do have a deck with cracked or splintery boards that needs a refresh? We share tips on the easiest way to repair deck boards and re-stain the deck for the season ahead. Is your driveway worn, chipped or suffering from nasty oil stains? We’ve got a sure-fire solution to clean up driveway stains for good and restore the surface. We’ve all watched the horrible fires that have consumed the west. As more homes are built in wildfire-prone areas, consumers are selecting building materials differently, including insulation. We highlight the new trend and the more fire-resistant products that should be considered. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions. Joe from NY is having an excessive dust problem and wants to know if it is caused by his heating system. Angela from Georgia wanted to know if it’

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