The Money Pit is a nationally syndicated, call-in radio show that helps listeners with their home repair and improvement problems. The show has consistently been named among "America's 100 Most Important Radio Shows" by Talkers magazine. It's been on the air for over ten years, and is now carried on over 300 radio affiliates across the nation, as well as on iHeart radio.
Each week, Tom and Leslie take dozens of calls from listeners who ask about everything from pest problems to deck dilemmas. Their combined experience and expertise allow them to offer solutions to a wide range of problems immediately. If they aren't sure how to help, which is rare, they can always point callers in the right direction. Call us at 1-888-MONEY PIT or post your question in our home improvement community. Our call center is manned by a live person 24-hours a day, seven days a week.
Fall Lawncare
Tips for Installing a Staircase
Get tips on how to install a straight staircase in your home. Learn what ceiling height is needed for a straight staircase to be properly installed in your home.
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#2548 – Fall Cleanup Checklist | Build a DIY Fire Pit | Remove and Prevent Moldy Shower Caulk
SHOW NOTES:
Hello there, Money Pit fans, and welcome back to the show where we help you make your good homes even better! Whether it's inside or outside, from your floorboards to your shingles, we are on your side! So give us a call at 888-Money-Pit to be part of the show. This hour, we cover a wide array of topics to help you protect your home, boost curb appeal, and even save you money.
- Fall Cleanup Checklist: Check off your “to-do” list with essential fall cleanup tasks to get your home ready before the cold weather sets in, from gutters and gardens to garages and gear.
- DIY Fire Pit: Turn up the heat in your backyard by easily building a beautiful and durable fire pit in minutes using Pavestone products.
- Shower Mold: If you’re dealing with a "fuzzy" shower, we’ll walk you through the steps to safely remove old moldy caulk, prep the area, and reapply a fresh bead that will resist mold and mildew for years.
Q & A:
- Michelle in Minnesota has moisture coming up through her laminate bathroom floor on a concrete slab. We advise checking exterior drainage and adding a bathroom vent fan or humidistat to address the issue.
- Glenn in Florida asks about borax-treated cellulose attic insulation to control Formosan termites. While the idea isn't new, its overall effectiveness for whole-house Formosan termites is less common.
- Grace has concerns about her 40-year-old concrete patio, which is discolored, raised, and dangerous. We suggest restoring the loose bricks and applying a finish, such as a stone veneer, thin pavers, or an acid stain, terrazzo, or slate treatment to the surface.
- Wally is redoing his sunroom and is worried about the unevenness of the old, cracked concrete floor. We recommend using luxury vinyl plank or hybrid stone flooring, which can float over existing cracks, and sealing those cracks.
- Pat in Arkansas discovered that her new heat pump was not effectively removing humidity from her home. We explain that a whole-house
dehumidifier integrated into the HVAC system is the most effective solution for maintaining ideal home humidity levels.
- Greg in Delaware needed help removing lime scale buildup on his shower door that resisted standard cleaners. We suggested a simple test with white vinegar to see if it's true lime scale or if the door's surface might be etched.
- David has questions about his crawl space insulation that’s falling down, insulating the walls, and the use of old foundation vents. We recommend supporting the existing insulation with wires and keeping foundation vents open for about nine months of the year to allow moisture to vent.
ASK A QUESTION:
Need help with your own home improvement or décor question? We’d love to help! Call the show 24/7 at 888-MONEY-PIT (888-666-3974) or post your question here: https://www.moneypit.com/ask.
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Goldilocks
How-to tips on fall chores.
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Cleaning Oil Stains from a Concrete Driveway
Find out how to clean an oil stain from a concrete driveway. Learn how TSP - trisodium phosphate - can help deal with stubborn stains.
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Hi-Tech Bathroom
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How to Knock Out a Wall
Find out how to knock out a load-bearing wall in your home. Get tips on hiring a professional to do the job because this is not a beginner DIY project.
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Old Furnishings
How-to tips on old furnishings.
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Cleaning Stained Grout
Learn how to clean stains from grout. Find out how to remove stained grout, and how to reapply new grout.
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#2547 – Bathroom Design Ideas | Patio Furniture Care | Concrete Post Footings | Kids’ Room Decor
SHOW NOTES:
Welcome back to The Money Pit, your ultimate guide to making good homes better! We’re covering a lot of ground today, so here's a quick rundown of what we're talking about and the incredible callers we're helping with expert home improvement advice:
- Bathroom Design Ideas: We offer a range of modern design ideas for bathrooms, from cozy powder rooms to luxurious spa spaces, drawing
inspiration from Wallpaper Magazine to elevate your space and style.
- Patio Furniture Care: Get valuable tips for cleaning and storing patio furniture made from various materials, including wicker, metal, wood, and cushions, to ensure they stay in great shape for seasons to come.
- Concrete Post Footings: We discuss the value of Quikrete’s fast-setting
concrete as an easy way to set posts for fences, mailboxes, or basketball hoops, producing strong, stable results in under an hour without mixing or mess!
- Kids’ Room Décor: Learn about the art of redecorating kids' rooms, including the importance of budget planning, material selection, safety, and thinking about how the space will evolve with the child's age.
Q & A:
- Teresa called in about changing the finish of her wood deck, which is half new pre-treated lumber and half old painted lumber. The paint must be removed before staining because stain won't soak into paint, and the new pre-treated lumber will need to season until next spring before being stained.
- Ted from Mississippi has a sewage odor in his bathroom. We suggest checking for a missing or non-functional plumbing trap or a bio-gas situation in the sink drain.
- Janet from South Carolina inquires about options other than tile for her bathroom walls, due to staining issues. We recommend looking into pre-made tub surrounds as a durable and virtually leakproof alternative that can even mimic tile.
- Jerry from West Virginia wants to soundproof a second-floor master bedroom he's converting into a movie room. We suggest applying a second layer of soundproofing drywall and using carpeting and upholstered furniture to absorb sound.
- Kathy from Ohio reports a squealing noise from her upstairs toilet when the washer was running on the utility floor. Squeals are typically from the toilet's fill valve on the supply side, though a blockage or vent issue could also be a possibility.
- Dan from Nebraska has a widespread mold situation in his three-year-old pole building, despite no previous issues. We identify the cause as high humidity due to a lack of conditioning in the space. Solutions include heating or cooling the space, using a dehumidifier, and potentially installing a fan with a humidistat.
ASK A QUESTION:
Need help with your own home improvement or décor question? We’d love to help! Call the show 24/7 at 888-MONEY-PIT (888-666-3974) or post your question here: https://www.moneypit.com/ask.
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