DIY Questions and Answer

Q: How can I prevent algae from growing in my air conditioner’s condensation drain? A: It’s a good idea to get rid of algae from

Q: What is the best way to paint and protect a concrete floor? A: Painting concrete floors continues to be a popular way to bring

Q: Are there any advantages to installing an indoor dryer vent? A: Indoor dryer vents provide an effective venting option for laundry rooms, or other

Q: Why aren’t “carbide-tipped” drill bits and saw blades made completely of  carbide? A: Carbide (specifically tungsten carbide and titanium carbide) is a common material

Q: How do I paint over furniture that has been coated in polyurethane? A: The tried and true method for refinishing furniture is to strip

A: Made from clay and shale, bricks give a home a uniform look that complements almost every exterior home design. Solid brick is a sturdy

Q: How big of a notch can I cut from a floor joist before it weakens the joist? A: Floor joists occasionally need to be

Q: What are the advantages of KDAT lumber? A: Wood labeled KDAT is “Kiln Dried After Treatment.” This process provides the benefits of composite material

Q: I want to add venting to the crawlspace of an old house. Are there certain building code guidelines I need to follow? A: Building

Q: Is there any way to reduce odor from a roof’s sewer vent? A: A house’s plumbing vent is directly tied to the sewer/septic system,

Q: What is the best tool to cut sheet metal? A: Sharp tin snips or “aviation snips” with compound leverage can usually cut sheet metal

Q: How can I unclog the main drain line that runs through our yard without the expense of hiring a plumber? Roots seems to have

Q: If there is no way to avoid digging near buried utilities, what is the best way to proceed with excavation? A: Dig carefully. State

Q: Where are the best places to keep a fire extinguisher around the home? A: If you can reach a fire extinguisher within 6 seconds

Q: What is the proper sequence of replacement when rotating a car’s tires? A: If your vehicle has single rear wheels, and the tread design

Q: When utility companies mark underground utility lines at a proposed excavation site, which paint colors correspond with which utilities? A: Ultimately, the state or

Q: How do I find the septic tank in my yard? A: The best clue is to find where the main drain line (4-in. pipe)

Q: What’s the best way to repair cracked tile? A: The trouble with cracked tile is that it’s difficult achieve a perfect like-new repair. However,

Q: How do I remove hardwood flooring that’s been glued down? A: If the floor was installed correctly with a high-quality adhesive, then you’re in

Q: How do I remove gutter nails? A: Old fashioned gutter nails are called “spikes and ferrules,” with the spikes being giant nails that pass

Q: How do I take measurements for new storm windows? A: You will need to measure the clear opening of the existing windows. This means

Q: I need to replace some flashing on my roof. Is there a trick to shaping the roll of aluminum material to fit? A: Wearing

Q: What is the best method to apply sealer to a concrete countertop? A: Various methods are used to apply sealer to a concrete countertop,

Q: How do I calculate the amount of siding needed for a house? A: Siding is typically sold by the square foot, and lap siding

Q: What’s the most reliable way to find a color match for old paint? A: Paint supply stores such as Behr and Sherwin-Williams can effectively

Q. What is the best type of rock to line a French drain? A: Your landscape supply store will likely have a few varieties of stone

Q: Are block walls built with surface-bonding cement as strong as walls built with mortar? A: Concrete-block walls coated with surface-bonding cement are stronger than

Q: What’s the Difference between SPF and SPFs lumber? A: SPF is short for Spruce-Pine-Fir, a grouping of various commercially important species. SPFs is also

Q: What are the advantages of using milk paint on furniture? A: Milk paint is a water-based paint with the main ingredient, case in, a 

Q: I’ve read the long list of items to avoid flushing into a septic tank, but are there any proactive steps I can take to

Q: My new home has a thermostat setting for “Emergency Heat?” When is the appropriate time to use that setting? A: “Emergency Heat” is an

Q: I’d like to upgrade the handrail system of my staircase. How are the newel posts typically fastened to the floor? A: Often, a newel

Q: How does a plasma cutter cut metal? A: One common description of plasma is to describe it as the fourth state of matter (aside

Q: I’m making a drainage ditch in my landscape. What type of rock should I use for the drainage? A: Drainage gravel made of crushed

Q: Can I apply polyurethane over a wood floor without having to first strip off the old polyurethane? A: Yes, a polyurethane-finished hardwood can be

Q: I’d like to build a stone landscape wall. Is there a certain type of mortar mix I need to use? A: There are several

Q: When considering home HVAC systems, what is the main difference between a furnace and a heat pump, and what are the pros and cons

Q: The blown-in insulation in my attic is compressed and I’d like to add more. What is the easiest way to do this myself? A:

Q: My brother-in-law says our dishwasher should be installed with an “anti-syphon loop.” What is he talking about? A: An anti-syphon loop is made in

Q: Do certain colors of house paint resist fading longer than others? A: Dark colors are the most likely to fade noticeably, but even bright

Q: When installing a tiled shower, should I use grout or caulk at the joint where the tile walls meet the tub? A: For tiled

Q: I’d like to cover my deck shade with clear polycarbonate panels. Do the panels handle snow loads in the winter? A: Your local building

Q: Our home inspector said we had an attic ventilation problem, suggesting the attic may get hot in winter and lead to ice dams. How

Q: I’ve been told that construction workers are now required to abide by new OSHA regulations for silica dust. Where does silica dust come from?

Q: I installed a new stainless kitchen sink and faucet, but now the faucet wobbles. Is there a way to stabilize it? A: Most stainless

Q: Should I use bleach to clean mold and mildew off outdoor wood? A: The answer depends on the kind of bleach you’re using. Whereas

Q. Is it necessary to remove baseboards when installing hardwood flooring? A: It is not absolutely necessary to remove baseboards to install new hardwoods, but

Q: Is it okay to dispose of scrap pressure-treated lumber by burning it? A: Burning treated wood is not recommended. According to the wood treatment

Q: What costs less, a concrete patio or a paver patio? A: Generally speaking, a concrete patio will cost less per square foot than a

Q: How does “crack-resistant” concrete differ from standard concrete? A: Concrete products marketed as “crack-resistant” usually have fiber-reinforced formulations—a blend of properly proportioned stone or

Q: My router bits always get stuck in my router. Is there a better way to remove these than wrestling them with pliers? A: Router

Q: Do bidets require hard wiring for installation? A: Many new bidets do require hard-wiring the unit during installation, which makes them more suitable for

Q: How do I bend wood with steam? A: Steaming wood is one method of creating a curved piece, and some woods such as oak

Q: What is the best way to paint a ceiling with “popcorn” acoustical texture that is discolored in some spots? A: First, clean the ceiling

Q: How do I anchor a handrail in concrete? A: Use a masonry core drill to bore an anchoring hole for the rail post 2

Q: Is there an easier way to remove ice from car windows than scraping? A: Fill up a spray bottle with two parts rubbing alcohol

Q: Is there a way to rejuvenate old latex paint? A: You might be able to reclaim the old paint, depending on its current condition.

Q: How does an inverter generator differ from a standard gas-driven generator? A: Inverter generators utilize a different type of alternator to generate very clean

Q: Why can’t aluminum and steel be welded together? A: It’s our understanding that the two metals can be bonded using some special techniques that

Q: How does LVT differ from vinyl flooring? A: Sheet vinyl is fiberglass-cushion-backed sheet flooring that is glued directly to the subfloor. The flooring comes

Q: I’ve read that copper has antimicrobial properties. Does brass have the same properties? A: The surfaces of copper and its alloys, such as brass

Q: Do I need a special kind of concrete to make a concrete countertop? A: Ready-mix concrete companies like Quikrete and Sakrete offer special formulations

Q: I see a lot of new power tools being advertised as having “brushless” motors. What’s the advantage? A: In a power tool’s electric motor,

Q: We found some stick-down tiles at the flooring store that had beveled edges for grout joints. Can resilient tiles be grouted? A: If you’re

Q: How do Structural Screws compare to Lag Screws? A: Structural screws are just as strong or even stronger than lag screws and they’re easier

Q: When I mow my lawn, how high or low should I cut the grass? A: When mowing, far too many people will set their

Q: When my garage door closes it immediately opens back up. How do I fix it? A: These situations are often caused by the garage

Q: Are there any rules about how to build a mailbox? A: As far as the aesthetic design of the mailbox, you should check with

Q: Is shellac really made from insects? A: Shellac wood finish is made from a resin secreted by the female lac bug, on trees in

Q: What type of footing is required for a concrete block wall? A: To construct a block wall, you need to establish a solid footing

Q: I like the look of tray ceilings, but wouldn’t it be a bad idea to cut through the ceiling joists of my home to

Q: How do I apply a German schmear to brick? A: A “German schmear” (or “smear”) is a technique of whitewashing brick by smearing lightly

Q: I’m building a work-shed supported by concrete blocks, but I live in a cold climate so I’d like to enclose the space beneath the

Q: What is Dry Ice Cleaning? A: Dry Ice Cleaning (aka Dry Ice Blasting) is a process in which particles of solid carbon dioxide (dry

Q: How Do I Fix a Leaky Garbage Disposal? A: First step when working on a garbage disposal is to safely disconnect the electrical power

Q: How is polyacrylic different from polyurethane for a woodworking finish? A: Polyurethane is a widely used oil-based finish that creates a durable protective shell

Q: I’d like to move a backyard shed about thirty feet to make room for a new deck. Is there a way to move it

Q: I have a metal handrail that has some rust spots, including an area at the bottom of the hollow post where the metal has

Q: What’s the best way to match a popcorn-textured ceiling when making a repair? A: Home centers will usually carry a Popcorn Texture Patch product

Q: I’m planning to build a deck attached to the rear of the house. It will be about 2 feet high. Is it necessary to

Q: The fan to my furnace/AC system stays on after the furnace has finished its heating cycle. This causes it to blow unheated air non-stop,

Q: I’d like to add a ceiling fan in my bedroom, but the center of the room (where I’d like to locate it) falls right

Q: I replaced the floor tile in a bathroom. The new tile isn’t nearly as thick as the old tile, and now my toilet sits

Q: What is the best type of screen material for a screened porch? A: Fiberglass and aluminum are the two main choices for a screen

Q: Why is it necessary to wait a few weeks before staining a new pressure-treated deck? A: Treatment with waterborne preservatives leaves moisture in the

Q: I saw a photo online of what looked like interior wooden curtains that slid together on an overhead track to cover a window. How

Q: I’m planning to install vinyl siding on a detached garage that’s built on a concrete slab. The siding instructions suggest that I “compress the

Q: Will plastic sheeting be an okay moisture barrier to use beneath hardwood flooring? A: Avoid plastic sheeting on wood subfloors because it only serves

Q: I inherited a house from a cigarette smoker. How can I remove the residual odor? A: Cigarette smoke can leave a smelly film over

Q: What’s the best way to fix a sagging car headliner? A: Those annoying cloth headliners always seem to eventually detach from the foam backing

Q: What is the difference between face brick and brick veneer? A: Face brick is exposed brick on a home’s exterior or interior. Brick veneers

Q: What’s a more durable wood finish, shellac or varnish? A: All wood finishes fall into one of two categories: evaporative or reactive. Evaporative finishes