The Handyguys September 11th, 2008

 

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A Handyguys listener recommends a show on preparing your home for the winter.  The Handyguys respond!

First of all, thanks to Mike for sending in a request for this show.  He provided a lot of great ideas and insights.  We will discuss many of his suggestions in this show.

Before discussing winter prep, the Handyguys answer a user question regarding hot water heaters:

xxjeepbabe@aim.com

Hey Guys, I recently went down into my basement and there was water all over …

Sep 2 (2 days ago)

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Sep 2 (2 days ago)

Hey Guys,

I recently went down into my basement and there was water all over the floor from my hot water heater.

There is no visible leaking still going on and it is still producing hot water. Do I need a new hot water heater?

The things I do know is that my tank does not have an expansion tank. My ‘overflow tube’ or ‘TandP valve’, is directed down to the floor, but should be directed outside?…I remember the inspector saying something about this not being configured right, but didnt think it was that big of a concern.

A couple days before the leak occurred I have turned the temperature down to ‘Vacation’ because we were not going to be home for the weekend. When we got home I changed the temp back to hot. Could this of caused some kind of pressure change, which in turn caused the leak through the overflow tube?

Let me know if you have any ideas!

Thanks, Devyn

How do you prepare your house for the winter?  Well, if you are in the south, you may not need to do anything.  But if you live in a northerly climate, you should check out this podcast.

Here is a list of items that Mike sent us.  The Handyguys discuss this list and more in the podcast.

• Installing storm windows and doors
• Installing clear plastic on inside of windows or use Seal and Peel caulk
• Turn off your outside water and drain hoses to avoid freezing
• Check furnace and replace furnace filter
• Clear gutters of leaves and debris to avoid ice damming
• Caulk any outside holes where exhaust pipes come through the siding
• Winterize lawn mower, change oil, sharpen blade, remove battery so it doesn’t freeze
• Check floor drain in garage so ice and snow can melt and drain away
• Put patio furniture away and if made of wood it’s a good time to seal them so they are ready for spring.

Other Ideas:

• Energy saving and insulation (see our next podcast on energy saving ideas)
• remove fuel from lawn mowers and trimmers
• Snow blower preparation

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The Handyguys September 4th, 2008

 

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Yet one more item to add to your handyguy list… Tree care!

Do you give your trees any attention in the fall?  The Handyguys discuss how the fall is an important time for both lawn care and tree care.  But before they discuss this topic, they respond to some listener questions and suggestions.

In response to our closet organization show, Tom suggests that we check out the closet system from www.johnlouishome.com.  You can purchase this system from Rockler.  This closet system combines the ease of a wire shelf system with the sophisticated look of a finished wood product.  You can order in several different wood varieties and pricing is much closer to the wire shelving then to wood cabinets.  Listen to the podcast for the Handyguys comments.

After listening to our Lawnmower show, Bonnie asks “How do you know what size of spark plug, and are there specific ones for lawnmowers?”.  Good question.  Brian addresses this in the podcast, his response to Bonnie is below.

Thanks for contacting The Handyguys Podcast. There are many possibilities for spark plugs. What plug you will need will depend on the manufacturer of the engine on the mower. Usually what I will do is take the old one off and bring it with me to the store to ensure I get an exact replacement. Most stores will have a chart that cross references the plug model numbers from different manufacturers. You can also look in the owners manual for what plug you need. What if you do not have the owners manual and you do not have an old plug to reference? Then you can do some Internet sleuthing.

First determine who makes the engine and what model it is. Two common engine manufacturers for push mowers are Briggs & Stratton and Tecumseh. Go to the manufacturer website and look-up the info. Here are the links for Briggs and Tecumseh.

Briggs & Stratton Spark Plug Information
http://faqs.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/faqs.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=11
Tecumseh
http://www.tecumsehpower.com/CustomerService/BSI.pdf

Thanks again for contacting The Handyguys Podcast. We will let you know if we use your question on the air.

Lastly - Please consider doing your Amazon shopping through our store. http://www.handyguyspodcast.com/the-handy-guys-store this will help keep us on the air.

Handyguy Brian

And now for Tree care.  Trees are often neglected because the Handyguys are too worried about creating a green lawn.  But the fall is a great time to care for you trees and the handyguy or handygal can tackle this job!   It is your last chance to give your trees the care they need before the harsh winter months.

Check out these tips courtesy Home Improvement News and Information Center

1. Put composted organic mulch under your tree in the fall or early winter to help retain water and reduce temperature extremes. A thin layer of mulch will act like a blanket and give the tree’s roots a little extra winter protection.
2. Give your trees a drink. Winter droughts require watering as much as summer droughts. If temperatures permit, an occasional watering during the winter on young trees can be a life saver. But be sure to water only when soil and trees are cool but not frozen.
3. Prune your trees. Winter is actually one of the best times to prune because it is easier to see the structure of trees without their leaves. But limit pruning to deadwood and poorly placed branches in order to save as many living branches as possible.
4. Prevent mechanical injuries. Branch breakage or splitting can be caused by ice and snow accumulation, or chewing and rubbing by animals. Prevent problems from occurring on young trees by wrapping the base of trees in a hard, plastic guard or a metal hardware cloth. Wrapping trees with burlap or plastic cloth also can prevent temperature damage. Just remember to remove the wraps and guards in the spring to prevent damage when the tree begins to grow.

For more information:

The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) is a nonprofit organization supporting tree care research around the world. Headquartered in Champaign, Ill., ISA is dedicated to the care and preservation of shade and ornamental trees. For more information, contact a local ISA Certified Arborist or visit www.isa-arbor.com.

Courtesy: Home Improvement News and Information Center

Brian wraps up the show by mentioning that you can get free trees when joining the Arbor Day Foundation or maybe even from your town. Also check if your township has a free mulch program as part of its recycling program.

Lastly - The Handyguys will be speaking at this years PodCamp, Saturday September 13th. If you will be attending or in the area stop by and meet us.

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The Handyguys August 28th, 2008

 

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The Handyguys go to the top dog to discuss home inspection!

The Handyguys interview Brion Grant, president of the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) , the oldest home inspection organization in North America.  Brion Grant explains the importance of hiring  the right home inspector; one you can trust and rely on.

Handyguys Brian and Paul know all about home inspectors as they have utilized these experts when purchasing  older and newer homes in the past.  But how can you be sure that the home inspector you hire is knowledgeable and capable of helping you with the biggest purchase you will ever make?  Brion Grant explains that ASHI home inspectors have not only the knowledge to do the job but the experience.  In addition to passing certification tests, ASHI inspectors must have performed at least 250 inspections.  They have seen a lot and can identify the poorly built deck or dangerous wiring on that new house you are about to purchase.

But don’t just rely on ASHI certification to find your inspector.  Like any other contractor, you should ask around and get references before hiring an inspector.  Listen in and find out about home inspectors on this week’s podcast.

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The Handyguys August 21st, 2008

 

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The Handyguys Discuss upcoming fall show ideas

The Handyguys have a short show for you this week. We are taking this opportunity to discuss some of our show ideas and to solicit feedback from our listeners for show ideas.

Some up-coming topics:

• Head to Head tool Challenge, Circular saw
• The Home Inspection process and and interview with ASHI
• How to save money on your energy bills
• Devices to save electricity and/or monitor electricity
• Ways to cut down on heating bills
• Insulation
• Weatherization
• Other Head to Head tool Challenges

We want your feedback!  Do you need a recommendation on a tool? Do you want us to put a particular tool through its paces before you buy it? Is there a new gadget on the market and you want to know if its worth the money?

We will continue to answer DIY questions privately and possibly on the air. Feel free to let us know if you think our shows are too long, too short, too boring, too funny, too much detail, not enough detail, etc.

We will be giving away an original Handyguys Podcast shop apron to the first four legitimate show ideas we get. Feel free to call in your show idea to (615) 676-0877, to email us at us@handyguyspodcast.com, comment on this posting or use our contact form. Do we have enough ways for listeners to reach us? I think so.

To comment on this, or any post, just go to the bottom of the show post and click comments. You can see others comments and add your own. That’s a great way for you to participate in the discussion.

If you want the shop apron make sure you include your email address so we can contact you to get your ship to address.

Thanks to all our loyal listeners and sponsors that make this show possible.

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The Handyguys August 14th, 2008

 

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The Handyguys provide an introduction to DIY home security, surveillance and automation.

The Handyguys give an overview of these technologies in this episode. We may dedicate a show to each of these topics later in the year. If you have any specific products that you would like discussed or have any questions on DIY home automation, home security or surveillance, please contact us. We want to deter the creepy looking creeps from invading our personal space with a cool DIY project.

First off - The Handyguys discuss DIY home security

There are two primary methods of doing DIY home security; wired and wireless. A wired system consists of hard wired sensors on doors, windows, smoke detectors, motion detectors, CO2 detectors, etc. Those wires come back to a main security panel. When an alarm is tripped it can notify a central monitoring service, your cell phone, email and/or sound an alarm. The main advantage of a wired system is that it is reliable and requires no batteries. In contrast, a wireless system is much easier to install and the prices are dropping but their entry cost is higher. Complete wireless and wired security packages are available from many different companies. Handyguy Paul is looking into Home Security Store as one possible vendor.

One wireless system that looks easy to install is the InGrid system  Like other security systems, InGrid provides central station monitoring and a cool web interface. We may discuss InGrid in detail on a future episode.

The Handyguys then discuss home surveillance

Home surveillance systems are a network of cameras. Two types of video monitoring include overt and covert installations. The covert systems are virtually invisible with cameras in things like clocks or teddy bears. The overt system is what Handyguy Paul is more interested in.  It includes an obvious camera hooked up to a PC based digital recorder. They are motion activated. Such a system can act as a deterrent and can also be used in identification of criminals and assist prosecution.  One DIY kit is from wylife.com The Handyguys Podcast is looking forward to discussing the wylife.com solution in a future episode. If our listeners have a favorite DIY home surveillance system they want us to look into for our episode on home surveillance please let us know.

Lastly The Handyguys discuss home automation

How does home automation fit with home security and home automation? Home automation can traditionally do things like turn on and off lights, control HVAC, etc. Some home automation systems can interface with home security systems. The Handyguys ideally want to find an all in one system that can handle home automation, security and surveillance in one easy to use DIY package. One possible place to get everything needed may be smarthome.com Do any of our listeners have any other suggestions? Let us know.

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The Handyguys August 7th, 2008

 

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The Handyguys address the soon-to-come fall lawn care season.

Before The Handyguys talk about fall lawn care they address a listener question.

TerBeek sent us the following message -

How can I remove a broken drill bit from the window moulding without damaging the moulding? We were drilling a pilot hole for hardware to hang a custom sized window blind when the bit broke.  The molding area isn’t large, limiting the area in which we can install the window treatment hardware.  (i.e., we need that bit out, because the hardware can’t be moved up, down, forward or back from the initial pilot hole position.) The bit was very thin, and about half of it remains in the window frame/moulding.  It broke off flush with the surface, so we can’t grab it with a pliers.  Help!  We’re getting sick of the temporary blinds but don’t know what to do to reclaim our pilot hole.

The Handyguys Brian & Paul have some ideas. Listen to the show for their possible solutions.

Now on to Fall lawn care.

We know that this is not a popular thing to say this time of year, but the fall season is just around the corner!  And with Fall, comes the most important time in lawn care.  It is the time when you need to feed, de-weed, and pamper your lawn to make it strong and healthy for the winter season.  For cool season lawns, this is the time for the handguy get to work your yard.

What do the Handyguys recommend?  Good fertilizer, a good core aerator, a rake and some new grass seed will be your main tools.  In addition to fertilizing and aerating your lawn, you will want to remove all the leaves and possibly over seed some of the weaker areas of your lawn.  But before you start, get those kids off the grass and listen to our podcast!

Lastly - We have a winner!

During our show on Glue we announced a contest sponsored by Eclectic Products. We have concluded the contest and drawn a winner. Congratulations to Condoblues… We will contact you directly and send you your prize.

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The Handyguys July 31st, 2008

 

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The Handyguys, Brian and Paul, first take a question from our call in line regarding repair of rotted porch posts. We then move into a Head to Head tool challenge to test out jigsaws and then wrap up with a new segment Buy, Borrow or Rent. We also discuss tool borrowing Etiquette.

Listener Questions

First off, the Handyguys answer a good question from one of our listeners regarding the repair of some porch posts. Our caller listened to our episode regarding using Bondo to repair rotted wood.  His posts were too far gone for repair so The Handyguys recommend replacing the posts. Listen to the Podcast to hear the question and Brian and Paul’s response. Brian and Paul provide some good information to help you evaluate how to go about such a repair.

Head to Head Tool Challenge

The Handyguys then move to the garage to test out two jigsaws.  Their tests pit a cheap jigsaw against a finely tuned cutting machine. The Handyguys devised three different tests: cutting a curved line in 1/2″ plywood, cutting 4″ circle in 5/4 cedar and cutting a piece of 2x pressure treated southern yellow pine. The cut in the pressure treated lumber might be similar to creating an interesting detail on the end of a rafter for a pergola.

The tests were done with similar toothed blades in the same condition. The Bosch jigsaw handled all cuts without breaking a sweat. The Skill jigsaw could not even finish the cut in the pressure treated 2x material. The finished cut of the pressure treated material, using the Bosch, was square to the face of the board; a key indicator of a quality jigsaw. The Skill was almost uncontrollable in the thinner softer material and did not create a clean cut.

Buy, borrow, rent or steal

The Handyguys discuss the merits of renting versus borrowing versus buying tools. Being tool junkies, the Handyguys usually prefer to own their own tools but renting or borrowing makes sense if it is a one-time-use tool. What about borrowing? The Handyguys will lend certain tools to people and are not afraid to borrow tools either.

Listen to their take on Borrowing etiquette. Oh, and you cant borrow Brian’s chainsaw but he will be glad to help you with some cutting tasks.

Remember, its not too late to enter the drawing for our EcoGlue and tool bag giveaway. The winner will be drawn and announced August 7th. To enter the drawing just subscribe to our email announcement of new shows. More details can be found in our Episode 25 show on glues.

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The Handyguys July 24th, 2008

 

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Can You Sell Your Home In a Downturn Market?  The Handyguys Say “Yes”!

This show is sponsored by Basement Waterproofing

First off, Brian and Paul discuss the Wall Street Journal article entitled “Will Upgrading Your Home Help You Sell It?”
The Handyguys agree with the author,  M.P. McQueen, that a big ticket upgrade will not pay for itself when re-selling your house. If you want to add on or upgrade your home, and you can afford it, then go for it. If you want to DIY the upgrade you may be able to re-coup your costs if the upgrade is done well.

There may be a possible benefit to an upgrade that is indirectly related to costs and that is time on market. If you have a finished basement, for example, and none of the other similar homes in a particular market have that, then your house may sell first or be more attractive to buyers as long as its priced similarly.

The Handyguys also discuss the negative impact of a bad remodel. When the housing market was hot many buyers overlooked bad renovations. In today’s market buyers can take longer to make up their minds and be more discerning. A poorly executed remodel will turn away buyers so make sure your remodel is up to snuff. Remember, you can always ask The Handyguys if you need any help.

It is certainly no fun trying to sell your home in a buyers market.  In some areas of the country there are dozens of homes for sale on every block .   To be sure, you won’t fetch the price you would have received a couple of years ago.  And you may be better off not selling at all if you can help it.  However, if you need to sell now, here are some tips.

 Curb Appeal

Pictures compliments of Triton Builders

The Handyguys recommend doing everything you can to make your house stand out form the minute potential buyers step out of their car.  Clean up your landscape.  Remove that broken down old car on cinder blocks.  Tear old old, overgrown shrubs.  Scrape off pealing paint and repaint.  Make sure siding is clean using a power sprayer.  Update outdoor light fixtures.  Repair any rotted wood.  Get your lawn looking good. Do anything you can to make your house more presentable.

Declutter the Inside

Pictures compliments of One Bag Nation

In addition to cleaning the inside of your house, make sure that you declutter.  Kitchen counters should be clear of everything.  Closets should be clean and free of junk.  If your closets are stuffed with clothing, remove at least a third and store elsewhere.  Remove or reposition furniture to make the house look more spacious. Consider using Merry Maids, a top cleaning company if you want help de-cluttering.

Update fixtures

Improving light fixtures and plumbing fixtures can help your presentation.

No last minute Cheap Improvements

A downturn market is not a time for updating your kitchen with the cheapest cabinets possible.  It is not a time for shoddy work either.  In this market, buyers are taking their time, looking over houses.  They will not overlook bad products or shoddy work that was done at the last minute to try to make a house look more presentable.

Correct any structural problems, including leaky basements or cracked foundations.

You don’t want to scare off potential home-buyers with a house that could cause them headaches.  Correct the irritating problems caused by leaky basements.  Be sure that your structure is solid.  Many potential homeowners are willing to make the cosmetic changes in a new home but they do not want to deal with major issues to the foundation.

These are just a few areas to address.  Listen to our podcast for more information.

Time running out on the eclectic products wood glue and tool bag giveaway.  See Episode #25 for details.

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The Handyguys July 17th, 2008

 

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Dare to be a sharp dressed handyguy!

Those old jeans have got to go. They always get holes in the knees and you end up wearing them out on those tough handyguy jobs. Consider becoming a sharp dressed and smart dressed handyguy with the proper handyguy attire.

You probably thought you could just grab the oldest clothes in your wardrobe (and you can) but your knees are too important to be left unprotected. Those old jeans always wear out on the more rugged jobs. Every handyguy knows how jeans get holes in the knees as soon as you get down and dirty working on your home. Before you know it, you don’t have a decent pair of jeans to wear to church social events!

Replace those jeans with Carhartt Canvas work pants . These pants protect your legs and keep you cool using a 7.5 oz lightweight canvas. These pants performed well for Paul during Katrina relief work on 95+ degree days! Despite hard labor, his legs came out without a scratch and he did not have to sweat over it. However, do be careful which Carhartt pants you purchase. Reserve the heavier 9.5 oz Carhartt pants for the winter months! This link will take you to our store where you can purchase the lightweight Carhartts.

Depending on the work you are doing, it may be wise to invest in a good pair of workboots. Some have a steel shank to protect your feet from those nails that you step on when demolishing that old shed in the back yard. Others have a steel toe to protect you when you drop that cast iron drill press. However, many handyguys can get away with a plain ole’ pair of sneakers.

Once you upgrade your handyguy clothing, you need to consider accessories… although these accessories are not optional! Safety glasses and ear plugs or muffs should always be within reach. In addition, knee pads are a must for that tile job.

Listen to the podcast for more details. Can anyone tell what music Handyguys Brian had on when the show started? Leave a comment if you know.

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The Handyguys July 10th, 2008

 

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The Handyguys revisit a bit of advice on keeping your lawn green and discuss various types of glues, in particular, EcoGlue Premium Wood Adhesive

Read on and listen to the podcast for details of a wood glue and tool bag giveaway from Eclectic Products.

First off - Good advice or bad advice

The Handyguys re-visit keeping your lawn green. Is the advice for making sure your lawn gets an inch of water a week sound? Yes, of course. What happens if you don’t follow this advice? Listen to the podcast to find out.

The Handyguys then discuss different types of glues

Common types of glue discussed are:

• Epoxy
• Hot Glues
• Household glue & paste
• Polyurethane glue
• Wood Glue

The Handyguys review a new wood glue from Eclectic Products. The glue is a low VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) wood glue called EcoGlue Premium Wood Adhesive. Before making a recommendation and giving away a sample, the Handyguys did an informal test.

The Handyguys selected a piece of cherry wood for their test. The same glue-up was performed with a regular yellow wood glue and EcoGlue Premium Wood Adhesive. The documentation says to wait 24 hours for 100% strength on both the yellow glue and the EcoGlue Premium Wood Adhesive. The sample boards were properly jointed, prepared and glue applied. The test pieces were clamped for over 24 hours.

The Handyguys then scratch their heads for a way to test the strength of the two glues. Obviously the test is not a purely scientific one. The goal is to ensure that the new EcoGlue Premium Wood Adhesive is stronger than the wood itself. We then spanned the test pieces between two boards and applied weight directly to the joint. We had a bit of fun finding heavy stuff to apply weight to the glue joint. We added a 50lb battery, a case of shotgun shells, a drill press and Paul’s weight on the glue joint. Neither the yellow glue nor the EcoGlue Premium Wood Adhesive joint or boards broke. Brian, being a bit heavier, was able to break the yellow glue sample board while holding the drill press and the car battery. The EcoGlue Premium Wood Adhesive sample board still did not break.

Finally, to break the EcoGlue Premium Wood Adhesive sample board, Brian reached for his Estwing framing hammer and gave the glue joint a sharp rap. The board broke into three pieces but the glue held strong.

The Handyguys also tested scraping excess dried glue from the joint. The excess dried glue scraped off the same as traditional yellow wood glue. The Handyguys were very satisfied that the new EcoGlue Premium Wood Adhesive will perform as well as a traditional yellow glue yet have lower VOCs.

OK, The Handyguys admit their test isn’t very scientific. Below are the results of two tests performed by Eclectic Products. Click on the thumbnail image to see the results full size.

ASTM D 3164-03 Lap Shear Test	ASTM D-903 180deg Peel Test

The Handyguys then go on to discuss a giveaway contest

Eclectic products will be sending some samples of EcoGlue Premium Wood Adhesive to one of our listeners. The giveaway includes two containers of wood glue, a sample board and a nice portable tool bag. This is an entirely free giveaway.

To enter the contest, you simply need to subscribe to our email notification of new podcasts. To subscribe, just enter your email in the box just below where it says “Subscribe and get the new shows in your email inbox” on the right side of our home page. You will be sent an email asking you to verify you really want to subscribe. Just click the link in that email to confirm your subscription. The Handyguys never spam. You will only get an email from us when each weekly episode is published. We will also use the address on occasion when we have other announcements.  The emails will usually arrive in your inbox every Thursday between 5PM and 7PM Eastern time. A winner will be drawn from the list of people who have signed up for our weekly notification. If you already receive our email notifications you have already been entered. If you get our episodes via iTunes or some other delivery method you will need to come to the site and provide your email address. A winner will be announced on our home page on August 7th.

Thanks for listening and good luck.

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