Can Brian succinctly answer 10 unrelated questions in a single episode?

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Listen to the podcast to find out!

In this episode, Paul pulls 10 questions from our listeners and forums around the Internet.   It is Brian’s job to provide brilliant answers in the space of one episode.  Some of these questions are from the Yahoo Answers site which features lots of Q&A forums.  These are questions that Brian has answered previously, but now Brian must regurgitate these answers again “live” on the podcast.  Paul will not allow any stalling.

Perhaps some of these questions pertain to issues you have around the house.

Here our the 10 Questions for Handyguy Brian.  Listen to the Podcast for the answers.

Q1  Steve has a problem with a corner kitchen cabinet where the supply water lines leaked.  It ruined the bottom/floor of the cabinet and caused the particle board to swell up making an uneven surface.  The bottles of dishwasher soap keep falling over.  What is the solution?

Listen to the podcast for some solutions!

Q2  What to do about household smells?  Matt asks the Handyguys about a strange smell that awakes him 2-3 times per year at around 2AM.  It smells like burning rubber.  Matt checked all the appliances and can’t figure out where the smell is coming from.  The smell eventually dissipates on its own.  How can Matt determine the cause of this smell?

Any suggestions from our listeners? Listen to the show for some ideas.

Q3  Upon flushing the toilet, the commode shoots water up on the seat!  The toilet is 10-15 years old.  What is causing this?

Yikes – Paul chimes in on this one.

Q4  How do I get red clay stains off of a concrete bench?

You can click the play button for an answer. Better yet, subscribe to the show so you don’t mis an episode.

The Handyguys will take your questions via the phone at (615) 676-0877. Leave an email address if you want an immediate and direct response.

Q5  How many rolls of wallpaper would it take to cover one wall that is 20 feet long and of average height?

Math questions – we hate math questions but do have an answer..

Q6  Is there a big window sticker that I can stick on a clear window to make it blur?

Hint:  Check out our episode #7.

Q7  We laid Pergo laminate flooring a couple years ago but now it is buckling in a few places because we did not leave enough space around the outside to allow for expansion.  How can we cut around the edge of the floor that is already laid?

Tools – you need the right tool for the job. Listen to find out why a Fien Multimaster may be your best bet.

Q8  What should I do about condensation on the inside of the refrigerator?  It is not very old.  What could be causing this?

Answer to the question in the podcast.

Q9  How do I get started in wood working?

Hint:  Check out the Wood Whisperer at www.thewoodwhisperer.com

Q10  Could someone help me choose a good power screwdriver?  It will be used mainly for drywall and some light wood use.  Cost should be between $40-$80.

Lots of good choices. Maybe the Bosch mentioned on our drill comparison show.

Paul then asks a bonus question at the end of the show.  Check out the podcast for details.

On next week’s show, the Handyguys finally get around to installing their new faucets!  Brian and Paul video their respective installations. Brian installed a Price Pfister faucet on his powder room sink.  Paul plans to install his new Grohe faucet on his master bathroom sink.  Every step of this process will be detailed in next week’s episode.

The Handyguys discuss fixing windows, answering a question from a listener regarding the repair of glass on a modern vinyl window. But before dealing with that issue, the Handyguys discuss covering the glass with window films.

There are two major window film products. Many of you have probably seen the product that covers the entire window unit to block air leaks during the cold winter months. You put up the plastic sheeting with double-sided tape and heat it up with a hair dryer to pull it taut. These work fairly well for older leaky windows. Another product is the Gila window film that is applied to block UV rays and to provide interesting decorative looks for your windows. The Handyguys understand how the Gila film could aid a home in the heat of the southwest, but does this product really pay off in the north? Let us know what you think.

Bob from Tacoma, WA, asks the Handyguys how to repair a modern vinyl window that has been broken from an unknown projectile.Fixing a new vinyl window is a lot different than replacing the old wood windows we grew up with. You can’t just go down to the hardware store and get a new piece of glass. The new windows typically use a double (or triple) glass window unit with faux dividers that snap in between the glass or on the surface. Some older vinyl windows are not repairable when broken. Your only option is to completely replace the sash. Fortunately, with most newer windows, the glass is removable by removing the stops. The pictures below document this process. Listen to the podcast for more details.

Modern Vinyl Window Repair

Remove sash

Remove the stops

Replace the glass

(Handyguy Paul is showing us on a window he already fixed, so no pictures of this part.)

Reinstall the stops

Wood Frame Window Repair

As far as fixing glass on a older windows, Brian gives us a lesson in glazing windows:

Gather your tools — a 5 in 1 tool, utility knife, scraper, heat (maybe).

Remove old glazing

You may need to apply heat to get it out. A 5-in-1 tool is also helpful.

Remove glazing points with utility knife or needle nose pliers.

Remove glass; scrape and remove glazing that glass was set in.

Prime any bare wood with oil based primer or boiled linseed oil.

Get new glass from hardware store, measured to size. You want glass to be about 1/8″ smaller than the opening to allow for expansion.

Now do everything in reverse.

Put a thin bed of glazing compound on sash to set glass onto. Brian always uses Dap 33. You must knead it to warm it up. Get your hands into it.

Put glazing points around glass.

For smaller panes, you only need about one or two points on each side.

Glaze

Reach into the can of Dap 33 and pull out about a golfball-sized wad of glazing; roll it into a ball and knead it around a little so that it is more workable. Then roll it in your hands to form a long snake.

Run the glazing around the edges of the of the glass.

Draw off excess.

Use a 1-inch stiff putty knife to draw off excess putty and make a smooth bead of putty around edges of the window mutton and the pane of glass. This takes a little practice.

And Brian has another story about a funny incident at the hardware store… fortunately there is no blood in this story.