One Hundred Episodes of The Handyguys Podcast. Wow! The Handyguys discuss some of their favorite shows, talk about what is in store for the future and have a special guest, Marc Spagnuolo, aka “The Wood Whisperer“.

Looking Back

Brian & Paul reminisce about some of our favorite shows.  We had fun trying out riding mowers in episode 71. The dishwasher episode was great because it gets a ton of plays every day. Talking about snow blowers with The Wall Street journal was great last year and has recently been popular again due to all the snow. An who would have thought that the how to build a trellis show would get so many hits?

As I’m writing this I’m thinking about what is a common element in our shows about mowers, snow blowers, dishwashers and trellises. The common element is they all have something extra beyond the podcast. That extra is usually a video, a download or some special images. Expect much more of this in the year ahead.

The Wood Whisperer

Marc was able to call in to the show to congratulate us on show number 100. Marc runs The Wood Whisperer website. We didn’t ask him how he came up with the name but it works. Marc has a ton of information for woodworkers. The Wood Whisperer website teaches fine woodworking, techniques and finishes. He engages his audience and provides valuable content. If you want to learn about woodworking make sure you visit The Wood Whisperer. In this podcast we talk about each of our websites and our strategies for the future.

Looking forward

Marc gave us a great segue into our future plans. For our regular listeners you have heard us mention video before. We have posted a few short video clips already. We are in the process of refining our techniques and delivery mechanisms. We expect to deliver quality beyond the generic youtube video. Think High Definition. We intend to make our regular weekly show available on video as well as audio only. Video subscribers will have the added benefit of some additional content and visuals. We will also be interspersing short how to videos. You will be able to watch The Handyguys online, on a Roku, Tivo, AppleTV, iTouch, iPad, other portable video players or on the big screen in your living room. This will be fun so stay tuned, make sure you subscribe to either iTunes, RSS, email or twitter. You don’t want to miss the official launch of Handyguys TV.

The Handyguys discuss the the energy saving task of caulking windows.

Announcements

Before we discuss caulking windows we would like to remind our listeners and viewers of our recent video production on replacing a flush valve.  In addition, we will be re-doing our “Fixing a Dishwasher” video in High Definition for additional clarity on the repair process. We hope to do a video showing some caulking techniques in the near future too.

Window Caulking

Handyguy Paul was asked by a friend “where do you caulk a window?”. That’s a pretty broad question. Is the window wood, vinyl or aluminum? Do You want to caulk it for aesthetics or because of drafts? We will assume drafts. Also, what is the siding material? new replacement windows in old frames? There are a lot of variables. We ramble on in the podcast discussing different places we caulk.

Vinyl windows and vinyl siding

Click to see a full sized image. Image © Andersen Corporation

Vinyl windows, if installed correctly shouldn’t need to be caulked in too many places. Caulking on the interior is mainly for aesthetics. You will caulk where the drywall meets the frame or the casing meets the frame. You can use some painters caulk on the inside where the window meets the casing or the drywall. If it was installed correctly there shouldn’t be a draft coming from this area.

Wood windows with wood siding

Click to see full sized image

These windows require a lot more maintenance. All gaps should be re-caulked. If caulking after painting or if you have natural wood, you use a clear caulk. If caulking before painting you should use paintable caulk rated for exterior use.

Replacement windows

Click to see a full sized image. Thanks to Champion Windows for providing this image.

Replacement windows are installed in existing wood frames. The windows come as a unit and should be caulked properly when installed. In situations with replacement windows, you have the area between the new window and the existing frame to keep caulk maintained as well as around any old trim.

Handyguy Tips

During a new segment to the show, the Handyguys each provide an important tip for the typical homeowner.

Thanks

Leaf blowers, rakes and a question about leaky showers

The Handyguys discuss the contest to giveaway a great toolkit, some possible problems with a leaky shower valve and weather a rake or a leaf blower is the correct tool for collecting leaves. To enter the contest you just need to leave a comment on Episode 87 and let us know what you think a valid use of duct tape is. We will announce a winner during our first show in December. We will take Thanksgiving off so this show is the last show we will discuss the contest. Our next show will come out on December 3rd.

Leaky Shower Valves

Don't let a leaky shower drive you crazy. Listen to the podcast as Brian & Paul discuss some possible fixes for Albert's shower. Note - the picture is NOT Albert, its not Brian or Paul either!

We then address a question about a leaky shower valve. Albert called in and asked us about his leaky valve. He gets water leaking out the shower head all the time. He said it was replaced recently. How could this be? The Handyguys discuss what some of the issues could be. Albert – we have a question for you. Does it leak from the shower head when you are filling the tub or all the time, even when water is off? We discuss both scenarios in the podcast. Likely it drips all the time. If that’s the case the the washer(s) are likely bad. If the valve is new the washers could have been damaged during installation.

If it is new, contact the guy who installed it for you. He could come back and make it right. If you installed it then just replace the washers and you should be good to go.

How do you replace the washers? That will depend on what you have. We recommend you shut off the water and take the parts to your local True Value and they will help match up what you need.

Rakes versus Leaf Blowers

The Handyguys love their power tools. We found this video on YouTube and found it interesting. Is a leaf blower the best tool for the job of clearing leaves? Watch this video and listen to the podcast to get our thoughts.

This video clearly shows the rake beating the leaf blower. If this is true then why is the leaf blower so popular? We think both tools have their place depending on circumstances. Listen to the show for discussion of when you may want to use a rake versus when you want a leaf blower. You can get both rakes and leaf blowers at True Value.

Enter the contest to win this toolkit!

Win this toolkit. Click on the picture to learn how! Hint: Valid use of duct tape wins

Disclosure