Today’s Homeowner Radio Show Podcast | January 14, 2023

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Hour 1

Hear how a lot cash it can save you by putting in luxurious vinyl tile your self, what to do about thermal growth gaps in crown molding and extra.

Save Large by Putting in LVT Your self

Luxurious vinyl tile is a superb choice for owners on the lookout for a sturdy, waterproof, and easy-to-clean flooring choice.

Additionally, it’s one of the crucial inexpensive flooring choices, making it a fantastic selection for budget-conscious owners. Joe researched the prices and right here’s what he discovered: 

Most individuals pay on common $1,400 to have 200 sq. ft of vinyl plank flooring put in. Nevertheless, you should buy luxurious vinyl for $2.50-$4 per sq. foot at The House Depot.

So, in case you set up it your self, it may solely value you between $500-800. That’s a saving, on common, of $600-900 over a professionally put in job!

You don’t want any particular instruments to put in luxurious vinyl tile. A field cutter is all it takes to chop the tiles.

The primary mistake folks make when putting in is chopping it tight in opposition to a wall. All floating flooring require an growth house — you’ll want anyplace from 1 / 4 inch to half an inch. 

Run the luxurious vinyl tile as much as the baseboard and canopy the hole with shoe molding. Simply make sure to safe the shoe molding to the baseboard. 

Comply with the instructions precisely concerning any underlayment. Relying on the kind you purchase, the underlayment may already be hooked up. 

Watch: Simply Set up Luxurious Vinyl Tile

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What to Do About Gaps in Crown Molding

That is the primary winter that Chris in Alabama has spent in his new house, and he’s seeing the consequences of thermal growth. Over the previous months, he says vital gaps have proven up within the crown molding all through the home.

“Ought to I ask my builder to right the difficulty? If the gaps are crammed will it trigger the molding to buckle when it will get hotter?” he asks.

It’s superb how a lot supplies in a house broaden and contract, and possibly nowhere is it extra evident than while you’re taking a look at crown molding.

These gaps will often shut on their very own as soon as hotter climate comes again round. You probably have some gaps which can be very pronounced, right here’s what you are able to do:

• Nail it in place: Use a nail gun to safe the crown molding to the wall.
• Fill it with caulk: As an alternative of utilizing conventional caulk, fastidiously apply an acrylic latex caulk. The trick is to barely feed it into the cracked space, in order that when it does shut again, it stays versatile. The hole will nonetheless seem but it surely received’t be as deep or as noticeable. 

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Hour 2

Hearken to study the straightforward strategy to take away acorns out of your yard, why a glass cooktop can shatter, what you might want to do to cowl terracotta tile and extra.

Eliminating an Acorn Overload

That is nuts! A house owner says he has greater than 250,000 acorns in his entrance yard.

“Apart from raking, which I hate, how can I decide up the acorns? My self-propelled lawnmower doesn’t have the ability to select them up. Is there a bit of apparatus appropriate for the job?” he asks.

Right here’s what you should use to take away from a yard:

1. Leaf blower: A leaf blower can blow the acorns right into a pile, making them simpler to gather. Bonus tip: Use a tarp to comprise the acorns whereas blowing them, making cleanup even simpler!

2. Garden vacuum: A garden vacuum can suck up acorns and take away them from the yard. These might be dear, so see in case you can hire one, or rent a landscaper who owns one to make use of in your yard. 

To eradicate this downside sooner or later, stop the acorns from falling within the first place. If attainable, take away the tree or prune it in order that it doesn’t produce as many acorns.

Some chemical remedies can stop acorn manufacturing, however solely knowledgeable arborist ought to apply them.

Consider — eradicating acorns might be time-consuming and also you would possibly have to repeat it as new acorns fall. At all times put on security gear to guard your self from falling acorns and pay attention to bugs or critters within the acorns or hiding within the tree.

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‘Why Did My Glass Cooktop Shatter?’

A house owner says the tempered glass on his fuel cooktop all of the sudden shattered the opposite day, although it wasn’t on and he didn’t drop something onto it. 

“What would trigger that to occur?” he asks.

Tempered glass is designed to be robust and sturdy, however it may shatter unexpectedly for a number of causes. Among the most typical causes of tempered glass shattering embrace:

• Improper set up: If the cooktop just isn’t put in accurately, it may put stress on the glass and trigger it to shatter. For example, if the countertop is overlapping the cooktop, it may put some stress on the highest, ultimately inflicting it to shatter. 
• Thermal stress: If the cooktop or the glass is uncovered to fast modifications in temperature, resembling from a sizzling pot being positioned on a chilly cooktop or vice versa, it may trigger thermal stress and trigger the glass to shatter.
• Manufacturing defects: Generally, tempered glass can have manufacturing defects that make it extra vulnerable to shattering. If that is so, report it to the producer.

You may name knowledgeable to switch the glass cooktop, but it surely could be costly. Think about changing it with a range that doesn’t have a glass cooktop. 

To forestall a glass cooktop from shattering, observe the following pointers:

• Don’t place a sizzling pot on a chilly cooktop or flip the cooktop on excessive and instantly place a chilly pot on it. This will trigger thermal stress and may trigger the glass to shatter.
• Use cookware with flat bottoms to distribute warmth evenly and forestall warping or bending.
• Don’t slide cookware throughout the cooktop, as it may scratch or chip the glass.
• Do =n’t place heavy objects, resembling forged iron pans or stress cookers, on the cooktop as they will trigger affect harm.
• Clear the cooktop commonly with a light detergent and a non-abrasive sponge or material to take away any grime, grime or stains.
• Use a stovetop cowl to guard the cooktop from scratches or stains when not in use.
• Don’t overheat the cooktop, as it may trigger the glass to overheat and shatter.
• At all times observe the producer’s directions for the care and use of your cooktop.

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Masking Terracotta Tile

A house owner has terracotta tiles all through her second-floor California apartment.

“The floor is simply too arduous, very uncomfortable!” she says. “Can we now have extra snug flooring put in on prime? It looks like removing might be very costly, disruptive and noisy.”

As a result of conventional terracotta flooring has such an irregular floor, you’ll wish to apply a self-leveling underlayment to create a easy, even floor for putting in one other sort of flooring over it.

You would possibly run into the issue of elevating the ground top an excessive amount of to the place it may block home equipment from opening or make them not degree together with your cupboards and counters. Examine the peak of the brand new flooring to verify this received’t occur after you’ve put in it.

There are a number of choices for protecting terracotta tiles, together with:

1. Vinyl flooring: Vinyl flooring might be put in over the present tiles and is sturdy and straightforward to wash.
2. Engineered hardwood flooring: Engineered hardwood flooring might be put in over the present tiles and supply a heat and pure look.
3. Laminate flooring: Laminate flooring can be put in over the present tiles and is offered in lots of types and colours.
4. Floating flooring: A floating flooring is a sort of flooring that’s not hooked up to the subfloor, such a flooring might be put in over the terracotta tiles and might be made of various supplies like laminate, engineered hardwood, or cork.

Seek the advice of with knowledgeable flooring specialist to find out the best choice in your particular scenario.

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Greatest New Merchandise

Milwaukee’s new battery pack retains instruments powered for longer, so there’s much less downtime throughout your tasks. Study extra >>

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Easy Options

Pool-Toy Plumbing Device — Earlier than repairing most plumbing clogs, it’s essential to first take away any standing water. Now, you would use a sponge or moist/dry vac, however right here’s an alternative choice: take a child’s water-squirting toy, generally referred to as a water blaster, and use it like a siphon pump. Merely place the nozzle of the toy into the water and draw again on the deal with to suck up the water. Then you possibly can squirt it right into a bucket, bathroom or tub. That is nice for sink clogs, bathroom clogs, or when you’ve got a malfunctioning washer that has water standing within the tub. 

Watch: Take away Standing Water From a Clogged Sink

Paint Display screen Saver — When utilizing paint from a beforehand opened can, it’s finest to cross the paint by way of a filter to display screen out dried paint chips and different small bits of particles. You should purchase disposable paint filters, however they’re flimsy, not reusable and the paint flows by way of a lot too slowly. As an alternative, use a bit of vinyl insect screening. Minimize the display screen about 12 or 14in. sq., safe it to a brand new, clear paint can with three small spring clamps, after which pour the previous paint by way of the display screen. When finished, rinse out the display screen with a backyard hose and reserve it for the subsequent paint job.

Watch: Filter Paint Utilizing a Window Display screen

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Additional Studying

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