At present’s House owner Radio Present Podcast | January 14, 2023
8 min read
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 Huge by Putting in LVT Your self
Luxurious vinyl tile is a superb possibility for householders in search of a sturdy, waterproof, and easy-to-clean flooring possibility.
Additionally, it’s probably the most reasonably priced flooring choices, making it an ideal selection for budget-conscious householders. Joe researched the prices and right here’s what he discovered:
Most individuals pay on common $1,400 to have 200 sq. toes of vinyl plank flooring put in. Nevertheless, you should purchase luxurious vinyl for $2.50-$4 per sq. foot at The Residence Depot.
So, in case you set up it your self, it might 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 individuals make when putting in is slicing 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 posh vinyl tile as much as the baseboard and canopy the hole with shoe molding. Simply you should definitely safe the shoe molding to the baseboard.
Observe the instructions precisely relating to any underlayment. Relying on the kind you purchase, the underlayment might already be connected.
Watch: Tips on how to Simply Set up Luxurious Vinyl Tile
What to Do About Gaps in Crown Molding
That is the primary winter that Chris has spent in his new Alabama dwelling, and he’s seeing the consequences of thermal growth.
Over the previous months, he says important gaps have proven up within the crown molding all through the home.
“Ought to I ask my builder to appropriate the problem? If the gaps are crammed, will it trigger the molding to buckle when it will get hotter?” he asks.
It’s wonderful how a lot supplies in a house develop and contract, and possibly nowhere is it extra evident than whenever you’re crown molding.
The excellent news is these gaps will often shut on their very own as soon as hotter climate comes again round.
Nevertheless, when you’ve got 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 a substitute 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.
Hour 2
Take heed to be taught the straightforward approach to take away acorns out of your yard, why a glass cooktop can shatter, what it’s essential to do to cowl terracotta tile and extra.
Eliminating an Acorn Overload
That is nuts! A home-owner says he has greater than 250,000 acorns in his entrance yard.
“Moreover raking, which I hate, how can I decide up the acorns? My self-propelled lawnmower doesn’t have the facility to select them up. Is there a bit of apparatus appropriate for the job?” he asks.
Right here’s what you should utilize to take away acorns from a yard:
- 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!
- Garden vacuum: A garden vacuum can suck up acorns and take away them from the yard. These could be expensive, so see in case you can hire one, or rent a landscaper who owns one to make use of in your yard.
To remove this downside sooner or later, stop the acorns from falling within the first place. If doable, take away the tree or prune it in order that it doesn’t produce as many acorns.
Some chemical therapies can stop acorn manufacturing, however solely an expert arborist ought to apply them.
Have in mind — eradicating acorns could be time-consuming and also you would possibly must repeat it as new acorns fall.
All the time 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.
‘Why Did My Glass Cooktop Shatter?’
A home-owner says the tempered glass on his gasoline cooktop abruptly shattered the opposite day, though the equipment 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 could actually shatter unexpectedly for a number of causes.
A few of the most typical causes of tempered glass shattering embrace:
- Improper set up: If the cooktop will not be put in accurately, it could actually put stress on the glass and trigger it to shatter. For example, if the countertop is overlapping the cooktop, it might put some stress on the highest, finally inflicting it to shatter.
- Thermal stress: If the cooktop or the glass is uncovered to speedy adjustments in temperature, equivalent to from a sizzling pot being positioned on a chilly cooktop or vice versa, it could actually trigger thermal stress and trigger the glass to shatter.
- Manufacturing defects: Generally, tempered glass can have manufacturing defects that make it extra liable to shattering. If that is so, report it to the producer.
You’ll be able to name an expert to interchange the glass cooktop, but it surely is likely to be costly. Take into account changing the equipment with a range that doesn’t have a glass cooktop.
To stop a glass cooktop from shattering, comply with the following tips:
- 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 could trigger thermal stress and might trigger the glass to shatter.
- Use cookware with flat bottoms to distribute warmth evenly and stop warping or bending.
- Don’t slide cookware throughout the cooktop, as it could actually scratch or chip the glass.
- Don’t place heavy objects, equivalent to forged iron pans or stress cookers, on the cooktop as they will trigger affect harm.
- Clear the cooktop frequently with a gentle detergent and a non-abrasive sponge or fabric to take away any dust, 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 could actually trigger the glass to overheat and shatter.
- All the time comply with the producer’s directions for the care and use of your cooktop.
Overlaying Terracotta Tile
A home-owner has terracotta tiles all through her second-floor California condominium.
“The floor is simply too laborious, very uncomfortable!” she says. “Can we now have extra comfy flooring put in on prime? It looks like elimination shall 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 peak an excessive amount of to the place it could actually block home equipment from opening or make them not stage along with your cupboards and counters. Test 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 overlaying terracotta tiles, together with:
- Vinyl flooring: Vinyl flooring could be put in over the prevailing tiles and is sturdy and straightforward to scrub.
- Engineered hardwood flooring: Engineered hardwood flooring could be put in over the prevailing tiles and supply a heat and pure look.
- Laminate flooring: Laminate flooring can be put in over the prevailing tiles and is offered in lots of types and colours.
- Floating flooring: A floating flooring is a sort of flooring that isn’t connected to the subfloor, the sort of flooring could be put in over the terracotta tiles and could be made of various supplies like laminate, engineered hardwood, or cork.
Seek the advice of with an expert flooring specialist to find out the best choice in your particular state of affairs.
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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 may 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: Tips on how to Take away Standing Water From a Clogged Sink
Paint Display screen Saver — When utilizing paint from a beforehand opened can, it’s greatest to cross the paint by means of a filter to display screen out dried paint chips and different small bits of particles. You should buy disposable paint filters, however they’re flimsy, not reusable and the paint flows by means of a lot too slowly. As a substitute, 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 means of the display screen. When achieved, rinse out the display screen with a backyard hose and put it aside for the subsequent paint job.
Watch: Tips on how to Filter Paint Utilizing a Window Display screen
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