Question posted by: Bob

Date: 3/18/2008 2:27:23 PM

Dear Tom, I heard your show recently when you were telling about a man that just built a 3000 ft house and his light bill is only $100+ / month. I was wondering what kind of insulation for ceilings and wall would you recommend. I am about to begin construction on a new home in Colleyville. Can you tell me why you prefer formaldehyde-free fiberglass as opposed to cellulose or foam? Thanks, Bob

That reference was for a house that I built for a retired police officer, here in the state of Texas. It was actually $85 in August or September of 2007. I am not sure which one, but both were pretty consistant. The insulation was standard formaldehyde-free fiberglass R13 in the walls and R30 in the ceiling. Radiant Barrier in the attic and ridge vents, soffet vents around. It was wrapped with thermawrap, from Tyvek, which is a radiant barrier/moisture barrier combined. It's basically simple, just do what you need and design the house properly and you can have low low energy bills. Foams don't breathe and Cellulose is full of poisons. Formaldehyde-free fiberglass is the healthiest and longest lasting insulation product on the market today. That's why it's more expensive and that's why it's used primarily in green building. It's not detrimental to the health of the people that live in the building.

Question posted by:

Date: 3/18/2008 1:44:40 PM

Dear Tom, We are planning to build a log home. My question is: Does the radiant barrier apply to this type of structure? We are planning to put ordinary shingles on the roof. I thought there might be shingles with a radiant barrier on the side that attaches to the roof. Thank you. I. Koszman

Radiant Barrier belongs in any home in our listening area, Texas and Southern United States. As far as a log home, I don't know if it belongs in our listening area, but that's totally up to you! There is not a type of shingles with radiant barrier on it, it would not make any sense. Many people have thought that materials should be energy saving materials but it's a misnomer. A roof is a roof, insulation is insulation, a roof deck is a roof deck, a window is a window and a door is a door. A door is not a radiant barrier, energy saving device, it's something for you to go in and out of that closes tightly. So, let's not try to confuse what materials do and what we want them to do. The bottom line is roofing material does not have radiant barrier in it, it wouldn't work and it wouldn't hold up. A roof needs to be able to weather the storms and not save you energy.

Question posted by: Billy

Date: 3/18/2008 1:24:29 PM

I just purchased a tankless water heater and installed it myself. It operates great with the exception of one problem. After about 5 minutes of great hot water, I experience this burst of cold water. When I examine the heater, I find that it is still producing hot water. Also I have noticed that my hot water pressure is considerably lower than the cold water pressure since the installation. The cold water burst only happens when I mix the hot water with cold water (Like for taking showers). Could it be that the cold water is causing backpressure on the hot water line and there fore overtaking the hot water. How can I remediate this situation? Your show is very informative and adds value to us Do-IT-Yourselfers out here. Please keep up the good work

One of the flaws in a gas on demand water heater, is it has a limit switch. If you reduce water flow thru it and not enough water flows thru it, it will literally shut off, to protect itself from burning up. That's what you're experiencing. If you let full water pressure run thru it, you will have all the hot water that you want, the minute that you start to reduce pressure by adding cold, the flow starts to get so little that it will shut on and off giving you those spurts of cold water coming thru since it's not a tank water heater, it has no reserve. Basically what you need to do is use less cold water and adjust the temperature. With an on demand, you don't even need to have it where you mix cold water. You have it the temperature that you want to take your shower or just a little bit hotter for maybe cleaning your dishes and what not. It doesn't make any sense to mix cold with hot, because without a tank, it doesn't have to as hot coming out.

Question posted by: Jesse

Date: 3/18/2008 1:06:53 PM

My gas appliances don't appear to have enough gas. When we cook on the stove, it takes several minutes to heat the pan. We have a built in fireplace and the flames are really low too. I've adjusted the valve to maximum, but still the flames are barely higher than the fake logs. Our friends have the same fireplace and they only turn the value to midway adn they have huge flames. I've called the gas company asking if we had enough gas pressure and they stated that if all your units function, I do. I only have two water heater, gas stove and the fireplace that uses gas, but even if we only use one item at a time, the flames are still really low. How can I get the gas company to provide more gas so I can cook decently?

If you suspect that you have a gas problem, just call a plumber and they can pressure test it, to make sure that you don't have any blockage any where.

Question posted by: Sonny

Date: 3/18/2008 12:55:10 PM

Do you have any ideas, pro or con, about using the reflective foil type material added to decking as a layer on top of existing insulation? I have a neighbor who did that and says it works fine. He showed me a sample and it is exactly the same material added to decking for roofs, and is perforated to avoid trapping moisture. He laid it over his existing insulation with overlapping borders, with cutouts for roof supports, vents, ducts, lights, etc. Thanks. Sonny Shaddix

He's using the product wrong. He will get some results at the beginning when he does it, but over time it will be reduced to where it will no longer work. Fact of the matter, he is trapping moisture between the ceiling and the radiant barrier material, causing his insulation to lose it's R value is actually going to be more detrimental than beneficial in the long run. It always needs to be placed on the under side of the roof decking. The whole idea is for it to not only stop the radiation but to reduce the attic temperature. Which allows your insulation to stay not only dry but work more effectively, because it doesn't get hot.

Question posted by: Jeremy

Date: 3/18/2008 12:28:14 PM

Q:	I recently discovered I had a leak under my upstairs toilet which has been fixed. However, I see damaged subflooring and wood in the ceiling (when looking through the cut out plaster from the first floor). Can that be treated and/or strengthened or do I have to have the floor torn up to access the subflooring so it can be replaced? Jeremy
A:	If it’s rotted to where it can’t hold the weight of the toilet and anything above it, then you will need to replace it. If it just looks damaged but it’s still structurally sound, then don’t, just fix the hole and don’t worry about it.

Question posted by: Malcolm

Date: 3/18/2008 12:01:02 PM

Q:	have 7 year old home. Have had 3 pen whole leaks in copper pipes. Any ideas as to fixing problem? I heard you talk about a blown in lining in pipes, if this is the way to repair and you give me the name of a company that does this work?
A:	Yes, there’s a system called Ace-Duraflow that will recondition your pipes. What they do is sandblast the inside, line them with expoxy and eliminate that problem. Simple enough, but it takes a couple of days. It’s not a cheap process, but it’s the best process for you.

Question posted by: Steve

Date: 3/18/2008 11:54:54 AM

Q:	I want to stain concrete in what used to be a garage. Previous owners glued down carpet. I pulled up carpet, leaving some glue behind. How should I clean floor prior to staining, getting the old glue up and not damaging the concrete?
A:	It’s can’t be stained. The glue can’t be taken out. Once you get glue on concrete it ruins it for staining.

Question posted by: Dana

Date: 3/14/2008 2:53:10 PM

While listening to your show, an advertisement states that you gave a tip regarding monthly maintenance for preventing hair buildup in bathroom drains. I've searched the website to find the answer...but to no avail. I really need to do this...so please direct me to the info, or let me know somehow. I really LOVE listening to your show whenever I can. I'm a single, pretty self sufficient woman, so I try to do what ever I can to keep my home in the best shape possible. I look forward to your reply! Thanks, Dana

Take some Bleach (about a cup) and pour it down in the drain, let it sit there overnight and it will desolve the hair. Monthly or more, depending on quantity.

Question posted by: Greg

Date: 3/14/2008 2:43:44 PM

Q:	We installed quartz countertops and atravertine backsplash recently. I have noticed the grouting where the backsplash ends and meets the countertop has hairline cracks. Is this unusual?
A:	It’s not unusual, and it’s gonna happen when you grout there. That is always a flexible area to be caulked because it moves. You want something flexible like an acrylic latex with silicone caulking to hopefully match the color of your grout. It will keep a cleaner look.

Question posted by: Mary

Date: 3/14/2008 2:36:29 PM

Q:	How to caulk a shower or tub -- I only caught the last part when you were talking about it today (1-26-08). Do you prefer silicone for a tub or shower?
A:	An all purpose caulking (which is an acrylic latex with silicone) is always my choice for caulking jobs around the house.

Question posted by: theresa

Date: 3/14/2008 2:29:13 PM

Q:	have scratch on black granit, hunbsnd put 325 sand paper on granit and made it worst. can it be repaired.
A:	Yes, it can be repaired, but you should have someone come in and polish it off for you. Don’t use sand paper on it, it’s not wood.

Question posted by: Rich

Date: 3/14/2008 1:15:27 PM

Q:	I am going on a trip for two weeks, should I shut off my water line and gas line? What other reccomendations do you have I should do before I leave?
A:	It’s always good to turn the water off when you leave your home for any extended period of time. That just relieves the pressure of the pipes in case something happens, when you are not there. As far as your gas, no, leave your gas on and everything else the way that it is normally, just turn your water off.

Question posted by: David

Date: 3/14/2008 1:07:06 PM

Q:	We recently moved into a new home. It has 20x25x4 1/2 air filters. Do you change these monthly? I've heard that you change them annually. Dave
A:	Those are Media filters and get changed twice a year, approximately every six months.

Question posted by: JAMES

Date: 3/14/2008 12:44:44 PM

Q:	I am looking @ putting a slate roof on the home (7,000 sq ft) I am building. What do you think about using slate? Do you recommend something else? Thank you, Jim Trimble
A:	Slate is fine. Or you can any other of the fine roofing products out there, as long as it is installed well.

Question posted by: Peter

Date: 3/14/2008 12:34:11 PM

Have been a listener for many years...my copper water piopes have started to spring leaks at the joints (5 in the last 2 years, 19 year old house)...I have had 3 plumbing companies give me 3 different methods to handle the situation...1 wants to re-pipe using PEX pipe, 1 wants to re-pipe using CVPC pipe, and 1 recommends installing a softwater system to help eliminate some of the harmfull effects in the water. What is your opinion?

My opinion is none of the above. When you start having problems like that it is from aggressive water, and anytime water touches the metal, you can have these problems. There is a system called Ace Duraflow that you can have your existing pipes lined with epoxy so that the problem is eliminated.

Question posted by: Jayson

Date: 3/14/2008 12:14:12 PM

I am in need of winterizing my house. It has not been that cold, and my bedroom has to be at least 72 to feel warm. One wall is the exterior of the house with a 7 wide window X 7' tall, and the opposite side has 7' of windows facing an inner house courtyard. Additonally we have over 8' of skylights in the master bath. How can I make my windows warmer, less drafty? What do you think of the solar films from 3M that have a low E in them. Is this better than upgrading the windows?

Solar Film will do nothing for winter time cold. What you are experiencing is the heat leaving your home very quickly due to the large expanse of glass. There’s not a lot that you can do about that except replace those windows with better quality windows that will not reject the heat as quickly as your windows do. As far as any other kind of option for winter time, there really isn’t just the quality of the window.

Question posted by: TIM

Date: 3/14/2008 11:50:10 AM

Q:	I would like a fireplace that works with real wood!! Currently I have a two-faced fireplace - one opening faces the living room and the other the library. According to someone I had over to view the fireplace, smoke will always go into the library because that room is so much smaller. Can I replace the firebox to a one-sided one so I can have a fireplace in the living room?
A:	Two-sided fireplaces are very difficult to burn real wood, unless they are designed for it and kept closed during the burning process, so the draw goes up and out the chimney. Only a certified chimney swept can give you information.

Question posted by: Gerry

Date: 3/14/2008 11:41:18 AM

I recently had a hydrotest completed on my 1970s vintage house and had difficulty holding the water indicating leaks in my galvanized piping. The leaks are do not require immediate attention but will be something I need to address in the next six months. I have two quotes from plumbing companies to replace the leaks (under one bathroom and under the kitchen) which average about $6500 and involve digging under the house. Are there less evasive alternatives to such a repair? I heard on your show this past weekend you talking about sand blasting and sealing the pipes. Is that something recommeded for this?

The way that you have written this letter, you explained to me, that you had this hydrostatic test done, which I assume is on your drain lines. They are not galvanized, so they have nothing to do with your supply lines. People get that confused all the time. If your supply lines had a leak, they would be spurting water constantly. If your drain lines have a leak, just cause problems under the slab. So, I am gonna assume it’s a drain line issue, not a supply line issue. If you have an older house and the drain lines have rotted away and is dumping your drain water into the ground, then the solution to fix that would be to tunnel under the house and replace the plumbing.

Question posted by: John

Date: 3/14/2008 11:25:21 AM

I planning to replace (overlay) real wood engineered flooring on a floating instalation over the ceramic tile in my entry way and dining area. The ceramic tile in the kitchen has several places where the tile rings with a bell like sound if a small object is dropped on it, and several other places where the tile is broken from previous owners dropping items. I think the hollow ringing sound is from those tiles not having thin set properly under them, and so we are considering hardwood in the kitchen also, but we are uncertain about the durablity and the overall wisdom of using real wood in the kitchen. We live in Duncanville and I am a reasonablly experienced carpenter/woodworker/remodler, but this is my first project with wood flooring. Thank you for any advice you can provide. John E Stark

If it is a floating wood floor it can be placed over any surface. Real wood would be fine as long as you don’t spill anything.

Question posted by: Stanley

Date: 3/14/2008 11:19:34 AM

Q:	I'm going to replace the siding and roofing on my house. The existing roof does not have ridge vents but there is two gable vents, one on each side of the house. I've heard you talk about ridge vents before. Should I cover the gable vents when I replace the siding and put in ridge vents when I replace the roof?
A:	If you have a ridge vent and soffet vents system that is installed properly, the gable vents can hinder it. Yes, putting something behind it, just to keep the wind from blowing in the attic, is helpful.

Question posted by: Kimberly

Date: 3/14/2008 11:14:40 AM

On the day of my 60 -day new home inspection (June 2007), a pipe inside the sheetrock wall in my bathroom burst, and water gushed out and filled the bathroom, master closet, bedroom, den, hall bath, and was making its way through the whole first floor. Then, in September, rain water made its way from a 2nd story bay window down the entry way of my home. What should I be concerned about with regard to the structure of the home, possible mold issues, insulation within the walls, etc. How can I get these things inspected by someone other than the builder? A building inspector we contacted said he would not be able to provide any beneficial data. What can I do to protect myself should other problems arise in the future as a result of these issues? How does this affect the sell of my home? How can I find out what my rights are with the builder and what I can expect or demand from them? The bulider originally had this house listed at $430K. Thanks for your help

Since the pipe broke and was discovered quickly and fixed, you should have no long term problems whatsoever. As far as an inspection company, I don’t know if there is one that would find anything wrong. You can visit the TRCC website and find out what your rights are, but what you should expect from your builder during the warranty period is for him to fix the problems.

Question posted by: Norman

Date: 3/14/2008 11:06:05 AM

Q:	Our house has a pier and beam foundation with vent holes. The builder left covers for the vent holes. I have been putting them on during the winter (usually Nov 15 thru Mar 15). Is this what I should be doing?
A:	No! Don’t ever cover up your vent holes.

Question posted by: ferdie

Date: 3/14/2008 10:54:55 AM

Q:	hi tom, i heard you say on your show a while back that real wood floor being glued to the concrete floor is a bad combo. i had my wood floor (cherry wood) glued down about almost 6 years now but it's still intact. should i start to worry. how long do they usually last until you see any signs of detaching. great show & hope to hear from you.....thx ferdie
A:	If it is fine, don’t worry.

Question posted by: Darin

Date: 3/14/2008 10:44:56 AM

Q:	I have looked at both window film and solar screens. Taking the aesthetics out of the equation, are the solar screens going to save me Significantly more money that window film?
A:	Solar screens are more effective. The one thing that they do, that solar film cant, is it shades the glass and keeps the glass cool. When you have film on the window, the glass will still get hot. With screens the window stays cooler because it is always in constant shade.

Question posted by: Rick

Date: 3/14/2008 10:35:35 AM

Site/House: My house sits at the edge of Galveston Bay. In the summer time the dew point is in the high 70sF and probably over 80F on some days. The house is pier and beam design with a crawl space 18-20" above the ground. The floor boards rest directly on the floor joices (no sub-floor). Problem: Floors are starting to deteriorate due to water condesation from the crawl space. Question: How do I prevent this in the future? I have talked to Diversified Thermal and Energy Guard Insulation about spray foam insulation. Both recommend open-cell foam, but only Diversified recommends a vapor barrior. Is this the right product for me? How does open-cell foam without a vapor barrior on the warm side prevent condensation directly on the floor boards? It seems that if the floor is insulated well, it will be 68-75F all the time. If the foam allows water vapor pass through to the floor, will it not condense and give me a bigger problem than I have now? The floor boards are finished with polyurethane (oil based) on the interior. I don't know the combined permability of the boards (3/4' old pine with high resin content) and polyurethane, but it doesn't seem like it would be very high. Drying to the inside seems unlikely or slow at best. Tom, I respect your opion greatly and would appreciate any tips or advice short of turning my AC off in the summer. Thanks Rick Elder

Galveston, of course, is going to have a lot of humidity, there’s not doubt about it. Eventually, things will rot, rust, deteriorate, whether it’s your house, your car, your light fixtures, anything that you have is going to rust away in the Galveston area. So, to make something permanent is almost impossible. Anytime you have a house that is up off the ground, the best way to stop problems with humidity, moisture of that kind is to ventilate as much as possible. Add vents! Foam or plastic would be bad.

Question posted by: Andy

Date: 3/14/2008 10:02:49 AM

Tom, We got a quote to have radiant barrier put in our attic yesterday. First, do you think radiant barrier is worth putting into your attic? We have 1790 sq ft in our attic. The quote was for $1300, which seemed reasonable, but I didn't know much about it till yesterday. The company will also put 5 more inches of R-11 insulation in the attic , which is included in the price above. I wanted to see if you thought that price was reasonable, or what a good price is for a radiant barrier plus insulation in our attic. thanks, Andy Pace

Yes, to both questions.

Question posted by: Sarah

Date: 3/14/2008 9:52:43 AM

Q:	You have always given me great advice in the past. We want to put in a swimming pool. Do you recommend fiberglass or gunite? I searched the site but didn't find the answer. Take care, Sarah
A:	It’s always best to use a gunite pool. Vinyl liners are just not in the same category.

Question posted by: Sandra

Date: 11/27/2007 4:30:24 PM

I was listening to the home show this Saturday morning and heard some advice Tom gave to a listening about being a first time home buyer. I am also a first time home buyer. My price max is 160,000. Tom mentioned to buy right now in established neighborhoods, that is the best investment. For my price range, can he suggest some neighborhoods that would be a good look. I am looking in areas 9, 22, and 23 of Houston. Thank you!

My advice to anybody is to buy a home, in a neighborhood that has been establish for at least 30 years. This way you can track the property values, if they have gone up or down. Has the neighborhood maintained its level of quality of life and resell value of the homes. Neighborhoods with established trees and things of this nature, always maintain their value more. What’s happening now is the bottom is falling out of the market. It’s a buyers market. There are a lot of homes for sale, and too much inventory out there, too many neighborhoods. My advice to everyone, even my own children is to find a neighborhood that is at least 30 years, no more new building can be built in it, that it is established and it’s property values are continuing to hold strong over the years. That is where people should buy, it does not have to be expensive, but it has to be established.

Question posted by: Sean

Date: 11/27/2007 4:28:07 PM

I would like to repaint my kitchen cabinets. They have previously been painted before, I took a few down and stripped the old paint, and have sanded them. What types of sealers or primers and paint should I use? I really want them to last and look good without spending $5000 for new cabinets, I dont mind spending money to make it look good.

Any time you use paint, you don’t need sealers or anything else, the paint is all you need. As far as painting them goes, always use oil based products, it gives you a harder finish and a smoother finish when it comes to leveling itself, after you have applied the paint. If you need to strip them and sand them, do it. Some times it’s as simple as just wiping them down with a de-glosser and then putting a fresh coat of paint on them.

Question posted by: Jeff

Date: 11/27/2007 3:56:27 PM

Q:	I just bought an older home and want to install a new programmable thermostat. I went to the breaker box to cut the power off, but none of the breakers are labeled. How do I determine which breaker controls the A/C unit? and I assume it is only one breaker?
A:	You don’t have to cut the power to the air conditioning system when you replace the thermostat. It’s low voltage, it’s on a transformer, it doesn’t use the same breaker as the whole unit does, so they’re totally separate. All you have to do is match the four colored wires in the back and you will be done, don’t worry about it.

Question posted by: Tim

Date: 11/27/2007 3:43:53 PM

All other things being equal, would you prefer a DRILLED PIER or PILED PIER for minor foundation repair? Both companies are reputable and offer guarantees. The price for the DRILLED is about 10% higher, but I'm concerned about the repeated up and down motion involved in the PILED pier. Thanks. Love your show!

My preference is always driving the piling into the ground. It does not remove soil and it tests the soil against the load to the house. It’s no doubt it’s a preferred method. Any time you drill holes in the ground first and remove the dirt and then fill it full of concrete, you have the situation where the ground can shrink around that when it gets dry and then you have no skin friction from the dirt onto the side of the piling. Which means it will start to lose it’s effectiveness and start to drop.

Question posted by: hector

Date: 11/27/2007 3:33:16 PM

Q:	I have been advised to dig a 2 inch trench around my house to bury a soaker hose, that would enable me to keep the soil around the foundation of my house moist. this would keep the foundation from cracking.where do i find directions to accomplish this? thanks, hector
A:	Check out this link for complete instructions listed on our website: http://www.homeshowonline.net/hs2/article.asp?id=65

Question posted by: tony

Date: 11/27/2007 3:19:19 PM

Q:	Presently have a Radiant Barrier.Would it be beneficial to add either attic fans or ridgevents?If so which do you reccomend?
A:	You need three types of systems in an attic to make it work properly. One is a radiant barrier, the other is insulation on the floor of the attic, and the third one would be attic ventilation. If you don’t have attic ventilation, the ridge vent would be the way to go

Question posted by: tony

Date: 11/27/2007 3:06:27 PM

Q:	Have a new home--when the downstair ac is set at 78 the air coming out of the vents registers in the 60-69 degree range.Upstairs where I keep the ac at 88 degrees the air coming out of the vents registers 80-85.This doesn't seem right what do you think?
A:	The temperature drop of air in an air conditioning system should be measured across the evaporator coil. That’s probably the part of the air conditioning system that you have in the attic. Across the coil, you should get about a 25 degree drop, the air coming out into the rooms will vary because of the length of the duct work and how well it has been installed.

Question posted by: Joseph

Date: 11/27/2007 2:04:00 PM

Q:	I have several oak trees on my property. What type of leaf guard gutter system do you reccommend?
A:	You can cut down the trees. Or the one that I use or my favorite is called Gutter Helmet. It’s a separate system from the gutter so the gutter is put on first then the gutter helmet is applied after the fact. To me that is the one that I even use on my own home and have had the best results with.

Question posted by: Cathy

Date: 11/27/2007 1:20:11 PM

We are building a new home and want to incorporate a tankless water heater. Should we go with electric or propane? Do you see any negatives to either one, in your opinion?

I like on demand water heaters. We use them primarily in all the homes that I build for people now. Our number one choice is either propane or natural gas because they tend to take care of the entire house without having to have more than one and then you don’t have to zone your hot water systems. If you use electric, you will need to have more than one and you need to zone it so it takes care of certain areas.

Question posted by: Pam

Date: 11/27/2007 1:10:32 PM

My home is 1 and 1/2 years old and everytime the air conditioner comes on the lights dim. The dead stop load on the air conditioner is 169 and we have a 150 box. We have had the electricians, air conditioner and Centerpoint out. Of course, all say everything is ok. HELP!!!!

I think they are right, everything is okay. In fact, my own house, when the AC comes on, the lights will dim for a second. It’s just the nature of the beast. We are using more and more electricity. These big efficient units have a hard time starting up and when they do they draw quite a bit of juice, which fluctuates the electricity in the rest of the house, which is not something that you have to worry about.

Question posted by: Dwaine

Date: 11/27/2007 12:36:30 PM

What willl be most effective in an existing attice. Radiant barrier film, paint, or chips? And approximately (percentage wise) how much could this save me on my energy bills during the summer months?

Don’t use the chips they just lay on the floor of the attic, get dirty and quit working. The paint is easiest for people to put in their homes, make sure it is a radiant barrier paint. Spraying that up will go quick, fast and your savings will start immediately when it dries. Of course, if you are building a new home, use a radiant barrier roof deck, which consists of aluminum foil clear to the bottom of the decking and put up there so you get 100% coverage.

Question posted by: Daniel

Date: 11/27/2007 12:06:52 PM

Q:	What is the best thing to do to windows to keep the heat out or to make them energy efficient?
A:	Solar screens work great, if you have direct heat coming into your house, that will knock a lot off of the heat gained thru a window. Besides that, there’s not much else you can do short of replacing the window with a more energy efficient window.

Question posted by: cindy

Date: 11/27/2007 11:49:01 AM

Q:	We are in the process of insulatiing our attic. What is the best insulation, Greenguard fiberglass insulation or Applegate cellulose insulation?
A:	There’s no doubt, we should always stay away from cellulose. It is not a good product, and it is not a green product, like people are sometimes lead to believe. The best product out there for the health of the family, for the money, and for your results, is going to be formaldehyde free fiberglass.

Question posted by: George

Date: 11/27/2007 10:45:50 AM

Q:	Tom, I recently purchased a home in Bellaire built in 1990. I would like to add a radiant barrier. What is the best for a do-it-yourselfer, like myself. The options I'm considering are double layered foil w/ 1/16" air gap, ceramic imbedded paint, and aluminum imbedded paint (missing anything)...what are the pros and cons. Thanks, George
A:	Congradulations George on your new home! Paint it with a radiant barrier paint (which are metal flakes, not ceramic crystals), and that’s the easiest!

Question posted by: Javier

Date: 11/27/2007 10:28:27 AM

Q:	What is the best way to clean the shingles on my roof so they will better match the new shingles on the addition I am having built?
A:	Ain’t gonna happen my friend. You will never be able to clean shingles to make them look new. Any time, you do an addition like that, if you want the shingles to blend, you have to change all the shingles on the entire plane that you are weaving together. In other words, try to go from edge to edge, so when you look at one plane of the roof they all have the same color.

Question posted by: Robin

Date: 11/27/2007 10:18:00 AM

Q:	If your upstairs AC unit is not cooling sufficiently (set to 77 - goes up to 81 during hot days) - is this a problem with the builder installed AC unit -- we cannot get our builder to rectify the situation -- any advice would be greatly appreciated.
A:	Chances are your air conditioning system is just too small. If a system can’t cycle on the temperature you set it; that just means it’s too small. It’s that simple and it should be bigger.

Question posted by: Frank

Date: 11/27/2007 10:07:40 AM

Last year we had a new 2200sf home built. All exterior walls have 6" studs and were sprayed floor to ceiling with 2" ureathane foam then 4" thick fiberglass bats were added prior to sheetrocking.The roof uses radiant barrier OSB decking with ridge venting and and continuous soffit vents.The attic floor is sprayed with 2" of foam plus 12" of chopped fibergass.The house has a 4 ton CarrierA/C, heat pump system with the coil/fan unit in the attic. One of the reasons we wanted the house foamed was to eliminate dust inside the house. Unfortunately, each morning there is a new layer of fine dust on every horizontal surface in the house. I have tried a variety of different furnace filters but none have helped. Do you have any suggestions or do you of a good air quality professional in Fort Worth that I might contact? Thanks, Frank Fuqua

Foaming a house is not going to eliminate dust, and I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone. A house needs to breathe. If a home doesn’t breathe then it becomes a negatively pressured home, which pulls in all kinds of dirt and debris from the outside into the house. The only way to solve this problem is to put a fresh air return from the outside into the air conditioning system. So you can positively pressure your home so it no longer becomes a house that wants to just leak air to the inside. In other words, control your infiltration and don’t let it come in half hazard like it’s doing now.

Question posted by: Les

Date: 11/27/2007 7:50:29 AM

Tom, I have a brick fire place and inside the home, the brick has been painted over. I was wondering if you had any ideas on how to restore this brick to it's natural color? I have tried one type of stripper, but it has stained the brick a darker color. Any help would be appreciated.

About the only thing you can do to remove the paint is to sand blast it, which is just not a practical thing for anybody to do unless you’re going thru a total renovation. Sand blasting it with pecan shells usually will take the paint off and not damage the brick. Unfortunately there’s an old saying “Once you paint brick, it’s painted” and you might change the color by painting it again, but getting it back to it’s original color is not very practical.

Question posted by: sharon

Date: 11/26/2007 9:27:35 AM

I need to find out more about an electric tankless water heater. I have been told by Village Plumbing that electric is not recommended, however I do not have gas in my home and my current water heater is located in the attic. It is extremely difficult to find someone to come and drain it for me and I have also been told that if my current heater is over 10 years old, it is worthless and needs to be replaced. I live in a subdivision in Memorial where there is lots of sedimentation in the water here. That alone is hard on every pipe, plumbing fixture, etc..in the house. What is your recommendation for me? I have such a concern that my current water heater could errode and leak in the attic so I need to know if the tankless will make this worry go away. Thank you so much for any help you can offer. Sharon

There’s nothing wrong with electric water heaters (on demand water heaters), in fact, I have two of them in my own home. Anything can break, and no matter where a pipe is or a tank of water or anything and cause problems to your home, so that is always go to be there. You would have to no pipes in your house to make that worry go away. But as far as do they work, then yes, they work great! Are they efficient, yes, very much so. And, the fact of the matter that it will not just have a big tank of water to dump in your house, because it doesn’t have a tank.

Question posted by: Mike

Date: 11/15/2007 9:50:04 AM

Tom, I had Olshans put in a cable lock system about 9 years ago.. In the last few months our interior doors are sticking and we have acquired several new cracks on the walls. Plus our ceramic tile popped on our floor about three weeks ago.. We called our insurance company and they had plumbers out and found 4 to 5 leaks in the house. Then they sent over an Engineer to check on the house and he is waiting on a soil sample from the leaks. Now here is my problem or concern when the plumbers started to work on the interior bathroom leak (this was a sewer leak) when they dug down to the sewer pipe they found that there is not dirt under the foundation they believe that Olshan's did not back fill when they put in the interior piers. We have an Engineer coming out on Monday and I would like to know what I should ask this guy? We spent over 12000.00 dollars for the piers and it has a life time warranty. Can you tell me what I might expect. Tried to get on your show today but it was late into your program.. I do enjoy your show every Saturday. Tom thanks. Mike Goheen

Once you have someone go under your home and put interior piers in, and do all that foundation work, usually, backfilling will not fill all the way up. If it does at the beginning it still will settle over time. If you have a lifetime warranty and you have a problem with your foundation, then I suggest that you call Olshan’s and they will probably take care of it, they have been around a long time. Remember this your foundation is no longer sitting on upper soils, it’s sitting down on the lower soils where those piers were put, so unless the foundation moves and you have an issue, I don’t know why you would even consider worrying about it. As far as having a leak in your sewer, fix it, it’s not a good thing to have.

Question posted by: Sandra

Date: 11/14/2007 3:57:57 PM

Tom, I enjoy your show when I am able to listen. Thanks for all your great advice. I had both my outdoor a/c condensers replaced this summer. One unit (the expensive one!) had to have a new air handler and new duct work. About the time this was completed, the OTHER unit went out, so I had to get a less expensive condenser and used a different contractor. When the "expensive" company came out to do my check up on the unit they installed, I asked about what could have caused the water stains around the supply grills-all of which were there for years and had nothing to do with any new installation, the guy said my duct work was brittle and stacked up where the water stains were. He said the armaflex was old and brittle, too. All of this stain, of course, was on the area not cooled and heated by the expensive guy's unit. I have never heard of duct work (flexible kind - foil covered coils) getting brittle and needing to be replaced. Is this really valid??? Thank you for helping me! Sandra Drake

I’m not sure what kind of duct work you have, but if it’s the old gray Goodman (gray in color and it says Goodman on it), then yes. I don’t know if I would call it brittle but the plastic on the inside and the outside starts to crack, and it has to all be replaced. There are thousands and thousands of homes in the state of Texas that have this product. But these homes were basically built in the 80’s, so it could be a possibility that the ductwork needs to be replaced and that brittle, as he calls it, is that plastic failing. It is very expensive to replace the duct work, but usually not that hard unless you have a two story home that has areas that you can’t access.

Question posted by: Chally

Date: 11/14/2007 3:18:44 PM

Have had it with wood floors in kitchen and with pets. Can a floating floor system be installed over wood floors? Is this a job for a professional?

I think wood floors are the dumbest floors you can put in a house. It’s no different than if you were going to walk around all day on your dining room table. It makes no sense, but people love wood floors. They are not durable, they do not hold up, and especially if you have livestock like pets that like to urinate on it, it’s not a good choice at all. Any time you buy flooring; always follow the recommendation by the manufacturer. Most flooring, whether it be squares or sheets can be put down on other flooring. The person you buy it from should be able to give you information and provide you with the proper glue.

Question posted by: Heather

Date: 11/14/2007 1:39:56 PM

Q:	What is man made marble and is it good for the kitchen counters? Thanks bunches! Heather
A:	Cultured marble is considered man made marble, it’s made from marble dust and you see it primarily in bathrooms for tubs, vanities, and countertops. But, to put it in the kitchen would be absolutely terrible, it would never hold up to the abuse that a kitchen countertop takes.

Question posted by: Susan

Date: 11/14/2007 12:35:10 PM

Q:	When my air conditioner cycles off, I've noticed a slight dripping sound (nothing is noticeably leaking). Is this normal operation of the unit?
A:	Yes, it is normal. What’s happening is your evaporator coil, which is the part that makes the air dehumidify has a pan underneath it that becomes full of water, which then drains into a sink some where on newer homes. What you are hearing is the draining of the water that’s being pulled out of the air, as the air is being cooled and you become more comfortable in your home.

Question posted by: Carol

Date: 11/14/2007 11:30:39 AM

Q:	Isn't there a requirement in building codes about the need for electrical outlets every ? feet?
A:	There’s no doubt, that there is electrical code that is followed by all licensed electricians. Yes, there is a spacing of minimum electrical outlets as you run thru a room, and it depends if your at a window, a corner, or a long wall. Usually it’s about every 12 feet. You can have them every foot if you want.

Question posted by: Betty

Date: 11/14/2007 10:06:57 AM

Q:	We are replacing our garage door opener. We were wondering if you have a preference in chain, screw, or belt drive? Thanks.
A:	They’re all fine.

Question posted by: Mark

Date: 11/13/2007 3:09:30 PM

Q:	We are building a deck in our backyard and we are wondering what is the best material to use and who is a good builder in our area? We have been looking at Trex and wondered if that was the best and most cost efficient material to use?
A:	The new pressure-treated lumber does not hold up well, so we're now looking at composite materials for decking. Trex is one of the original composites that has held up well over time, but there are others, so shop around before making a decision. Check out Choicedek and Timbertech as well. They're more expensive than pressure-treated lumber, so you'll have to decide what your budget can handle.

Question posted by: Richard

Date: 11/13/2007 2:17:14 PM

Q:	I have vinyl tile squares on my kitchen floor which was put down around 1979. I don't want to remove the squares in fear that they might be made with abestoes. I would like to put new squares on top of this. Can you please tell me the step by step procedure, the recommended new squares and adhesive, and any other information that I may need to complete this job. Thanks
A:	Any time you buy flooring; always follow the recommendation by the manufacturer. Most flooring, whether it be squares or sheets can be put down on other flooring, that’s not the problem. What glue they want you to use, only they can tell you. The person you buy it from, should be able to give you that information and provide you with the proper glue.

Question posted by: Tierrua

Date: 11/13/2007 2:00:22 PM

I'm planing of improving the roof insulation of my house and would like to know what option is more recommendable and why. I've been told about cellulose vs fiberglass, and cellulose seemed to be better because is environmentally friendly, less expensive, and offers tac credit. However, I heard that after about ten years it loses its properties and benefits, becomes a fire hazard, and it actually lower the market value of the house. Is that true? My house was built in 1992.

Cellulose is not environmentally friendly. In fact, in green homes, fiberglass is always used. Not only fiberglass, but formaldehyde free fiberglass, because it is the only insulation that will stay in the form that it is put in. It will not break down and become dust and dirt, like cellulose does. It will not have to be replaced. Any time that you have to replace something, it is not good for the environment. Cellulose is ground up newspapers and they have Borates put in there, which is a poison. They do that to make it fire retardant, it also kills roaches and small animals, and if you breathe enough of it, who knows what it is going to do to you.

Question posted by: Richard

Date: 11/13/2007 12:07:20 PM

I have approx. 80 can lights in my home, some on dimmers and some haiogen and some regular lighting. In my attic I have cellulose insolation. The installers covered most all of the cans with this cellulose when my house was built. I noticed this 5 years later and the installers refused to correct it. We have a lot of dust that collects in our house. Could this be comming throught these cans and what could I do? Some are in areas I can't get to in the attic.

It can definitely be coming thru those cans. Those lights, unless they were specified to be covered, should not be covered. You can have dust coming thru your house and cellulose is nothing but ground up newspapers, which turns to dust over time. Covering cans that aren’t supposed to be covered can be a terrible fire hazard also.

Question posted by: Lisa

Date: 11/13/2007 11:45:32 AM

HI Tom, Our home is 10 years old. We had a basketball hoop installed on our garage and it rotted the roof underneath, so when it was removed it looks like meteor landed in Sugar Land. We decided instead of patching, to have new roof put on the entire house. I have bids from 3 reputable roofers. I have narrowed it down to 2 choices. The difference between the 2 is that one is installing ridge vents as well as air hawks. The other just ridge vents. When I asked the second why he wasn't installing the air hawks, he said it disrupted the flow of air. What do you recommend as far a roofing? Their shingle quality is identical and they are only $500 different in price. I am not sure who to believe. Thanks for your help,. Lisa Young

If you have enough ridge for ridge vents, use ridge vents. Very rarely, will we supplement it with air hawks. And, baseball and football are much better to play when it comes to your home.

Question posted by: John

Date: 11/13/2007 11:36:39 AM

I understand that you feel that turbines or electrical powered roof vents are not the industry standard. However, at this point I certainly cannot replace my roof. The electrically powered vent has burned out. Is a working vent necessary? If so, do you have any knowledge about solar powered vents and who in Houston can sell and/or install them?

Bottom line, you can have a ridge vent, it doesn’t have to be a new roof. As far as turbines, they belong on dog houses and port-a-potties. As far as power vents, they didn’t save you a penny ever, because every time it turned on, you had to pay the power company, to let it run. The solar powered vents, which are as clever as they can be, only turn on when the sun is out so what’s the point? Put yourself on a ridge vent and forget about the new roof right now.

Question posted by: Fred

Date: 11/13/2007 11:09:08 AM

If radiant barrier is painted on, what happens when a new roof is put on and the nails go through this product. is the product compromised?

There’s been some studies finding out how much nails going thru any radiant barrier, whether it’s aluminum foil roof decking such as tech shield or polar ply or the paint itself (which is usually done after the fact and not during new construction) if it really comprises it some. I guess it does. They find that if it’s like a hole that’s not painted for maybe a couple of square feet, but for the most part, no, do it, radiant barriers are necessary, and don’t worry about what little bit you lose by nailing your shingles on thru your plywood.

Question posted by: jan

Date: 11/13/2007 10:36:10 AM

How dangerous are pigtailed sockets and switches? I'm thinking of buying a condo built in 72 and the inspector gave a tumbs down to the wiring. I need to know what to do. Thanks, JLZ

When you say pigtailed, I assume they pigtailed copper onto the ends of aluminum. For the mere fact, that aluminum wiring had some issues and was used in the early 70’s. I would not stay away from buying the property if it’s a good value and fits your needs. You can have an electrician come in and pulled the pigtails off and change the switches and receptacles to ones that are compatible with aluminum wiring and be perfectly fine. So, not a thumbs down, just is it the value and where you want to be?

Question posted by: john

Date: 11/13/2007 9:55:21 AM

Q:	How easy/difficult is it to retrofit a home with hurricane straps? Is it even possible?
A:	No, it’s not possible, and people keep trying to figure out ways to make it possible, but they can’t. I have seen a few new stories about it, where they said you can do this or that, but quite frankly it didn’t make any sense. If you don’t win strap and design a structure to resist certain amount of wind loads, once it’s built, it’s pretty much the way it is.

Question posted by: John

Date: 11/13/2007 8:54:34 AM

Q:	Looking for some insight on replacement windows. Have been looking at vinyl.. Saw Anderson composite todaym which looked really superiormin quality. Wondering if the upcharge is worth the price? Vinyl for my home was quoted at about 16k. The anderson renwal was 32k
A:	Anderson has come out with a new window for replacement, it’s called renewal, it’s fantastic material. Vinyl windows are still (moneywise) the way to go because they work and perform to the same standards and cost less money.

Question posted by: Bruce

Date: 10/4/2007 12:32:24 PM

Q:	I am a long-time listener. In days gone by I remember you had a recipe for a solution to clean kitchen cabinets. Can you please tell me the recipe as I want to clean and then refinish my cabinets?
A:	You might be talking about a refinishing tip I gave involving linseed oil and mineral spirits. Follow this link on my Web site for details on this refinishing technique: http://homeshowonline.net/hs2/article.asp?id=233. Thanks for asking!

Question posted by: paul

Date: 10/4/2007 7:28:17 AM

Tom, I have a downstairs utility closet (gas water heater, A/C with gas heat). The home inspector said I needed a fresh air vent system. Some questions so I better understand the design issues here: = I'd guess it should not come from under the house (pier and beam, brick walls). Yes/No = Could I run a 3" vent from the outside (second story) of the house through the attic down to the this utility closet? (That physically can be done - the question is how to make the air move down into the closet, since the attic will be hotter than the temps in the utility closet) = Does it make any difference if the doors to the utility closet are not air tight?

Every home should have a fresh air return, they are simple, it’s just a little duct that pulls air in from the outside. Pulling air in from underneath the house is perfectly fine, from the attic, from between floors, anywhere that you can get it. Fresh air is fresh air and that’s all it is. I am glad to see that your inspector recommended it because most cases it is either ignored or actually discouraged. Every home needs fresh air and it’s better to do thru you’re air conditioning unit which it will do naturally and it will be filtered and conditioned before coming into your home.

Question posted by: Ian

Date: 10/4/2007 7:22:22 AM

My wife and I are looking for a house. We can't agree on new or older. My dad said that he heard you saying something about your outlook/advice about the market. I believe that it was to the effect of new homes not being able to retain their resell value as much as older homes. Could you please fill me in on your take of the best homebuying options option right now?

Question posted by: Jason

Date: 10/4/2007 7:17:29 AM

Good Morning, I live in Houston, and I have decorative wrought iron in my staircase at home (between the wooden handrail and the steps). Could you tell me what building code says about the gaps in the iron. For example, what is the maximum space allowed for safety reasons like kids getting their heads stuck? I read somewhere that 4 and 3/8 inches is the largest gap allowed. We have a home inspector coming out soon for our mortgage, and I would like to have that fixed if necessary. Thank you for your time.

The code is pretty simple with that. You need no more than 4 inches between any kind of support or decorative bracing in a staircase. If a softball can fit thru it, so can a baby’s head.

Question posted by: Michael

Date: 10/4/2007 7:07:04 AM

I'm considering water conditioning (softener) for my home. There are plenty of salt-based systems from which to choose, but I've come across a chemical-free, maintenance-free, system on-line. (see pelican water technologies http://www.waterfilter-usa.com/pelican-filtersorb-sp-saltfree-softener-13-bathrooms-25-grains-p-269.html ) and was wondering if you've run across this type system. The web-site makes it sound pretty good (too good?)! I'm wondering if their claim to reverse the calcium build up inside water pipes is valid. Do salt-based systems also claim this? Does it work? The price is comparable to salt-based systems if you consider buying the salt over a few years operation. I'd appreciate your thoughts on this subject.

The only system that I know of that does not use salt, uses some kind of magnetic force, these systems do not work. The only way I know of, and that the water quality association agrees with me on this, to soften water is to have a water softener. And that of course, means that you will have to use salt. Which is not a bad thing. There is as much salt in a gallon of water as there is in one piece of white bread.

Question posted by: Leslie

Date: 10/3/2007 11:29:55 AM

Q:	I've noticed small black deposits/specks on tables and chairs underneath my AC vents in certain rooms. when I brush them away, some of the smear almost like soot. Any ideas of what is causing this? Something I can address myself or do I need an AC contractor? Love your show!
A:	I can’t imagine black soot coming from an Air Conditioning system, the first thing that comes to my mind is do you burn candles? If you burn candles in your home, that soot can be distributed though out the house, and though the Air Conditioning system, which is not a good thing. Everytime I hear of people getting black sooty grit in places around their home, the first thi