Immediately’s Home-owner Radio Present Podcast | January 14, 2023

Hour 1

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

Save Massive by Putting in LVT Your self

Luxurious vinyl tile is a good choice for householders searching for a sturdy, waterproof, and easy-to-clean flooring choice.

Additionally, it’s probably the most reasonably priced flooring choices, making it an excellent alternative 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. ft of vinyl plank flooring put in. Nonetheless, you should purchase luxurious vinyl for $2.50-$4 per sq. foot at The House Depot.

So, in the event 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 individuals make when putting in is reducing it tight in opposition to a wall. All floating flooring require an enlargement 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 be sure you 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 connected. 

Watch: Easy methods 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 results of thermal enlargement.

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 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 increase and contract, and possibly nowhere is it extra evident than whenever you’re taking a look at crown molding.

The excellent news is these gaps will normally shut on their very own as soon as hotter climate comes again round.

Nonetheless, when you have some gaps which might 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, rigorously 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 however it gained’t be as deep or as noticeable. 

Hour 2

Take heed to be taught the straightforward strategy to take away acorns out of your yard, why a glass cooktop can shatter, what it is advisable 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.

“In addition to raking, which I hate, how can I choose 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 use to take away acorns 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 include 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 could be expensive, so see in the event you can lease one, or rent a landscaper who owns one to make use of in your yard. 

To get rid of this drawback sooner or later, stop the acorns from falling within the first place. If potential, 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.

Remember — eradicating acorns could be time-consuming and also you may have to 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 fuel cooktop instantly 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 may possibly shatter unexpectedly for a number of causes.

A number of the commonest causes of tempered glass shattering embody:

• Improper set up: If the cooktop will not be put in appropriately, it may possibly put stress on the glass and trigger it to shatter. As an 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, corresponding to from a sizzling pot being positioned on a chilly cooktop or vice versa, it may possibly trigger thermal stress and trigger the glass to shatter.
• Manufacturing defects: Typically, tempered glass can have manufacturing defects that make it extra vulnerable to shattering. If that is so, report it to the producer.

You’ll be able to name an expert to interchange the glass cooktop, however it is perhaps costly. Contemplate changing the equipment with a range that doesn’t have a glass cooktop. 

To stop a glass cooktop from shattering, observe 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 will 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 may possibly scratch or chip the glass.
• Don’t place heavy objects, corresponding to forged iron pans or strain cookers, on the cooktop as they’ll trigger affect harm.
• Clear the cooktop frequently with a light detergent and a non-abrasive sponge or fabric to take away any filth, 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 possibly trigger the glass to overheat and shatter.
• All the time observe the producer’s directions for the care and use of your cooktop.

Masking Terracotta Tile

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

“The floor is just too arduous, very uncomfortable!” she says. “Can now we have extra snug flooring put in on prime? It looks like removing 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 clean, even floor for putting in one other sort of flooring over it.

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

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

1. Vinyl flooring: Vinyl flooring could be put in over the prevailing tiles and is sturdy and straightforward to wash.
2. Engineered hardwood flooring: Engineered hardwood flooring could be put in over the prevailing tiles and supply a heat and pure look.
3. Laminate flooring: Laminate flooring may also be put in over the prevailing tiles and is on the market in lots of kinds and colours.
4. Floating ground: A floating ground is a sort of flooring that isn’t connected to the subfloor, one of these 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 most suitable choice in your particular state of affairs.

Finest New Merchandise

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

Easy Options

Pool-Toy Plumbing Software — Earlier than repairing most plumbing clogs, you will need to first take away any standing water. Now, you can use a sponge or moist/dry vac, however right here’s an alternative choice: take a child’s water-squirting toy, generally known 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, rest room or tub. That is nice for sink clogs, rest room clogs, or when you have a malfunctioning washer that has water standing within the tub. 

Watch: Easy methods 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 go 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. Lower 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 outdated paint by way of the display screen. When carried out, rinse out the display screen with a backyard hose and reserve it for the following paint job.

Watch: Easy methods to Filter Paint Utilizing a Window Display screen

Additional Studying