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The Handyguys record from the floor of the Philadelphia Home Show. We check out new products for DIYers at the Philadelphia home show. This show is similar to many around the country. Listen to the podcast for our impressions and then decide if you should go yourself or not. This particular home show is mostly oriented to people looking for contractors. We looked hard for vendors that supply to DIYers but were not able to set-up time while we were there to do on air interviews. One vendor, Rapid Refill, really wanted to get on the air so we relented, despite them not being home improvement oriented, and chatted with Art Mayo from Rapid Refill. Rapid Refill sells re-manufactured printer cartridges at a considerable savings over OEM cartridges. Rapid Refill has over 200 retail outlets. Find your local store at their website if you want to save on your printer cartridge or toner. One of the visitors to our recording area was named Rory. We got to chatting and got into so many different home improvement topics we decided to sit him in front of a microphone and record the rest of the show. We talked with Rory about several things. Motion sensing dusk to dawn lighting - Rory is having trouble with the lights coming on when they shouldn t. The conversation regressed to just getting a big dog for security. Paul then brings up doing crown molding, coping joints versus miter joints. Paul then recommends the book/angle finder versus coping. Rory then asks for advice on his kitchen floor. The Handyguys talk about pros and cons of different flooring options for the kitchen and if Rory s only vinyl needs to come out first. That s it - The general feeling is that if you are a hard core DIYer we recommend you check what vendors are going to be at the show before you go. These shows seem more oriented to people looking to hire contractors. Sure, you can get ideas for your next DIY project but don t expect to come away with lots of sources and contacts for DIY supplies and products.

The Handyguys discuss ways to save money during this upcoming winter season. Part 2 of 2 on energy saving tips. Our first order of business is to respond to Phil s followup question about replacing his rotted out garage doors.  Phil wanted to know if it is really worth buying insulated doors when the rest of his garage is not insule Handyguys Brian t despair prepare! Insulation Consider adding insulation to critical areas such as your attic and elsewhere. Listen to the podcast for more details. Thermostat Set Back thermostats can save you significant energy. Setback thermostats automatically adjust the temperature at different times of the day. The more you can turn back the heat the more money you can save. How much will you save? Listen to this podcast for the answer! Alternative methods of heat Wood heat can save you a lot of money but most of us do not have efficient fireplaces or wood stoves to heat our houses.  In fact, many older fireplaces could be dangerous and might need to be sealed off or repaired. Consult a chimney inspector if you are unsure. So, what can you do if you have an old, inefficient, fireplace? Consider a sealed insert. The Handyguys discuss. Lastly - The Handyguys will be recording from the floor of The Philadelphia Fall Home Show On September 26th. Come find our table at 7:30PM on Friday and say hi!

Episode #35 - The Handyguys discuss High Heating and Energy Bills PART 1 OF 2 Are high energy prices getting you down?  Check out the next two episodes of the Handyguys Podcast! Fossil fuel and energy prices are on the rise.  After a year of rising gasoline prices, homeowners are now faced with the challenge of heating their homes and paying for ever increasing electric bills without breaking the family budget.  Fuel oil is expected to be 25% higher then last year.  Natural Gas prices have seen a steady increase since 2000.  Total energy bills could go up 50% from a year ago!  What are some solutions to these high bills?  The Handyguys discuss. But first, the Handyguys address a question from Phil about a rotting garage door.  Phil s wooden garage doors are so rotted that he is afraid to open them.  He has problem.  Where should he go for help?  Is this a DIY project.  Listen to the podcast for more details. Now on to our two part serious on saving energy and money.  In part 1, we will focus on saving electrical power. According to H.I.T The average American household spends $1,900 annually on energy bills a number that may go up as much as 50% this year. Almost half of that energy goes to heating and cooling your home. Lighting and appliances represent about a quarter, and Home electronic products like computers, TVs and cell phone chargers take a significant and growing share of what is left. Each of us can take action today to reduce energy use at home. CFL BulbLet s first focus on electrical savings. The Handyguys review some of the more obvious solutions. Light-bulbs can use up to 20 percent of your home electricity bill. Replace the five most frequently used lights, or the bulbs in them, with one s that have earned the ENERGY STAR, and save more than $60 each year in energy costs. CFLs can save significant energy but be prepared to recycle them when replacing. Unplug items like charging stations or they will continue to draw power. Power down computers and electronics when not in us Why? Computers and other electronics account for an increasing energy load in most homes, and often use energy even when switched off. How: Activate your computer s power management features, so it powers down when sitting idle. Unplug battery chargers and power adapters when they finish charging, or are not in use. Consider using a power strip that can be turned off at bedtime or when you re done using your computers, printers, wireless routers, and other electronics. Look for products that have earned the ENERGY STAR. Why? The government s ENERGY STAR is on products in more than 50 product categories for the home, including lighting, home electronics, heating and cooling equipment and appliances. ENERGY STAR qualified products provide the features and performance you want while helping you save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. How: Look for ENERGY STAR qualified products when you are in the market for new products for your home. Check with your local utility about rebates or use our special offers finder. Compact Florescent Light-bulbs are a slam-dunk when it comes to saving energy. Unfortunately, CFLs contain mercury. Listen to the podcast for how to safely dispose of them. By now, green technology early adopters know that LED (Light Emitting Diode) lighting is the future. Take, for example, the 100 watt incandescent light bulb. An equivalent LED bulb would only draw 10 watts - and could easily last 60,000 hours. That s an astonishing energy savings. But let s face it: $25 light bulbs are still a hard sell, even if they ll recoup many times their purchase price in the form of lower energy bills. That leaves the much cheaper CFL (Compact Florescent Light-bulb) as efficiency champ until consumers get over the sticker shock of LED bulbs. CFLs are a good deal. Shoppers have gotten used to seeing their curly shape on store shelves, and adoption rates have really taken off. About 100 million were sold in the United States last year. But there s a catch: CFLs contain a small amount of mercury, which is toxic and tough to get out of the environment. CFL bulbs don t belong in your regular trash when they finally burn out. So what to do with them? We ve rounded up five ways (plus a backup plan) to handle retired CFL bulbs without making a mess of the environment. Pick the one that s easiest for you - and feel good about saving on your power bill. This post brought to you by the FHA Loan experts at FHA Mortgage Center.com.

A Handyguys listener recommends a show on preparing your home for the winter.  The Handyguys respond! First of all, thanks to Mike for sending in a request for this show.  He provided a lot of great ideas and insights.  We will discuss many of his suggestions in this show. Before discussing winter prep, the Handyguys answer a user question regarding hot water heaters: xxjeepbabe@aim.com Hey Guys, I recently went down into my basement and there was water all over Sep 2 (2 days ago) xxjeepbabe@aim.comLoading Sep 2 (2 days ago) Hey Guys, I recently went down into my basement and there was water all over the floor from my hot water heater. There is no visible leaking still going on and it is still producing hot water. Do I need a new hot water heater? The things I do know is that my tank does not have an expansion tank. My overflow tube or TandP valve , is directed down to the floor, but should be directed outside? I remember the inspector saying something about this not being configured right, but didnt think it was that big of a concern. A couple days before the leak occurred I have turned the temperature down to Vacation because we were not going to be home for the weekend. When we got home I changed the temp back to hot. Could this of caused some kind of pressure change, which in turn caused the leak through the overflow tube? Let me know if you have any ideas! Thanks, Devyn How do you prepare your house for the winter?  Well, if you are in the south, you may not need to do anything.  But if you live in a northerly climate, you should check out this podcast. Here is a list of items that Mike sent us.  The Handyguys discuss this list and more in the podcast. Installing storm windows and doors Installing clear plastic on inside of windows or use Seal and Peel caulk Turn off your outside water and drain hoses to avoid freezing Check furnace and replace furnace filter Clear gutters of leaves and debris to avoid ice damming Caulk any outside holes where exhaust pipes come through the siding Winterize lawn mower, change oil, sharpen blade, remove battery so it doesn t freeze Check floor drain in garage so ice and snow can melt and drain away Put patio furniture away and if made of wood it s a good time to seal them so they are ready for spring. Other Ideas: Energy saving and insulation (see our next podcast on energy saving ideas) remove fuel from lawn mowers and trimmers Snow blower preparation

 Yet one more item to add to your handyguy list Tree care! Do you give your trees any attention in the fall?  The Handyguys discuss how the fall is an important time for both lawn care and tree care.  But before they discuss this topic, they respond to some listener questions and suggestions. In response to our closet organization show, Tom suggests that we check out the closet system from www.johnlouishome.com.  You can purchase this system from Rockler.  This closet system combines the ease of a wire shelf system with the sophisticated look of a finished wood product.  You can order in several different wood varieties and pricing is much closer to the wire shelving then to wood cabinets.  Listen to the podcast for the Handyguys comments. After listening to our Lawnmower show, Bonnie asks How do you know what size of spark plug, and are there specific ones for lawnmowers? .  Good question.  Brian addresses this in the podcast, his response to Bonnie is below. Thanks for contacting The Handyguys Podcast. There are many possibilities for spark plugs. What plug you will need will depend on the manufacturer of the engine on the mower. Usually what I will do is take the old one off and bring it with me to the store to ensure I get an exact replacement. Most stores will have a chart that cross references the plug model numbers from different manufacturers. You can also look in the owners manual for what plug you need. What if you do not have the owners manual and you do not have an old plug to reference? Then you can do some Internet sleuthing. First determine who makes the engine and what model it is. Two common engine manufacturers for push mowers are Briggs s roots a little extra winter protection. Give your trees a drink. Winter droughts require watering as much as summer droughts. If temperatures permit, an occasional watering during the winter on young trees can be a life saver. But be sure to water only when soil and trees are cool but not frozen. Prune your trees. Winter is actually one of the best times to prune because it is easier to see the structure of trees without their leaves. But limit pruning to deadwood and poorly placed branches in order to save as many living branches as possible. Prevent mechanical injuries. Branch breakage or splitting can be caused by ice and snow accumulation, or chewing and rubbing by animals. Prevent problems from occurring on young trees by wrapping the base of trees in a hard, plastic guard or a metal hardware cloth. Wrapping trees with burlap or plastic cloth also can prevent temperature damage. Just remember to remove the wraps and guards in the spring to prevent damage when the tree begins to grow. For more information: The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) is a nonprofit organization supporting tree care research around the world. Headquartered in Champaign, Ill., ISA is dedicated to the care and preservation of shade and ornamental trees. For more information, contact a local ISA Certified Arborist or visit www.isa-arbor.com. Courtesy: Home Improvement News and Information Center Brian wraps up the show by mentioning that you can get free trees when joining the Arbor Day Foundation or maybe even from your town. Also check if your township has a free mulch program as part of its recycling program. Lastly - The Handyguys will be speaking at this years PodCamp, Saturday September 13th. If you will be attending or in the area stop by and meet us.

The Handyguys go to the top dog to discuss home inspection! The Handyguys interview Brion Grant, president of the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) , the oldest home inspection organization in North America.  Brion Grant explains the importance of hiring  the right home inspector; one you can trust and rely on. Handyguys Brian and Paul know all about home inspectors as they have utilized these experts when purchasing  older and newer homes in the past.  But how can you be sure that the home inspector you hire is knowledgeable and capable of helping you with the biggest purchase you will ever make?  Brion Grant explains that ASHI home inspectors have not only the knowledge to do the job but the experience.  In addition to passing certification tests, ASHI inspectors must have performed at least 250 inspections.  They have seen a lot and can identify the poorly built deck or dangerous wiring on that new house you are about to purchase. But don t just rely on ASHI certification to find your inspector.  Like any other contractor, you should ask around and get references before hiring an inspector.  Listen in and find out about home inspectors on this week s podcast.

The Handyguys Discuss upcoming fall show ideas The Handyguys have a short show for you this week. We are taking this opportunity to discuss some of our show ideas and to solicit feedback from our listeners for show ideas. Some up-coming topics: Head to Head tool Challenge, Circular saw The Home Inspection process and and interview with ASHI How to save money on your energy bills Devices to save electricity and/or monitor electricity Ways to cut down on heating bills Insulation Weatherization Other Head to Head tool Challenges We want your feedback!  Do you need a recommendation on a tool? Do you want us to put a particular tool through its paces before you buy it? Is there a new gadget on the market and you want to know if its worth the money? We will continue to answer DIY questions privately and possibly on the air. Feel free to let us know if you think our shows are too long, too short, too boring, too funny, too much detail, not enough detail, etc. We will be giving away an original Handyguys Podcast shop apron to the first four legitimate show ideas we get. Feel free to call in your show idea to (615) 676-0877, to email us at us@handyguyspodcast.com, comment on this posting or use our contact form. Do we have enough ways for listeners to reach us? I think so. To comment on this, or any post, just go to the bottom of the show post and click comments. You can see others comments and add your own. That s a great way for you to participate in the discussion. If you want the shop apron make sure you include your email address so we can contact you to get your ship to address. Thanks to all our loyal listeners and sponsors that make this show possible.

The Handyguys provide an introduction to DIY home security, surveillance and automation. The Handyguys give an overview of these technologies in this episode. We may dedicate a show to each of these topics later in the year. If you have any specific products you would like discussed or have any questions on DIY home automation, home security or surveillance please contact us. We want to deter the creepy looking creeps from invading our personal space and of through a cool DIY project. First off - The Handyguys discuss DIY home security There are two primary methods of doing DIY home security; wired and wireless. A wired system consists of hard wired sensors on doors, windows, smoke detectors, motion detectors, CO2 detectors, etc. Those wires come back to a main panel. When an alarm is tripped it can notify a central monitoring service, your cell phone, email and/or sound an alarm. The main advantage of a wired system is that it is reliable and requires no batteries. A wireless system is much easier to install and the prices are coming down yet they can be more expensive than wired systems. Complete packages are available from many different companies. Handyguy Paul is looking into Home Security Store as one possible vendor. One wireless system that looks easy to install is the InGrid system plus they have central station monitoring and a cool web interface. We may discuss InGrid in detail on a future episode. The Handyguys then discuss home surveillance Home surveillance systems are a network of cameras. Two types the overt and covert. The covert systems are virtually invisible with cameras in things like clocks or teddy bears. The overt system is what Handyguy Paul is more interested in, an obvious camera hooked up to a digital recorder. They are motion activated. Such a system can act as a deterrent and can also be used in identification of criminals and assist prosecution.  One kit is from wylife.com The Handyguys Podcast is looking forward to discussing the wylife.com solution in a future episode. If our listeners have a favorite DIY home surveillance system they want us to look into for our episode on home surveillance please let us know. Lastly The Handyguys discuss home automation How does home automation fit with home security and home automation? Home automation can traditionally do things like turn on and off lights, control HVAC, etc. Some home automation systems can interface with home security systems. The Handyguys ideally want to find an all in one system that can handle home automation, security and surveillance in one easy to use DIY package. One possible place to get everything needed may be smarthome.com Do any of our listeners have any other suggestions? Let us know.

The Handyguys address the soon-to-come fall lawn care season. Before The Handyguys talk about fall lawn care they address a listener question. TerBeek sent us the following message - How can I remove a broken drill bit from the window moulding without damaging the moulding? We were drilling a pilot hole for hardware to hang a custom sized window blind when the bit broke.  The molding area isn t large, limiting the area in which we can install the window treatment hardware.  (i.e., we need that bit out, because the hardware can t be moved up, down, forward or back from the initial pilot hole position.) The bit was very thin, and about half of it remains in the window frame/moulding.  It broke off flush with the surface, so we can t grab it with a pliers.  Help!  We re getting sick of the temporary blinds but don t know what to do to reclaim our pilot hole. The Handyguys Brian We will contact you directly and send you your prize.

The Handyguys, Brian and Paul, first take a question from our call in line regarding repair of rotted porch posts. We then move into a Head to Head tool challenge to test out jigsaws and then wrap up with a new segment Buy, Borrow or Rent. We also discuss tool borrowing Etiquette. Listener Questions First off, the Handyguys answer a good question from one of our listeners regarding the repair of some porch posts. Our caller listened to our episode regarding using Bondo to repair rotted wood.  His posts were too far gone for repair so The Handyguys recommend replacing the posts. Listen to the Podcast to hear the question and Brian and Paul s response. Brian and Paul provide some good information to help you evaluate how to go about such a repair. Head to Head Tool Challenge The Handyguys then move to the garage to test out two jigsaws.  Their tests pit a cheap jigsaw against a finely tuned cutting machine. The Handyguys devised three different tests: cutting a curved line in 1/2 plywood, cutting 4 circle in 5/4 cedar and cutting a piece of 2x pressure treated southern yellow pine. The cut in the pressure treated lumber might be similar to creating an interesting detail on the end of a rafter for a pergola. The tests were done with similar toothed blades in the same condition. The Bosch jigsaw handled all cuts without breaking a sweat. The Skill jigsaw could not even finish the cut in the pressure treated 2x material. The finished cut of the pressure treated material, using the Bosch, was square to the face of the board; a key indicator of a quality jigsaw. The Skill was almost uncontrollable in the thinner softer material and did not create a clean cut. Buy, borrow, rent or steal The Handyguys discuss the merits of renting versus borrowing versus buying tools. Being tool junkies, the Handyguys usually prefer to own their own tools but renting or borrowing makes sense if it is a one-time-use tool. What about borrowing? The Handyguys will lend certain tools to people and are not afraid to borrow tools either. Listen to their take on Borrowing etiquette. Oh, and you cant borrow Brian s chainsaw but he will be glad to help you with some cutting tasks. Remember, its not too late to enter the drawing for our EcoGlue and tool bag giveaway. The winner will be drawn and announced August 7th. To enter the drawing just subscribe to our email announcement of new shows. More details can be found in our Episode 25 show on glues.

Can You Sell Your Home In a Downturn Market?  The Handyguys Say Yes ! This show is sponsored by www.basementsystems.com First off, Brian and Paul discuss the Wall Street Journal article entitled Will Upgrading Your Home Help You Sell It? The Handyguys agree with the author,  M.P. McQueen, that a big ticket upgrade will not pay for itself when re-selling your house. If you want to add on or upgrade your home, and you can afford it, then go for it. If you want to DIY the upgrade you may be able to re-coup your costs if the upgrade is done well. There may be a possible benefit to an upgrade that is indirectly related to costs and that is time on market. If you have a finished basement, for example, and none of the other similar homes in a particular market have that, then your house may sell first or be more attractive to buyers as long as its priced similarly. The Handyguys also discuss the negative impact of a bad remodel. When the housing market was hot many buyers overlooked bad renovations. In today s market buyers can take longer to make up their minds and be more discerning. A poorly executed remodel will turn away buyers so make sure your remodel is up to snuff. Remember, you can always ask The Handyguys if you need any help. It is certainly no fun trying to sell your home in a buyers market.  In some areas of the country there are dozens of homes for sale on every block .   To be sure, you won t fetch the price you would have received a couple of years ago.  And you may be better off not selling at all if you can help it.  However, if you need to sell now, here are some tips.  Curb Appeal Pictures compliments of Triton Builders The Handyguys recommend doing everything you can to make your house stand out form the minute potential buyers step out of their car.  Clean up your landscape.  Remove that broken down old car on cinder blocks.  Tear old old, overgrown shrubs.  Scrape off pealing paint and repaint.  Make sure siding is clean using a power sprayer.  Update outdoor light fixtures.  Repair any rotted wood.  Get your lawn looking good. Do anything you can to make your house more presentable. Declutter the Inside Pictures compliments of One Bag Nation In addition to cleaning the inside of your house, make sure that you declutter.  Kitchen counters should be clear of everything.  Closets should be clean and free of junk.  If your closets are stuffed with clothing, remove at least a third and store elsewhere.  Remove or reposition furniture to make the house look more spacious. Update fixtures Improving light fixtures and plumbing fixtures can help your presentation. No last minute Cheap Improvements A downturn market is not a time for updating your kitchen with the cheapest cabinets possible.  It is not a time for shoddy work either.  In this market, buyers are taking their time, looking over houses.  They will not overlook bad products or shoddy work that was done at the last minute to try to make a house look more presentable. Correct any structural problems, including leaky basements or cracked foundations. You don t want to scare off potential home-buyers with a house that could cause them headaches.  Correct the irritating problems caused by leaky basements.  Be sure that your structure is solid.  Many potential homeowners are willing to make the cosmetic changes in a new home but they do not want to deal with major issues to the foundation. These are just a few areas to address.  Listen to our podcast for more information. Time running out on the eclectic products wood glue and tool bag giveaway.  See Episode #25 for details.

Dare to be a sharp dressed handyguy! Those old jeans have got to go. They always get holes in the knees and you end up wearing them out on those tough handyguy jobs. Consider becoming a sharp dressed and smart dressed handyguy with the proper handyguy attire. You probably thought you could just grab the oldest clothes in your wardrobe (and you can) but your knees are too important to be left unprotected. Those old jeans always wear out on the more rugged jobs. Every handyguy knows how jeans get holes in the knees as soon as you get down and dirty working on your home. Before you know it, you don t have a decent pair of jeans to wear to church social events! Replace those jeans with Carhartt Canvas work pants . These pants protect your legs and keep you cool using a 7.5 oz lightweight canvas. These pants performed well for Paul during Katrina relief work on 95+ degree days! Despite hard labor, his legs came out without a scratch and he did not have to sweat over it. However, do be careful which Carhartt pants you purchase. Reserve the heavier 9.5 oz Carhartt pants for the winter months! This link will take you to our store where you can purchase the lightweight Carhartts. Depending on the work you are doing, it may be wise to invest in a good pair of workboots. Some have a steel shank to protect your feet from those nails that you step on when demolishing that old shed in the back yard. Others have a steel toe to protect you when you drop that cast iron drill press. However, many handyguys can get away with a plain ole pair of sneakers. Once you upgrade your handyguy clothing, you need to consider accessories although these accessories are not optional! Safety glasses and ear plugs or muffs should always be within reach. In addition, knee pads are a must for that tile job. Listen to the podcast for more details. Can anyone tell what music Handyguys Brian had on when the show started? Leave a comment if you know.

The Handyguys revisit a bit of advice on keeping your lawn green and discuss various types of glues, in particular, EcoGlue Premium Wood Adhesive Read on and listen to the podcast for details of a wood glue and tool bag giveaway from Eclectic Products. First off - Good advice or bad advice The Handyguys re-visit keeping your lawn green. Is the advice for making sure your lawn gets an inch of water a week sound? Yes, of course. What happens if you don t follow this advice? Listen to the podcast to find out. The Handyguys then discuss different types of glues Common types of glue discussed are: Epoxy Hot Glues Household glue s weight on the glue joint. Neither the yellow glue nor the EcoGlue Premium Wood Adhesive joint or boards broke. Brian, being a bit heavier, was able to break the yellow glue sample board while holding the drill press and the car battery. The EcoGlue Premium Wood Adhesive sample board still did not break. Finally, to break the EcoGlue Premium Wood Adhesive sample board, Brian reached for his Estwing framing hammer and gave the glue joint a sharp rap. The board broke into three pieces but the glue held strong. The Handyguys also tested scraping excess dried glue from the joint. The excess dried glue scraped off the same as traditional yellow wood glue. The Handyguys were very satisfied that the new EcoGlue Premium Wood Adhesive will perform as well as a traditional yellow glue yet have lower VOCs. OK, The Handyguys admit their test isn t very scientific. Below are the results of two tests performed by Eclectic Products. Click on the thumbnail image to see the results full size.  ASTM D 3164-03 Lap Shear Test  ASTM D-903 180deg Peel Test The Handyguys then go on to discuss a giveaway contest Eclectic products will be sending some samples of EcoGlue Premium Wood Adhesive to one of our listeners. The giveaway includes two containers of wood glue, a sample board and a nice portable tool bag. This is an entirely free giveaway. To enter the contest, you simply need to subscribe to our email notification of new podcasts. To subscribe, just enter your email in the box just below where it says Subscribe and get the new shows in your email inbox on the right side of our home page. You will be sent an email asking you to verify you really want to subscribe. Just click the link in that email to confirm your subscription. The Handyguys never spam. You will only get an email from us when each weekly episode is published. We will also use the address on occasion when we have other announcements.  The emails will usually arrive in your inbox every Thursday between 5PM and 7PM Eastern time. A winner will be drawn from the list of people who have signed up for our weekly notification. If you already receive our email notifications you have already been entered. If you get our episodes via iTunes or some other delivery method you will need to come to the site and provide your email address. A winner will be announced on our home page on August 7th. Thanks for listening and good luck.

The Handyguys discuss fixing that old BBQ grill that no longer cooks as well as it should. Does one side of your grill heat better then the other?  Does it take a long time to cook your steaks on your outdoor grill?  Don t go out and buy a new grill a couple new parts is all you need.  The Handyguys discuss how you can fix up your grill and get it working like the day you brought it home. In addition, the handyguys discuss grill accessories such as this handy stainless steel grill set. The Handyguys also provide some tips for purchasing a new grill. Listen to the show for their thoughts. As for Paul s busted down grill, he had good success getting his new burner from www.grillparts.com*.  He liked the fact that they had a phone number with real humans that you could call for service or orders.  This demonstrated their desire to ofter decent customer service. Check it out and if you do purchase from them, let them know that you heard about their store from this podcast (when I talked to them they had never heard of podcasts before). Here are some pictures of Paul replacing his burner with new parts.  This job took less then 1 hour. You can click on the picture to see it full size. Essentially Handyguy Paul had three primary steps. Your grill may be different. 1) Remove grates and clean everything well 2) Remove Knobs, trim and gas valves 3) Swap in new burners and re-assemble The grill now works as good as new. Last step is to clean the sink Paul. *This is a personal recommendation from Handyguy Paul and not a sponsored or paid referral.

The Handyguys built a simple garden trellis of their own design and address listener questions The handyguys built a simple garden trellis of their own design and decided to make plans available to anyone who wants them. Feel free to download the .pdf and pass it around to whoever may want it. Listen to the podcast for details on the design and construction. The trellis only uses one board and some screws. It will only take an hour or two to build. Before the Handyguys get too deep into the trellis project they answer some listener questions. First up is a question from Rob - Rob wants to remove a support pole from his basement. Don t do it Rob. We share some tips for incorporating it in your design. Second is a question from Roger about a white gritty substance in his hot water. Listen to the podcast for some suggestions. Its likely time for a new heater for Roger. Roger may find other useful information in our podcast entitled The Cold Water Heater Third is a question from Tilo - Tilo is stuck as to how to run crown moulding around a window that goes up to the ceiling. The Handyguys recommend building a valance. We discussed nail guns and compressors in our episode entitled Compress It! Tilo, you may want to also give that a listen. A nail gun will make your project a lot easier. Lastly listener Calster wants to know if they could glue a medicine cabinet to a large mirror in a bathroom. The Handyguys discuss some options but ultimately recommend removing the mirror. We will be talking about some new glues in an episode in a few weeks.But not likely something that will help Calister. On to the Trellis Tools and materials needed: Table saw Drill and bits Wood glue Spring clamps 5/4 x 6 x 8 knot free cedar or similar 4 exterior wood screws 1 1/4 exterior wood screws bar clamps square Steps to build: Using a table saw, rip cedar into 3/4 strips. You will be left with a small piece of wood about 3/16 wide. You want that piece to come from the center of the board, not the edge. Cut one of the slats into cross pieces as show on the next page Cut your 3/16 slat into eight 6 pieces. Assemble the base first as shown on page two. Use glue and screws. Pre-drill to prevent splitting. A bar clamp will help hold everything together while you are drilling and screwing. Attach the top cross piece first. Use spring clamps to hold it while you drill and screw. Attach the center and outer two slats first then slats two and four. Attach with 1 1/4 exterior wood screws. Use a square to ensure the first cross piece is square to the center slat. Attach the remaining cross pieces in the same fashion and make sure they are square to the center slat. We hope you find this to be a useful project. If you have any questions about it you can click on where it says comments right below this post and ask away. If you have any other questions about your home or other DIY project you can always call us at 615-676-0877 or email The Handyguys at us@handyguyspodcast.com or use the contact form on the website.

The Handyguys complete their basement finishing series with an interview of a basement refinishing expert Roger German. Part 2 of 2 of Roger German s interview, Part 6 of the basement finishing series. Brian and Paul complete their interview with basement remodeling expert Roger German. Mr. German is the author of Remodeling a Basement from the Taunton Press Build Like a Pro series of books. This is the second half of our interview. In part 2 of the interview, Roger discusses the following: Basement Extras Lighting Drop Ceiling vs. sheet rock More on water mitigation Thanks to listening to this interview with Roger German. This post will conclude our 6 part series on basements. As always if you have any questions about any DIY or home improvement topics feel free to contact us. You may also comment on these posts. In next weeks episode we will address several listener/reader questions as well as provide plans and give guidance on building and arbor for your garden.

The Handyguys complete their basement finishing series with an interview of a basement refinishing expert Roger German. Part 1 of 2 of Roger German s interview, Part 5 of the basement finishing series. Brian and Paul are fortunate for the opportunity to interview an author and basement finishing expert. Roger German is the author of Remodeling a Basement from the Taunton Press Build Like a Pro series of books. Due to the length of this interview, it will be split up into two parts. In part 1 of the interview, Roger discusses the following: How Roger got started with his book To DIY or not to DIY Mistakes seen You can do it cheap, do it fast, do it high quality - Pick two Some code issues HVAC, heating, venting, cooling options Steel vs wood studs Water mitigation We wrap up the show talking about insulation, R values, vapor barriers, and mold prevention, etc. Thanks for listening. Buy the book or shop in our store to support the Handyguys Podcast. Next week will be part two of the interview.

The Handyguys discuss DIY appliance repair resources. In this episode Brian stops Paul from going too deep into his DIY washing machine repair without doing a little more research on the Internet.  Listen for the full story. What Kind of Appliance Parts Can I Buy Online? If you are planning any do it yourself appliance repair projects then you are likely shopping around for the best place to purchase your replacement appliance parts. Traditionally, some appliance parts were carried at your local hardware store or appliance store. If the store didn t have what you were looking for then you could special order the parts that you needed. Often, that was expensive and the parts could take some time to come in leaving you without a working refrigerator, washer, dishwasher or other useful appliance. Today there is another option. There are now internet websites that carry a large selection of parts for your household appliances. The best part about shopping internet websites is the large selection of parts that they carry and can ship to you immediately. Below is a sampling of some common parts that are carried by online replacement stores. Washer parts: Pumps, Couplings, Agitator Kits, Knobs, Valves, Motors, Switches, Belts, Hoses and Gears Dryer parts: Heating Elements, Lint Filters, Belts and Rollers, Thermal Fuses, Thermostats and Blower Wheels Refrigerator parts: Water Valves, Defrost Heaters, Thermostats, Defrost Controls and Timers, Shelves, Drawers and Bins, Doors, Handles, Door Gaskets, Compressors and Relays Oven parts: Igniters, Bake and Broil Elements, Knobs, Grates, Drip Bowls, Burners, Valves and Thermostats Dishwasher parts: Dish racks and Baskets, Rollers, Wash Spray Arms, Gaskets, Door Seals, Pumps and Valves These parts are carried for a large variety of manufacturers, like Whirlpool Parts, and many appliance models. It is worth checking an online appliance store if you have an appliance that is hard to find or older than 10 years since the online store might have the part that you need and save you the expense of replacing the entire appliance. Although online replacement stores carry large amounts of inventory, it is still very simple to find the exact part that you need. Many websites allow you to search by appliance model number, replacement part number or description. So, if you have an appliance that needs repair it is worth trying to find the part that you need at one of the online appliance stores that carry many parts. The Handyguys talk about AppliancePartsPros.com A few key features of  AppliancePartsPros.com are Live Help available on site via Live Chat, Toll Free Lines, or Email Very Fast Shipping with over 91% of in-stock orders delivered the next day Low Price Guarantee Over 1 million appliance parts in-stock Repair Forum available for those DIY ers who need a little extra help.  The forum has thousands of questions and answers by professional repair technicians sorted by appliance type. Detailed model breakdowns and photos for help finding the correct part.  Example http://www.appliancepartspros.com/partsearch/model.aspx?model_id=256714 Experienced Staff with years of appliance parts knowledge They carry parts for all the major brands including Whirlpool, Kenmore, Maytag, GE, Fridgidaire, and more.  They also carry parts for the high-end, harder to find brands like Bosch, Dacor, Thermadore, and more. Website allows to search by Model Number, Part Description, or Part Number The Handyguys would like to thank AppliancePartsPros.com for sponsoring this episode.

Part 4 in the Basement Finishing Series The Handyguys are becoming the Basementguys in this new fourth installment of the basement series.  The Handyguys discuss basement materials and revisit some old advice they gave about mowing lawns. First up a discussion about some advice that Handyguys gave in Episode #15 on lawn care.  Is it true what one of the Handyguys said regarding your mower height?  Handyguy Paul said that if you mow the lawn lower, the grass will grow faster in order to get more sun and generate more food for the roots.  It sounded too good to be true so he sought out to prove his own advice.  Paul performed a little experiment his backyard.  We could show you a picture here but Paul was a little embarrassed.  He cut a 30 foot swath down the middle of his back yard an inch shorter then the outside edges of his yard.  He wanted to see if it would grow any faster then the rest of the yard.  What was the result?  You will have to listen to the Podcast and see if the Handyguys offered good advice or bad advice. The Handyguys then discuss the many choices that you have in regard to basement materials.  You want to finish your basement but what materials will you choose? Should you use steel studs or wood?  What about the pre-fabricated basement systems?  Drop ceilings or sheet rock? The Handyguys also discuss sound blocking options. Photo © 2008 Bungalow Chronicles Good design will help your basement blend in with the rest of your house and not feel like a cheap addition. Planning and good material choices with a good decorating sense will go a long way. Material talk and more discussions about your basement on episode #19 of the Handyguys Podcast. Thanks for Listening

The Handyguys give an overview of how to plan for your finished basement. Part 3 in the Basement Finishing Series Now that your basement is ready to finish, you need to develop a plan to execute that construction job down under. The Handyguys know some creative visionaries can see the complete construction plan in their head and just start driving nails until they have a beautiful basement. However, for the rest of us, we need to write out some basic plans, study the building codes, and determine whether we have enough money to complete the work. That s right, you are going to need a handful of hard earned cash to get your basement finished well. But where do you start? First, you should determine if you can afford to finish your basement. The Handyguys tell you how much it will cost per square foot to get the job done. Make sure you can afford the job before you begin making your plans. Once you have determined that your wallet is up to the task, get out the graph paper or install a design program such as Google Sketch Up to draw out your new basement. The Geeky side of the Handyguys suggests using the computer, but it certainly is not required. The building inspector just needs a drawing that shows your dimension, windows sizes, outlets and other items that the Handyguys discuss on this episode. What about code issues? What do you need to consider to get those plans right? There is more to consider then just electrical loads, outlet placement, etc. You need to do load calculations on your HVAC system to make sure that it can handle the load of your additional living space. If your central heat cannot take the load, you will want to consider other sources of heat (generally you do not need to cool the basement space as the earth does a sufficient job). The links below may be helpful for fulfilling your local codes. However, you must determine the codes that are established in your local jurisdiction! That is the only way to be compliant. Check out the podcast for more information and view these helpful links: General code checklist Heat Loss and Gain Worksheet

The Handyguys help you determine whether your unfinished basement is suitable for finishing. Part 2 in the basement finishing series. Are you tired of that dirty old basement which is filled with all of the junk that you don t need? Have you been waiting to use that pneumatic nailer you recently purchased? Then it is time to begin finishing your basement. But before you shoot your first nail, you have to determine if your basement is a good candidate to be converted to living space. You don t want to spend a lot of time and money finishing your basement if water, mold and moisture are going to ruin your hard work. The Handyguys take a look at some of the hurdles you must face before even thinking of finishing your basement. They provide some tips for the do-it-yourself minded individuals who would love to see a nice play room, entertainment room or billiards room in your basement. Do you have enough electrical power to handle the new space you want to finish? If not, you may need to upgrade your service. Consider talking to an electrical professional to evaluate your current electrical service and panel. In addition, you must have adequate heating and a/c for the new space. The common problem you must correct before beginning finishing work is to mitigate against any kind of water or moisture penetration. You don t want that new Berber carpet to become moldy or soaked from a freak rainstorm. You should have a good water mitigation plan in place handle the threats that nature brings. If you have severe water problems, you may want to talk to a few local water mitigation contractors to see what products they offer to prevent water penetration. If you decide to have a drainage system installed, be sure to wait a couple of years to confirm that it stand up to all kinds of weather. You don t want to discover that your new system fails during that huge thunderstorm when the power goes out. Another common problem is Radon. This natural gas is not something you want trapped in your home. There are reasonably priced systems available to prevent radon gas from seeping into your home but you want to deal with this issue before you begin finishing the basement. It will make your life a lot easier. In addition to problems from the outside, there are potential problems already in your basement. Is your stairwell adequate? Is your ceiling height high enough for finished space? Are utilities and ductwork going to be in the way? Check out this week s podcast for more details. Part one of the Basement Series can be read and listened to here.

The Handyguys discuss how to evaluate whether finishing your basement is a job for the DIYer. They also discuss a new site for finding and reviewing contractors. Episode #1 in the Basement Finishing Series There are many projects to do around the house but sometimes the handy guy can bite off more then he (or she) can chew. The Handyguys discuss the basic issues to consider when determining whether a new projected should be contracted out or performed yourself. Some of the topics discussed include: How Long will it take? weeks, months, years to never finish How much will it cost? A little to a lot When to bring in a subcontractor DIY satisfaction Do you have the right tools and skills? Even if you have the ability to do the job, there are a lot of issues to consider before doing it yourself. In addition to carpentry skills, you need time, patience, lots of tools and a good back to finish your basement. If you are lacking in any of these categories, you may want to consider hiring a contractor for the job. The Handyguys then discuss an article from remodelingmagazine.com. Its their annual cost vs. value report. Some of the data is excerpted below. 2007 National Averages Project Job Cost Resale Value Cost Recouped Basement Remodel $59,435 $44,661 75.1% © 2007 Hanley Wood, LLC. Reproduced by permission. Complete city data from the Remodeling 2007 Cost vs. Value Report can be downloaded for free at costvalue.remodelingmagazine.com. The Handyguys then discuss how to find a good contractor. Turn to your neighbors was Paul s suggestion. But what if you do not have a neighbor or friend who has had their basement finished? What then?It was agreed that just hitting the yellow pages may not be a good route. You need some good, objective advice. You can get that advice at www.homestars.com. This website is designed to help you review and research contractors that are in your local area. Check it out it may save you a lot hassle in the future. Check it out! Lastly - So, you are going to go through with it or you have already finished your basement.  The Handyguys will be continuing to talk about finishing your basement over the next few weeks. If you have finished your basement yourself and would like to chat with the Handyguys on the air about your experience just let us know. If you are in the middle of a project and would like to dialog on the air about where you are in the process we would be open to that as well. email us@handyguyspodcast.com or use the contact tab on the website.

The Handyguys talk about keeping a green and weed free lawn. Now that you have your mower ready for the new season (after listening to show #14), it is time to discuss proper lawn care.  Anyone can hire a lawn service, but the Handyguys prefer the DIY method.  Get down to the home center, buy your weed and feed, and start fertilizing before the summer heat strikes.   Listen to the podcast for all of the details. Before beginning your lawn care program (or even if you have already started), it is good to conduct a soil test to determine that status of your soil.  The results from a soil test will reveal what nutrients your lawn requires and whether you need to add lime or sulfur to achieve the proper pH. You can add specific ingredients in your fertilizer plan or just follow a seasonal plan from a company like Scotts or Vigoro. These products should be designed for your region of the country. Some folks prefer more organic methods of lawn care.  More information on organic products can be found here: Dirt Doctor Richsoil  The fertilizer programs will only address weeds and nutrients. You may also have specific pests or disease. A healthy lawn is the best defense against lawn disease. Lawn pests include moles, grubs and even mold. Controlling grubs will eliminate a food source for the moles. Watering properly will prevent mold and fungus. Both Handyguy Brian and Handyguy Paul recommend a broadcast spreader for DIY fertilizer applications. So, how much should you water? The Handyguys, and their expert advisers, recommend about 1” of water per week. This means watering the entire inch at one time in early AM or late afternoon. Do not water at night as this can promote fungus. How do you determine you have applied 1” of water? You can use a rain gauge, a fancy timer, or you can just put out a soup can when you water and when it has an inch of water in it you are done. The rain gauge in the picture is only $1.99 in our store and comes with a separate sprinkler gauge. Just click here for the rain gauge. Don t forget to factor in the water from the rain. A deep soak like this will help promote deep root growth. What is the proper height to mow for a health lawn? It depends on the type of grass. Generally speaking you want to mow at 3” and never cut more than a third of the blade at one t