Handyguys Podcast Category Videos

Leaf blowers, rakes and a question about leaky showers The Handyguys discuss the contest to giveaway a great toolkit, some possible problems with a leaky shower valve and weather a rake or a leaf blower is the correct tool for collecting leaves. To enter the contest you just need to leave a comment on Episode 87 and let us know what you think a valid use of duct tape is. We will announce a winner during our first show in December. We will take Thanksgiving off so this show is the last show we will discuss the contest. Our next show will come out on December 3rd. Leaky Shower Valves Don t let a leaky shower drive you crazy. Listen to the podcast as Brian s shower. Note - the picture is NOT Albert, its not Brian or Paul either! We then address a question about a leaky shower valve. Albert called in and asked us about his leaky valve. He gets water leaking out the shower head all the time. He said it was replaced recently. How could this be? The Handyguys discuss what some of the issues could be. Albert we have a question for you. Does it leak from the shower head when you are filling the tub or all the time, even when water is off? We discuss both scenarios in the podcast. Likely it drips all the time. If that s the case the the washer(s) are likely bad. If the valve is new the washers could have been damaged during installation. If it is new, contact the guy who installed it for you. He could come back and make it right. If you installed it then just replace the washers and you should be good to go. How do you replace the washers? That will depend on what you have. We recommend you shut off the water and take the parts to your local True Value and they will help match up what you need. Rakes versus Leaf Blowers The Handyguys love their power tools. We found this video on YouTube and found it interesting. Is a leaf blower the best tool for the job of clearing leaves? Watch this video and listen to the podcast to get our thoughts. This video clearly shows the rake beating the leaf blower. If this is true then why is the leaf blower so popular? We think both tools have their place depending on circumstances. Listen to the show for discussion of when you may want to use a rake versus when you want a leaf blower. You can get both rakes and leaf blowers at True Value. Enter the contest to win this toolkit! Win this toolkit. Click on the picture to learn how! Hint: Valid use of duct tape wins Disclosure We were one of five bloggers selected by True Value to work on the DIY Squad. We have been compensated for our time commitment to the program and our DIY projects as well as our posts about our experience. We have also been compensated for the materials needed for our DIY project and this giveaway. However, our opinions are entirely our own and we have not been paid to publish positive comments.

How do you get your house ready for the Winter Season? Win this toolkit. Click on the picture to learn how! Hint: valid use of duct tape wins! Join the Handyguys in a not-so-methodical checklist for the winter season.  This is not your every day handyman (or not so handyperson) checklist.  We have some extras you may not see on other lists. Listen to the podcast as we discuss these items. True Value had all the supplies we needed to get our houses in order. As the days get shorter and darker, it is a good time to check all of your outdoor lights.  Make sure they work. Paul was able to discover these fancy CFLs at our local True Value. They look great don’t you think? Perhaps it is time to install a light with a motion detector to secure your outdoor entrances and windows. Also, you can now get some wife pleasing outdoor CFL lights.  You don t have to settle on the curly cue CFL bulbs Watch out for leaks and/or water penetration. gutters/downspouts grade flowing toward house clear insulation around soffit vents to avoid ice dams Bring in your outdoor furniture Replace the grates and flavor bars on your Grill.  True Value has the parts you need for this. Why not refresh your busted down grill and enjoy a few more cookouts this season. Paul picked up the new flavor bars and grate at True Value. The steaks came from the cow he bought. Winterize your yard tools Seal/weatherstrip and caulk around window and doors and latch those windows for the winter Insulate your unfinished basement.. especially around the rim joist Clean your Dryer Vent before it is too cold to work outside Install some heavy drapes on your windows to stop drafts.  That s what they did in the old days. Last chance for pre-winter fertilizer. Final chance for exterior touch up paint Is it time to stain the Deck in the fall?  Isn t the sun closer to earth in the Winter?  Brian says no.  Paul says yes. Which is it? Disclosure We were one of five bloggers selected by True Value to work on the DIY Squad. We have been compensated for our time commitment to the program and our DIY projects as well as our posts about our experience. We have also been compensated for the materials needed for our DIY project and this giveaway. However, our opinions are entirely our own and we have not been paid to publish positive comments.

Furnace filters are a critical component of your heating and cooling system. Make sure they are changed regularly. We discuss the myriad of choices in furnace filters in this podcast. The Handyguys group filters into three different categories, good, better and best. Whats best for one person may not be the best for another. The standard filters are good for most people. They permit the furnace to operate as it was designed. When selecting a filter you would typically replace with one equal in size and type to the filter already install on your furnace. This may be a a non-pleated fiber type filter. This type is also the least expensive, costing about $1.50 or $2.00 at the local True Value hardware store. If you desire a replacement filter that has a higher MERV or MPR rating (see below for definitions) there are several choices at True Value. Go into the store with your measurements and pick one out. A higher rated filter will catch and filter more particulates from the air. The high end filters will have electrostatic capabilities and can actually filter microscopic bacterias, smoke or other fine particulates from the air. The industry provides ratings for filters. MERV, or Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value, is a number from 1 to 16 that is relative to an air filter’s efficiency. The higher the MERV, the more efficient the air filter is at removing particles. At the lower end of the efficiency spectrum a fiberglass panel filter may have a MERV of 4 or 5. At the higher end, a MERV 14 filter is available. MPR is a term used by 3M and stands for Microparticle Performance Rating. It is actually part of the MERV rating, and measures how efficient an air filter is at capturing particles between 0.3 and 1 micron in size, which make up 99% of the air s particulate matter. Smoke, bacteria, and smog particles fall within this size range, so if filtering these out of the air is important to you, MPR is a good standard to examine. MPR is used to compare furnace filters to one another, and cannot accurately predict how a furnace filter will actually perform in your particular home environment. The higher the MPR, the more efficient the filter is at capturing these small particles. Lastly Don t forget about our contest. We are giving away this awesome toolkit. Check out the details on how you can win by listening to Episode 87 of The Handyguys Podcast. Win this tool kit! Disclosure We were one of five bloggers selected by True Value to work on the DIY Squad. We have been compensated for our time commitment to the program and our DIY projects as well as our posts about our experience. We have also been compensated for the materials needed for our DIY project and this giveaway. However, our opinions are entirely our own and we have not been paid to publish positive comments.

In this show The Handyguys discuss their top 10 starter tools and announce a contest to win this toolkit! Win this tool kit! What is included in a first time home buyers tool kit? Screwdrivers of course!  But what else? The Handyguys went shopping at True Value to assemble a quality starter set of essential tools for the typical home owner. Our Kit Includes: The Handyguys will take your questions via the phone at (818) 804-TOOL. Leave an email address if you want an immediate and direct response. Tool Bag Carpenter s Pencil Speed Square, Orange Pliers Set Screwdriver Set Pry Bar 16-Ounce Claw Hammer Tape Measure Safety Glasses Hearing Protection Utility Knife In the podcast we discuss our rationale for each of the tools and why we picked them. There are certainly other tools that could be added to this list, but this would make a great starter kit. Buy one If you would like to buy essentially the same toolkit through Amazon just click this button and add the items to your shopping cart. You can remove items and add different ones to your hearts content. How to win this toolkit! To win this toolkit you must Listen to the podcast for details. Essentially all you need to do it help us come up with a LEGITIMATE use for duct tape. Give us your duct tape idea by commenting on this show post. In this podcast, we discuss some not so legitimate uses of this ubiquitous tape. We want our listeners to provide us with some valid users of duct tape and we will award the tool kit our favorite suggestion. The winner will be announced December 3rd, 2009. Suggestions after December 3rd are still welcome of course but you will not be in the running for the toolkit.  So leave a comment below and be sure to provide an email address so we can contact you if your duct tape suggestion is our winner. An illegitimate use of duct tape! Photo Submitted by DJ Goodfellow Disclosure We were one of five bloggers selected by True Value to work on the DIY Squad. We have been compensated for our time commitment to the program and our DIY projects as well as our posts about our experience. We have also been compensated for the materials needed for our DIY project and this giveaway. However, our opinions are entirely our own and we have not been paid to publish positive comments.

DIY Drama, Old Tractors and New Counters You need to listen to the podcast to hear Paul s story about what happened to his nice laptop. Does this picture give you a clue? Click on the pic to see it bigger. We start off by talking about the True Value DIY Drama contest. You can win $5000 if your story is chosen as a winner. Brian and Paul have both had some drama but Paul most recently. You MUST listen to Paul tell his drama story in the podcast. It was a very expensive story. What are you working on lately? Brian and Paul both discuss what recent projects they have been working on. First up, Brian. Busted up old tractor Brian was able to find an old tractor on freecycle. Well, nothing is ever free. The tractor needed a battery, a new fuel line and a fuel filter.  For good measure, Brian changed the oil filter and spark plug and sharpened the blades. After adding some fresh gas, the tractor started right up.  Not too shabby. Over the past year and a half, Brian used this tractor for some pretty heavy duty mowing. Overgrown fields and campground trails were the typical terrain. In this time, the mower has required countless replacement belts plus a few hundred dollars worth of repairs for other busted parts due to its heavy abuse. Brian and Paul discuss when is it time to cut the losses. Is it worth another $40 for a pulley assembly and another $25 for another belt?  A tractor that is designed and built for the uses Brian is putting this old thing through is just not in the cards at the moment. New Counters Paul s project was new counter tops. The design committee (his wife) did all the legwork. In the podcast we discuss some of the options and considerations. The decision was made to go with Granite. Granite is a professional installation but there is still some work for the Handyguy. Paul removed the old laminate counters, installed the plumbing under the new sink and has the back splash to tile. Doing these chores yourself can save money even when you are having granite professionally installed. Paul makes reference to a Fine Home building article on drain hookups. The Handyguys Podcast is asking that you consider participation in important research on consumers’ thoughts on advertising within their favorite Podcasts. The Association for Downloadable Media (ADM) Consumers Attitudes on Advertising & Sponsorship in Audio and Video Podcasts research project is a survey that should take you about 10 minutes and does NOT ask for personal contact information.Please consider taking part in the survey at http://www.takethesurvey.com/rawvoice. The sooner the better! The survey is going on now and will wrap up in a couple weeks.

Water powered backup sump pumps Never have water in your basement again due to a failed sump pump or a power outage. Water powered sump pumps do not require any electricity to operate. Our listener had to remove new carpet from his finished basement due to heavy rains and a failed primary sump pump. In this episode we address backup sump pumps, in particular water powered sump pumps. We were contacted by a listener via twitter and asked if we had recommendations for a backup pump. We knew of a few brands and types but our question was specifically about water powered pumps. After a little bit of research we found Base Products Corporation makes just such a system called the Basepump. They were gracious enough to send a pump to our listener so we could interview him about the install and the product. Thanks. The pump mark was sent can be purchased through Amazon by following this link Basepump If you have a backup sump pump you wont need to pull out stinky carpets due to a flood caused by a failed primary pump. In this show we discuss how the pump operates, how its installed, how to choose a pump, and most importantly why you would want to install something like this if you are finishing a basement. Listen to the podcast for all the details. If you are considering finishing your basement water control is one of the most critical things to think about. Check out our other shows related to finishing your basement by clicking on the Basement Series button.

Phased Remodeling, Vinyl Siding and Grading Phased Remodeling Painting is an easy and relatively inexpensive way to change the look of a room. In this episode The Handyguys start off discussing Phased remodeling inspired by an article in a recent Home Improvement Times . What is phased, or serial remodeling? Are there advantages to this approach in tough economic times? What are the disadvantages? We then address two listener questions, one on what should be included in a vinyl siding job and one about grading, moisture and stucco. Listen to the podcast for a discussion by The Handyguys Brian what can I expect? I ve gone to website that tell you to take down all your framed artwork from the walls. What happens to all the stuff already cut into the siding, dryer vents, water pipes and such? Hope this isn t a stupid question. Thanks for your help. Lou Ann No, that s not a stupid question at all. It is standard practice that all the penetrations through the siding are properly flashed and trimmed out when the siding is installed. It couldn t hurt to ask your contractor though. This may be specified in your agreement but it doesn t hurt to make a call. Do not let them charge extra after you ask. We discuss this and talk about some of the things the siding contractor will need to deal with in the podcast. Thanks for your question Lou Ann. Bonus Tip If you are installing vinyl siding install it from back to front. The pieces overlap and when done back to front the gap is not noticeable from the front of the house, when installed front to back the gap is very noticeable. Grading Gary writes us, concerned about an inspection on a new house. I bought a house 6 weeks ago , one of the comments on the inspection report was the grading by the bedroom needed attention as it was to close to the stucco and would allow moisture to pass , this section is a new addition to the house and is built on a concrete foundation , at the front of the house however ( built in 1947 ) the stucco goes all the way under the soil as such clearly built with a different code . How do you prevent moisture ingress here ? Is the stucco sealed ? How do I know if its still effective? Thanks for the great show Gary Thanks for the pictures. You do not need to be concerned with the stucco or sealing it, your bigger concern is the relationship of the grading to the wall and floor behind the stucco. Your grade dirt and mulch should be below the level of the bottom of the wall. You are lucky, you have a window. Measure from the windowsill to the floor, on the inside, then measure on the outside down. This will give you an idea if the grade is too high. For our listeners and readers we followed up with Gary and his grade is low enough. That s it for this weeks show. Make sure you subscribe and tell your friends.

Wood Floors on Concrete, Plumbing Repair and Finding Carpet Stains This is a very full show covering many different topics. We start off commenting on a article in Fine Home Building magazine about wood floors over concrete, address two listener questions (one on leaky faucets and one on garbage disposals), and then we wrap up the show with a tip from Brian about how to find pet stains in carpet. Wood floors on concrete Can this be done? Sure it can. Brian and Paul comment on an article in Fine Homebuilding. The Author, Charles Peterson, discusses a technique that uses two layers of plywood and a vapor barrier to create a stable, floating, subfloor for installation of your finished floor. Check it out and listen to The Handyguys comments in the podcast. Drippy faucets The Handyguys love getting questions where the answer is simple and inexpensive. We received this question from Cheryl I have a leaky bathtub faucet, it started dripping and it has gotten worse, do I need to replace the entire faucet? My house was built in 1953 and I m guessing the faucet is probably that old too! It consists of two knobs, one of hot and cold and the spigot of course. I think both the hot and cold are leaking, I can t really determine which one it is! Thanks for any help you can provide. Cheryl Thanks for your question. NO, you do not need to replace the faucet. The fix is pretty simple. We assume you mean the drip is coming from the spout, not from behind the handles. Our friends over at hammer zone have put together some instructions. I ll let you read them instead of my recreating the steps here. Check out HammerZone s how to replace a washer article and listen to our podcast for details. There could be a few other issues. Give the washer replacement a try first, its easy to do. Some possible pitfalls The washer screw is broken off The seat (what the washer presses against) is damaged Parts are corroded preventing removal The handle you have may remove differently than in the pictures at hammerzone If you have trouble please let us know. You can hear our discussion of the issue in the podcast. Garbage Disposal Smells This stinky issue keeps generating interest. We have received many tips and tricks. We thought we would answer Dave s question and pass along his tip. I always shut off the circuit breaker to the disposal anytime I am going to stick my hand in there. Just to be sure that it will not turn off. Have you guys used Draino? I had a problem where soft foods weren t getting shredded enough to go down the drain so I started getting an odor. I poured draino down there and after it sat for awhile I ran it again and the food and smell were gone. Do you know of any problems in using draino in a disposal. ex corrosion or other problems? Good tip about the circuit breaker Dave, better safe than sorry. As for Draino. Yes and No. It depends on which draino product you are considering. Check the label. The crystals are not recommended for garbage disposers, the gel is fine according to the manufacture. Bottom line, check the label. Another Handyguy Tip Have a pet stain that you are having trouble finding? Use a UV light, sometimes called a black-light. The stain will glow. These work best when used in a darkened room. Once you find the stain you can clean it. Check out this black-light. Simple Solution Spot Spotter Ultraviolet Urine Detector Click these icons to share, thanks:

Handyguy Vehicles, Air Conditioning and Mower Repair We cover a lot of topics in this show. Should Handyguy Paul Trade in his pickup, why does a listener s air conditioner leak and doing carborator work on your mower. First up Brian and Paul discuss if a handyguy needs a pickup truck. Brian says yes. Paul isn t so sure. We all agree they are handy. They aren t so practical when they get too old and repairs are costing you as much as a new car payment. Oh, and the fuel costs. So, Handyguy Paul is going to trade in his pickup for a sedan. Fortunately he can call Brian, who is keeping his truck, if he needs help hauling something. Air conditioning leaks The Handyguys then discuss a question posted as a response to our air conditioning troubleshooting show, episode 69. My inside handler unit is constantly leaking water inside the closet. I ve cleaned the lines that lead to the outside and also cleaned the pan and removed all the gunk that was accumulated. I even sprayed an a/c cleaner on the coils, which did not really look that dirty. After all that work, the a/c began to leak again thirty minutes later. The house is cool and the system seems to be working fine however the closet and filter are soaked. I m frustrated and don t want to call a company just to discover that it was something simple that I was not aware of. Please help. Thanks, Nelson Nelson, thanks for your comments and questions. The Handyguys discuss the situation in the podcast. Bottom line, Nelson, you will need to closely inspect to determine where the leak is coming from. Once you determine that you can fix the problem. Most likely you have a leak in the drain, a bad pump (if you have one) or a clogged line causing the pan to overflow. once you find the source let us know, we may be able to help you fix it. Mower safety and carburetor repair Lastly, The Handyguys address a question about mowers, carbs on mowers in particular. I am really enjoying these podcasts, some really great tips. Just recently found this site and will eventually get caught up to your recent podcasts. One thing I would like to add to this podcast however is when you are working under the mower near the blade to remove clumped grass or to sharpen the blade (I use an angle grinder), disconnect the spark plug wire from the spark plug. You can actually start the mower by moving the blade out of the way. I am not missing any digits, but I know a few who have had close calls. One question that I have is with the carb. I am working on a mower and did the standard tune-ups, plug, oil and air filter. I have a situation where the mower is idling really rough almost to the point of cutting itself off. Since my first go round with the tune up did not fix the problem, I am planning on removing the carb to attempt to clean it. Do you guys have any suggestions on cleaning the carb before I go out and buy a new one? I ve replaced carbs on mowers before just never cleaned one. Thanks and keep up the good work. David, Thanks for the kudos and the safety tip. As for your carburetor. Yes, clean it first. The Handyguys have heard great things about a product called Sea Foam for carb cleaning. Cleaning the carb is a great thing to try before going deeper into a repair.  If cleaning the carb doesn t work then you will want to see if a rebuild kit is available. This will be cheaper than a replacement. Click these icons to share, thanks:

Handyguy Paul installs some new porch posts In this show we discuss installing new porch posts and the many choices beyond the traditional wood posts. Some materials: Wood PVC FRP (Fiberglass-reinforced Polymer) The Handyguys discuss some advantages and dis-advantages of each. We then discuss some things to consider when installing new porch posts. Paul installed the FRP posts. Listen to the podcast for all the details. Click these icons to share, thanks:

Home centers and door to door security sales It seems that the Handyguys are in a bad mood this week due to terrible service at the local home center.  The poor service, coupled with traveling security salesmen offering free installations, created some cranky Handyguys. First up are the stupid self check-out registers at the home center. Both Lowes and Home Depot the major US home center chains deserve blame. This cost cutting trend supposedly frees up personnel to help you load your car. But if you need help loading product in your car, you probably can t navigate it through self checkout (let alone getting it on one of those scanners!). It is not as though the displaced cashiers are out on the floor helping you with that crazy plumbing problem in your house. Brian shares a story about visiting a home center near his office with a simple purchase and NO human cashiers in sight.  The 4 self checkout stations were slowly processing the customers who had smaller goods to scan. The machines were scanning but with bill acceptors rejecting bills, machines balking about what is and isn t in the bagging area, there was an increasingly long line. When Brian finally had his turn to scan his long boards, there was no one to help when the scanner began nagging about unexpected items  in the bagging area. All four stations had people grumbling, the lost attendant was grumbling and trying, unsuccessfully, to help someone out. The whole experience was so frustrating that Brian just left and went to a different home center! As a goodbye, the attendant yelled for Brian to put the items back on the shelves! Well, wouldn t you know, the other home center chain that Brian went to has just installed self checkout too!!! Wake up Home Depot and Lowes. Customer service will win you loyal customers. The Handyguys would welcome anyone from either chain who would like to come on the show and discuss improvements you are making that are beneficial to customers . And what is Menards doing? We have never been to one. Home security hassles Both Paul and Brian were recently visited by door to door vendor pushing Free security systems. Every high pressure tactic in the book was attempted. The catch? About $45 per month. Paul did some research and the system can be bought and installed DIY for a couple hundred dollars. Monitoring can be had for under $10 a month for DIY systems.  Check out Paul s recommendations for web sites where you can purchase these systems. Click these icons to share, thanks:

The Handyguys Discuss the Leatherman for your yard. Handyguy Paul wonders if there is an all-in-one tool that can edge, trim, prune, blow leaves and shovel your snow.  Well, with the exception of the snow, there is such a tool.  In fact several manufacturers make such a tool.  Stihl calls theirs the Kombi because it is truly a master combination tool for  your yard. But first, the Handyguys answer a listener question about cedar siding: I just bought a house with Cedar siding.  I live in Northern IL.  According to the pre-purchase inspector the siding is in fair condition.  It needs some sealant and to be retreated or painted.  What kind of sealant and paint or treatment would you recommend? I want to keep the current color of the wood as best as possible. Thanks Jas Thanks for the question Jas.  Brian used to have Cedar siding on his old house so he has a definite opinion on the matter.  Listen to the podcast for his response. Combination yard tools Now on to the combination yard tools.  Brian owns and operates one of the Stihl Kombi tools and has found it very useful.  The main benefit is that you only have to maintain one engine for several different yard tools But Paul is not convinced.  Can this single tool really do a good job with each task or does it have to make compromises?  And are there other manufacturers of these tools? Brian explains why he likes his Stihl KombiSystem, but there are certainly other comparable tools: Ryobi, Echo, Husqvarna, Troybilt, John Deere. Listen to the full podcast for Brian s opinion on the tool and for the Handyguy s overall opinions on this tool category. Click these icons to share, thanks:

The Handyguys take a detour this week to interview Craig Smith from http://www.servicemagic.com/ to discuss a recent survey on home maintenance costs. Do you know how much you spend each year to maintain your home?  Are you spending too much?  The servicemagic.com survey summarizes the actual cost of maintaining a home. While some homes are slow drains on your income, others are more like a sink hole that will suck your bank account dry.  A quantitative look at the data may help you determine whether you should keep fixing your home or think about planting roots in another neighborhood. Check out the Podcast for the full interview and let the Handyguys know if you have a question about your home. Click these icons to share, thanks:

The Handyguys Discuss deck finishes and tub finishes in one podcast. That s right, tub finishes. Deck Stains First up though is a question from Joan that came in through our new call-in service. Check it out on the home page if you haven t seen it yet. Joan s question has to do with deck finishes when there are undesirable variations in wood color. Wat kind of finish would be good. She specifically asks about Cabbots Australian Timber Oil finish. The natural version of this will not impart too much color and will not hide the color variations in the wood. A better choice would be something with some color yet still let the beauty of the wood show through. Joan, look for a tinted version of the timber oil finish or use a semi-transparent stain. You can get all of Brian and Paul s commentary in the podcast. Thanks for the question Joan. Tub Finishes We then address an issues sent to us by Jeff, he writes: I have a home built in 1947 that my wife and I bought about a year and a half ago, and have spent a lot of time updating little things here and there. My biggest issue that scares me to death is the old tile and the bathtub in the bathroom. The floor tile is really old and dull and totally lost all of it s glaze, the grout is also pretty much black and stained. The bathtub is the same situation and has no glaze to it. I ve tried to use the super powerful cleaners you can buy at Home Depot or Lowe s, and it hardly worked at all. After talking with a friend we have thought about getting our bathtub re-glazed, and we are curious if it is possible to get the tile re-glazed as well? If it is possible, would it even be worth it from a financial standpoint, or would it be less expensive to just replace the tile (which I know is a lot of work)? Thanks guys, I love your show. Been there, done that Jeff. Handyguy Brian went the route of a complete bathroom gut and remodel but you ask about re-glazing. There are many companies that can do this for you. Its not a DIY process. There are also companies that can re-do your tub with an acrylic insert, sort of a tub within a tub, and put up a new acrylic tub surround over the tile. In the Podcast we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of re-glazing, tub liners and complete bathroom remodels. Bottom line Jeff, if its your only bathroom re-glazing will be a much faster option and cheaper than a full remodel. Click these icons to share, thanks:

In this episode Brian s question Hiya Handyguys, We have just bought our first home ever! It s an older, fixer-upper house in a historic district in Knoxville, TN. I painted houses professionally for a few years, so we ve told the renovation contractor that he won t have to do any interior or exterior painting. The house has aluminum siding on it right now that we want to remove. The standard siding in the neighborhood is vertically slatted cedar siding, and luckily this original siding still exists under the aluminum. If possible, we d like to try and rehabilitate it instead of replacing it. I ve painted a couple other houses in the neighborhood and know first hand how painstaking it is to scrape that old, alligatored paint off, fill the remaining gaps, and paint over. I d like to take a more aggressive approach to this project by just stripping the siding down to the bare wood and starting from there. I m thinking that some sort of belt sander would probably be the best approach here. I wanted to ask you guys if you have any suggestions for the best type of sander to buy for this project, or if you have any other suggestions. I have been listening to the show every day since the purchase of the house and learn something new every time. Keep up the good work! Best, Will Will You may have a long road ahead of you. neither Paul or I like scraping paint. You have a three general options, mechanical, heat or checmical. A sander will just clog. You could use a PaintEater for about $75, a tool with an abrasive wheel like the porter cable opaint remover or one with cutting kinives like the paint shaver. Handy guy Brian likes the heat method. Lastly there are chemical strippers. Listen to the show for discussion of each of these. One other consideration Will, the siding guys likely have cut widow sills, remvoed trim and such. You may find things in worse shape than you think. maybe just reside the whole house if you want to bring it back to its original glory. Basement Systems Continued Brian & Paul then wrap up the show by finishing their discussion on  basement systems that they started last week. Click these icons to share, thanks:

The Handyguys address a listener question about his air conditioning and then talk about basement finishing systems. Our listener Marc used our new call-in feature on the website and asked us about his air conditioning system. Marc s question, in summary is I live in a ranch style house that has two HVAC zones. We spend most of the time in only half of the house. Would it be OK to turn off the system in the half of the house we don t use? Great question Mark. Before we answer Mark has a great podcast and website for woodworkers called The Wood Whisperer. If you ever want to be inspired to do some woodworking yourselves make sure you check out what Mark is doing online. OK, back to marks question. Short answer is yes. You will have spill-over from one half to another. A simple solution would be to just put up a heavy drape to keep the cool air in the part of the house you are in. We would also recommend not turning off the system completely but just turn it back. An automatic setback thermostat can help with this. There could be issues Does the system share duct work throughout the house? Will the design committee allow for such a guy thing as a curtain in the middle of the house? Does the floor plan even allow for a separation? Maybe you can make friends with an HVAC guy, invite him over for a beer, and ask his opinion. Listen to the podcast to hear Marc ask his question and for our more detailed answer. Thanks to Owens Corning for the picture of their system going in Basement Finishing Systems The Handyguys, Brian and Paul, have both done DIY basement finishing. We have been asked our opinions on so called basement finishing systems. These are not DIY solutions. A company will come in and use their system of pre-fabricated panels to put up your walls. Some companies offering these systems Owens Corning Impressive Basement Systems Ultimate Basement Makeover Basement Living Systems Basement Max Beyond Basement Basement Tuxedo Handyguy Paul found an old webpage where the author recounts his experience with one of these systems. Check it out Owens Corning Basement System Experiences. Brian and Paul discuss the pros and cons of these systems. Listen to the podcast for all the details. Oh, and we ran out of time. Make sure you check out next weeks episode (link wont work until next week) where we finish the discussion! If you subscribe you will get the new show automatically. Cool. Click these icons to share, thanks:

Handyguy Paul Takes apart his Dishwasher to clean out the basin. The Handyguys planned to tackle two issues in this episode.  They began with Paul s Dishwasher problems and hoped to talk about the Handyguy s electrical toolkit.  However, the dishwasher took up the entire episode and the electrical toolkit discussion got pushed back to another show (ok we sometimes record these episodes out-of-order so the electrical toolkit discussion was published with episode #70). So what is the problem with Paul s dishwasher that is worth talking so long about?  Well, no one likes an expensive dishwasher that has problems doing the one thing it is supposed to do.  Cleaning Dishes!  Handyguy Paul s wife was not happy about this arrangement.  Upon removing glasses from the dishwasher each morning, she was finding them covered in a cloudy white film.  Typically this is due to hard water and can be taken care of with a rinse aid product.  In this case, plenty of rinse aid was being used with no success. To make matters worse, the dishes on the top rack were also not being cleaned very well.  In fact, it appeared that the upper spray arm above the top rack was not spraying much of any water onto the dishes. So what was the solution to the white haze (or is it etching?) on the glasses?  And how do you fix these problems.  You can find the answer by listening to our podcast or watching our little video.  Or how about both?  Check it out. In addition, the Handyguys discuss other common dishwasher problems. Handyguys Podcast Fix of a Kenmore Elite Dishwasher from Handyguys Podcast on Vimeo. Thanks to erento for sponsoring this post Whatever the magnitude or complexity of the project you wish to undertake, online tool hire will provide you necessary tools and equipment. Click these icons to share, thanks:

Basement Toilet Installs, Water Saving Flush Valves and Dryer Vent Cleaning Saniflow Saniplus Toilet and pump system First off - The Handyguys begin by addressing a listener question. Julianne asks: Hi! I am considering purchasing a bi-level home. When you walk in the door, you have the choice of going upstairs where there is a kitchen, bathroom and 2 bedrooms Or you have the choice of going downstairs, which is partially in the ground. It has a living room, laundry room and two bedrooms. My question is this: The downstairs portion does not have a bathroom. The only bathroom in the home is upstairs. Is it possible to add a bathroom to the downstairs portion of a bi-level home or is this impossible since it is underground and you would have to find a way to flush the sewage upward? Thanks for your help.  I look forward to hearing from you soon! Julianne Short answer - yes! Listen to the podcast for Handyguy Brian x8 area but then you may need more space if installing an ejector pump pit. You will need to install a vent connection for the sink, bath and the pump. You will want to determine how you will be able to route the pipes to either the main vent stack (if large enough for these added plumbing devices) or where you can run a new pipe. The bottom line is that you should have a couple of professional plumbers size up the situation and provide you some quotes on the work to get a bathroom installed.  It can be complicated but it is certainly doable. Toilet Fill Valves The next topic that The Handygys discuss is fill valves for toilets. Handyguy Paul needed a new fill valve for his toilet. He ended up getting a leak sentry version from Fluidmaster. What is special about this fill valve? How does this help you save water? If you have a leak in the flapper and water is draining down the drain the valve wont keep filling the tank. Worst case, if you have a leak, you will loose down the drain only the water in the tank. You will also know you have a problem when you go to flush next time. Listen to the podcast for discussion of this product. Dryer vent Cleaning Lastly - The Handyguys discuss dryer vent cleaning. Dryer vents can be dangerous if the get clogged. According to the CPSC in 1998 clothes dryers caused over 15 thousand fires, 20 deaths and 370 injuries. Fires can occur when lint builds up in the exhaust. Handyguy Paul tested out The Linteater system and was quite happy with it. He almost got into a little trouble with it though. Paul - Read The Fine Manual next time! Listen to the podcast for discussion and impressions. Thanks to erento for sponsoring this post - Whatever the magnitude or complexity of the project you wish to undertake, online tool hire will provide you necessary tools and equipment. Click these icons to share, thanks:

Handyguys Try Out Some Riding Mowers The Handyguys are falling behind on the honey do list  because this year s mowing season is taking all of their free time. Pennsylvania has been hit by lots of rain — making for nice fast growing lawns — but that comes with long hours of mowing. Handyguy Paul is researching a riding mower to replace his slow walk behind but is undecided as to the best model. Should he get a traditional lawn tractor or one of the zero turn radius models? To help Paul decide, the Handyguys called on John Deere to provide some samples for us to test. Listen to our podcast (Click Play) to hear analysis of these mowers  Also, don t forget to subscribe so you don t miss an episode. Click on the Image to see a larger version of the mowers we tested. John Deere was kind enough to loan us two models to try out. They didn t sponsor this show nor did they let us keep the mowers.  Darn!  The two mowers were the Z445 with 54 high capacity deck, the Zero Turn Radius ZTR model, and the X324 Tractor So, how did they test these mowers?  The first test was in a field that only gets mowed four or five times a year and has some tall grass and weeds. The second test was a residential property with some hills and a number of different obstacles from trees, deck stairs, flower beds, walks, etc. The third test was a larger residential property, also with some slope in sections but with deck posts to mow around and also flower beds, walks, a play area and so forth. The Handyguys started in the open field which was a good way to start. The ZTR takes several minutes to get used to the hand controls. To go forward with a ZTR you push both bars forward, to reverse pull both bars back. One forward and the other back and you pivot. You can easily make slight adjustments to your direction or you can also make sharp turns. Once they got used to the handling of the ZTR, they were moving briskly through the field with no problems.  They noticed that this ZTR was significantly faster than the tractor (not that the Handyguys tried to race these mowers we would never do that!). The X324 has a steering wheel and gas pedal (actually two pedals forward and reverse). This will be familiar to anyone who can drive a car. Its a very natural driving position and takes very little time to become proficient. One interesting feature that the Handyguys quickly appreciated on the X324 tractor was 4 wheel steering. The tractor could cut around a 9 tree! The four wheel steer made it extremely maneuverable in tight spaces. Handyguy Paul contends that the tractor is a must have fashion accessory for those living in the exoburbs .  He felt a little too much like a landscaper on the ZTR. For Paul, its all about looking cool when you mow your grass! All kidding aside - there are some advantages to a tractor for many people. The tractor supports a wider variety of accessories. Things from snow throwers, shovels, sweepers, baggers, aerators, carts, snow blades, and spreaders can all be attached to a tractor such as the X324. If we were just mowing grass, and had a lot to do, the ZTR is a hands down winner. You can hear the full discussion by listening to the podcast. Also, if you want to see the mowers in action make sure you check out the video we put up last week. This post was sponsored by http://www.erento.co.uk/ where a Lawn Scarifier hire is the perfect way to ensure the growing of healthy grass and making your lawn and garden look beautiful. Click these icons to share, thanks:

First up the electrical tool kit we talk about some key tools for doing electrical work and comment on an article in Fine Homebuilding called An Electrical Tool Kit by Brian Walo. Fine Homebuilding says (About Brian Walo s article): He recommends three electrical testers, a variety of drivers (Phillips head, flat head, nut driver, and Robertson drivers), pliers (side-cutting, crimpers, strippers, end cut, and needle nose), and materials (electrical tape, wire nuts, crimping sleeves, bonding screws, cable clamps, staples, and screws). Well we discuss what a typical handyguy may want to have and share some of our own favorites in the podcast. Below are some must haves. Testers Well, we think there should be several types of testers. Some simple, some fancier, depending on what you are testing. The three types each have different purposes. First - A non-contact voltage Tester. This type of tester can tell you if you if a wire is hot without needing to remove a wire nut. Its a good first check but many recommend that you also use a true voltage meter to be positive the electric is off before you work on something. Second - A tester that checks for correct wiring. These are simple devices that you plug into a receptacle and indicator lights tell you if its wired correctly. The one in our kit below also can test GFCIs. Lastly - A voltage meter - A voltage meter is used to measure the voltage on a particular wire or for testing continuity. It can also test batteries and other low voltage circuits. This kit from Greenlee includes all three at a good price. http://astore.amazon.com/handyguys-20/detail/B000FCIMFS Drivers Screwdrivers are needed. For electrical work a number of different sizes and styles are needed. The Handyguys and the author of the Fine Homebuilding article all despise standard or slotted screwdrivers but they are a necessary part of the process. You couldn t install a faceplate without one. Many of the older devices only have slotted screw heads. You will need two sizes of slotted, small and medium. Philips is pretty common these days and a decent #2 Philips is probably your most used size. Many of the newest devices use square drive or robertson tips. They give very good positive grip on the screw heads. This set from Klein http://astore.amazon.com/handyguys-20/detail/B000MKMIH6 is top of the line and wont break the bank. It includes all the sizes you would need except the square drive The square drive http://astore.amazon.com/handyguys-20/detail/B00093D6YU can be bought separately. This square drive screwdriver also has a little hook right below the handle for bending wire. It really speeds up the job of putting in outlets and switches because you do not need to reach for your pliers to put the bend on the end of a wire you are going to terminate. Pliers Get the best pair of linemans pliers http://astore.amazon.com/handyguys-20/detail/B0000302W6 you can buy. Cheap ones will dull, chip and generally frustrate you . They are used for many things from cutting, twisting, crimping and pulling. Strippers - You can strip wire with a pocket knife or even your linemans pliers. A tool dedicated to the task will be easier and faster. http://astore.amazon.com/handyguys-20/detail/B00080DPNQ Miscellaneous In the podcast we also go into a lot of other items such as wire nuts, screws, crimps, clamps, staples and so forth. If you want links to any of that just use our contact form and we will get them for you. Tips Have some extra screws handy. 8/32 and 6/32 will be the most common size. For fishing wire the author uses a 10 piece of pex tubing. Read the article for how that works. When the power goes out. The music provided at the beginning of this segment is from Mevio s Music Alley. Check it out at music.mevio.com When would you use a portable generator and when would you want a standby generator? The Handyguys discuss the options and pros and cons of different types. Bottom line - when using a portable generator make sure you follow all of the safety rules provided in the owners manual. This post is sponsored by erento - Whatever the magnitude or complexity of the project you wish to undertake, online tool hire will provide you necessary tools and equipment. Click these icons to share, thanks: