Home Repair Tutor

Latest Episodes:

027: Bathroom Sink Leaks Apr 17, 2015

Show notes

Susie recently installed a new faucet but it has a drain leak.

She’d like to figure out how to stop this leak without calling a plumber.

One of my biggest tips is to make sure the extension tube is 1 1/2 inches down in the P-trap and the plastic washer between the P-trap/extension tube is positioned the right way.

Also, if the slip nut is cross threaded then the P-trap will leak no matter what.

I actually have a great tutorial over on Home Repair Tutor that I forget to mention in the show

http://www.homerepairtutor.com/how-to-replace-a-bathroom-faucet/

The video walks you through this installation step-by-step and has tons of details.

Here’s the link to join our private Facebook group

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrtcommunity/

Today’s Quick Tip is about Hydro Ban.

Hydro Ban is a great way to waterproof shower surrounds.

You can brush Hydro Ban onto cement board and create a waterproof shower before tiling.

Check it out over on Laticrete’s website

http://www.laticrete.com/dealers/products/waterproofing/productid/7.aspx

Microbes is in Hydro Ban which also helps thwart the growth of mold.

Hydro Ban is totally cool and you should check it out if you’re remodeling your bathroom.

Submit your DIY question or Quick Tip by

Calling me at 800-965-0023

Visiting http://www.homerepairtutor.com/podcast/ and use the SpeakPipe recorder

Or signing up to my email newsletter and responding back to me

Are you tired of calling contractors about your bathroom and not getting a phone call back?

Check out Bathroom Repair Tutor

http://bathroomrepairtutor.com/

Our memberships are limited to 100 people on a monthly basis. You get access to the video tutorial library and our great private Facebook group where you can post questions and get answers.

This is a passion project meant to help people with their bathroom problems, hope you like it

026: Shower Valve Replacement Apr 15, 2015

Show notes

Chris wants to know how to replace his shower valve?

Can he do this from inside the shower or does he need an access panel?

Should he just call a plumber?

I recommend replacing shower valves from the back of the shower or tub. It’s much easier to cut the copper and solder the pipes back together.

But you can just replace the cartridge and escutcheon if your valve isn’t that old

Here’s a great video from This Old House on how do this

https://youtu.be/1BwQhYc8Efw

Now, if you want constant temperature in the shower you might want to replace the old valve.

This video, again from This Old House, shows how to install a new Pressure-Balance shower valve

https://youtu.be/7cpl_qs5heI

If you need a tutorial on how to use SharkBite fittings instead of soldering check out SharkBite’s website

http://www.sharkbite.com/

Today’s Quick Tip is about Soldering.

Do you fear burning down your house?

Don’t.

All you need is to practice with some spare fittings and Type L copper pipe, which is thicker and better than Type K copper.

For more help check out my tutorial on how to solder copper over on Home Repair Tutor

http://www.homerepairtutor.com/how-to-solder-copper-pipe/

After watching my video tutorial you’ll be able to solder in 1 hour.

Submit your DIY question or Quick Tip by

Calling me at 800-965-0023

Visiting http://www.homerepairtutor.com/podcast/ and use the SpeakPipe recorder

Or signing up to my email newsletter and responding back to me

Are you tired of calling contractors about your bathroom and not getting a phone call back?

Check out Bathroom Repair Tutor

http://bathroomrepairtutor.com/

Our memberships are limited to 100 people on a monthly basis. You get access to the video tutorial library and our great private Facebook group where you can post questions and get answers.

This is a passion project meant to help people with their bathroom problems, hope you like it

025: Patching Stucco Apr 13, 2015

Show notes

Celene needs help with a stucco patch.

Her furniture was blown into her stucco and created a small hole about 1-2 inches wide.

I recommend getting Quikrete’s premixed stucco patch

http://www.quikrete.com/ProductLines/StuccoPatchPreMixed.asp

Since she lives in California (where there’s a lot of stucco) there’s a good chance Home Depot will have this product.

She should also feather out the stucco patch with a stiff brush or sponge then paint with an elastomeric paint specifically made for stucco.

Today’s Quick Tip is about cleaning gutters and downspouts.

Do this twice a year, once in the Spring (April) and once in the fall (November).

This will prevent water from coming into your house and ruining drywall or finished basements.

It doesn’t cost all that much to have someone do it for you, $40-$75 here in Pittsburgh.

Submit your DIY question or Quick Tip by

Calling me at 800-965-0023

Visiting http://www.homerepairtutor.com/podcast/ and use the SpeakPipe recorder

Or signing up to my email newsletter and responding back to me

Are you tired of calling contractors about your bathroom and not getting a phone call back?

Check out Bathroom Repair Tutor

http://bathroomrepairtutor.com/

Our memberships are limited to 100 people on a monthly basis. You get access to the video tutorial library and our great private Facebook group where you can post questions and get answers.

This is a passion project meant to help people with their bathroom problems, hope you like it

024: Tiling a Kitchen Backsplash Apr 10, 2015

Show notes

Carmen would like to install a kitchen backsplash.

She’d like some tips on how to do this on a 5 x 3 section of her kitchen wall behind the stove.

I recommend that she use a tile wet saw, this will make cutting tile EASY.

Renting a tile saw costs $30-$50 per day.

If you go this route make sure the saw has a new blade, otherwise your tile will have choppy edges.

Planning a tile backsplash takes time. But this is the most important part.

Use a notebook or graph paper to get the dimensions perfect.

I also recommend looking into 3 different ways to adhere the tile to the wall.

1. Mastic

2. Bondera (http://buybondera.com/)

3. Thin-set

Personally I like thin-set but the other two options are good for kitchens.

Today’s Quick Tip is about Fusion Pro grout.

Fusion Pro is great for DIYers because it comes pre-mixed and takes the mystery out of grout consistency.

Plus it’s stain proof and doesn’t need to sealed.

Fusion Pro is perfect for floors and walls, especially kitchen backsplashes.

Check out Fusion Pro over on Custom Building Product’s site under Grouts the Single Component Grout

http://www.custombuildingproducts.com/homeowners.aspx

Always feel free to ask me a question in the comment section over on Home Repair Tutor or join our private Facebook Group where you can post your pics and questions

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrtcommunity/

You can submit your DIY question or Quick Tip by

Calling me at 800-9656-0023

Visiting http://www.homerepairtutor.com/podcast/ and use the SpeakPipe recorder

Or signing up to my email newsletter and responding back to me

Are you tired of calling contractors about your bathroom and not getting a phone call back?

Check out Bathroom Repair Tutor

http://bathroomrepairtutor.com/

Our memberships are limited to 100 people on a monthly basis. You get access to the video tutorial library and our great private Facebook group where you can post questions and get answers.

This is a passion project meant to help people with their bathroom problems, hope you like it

023: Fixing Concrete Driveway Cracks Apr 08, 2015

Show notes

Paul’s driveway has developed cracks.

He’d like to know how to fix the small cracks and fill in the expansion joints.

Small cracks can be filled in with Quikrete or Sakrete concrete crack filler.

Visit their sites and search for concrete crack filler

http://www.quikrete.com/

http://www.sakrete.com/

Expansion joints are the large joints between two adjacent concrete slabs. They exist to prevent the slabs from cracking during severe hot or cold situations.

Sealing the joints is necessary to prevent water from getting down underneath the concrete. If this happens during the winter the concrete can crack if the water freezes.

NOT GOOD.

I actually have a tutorial on how to fill in expansion joints with foam backer road and SikaFlex, which is a self-leveling sealant.

http://www.homerepairtutor.com/concrete-expansion-joints/

Always feel free to ask me a question in the comment section over on Home Repair Tutor or join our private Facebook Group where you can post your pics and questions

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrtcommunity/

Today’s Quick Tip is about Olympic Elite Woodland Oil.

It’s easy to apply to pressure treated wood but first clean the wood surface.

I have a great tutorial with before and after pics over on Home Repair Tutor

http://www.homerepairtutor.com/staining-pressure-treated-wood/

The tutorial explains why I chose this over other stains or sealants.

CLUE: no stripping!!

You can submit your DIY question or Quick Tip by

Calling me at 800-9656-0023

Visiting http://www.homerepairtutor.com/podcast/ and use the SpeakPipe recorder

Or signing up to my email newsletter and responding back to me

Are you tired of calling contractors about your bathroom and not getting a phone call back?

Check out Bathroom Repair Tutor

http://bathroomrepairtutor.com/

Our memberships are limited to 100 people on a monthly basis. You get access to the video tutorial library and our great private Facebook group where you can post questions and get answers.

This is a passion project meant to help people with their bathroom problems, hope you like it

022: Concrete Driveway Cleaning Apr 06, 2015

Show notes

Shelly wants to know an easy and safe way to clean here concrete driveway.

She recently power washed it but noticed it became pitted after doing so.

I recommend using Wet and Forget Outdoor for patios, driveways, and siding. This is a surfactant that you mix with water and apply with a garden sprayer.

You can find more information about Wet and Forget Outdoor here

http://www.wetandforget.com/

Wet and Forget uses the rain, sun, and wind to clean the top of driveways. It takes a little time but is totally worth it.

A second product Shelly could try is Quikrete’s Concrete and Asphalt Cleaner.

Find out more about this here

http://www.quikrete.com/

Today’s Quick Tip is about Ortho’s Home Defense Fly Bait Decals.

Flies can be a huge issue inside any house. Take our house for instance, we’ve had a fly issue for several months (I’m embarrassed to say the exact number of months!!!).

Place these decals on your window and as the flies walk on it they are killed in about 1 minute. Flies won’t stick to the decal.

This is a great option if you’re dealing with flies issues.

I finally got an 800 number, woohoo!!

You can submit your DIY question or Quick Tip by

Calling me at 800-9656-0023

Visiting http://www.homerepairtutor.com/podcast/ and use the SpeakPipe recorder

Or signing up to my email newsletter and responding back to me

Are you tired of calling contractors about your bathroom and not getting a phone call back?

Check out Bathroom Repair Tutor

http://bathroomrepairtutor.com/

Our memberships are limited to 100 people on a monthly basis. You get access to the video tutorial library and our great private Facebook group where you can post questions and get answers.

This is a passion project meant to help people with their bathroom problems, hope you like it

021: Fix Running Toilets Apr 03, 2015

Show notes

Shack has a running toilet and the fix couldn’t be any easier. It sounds like his toilet tank has too much water in it…so, how does this get fixed?

Most toilets have a float on the fill valve. This float controls the water level in the toilet tank. If you adjust the float you’ll adjust the water level, which should be about 3/4” to 1” below the overflow pipe in the center of the tank.

I’ve got a really good video tutorial on this over on Home Repair Tutor

http://www.homerepairtutor.com/how-to-fix-a-running-toilet/

This is a project anyone can do.

Today’s Quick Tip is discusses the Ridgid Copper Pipe Cutter Model No. 15.

If your’e doing any kind of plumbing work that involves copper pipe you need one of these cutting tools. It come with an extra cutting wheel and has a reamer on it to ream out the cut copper pipe.

I give away tools like this over on Home Repair Tutor, so be sure to visit

http://www.homerepairtutor.com/

You can submit a Quick Tip or Question 3 ways:

Call me at 412-347-8711

Visit http://www.homerepairtutor.com/podcast/ and use the SpeakPipe recorder

Or signup to my email newsletter and respond back to me

If you want to update your bathroom you might want to check out Bathroom Repair Tutor

http://bathroomrepairtutor.com/

Our memberships are limited to 100 people on a monthly basis. You get access to the video tutorial library and our great private Facebook group where you can post questions and get answers.

020: Moldy Drywall Cleaning Apr 01, 2015

Show notes

Kareen has mold on her drywall and would like to know how to remove it. This is a pretty common problem for most homes, especially on exterior walls where warm air condensates.

The first thing to do with any mold situation is to figure out where the moisture is coming from. Fix the moisture source and then remove the mold.

I recommend using Concrobium because it removes the mold and kills the spores that have embedded into the drywall.

Check out Concrobium here

http://www.concrobium.com/

Today’s Quick Tip is courtesy of Steve who uses sulfamic acid to remove thin-set that has oozed between grout joints.

Add 2 teaspoons of sulfamic acid to 16 oz of water. Mix the solution for 30-60 seconds, put on a respirator, apply the solution to the grout joints and tile, let it sit for 10 minutes and scrape out the thin-set using a carpet knife.

Just make sure to test this solution on a scrap piece of tile to ensure it won’t ruin the tile. Especially if you have slate, marble, or travertine tile.

You can submit a Quick Tip or Question 3 ways:

Call me at 412-347-8711

Visit http://www.homerepairtutor.com/podcast/ and use the SpeakPipe recorder

Or signup to my email newsletter and respond back to me

If you want to update your bathroom you might want to check out Bathroom Repair Tutor

http://bathroomrepairtutor.com/

Our memberships are limited to 100 people on a monthly basis. You get access to the video tutorial library and our great private Facebook group where you can post questions and get answers.

019: Washing Machine Problems Mar 30, 2015

Show notes

Harry’s washing machine isn’t working and he can’t figure out how to remove the front panel. This is a pretty common issue, that is not knowing how to disassemble a washing machine.

So we walk through how to do this step-by-step and I also have a tutorial showing you how to do this on a standard washing machine in case you’re interested

http://www.homerepairtutor.com/fix-a-leaking-washing-machine/

This is a good thing to know because in order to fix certain things in a washing machine you need to access the inside.

Today’s Quick Tip is about using steel braided supply lines. You can use steel braided supply lines for washing machines, toilets, faucets, and dishwashers.

You’ll want to replace rubber supply lines with steel braided ones because rubber supply lines have a tendency to burst or break at the worst time, like when you’re on vacation!!

You can submit a Quick Tip or Question 3 ways:

Call me at 412-347-8711

Visit http://www.homerepairtutor.com/podcast/ and use the SpeakPipe recorder

Or signup to my email newsletter and respond back to me

If you want to update your bathroom you might want to check out Bathroom Repair Tutor

http://bathroomrepairtutor.com/

Our memberships are limited to 100 people on a monthly basis. You get access to the video tutorial library and our great private Facebook group where you can post questions and get answers.

018: Toilet Shutoff Valves Mar 27, 2015

Show notes

Anne’s toilet won’t stop running even after she turns it off at the shutoff valve. What the heck is going on?

We channel Magnum PI and do some detective work to figure out what could be the issue.

Shutoff valves don’t last forever and I think this is Anne’s problem, but there could be another scenario.

The tool for removing ferrules from around copper pipes is called the Pasco 4661 Compression Sleeve Puller.

Just google the Pasco 4661 Compression Sleeve Puller, for some reason Pasco doesn’t have a website.

Today’s Quick Tip is about how to use SharkBite push on plumbing fittings instead of soldering pipes. These little guys have been around for several years.

If you’ve got a leak in your copper pipe you could cut out the bad section and use a SharkBite fitting to solve the problem.

One of my tutorials will show you just how easy it is to work with SharkBite fittings, check this out

http://www.homerepairtutor.com/using-push-fit-plumbing-pipe-connectors/

SharkBite’s website also has some great video tutorials

http://www.sharkbite.com/

The Home Repair Tutor Podcast comes out on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

You can submit your question 3 ways:

Call me at 412-347-8711

Visit http://www.homerepairtutor.com/podcast/ and use the SpeakPipe recorder

Or signup to my email newsletter and respond back to me

If you want to update your bathroom you might want to check out Bathroom Repair Tutor (http://bathroomrepairtutor.com/).

Our memberships are limited to 100 people on a monthly basis. You get access to the video tutorial library and our great private Facebook group where you can post questions and get answers.

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