Home Repair Tutor

Latest Episodes:

017: Rotted Wood Fixes Mar 25, 2015

Show notes

Dan has a shed that is starting to rot at the bottom and he’d like to know what to do. His shed has a foundation, a concrete pad, and this is causing the wood to get mushy and crack. He like to know what he can do to strengthen the wood and paint it

Dan has several options including replacing pieces of rotted wood with Azek, which is PVC trim. It will never rot and can be painted.

Here’s Azek’s site

http://www.azek.com/

Dan could also try to repair the rotted would with Elmer’s Structural Wood Repair and Elmer’s Rotted Wood Repair.

Both of these products helped me repair rotted columns. You can check that out here

http://www.homerepairtutor.com/rotten-wood-repair-with-the-help-of-elmer/

Today’s Quick Tip is about cement step repair. This is something you likely have to do after a long winter. I’ve got a pretty awesome video tutorial that could save you hundreds of dollars

http://www.homerepairtutor.com/cement-step-repair/

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.

016: Vinegar and Baking Soda Cleaning Solutions Mar 23, 2015

Show notes

Today’s show discusses the best way to clean grout and tackles Judy’s cleaning question.

How can she neutralize vinegar so she can use OxiClean?

I answer Judy’s question and also mention a second way to clean tile and grout using 1/4 cup OxiClean with 2 Cups of warm water. This combined with a drill cleaning brush is an amazing way to clean floor tile.

My tutorial on how to use OxiClean and the cleaning brush is my most popular video tutorial.

Over 500,000 have watched the video over on YouTube

http://www.homerepairtutor.com/the-best-way-to-clean-grout/

Today’s Quick Tip is about Wet & Forget Shower. You can use this once a week to prevent soap scum and mildew. I did an 11 week experiment to see if it would work. Check that out by visiting

http://www.homerepairtutor.com/wet-and-forget-shower-experiment/

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.

015: Fixing Cracks in Drywall Mar 20, 2015

Show notes

Mike is frustrated with cracks in his drywall.

His house is about 13 years old and there are several cracks that have formed. So we talk about how he can approach this problem.

Today's Quick Tip deals with painting over stained drywall. Kill oil based primer is, in my humble opinion, the best for covering stains.

You can check it out by simply Googling Kilz primer

Do you have a question? Has it been bothering the heck out of you?

Ask away over at Home Repair Tutor

http://www.homerepairtutor.com/podcast/

014: Removing Popcorn Ceilings Mar 18, 2015

Show notes

Mark want's to know how to remove or replace a popcorn ceiling.

We discuss his options and refer him to a great tutorial from Brittany Bailey over at Pretty Handy Girl

Check out Brittany's tutorial on how to remove a popcorn ceiling

http://www.prettyhandygirl.com/scraping-your-own-popcorn-ceilings-its-a-messy-job-but-someones-gotta-do-it/

Today's Quick Tip is all about keeping your drywall tools clean.

Got a question?

Ask away over at Home Repair Tutor

http://www.homerepairtutor.com/podcast/

013: Kitchen Remodeling Ideas Mar 16, 2015

Show notes

Clair wrote in to ask about how she should approach remodeling her kitchen and dining room while living in her house.

So I gave her some advice that will hopefully be helpful

Today's Quick Tip discusses using Ditra for flooring projects.

Ditra is cool because it prevents tiles from cracking and can waterproof the floor.. Plus, it's not heavy (unlike cement board!)

You can check it out at

http://www.schluter.com/

Do you have a DIY question?

Head over to Home Repair Tutor and ask it

http://www.homerepairtutor.com/podcast/

012: Installing Kitchen Cabinet Hardware Mar 13, 2015

Show notes

Installing kitchen cabinet hardware can be tricky.

Albert wants to know the easiest way to add knobs and pulls. We talk about using templates and some other nifty tips that can make this a lot easier

You can make your own template or buy one. Check out these resources for wonderful suggestions

http://youtu.be/vd8kM0ebvGo

Liberty Template AN0191C-G-Q (check it out on Amazon.com)

http://www.familyhandyman.com/kitchen/diy-kitchen-cabinets/how-to-install-cabinet-hardware

http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/32719/build-a-simple-jig-to-drill-cabinet-handle-holes-perfectly

Today's Quick Tip explores removing caulk or sealant.

You might like this tutorial because it explores how to remove caulk without chemicals

http://www.homerepairtutor.com/easily-remove-silicone-caulk/

But if that doesn't work, Lift Off could be an option for you

http://liftoffinc.com/

Got a question?

Ask away over at Home Repair Tutor

http://www.homerepairtutor.com/podcast/

011: Light Switch Wiring Tips Mar 11, 2015

Show notes

Learning how to wire a light switch is a good thing.

Cindy had a question about a recent tutorial over on Home Repair Tutor. We give her an answer and several tips everyone should know when wiring a new light switch.

Check out this tutorial to see a step-by-step video on how to wire a light switch in no time

http://www.homerepairtutor.com/how-to-wire-a-light-switch/

If you're interested in the Adorne switch in the video here's a link to their site

http://www.legrand.us/

Today's Quick Tip discusses one of my favorite tools when wiring new receptacles. It's a receptacle analyzer and costs about $10 but is totally worth it.

Here's an analyzer you might want to check out

http://www.kleintools.com/catalog/electrical-testers/gfci-receptacle-tester

And if you'd like to see a video tutorial on how to wire an electrical outlet here you go

http://www.homerepairtutor.com/how-to-wire-an-electrical-outlet/

Got a question?

Ask it over on Home Repair Tutor

http://www.homerepairtutor.com/podcast/

010: Cigarette Burns and Hard Water Mar 09, 2015

Show notes

Cigarette burns are disgusting. And a pain to repair.

Danny has a bathroom countertop that was burned by a tenant's cigarette. We explore his options but also imagine who would be smoking in the bathroom!!!

Here's a link to the Rust-Oleum Countertop Coating we discuss

http://www.rustoleum.com/product-catalog/consumer-brands/specialty/countertop-paint

Today's Quick Tip shares how to remove hard water deposits from faucets. It's pretty darn simple.

Check out this video tutorial for more details

http://www.homerepairtutor.com/how-to-remove-hard-water-deposits/

Do you have a question like Danny?

Ask it over on Home Repair Tutor and get an answer

http://www.homerepairtutor.com/podcast/

009: Ceiling Fan Light Switch Fix Mar 06, 2015

Show notes

Ceiling fan fixes can be pretty simple or a pain in the butt.

Today's question is from Paul and he's running into a wiring issue.

The Quick Tip discusses how to swap out a bad ceiling fan pull chain. The part costs about $4 and takes all of 15 minutes to replace.

Check out this video tutorial on ceiling fan pull chain fixes

http://www.homerepairtutor.com/ceiling-fan-light-repair/

This video is for Paul, who might need extra help with his ceiling fan light switch wiring

http://youtu.be/GxFabU-PVWQ

Do you have a question like Paul?

Visit me over on Home Repair Tutor and ask away

http://www.homerepairtutor.com/podcast/

008: Unclogging a Bathtub Mar 04, 2015

Show notes

Unclogging a bathtub involves a few different tasks.

Kathy's tub is draining slowly and she wants to know how to fix it.

We dive into 3 different scenarios that might be causing her problem.

Today's Quick Tip discusses a great way to fix chipped bathtubs or sinks.

It involves a product called Porc-a-Fix

Visit this site for more info

http://www.fixture-fix.com/

I have a tutorial on a simple way to unclog a bathtub, although Kathy already tried this method I figured it might help you

http://www.homerepairtutor.com/unclog-bathtub-drain/

Do you have a question like Kathy?

Visit me over on Home Repair Tutor and ask away

http://www.homerepairtutor.com/podcast/

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