At the moment’s House owner Radio Present Podcast | January 14, 2023

Hour 1

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

Save Massive by Putting in LVT Your self

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

Additionally, it’s probably the most inexpensive flooring choices, making it an amazing selection for budget-conscious householders. Joe researched the prices and right here’s what he discovered: 

Most individuals pay on common $1,400 to have 200 sq. ft of vinyl plank flooring put in. Nevertheless, you should buy luxurious vinyl for $2.50-$4 per sq. foot at The House Depot.

So, when you set up it your self, it may solely value you between $500-800. That’s a saving, on common, of $600-900 over a professionally put in job!

You don’t want any particular instruments to put in luxurious vinyl tile. A field cutter is all it takes to chop the tiles.

The primary mistake folks make when putting in is chopping it tight towards a wall. All floating flooring require an enlargement area — you’ll want anyplace from 1 / 4 inch to half an inch. 

Run the luxurious vinyl tile as much as the baseboard and canopy the hole with shoe molding. Simply you should definitely safe the shoe molding to the baseboard. 

Observe the instructions precisely concerning any underlayment. Relying on the kind you purchase, the underlayment may already be connected. 

Watch: The best way to Simply Set up Luxurious Vinyl Tile

What to Do About Gaps in Crown Molding

That is the primary winter that Chris in Alabama has spent in his new house, and he’s seeing the consequences of thermal enlargement. Over the previous months, he says vital gaps have proven up within the crown molding all through the home.

“Ought to I ask my builder to appropriate the problem? If the gaps are crammed will it trigger the molding to buckle when it will get hotter?” he asks.

It’s wonderful how a lot supplies in a house develop and contract, and doubtless nowhere is it extra evident than while you’re crown molding.

These gaps will often shut on their very own as soon as hotter climate comes again round. When you have some gaps which can be very pronounced, right here’s what you are able to do:

• Nail it in place: Use a nail gun to safe the crown molding to the wall.
• Fill it with caulk: As an alternative of utilizing conventional caulk, rigorously apply an acrylic latex caulk. The trick is to barely feed it into the cracked space, in order that when it does shut again, it stays versatile. The hole will nonetheless seem but it surely received’t be as deep or as noticeable. 

Hour 2

Hearken to study the straightforward solution to take away acorns out of your yard, why a glass cooktop can shatter, what it’s essential do to cowl terracotta tile and extra.

Eliminating an Acorn Overload

That is nuts! A home-owner says he has greater than 250,000 acorns in his entrance yard.

“Apart from raking, which I hate, how can I choose up the acorns? My self-propelled lawnmower doesn’t have the ability to select them up. Is there a chunk of apparatus appropriate for the job?” he asks.

Right here’s what you should use to take away from a yard:

1. Leaf blower: A leaf blower can blow the acorns right into a pile, making them simpler to gather. Bonus tip: Use a tarp to comprise the acorns whereas blowing them, making cleanup even simpler!

2. Garden vacuum: A garden vacuum can suck up acorns and take away them from the yard. These could be dear, so see when you can hire one, or rent a landscaper who owns one to make use of in your yard. 

To get rid of this drawback sooner or later, forestall the acorns from falling within the first place. If doable, take away the tree or prune it in order that it doesn’t produce as many acorns.

Some chemical therapies can forestall acorn manufacturing, however solely an expert arborist ought to apply them.

Be mindful — eradicating acorns could be time-consuming and also you would possibly have to repeat it as new acorns fall. At all times put on security gear to guard your self from falling acorns and pay attention to bugs or critters within the acorns or hiding within the tree.

‘Why Did My Glass Cooktop Shatter?’

A home-owner says the tempered glass on his gasoline cooktop out of the blue shattered the opposite day, regardless that it wasn’t on and he didn’t drop something onto it. 

“What would trigger that to occur?” he asks.

Tempered glass is designed to be robust and sturdy, however it could actually shatter unexpectedly for a number of causes. Among the commonest causes of tempered glass shattering embrace:

• Improper set up: If the cooktop is just not put in appropriately, it could actually put stress on the glass and trigger it to shatter. For example, if the countertop is overlapping the cooktop, it may put some stress on the highest, finally inflicting it to shatter. 
• Thermal stress: If the cooktop or the glass is uncovered to speedy modifications in temperature, corresponding to from a scorching pot being positioned on a chilly cooktop or vice versa, it could actually trigger thermal stress and trigger the glass to shatter.
• Manufacturing defects: Generally, tempered glass can have manufacturing defects that make it extra susceptible to shattering. If so, report it to the producer.

You’ll be able to name an expert to exchange the glass cooktop, but it surely could be costly. Contemplate changing it with a range that doesn’t have a glass cooktop. 

To stop a glass cooktop from shattering, comply with the following pointers:

• Don’t place a scorching pot on a chilly cooktop or flip the cooktop on excessive and instantly place a chilly pot on it. This could trigger thermal stress and may trigger the glass to shatter.
• Use cookware with flat bottoms to distribute warmth evenly and stop warping or bending.
• Don’t slide cookware throughout the cooktop, as it could actually scratch or chip the glass.
• Do =n’t place heavy objects, corresponding to forged iron pans or stress cookers, on the cooktop as they’ll trigger impression harm.
• Clear the cooktop repeatedly with a light detergent and a non-abrasive sponge or fabric to take away any filth, grime or stains.
• Use a stovetop cowl to guard the cooktop from scratches or stains when not in use.
• Don’t overheat the cooktop, as it could actually trigger the glass to overheat and shatter.
• At all times comply with the producer’s directions for the care and use of your cooktop.

Masking Terracotta Tile

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

“The floor is just too exhausting, very uncomfortable!” she says. “Can we now have extra snug flooring put in on high? It looks like elimination will likely be very costly, disruptive and noisy.”

As a result of conventional terracotta flooring has such an irregular floor, you’ll wish to apply a self-leveling underlayment to create a clean, even floor for putting in one other sort of flooring over it.

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

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

1. Vinyl flooring: Vinyl flooring could be put in over the present tiles and is sturdy and straightforward to wash.
2. Engineered hardwood flooring: Engineered hardwood flooring could be put in over the present tiles and supply a heat and pure look.
3. Laminate flooring: Laminate flooring can be put in over the present tiles and is on the market in lots of kinds and colours.
4. Floating flooring: A floating flooring is a kind of flooring that isn’t connected to the subfloor, such a flooring could be put in over the terracotta tiles and could be made of various supplies like laminate, engineered hardwood, or cork.

Seek the advice of with an expert flooring specialist to find out the most suitable choice in your particular scenario.

Greatest New Merchandise

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

Easy Options

Pool-Toy Plumbing Device — Earlier than repairing most plumbing clogs, it’s essential to first take away any standing water. Now, you would use a sponge or moist/dry vac, however right here’s an alternative choice: take a child’s water-squirting toy, generally known as a water blaster, and use it like a siphon pump. Merely place the nozzle of the toy into the water and draw again on the deal with to suck up the water. Then you possibly can squirt it right into a bucket, bathroom or tub. That is nice for sink clogs, bathroom clogs, or in case you have a malfunctioning washer that has water standing within the tub. 

Watch: The best way to Take away Standing Water From a Clogged Sink

Paint Display Saver — When utilizing paint from a beforehand opened can, it’s greatest to cross the paint by way of a filter to display screen out dried paint chips and different small bits of particles. You should purchase disposable paint filters, however they’re flimsy, not reusable and the paint flows by way of a lot too slowly. As an alternative, use a chunk of vinyl insect screening. Reduce the display screen about 12 or 14in. sq., safe it to a brand new, clear paint can with three small spring clamps, after which pour the previous paint by way of the display screen. When finished, rinse out the display screen with a backyard hose and reserve it for the following paint job.

Watch: The best way to Filter Paint Utilizing a Window Display

Additional Studying