In the present day’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 Large by Putting in LVT Your self

Luxurious vinyl tile is a good possibility for owners in search of a sturdy, waterproof, and easy-to-clean flooring possibility.

Additionally, it’s one of the crucial reasonably priced flooring choices, making it a terrific alternative for budget-conscious owners. Joe researched the prices and right here’s what he discovered: 

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

So, in case you set up it your self, it may solely price 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 posh 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 relating to any underlayment. Relying on the kind you purchase, the underlayment may already be hooked up. 

Watch: Learn how to Simply Set up Luxurious Vinyl Tile

What to Do About Gaps in Crown Molding

That is the primary winter that Chris has spent in his new Alabama house, and he’s seeing the results 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 superb how a lot supplies in a house broaden and contract, and possibly nowhere is it extra evident than while you’re taking a look at crown molding.

The excellent news is these gaps will often shut on their very own as soon as hotter climate comes again round.

Nevertheless, in case 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 a substitute 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 however it gained’t be as deep or as noticeable. 

Hour 2

Hearken to be taught the simple option to take away acorns out of your yard, why a glass cooktop can shatter, what you might want to do to cowl terracotta tile and extra.

Eliminating an Acorn Overload

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

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

Right here’s what you should use to take away acorns 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 include 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 may be dear, so see in case you can lease 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 potential, 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.

Remember — eradicating acorns may be time-consuming and also you may have to repeat it as new acorns fall.

All the time 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 house owner says the tempered glass on his gasoline cooktop abruptly shattered the opposite day, despite the fact that the equipment 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 might probably shatter unexpectedly for a number of causes.

A number of the commonest causes of tempered glass shattering embrace:

• Improper set up: If the cooktop is just not put in accurately, it might probably put stress on the glass and trigger it to shatter. As an illustration, if the countertop is overlapping the cooktop, it may put some stress on the highest, ultimately inflicting it to shatter. 
• Thermal stress: If the cooktop or the glass is uncovered to speedy adjustments in temperature, comparable to from a sizzling pot being positioned on a chilly cooktop or vice versa, it might probably 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 that is so, report it to the producer.

You may name an expert to exchange the glass cooktop, however it could be costly. Think about changing the equipment with a range that doesn’t have a glass cooktop. 

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

• Don’t place a sizzling pot on a chilly cooktop or flip the cooktop on excessive and instantly place a chilly pot on it. This will trigger thermal stress and might 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 might probably scratch or chip the glass.
• Don’t place heavy objects, comparable to forged iron pans or strain cookers, on the cooktop as they will trigger influence injury.
• Clear the cooktop repeatedly with a light detergent and a non-abrasive sponge or material 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 might probably trigger the glass to overheat and shatter.
• All the time comply with the producer’s directions for the care and use of your cooktop.

Masking Terracotta Tile

A house owner has terracotta tiles all through her second-floor California condominium.

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

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

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

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

1. Vinyl flooring: Vinyl flooring may be put in over the prevailing tiles and is sturdy and straightforward to wash.
2. Engineered hardwood flooring: Engineered hardwood flooring may be put in over the prevailing tiles and supply a heat and pure look.
3. Laminate flooring: Laminate flooring may also be put in over the prevailing tiles and is offered in lots of kinds and colours.
4. Floating ground: A floating ground is a kind of flooring that’s not hooked up to the subfloor, this kind of flooring may be put in over the terracotta tiles and may 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 to your particular state of affairs.

Greatest New Merchandise

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

Easy Options

Pool-Toy Plumbing Instrument — Earlier than repairing most plumbing clogs, you should first take away any standing water. Now, you may 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: Learn how to Take away Standing Water From a Clogged Sink

Paint Display Saver — When utilizing paint from a beforehand opened can, it’s finest to move the paint by way of a filter to display 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 a substitute, use a chunk of vinyl insect screening. Reduce the display 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. When performed, rinse out the display with a backyard hose and put it aside for the subsequent paint job.

Watch: Learn how to Filter Paint Utilizing a Window Display

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