SHOW NOTES:

This week, we weigh the pros and cons of rooftop solar panels and share a simple recipe for homemade spray dish soap. Then, transform your backyard with a DIY fire pit that’s made easy with Pavestone building blocks. Plus, get expert answers to more home improvement questions for your next project!

- Solar Panels: Sunny savings or sunken costs? Learn the truth about the ROI of rooftop solar panels.

- Natural Cleaner: Clean up the savings with a natural dish soap recipe for bubbles on a budget.

- DIY Fire Pit: Rock your yard with a DIY fire pit using simple stone building blocks.

Q & A:

- Concrete Slab: Should Lee reinforce a poured concrete slab with rebar? It can’t hurt, but may not be needed if the soil base is prepped right with a mechanical tamper.

- Cement Floor: Linda wants to refinish a cement floor in an industrial area. She’ll need to scrape off any existing paint and then apply epoxy paint to seal the surface.

- HVAC: The second floor is always either too hot or too cold. Most heat loss is caused by leaky ducts, so David should have a sealant applied to make the HVAC system more efficient.

- Tree Roots: Big tree roots are in the way of a new deck. Nancy will need a stump grinder to remove the roots and can use fewer points of contact for the deck foundation.

- Fireplace or Stove: Matt wants to replace an ugly hearth fireplace with a wood stove. We recommend getting some structural advice to avoid affecting the chimney integrity.

- Linoleum Flooring: Mindy’s old linoleum floor is peeling. She should pull up the linoleum and any other layers under it before installing a new floor.

- Foundation Leak: Water is pooling between the foundation and a retaining wall, then seeping into the basement. Richard should intercept the runoff with a curtain drain.

- Insulation: Steve is curious about radiant barrier insulation, which is designed to reflect UV rays. We explain concerns about overheating and shortening the life of his roof. 

ASK A QUESTION:

Need help with your own home improvement or décor question? We’d love to help! Call the show 24/7 at 888-MONEY-PIT (888-666-3974) or post your question here: https://www.moneypit.com/ask.

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