SHOW NOTES:

In this episode, learn how to choose firewood that maximizes heat and safety, discover the smart way to shop for a new furnace before an emergency strikes, and find out how to grow fresh veggies and herbs indoors all year long. Make your home cozy and efficient plus get more home improvement advice on today’s Money Pit!

- Firewood: Fuel your fire right with facts for choosing great firewood.

- Furnaces: Cut costs and stay warm by buying a new and more efficient furnace.

- Container Gardens: Enjoy herbs and vegetables all year long with an indoor container garden.

Q & A:

- Roofing: Insurance should cover damage from the leak in the seam of Steve’s flat roof, including fixing or replacing the ceiling, insulation, and roof, plus applying a mold inhibitor.

- Woodwork: Paula needs to repair old woodwork throughout her home. It’s a lot of work to replace it all, so we suggest cleaning, priming, and painting the molding.

- Heating: Virgil’s new energy-efficient furnace in his vacation home stopped working and everything froze. He should contact the contractor and the manufacturer to check the recommended venting installation.

- House Leveling: The main beam under the house is broken and the kitchen is sinking. Diana gets advice for bolting a new beam to the existing one instead of raising the floor.

- Plumbing: The basement toilet gurgles and won’t flush all the way. Rick should have a professional drainage company find and clear the blockage.

- Cleaning Concrete: What’s the best way to clean a concrete fireplace hearth? Sharon can scrub it with a TSP mixture, let it sit, and blot it dry or else consider a concrete stain.

- Flooring: John has no access to heat a small room over the crawlspace. He can either break through the wall to create space to insulate or add a layer of insulated subfloor.

- Windows: The seal is broken on George’s tinted glass window. We recommend replacing it with an ENERGY STAR-rated window with the right glass and coating.

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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