We spend more money heating and cooling our homes than just about any other expense. Tom and Leslie share new system that provides four times the efficiency of any other system on the market. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions.
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Super-Efficient Heating and Cooling

Does your home ever feel like “a Money Pit?”  It doesn’t have to be that way!  We’re Tom Kraeutler and Leslie Segrete, hosts of The Money Pit Podcast. For us, a money pit is not a disaster – it’s a home you love! Whether you’re dealing with a repair or dreaming about a reno, consider us your coach, helper or home improvement therapist for all things remodeling, decor or fix up! From bathrooms to basements, demolition to décor and gardening to garages, we share non-biased expertise to help you tackle your to-do’s with confidence. Taking care of a home can be a combination of love, pride and heart-stopping fear - but we promise to help you plan, save you money and spare you from snafus. Join us for new episodes every Monday and Thursday, just in time to plan your next home improvement adventure!

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SHOW NOTES:
In this podcast episode, we debunk a popular but misguided lawn care strategy for mowing your grass. We’ll also discuss why metal roofs are winning over homeowners by promising protection for decades, then delve into advancements in hardwood flooring. Tune in for insights on tackling your home improvement projects with expert guidance!
- Lawn Care: Follow these mowing tips to ensure a healthy lawn that is a cut above the rest.
- Metal Roofs: Steel the show by installing a metal roof for durability, style, and energy efficiency.
- Hardwood Floors: Easy-to-install hardwood flooring brings beauty and value to a home.
 
Q & A:
- Brick Adhesive: Debbie is struggling to remove glue around her brick fireplace. There’s no way to do it without ruining the surface, so we suggest installing new plasterboard over the brick.
- Attic Ventilation: Paul has a tile roof with gable vents and a roof-mounted AC unit. We discuss his best options for attic ventilation.
- Hardwood Floors: What’s the best way to refinish a worn hardwood floor? Joyce gets tips on lightly sanding the surface and applying an oil-based polyurethane.
- Plywood Siding: Dennis has T1-11 siding and wants to change it. He can simply install Tyvek and HardiePlank siding right over the old siding.
- Exterior Paint: The paint is peeling and flaking off Donna’s cedar shingles. She must pressure wash and scrape off the old layers of paint, then use an oil-based primer for good adhesion before repainting the cedar siding.
- Sink Finish: Matthew has one sink flange that corrodes every time it’s replaced. It’s an odd problem that may be caused by the water acidity and the quality of the flange finish.
- Insect Screening: Flies are coming in under the edges of a barn roof. Diane should install screening over any vent openings and have a professional apply pesticide for flies.
- Heated Tile Floor: How should electric heating be installed under a tile bathroom floor? Tim gets advice on subfloor options and piping for the heated floor system.
- Roof Vents: Debra has ceiling stains directly under the roof vent pipes. It’s easy to replace any flashing and rubber boots that are deteriorated and cracked.
 
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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#2405 – A Cut Above the Rest: Lawn Mowing Tips | Long-Lasting Metal Roofs | Better Hardwood Flooring

SHOW NOTES:
In this one-stop shop for all things home improvement, we’ll tackle the war against bathroom germs, explore the art of building a paver patio that lasts, reveal expert tips for restoring rotted wood, and answer more questions from callers. Whether you're a seasoned DIY enthusiast or a novice homeowner, this episode has something for everyone!
- Bathroom Germs: Experts are flush with ideas on the best way to stop the spread of bathroom germs.
- Paver Patio: Get some tricks of the trade on building a paver patio that will last for years to come.
- Rotted Wood: When wet weather leads to rotted wood, learn how to restore and rebuild the damaged areas.
 
Q & A:
- Windows: Amy thinks her windows are discolored from water damage, but it’s probably normal fading from sun and rain. Sanding and exterior polyurethane can restore the finish.
- Shower Plumbing: The shower temperature changes whenever the toilet flushes. Brad needs to install a pressure balance valve to regulate the mix of hot and cold water.
- Pest Control: Ick! Kelly wants to get rid of bugs, slugs, and rodents. She must seal any gaps, remove any food that may attract rodents, and hire a professional for general pesticide treatment.
- Mortar Repair: The mortar is breaking apart between the doorframes and limestone of Steve’s home. He gets tips on removing the loose mortar and how to repoint those areas.
- Tree Roots: Large tree roots in Kevin’s yard are a problem. We suggest covering them with natural landscaping solutions like mulch, soil, or groundcover plants.
- Electrical Outlets: Pat has questions about installing GFCI outlets in his kitchen. They’re good to have and we explain how they work and how he can do it.
- Sealing Concrete: Past flooding left cracks in Bonnie’s basement floor. She can use silicone caulk to seal them and add a two-part epoxy product over the surface.
- Plumbing Noise: Robert’s new faucet is making a trumpet sound! He get tips on checking the washer and aerator for obstructions before having to replace the faucet.
- Ventilation: After reshingling his roof, Ken gets advice about removing the power vent, adding ridge vents, and completely opening the soffits to improve ventilation.
 
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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#2404 – Flush Out Bathroom Germs | Patio Paver Perfection That Lasts | How to Restore Rotted Wood

SHOW NOTES:
Get the practical advice you need in this episode, with tips on constructing a raised garden bed, optimizing garage space, and troubleshooting vacuum issues. From gardening to storage to cleaning, we’ve got tips to help homeowners with these and other home improvement questions!
- Raised Garden Bed: Get tips on building a raised garden bed for the perfect DIY project.
- Garage Space: A new survey reveals how homeowners are optimizing garage space in creative ways.
- Vacuum Repairs: Find out what to do when your vacuum cleaner’s suction sucks.
 
Q & A:
- Crack Over Stairs: Anne is worried that cracks above her stairs are caused by her house shifting. She needs a home inspector who specializes in structural issues.
- Drain Pipe: The cast iron drain pipe under Dan’s basement floor keeps clogging. He can get it relined with a fiberglass sleeve without having to remove the pipe.
- Rusty Bathtub: Can an old rusty cast iron tub be restored? Margaret could have it reglazed by a professional, but it may be better to just replace the tub.
- Window Replacement: What should be included in the cost of window replacement? Michael gets advice on quality indicators, measurements, and more.
- Basement HVAC: Mark has questions about the radiant heating above his basement ceiling. We’ve got suggestions about drop ceilings and disconnecting the heating.
- Shower Plumbing: Jackie is replacing an old tub with a tile shower. She’ll need to have a plumber reroute a new diverter valve.
- Garage Door: Scott’s garage doors freeze when snow melts off the cars. New rubber gaskets that won’t stick to ice and installing garage floor tiles that drain will help the problem.
- Hardwood Floors: What is the best way to maintain new hardwood floors? We’ve got concerns about steam cleaning and suggest checking the manufacturer’s instructions.
 
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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#2403 – Green Thumbs Up: DIY Raised Garden Beds | Maximize Garage Potential | Vacuum Troubleshooting

SHOW NOTES:
Today’s show has tips for crafting your perfect outdoor living space, asking key questions before hiring a contractor, and choosing the best tile for your next project. Whether your DIY project is indoors or outdoors, we’ve got the answers you need for all your home improvement questions!
- Outdoor Living: Follow these 5 tips for creating the perfect outdoor living space.
- Hiring Contractors: Choose wisely by asking these 5 key questions before hiring a home improvement professional.
- Choosing Tile: Learn how to pick the best type of tile for your project.
 
Q & A:
- HVAC Water: Gail’s boiler provides both the heat and the hot water. She needs to find out how to set the mixing valve so the shower water won’t be too hot.
- Bathroom Vent: Mike wonders about connecting his bathroom fan vent to the plumbing vent. He can’t do that, but we’ve got tips on how to run the exhaust vent to the outside.
- Plumbing: A cracked waste pipe flooded the basement. Helen should file an insurance claim and hire a remediation company to clean up the sewage damage.
- Foundation Cracks: Pat has multiple big cracks in his foundation walls. He’ll need a structural engineer to address the problem and design the proper repairs.
- Odors: Mason can’t find the source of odors in his home. We have a few ideas and give him tips on steam cleaning the carpets and priming and painting the walls to seal them.
- Textured Wall Prep: Dave wants to tile over a textured bathroom wall. Sanding the surface will give him better adhesion to glue the tile right over it.
- Kitchen Cabinet Lazy Susan: The top shelf of an old kitchen cabinet carousel has dropped. Marge gets advice on how to find parts and try to repair it.
 
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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#2402 – Outside Oasis: 5 Tips for Outdoor Living Space | What to Ask Contractors | Choosing Tile

SHOW NOTES:
In this show, learn how to conquer clutter with a storage shed, decide between window repair versus replacement, and get expert advice and resources from a DIY guru and a leading retailer. Plus, we’ve got answers to lots more questions for all your home improvement projects!
- Storage Shed: Shed your outdoor clutter by building a backyard storage shed.
- Window Repair: This checklist helps you see clearly whether to repair or replace your windows.
- DIY Expert Advice: HGTV star and home improvement retailer offer advice for DIY projects.
 
Plus, answers to your home improvement questions.
- Mold: Karen has gotten some bad advice about mold on the basement walls. She must have samples tested to discover the correct mitigation plan to treat the mold.
- Water Heater: What’s the best kind of water heater for a large family? Mike should consider a tankless water heater to save energy and provide hot water instantly.
- Drafty Windows: Cold wind is blowing through Joyce’s apartment windows. She can seal the drafts by using shrink film or a temporary caulk.
- Jacuzzi Drain: A caustic cleaner burned the tub surface when Barry tried to clear the clogged drain. We have suggestions for different products that are better to use.
- Front Door: Rick just wants to replace his front door rather than the entire transom. We discuss the challenges and carpentry needed for the exact entry door replacement.
- Foundation Repair: Brenda’s poured cement basement walls are starting to crumble. She should hire a structural engineer to inspect the foundation and determine the best repair specifications.
 
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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Super-Efficient Heating and Cooling

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