The Money Pit Home Improvement Podcast

By Leslie Segrete

Does your home ever feel like “a Money Pit?” It doesn’t have to be that way! As host of The Money Pit Podcast, a money pit is not a disaster – it’s a home you love! Whether ... more

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How many episodes does The Money Pit Home Improvement Podcast have?

The podcast currently has 2,179 episodes available.

Best of The Money Pit Home Improvement Podcast

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Number 1: #2583 – Preventive Maintenance | Common Homeowner Mistakes | Home Improvement Projects That Pay Off
SHOW NOTES: Welcome to the final episode of The Money Pit, where we celebrate more than 21 years of helping you turn your house into a home you love. In this bittersweet finale, Leslie Segrete and Jim Kenzie reflect on our many years of offering floorboards-to-shingles advice while honoring the legacy of our late friend and long-time co-host, Tom Kraeutler. Thank you for more than two decades of The Money Pit. And remember: you can do it yourself, but you don’t have to do it alone. - Preventive Maintenance: We emphasize that consistent home maintenance is the most vital habit for any homeowner, because small tasks like cleaning gutters or changing filters prevent the most expensive disasters. Remember, a home is a living thing that requires constant care and attention to truly reward its inhabitants. - Common Homeowner Mistakes: We do a review of the most common homeowner pitfalls we’ve seen on The Money Pit, such as the temptation to hire the cheapest contractor, which often leads to poor quality and higher costs in the long run. We also hear from listeners about water and moisture issues; make sure you address those, because they will never resolve themselves and only grow more destructive over time. - Home Improvement Projects That Pay Off: We detail home improvement investments that pay off every time, such as prioritizing energy efficiency through insulation and smart thermostats to increase comfort and reduce bills. Additionally, we recommend focusing on lighting upgrades and safety essentials like smoke alarms and secure railings to ensure a home is a place where families can thrive. Q & A: - George in Arkansas dealt with a chilly bedroom despite a 72-degree thermostat setting. We advise him to add 15 to 20 inches of insulation in his attic and use the back of his hand to find and seal drafts around window jams and outlets. - Cliff in Nebraska wanted to know how to make new wood picture frames look like weathered barnwood. We suggest burning the wood with a propane torch and using a wire brush to remove the soft char, creating a "driftwoody" texture before staining. - Lori in New Jersey asked how to treat a garage floor coated in thick oil and grease. The answer is to pressure wash the floor with a TSP solution and then apply a durable, two-part epoxy floor finish. - Lisa in Texas inquired about the safety of older two-prong outlets in her 1960s home. We explain that while they can be safe with adapters, it is much better to hire an electrician to upgrade the wiring to a modern, grounded system. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
December 29, 202540min
Number 2: #2456 – Mold or Mildew? Key Clues to Stay Safe | Invasive Plant Danger | Seal Gaps with Spray Foam
SHOW NOTES: Today, we’re talking about mold vs. mildew and why knowing the difference matters. We’ll also cover an invasive plant that’s threatening property values. Plus, discover how spray foam can help you seal gaps and save on heating costs like never before. Listen in for all this and more expert advice for all your home improvement questions! - Mold vs. Mildew: Is it mold or mildew? Get key clues to know the difference and keep your home safe. - Invasive Plants: This invasive plant species is causing serious problems for homes and properties across the U.S. - Spray Foam: A DIY spray foam kit offers an effective solution for sealing drafty gaps and saving energy. Q & A: - Cleaning: Can you clean grease stains from a garage floor? We advise Kathy to clean the floor with a TSP paste, then apply an epoxy paint finish that’s durable and easy to maintain. - Heating: Can Nathan use a wood-fired stove for in-floor heating? It can be done but will require more work to maintain, so an oil-fired boiler may be a better choice. - Painting Doors: A worker used canned spray paint to paint Anna’s doors and now they’re sticking! She gets tips on how to remove, strip, prime, and paint the doors again. - HVAC: Ed is concerned about a client who’s using cheap HVAC filters. We confirm that better filters are needed and dispel myths about any HVAC damage they may cause. - Deck Stain: Sue’s deck is peeling after she mistakenly applied latex stain over the oil-based stain. She’ll need to scrape the surface before using an oil-based primer and stain. - Fire Safety: Dave has questions about the danger of using reflective foil-faced insulation tape behind his heater. It’s an off-label use, so he should keep an eye out for potential risks. - Siding: Should Mary be using caulk on the nail holes and seams when installing concrete siding? She only needs to touch up any nail holes that have broken through. - Door Swing: Scott’s bathroom door blocks the light switch, but it would be easier to relocate the switch than to change the direction of the door swing. - Gutters: Esther needs to replace the gutters but is afraid of cracking the asphalt shingles. We recommend attaching the gutters directly to the fascia with gutter screws. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
October 10, 202438min
Number 3: 7 Home Upgrades for Under $1,000 | The Right Way to Fix Cracked Plaster Walls | Is Your Garage Door Frozen Shut? | Ep #2286
SHOW NOTES: Affordable Home Projects: Home upgrades can be expensive, but we’ve got 7 affordable home improvement projects that cost less than $1,000. Plaster Walls: Older homes have plaster walls instead of drywall, and cracks are common. Learn the right way to repair cracks in plaster walls. Garage Doors: Parking your car in the garage keeps snow and ice off the vehicle, but what happens if your garage door is frozen shut? Try these tips. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions. Frozen Pipes: Would a recirculating hot water system prevent pipes from freezing inside Julie’s old home? A better solution would be to blow insulation inside the walls to insulate the pipes. Tile Grout: Rust is seeping through the grout in a tile shower. The simplest thing Bill can do is replace it with some epoxy grout. Cleaning Laminate Flooring: Debra wants to know how to remove dried nail polish that spilled without damaging the laminate floor. Carefully using a small amount of nail polish remover should be fine. Wet Basement: Moisture in the basement is causing a bad odor throughout the house. Ed needs to improve the outside drainage, install a dehumidifier, and remove any paneling and carpet where bacteria may be lingering. Drain Odors: Joyce has a bad smell coming from her bathroom sink. She can kill bacteria by filling the sink with a bleach solution to run into the overflow holes or taking the trap apart and cleaning it well. Deck Tiles: The anti-slip coating on the deck is starting to wear off. Laura should check out the attractive composite tiles she can use to cover the deck instead. Clogged Toilet: Beth says the water in the toilet bowl is filling all the way to the top and emptying slowly. Sounds like a partial clog that needs to be cleared by a plumber. Sump Pump: Louis wants to know if his sump pump should be routed outside his house rather than into the sewer line. He’s correct and we recommend draining it at least 4 to 6 feet away from the foundation. Toilet Bowl Ring: A mysterious persistent black ring keeps returning in just one of Sparky’s toilets. We suspect there may be something different about the porcelain finish of that bowl and he might have to replace the toilet. Do you have a home improvement or decor question? Call the show 24/7 at 888-MONEY-PIT (888-666-3974) or post your question here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
February 23, 202337min
Number 4: Top Gift Ideas for Father’s Day, Picking the Perfect Mattress and Keeping Dangerous Radon Gas Away
Father’s Day is just ahead and whether you have to shop for a DIY Dad, Smart Home Dad or a Dad that loves crafts, Tom and Leslie have picks for all. Plus, have you shopped for a mattress lately? Learn how to sort between firm, pillow top, plush, gel, foam and more. Plus, radon is a deadly gas that can existing in the soil and find its way into your house. We’ll have tips to keep it out Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
June 08, 201644min
Number 5: How to Repair Cracks in Plaster Walls, Easy DIY Projects for Beginners, Improve Indoor Air Quality and more
Learn how to repair cracks in plaster walls properly so they don’t keep cracking again and again. Find out which DIY projects rate low on the difficulty scale so that you can get started as a beginner. Discover what indoor air pollutants you may be Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
February 26, 201643min