Today’s Homeowner Radio
Listener Questions
Alice in Michigan says, “Glued ceiling drywall was the “thing” when our house was built 43 years ago. After a few years, the glue dried out and ceilings began to drop. Our insurance paid to replace the living room ceiling, but the rest of the house was “double screwed”. Blown-in insulation had gotten between ceiling joists and the drywall before it was double screwed. Is there anything we can do to assure that the ceiling will stay? We’ve filled a few holes where apparently the drywall dropped a bit. I have attached some pictures of where nails are starting to show through the ceilings. We greatly appreciate any help you can give us.”
Mounting a Range Hood onto a Granite SlabKaren in Tennessee says, “We are installing a full granite slab from counter to top ceiling on one wall where range hood will sit. What is the correct order for this? I’ve seen various posts for tile, but not for full granite slab. Do we mount range hood on top of granite (so nervous drilling into granite!) or do we mount hood on something (plywood to build it up to sit flush with granite?)”
Insulating a CellarMarj in New York says, “I need your help. We built a new house in 2006. We found a builder using our local family-owned lumber company, however, our builder took off before finishing the house. We need to insulate our cellar so that we can get a certificate of occupancy. My husband and I will be installing the insulation. A friend advised us that the easiest way to insulate our cellar is to use blanket insulation. What is this and where can I get it. Can you offer us any advisement?”
In One Drain and Out the OtherDavid in Texas says, “I have two sinks in the small bathroom. When I spit out toothpaste in one sink, some of the toothpaste comes up in the other sink. Both sinks drain well. I Took the pipes apart, but only p-traps had water in them. What is wrong?”
Vines vs. VinegarTony in Alabama says, “We have a beautiful older home that was covered with vines. We have removed them off our walls, but need to know how to kill them so they do not grow back. So far I have tried vinegar, but it does not seem to be working. Do you have any suggestions?”
Simple Solutions
Easy Carpet Removal
Next time you need to remove wall-to-wall carpeting, make the job go much faster and easier by first slicing the carpet up into manageable size squares.
DIY Shoe RackTo keep shoes and boots from tracking dirt and mud into your house, make a shoe rack for the garage. All you need is a 1×4 and some coat hooks.
Best New Products
WD-40 Just Got BetterWhen a product is as iconic and widely loved as this one there’s no need to change it, right? Well, yes and no. The formula inside this can is the same one you’ve trusted for decades. It’s VOC compliant in all 50 states and useful for dozens of jobs around the house, workshop, and garage. What the folks at WD-40 have changed is the packaging, called WD 40 EZ Reach to make it easier for you to use their formula in a variety of ways.