Simple Solutions

  • Save Fascia Board – Prevent blistered paint and rot with a 3/8-in.-thick x ¾-in.-wide strip of PT wood, or better yet, a strip of composite or plastic lumber, and slip it behind the existing metal drip edge. That will kick out the drip edge and divert rainwater into the gutter, not down the face of the fascia.
  • Clay Pot Tips – Clay flowerpots are affordable and attractive, but they can also be detrimental to plants. That’s because the porous nature of clay absorbs water away from the plants, causing them to suffer, especially during the summer. Here are two ways to help clay pots retain moisture: 1) Brush a coat of exterior-grade varnish onto the inside of the pot. 2) Stuff a sponge into the bottom of the pot.

Best New Product

Battery backup lights are required in most commercial environments, but now you can have the same convenience at home – simply by changing a lamp bulb. The Feit Electric IntelliBulb Battery Backup LED Bulb looks like a regular 40-watt bulb you would see in a lamp, but it includes an emergency battery backup that provides up to three hours of reliable lighting when the power goes out. The internal battery charges as it lights the room, so as long as you turn it on regularly it’s always charged. The bulb fits a standard socket and can be recharged again and again. If you have one in each room you’ll never have to worry about being left in the dark again.

You can purchase this product at The Home Depot.

  • Melody in MS: We have a new construction brick home (St. Lorraine is the brick color). When it rains, the mud splashes up on the bottom part of the brick. Now the bricks are slightly discolored. How can we clean them so the bricks will return to their original color?
  • Steve in WA: I have concrete gutter/drain in my driveway that is too deep. The car frequently bottoms out when leaving home. It is about 2 feet wide and 2″ deep in the center, tapering off to no depth at the edges. I currently have a 2×10 board in the gutter, but that moves. I want to put in something that will stay put. Is Quikrete the answer? I figure I will need about 3.5 cu. ft.
  • Madeline in FL: Our cultured marble vanity has a dark yellow stain left behind from a metal shower door frame. How can we remove this stain?
  • Debbie in CA: I inherited my dad’s house. I’ve been upgrading everything I can and doing most of it myself. Popcorn ceilings, better light switches, new curling fans, updating the kitchen, etc, but the thing that worries me the most are the stucco cracks. I don’t know how to fill and fix them so that I can start painting the outside. Can you help?
  • George in PA: I will be putting a new roof on my ranch home within a year or two due to excessive black algae stains. The roof is about 13 years old. I am thinking about a GAF Ultra HD asphalt shingle which carries a 25-year warranty against those algae stains, an Atlas shake shingle which offers a lifetime warranty against algae staining, or a metal roof shingle, preferably steel, because it won’t dent as easily compared to aluminum. I am 60 years old and don’t want to re-roof again. Which is my best option?
  • Diana in TN: I have a vinyl drop-in bath and shower unit. The surface of the tub has a spot that keeps coming back within 24 hours of cleaning it. What could be causing this, and can it be fixed?
  • Betty in SC: I made a really cool wall design of a firefly out of tile, and I’d like to hang it on the outside wall of my mother’s home. The house is older, and I believe it’s made of lath and plaster or concrete.

danny lipford

Danny Lipford is among the country’s most sought-after home improvement experts.

The seasoned remodeling contractor and media personality served as the home improvement expert for CBS’s “The Early Show” and The Weather Channel for over a decade and has made more than 180 national television appearances on “Fox & Friends,” “Inside Edition,” “Morning Express with Robin Meade,” Fox Business Channel, Rachael Ray and more.

He travels the country making appearances as a brand ambassador and spokesperson, and each year contributes expertise to hundreds of popular magazines and online media outlets.

Editorial Contributors
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Danny Lipford

Founder

Danny Lipford is a home improvement expert and television personality who started his remodeling business, Lipford Construction, at the age of 21 in Mobile, Alabama. He gained national recognition as the host of the nationally syndicated television show, Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford, which started as a small cable show in Mobile. Danny's expertise in home improvement has also led him to be a contributor to popular magazines and websites and the go-to source for advice on everything related to the home. He has made over 200 national television appearances and served as the home improvement expert for CBS's The Early Show and The Weather Channel for over a decade. Danny is also the founder of 3 Echoes Content Studio, TodaysHomeowner.com, and Checking In With Chelsea, a décor and lifestyle blog.

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