Tip of the Week

Regular cleaning of your home’s exterior brass or copper finish, or decorative metal light fixtures will ensure the best outdoor lighting and enhance your home’s curbside appeal. If you have artisan, real brass or copper fixtures different cleaning methods will apply. Check out How to Clean Outdoor Lighting Fixtures for tips.

Hour 1

Amy in AL
I have two sections of sidewalk in front of my house that do not align and there is about 1/2 inch difference from one to the next. And there is a crack running diagonally through 3 other sections. At one end there is a slight drop from one piece to the next. Is the process of adding foam under the lower sections the recommended way to repair such a sidewalk? I would prefer not to have to dig out and replace the sections.

Lisa in GA
We are looking at using hardiplank on the outside of our house. Debating on doing the entire house or just repairing sections with it. Have you heard that if you patch areas that the sections next to it will deteriorate quicker due to the moisture diverting to them as the moisture barrier behind the hardiplank is better?

Lane in NY
I have a fairly new home (6 years) and I’m curious as to why the a/c drain line outside ends in an “L” that points upwards. I’ve never seen that before. Usually it points down. I’m having to clean it out all the time. Why is it like this? Is it supposed to be?

Skip
Our bathroom mirrors are glued to the wall. Is there a way to safely remove them without having broken glass all over?

Cary in AL
How do you repair a self-closing toilet seat? Ours is 3 years old & one of the fasteners has broken where it tightens to the bowl. I’ve searched for repair kits online & haven’t found any.

Ellen
House is less than 1 year old. The caulk between floor and wall of our tile shower has bad mold. It has been recaulked twice with same results in 2 months. Are they using wrong caulk? Obviously mold is getting behind the caulk.

Faylinn
I just had my garage door replaced and so I want to make sure that I take care of it so that it lasts a while. I definitely plan on keeping the door track, rollers, and chain lubricated. However, how often do I need to lubricate?

Arry
I have front steps with outdoor carpet that I want to remove. I’ve looked at different ways as to how to remove the glue. I know from experience how hard it is to remove and prepare the surface for painting, or whatever. I’ve looked at strippers, pressure washers, scraping, sanding, etc. Any suggestions?

Nikki
I am wanting to lay good quality laminate flooring over terra cotta tiles, all in good condition. I would like to know what I need to do when I am going past a bathroom doorway as the lip in the doorway needs to be higher than the flooring and the current one may not be. How do I overcome this issue please?

Hour 2

Toemika in SC
I have an older condo with a fireplace. I’ve never used it, but it has black metal where originally marble pieces were installed with Liquid Nails directly onto the metal. I would like to install stacked stone panels to cover the metal and stack from the marble hearth to the bottom of the mantel. What is the best way to install over the metal, and how? I’ve read conflicting ideas online, and I want to do this the right way. I’m planning to sell my condo in a few months.

Ian in VA
How do you bring the outlets out the thickness of the tile so you can put the covers back on?

Teresa in AL
I’m interested in adding an in-law suite. How do I get started?

Henry in AL
We have had two episodes of water leaks in our attic. They were caught quickly and repaired. Will the blown fiberglass insulation dry out OK by itself or are we at risk of mold growth?

Marie
We over-stained a kitchen table with non-oil based Minwax stain and it is still tacky. Most of the remedies address oil-based stain – will they also work for non-oil based stain? Will a gel stain over our tacky surface dry appropriately if we try that? Should we rub down with the mineral spirits, let dry, and then use the gel stain?

Joanna
Had 4″ slab poured. Waited a little more than a month, etched and stained it. Now when it’s humid moisture collects on top. It feels oily. What can we do to correct the problem?

Mark
I have ridge vent only running across the top of the roof. I have no soffit vents or eve vents on the side of the house. Will mounting an exhaust fan pointing toward the ridge vent push the air out helping cool down the attic space? How big of an exhaust fan do I need?

Sam
I have a dark walnut varnished table and wicker chairs that I would like to use as garden furniture. How can I safely restore this for outside use?

Editorial Contributors
avatar for Danny Lipford

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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