The radio featured image is a split image. On the left is a picture of a front door to a brick house. The picture on the right is someone removing wallpaper and peeling it off the wall.
Learn simple fixes for filling in a gap in an entryway and removing wallpaper. (3 Echoes Content Studio)

    Hour 1

    Listen to this episode of Today’s Homeowner Radio Show to learn whether to leave weep holes open or closed, how to close a gap between a metal threshold and brick, and more!


    Why Weep Over Weep Holes

    A homeowner with a brick veneer home wants to know if he should seal weep holes or leave them open. (©ilbusca via Canva.com)

    A homeowner has a brick veneer house with weep holes level with the crawl space vent.

    Recently, he encapsulated his crawl space and installed a dehumidifier to eliminate excess moisture.

    After doing some research, he realized that weep holes should have flashing that keeps water from going where it can cause damage — and direct any water that goes through the bricks to the weep holes.

    However, he says, “I have no flashing, and the weep holes go directly into the crawl space. Do I cover the weep holes to prevent moisture from coming in, or should I leave them open?”

    First, the crawl space areas should be sealed off from the brick veneer, or there should be at least three to one-inch spacing in there. You will most likely never see water coming out of the weep hole because there is typically very little moisture. Weep holes are primarily intended for ventilation.

    We suggest taking an old screwdriver and putting it in the weep hole. Scratch it out and ensure there is no excess mortar or any insects causing buildup, but do not close up the weep holes.

    This situation is unique because the weep holes should not affect the crawl space. There should be sheathing behind the brick veneer. You should not be able to stick a wire through the weep hole and see it go into the crawl space; if so, there is a problem with the house.

    We would patch what you can with caulking to ensure the water goes out and not in and the crawl space is not open to the weep holes, but that may be very difficult because of spacing and accessibility.


    How to Fill a Gap Too Wide for Caulk

    This image is of a white front door of a brick house. It specifically focuses on the metal threshold.
    The gap between the metal piece and the brick of the front door is too wide to be filled with caulk. (3 Echoes Content Studio).

    A homeowner noticed that the gap between her brick and the metal threshold at her front door is too wide for caulk and is continuously getting wider.

    She asks, “How do I fill it in? How do I repair it properly?”

    It is common for the metal threshold and the brick rowlock to separate slightly. Usually, it is because the bricks needed to be cut longer. Those bricks must be very secure because that is a part of the house that will experience a lot of wear and tear with people constantly walking in and out. There will be no gap if the bricks are tight and secured well. But, if they are not done correctly, there will be movement.

    If the gap is small enough, use caulk to fill the gap. If it is too wide to use caulk, there is an alternative option. Use a backing rod and a foam roll to fit whatever size you need. Force it into the crack, and it can act as a filler. The best thing about it is it’s not going to rot.

    To ensure extra stability, take spray foam, known as Great Stuff. This spray makes the application process easy. You want to use a minimal expanding foam, sometimes called window or door foam, and use a latex typeThe reason for this is because it doesn’t expand as much as the original type. This is important because you don’t want it to push the threshold up, so you can’t close the door.

    Spray the spray, close the door, and lock it to ensure no one walks over it for at least five or ten minutes. This way, the door will keep it from lifting the threshold.

    Be careful not to get the spray on your hands because it is not easy to get off. Wear thin latex gloves.

    This page contains affiliate links. If you purchase a product from these links, we will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.


    Hour 2

    Listen to learn how to hang a picture on a stucco wall, remove wallpaper easily, fix a leaking toilet, and more!


    How to Hang a Picture on a Stucco Wall

    This image is a zoomed in picture of a stucco wall.
    If you have a wall like stucco or plaster, it is hard to hang pictures. (©mygtree via Canva.com)

    A homeowner moved into an apartment with stucco walls.

    She wants to know, “What do I do to hang pictures without them falling off the wall?”

    You will rarely find stucco walls inside, so the wall in question may be plaster or drywall. Either way, there are ways to hang pictures without them falling.

    Most of the time, you would use a lead anchor. If it is a stucco wall, we suggest drilling in with the appropriate-sized masonry drill bit and pushing the anchor in. Then put the screw or bolt you will hang the picture with, and it expands so that the soft lead is solid and holds up.

    Use epoxy glue to keep it from spinning and increase its strength for extra security.

    If it is a plaster wall, it is hollow, and you would use a hollow wall anchor molly bolt. There are other varieties, though, such as toggle bolts. Either of those will give you the strength you need to hang the picture.

    Further Reading:


    The Easy Way to Remove Wallpaper

    This image is a picture of someone peeling wallpaper off of an interior wall.
    Peeling off wallpaper can be difficult but use a simple recipe to create the perfect wallpaper-removing formula. (3 Echoes Content Studio)

    A homeowner has wallpaper that was put on without properly sizing the walls. She wants to remove it, but it will not budge.

    She asks, “How do I remove this wallpaper?”

    Removing wallpaper can be challenging, especially if sizing or something needs to be added to the wall. This allows the glue to soak into the pores of that wall, making it so difficult to remove, but there is a solution.

    A simple recipe we found works the best and can be found here. This wallpaper remover formula works well, but there is more that can take you one step further.

    It’s called a paper tiger. You rub it all over the face of the wallpaper, and it creates thousands of tiny holes in the wallpaper. That means when you spray the solution onto the wallpaper, it can soak through the face of the wallpaper and start to deactivate the glue.

    After you spray, cover it in very thin plastic. The beauty of this is it will stick right on the wall without using tape. Leave it overnight, then peel it off the next day. You will be amazed at how easy it will be to peel off, leaving the wall undamaged.

    If you don’t want to remove the wallpaper, there are ways to paint or texture over wallpaper.


    Tips for a Leaking Toilet

    This image is of someone fixing the internal parts of a toilet.
    Toilets are simple to fix once you figure out what is causing the issue. (3 Echoes Content Studio)

    A homeowner’s toilet was leaking, so he replaced the valve and flapper and thought that would fix the problem. About an hour after fixing the problem, the toilet began to fill up again, and it does that about every five minutes. It fills up and runs for about ten seconds and does this constantly.

    He says, “This is obviously wasting a lot of water, and I have tried everything I know to do.”

    Toilets are straightforward devices, but they can be challenging to figure out. The homeowner did all the right things, but the chain may have an issue. There are ways to fix a running toilet.

    There have been other problems in the past where the chain attached to the flapper is sometimes too long or too short. This affects the natural flow of the toilet closing down all the way. If it is too short, it may keep it from sitting very well on there. That is one potential problem; another is where it sits down on the drain. There could be a crack there or a buildup of some debris. To combat that, clean it very well with steel wool, allowing it to sit better.

    The flush valve seat may also be malformed from age, allowing water into the bowl. If that is the case and the flapper is straight and has no issues, you will have to fix or replace the flush valve seat.


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    Simple Solutions

    This image shows Simple Solutions' Joe Truini posing with pool noodles.
    Use pool noodles to insulate copper water pipes. (3 Echoes Content Studio)

    Pool Noodle Pipe Insulation—Here’s an effective and incredibly affordable way to insulate copper water pipes. Use a utility knife to cut a slit along the length of a pool noodle. Then, simply slip the noodle over the pipe. A 6-ft. pool noodle costs about $1; a 6-ft. length of rubber pipe insulation costs between $8 and $11. 

    This image shows blue couched in a living room.
    Use plastic water bottle to move your furniture anywhere you want with very little effort. (3 Echoes Content Studio)

    EZ Furniture Slider—Here’s a simple way to make moving heavy furniture a whole lot easier. Measure up about 3 inches or so from the bottom of four plastic water bottles, and draw a line around the bottle. Then, take a utility knife and cut along the line to remove the bottom of each bottle. Slip one severed bottle bottom onto each furniture leg, creating an easy-slide furniture glide. Now you can easily push the furniture across the floor—even on carpeting.


    Further Reading

    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.

    Learn More