Is your home ready for summer? First, you’ll need to seal your home’s ‘envelope.’ Then, you’ll need to insulate your patio and set your ceiling fans to help stay cool.
Listen to the Today’s Homeowner Podcast for those and many more home improvement tips!
- [1:58] Remodeling and waterproofing a shower
- [5:05] What to do about cracks in kitchen cabinet doors
- [8:20] Best New Product: Ryobi 40-Volt, 20-Inch Brushless Push Mower
- [10:16] Tips for insulating a patio
- [14:42] Tips for summer A/C maintenance
- [18:14] How to set ceiling fans for summer cooling
- [18:37] The importance of sealing the envelope of a home
- [20:24] Putting in a post with concrete
- [24:40] Simple Solution: How to get all the paint out of a spray-paint can
- [27:22] Question of the Week: How to find the joists on a porch ceiling to install a swing
Question of the Week
Q: “The house my wife and I own has a porch with tongue-and-groove wood for a ceiling. There is ½-inch OSB board under the tongue and groove.
How do I find the joists to hang a swing from? I tried to get in through the attic, but we have spray foam insulation under our roof deck and there is a barrier between the attic and the area above the porch…”
A: A phone app called Wall Bot looks through walls and acts like a stud finder. But ceiling joists are almost never where you need them. So, we recommend holding a 2-by-4 cleat flat against the ceiling, screwing at least two joists, and then driving the bolt through it.
Simple Solutions
Brass Screw Tip — Small brass screws are beautiful and decorative, but they’re also soft, so it’s easy to strip the head or snap the screw in half. To prevent these problems, try this: First, drill a pilot hole, and then drive in a steel screw that’s the same size as the brass screw. What you’re doing is essentially threading a hole in the wood to accept the brass screw. Next, back out the steel screw and drive in the brass screw.
No-Clog Spray Painting — The spray tips on spray-paint cans clog very easily, making it virtually impossible to use all the paint that’s in the can. Here’s how to avoid clogs: First, after painting, turn the can upside down and press the tip until the spray runs clear. Then, pull off the tip and drop it into a jar of mineral spirits to soak. Next time you’re ready to paint, take the spray tip out of the mineral spirits, ream out the spray hole with the wire from a twist tie to remove any softened paint. Place the tip back on the can and start spraying.