Homeowners Drew and Roseanne Plash have made a lot of improvements to their 50-year-old house over the years. We’re going to make their to-do list a little shorter by tackling some common home maintenance and repair tasks on the outside of their home.
Power Washing
Power washing with high pressure water is a great way to clean the outside of your house, including siding, decks, patios, driveways, and sidewalks; but it’s important to not overdo it to prevent damage to softer surfaces.
The OneWash power washer from Generac is great for DIYers, since it has plenty of power for tough jobs but can be easily dialed back for more sensitive surfaces.
Start by using the power washer to apply cleaning solution to the surface, then change the tip and use the pressure washer to blast away dirt, mold, and mildew.
Watch our video on Pressure Washer Cleaning Tips to find out more.
Replace Rotten Doorsill
Exterior doorsills take a lot of abuse from the elements, so it’s not uncommon for rot to develop over time.
To repair the rotten doorsill on the Plash’s house, we cut the sill into sections, removed it, and cleaned out any rotten wood. Next, the hollow cavity under the sill was filled with Quikrete fast setting concrete mix.
When the concrete was dry, a new pressure treated wood door sill was cut to size and installed, and a new metal threshold to seal out drafts.
Watch our video on How to Replace a Rotten Entry Door Sill to find out more.
Repair Sagging Fence Gate
The wooden corner fence post next to the gate had warped over time, preventing the gate from closing. To solve the problem, a brace was used to hold the post plumb while a second 4”x 4” post was installed next to it and set in concrete.
Holes were drilled through the new post, and lag bolts used to join the two posts together, An anti-sag gate kit was installed to prevent the gate itself from sagging.
Watch our video on Installing an Anti-Sag Gate Kit to find out more.
Concrete Block Wall Repair
To repair cracked mortar joints in the concrete block foundation wall, the joints were filled with foam backer rod and covered with mortar repair caulk. The basement wall was then coated on the inside with Quikrete Masonry Waterproofer.
To keep rainwater from ponding against the house, a layer of topsoil was added against the foundation and covered with pine straw mulch.
Other Tips from This Episode
Simple Solutions with Joe Truini:
Trash Can Leaf Bag Holder
To hold a plastic bag in a trash can when filling with leaves, stretch a bicycle inner tube around the outside of the can and over the bag top edge of the bag. Bike inner tubes come in sizes a range of sizes up to 26″ in diameter, so you should be able to find one that fits your trash can. (Watch Video)
Best New Products with Jodi Marks:
Ames Razor-Back Tools
Ames Razor-Back line of tools includes a shovel, bow rake, and tamper. The shovel and rake feature heavy gauge, tempered steel construction with a fiberglass handle. The 10”x 10” tamp is made of one-piece steel construction. Ames Razor-Back tools are available at The Home Depot. (Watch Video)
Ask Danny Lipford:
Leaking Outdoor Faucet Repair
Often a leaking outdoor hose bibb can be fixed by tightening the packing nut on the handle of the faucet. If that doesn’t fix it, turn the water off, unscrew the packing nut, remove the handle, and replace the rubber washer on the end of the stem. (Watch Video)
