Can you believe we’re already a third of the way through this month? That means in less than three weeks, we’ll be halfway through 2016! While it’s no secret that time seems to speed up the older you get, it DOES seem that Danny Lipford believes he has secrets about me! Oddly enough, though, the only so-called secret he could come up with is that “Allen wrestles alligators.” Of course, this was only due to a photograph he saw of me that was over 30 years and 50 pounds ago!
This was from the summer of 1980 or ’81 during a drought in Central Florida. Many of the smaller lakes were drying up, sink holes were appearing everywhere, and the local wildlife was searching for relief. This particular little gator found itself on the construction site where I was working as a laborer. My boss wanted to shoot it, but being the soft-hearted animal lover that I am, I volunteered to capture it and relocate it to Lake Apopka, which I did, and contrary to popular belief, no alligators were wrestled in the course of the rescue! Ah, but I regress down Memory Lane. Back to this week’s show!
We always appreciate the many stations that carry our program. A special shout out to our friends at KOLT AM 1320 in Scottsbluff, NE and WPGG AM 1450 in Atlantic City, NJ!
We kicked off the first hour talking about installing a safety grab bar inside a shower. This can be a daunting task, especially if you are trying to install the bar over a ceramic tile. Be sure to listen how Danny recommended toggle bolts to ensure a snug attachment. It’s also a great improvement how grab bars today don’t have to look so institutional. Our friends at Moen have some very good safety bars that blend well into the bathroom. One of our favorites is a grab bar that looks like a simple, yet elegant accessory shelf perfect for shampoo, conditioner, soap, etc.
In fact, many of their grab bars can securely hold up to 500 pounds!
We were very happy to welcome Jon Lancto to our show this week, representing the Marble Institute of America. Jon helped answer a listener email about sealing and protecting granite countertops. By the way, a great alternative to installing slab granite for the do-it-yourselfer is to look into granite tile. They’re much easier to handle and, unlike slab granite, this is a project you can tackle yourself. Be sure to read this article on Today’s Homeowner about installing a granite tile countertop HERE.
Drywall professional, Mark Rutherford, also dropped by to talk about the tools and techniques for making simple wall repairs using joint compound. If you’re like me, and need to see the exact steps to take, then here’s a great How-To video to walk you through the process.
One listener was curious about cleaning the very delicate fins on his air conditioning unit. These fins are soft aluminum and can be easily bent or damaged! Check out this video from our own Simple Solutions host, Joe Truini on how to repair that sort of damage.
And, if all that isn’t enough, we started wrapping up Hour 2 extolling the virtues of……corn cobs!
Believe it or not, many companies are taking corn cobs, grinding them up and using their abrasive qualities to strip paint from buildings! Works great and is very eco-friendly, but make sure you are prepared for the possibility of pitting the surface if you’re trying to strip a soft wood like cedar.
It was another fantastic show this week, chock full of information. See below for a full list of the questions Danny & I tackled.
Hour 1
Andi in AL
My sweet husband is attempting to install safety bars in my tub/shower. I just had knee replacement and am very unsteady. He has (literally) hit a wall. He has run into something steel in the wall and has already drilled too many holes. Do you have any idea what’s going on or how to get around it?
Diane in KY
What is the best way to strip, clean and refinish a front door? The door is made out of some type of composite material with simulated wood grain look.
Terry in MO
I have a building that has old steel siding. What’s the best way to paint this?
Rosemary in PA
I’m preparing to sell my older home. Money is an issue! I found a product that says it will clean shingles and siding. It is called Wet and Forget. Just apply, and, let dry. Can you tell me if this is real?
Eric in TN
I just had granite installed. It has a nice shiny finish. Does it require sealing of any type?
Frank in AL
I have an ongoing settlement problem with a detached utility room. One corner seems to still be settling. Who should I call to address this?
Bette in PA
5 yrs. ago, we had zinc strips applied to the ridge of our roof to get rid of moss. We now have moss once again on the upper roof and a lower roof. How long should we have expected the zinc to work?
Kevin in MS
What is the best way to clean dirty A/C fins?
Hour 2
DJ in MO
I’m having a problem with condensation dripping from my metal roof into my shop. Should I use some sort of insulation, like a spray foam, or maybe some kind of ventilation?
Toni in AL
My kitchen floor is currently covered with ceramic tile. Unfortunately the concrete the tiles rest on was not leveled before the tiles were laid so there a couple of places that stick up ever so slightly. I’m thinking now I’d like to either cover that tile again with either recycled PVC tile or a different porcelain. Can I use a leveling product to fill in the grout lines and uneven tiles or do I have to rip everything up?
Reuben in CA
Our home has the air conditioner positioned under the house and the ground is always wet when the AC is running. Is this condensation? Shouldn’t there be a line taking the moisture away from under the house?
Cathy in KY
The drywall mud on the metal edges above my kitchen cabinets and on the stairs is peeling off and I have water stains on my popcorn ceilings in the bathroom and kitchen and living room. I am not sure the best way to repair these problems.
Danny in AL
Our concrete driveway keeps getting black. We pressure wash it and a few weeks later it looks bad again. Is there something we can do about that?
Marian in CA
I have a door closer that squeaks terribly. I’ve tried silicone and graphite. Should I use petroleum jelly?
Ruth in CT
We are looking for something environmentally-friendly like corn cob to blast exterior paint to see the red cedar on our home.
Helen in LA
Can I add more unsanded grout to my shower walls where there is some missing or do I have to remove the existing grout and re-do everything?
