This week Ryan Larsen, a civil engineer at NDS Inc., aka Dr. Drainage, joined us for our Straight from the Pros segment.
Peggy in Alabama called in: We live on 9 acres with a 3-acre pond in our backyard. When we have heavy rains, water comes under our house and is eroding the foundation. We have taken measures to slow the problem, but we don’t seem to be able to stop it. My husband and I need advice on what we can do to preserve our most valuable asset! We spent $500 on fill dirt and labor to fill in the enormous hole under our house, but after yesterday’s heavy rain, we are back where we started.
Listen to hour 1 to hear Dr. Drainage’s advice for Peggy.
Tip of the Week
By June, most parts of the country are lush and green. Here’s how you should be taking care of your lawn this time of year:
- Raise the blade on your lawn mower for summer. Cool-season grasses should be mowed at 3”-4” and warm-season grasses at 2”-3”.
- Mow regularly, especially if you’re mulching the clippings.
- Control existing weeds with a post-emergent herbicide, or by pulling or digging. Removing weeds before they bloom and disperse seeds helps reduce next year’s crop.
- Warm-season lawns can be planted and fertilized now.
- Aerate and dethatch warm-season lawns, if needed.
- Reduce fertilizer on cool-season lawns, since they go partially dormant during the hottest part of the summer.
- Apply moss killer before temperatures are regularly above 65° F.
- Make sure your lawn gets one inch of water per week. If you irrigate, water deeply to encourage deeper roots.
Here’s what else we tackled this week:
Hour 1
Dan in LA
Our house flooded last August and the porcelain tile grout stained from the river water. The tile is fine and dry. Is there a grout solution to get it back like new again?
Jonathon in NC
Do you have any helpful hints on cutting out damaged ceiling areas and how to fix? As well as trying to make the ceiling patterns similar?
Clayton in MS
The white paint on my eaves is chipping. What’s the best way to prep and re-paint?
Larry in VA
I have a large multi-level deck that is in sound structural condition. The boards are developing a lot of checking. I would like to find a liquid epoxy product to fill the checks before staining again. Do you have any product ideas?
Nancy in CA
My husband put in a new faucet in the kitchen and now the water pressure is very low. Any suggestion how to fix this?
Levorn in AL
How do I find studs through carpet? I want to buy the floor squeak elimination kit but I can’t find the studs.
Pat in WA
We have a lot of moss in our yard and have applied a moss killer. Now What? Should we rake out all of the dead moss, apply some new soil and reseed?
April in MI
We are looking at putting egress windows in our basement and then of course a retaining wall. Any ideas, or advice? We have a standard basement, not finished, but need to make a bedroom and bathroom down there. This is the first step we are working on. Do we use blocks, wood? We would like it to blend in as much as possible.
Hour 2
Lisa in IL
We have two decks made with pressure-treated lumber.The problem is we used a colored stain to treat it and to add some color. It did not even last a year and the color is completely gone in places. It looks really bad. How can we cover this so it lasts and looks nice?
James in AL
Several years ago we had hardwood floor installed throughout our home. I asked at the time if we needed a vapor barrier over the concrete slab and they said no, that they were putting down enough glue that it would keep the moisture out. Well, now I have areas where the hardwood is popping up and loose. How do we fix this?
Ray in IL
I have a badly cracked concrete driveway apron. How do I repair it? The cracks run deep! Can I use Quikrete to fill the voids?
Lena in FL
I have a new privacy fence and I would like to stain it. It’s pressure treated pine. Is this a good idea and will it make it last longer? Also, is there a quality difference in the different kinds of stains?
Mary in NY
What should I use to clean the brick on the hearth around the fireplace? it seems to have turned a little white looking from ashes or age. I would like the bricks to look like new again. Any suggestions?
Delores in TX
I have a stone pathway that needs refilling, and I want to use cement to fill these cracks, how would you suggest to do this project?
Susan in TX
I read from few sites that building a concrete walkway around the house or some called it foundation apron can protect your foundation. I would like your opinion on this.
Linda in IN
Would you ever lay a new tile floor on top of an existing tile floor if the exiting floor is in perfect condition?
