Simple Solutions

Slick Trick for Applying Silicone Sealant
Take an empty planter mister and pour in some denatured alcohol. Adjust the nozzle to produce a fine mist. (Denatured alcohol is available at most home centers and hardware stores.) Next, apply the silicone sealant using a caulking gun. Then, immediately mist the silicone with a light coating of denatured alcohol. Wipe away the excess silicone with your finger or a caulking tool. The alcohol allows your finger or tool to easily slide across the surface without pulling the silicone out of the joint.

Tip for Leveling Shelves
The trickiest part of installing wall-mounted shelves is getting the brackets perfectly aligned so that the shelves will be level. Start by screwing one bracket to the wall, then hold the second bracket in position. Lay a shelf across the two brackets, and place a level on the shelf. Now raise or lower second bracket until the shelf is perfectly level. Mark screw holes and attach second bracket.

Giveaways

Broan Sensonic Ventilation Fan
We’re giving away a Broan Sensonic Ventilation Fan in honor of Indoor Air Quality Month. With homes being sealed up tighter than ever before, it’s common for the air inside our homes to become 5-10 times more polluted than outdoors. There are lots of tips here on our website on improving your air quality. And, be sure to put your name in the hat to win the Sensonic! Not only does this Broan bath vent fan clear humidity, but it plays your favorite music. It has a Bluetooth speaker built in so you can rock out while taking a shower or getting ready in the morning. All you have to do to win is call our Today’s Homeowner hotline at 1-800-946-4420, leave your information, and say the catch phrase “Send me a Sensonic.” CONGRATS TO LAST WEEK’S WINNER: Rich Rauch of Cedar Rapids, Iowa!

GutterBrush
One winner will win 60 feet of GutterBrush for standard 5″ gutters, retailed at $249! GutterBrush is a simple solution to help solve common gutter problems. It keeps gutters flowing to prevent clogged gutters and water damage and it reduces or eliminate dangerous, messy, expensive gutter cleaning. To win, call the Today’s Homeowner hotline at 1-800-946-4420, leave your information, and say the catch phrase “Get me out of the gutter!”

Hour 1

Shelby in NC
I saw the show where you added a fireplace to your house, however I am looking at a condo and there is only one wall I can use and it’s not to the exterior. This wall has my bedroom on the other side. There is gas heat and gas water but it’s on a slab. Can a fireplace be added with a hearth and mantle where it looks like a “real” fireplace?

Ric in IL
What would be the pros and cons of turning off the water main to the house for an extended period of time – snowbirds gone all winter? Suggested procedure? There would still be some heat in the house.

Tom in MA
I live in the Berkshire Mountains of western Massachusetts and I’d like to know how to prepare my shrubs and other evergreens for winter. Freezing temperatures will be here soon and we get quite a bit of snow straight through until spring.
Hear the answer Straight from the Pro: Bill Hosking, owner of Hosking Nursery in Watertown, CT

Kitty in VA
Last winter I had the worst mole problem and the ground looked like a war zone with huge tunnels everywhere. I would like to treat the moles, but my understanding is to treat the cause which is the worm he’s looking to eat. Should I treat now in the fall, and what do I use and how often to keep them out of my yard?

Mary in IA
I’d like to build an attached, lean-to type of shade structure to the back of my house. My concern is that we live in a very windy part of Iowa. What’s the best way to build the structure, so that it will withstand strong, sustained winds?

Joe in TN
I’m trying to seal up some of the gaps and cracks around the outside of my house before winter arrives, but the siding on my house is vinyl and I can’t find a caulk that matches the color. What can I do?

Hour 2

Karen in CA
I watched today’s show featuring Luan as an accent wall. My husband and I downsized to a manufactured home which has the ugliest vinyl wall covering. I would like to know if Luan can be used to cover the vinyl covering by using construction adhesive and nails?

Tina in WI
We have a 20-plus-year-old cement floor that is quite pitted and dusty, especially where the cars are parked. What is the best way to repair the floor?

Kirstie in NY
We have a small (22×22) uninsulated hunter’s cabin (exposed crawlspace) in the Adirondacks with a thin subfloor. We would like to install flooring over the subfloor. We are not sure what to do about insulation and/or a moisture barrier. Ideally, we would like to block cold air and moisture from coming up through the flooring but we don’t know if that would be futile considering none of the walls or ceiling of the small loft above are insulated. We don’t want to use traditional batting insulation underneath either because of the potential for nesting by critters that are around. Is insulating or adding a moisture barrier a waste of money in our situation?

Carol in MO
Two sections of soffit along the front eave of my house are slightly buckled. I tried inserting a hook-like tool to pull it back down, but it didn’t work. The handyman who cleans our gutters said that it was “warped.” Is there some way to un-buckle the soffit?

Janice in UT
My bathroom fan makes so much noise when I turn it on that I don’t even use it. Can I fix it?

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.

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