Simple Solutions

Tennis Ball Scuff Remover – All you need to remove scuffs marks from floors is a fuzzy new tennis ball. Simply take the tennis ball and rub the scuff mark. The fuzzy exterior of the ball will easily erase any black marks made by the heels of shoes and boots. And for an extra convenience, use a utility knife to cut an X into the ball, then stick the ball onto the end of your broom handle. Then, it’ll be there whenever you need it. By the way, this trick can be used on all hard-surface floors, including wood, tile, laminate, even vinyl.

Oil Spill Clean-Up – Soak up oil stains in your garage or on your driveway with kitty litter. Sprinkle kitty litter over the stain, then use a brick or wood block to grind up and pulverize the kitty litter into a powder. Wait for 30 minutes or so for the kitty litter to absorb the oil, then sweep it up.

Best New Product

When it comes to leaf blowers, the more power you have the more you can do! Let’s face it, a weak blower may move dry leaves on the driveway but not across wet grass… So backpack blowers have become popular because bigger motors mean more power. But as a rule, most are gas powered which means noise, fumes and heat. EGO has the exception to that rule with their new Lithium Ion Cordless Backpack Blower. The turbine fan in this unit is inspired by jet-engine design and turned by a brushless motor which uses the battery power super efficiently. What that means for you is it moves up to 600 cubic feet of air per minute. That’s an industry best and equates to a wind of 145 mph. AND it’s 8 times quieter than gas -powered backpack blowers.

You can purchase this product at The Home Depot.

Hour 1

Cathy in GA
I begged my husband to enclose our carport to be a multi-purpose family room. The builders did a fine job, but I didn’t realize that even though we used every window space possible it is impossibly dark. There was only one light fixture in the middle and we used it for a fan/light. We bought 3 tall floor lamps but it is still depressing and dark. The 2 existing sides are cedar. We had the other 2 walls built (drywall). The ceiling is 10′ redwood. Would it help if I painted it white? I can’t afford an electrician to do pot lights or fixtures now (I have used all my husband’s budget). Any ideas?

Sondra in PA
I have a shower that does not mix hot & cold water properly. I turn on the hot water faucet all the way open & wait until it gets hot. Then I barely open the cold faucet. Within a few minutes of showering, I can almost turn off the cold water altogether. I had a heater man acid wash the heater coils. I have a summer/winter hookup on a backburner. What could be the problem with the shower? I have no problem anywhere else in my 50+ year house with the hot/cold water mix.

Harry in IL
I’ve had some water damage from rain in the past and I’d like to find out the best way to repair cracked and stained lath and plaster walls and ceilings. What product is best and what techniques do I need to know?
Amy in VA
My concrete garage floor continues 7 inches beyond the outside of the garage door and then there is about a 3/4 inch drop down to the driveway. The entire garage floor has a definite slope in toward the garage interior. When rain hits the garage door, it pools on that 7″ threshold and flows back into the garage under the door, especially at both ends of the door seal. How can I fix the slope on the threshold so that the rain drains down the driveway rather than into the garage interior? Is it possible to add a thinish layer of properly sloped concrete at the garage door so that the rain drains outward rather than inward? Or could the whole threshold concrete area be ground down to create a properly outward sloping sill? Which is better — to add concrete or grind away concrete?

Windell in AL
There’s a 13-ft.-long crack in our concrete patio that’s about as wide as a matchstick. The patio was never sealed, and it needs to be power washed. I’m thinking about filling the crack with epoxy, but I’m not sure if that’s the best approach. Will this work and do you think the crack will just reappear sometime in the near future?

Susan in VA
I just moved into a new home, and there are several floor tiles with hairline cracks and one where the grout is coming out. How do I repair this damage?

Hour 2

Tiffany in WI
My house was built in 1956. My yard is horrible – uneven, dry, patches of missing grass, weeds. I’ve lived at my house for 4 years and I patch grass, weed kill, fertilize, water, rake, dig out weeds – it’s never ending…..and it seems to be getting worse! I had the yard “rolled” to flatten it 2 years ago but it did nothing and the guy said it would take a lot of rolling and that might not even work. Am I wasting my time? Do I need to start over to get the yard I want?

Bill in IA
I had a pipe break under my kitchen sink and it has caused mildew and some mold and I’m wondering if I can have that section rebuilt, or do I have to have my entire cabinet torn out and the whole thing replaced?

Ashley in VA
I have a builder installed concrete oyster shell walkway that after 12 years most of the shells are gone. How can a restore this walkway to its original style and not lose the shells again?

Robert in OH
We just moved into a new home with a large backyard that’s surrounded by beautiful hedges. Now I need a hedge trimmer, but have no idea what to buy or how to use it. Do you have any hedge-trimming tips to share? I’d like to avoid butchering these poor hedges.

Bonnie in ND
How do I refinish an old, peeling wooden doorsill? Should I use a primer and then paint it? Or, can I apply some kind of sealer? I’d like to do it right the first time so I don’t have to refinish it again in a year or two.

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Danny Lipford

Danny Lipford is among the country’s most sought-after home improvement experts.
The seasoned remodeling contractor and media personality served as the home improvement expert for CBS’s “The Early Show” and The Weather Channel for over a decade and has made more than 180 national television appearances on “Fox & Friends,” “Inside Edition,” “Morning Express with Robin Meade,” Fox Business Channel, Rachael Ray and more.
He travels the country making appearances as a brand ambassador and spokesperson, and each year contributes expertise to hundreds of popular magazines and online media outlets.


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Editorial Contributors
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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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