The Money Pit Home Improvement Podcast

#2583 – Preventive Maintenance | Common Homeowner Mistakes | Home Improvement Projects That Pay Off

SHOW NOTES: Welcome to the final episode of The Money Pit, where we celebrate more than 21 years of helping you turn your house into a home you love. In this bittersweet finale, Leslie Segrete and Jim Kenzie reflect on our many years of offering floorboards-to-shingles advice while honoring the legacy of our late friend and long-time co-host, Tom Kraeutler. Thank you for more than two decades of The Money Pit. And remember: you can do it yourself, but you don’t have to do it alone. - Preventive Maintenance: We emphasize that consistent home maintenance is the most vital habit for any homeowner, because small tasks like cleaning gutters or changing filters prevent the most expensive disasters. Remember, a home is a living thing that requires constant care and attention to truly reward its inhabitants. - Common Homeowner Mistakes: We do a review of the most common homeowner pitfalls we’ve seen on The Money Pit, such as the temptation to hire the cheapest contractor, which often leads to poor quality and higher costs in the long run. We also hear from listeners about water and moisture issues; make sure you address those, because they will never resolve themselves and only grow more destructive over time. - Home Improvement Projects That Pay Off: We detail home improvement investments that pay off every time, such as prioritizing energy efficiency through insulation and smart thermostats to increase comfort and reduce bills. Additionally, we recommend focusing on lighting upgrades and safety essentials like smoke alarms and secure railings to ensure a home is a place where families can thrive.   Q & A: - George in Arkansas dealt with a chilly bedroom despite a 72-degree thermostat setting. We advise him to add 15 to 20 inches of insulation in his attic and use the back of his hand to find and seal drafts around window jams and outlets. - Cliff in Nebraska wanted to know how to make new wood picture frames look like weathered barnwood. We suggest burning the wood with a propane torch and using a wire brush to remove the soft char, creating a "driftwoody" texture before staining. - Lori in New Jersey asked how to treat a garage floor coated in thick oil and grease. The answer is to pressure wash the floor with a TSP solution and then apply a durable, two-part epoxy floor finish. - Lisa in Texas inquired about the safety of older two-prong outlets in her 1960s home. We explain that while they can be safe with adapters, it is much better to hire an electrician to upgrade the wiring to a modern, grounded system.   ASK A QUESTION: Need help with your own home improvement or décor question? We’d love to help! Call the show 24/7 at 888-MONEY-PIT (888-666-3974) or post your question here: https://www.moneypit.com/ask. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#2582 – 2026 Home Project Planning | Timeless Design Upgrades | Ultimate Home Maintenance Checklist

SHOW NOTES: Welcome to the final broadcast of The Money Pit, a very special episode marking the end of our incredible 21-year journey of helping you make your homes safer and more beautiful. While our live show is coming to a close, we are finishing strong with the essential advice you need to plan a successful year of home improvements ahead. - 2026 Project Planning: We outline a home project plan that prioritizes safety and efficiency first, followed by maintenance and finally beautification. - Timeless Design Upgrades: Leslie shares tips for choosing finishes that won't feel dated, such as using neutral paint colors and focusing on functional kitchen upgrades like deep drawers. The key is to design your home around your actual life rather than fleeting social media trends. - The Ultimate Home Maintenance Checklist: We review the "backbone" of home care, emphasizing that cleaning gutters twice a year and servicing HVAC systems are critical to preventing major repairs. Adopting a "maintenance first, repairs second" philosophy is the best way to protect your investment over the long haul. Maintaining a home is like maintaining a ship; if you ignore the small leaks in the hull or skip the routine engine checks, you might find yourself sinking just when you're trying to enjoy the view from the deck.   Q & A: - Tom in Daytona Beach, Florida, asked for advice on replacing toilet shut-off valves. We recommend using a handheld pipe cutter for a clean, square cut and installing compression valves for a reliable, leak-free fit. - Robert in Tennessee sought security solutions after his workspace was broken into numerous times. We suggest installing motion-activated LED spotlights and considering high-tech monitored camera systems that allow guards to interact with intruders. - George in Connecticut inquired about the best way to keep concrete pavers from migrating. We advise using flexible border edging secured with stakes or ensuring the base material is prepped wider than the finished walkway to prevent edge collapse. - David in Texas wanted to restore the original "wet look" to his faded, stained concrete patio. We recommend applying a heavy-duty epoxy clear coat or exploring resurfacing kits that use real stone for a durable finish. ASK A QUESTION: Need help with your own home improvement or décor question? We’d love to help! Call the show 24/7 at 888-MONEY-PIT (888-666-3974) or post your question here: https://www.moneypit.com/ask. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#2581 – Winter Indoor Air Quality | Warm Up Chilly Spaces | Kitchen Organizing | Toxic Holiday Plants

SHOW NOTES: Welcome to The Money Pit! This week, we’re delving into more crucial home maintenance topics for the season and helping you fix up your home sweet home as we prepare for the end-of-year happy holidays! - Indoor Air Quality: We share easy and affordable ways to significantly improve your indoor air quality, even when windows stay shut during the winter. A key step is checking your HVAC filter, which captures dust and allergens without overworking your system. - Warming Up Chilly Spaces: We tackle how to warm up those stubborn, chilly spots in your home without replacing your heating system. Simple weekend projects like applying removable rope caulk or window insulation films to seal drafts and installing foam gaskets behind electrical outlets and switch plates on exterior walls can make a big difference. - Kitchen Organization: With the holidays approaching fast, the kitchen is about to become your busiest room, so we offer quick kitchen organizing tricks to make cooking and cleanup easier - Hazardous Holiday Plants: We conclude with Leslie's Last Word on holiday plant safety, noting that many popular festive plants are far more toxic than commonly thought. Plants like holly, mistletoe, amaryllis, and paper whites can be dangerous if ingested by children or pets, making it crucial to keep them out of reach.   Q & A: - Scott in Illinois called with a question about his crumbling 13-year-old aggregate driveway. We advise that driveway replacement, possibly with a tough concrete surface that has adequate traction for the pitch and the snowy Illinois climate, would be a better option than repeatedly trying to repair the rough aggregate, which has likely reached the end of its lifespan. - Annette in Mississippi asked what causes condensation to appear on the surface of her ceramic kitchen floor tiles. We explain that this is caused by the warm, humid air inside her home striking the cold floor surface, and suggest she install a whole-home dehumidifier to remove the moisture. - Mary from Alaska wanted advice on switching from her traditional electric water heaters to a tankless system. Leslie notes that electric tankless technology is less efficient than gas-based systems, but Mary could upgrade to a high-efficiency heat pump water heater. - Pete in Pennsylvania had a question about an area of vinyl siding that felt floppy after he repaired a piece that had blown off. We reassure him that vinyl siding is meant to be put on loosely to allow for expansion and contraction during temperature changes, but if the pieces are disconnected, he can use a "zip tool" to reconnect the siding.   ASK A QUESTION: Need help with your own home improvement or décor question? We’d love to help! Call the show 24/7 at 888-MONEY-PIT (888-666-3974) or post your question here: https://www.moneypit.com/ask. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#2580 – Winter Safety Check | Hanging Holiday Lights | Décor Tips to Warm Up Your Space | Insulation

SHOW NOTES: Welcome back to The Money Pit! In these final festive weeks of the year, Leslie Segrete and Jim Kenzie delve into essential winter home projects, share crucial safety tips, and continue to answer your calls. Join us for these home improvement topics and expert DIY answers! - Tips for Hanging Holiday Lights: We discuss the simplest and safest ways to hang holiday lights, both indoors and out, without damaging your home. You should use damage-free hardware like gutter clips for the exterior or removable adhesive hooks and suction cups indoors, specifically avoiding damaging staples, nails, or drilling. - Winter Safety Checks: We share important early winter safety checks to keep your home and family protected through the cold weather months. This includes testing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, checking the charge and expiration dates on fire extinguishers, and cleaning lint buildup from dryer vents. - Décor Tricks to Warm Up Your Space: To instantly warm up your space for the holidays without a full redesign, we suggest simple décor tricks. Focus on adding texture through chunky throws and faux fur, switch out harsh overhead lighting, and create small, inviting winter vignettes. - Insulation in Older Homes: When improving efficiency in older homes, we recommend focusing on the attic insulation and floor insulation before focusing on the walls.   Q & A: - Pete in Arizona called about his 18-year-old tar patio roof, which was cracking and missing pieces, and asked if he should repair it using Flex Seal. We explain that patching would only postpone the inevitable, as the roof was likely past its expected lifespan, and recommend installing a new roof. - Diane in Minnesota asked for help with her apartment bathroom exhaust fan, which was failing to effectively remove steam. She should contact her building super to determine where the fan exhausts, as the vent may be obstructed or blocked, preventing it from functioning correctly. - Brad in Illinois was renovating his 1948 bungalow and wanted advice on whether to repair and restore his original single-pane, double-hung windows or replace them. We offer the choice of restoring them by adding weather stripping and installing storm windows or opting for replacement windows that fit inside the existing frame. - Kenny in Ohio asked for advice regarding the visible outlines of his ceiling joists on his downstairs ceiling. We confirm that it’s “ghosting” and recommend sealing the area by priming and painting with a good-quality, washable ceiling paint.   ASK A QUESTION: Need help with your own home improvement or décor question? We’d love to help! Call the show 24/7 at 888-MONEY-PIT (888-666-3974) or post your question here: https://www.moneypit.com/ask. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#2579 – Top 5 Remodeling Mistakes | Safe Space Heaters | Live Christmas Trees | How Old Is Your Home?

SHOW NOTES: Welcome to the Money Pit! With only two weeks left until Christmas, we know this is a busy time of year, but we're here to help you keep your home in tip-top shape and get you through the finish line of the holidays. Whether you are doing or dreaming of projects, we make DIY doable! - 5 Common Remodeling Mistakes: We share the top five most common remodeling mistakes homeowners make, so you can be prepared for your next project. - Safe and Efficient Space Heaters: We discuss how to choose a safe and efficient space heater by understanding the difference between radiant heaters and convection heaters. - Live Christmas Trees: If you’re heading out to buy a live Christmas tree, we provide tips on how to ensure the tree is fresh. - The Age of Your Home: Leslie's Last Word offers tricks for figuring out the age of your home by checking plumbing fixtures or recognizing old wiring and pipe types.   Q & A: - Linda from Washington wanted to cover her outdated Formica kitchen countertops with a new product. We recommend using a product kit like Lux Rock or Marble Dream from Daich Coatings, noting that she should lightly sand the Formica surface beforehand to ensure the coating adheres well. - Jeremy from Pennsylvania was dealing with a small leak and musty smell in the corner of his finished basement with a block foundation. We suggest that the problem is caused by exterior drainage, advising him to extend his downspout and fix any grading issues to relieve water pressure. - Taylor in Michigan reported that her doors were sticking, specifically toward the top, due to swelling. We advise checking the hinges for loose screws and using chalk or dark lipstick on the door edges to identify the exact sticking point before attempting minor adjustments to realign the door in the jam. - Robin was dealing with mold growth coming out of the jets of her jacuzzi tub. We suggest filling the tub with hot water and either bleach (if not on septic) or an environmentally safe dish soap like Simple Green to sanitize the pipes. - Carolyn in Pennsylvania had a lingering musty odor in her kitchen's lazy Susan cabinet after mold grew inside. We recommend looking for mold spread behind the kickboard or trim, thoroughly cleaning all affected areas with bleach and water, and painting the interior if the odor persists.   ASK A QUESTION: Need help with your own home improvement or décor question? We’d love to help! Call the show 24/7 at 888-MONEY-PIT (888-666-3974) or post your question here: https://www.moneypit.com/ask. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices