August 8, 2021 AsktheBuilder Newsletter
Did you arrive this week with Joan, Ja La, Courtney, Eric, Angelo, Christina, and a bunch of others? Why of course you did! You're a new subscriber and this is where I welcome you.
On the other hand, you might have been receiving this newsletter for many months or years. Do you recall the video I did not too awful long ago about an amazing spray paint that really resists rust caused by ocean salt-spray? CLICK or TAP HERE to watch it. It's an amazing paint!
T-Rex Lemonade
I'm the world's biggest sucker for kids' lemonade stands. About a month ago, I was on my way to the grocery to get weekly materials and I passed one. I decided to place my order on my way back home. Yes, I was taking a chance thinking it would still be open on my return trip but it was late morning and there were many thirsts to be quenched as the day wore on.
It turns out the little ladies were still out hawking their liquid refreshment. Eight little girls, who I guess were about 8 or 9-years old, were the purveyors of the tasty yellow nectar.
The cost was $1 per glass. I ordered four glasses and when they were handed to me I said, "I'm sorry, I've only got $7."
It went right over their heads as they were squealing with laughter and happiness.
This past Sunday here's what I saw when I came around the bend on Camp Waldron Road on my way back from church with Kathy:
How can you NOT stop to get two glasses of T-Rex lemonade? What a hoot!
I feel it's so important to patronize any venture like this a child is running. I've been an entrepreneur my entire life, and it's situations like this where we cut our teeth.
Please always STOP and support the budding entrepreneur!
Do you have an interesting lemonade-stand story? Share it with me.
Erik shared a song with me. He wrote a song titled "It's a Lemonade Day." CLICK HERE to listen to this refreshing song!
My Condo Consult Adventure
A few days ago, I completed a three-hour consult at a small condo complex here in New Hampshire. This building is located less than three miles from where the Piscataqua River flows into the Atlantic Ocean.
You can ignore the following advice if you live in the Atacama Desert. If you live ANYWHERE else, even far away from an ocean or sea, keep reading.
One of the things I spotted was significant rusting of some black-iron gas lines under two porches. I also spotted lots of rusty fire-sprinkler piping and fittings.
If you live near an ocean or sea, you really need to make sure any metal (deck joist hangers, nails, screws, structural support columns, i-beams, etc.) exposed to salt air is always painted. The video mentioned above shows you a particular paint that really does well in salt-air environments.
You should always keep gas piping painted, especially any exposed threads where the pipe meets a fitting.
It's important to realize when we plumbers cut threads on pipe, we REMOVE metal where you see the small valleys in the threads. The pipe wall is thinner in these v-shaped depressions and they're the FIRST PLACE the pipe is going to rust through!
Always clean the pipe well, and if the pipe was recently threaded, brush some mineral spirits on the cut threads to remove any cutting oil before you think about painting them.
Be sure to READ the label on the paint can.
Do what you need to do to rub off any significant rust from the metal or pipe, make it dust-free, then prime it with a great metal primer. Two hours later, apply the finish paint.
You want to apply the finish paint as soon as the primer it tack-free as you'll get a superior bond between the finish paint and the primer.
How to Clean Composite Decking
Do you wonder about how to SAFELY clean composite decking? Michelle did and she reached out to me to ask if STAIN SOLVER was the best cleaner for her composite deck.
The answer is a big YES. Here's a Trex Transcend composite deck. I eat lunch under the umbrella anytime it's nice WX. I use STAIN SOLVER to clean the decking when it gets dirty.
Are you new to STAIN SOLVER? Kathy and I own the company, it's the best certified organic oxygen-bleach cleaner in the USA.
STAIN SOLVER will remove stains from any fabric or object that you can get wet with water.
CLICK or TAP HERE to see how I use STAIN SOLVER to clean composite decking.
CLICK or TAP HERE to watch videos of me using STAIN SOLVER.
"What about WOOD decks, Tim?"
Why of course, silly, STAIN SOLVER is the absolute BEST cleaner for:
- wood decks
- teak tables
- teak chairs
- treated-lumber picnic tables
- wood fencing
- treated-lumber play sets
- any cedar siding or fencing
Don't use STAIN SOLVER on redwood. It can darken it requiring you to use oxalic acid to bring it back to its original look.
Bottom Line: STAIN SOLVER will clean ANYTHING you can get wet with water. ANYTHING!!!
FREE BIDS - Local Contractors
Are you Hot?
The dog days of summer are here in the USA. August can be miserably HOT and humid.
Are you uncomfortable in your home even though your air conditioning is running? Look at this:
You may be uncomfortable because your HVAC system was not installed for optimum performance.
CLICK or TAP HERE to see how my best friend Richard Anderson would have installed all your ducts. Richard installed the entire HVAC system in the last house I built for my family. It was as cool as a cucumber on the HOTTEST day of summer. Each room was the perfect temperature. There were no hot spots or hot rooms.
Can you say that about your home?
Did you know the worst thing to do when installing air conditioning is to OVERSIZE the outdoor unit? You may think bigger is BETTER.
You'd be wrong. When AC units are oversized, they don't run long enough to extract the humidity from the air.
The result is a cold clammy feeling in your home.
That's enough for a Sunday.
Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
BEST CLEANER - www.StainSolver.com
80-Meter NVIS Success - www.W3ATB.com
Do It Right, Not Over!
P.S. What's the best way to install a new blacktop driveway? Are you SURE you know????