September 20, 2017 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Old Man Winter is coming to New Hampshire. You just have to look at the trees and vegetation starting to change color.

To get ready for the old man, it was time to do some rustproofing on some things of mine that stay outdoors and other things that are stored in my unheated shed / garage.

I discovered long ago that a 50/50 mixture of used motor oil and diesel fuel does a magnificent job of preventing rust.

I brush on a thin coat on all my garden tools that I put away for the season. You can use it on any metal that gets wet. I've found it's best to do this outdoors and to let the coating dry before bringing the tools back into the garage.

You may have another rustproofing method that achieves the same goal that doesn't involve paint.

So tell me what you do to prevent rust without using paint that peels. I'm always interested!

Power Tool Survey

Would you be kind enough to spend 60 seconds taking a quick survey? It's about power tools and one brand in particular.

I've been receiving requests to review certain tools and often I have to convince the manufacturer that you're really interested in the tools.

CLICK HERE to help me help you make better tool investments!

You can see the survey results from others who have taken the survey before you. Just SCROLL to the TOP of the survey form AFTER you click the SUBMIT button and then click the SEE PREVIOUS RESPONSES text link.

New Air Infiltration Product

Dow has introduced a new water-based foam product to help stop air leaks in new construction.

Framing lumber is not always straight. Air that somehow gets into walls can sneak into or out of your home via tiny gaps between the drywall and framing lumber.

Imagine if there was a gasket between the edges of the drywall and the framing lumber? Ta Da!

CLICK HERE to discover more about the Dow GREAT STUFF PRO Gasket system.

Hurricane & Other Storm Leaks

Several days ago, I received quite a few emails about wind-driven water leaks from folks who endured the wrath of Hurricane Irma.

It seems there's a myth out there that if you have a brick home, it's waterproof. I'm thinking this misconception comes from the Three Little Pigs fable, even though the wolf was just blowing air.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

CLICK HERE to get a friendly reminder on what happens in a big storm when the wind is lashing your brick, stone or any home with rain drops.

Quirky Questions

I'm going to try to see if this new feature is sustainable.

As you might imagine, I get LOTS of questions each week. Some are mundane, many are very complex and others are downright quirky!

When you have a question, always submit it to the Ask Tim page and include PHOTOS if you can!

Quirky is not so bad and provides a fascinating insight as to what's going on out there.

Here's one that Susan sent to me last night. She lives in Big Springs, WV. That town name is a clue to part of my answer!

" I want to excavate a cave into the hillside and finish it into the back rooms of a house. I know I will have to provide for water runoff, and put an air inlet and outlet for fresh air. In W. Va., the mountains are mostly rock. None of the answers about excavating a foundation are nowhere near what I want to do."

What about that for a question? Here was my answer:

Sue,

This is so easy. Talk to a few local coal miners.

In all seriousness, there are MAJOR issues with respect to groundwater control, deadly gases, rock collapse, etc. when thinking of spending time underground in a cave.

Experienced miners have a handle on all of this.

Battery-Powered Blower

I'm putting together a photo review of a dandy little battery-powered blower I've been testing for about four months.

I prefer to really put tools to the test before sharing my results with you. Not all tool reviewers do that.

Some of my peers get a box from their UPS driver and within a few hours there's a fancy tool review up. They never actually take the tool out and test it.

Yes, this is true.

These fast reviews gives *some* PR people and tool sales managers a tingle up their leg, but it does little good for you.

You need honest reviews where the reviewer has decades of experience using tools in paying customers' homes. This experience allows the reviewer to have a base line for overall performance.

As for the blower, you're going to LOVE IT!!!! Why? Because I do!!!

That's quite enough for today.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com

Do It Right, Not Over!