Show Notes: Shine Bright Like a Diamond – On the House
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Show Notes: Shine Bright Like a Diamond

By on March 16, 2019
shiny white home interior

Your house doesn’t have to have expensive items to “shine bright!”

With some hard work, elbow grease, and ingenuity you can make your home shine brighter because a diamond in the rough is still a diamond!

diamond

Shine up your bathroom, but skip some of these expensive bathroom upgrades! 

  If you’re in a position to remodel your bathroom, there are a few things you can do to ensure you walk away with as little regrets as possible—and it all starts with the materials and fixtures you choose. Though it’s easy to get all heart-eyes over all those luxury upgrades available, here are a few experts say you should skip.  

Whirlpool tub 

“During my 20s I moved into an apartment in NYC that happened to have a whirlpool tub. I pictured myself soaking in it every night after work,” says Decorist Elite Designer Briana Nix. Reality was cold—the tub pooled with water after every shower, leaving dark, moldy areas that were extremely difficult to clean, she says. “I ended up being completely turned off by the idea of a bath and stuck to showers instead.” That might have been for the best. As it turns out, studies show whirlpool bathtubs tend to harbor large amounts of bacterial and potential pathogens. Yuck! 

James and Morris disagree with this on the level that if a tub or a steam shower provide therapeutic benefits to you and your health than, by all means, spend the money!

Name-brand hardware 

“Don’t splurge on towel racks and cabinet pulls just because they are from a designer line,” says Nix. But… but… what about those sleek brass pulls? “IKEA has clean, modern options and no one will ever know the difference!”  

James and Morris heartily agree with this one!

Expensive bath towels 

Of course, if you buy expensive bath towels, you’ll probably wind up using them. But there’s no reason to spend the extra money, says Nix. Stores like Bed Bath & Beyond have a huge selection of reasonably priced towels that are soft and cozy—and don’t feel any different than expensive ones. Plus, you probably already have the secret ingredient for soft, absorbent towels hiding in your pantry. Simply wash scratchy varieties with a half-cup of vinegar for soft, touchable towels. 

James and Morris both agree. If your budget allows it, splurge on a towel every now and then. But for the most part, you can make your towels softer by washing them with some vinegar and baking soda.

Heated floors 

The vision of stepping onto a warm floor after a shower on a chilly morning is magical, for sure. But heated floors are a luxury that will more than likely require new or re-routed plumbing, says Nix. That means more construction, more mess, and more money. You’re better off placing a super soft, plush bath mat under your feet and buying a big bath sheet for extra comfort post-shower.  

James and Morris disagree here, too, because the delight of a warm floor on a cold morning is worth it!

Full body shower sprays 

“Installing one of these won’t really add any value—unless your hot water heater will provide enough warm water for your entire shower time,” says Nix. “You should also take into account how strong your water pressure is.” Bottom line: A spa-like shower might be more trouble than it’s worth. 

 

 Seeing Through Glass

Are confused by the types of glass you see when looking for windows or glass for your home?

Here is a quick list. Learn more about them from the full article from ArchToolbox.com!

  • Fully Tempered Glass
  •  Heat Soaked Tempered Glass
  • Laminated Glass
  • Wire Glass
  • Insulated Glass Unit (IGU)
  • Low-Emissivity (Low-E) Glass

  

Shine up your house with a good power-washing!  

Here are a few good reasons to pressure wash!

  • Saves Money
  • Prevents Permanent Damage
  • Saves Time
  • Removes Allergens
  • Prepares Surfaces

Learn more Judge Service’s website here.

 

Make your house shine like it’s new again with these quick simple DIY Tips  

 Magnetize a Screwdriver 

This old trick could save you hundreds of dropped screws over your DIY lifetime. Grab a magnet and rub it along the shaft of a screwdriver a dozen times or so. Rub in one direction only, kind of like sharpening a knife. In about 10 seconds, you’ll have a magnetic screwdriver. Repeat as needed. Add a magnetic strip to the workshop for an even better use of magnets. 

 Two-Stage Speed Painting 

A roller lays on paint fast, but a brush leaves a smoother finish. To get the best of both, roll on the paint then immediately brush it out. The quicker you get to the brushwork, the better. In warm, dry conditions, the paint will start to dry and lose its self-leveling ability in a minute or two. 

 Stop a Wandering Bit 

Even the sharpest bit tends to skate across hard materials like tile, metal or glass, leaving loopy scratches behind. To steady a wandering bit, give it a softer place to start. Thin cardboard (the stuff cereal boxes are made from), taped firmly in place, works perfectly. 

Belt Sanders Aren’t Just for Wood 

Any shop teacher will tell you: Use a tool only for its intended purpose. But I confess—I often use a belt sander for jobs other than sanding wood. It works great to scour dried gunk off putty knives and trowels, and I use it to sharpen chisels, scrapers and shovels too. In fact, I’m a double offender: I use my chisel for all kinds of rough jobs that it wasn’t intended for, then I sharpen it with a belt sander. You can also use a tool and cutter grinding machine for this. 

 Final Paint-Prep Step 

Prep is the key to a fine paint job, says a 35-year veteran painter. Here’s how he does it: First, patch the walls, then sand down all the walls with 100-grit paper. (He uses a drywall pole sander.) That leaves a bunch of dust and debris on the wall, so the next step is to vacuum with a wide floor brush. It’s faster and more thorough than a damp rag, and it gets rid of any cobwebs at the same time. You’ll still need a rag or small vacuum brush to reach into corners, but then it’s on to taping off the woodwork. You can also use a Swiffer to clean up walls. 

 

Caller Questions and Answers

Repairs

Q: Tim asked how he can repair this cracked spindle on his wooden chair.

broken chair

A: James and Morris suggest a good, strong wood glue! Then sand it and restain or paint it.

 

Q: Donald wondered where he should put his C02 sensors and whether they are as effective when combined with a smoke detector.

A: Combination is okay and C02 detectors are fine where ever you place them! A smoke detector goes in every hall and every bedroom. A C02 detector goes on every floor.

 

Q: Why are my windows smelly in the summer?

A: James thinks its the glue used, but Morris thinks the wind is blowing something in – possible mold growing on the adhesive. They may not agree, but they agree they’ve given the homeowner some things to think about.

 

Projects

Q: Joseph wondered about buying a home that has black mold.

A: James suggests a mold test that’ll cost about $50. Black mold is known as Stachybotrys. Mold testing and remediation company can be around $5,000-6,000. Check out EPA.gov, search mold and you’ll learn more than you ever thought you needed to know about mold.

Q: Tim’s son’s condo’s pipes behind his cupboards keep freezing. Help!

A: Morris says buy a masonry bit about 10 inches long to drill through the mortar of the brick siding. A carbide bit at 1/4 inch in diameter. Locate the pipes in the wall. Use an infrared sensor to follow the hot water from the inside of the home to find out where the pipes are in the wall. Drill in the wall cavity a 1/4 inch hole and spray canned spray-foam into each of the stud bases (about every 6 inches). Spray around the pipes and fill the area around the pipes to insulate them.

 

Q: Pat wants to know if he can vent his washing machine through his shower that’s 15 ft away?

A: Morris says you can run the vent anywhere you want after the trap. You don’t want to run it into a smaller size vent though.

 

Thanks

A very special thank you to all of our callers! We live to answer your questions, so keep them coming!

Mentioned Links:

Thank you to our Technical Support:

  • Danny Bringer – Chief Engineer
  • Carol Carey – Executive Producer
  • Sam Reed – Associate Producer

 

#onthehousewiththecareybros #repairit #luxurybathroom #bathroomupgrades #glass #powerwashing #powerwasher #pressurewashing #pressurewashinglife #classicdiy #diy #callerquestions

Thank you for tuning in on how to elevate your home! And check in next week for more cool tips!

“Elevating Your Home” Show Notes for On The House with the Carey Brothers aired March 2, 2019.

Missed our live show? Don’t worry! Because we have a podcast of the show. It’s the same thing we aired on the radio, but ready for you whenever and wherever you are! Check it out here.

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