Fireplace Safety | Energy-Saving Window Treatments | Winterize Your Sprinkler System | Ep #2258

SHOW NOTES: Fireplace Safety: Fireplaces are a common cause of home heating fires. Learn how to maintain your fireplace to stay safe and warm. Window Treatments: The right window treatments can save you money on energy bills while adding style to your home. Find out the best options. Sprinkler Systems: Winterizing your sprinkler system now can prevent big repairs when spring arrives. We’ll discuss three ways to winterize your system. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions. Insulation: Dan converted his back porch and wants to insulate the floor but has limited access to the tight space underneath. His only options may be having someone spray foam insulation or digging out a crawlspace. Painting: A contractor did a poor job spray painting Anna’s doors with the wrong kind of paint. She’ll need to start over by using a citrus-based product to remove the paint, then using an oil-based primer and good-quality paint to do it right. Wood Paneling: What’s the best way to cover up dark wood paneling in a 1970s-era home? David can either try to remove the paneling without damaging the drywall or paint the paneling with a matte finish to brighten it up. Glue Removal: The carpet in Sylvia’s old kitchen is glued to the subfloor and she wants to replace it with hardwood flooring. A citrus adhesive remover will soften the glue so she can even it out and then she can add a new layer of subfloor. Bathroom Floor: Alfred would like to install a commercial-style floor covering that rises up a few inches of his bathroom walls. It may be costly, but he would need to have a shower pan built for the entire bathroom and then cover it with tile. Windows: The tall, narrow windows in Marlise’s house aren’t supposed to open, but they’ve slid down into the frame and left big gaps at the top. She’ll have to find a way to slide the windows back up and secure them in place. Columns: The porch columns in front of an old house are starting to rot again after being replaced once before. We tell Carol how to protect the columns from water damage and what to know about reinforcing the support. Water Pressure: It’s not that funny when Brad’s son flushes the toilet and the water in the shower gets cold. He’ll want to install a pressure balance valve in the shower to regulate the water temperature. Do you have a home improvement or decor question? Call the show 24/7 at 888-MONEY-PIT (888-666-3974) or post your question here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices