Expert Advice on Home Improvement

Watch this video to find out the importance of proper drainage around the outside of your home to prevent water damage to your foundation, and what you can do to help correct drainage problems around your home. Watch this video.

Installing additional fiberglass insulation in your attic can really reduce energy bills. Watch this video to find out what you need to know in order to install it correctly. Watch this video.

Excess moisture in the crawlspace under your home can make it a breeding ground for mold, rot, and termites. Watch this video to find out what you can do to prevent it. Watch this video.

Radon is an invisible radioactive gas that occurs naturally in the environment and can seep up from the ground into your home. Exposure to radon gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. Watch this video to see how to find out if your home is at risk for radon gas and what to do about it. Watch this video.

While converting an unused basement, attic, or garage into additional living space is a popular option, careful planning is needed to prevent potential problems. If you take these unique planning and design aspects into consideration, your conversion will be a success. Watch this video.

Not only can additional insulation reduce your energy bills and make your home more comfortable, but GreenFiber cellulose insulation is made from 85% recycled material and uses 10% less energy to make. It can be blown or damp sprayed into walls, floors, and attics. The natural fibers are treated with a nontoxic chemical for flame resistance and are guaranteed for the life of your home. Watch this video.

When installing or replacing the heating and cooling system in your home, it’s important to be sure it is sized properly. Load calculations should take into account the amount of insulation in the walls and floor, the number and type of windows, as well as which direction they are facing. Watch this video.

Converting existing attic space into a bedroom is a popular home improvement project that can return over 93% of the money invested when you sell your house. When deciding whether to convert an attic into living space, there are a number of questions to consider, including access, ceiling height, and natural light. Watch this video.

Basement renovations are very popular since many of the necessary elements—including the floor, ceiling, and walls—are already in place. The most important concern that needs to be addressed in a basement renovation is moisture. Adding windows can help with light and ventilation, as well as providing an exit in case of fire or other emergencies. Watch this video.

Since basements are partially or completely underground, they often have inadequate windows. Adding more or larger windows to a basement can make it feel less claustrophobic and provide a welcome source of natural light. Installing an egress window will also allow the opening to serve as an exit in the case of an emergency. Watch this video.

When finishing a basement, be sure the stairs leading to it from the main floor meet building codes and do not pose a safety hazard. Possible areas of concern include the width of the stairs, the height to width ratio of the treads, and clearance at the bottom of the stairs. Watch this video.

Finishing a basement can pose unique design challenges, but if done right, a remodeled basement will enhance the value of a home and provide much needed additional space. One of the biggest potential problems that needs to be addressed early on when finishing a basement is the presence of moisture. This is often best handled by removing the soil around the basement. Watch this video.

Finding room in the kitchen to store the various bins needed for recycling can take up a lot of valuable cabinet space. Here Danny comes up with an innovative solution to the problem by installing chutes made from standard 4” dryer vent pipe that send cans and plastic bottles to bins located on a lower floor of the home. Watch this video.

When dryer lint builds up in the dryer vent pipe, it can drastically slow down the time it takes to dry clothes. Danny demonstrates how a dryer vent booster fan can help solve the problem. Watch this video.

Homeowners ask me all the time how they can control their monthly utility bills. Many have resigned themselves to paying high bills because they think that’s just the price you have to pay to be comfortable and that’s certainly a factor. Watch this video.

Adding fiberglass insulation to your attic is a great idea to improve energy efficiency but the process can be very uncomfortable due to the small glass fibers in the insulation. In addition to a long sleeved shirt, long pants, gloves, dust mask and eye goggles rub your hands and arms with baby powder or corn starch before working with fiberglass insulation. Watch this video.

Attics are all about storage, but rarely is the storage organized. Here’s a simple solution to take advantage of the open framing found in most attics. Create shelves for attic storage by building an “L” shaped support from 1×4s. One end of the “L” runs vertically attaching to the side of the roof rafter. The other end, running horizontally, attaches to the same rafter further down. Watch this video.

To cut insulation squarely and accurately use a utility knife with snap off blade. Extend the blade all the way out and lock it. The resulting 3″-4″ blade will make it easier to cut through thick batts of insulation. Use the straight edge of a piece of wood, lay it across the insulation, then kneel on one end of the insulation to compress it and run the blade down the edge of the wood for a nice square cut. Remember, to keep the fibers from irritating your skin wear a long sleeved shirt, pants, gloves, dust mask and safety glasses. Watch this video.

Exposed drain lines in an attic are often a trip hazard and can easily become damaged. To reduce this risk and prevent an accident build a bridge to cover the drain lines. Watch this video.