How to Build a Masonry Fireplace - It's Very Complex The two main reasons for smoke in his home were the lack of a combustion air intake and his chimney was not the correct height. A few of his photos also showed a very dangerous situation where his flue liners were not surrounded by solid […]
Cold Weather Myths and Your Home - Easy Ways to Save $$$ When I woke up just before writing this column, it was a balmy -15F here at my house in central New Hampshire. A gale was blowing and the wind chill was -41F. You may be reading this column in sunny Florida or southern […]
SR71 LA Speed Story Major Brian Shul served our great nation well! And he's a fantastic storyteller.
Loan Prepayment Benefits - You Can Save Thousands of Dollars My youngest daughter moved out West thousands of miles away from me in 2022. Once in her new city, she had to purchase her first car. She bought a used car from Carvana. At the time of the purchase, she had a job prospect but […]
How to Use an Old Drywall Lath Hatchet - Keep it Razor Sharp This video was probably recorded in the 1950s. The installer is putting up 3/8-inch-thick drywall lath panels. These lath panels were often 16 inches wide and normally 4 feet long. They were introduced in the early 1900s. Some call it rock lath. […]
Spray Foam Pros and Cons - You Better Do the Math! A new home is being built on my street. I have to drive past it anytime I leave the community. I’ve visited the job site countless times to check on the progress and to weigh in on the quality of the workmanship. So far […]
Dark Side of EV Batteries - Child Labor in the Congo
Build a Magic Playhouse or Clubhouse - Create Memories Many decades ago I was a small lad. You may have had a childhood similar to mine. I was right in the middle of the baby boom created by lonely soldiers and sailors who came back from the great World War II to make up for […]
Paint Walls with Bold Colors - It Might Look Fantastic I’ve had the distinct pleasure to attend numerous editors conferences over the years sponsored by different manufacturers. I’ve toured tool heat-treating hand-tool plants, precision saw-blade factories, small-engine plants, and paint factories to name but a few. Each experience is similar to Christmas morning because I […]
Cleaning and Restoring Tile and Slate Floors - Easy! A month ago you may have read my column about how to get ceramic tile grout clean. As you might suspect, I received quite a few thank-you notes via the Ask Tim page on my www.AsktheBuilder.com website. It’s always gratifying to hear from you knowing that […]
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