Q&A / 

Are you a new subscriber? Welcome to my crazy world. If you've been observing me from afar for the past month or twenty-plus years, sit back and relax. The Week of Cast Iron I'm up in Bar Harbor, Maine, as I type this early today. The sky is just starting to brighten after the wretched […]

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"A cast iron plumbing stack is a thing of beauty, especially if it's the sleek newer no-hub cast iron." Tim Carter - Founder, AsktheBuilder.com This article was featured as "The Week Of Cast Iron" in Tim's March 10, 2019 AsktheBuilder Newsletter. Cast Iron Plumbing Stack - Quiet and Strong Cast iron plumbing is still available […]

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"A drill-powered pump is an excellent tool to use to AVOID sucking on a hose to start a gravity-powered siphon setup. Why get all that algae-filled water in your mouth?" Drill Powered Pump - It Will Save You Time and Your Back You may not have been aware of a drill powered pump. They are […]

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Is this your first real issue? Thanks for signing up! If you've lost count of how many AsktheBuilder.com newsletters you've opened, thanks for sticking around. Kathy and I spent last week up in Bar Harbor. Kathy helped Meghan with the new grandchild, and Brent and I worked on the cast iron drain waste and vent […]

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Find a Vocation Not a Job DEAR TIM: I’ve read your column for years. I’d like you to share your thoughts on encouraging a young person to learn a trade or skill rather than go to college. Can you share what you did when you were young and more importantly if you could have a […]

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Creeping and Snapping Laminate Floor QUESTION #1: Oh, Tim I need your help! A laminate floor in a friend’s house seems to be possessed. Overnight, gaps appear in the floor where one piece butts up against another. With some effort, you can slide them back tight again. When you walk across the floor in places […]

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Factory-Built Walls QUESTION #1: Hello, Tim. A new house being constructed near me was built using wood walls made in a factory. I was astonished that the house was under roof in just two days. What’s better, walls built on the job site by carpenters or those built in a factory? Can you get walls […]

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You might be a brand new subscriber. WOOT and welcome! All seasoned subscribers who have been here a while will most likely vouch that I might have had three cups of coffee too many as I create this newsletter. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAH! But today's not one of those days. I'm actually sipping a nice hot mug of […]

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Restore Patio Tile Grout QUESTION #1: Tim, my outdoor deck is a concrete slab with gorgeous tile on it. The grout is a mess and I believe I have to replace it. The quotes to do this work took my breath away. How does one make the determination if the grout needs to be replaced? […]

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