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I just purchases a vertical stainless steel mailbox with an antique copper finish from
Restoration Hardware. I'd like to protect this finish. (It has already picked up a scratch),

What products do you recommend I use to protect the finish?

I was on hold for today's pogram, but I did not get to ask my question.

Celeste,

Rain shower heads tend to consume more water than standard shower heads.

Mary,

Use a good latex caulk. It will say bath and tile on the tube.

Good Luck

Catskill bungalow comment-

You can always run glycol in the tubes so you will never have to drain them. Also, the most important aspect to radiant on grade is 2" rigid insulation- your guy is looking for a minimum of 6" added to his slab on grade. He should have done the radiant in the first slab, but the second slab is not a problem.

Glycol is used in driveways and in solar thermal applications where you have water running through modules on the roof etc.....

Thanks,

Benton Brown
BIG SUE LLC & INC.
925 BERGEN ST. #101
BROOKLYN, NY 11238
PH: 718.857.2717
FAX: 718-622-3819
BIGSUELLC.COM

Can you talk about rain shower heads? Are they eco friendly? What are the gpm? Would you pair with a handheld or a wall mounted shower head?

Can anything be done, aside from all new pipes, to prevent old pipes from finding a new holes from which water can escape? The pipes are in pretty bad shape, but I am not in a financial position to replace them all in this old house.

Insulation Question:

1923 Craftsman style house which leaks like a sieve. At one point blown-in insulation was placed in the exterior walls. There are cold spots on the walls so I am assuming the insulation has settled. I would love to install expanding form insulation to help with the draft as well as the cold. Do I have first have all the old insulation removed before putting the form in?

973-783-4805

(it's interrupting my sleep enough that it bears repeating. i promise.)

Help!

I can hear every step my upstairs neighbor takes, his snoring, etc. He refuses to put down a carpet or rug and the landlord doesn't offer any solutions. I can also hear the downstairs baby crying at 3 am and next door neighbors screaming at each other. Aside from moving, is there anything I can do to get some peace and quiet here?

Thanks.

the clanging pipes and hissing radiators in my brooklyn apartment are killing me! every hour on the hour it's like a bunch of crobar-wielding teamsters going to town on my bedroom and living room pipes. i've tried shutting my radiator valve off (as it's right next to my bed) but it seems to only make things worse when i inevitably turn it back on. what causes this and what can be done? my landlord claimed that "boiler problems" in the building had been fixed, but the clanging continues!

we are currently renovating our brownstone which includes relining the fireplace. terra cotta or stainless steel? our chimney contracter wants to use 10" diameter stainless which has "Lifetime guarantee" what are your thoughts.

Re "Baldachinno"
It comes from the Old Italian for BAGHDAD.

Live in 1909 apartment. Lav updated in 30s. Needs recaulking badly. Silicone not working. What kind is best?

To combine two topics from today's show... I've got an apartment with radiant heat flooring. We have programmable thermostats but our Landlord/Builder has told us not to use the timed heating feature. It, he says, is more efficient to let the floor retain constant heat rather than warm itself up to temperature.

Is this correct logic?

Thanks.

Any fix for squeaky wood flooring (antique heart pine)planks installed over pex radiant heat floors?

Finishing basement...want to close in 'ceiling' but do I insulate it? Other side is first floor of house. If so, use insulation batts with or without vapor barrier...if 'with' which side goes up toward living area?

Know the guys always answer caulking questions but hoping to get an answer: Live in a 1909 built apartment. Bath was updated in the 30s. Would like to recaulk. What is best kind--silicone doesn't seem to hold.

I've noticed a chaulky white substance that appears to have dripped out of the mortar and dried on new brick work in may area. Is this because of improper mixture or is there something I can watch out for in contracting renovations.

Hi guys!

I want to install an 18-inch dishwasher in a coop apartment here in Greenwich Village, New York.

I bought the dishwasher. My problem-- there's a cabinet located in the place where the dishwasher must go, and every contractor and plumber I call say they don't want to do the job--they can do the install, but not modify the cabinet.

Sounds simple, but I'm going nuts. What gives? What kind of professional should I call?

There was a never a dishwasher in the place, and I'm not sure if there's an electrical hookup there.

Any tips? Any advice? Want to do this job???

Thanks!

Ron

Answer: Muslin?

Is there any way to quiet creaky stairs? I live in a 1910 limestone with very creaky wooden stairs from 1st to 2d floor. I can't use carpeting bc of a cat who likes to pee on rugs. Thanks.

I am about to install "Energy Film." It seems to good to be true -- installs easily, is transparent and does the job of blocking heat/retaining heat and blocking UV rays. Should I go ahead?

My pet tortoise lives in the kitchen. I want to change the worn out viyl flooring, but the new(cheap) flooring that I can afford smells so strongly that I think it would make her sick. What flooring is non-ordorous and inexpensive. Its a small area.

Our heating bill last month was $590!! We have a 2 fam colonial in Queens and a tenant upstairs. We use an electronic thermostat which I set to 62 during the day when we are at work (8am - 5pm) and generally set to around 70 other times. We have new windows (~7 years) and we try to insulate wherever possible. Is there anything we can do to reduce our heating costs?

PS-My tenant told me that one of the radiators upstairs was leaking and I am going to change the valve. Could that account for the huge bill?

I live in a NJ Cape Cod with a sink and toilet on the second floor. I want to run speaker and electrical in-wall rated wires down the toilet stack opening to the basement. Does this violate any codes?

At the edge of my yard, I have had a small, wooden shed for several years. I've noticed a hole developing under it. Yesterday, a woodchuck (whom I named Blumberg), I guess breaking its hibernation, popped out from under the shed. Would putting cement in the opening under the shed prevent animals from entering?