I will bring in a few topics of discussion this week as well as open the phones for your questions regarding any projects you need guidance with. One topic may be the guides that are available for HouseTalk listeners this Saturday.
I have written these guides because of YOU! Why? Let me explain: In the eight years plus of hosting HouseTalk, I have gotten some calls that were cries for help! These were a result of people somehow, someway ending up in a very bad situation in regard to satisfactorily getting some work completed on their homes. I have seen situations like room additions framed up and abandoned, bad window installations that left homeowners with multiple water leaks when the rains finally came, roofs that failed prematurely, bathrooms left gutted and way too much more! The point is that of course there are several great contractors out there but there are some that are not so great. How do you figure out which contractor to hire? This is exactly why I wrote these guides!
I wrote one guide on Remodeling, one on Window Replacement and one on Roofing. Now these guides are specific to the types of work my company, Trades Unlimited, does so if you ever have a need for any of those things be sure to call my office at 480-483-1775 or click here to go to my company, Trades Unlimited. There are many things in these guides that can be used regardless of what type of work you are having done such as questions to ask your contractor or items a contractor should provide and more.
To listen live online from 8-10 Saturday morning, click here. If you're in the Phoenix valley area, we're on KKNT960 AM. Let's talk on HouseTalk!
Make it a great day!
Warren
Showing posts with label housetalk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label housetalk. Show all posts
Friday, October 30, 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
Free Tickets For Maricopa County Home Show - September 25-27, 2009 AZ State Fairgrounds, Trades Unlimited, Inc.
The Maricopa County Home Show at the AZ State Fairgrounds is coming up next week, and HouseTalk is giving away free home show tickets! All you have to do is tune in to HouseTalk tomorrow morning, Saturday, September 18 on KKNT960 AM and call in to the given number between 10 and noon.
Tomorrow's show will be open phones for any projects for which you need guidance. When you call the show or to the number given on the air for your free tickets, remember to ask for your FREE guides that have been written especially for YOU, the homeowner.
Why have I written guidebooks for you? Let me explain: In the 8+ years of hosting HouseTalk, I have gotten some calls that were cries for help. These cries were a result of people somehow, some way ending up in a very bad situation in regards to satisfactorily getting some work completed in their homes. I have seen situations such as room additions framed and abandoned, bad window installations that left homeowners with multiple water leaks, roofs that failed prematurely, bathrooms left gutted, and way too much more! The point is, of course there are great contractors out there, but there are also some that are not so great. How do you figure out which contractor to hire?
There are three FREE guides, so specify which one you want: Roofing, Window Replacement, or Remodeling.
Welcome again to the HouseTalk show; we'll talk on the air!
See you on the show!
Warren
Tomorrow's show will be open phones for any projects for which you need guidance. When you call the show or to the number given on the air for your free tickets, remember to ask for your FREE guides that have been written especially for YOU, the homeowner.
Why have I written guidebooks for you? Let me explain: In the 8+ years of hosting HouseTalk, I have gotten some calls that were cries for help. These cries were a result of people somehow, some way ending up in a very bad situation in regards to satisfactorily getting some work completed in their homes. I have seen situations such as room additions framed and abandoned, bad window installations that left homeowners with multiple water leaks, roofs that failed prematurely, bathrooms left gutted, and way too much more! The point is, of course there are great contractors out there, but there are also some that are not so great. How do you figure out which contractor to hire?
There are three FREE guides, so specify which one you want: Roofing, Window Replacement, or Remodeling.
Welcome again to the HouseTalk show; we'll talk on the air!
See you on the show!
Warren
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Acrylic Baths/Showers - Bath Liners - Housetalk August 29, 2009
Hi folks, today's show was about acrylic bath liners, something Trades Unlimited is now offering. Acrylic bath liners are custom made in a variety of colors and patterns, and it's something that fits right over your existing shower/tub combo or just shower. This is a perfect alternative for those who don't want to do a complete bathroom remodel or perhaps don't have the funds for a large scale remodel, yet want to have a nice face lift. Apartment owners, condo owners, small retirement home owners, these are perfect for you if you don't want to spend a lot on a large remodel. It is a ONE DAY remodel with little to no fuss and mess. Acrylic liners can also be used to convert a shower/tub combo to a shower only. Since they are acrylic, they do not chip or crack like fiberglass often does.
For more information about a ONE DAY bath remodel using acrylic bath liners call Trades Unlimited, Inc at 480-483-1775 or click on the link to be taken to our website: www.tradesunlimited.com. More information can be found also at: www.linersdirect.com. Remember, this is for ONE DAY bath remodels by Trades Unlimited, Inc., and I'm both humbled and proud to say that we are a remodeling company in the Phoenix area that has been voted in the top 10 remodel companies now 4 years in a row!
I look forward to hearing from you HouseTalk listeners. Until next Saturday, have a great week!
Warren
For more information about a ONE DAY bath remodel using acrylic bath liners call Trades Unlimited, Inc at 480-483-1775 or click on the link to be taken to our website: www.tradesunlimited.com. More information can be found also at: www.linersdirect.com. Remember, this is for ONE DAY bath remodels by Trades Unlimited, Inc., and I'm both humbled and proud to say that we are a remodeling company in the Phoenix area that has been voted in the top 10 remodel companies now 4 years in a row!
I look forward to hearing from you HouseTalk listeners. Until next Saturday, have a great week!
Warren
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Trane Air Conditioning-Dean Oakley, Chuck DeFrancisco & Schlage Locks, Phil Swindler-August 15, 2009-HouseTalk Show
Another good Saturday morning to you. Today we had a house full of guests and we talked about air conditioning. In the studio today was Dean Oakley from Trane, Chuck DeFrancisco from Trane, and Phil Swindler from Schlagg Locks.
Dean said there is always something new with Trane. They're still doing research and development, growing, prospering, and focusing on consumers. Trane is a company that was acquired about year ago by the Ingersoll Rand which has been around for about 100 years. They've joined an alliance with Schlage. What on earth do air conditioning and locks have to do together? Why does it make sense for these two businesses to join?
Just a point of interest. You see it every day at the grocery store. Take a look at the refrigeration system in the frozen foods - look up and you'll see the Hussmann refrigeration system. Look at Thermo King trucks driving around with grocery products - that's Trane brand. Club Car golf carts - Ingersoll Rand brands. The Ingersoll Rand brand which is the instruction brand, generators, tools and then Schlage locks. They are now considered residential solutions, whereas in the past they were residential systems. Their focus in on safety, efficiency and comfort. Now they have a joint product where Trane Heating & Air Conditioning is linked with Schlage through something they call Schlage Link.
Phil Swindler explained that Schlage Link is a home automation system that homeowner can set up himself. Very easy to set up. Put on standard door. The system connects through your internet router so that you can control lights, thermostats, cameras, locks, garage door openers and so on from away from home.
Home automation used to be pretty complex, a lot of money and setup involved. Now with the computers it has gotten easier to do all this. Trane used to heat and cool a lot of the larger homes with many air conditioners on their homes. Now the technology they have through their alignment with Ingersoll Rand has been able to bring affordability to the average consumer. Picture this: coming home from vacation in San Diego. You turned your thermostat up. It's blazing hot at your home because you turned the air conditioning up. Now you can pull up that thermostat through your phone internet and adjust the temp as you wish. This is something that's also good for latchkey kids so that you can be notified by text or email that your child has reached home, and if you want to have a live feed camera to see for real you can have that set up as well. There might be many good reasons for you to have access to the home while you're away. Schlage brings it to you at an affordable cost and very easy to set up on your own computer.
What effect does closing my doors and registers have on my a/c system? Dean Oakley said that most consumers think that if I'm not in that room, the extra empty room, I'll shut the door. Well, that duct system is designed to deliver a certain amount of air per room. When we shut down doors inside of rooms, unless there's enough return, you create a pressure imbalance in that room. That room will create enough pressure to push that air through the windows and small cracks and crevices through the home and now you have a depressurized home and you'll bring in more outside air that you did before. If you have a grill or gap above or below the door, that may be considered an appropriate return, but if there is no return back to the main part of the house, you create energy inefficiency.
Gary in Sun City asked about how Phil compares Trane and Amana air conditioning. Phil said that Gary should pull up the consumer reports as well as some other 3rd party reports that will give impartial comparisons. Trane has always been ranked in the top 3 for the past 10 years. Amana is a competitor, but obviously he favors Trane. Warren said that there are other good air conditioning brands out in the marketplace, but he has always been privileged to be associated with Trane. Trane has been an industry leader toward which others have compared themselves and their innovations. Trane has always had a great reputation for reliability, and in his opinion it pays to go with a proven leader.
Steve in Phoenix asked about setting the thermostat to run the fan always or only when the a/c kicks on, what should he do? Dean said that depending on whether he has a variable speed fan, this could make a significant difference in utility cost. If you run 24/7 that's about 10 60-watt lightbulbs. If you have a variable speed fan, it will cost only about 1 60-watt lightbulb. Advantage of running continuous is good for heating/cooling system if you have variable speed; however, the seasons affect it as well. For example, if you're in the monsoon season and run it continuous it can raise the humidity in your home.
Dustin in Phoenix said that he was told that in a couple years the requirements for a/c would change in that homeowners will have to change it out because of the refrigerant. The refrigerant won't be phased out totally for repairs for 10-20 years, and refrigerant 22 will be around for awhile for those repairs. As of January 1, 2010, heating and air conditioning manufacturers will no longer produce refrigerant 22 air conditioning systems. Government is requiring 410A, a non-ozone polluting refrigerant. However, there is still some desparity in the industry, but the laws have been put into place. Trane will be completely switching over to 410A for new product, and Dean said to weigh your options. If you're replacing, you might want to look at 410A, but 22 will be still be around for some time.
What does an inside sales leader do for Trane? Chuck DeFrancisco said that his primary role is to provide service to outside sales and territory managers as well as reach out to help dealers. It's a highly trained group of professionals able to help customer, consumer or dealer with any number of questions.
Pauline in Scottsdale asked about going on vacation for 2-4 days. Does it make sense to leave the air conditioning on or should they turn it off? Dean said that if it's in the middle of the summer, it's very important not to turn the air conditioning off. Your house can get to 100 degrees. The utility company says to turn it up a few degrees, maybe even to 85 degrees, but not off. Depending on the temp, it could take 6-8 hours to cool your house down.
We also had some special young guests here to visit the studio today. My nephew and nieces, Brendan, Courtney and Adeline were visiting from Minnesota so they had the chance to see what happens in a radio studio and even dared to say hi to their mom and dad over the radio!
Dean said there is always something new with Trane. They're still doing research and development, growing, prospering, and focusing on consumers. Trane is a company that was acquired about year ago by the Ingersoll Rand which has been around for about 100 years. They've joined an alliance with Schlage. What on earth do air conditioning and locks have to do together? Why does it make sense for these two businesses to join?
Just a point of interest. You see it every day at the grocery store. Take a look at the refrigeration system in the frozen foods - look up and you'll see the Hussmann refrigeration system. Look at Thermo King trucks driving around with grocery products - that's Trane brand. Club Car golf carts - Ingersoll Rand brands. The Ingersoll Rand brand which is the instruction brand, generators, tools and then Schlage locks. They are now considered residential solutions, whereas in the past they were residential systems. Their focus in on safety, efficiency and comfort. Now they have a joint product where Trane Heating & Air Conditioning is linked with Schlage through something they call Schlage Link.
Phil Swindler explained that Schlage Link is a home automation system that homeowner can set up himself. Very easy to set up. Put on standard door. The system connects through your internet router so that you can control lights, thermostats, cameras, locks, garage door openers and so on from away from home.
Home automation used to be pretty complex, a lot of money and setup involved. Now with the computers it has gotten easier to do all this. Trane used to heat and cool a lot of the larger homes with many air conditioners on their homes. Now the technology they have through their alignment with Ingersoll Rand has been able to bring affordability to the average consumer. Picture this: coming home from vacation in San Diego. You turned your thermostat up. It's blazing hot at your home because you turned the air conditioning up. Now you can pull up that thermostat through your phone internet and adjust the temp as you wish. This is something that's also good for latchkey kids so that you can be notified by text or email that your child has reached home, and if you want to have a live feed camera to see for real you can have that set up as well. There might be many good reasons for you to have access to the home while you're away. Schlage brings it to you at an affordable cost and very easy to set up on your own computer.
What effect does closing my doors and registers have on my a/c system? Dean Oakley said that most consumers think that if I'm not in that room, the extra empty room, I'll shut the door. Well, that duct system is designed to deliver a certain amount of air per room. When we shut down doors inside of rooms, unless there's enough return, you create a pressure imbalance in that room. That room will create enough pressure to push that air through the windows and small cracks and crevices through the home and now you have a depressurized home and you'll bring in more outside air that you did before. If you have a grill or gap above or below the door, that may be considered an appropriate return, but if there is no return back to the main part of the house, you create energy inefficiency.
Gary in Sun City asked about how Phil compares Trane and Amana air conditioning. Phil said that Gary should pull up the consumer reports as well as some other 3rd party reports that will give impartial comparisons. Trane has always been ranked in the top 3 for the past 10 years. Amana is a competitor, but obviously he favors Trane. Warren said that there are other good air conditioning brands out in the marketplace, but he has always been privileged to be associated with Trane. Trane has been an industry leader toward which others have compared themselves and their innovations. Trane has always had a great reputation for reliability, and in his opinion it pays to go with a proven leader.
Steve in Phoenix asked about setting the thermostat to run the fan always or only when the a/c kicks on, what should he do? Dean said that depending on whether he has a variable speed fan, this could make a significant difference in utility cost. If you run 24/7 that's about 10 60-watt lightbulbs. If you have a variable speed fan, it will cost only about 1 60-watt lightbulb. Advantage of running continuous is good for heating/cooling system if you have variable speed; however, the seasons affect it as well. For example, if you're in the monsoon season and run it continuous it can raise the humidity in your home.
Dustin in Phoenix said that he was told that in a couple years the requirements for a/c would change in that homeowners will have to change it out because of the refrigerant. The refrigerant won't be phased out totally for repairs for 10-20 years, and refrigerant 22 will be around for awhile for those repairs. As of January 1, 2010, heating and air conditioning manufacturers will no longer produce refrigerant 22 air conditioning systems. Government is requiring 410A, a non-ozone polluting refrigerant. However, there is still some desparity in the industry, but the laws have been put into place. Trane will be completely switching over to 410A for new product, and Dean said to weigh your options. If you're replacing, you might want to look at 410A, but 22 will be still be around for some time.
What does an inside sales leader do for Trane? Chuck DeFrancisco said that his primary role is to provide service to outside sales and territory managers as well as reach out to help dealers. It's a highly trained group of professionals able to help customer, consumer or dealer with any number of questions.
Pauline in Scottsdale asked about going on vacation for 2-4 days. Does it make sense to leave the air conditioning on or should they turn it off? Dean said that if it's in the middle of the summer, it's very important not to turn the air conditioning off. Your house can get to 100 degrees. The utility company says to turn it up a few degrees, maybe even to 85 degrees, but not off. Depending on the temp, it could take 6-8 hours to cool your house down.
We also had some special young guests here to visit the studio today. My nephew and nieces, Brendan, Courtney and Adeline were visiting from Minnesota so they had the chance to see what happens in a radio studio and even dared to say hi to their mom and dad over the radio!
Saturday, August 1, 2009
HouseTalk Guest - Wade from Cline's Natural Stone
Hello HouseTalk listeners!
Nice to see you here on the blogspot! For those of you who weren't able to listen, we missed you! You missed a great session as well and, of course, all the laughs and the little jokes and such, but this should be able to give you some of the practical knowledge anyhow.
First of all, for years you've called into HouseTalk for referrals for experts in certain areas. I've got great news for you. We've got specialists that we recommend in all areas. For example, now that the heat is high your a/c might be at the top of your mind. We've got two great air conditioning companies listed there: Howard Air and Day & Night Air. We've got OnSite Cleaning & Restoration...all kinds of specialty contractors. You can get there either through www.housetalkshow.com and click on Trade Partners or go directly to www.MyTradePartners.com and there you will find contractors who care.
This morning our guest was Wade Cline from Cline's Natural Stone in Phoenix. Phone 623-516-1516. www.clinesnaturalstone.com. Wade has a vast knowledge and lots of experience with tile in your home. Anything that you would like to know about tile, granite, marble, natural stone whether it be installation, upkeep and care...Wade can help with those questions.
Wade brought in a special deal for today's callers: For those who were calling in today, the person who asked the best question (according to Wade) got $100 ENTERTAINMENT bucks. These were given away by Cline's Natural stone. Aww shucks, you shouldn't have missed the show. See what happens when you're away? By the way, the winner was a caller from.....see the bottom.
Julie had called regarding a small bathroom remodel. Basically she just wants to put tile in around the tub. Wade told her that anyone who is contemplating a small remodel, even a small tub should also think about the long term and what they might like to do down the road. That way whatever you pick to do now you have done and then once the time comes to do another phase you can start in without redoing or having to "live with" a project that never flowed nicely together. Have a long term plan.
Tom asked about tiling his stairs and asked if there was any reason not to tile stairs. Wade said absolutely not, tiled stairs are very nice. You need to think of what kind of tile. For example, some tiles are more slick and would need grooves to keep it from being so slippery. Natural stone is generally better for steps because they have more grip.
By the way, Cline's Natural Stone has a beautiful show room. Wade's wife Lisa has done some marvelous ideas with glass inserts in stone. Go see what the options are. They're open 7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. weekdays and until 2:00 p.m. on Saturdays. Have them put some things together. See what kinds of fun things you can do with that shower in your home!
Lucille in Surprise said they've been upgrading their home. She is a homemaker; she likes to make bread and do other baking, so she spends a lot of time in the kitchen. (Ahem, looks like HouseTalk will visit just before the timer buzzes next time the smell of bread is wafting through the air in Surprise.) Her question was in regards to what kind of countertop to put in. Wade suggested she be educated in all products and their benefits. You need to ask yourself what style works for you in the design of the house? What's your budget? Of course, he loves granite. There are other surfaces such as solid surfaces (Corian), which are very nice. Wade said that of 10 countertops, 2 of them might be corian. As a resale aspect too, granite adds more value. Lucille asked what the cons of granite are and his response was that the only drawback is the cost.
David from Phoenix had an area of travertine installed outside a few months ago. White residue powder coming up. What's the issue? Tends to come from the concrete beneath the stone. Water was maybe under the surface and as it evaporates, it carries the residue up. Probably coming from excessive water coming in underneath the slab. Until the water issue is stopped, the residue will keep coming.
Jim in Phoenix lives in an older home built in the 50s. Has flagstone floors throughout. Hasn't refinished it for some time, and it has worn nicely. However, he has owned the home for thirty years and it's time to refinish the surface. How? First question from Wade, what kind of finish/sealer was on there? Given the time it was built, it was probably a urethane sealer. What they'd recommend doing is to protect the walls, run an acrylic stripper, use a high-powered vacuum and go over it a few times. As an aside Jim also asked about termite treatment within the home, and Wade said for them to drill in through the grout joints so they don't break up the flagstone. If you have access the equipment, this can be done by homeowner. If not, call Cline's Natural Stone in Phoenix 623-516-1516. They are very experienced and happy to help with this.
Georgia in Phoenix has real marble in bathroom and on the kitchen counters. It has gotten to be real dingy. According to Wade, marble is quite easy to refinish and clean. Most color is probably from small scratches. It's actually quite easy to bring the shine right back. First you need to remove scratches and scuff marks. They grind with diamond and take off top layer and bring the polish right back. Then it will be sealed and look like new. It's cost effective in that it's much less than replacing.
I had to ask Wade a bit for our listeners' interest: How are granite countertops fabricated? Cut it to size you want. Laminate the front edge. Cut an inch and three quarters off the surface so the edge is a little thicker. Profile and polish. Granite comes with the top surface polished and nice. Your granite company will fit it and edge it. In order to prevent some health hazards in fabrication, the entire process has to be done wet or you get silica dust. Just as an aside, I told my people to go to 2058 W Rose Garden Lane if they're in the Phoenix area. You can look right into the fabrication shop. You can see countertop profiles as well as many of Lisa Cline's artistic taste in what to do with backsplashes and so on. It's a real experience.
Kathy called and said that she has terrible hard water stains in glass shower. What can be used for that? I told her that option is to treat the water - the salt-based potassium softeners work. There are systems that supposedly soften, but I have not had the experience with them to say how well they do or don't work. I'll have to get back to her with a type of product since CLR doesn't work. Kathy said she's send an email to me at warren@housetalkshow.com. See how nice it is? Even if I don't know the answer, I can find it for you!
Roger in Chandler asked about the silicone caulking between backsplash and countertop. Seems that it's always about six months to open up. Wade suggested that the silicone is probably opening due to it not having been cleaned and dried very, very well. If it's clean and dry, that silicone should not open up. The silicone should only be put in the crack, not sitting outside on the abutting surfaces. Water can work it's way under that.
Roger also asked about granite overlays for countertops and islands. I haven't looked into it enough to know if it's practical or not. Doesn't seem that the substrate would be sound enough. Wade said that a person is limited in color and type that can be overlayed. You're basically at the same cost to do an overlay as you would to go out and pick an entire granite. Wade himself is not a big fan of the granite overlay.
Barbara in Mesa asked about saving existing granite. Her sister-in-law used glass cleaner on the granite countertop over a period of time so it has become pitted. Can it be saved? It can probably be cleaned up and buffed somewhat and some of the shine brought back, but maybe not completely.
Mike asked about cleaning slate in the entryway. Hasn't been cleaned in LONG time (he wouldn't say how long!) How can it be cleaned? Again Wade asked about the finish. If it has a sheen, it's probably a topical finish. Beware of using any chemicals on it. Mike can probably go in with a strong, neutral pH cleaner found in the tile section of your stores. Clean it up, dry it up well and then finish.
Mike also asked a question about what kind of block to use for a climbing wall at their church. (Ahaa...good question again...might even be in the lead for the winner of the 100 Entertainment Bucks!) We had to go to the break to think about this one for a couple minutes... Natural stone when it's done to a veneer situation and attached to a wall is not necessarily strong enough to be climbed on and pulled on. Should do something that can be fastened directly to the wall. Wade said he has seen where they put rebar and then cover it with faux stone to make it appear like a stone, but still be safe. They'll have to check more into this one.
Wade took a few moments to just say that people want to do things to bathrooms and kitchens. Cline is a big believer in people becoming educated in the products so that they can choose the product that is good for their lifestyle. People should know the pros and cons so they can know what works for them. Cline's Natural Stone tries to educate and help you find the best product for your dollar. "We're good at giving ideas, and ideas don't cost anything when you come to Cline's Natural Stone," said Wade.
Jim in Maricopa just recently bought a house with granite countertops. What's the best daily cleaner? Wade said soap and water and then rinsing with water works very, very well. If you're going to use Windex, use it sparingly.
Sally in Phoenix has saltillo tile. It's an older home built in 1978 and the tile has not been sealed in 18 years. What's the best way to seal, clean it and fix a large slab crack? The cracked tiles can be either fixed or filled in with a non-sanded grout, depending on the size of the crack. Most people like a slight finish on the saltillo because it keeps it easier to maintain. He recommends any type of an acidic tile cleaner to agressively clean it, following the directions closely and then extracting/sucking up the excess water with some sort of vacuum. Sometimes it's good to look at the cost of renting equipment vs. just hiring someone who has the equipment and knows how to do it easily and efficiently.
Ben in Phoenix called. He had cleaned his granite countertop and then shortly after noticed that it was cracked around the faucet. According to Wade, if granite is properly installed it's very difficult to crack it. The cleaner would not crack it (unless the cleaner stood on it!). Given the location of the cracks it probably occurred while drilling the holes for the faucet. Installer should go back out and take a look.
Dan in Phoenix. Has seen terrazzo floors in Puerto Rico and Europe, but hasn't noticed them in the Phoenix area. Are they here? Yes, go to the Esplanade for one example. Dan asked then what exactly is terrazzo, is it hard to maintain, expensive? It's a product where the stone chips are put down with a resin and then ground down. It's a very durable floor, fairly expensive. It's a pretty laborious processs to install. They frame it in smaller spaces, grind it up flat, go on to the next area. Really good floor, but defnitely not a real popular floor.
Tim, head of a facility with an HOA in North Scottsdale. They are looking at putting in stone accents on some of the houses as a way to keep the community updated. What is the color durability of faux stone vs real stone? Is there a faux stone out there that can withstand and keep the color? Wade has a definite opinion...he believes in everything real! There is cost involved, yes. There is real stone available in a veneer. With many of those, the cost is so close it pays to use the real. In 25 years, who knows what the faux will look like, but the real stone will still look like real stone.
What a fun show with lots of good questions for Home Repair On The Air. We weren't able to take all the calls today, but tune in next Saturday for more!
Tune in also to hear which caller with the best question got the Entertainment Bucks!
I'll be back next Saturday. If questions come to your mind during the week, send me an email to me at warren@housetalkshow.com and I'll see if I can answer them on the air next week.
Until then, make it a great day and I'll be back next Saturday! And remember...I'm here at Trades Unlimited for all your home improvement needs!
Nice to see you here on the blogspot! For those of you who weren't able to listen, we missed you! You missed a great session as well and, of course, all the laughs and the little jokes and such, but this should be able to give you some of the practical knowledge anyhow.
First of all, for years you've called into HouseTalk for referrals for experts in certain areas. I've got great news for you. We've got specialists that we recommend in all areas. For example, now that the heat is high your a/c might be at the top of your mind. We've got two great air conditioning companies listed there: Howard Air and Day & Night Air. We've got OnSite Cleaning & Restoration...all kinds of specialty contractors. You can get there either through www.housetalkshow.com and click on Trade Partners or go directly to www.MyTradePartners.com and there you will find contractors who care.
This morning our guest was Wade Cline from Cline's Natural Stone in Phoenix. Phone 623-516-1516. www.clinesnaturalstone.com. Wade has a vast knowledge and lots of experience with tile in your home. Anything that you would like to know about tile, granite, marble, natural stone whether it be installation, upkeep and care...Wade can help with those questions.
Wade brought in a special deal for today's callers: For those who were calling in today, the person who asked the best question (according to Wade) got $100 ENTERTAINMENT bucks. These were given away by Cline's Natural stone. Aww shucks, you shouldn't have missed the show. See what happens when you're away? By the way, the winner was a caller from.....see the bottom.
Julie had called regarding a small bathroom remodel. Basically she just wants to put tile in around the tub. Wade told her that anyone who is contemplating a small remodel, even a small tub should also think about the long term and what they might like to do down the road. That way whatever you pick to do now you have done and then once the time comes to do another phase you can start in without redoing or having to "live with" a project that never flowed nicely together. Have a long term plan.
Tom asked about tiling his stairs and asked if there was any reason not to tile stairs. Wade said absolutely not, tiled stairs are very nice. You need to think of what kind of tile. For example, some tiles are more slick and would need grooves to keep it from being so slippery. Natural stone is generally better for steps because they have more grip.
By the way, Cline's Natural Stone has a beautiful show room. Wade's wife Lisa has done some marvelous ideas with glass inserts in stone. Go see what the options are. They're open 7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. weekdays and until 2:00 p.m. on Saturdays. Have them put some things together. See what kinds of fun things you can do with that shower in your home!
Lucille in Surprise said they've been upgrading their home. She is a homemaker; she likes to make bread and do other baking, so she spends a lot of time in the kitchen. (Ahem, looks like HouseTalk will visit just before the timer buzzes next time the smell of bread is wafting through the air in Surprise.) Her question was in regards to what kind of countertop to put in. Wade suggested she be educated in all products and their benefits. You need to ask yourself what style works for you in the design of the house? What's your budget? Of course, he loves granite. There are other surfaces such as solid surfaces (Corian), which are very nice. Wade said that of 10 countertops, 2 of them might be corian. As a resale aspect too, granite adds more value. Lucille asked what the cons of granite are and his response was that the only drawback is the cost.
David from Phoenix had an area of travertine installed outside a few months ago. White residue powder coming up. What's the issue? Tends to come from the concrete beneath the stone. Water was maybe under the surface and as it evaporates, it carries the residue up. Probably coming from excessive water coming in underneath the slab. Until the water issue is stopped, the residue will keep coming.
Jim in Phoenix lives in an older home built in the 50s. Has flagstone floors throughout. Hasn't refinished it for some time, and it has worn nicely. However, he has owned the home for thirty years and it's time to refinish the surface. How? First question from Wade, what kind of finish/sealer was on there? Given the time it was built, it was probably a urethane sealer. What they'd recommend doing is to protect the walls, run an acrylic stripper, use a high-powered vacuum and go over it a few times. As an aside Jim also asked about termite treatment within the home, and Wade said for them to drill in through the grout joints so they don't break up the flagstone. If you have access the equipment, this can be done by homeowner. If not, call Cline's Natural Stone in Phoenix 623-516-1516. They are very experienced and happy to help with this.
Georgia in Phoenix has real marble in bathroom and on the kitchen counters. It has gotten to be real dingy. According to Wade, marble is quite easy to refinish and clean. Most color is probably from small scratches. It's actually quite easy to bring the shine right back. First you need to remove scratches and scuff marks. They grind with diamond and take off top layer and bring the polish right back. Then it will be sealed and look like new. It's cost effective in that it's much less than replacing.
I had to ask Wade a bit for our listeners' interest: How are granite countertops fabricated? Cut it to size you want. Laminate the front edge. Cut an inch and three quarters off the surface so the edge is a little thicker. Profile and polish. Granite comes with the top surface polished and nice. Your granite company will fit it and edge it. In order to prevent some health hazards in fabrication, the entire process has to be done wet or you get silica dust. Just as an aside, I told my people to go to 2058 W Rose Garden Lane if they're in the Phoenix area. You can look right into the fabrication shop. You can see countertop profiles as well as many of Lisa Cline's artistic taste in what to do with backsplashes and so on. It's a real experience.
Kathy called and said that she has terrible hard water stains in glass shower. What can be used for that? I told her that option is to treat the water - the salt-based potassium softeners work. There are systems that supposedly soften, but I have not had the experience with them to say how well they do or don't work. I'll have to get back to her with a type of product since CLR doesn't work. Kathy said she's send an email to me at warren@housetalkshow.com. See how nice it is? Even if I don't know the answer, I can find it for you!
Roger in Chandler asked about the silicone caulking between backsplash and countertop. Seems that it's always about six months to open up. Wade suggested that the silicone is probably opening due to it not having been cleaned and dried very, very well. If it's clean and dry, that silicone should not open up. The silicone should only be put in the crack, not sitting outside on the abutting surfaces. Water can work it's way under that.
Roger also asked about granite overlays for countertops and islands. I haven't looked into it enough to know if it's practical or not. Doesn't seem that the substrate would be sound enough. Wade said that a person is limited in color and type that can be overlayed. You're basically at the same cost to do an overlay as you would to go out and pick an entire granite. Wade himself is not a big fan of the granite overlay.
Barbara in Mesa asked about saving existing granite. Her sister-in-law used glass cleaner on the granite countertop over a period of time so it has become pitted. Can it be saved? It can probably be cleaned up and buffed somewhat and some of the shine brought back, but maybe not completely.
Mike asked about cleaning slate in the entryway. Hasn't been cleaned in LONG time (he wouldn't say how long!) How can it be cleaned? Again Wade asked about the finish. If it has a sheen, it's probably a topical finish. Beware of using any chemicals on it. Mike can probably go in with a strong, neutral pH cleaner found in the tile section of your stores. Clean it up, dry it up well and then finish.
Mike also asked a question about what kind of block to use for a climbing wall at their church. (Ahaa...good question again...might even be in the lead for the winner of the 100 Entertainment Bucks!) We had to go to the break to think about this one for a couple minutes... Natural stone when it's done to a veneer situation and attached to a wall is not necessarily strong enough to be climbed on and pulled on. Should do something that can be fastened directly to the wall. Wade said he has seen where they put rebar and then cover it with faux stone to make it appear like a stone, but still be safe. They'll have to check more into this one.
Wade took a few moments to just say that people want to do things to bathrooms and kitchens. Cline is a big believer in people becoming educated in the products so that they can choose the product that is good for their lifestyle. People should know the pros and cons so they can know what works for them. Cline's Natural Stone tries to educate and help you find the best product for your dollar. "We're good at giving ideas, and ideas don't cost anything when you come to Cline's Natural Stone," said Wade.
Jim in Maricopa just recently bought a house with granite countertops. What's the best daily cleaner? Wade said soap and water and then rinsing with water works very, very well. If you're going to use Windex, use it sparingly.
Sally in Phoenix has saltillo tile. It's an older home built in 1978 and the tile has not been sealed in 18 years. What's the best way to seal, clean it and fix a large slab crack? The cracked tiles can be either fixed or filled in with a non-sanded grout, depending on the size of the crack. Most people like a slight finish on the saltillo because it keeps it easier to maintain. He recommends any type of an acidic tile cleaner to agressively clean it, following the directions closely and then extracting/sucking up the excess water with some sort of vacuum. Sometimes it's good to look at the cost of renting equipment vs. just hiring someone who has the equipment and knows how to do it easily and efficiently.
Ben in Phoenix called. He had cleaned his granite countertop and then shortly after noticed that it was cracked around the faucet. According to Wade, if granite is properly installed it's very difficult to crack it. The cleaner would not crack it (unless the cleaner stood on it!). Given the location of the cracks it probably occurred while drilling the holes for the faucet. Installer should go back out and take a look.
Dan in Phoenix. Has seen terrazzo floors in Puerto Rico and Europe, but hasn't noticed them in the Phoenix area. Are they here? Yes, go to the Esplanade for one example. Dan asked then what exactly is terrazzo, is it hard to maintain, expensive? It's a product where the stone chips are put down with a resin and then ground down. It's a very durable floor, fairly expensive. It's a pretty laborious processs to install. They frame it in smaller spaces, grind it up flat, go on to the next area. Really good floor, but defnitely not a real popular floor.
Tim, head of a facility with an HOA in North Scottsdale. They are looking at putting in stone accents on some of the houses as a way to keep the community updated. What is the color durability of faux stone vs real stone? Is there a faux stone out there that can withstand and keep the color? Wade has a definite opinion...he believes in everything real! There is cost involved, yes. There is real stone available in a veneer. With many of those, the cost is so close it pays to use the real. In 25 years, who knows what the faux will look like, but the real stone will still look like real stone.
What a fun show with lots of good questions for Home Repair On The Air. We weren't able to take all the calls today, but tune in next Saturday for more!
Tune in also to hear which caller with the best question got the Entertainment Bucks!
I'll be back next Saturday. If questions come to your mind during the week, send me an email to me at warren@housetalkshow.com and I'll see if I can answer them on the air next week.
Until then, make it a great day and I'll be back next Saturday! And remember...I'm here at Trades Unlimited for all your home improvement needs!
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