Do you love the colorful trees of fall but dread dragging piles of leaves to the curb – maybe not so much? We’ve got a better idea – why not compost those leaves so they can benefit next year’s garden. Tom and Leslie share tips. Now that we are moving into the roughest weather season of the year, it’s a good time to plan for roof repairs or a replacement that might be needed to be done to keep your home nice and dry. But what’s the smartest way to go: repair or replace? We’re going to tell you w...
Nov 19, 2020•42 min•Ep. 2050
Did you ever notice that some leftovers seem to last a long time and other turns shades of green is an instant? Tom & Leslie explain why that happens and what you can do to make sure your leftovers last. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions. EPISODE SUMMARY: Did you ever notice that some leftovers seem to last a long time and other turns shades of green is an instant? Tom & Leslie explain why that happens and what you can do to make sure your leftovers last. Do you ever feel like you...
Nov 16, 2020•40 min•Ep. 2049
We’re all trying to avoid germs more than ever and motion-activated faucets are good for cutting down the spread of germs in public restrooms – but are they a healthy fit for your home? Tom and Leslie share the options With freezing weather ahead, now is a good time to make sure a frozen, broken water pipe DOES NOT turn the INSIDE of your home into a Winter Wonderland! One very special type of valve can stop this from happen to you. We’ll explain how. What’s the difference between a garage and a...
Nov 12, 2020•39 min•Ep. 2048
If your closet is looking a little messy -- closet organization may be in order, but that’s one project that ranks right up there with dental work as something to look forward to. We’ll have step-by-step, or shall we say “shelf-by shelf” tips to make this job easy to tackle. Have you ever considered adding gutter guards to end clogged gutters once in for all? Well don’t take another step until you hear about the results if a survey done by Ask the Builder which gathered actual costs from consume...
Nov 09, 2020•41 min•Ep. 2047
Fall is the perfect time for outdoor painting but taking on an entire home is a big project that requires proper planning, preparation and tools. Tom and Leslie share pro tips to help you get the project home. Plus… As the days get shorter and the night gets longer, it’s a good time to think about adding security lighting to your home. And this is a job, surprisingly, that you may be able to do yourself. You might not even realize it, but one of the most common home accidents is a fall. We’ll ha...
Nov 05, 2020•40 min•Ep. 2046
If you love the look of greenery around the outside your house but seem to have only a black thumb when it comes to getting greenery to flourish inside your home, we have a solution. And, it may not be a homeowner’s favorite thing to do, but if you have a septic tank -- taking care of it is crucial to avoid a very big mess. We’ll have tips on how to keep your septic system happy If you are lucky enough to have a sprinkler system for your lawn, now is the time when that system needs to be winteri...
Nov 02, 2020•38 min•Ep. 2045
There’s a good chance there’s one room in your home that’s eating up your heat – and your heating budget, your garage. Stay tuned for tips on adding energy efficiency to this chilly space. Whether you’re a young Mom with her hands full, or taking care of an aging parent, universally designed products make life so much easier and safer. We share why universal design works for all homes and all ages later on. Plus, have you checked your WINDOWS lately? Listen up for a checklist for you to make sur...
Oct 29, 2020•39 min•Ep. 2044
If you’ve ever stepped into the shower first thing in the morning and received a blast of icy cold water, you know it’s not best way to wake up! New technology in water heaters can prevent this by circulating hot water to bathrooms, BEFORE you need it! We’ll share how to stop this “shower shock” ounce and for all. Plus… If you’re tackling fall clean ups around the house -- getting rid of trash is easy, but getting rid of hazardous trash, not so much. We have tips on the easiest ways to purge you...
Oct 26, 2020•40 min•Ep. 2043
Are the leaves beginning to pile up around your home, do you dread all the raking and leaf cleanup? We’ve got tips to speed up your leaf removal so you can get back to enjoying the beautiful weather. It’s fireplace season, which means getting your chimney cleaned is a job that’s needed. But unfortunately, it can also lead to chimney contractors offering false advice in the hopes of getting even more money out of your wallet. We’ll sort out the facts from all that SMOKE. If you’ve got a plan for ...
Oct 22, 2020•39 min•Ep. 2042
If you’re a home improving weekend warrior, we’ve got tips on easy “all-in-one-weekend” home improvement projects that are so easy on your schedule you can fit them in after your Saturday morning coffee and still have enough time for a leisurely dinner Sunday! Plus… Fall is a great time to get your lawn, garden and landscape ready for winter and a quick comeback next spring. But to do that, you need great quality tools. We’ll introduce you to a line of cordless products -- including blowers, and...
Oct 19, 2020•40 min•Ep. 2041
Fall may not be the season for planting a new garden but it is definitely the season for planting new trees and bushes – and that’s a project we’re taking on here at The Money Pit to keep the deer away from the apparently very tasty bushes we have now. We share tips on why this is the best option for a deer-resistant landscape and how to make sure the job is a success. Plus… Do cracks in the walls on your home mean you’re headed toward an expensive repair? We’ll share how to know plus a hack to ...
Oct 15, 2020•40 min•Ep. 2040
A fresh coat of paint can do wonders for the sale of your house. But using right colors can actually help sell your home faster! Tom & Leslie share the most profitable colors for Kitchen and Bath. Plus… Plus, a pressure washer can make short work of that last round of outdoor cleaning. We’ve got advice to consider when buying one. If you’re planning a home improvement project, discovering hidden costs mid-project can really ramp up the stress! We’ll share some of those money-drains and tell you ...
Oct 12, 2020•40 min•Ep. 2039
Summer’s come to an end, but your fresh supply of veggies doesn’t have to. In this episode Tom & Leslie tips to how to turn your summer vegetable garden into a fall vegetable garden. Plus… Plus, as the temps go down the cost of heating your home goes up! We’ll share a few simple steps you can take around your home to reduce energy use and save money too! If you are ready for a healthy alternative to the cost and all the waste of bottled water– we’ll review water filters that can be installed in ...
Oct 08, 2020•40 min•Ep. 2038
From single sinks to limited square footage, smaller bathrooms often leave much to be desired. But you don’t have to make a bathroom bigger to make it better. Tom & Leslie share tips expand your bath without emptying your wallet. Plus… Do you ever feel like you spend as much time cleaning your kitchen as cooking in it? Well, we’ve got tips on how you can put all of that to rest by creating a low maintenance kitchen! With the chilly weather setting in, do you have an area in your house that just ...
Oct 05, 2020•40 min•Ep. 2037
Did you know that Fall is the busiest season of the year for flooring projects? Well, it turns out that flooring is not being used for just floors anymore. Designers are using floor materials in some very unexpected and beautiful ways. Tom & Leslie have tips for this trending project. Plus… Pretty soon it’ll be time to take out your window screens for the season. Before that happens there’s one thing, you’ll need to do to make sure they last though winter storage and are good to go next spring. ...
Oct 01, 2020•40 min•Ep. 2036
Fall is the season to work on getting your lawn ready for next year but can doing so expose you to toxic chemicals? Tom & Leslie share a better path toward a healthy and green using non-toxic, easy to apply lawn care products. Plus… Fall is also a good time to get your driveway ready for winter. Get DIY tips to fix driveway cracks, patch holes and seal the surface for a fraction of the cost of hiring a pro. Is dust, pollen and other allergens making your life a sneezing, sniffling mess? Does it ...
Sep 28, 2020•39 min•Ep. 2035
With cooler weather ahead, now is a great time to get your chimney ready for a roaring fire. Tom and Leslie share tips and ideas to make sure your chimney is clean and safe for a season of toasty fires. Plus… Whether your old furnace is ready for replacement or you want a more efficient upgrade, a new furnace should never be an impulse buy. But too many times, that’s exactly what does happen – especially if your furnace gives out in the middle of winter! We’ll have tips to help you make the smar...
Sep 24, 2020•39 min•Ep. 2034
If your pancakes are salty and your meatloaf is sweet – you might not be lacking cooking skills but the right lighting in your kitchen! Tom & Leslie share tips for top task lighting. Plus… With U.S. home prices still rising, is buying a home that’s been foreclosed a good deal? We’ll share the pros and cons. If you’d like your home to be more energy efficient you first need to do is to stop wasting the energy you already have. Insulation is the key– IF it’s added to the right spaces. We’ll share ...
Sep 21, 2020•39 min•Ep. 2033
New kitchens consistently deliver the best return on your remodeling investment. But how do actually you get started on planning such a major makeover? Tom & Leslie share tips to help you cook up a perfect plan! Plus… Have you ever tried to fix a crack in a concrete step, or porch or sidewalk only to have it open right back up again? We’ll share some easy ways to make these repairs and make them last. Your stove’s exhaust vent hood is there for every cooking adventure, but it rarely gets any att...
Sep 17, 2020•39 min•Ep. 2032
Squeaking floors are one of life’s little annoyances, but do they signal a structural problem below? Tom & Leslie have the answer plus step-by-squeaky-step tips to make them go away for good. Plus… You drink it, you cook with it, you bathe in it…but are you sure it’s safe? Tap water can be deceiving, because it looks and tastes harmless even when it’s not – which is why it’s a good idea to test it to find out – we’ll tell you how. Wood floors are beautiful but they’re not always the best choice ...
Sep 14, 2020•40 min•Ep. 2031
DIY or Go Pro? If you want to tackle a project yourself, we’ll be the first ones to cheer you on. But how do you know when hiring a pro is the best way to go? We’ll tell you how to think it all through before you pick up a hammer. Plus… When it comes to home improvement, there are a lot of myths that cost DIYrs a lot of money. We’ll tackle 4 common MYTH-STAKES. Cold weather is not far off making now the perfect time to check out your insulation. We’ll tell you how much you really need. Butcher b...
Sep 10, 2020•40 min•Ep. 2030
Adding flooring to your attic can make it a perfect place for storage. But doing so the wrong way means that you could weaken your structure, squash your insulation, or find yourself with one foot planted firmly through the ceiling below! Tom & Leslie share tips on attic flooring that works well. Wouldn’t it be nice to have home experts available by phone or chat whenever you need them to walk you through a project? We tell you about a new subscription service that puts knowledgeable, impartial ...
Sep 07, 2020•40 min•Ep. 2029
Kitchens renos can be costly but updating dated, drab and dull cabinets doesn’t have to be. Tom and Leslie walk you through options to replaced, refaced or just refinish kitchen cabinets and save a ton of money! Plus, concrete is a pretty permanent building material but if yours looks pitted or cracked, we’ve got a great solution for resurfacing concrete that you can do yourself with amazing results. Now that we have reached September, it’s a good time to make sure your gutters are ready for the...
Sep 03, 2020•39 min•Ep. 2028
Having a hard time maintaining a lush green lawn in the heat of summer. Tom & Leslie share you need to know to make it past the brown and back to green. Are cooling costs driving up your electric bills? Get tips for low cost to no cost ways to keep you cool during these hottest days of the summer season. If you’d like your home to feel open and airy but don’t have the budget for a major remodel, we’ve got smart tips to help open up the space without emptying your bank account in the process. For...
Aug 31, 2020•39 min•Ep. 2027
Now is a good time to plan end of season projects to set you up for the cooler months ahead. We’ve got 4 projects that will save you time, money and help avoid costly repairs when colder weather prevails. Plus, garages get a workout in the Fall and Winter, which is why now is a great time to fix up the garage floor. We’ll have tips on the best way to get this done using epoxy paint. Painting the exterior is a job that needs to get done every 5 to 10 years and if your house is ready for that proj...
Aug 27, 2020•38 min•Ep. 2026
If you've been enjoying a garden harvest this summer and would like to extend the goodness of all year long, preserving your fresh veggies is the way to do it. We'll walk you through 3 options for preserving your harvest! Plus... It’s a great time of year for outdoor projects and if you want to step up your space, we’ve got tips on the easiest and most affordable way to create grill surrounds, fire pits, benches and more by simply stacking blocks. Sidewalks can get slippery, but not if you treat...
Aug 24, 2020•39 min•Ep. 2025
When you decide to bring home a family pet, there can be lots of changes. Your home decor, however, shouldn’t be one of them! If you’re pondering any decorating or improvement projects, we’ll have tips to help make them pet-friendly. Plus, Whether it's around your sink, between your tub, shower and tile walls – nasty, worn caulk has got to go. We’ve got DIY tips on how to get this job done the easy way. Changing up lighting can give a new look to any room! We’ve got tips on installing energy eff...
Aug 20, 2020•39 min•Ep. 2024
If you’re sitting on a stash of leftover latex paint, you have a gold mine when it comes to home decorating. With a little imagination and creative flair, you can use paint leftovers to give your home extra appeal and have lots of fun in the process. Get the tips. Would you believe that nearly a QUARTER of all residential break-ins happen through a first-floor window? Learn how to keep your home safe from burglaries. Stone countertops are both popular AND expensive. But we’ve got a trick of the ...
Aug 17, 2020•39 min•Ep. 2023
Improving your bathroom is one of best ways to add value and appeal to your home. But if you think those improvements have to be costly, think again – there are plenty of ways to give your bathroom a lift without breaking the bank. We share bath updates you can get done for under $100 bucks. If you’re looking for more storage space, finishing an attic is a popular remodeling project that delivers a great ROI - IF it’s done right. We’ll walk you through the options. Entryways like mudrooms and fo...
Aug 13, 2020•39 min•Ep. 2022
If you’re hoping to sell your home, one of the most nerve-racking parts of that process for sellers is the home inspection. Tom & Leslie share tips to set you up for success in that part of the transaction. Hardwood floors are one of the most desirable floors around for both durability and the value they add to a home. But the finishes do wear and hardwood floors then need to be sanded and refinished. We’ll have tips on how to get that project done. And we’re all about helping you find ways to s...
Aug 10, 2020•38 min•Ep. 2021
