50 Happy 50th Episode! Seattle Home Show, Spring Maintenance and Blue Tape!

Let's Talk... HOME repair!

The Seattle Home Show – Alicia and Amy recount their time at the home show and their attempt to record an episode of the podcast. Due to technical difficulties the recording didn’t happen, but they had a blast nonetheless. They are throwing the idea around of taking the show in the road.

Listener email – Joe from Ontario gave Alicia some advice on how to deal with her ice issue in her freezer.

DADU update – Looking like a house! Cabinets are going in, doors, flooring, counters, and plumbing trim out. We are getting so close!! Alicia can’t wait to get this done.

Spring home maintenance – Inspect foundation, crawl space and attic. Check for cracks, signs of moisture, insects, rodents and how the insulation and vapor barrier are holding up. Verify that your electrical line from the utility pole to the house is not sagging excessively. Contact your power company if you’re not sure and ask for them to check it out. Fertilize the lawn. Clean the gutters and downspouts and ensure water is running away from the foundation. Check the smoke detectors and change the batteries. Use canned smoke to make sure the detector can detect smoke. Check the fire extinguisher and shake if it’s a dry chemical type to loosen the chemical inside. Check the expiration date on the extinguisher also. Drain/flush the hot water tank. Check your roof for damaged or missing shingles and trim branches 3’ away from the roof surface.

Blue tape!! Amy shares some unusual tips for using 3M’s blue painter’s tape. Invented in 1988, preceded by standard masking tape.

1. Use to minimize the splintering that happens when cutting plywood or doors.

2. Create a U-shaped piece of tape to stick to the wall placed below where drilling into the wall. The tape will catch the dust.

3. Use as a guide for caulking.

4. Use 1” pieces and stick to your tape measure to record measurements for trim. Take the piece of tape and affix to the cut trim piece when finished cutting.

5. Use as a drill depth-guide. Place the tape on your drill bit at the depth you want to drill.

6. Record the paint colors of a room on a piece of tape and stick to the back of the switch plate cover so you know where the paint colors are recorded.

7. Use as a protective gluing surface when needing to attach a piece of wood to your luxury vinyl plank flooring to be able to tap the wood to close gaps that sometimes form.

If you have any questions, comments or stories you’d like to share please email us at [e-mail].

This podcast is recorded at The Winterblue Room in Seattle, WA.