Q & A

Q + A: Removing "Popcorn" Ceilings

Of all the ceiling questions we get on our national radio show The Money Pit, removing popcorn ceilings has to rank as one of the most popular. These are probably biggest challenge up in the ceiling zone found in homes from the paneling-and-disco era. At the time, they were an acoustic solution and a handy way for builders to skip having to add three layers of drywall mud and tape (with the added distraction of those little sparkle bits that were scattered across the ceilingscape), but today, they can be an inconvenient eyesore.
Removal is possible, but it takes some pretty intense work to accomplish: you’ll have to soak the popcorn surface with water (we recommend using a pump garden sprayer for this) and then scrape it all away with a six-inch drywall knife. You’ll then be left with a lot of material that should be disposed of properly, not mention some significant ceiling repair before applying an oil-based primer and a flat finish.
There are maybe a million better ways to spend a Saturday, starting with your annual dental cleaning. If you can live with the texture, you can always use a high-pile, slitted roller to apply a new coat of color that coordinates with the rest of the room.

Q + A: Electric Dryer vs. Gas Dryer: Which is Cheaper?
This makes total sense. In general, electric dryers are about 15% more expensive to run compared to gas. While this isn’t enough to justify the cost of installing a gas line and gas meter, it does make sense as a “while you’re at it” kind of project!
Another good reason to switch is that gas clothes dryers have never been “smarter” at saving you energy. Many of the newest Energy Star models include moisture sensors which turn off the dryer when the clothes are dry, which might happen before the timer reaches the end of its cycle, thereby saving both energy and the wear-n-tear on your clothes!

Q + A: Tips to Avoid Shower Shocks!
There’s nothing like receiving an unexpected blast of cold or hot water while showering to carve a knick into your otherwise domestically blissful household! The reason this happens is because of a pressure imbalance in the plumbing system. When you step into the shower and adjust the hot and cold water mix, you have established a balance between those two supply lines that deliver just the right amount of warm water. However, when the absent minded spouse flushes away, the additional demand for cold water to fill the toilet means less water is available for your original mix. Hence, the balance of hot and cold water supply changes and you get scalded in the process! The same thing could happen when the dishwasher or clothes washer starts to fill after you’ve set your shower in motion. In that case, you’d be blasted by chilly cold water as the hot water flow is shared among those other two appliances.
Fortunately, there is a mechanical solution. It is called a pressure balanced shower valve and it does just that – maintains the balance between hot and cold water, regardless of the amount of water available at any one time. If you had a pressure balance valve in your shower and the toilet was flushed or the dishwasher kicked on, the flow of the water would be reduced but the temperature would remain consistent. These valves also have an anti-scald feature allowing you to set the maximum temperature, adding an additional layer of safety for both kids and adults.

-Tom Kraeutler