Today Betsy opened the show talking about the alien tomato on her counter. It’s like the scene from Aliens where the creatures bust out of the poor victims’ chests! Anyway, she promised a picture . . . so here it is!
Segments 3 and 4: Vork Brothers & the Pillar Church Restoration
Today we sat down with Vork Brothers and talked about their work at Pillar Church in Holland. Here are some of the links we mentioned on the show:
Ahhh, Winter. There’s a lot of fun that come with a Michigan Winter. And then . . . there are the other things. One of those other things is the worry about frozen pipes during cold spells. A frozen and burst pipe in the home is one of the most catastrophic issues that can happen in a home. But, the good news is that there are things we can do to prevent this from happening to you!
INSULATE EXPOSED SUPPLY PIPES ALONG EXTERIOR WALLS
One step is to insulate the supply pipes that run along exterior walls or in cabinets along exterior walls. Pipe insulation is inexpensive and can help, but it’s important to understand that it’s not a silver bullet! Also, consider the fact that insulated pipes will be harder to thaw should the pipe still freeze. But, overall, it can still be an important step given your situation.
If you have unheated areas or spots that are especially concerning, you might want to consider heat tape. Check with a plumber to make sure you get the right kind for your situation and install it correctly.
MAINTAIN A CONSISTENT TEMPERATURE IN THE HOME
We tend to want to shut doors, close vents, and turn down the heat in the winter to save on energy expenses. However, that can be counterproductive when it comes to protecting your pipes. It’s recommended instead that you open the interior doors, keep the heat set at a more consistent level, and keep those vents open. Shutting doors and closing vents can actually be harmful to your HVAC system (if you close enough of them), and the lack of consistent heat could be just enough to allow pipes along an exterior wall to freeze.
OPEN CABINET DOORS
Building on the concept above, open the cabinet doors that house pipes during the coldest weather. The cabinet doors can actually block off those pipes from the heat in the house and if there’s cold enough temps, or a bit of an air leak from outside, pipes can easily freeze. We ran across a story out of Chicago where a pipe in a home froze in a heated space. After cleaning up the mess, the investigation into the cause of the problem determined that a drafty window coupled with high winds and low wind chill caused a single area of the pipe to freeze. So, open those doors when it’s super cold! Just watch your knees when you walk by!
RUN THE TAPS AT A SLOW TRICKLE
It’s an age-old solution, but it works. Running the water at an extremely slow trickle reduces the pressure in the system. It doesn’t have to be much, but it might save you a mess.
LOCATE AND SEAL CRACKS, HOLES, ETC. WHERE COLD GETS IN
Take a look in your basement for areas where the cold gets in. Even a small hole or a drafty window can cause a problem. And, on top of that, it’s a huge energy waste! A great trick to finding trouble spots is to light a stick of incense and let it smoke. Then walk around the perimeter of the room, holding it up to the sill plate and around windows. Watch the smoke and see what it does. When you find a drafty spot or a trouble area, the smoke will demonstrate it! Seal those spots up with spray foam, caulk, or, if it turns out to be a bigger project than you can tackle, contact an expert. We’d recommend WMGB Home Improvements!
DISCONNECT GARDEN HOSES FROM OUTSIDE FAUCETS
If you leave the hoses on the faucets all winter, you could end up with damage from freezing, but you generally won’t find out about it until next Spring! An easy fix is to remove the hoses! Also, if possible, you could shut off the water to the outside faucets and drain them to make sure there’s no issues come April!
FIND YOUR SHUT OFF TODAY!
One last word of advice is to locate the main shut off valve today. Know where it is in the house and figure out how it works. It’s certainly not a complicated mechanism, but there are definitely stories of people who run into a problem and in the panic of the situation, can’t find the valve. A lot of damage can be prevented if you can act quickly and get the water shut 0ff! And, if you’ve got kids who are home during the day while parents work, it certainly would be beneficial to make them aware of the location of the valve and how it works as well!
Segments 2-3: Christmas Decorating with Jennifer Butler and Andy Yates
Jennifer Butler and Andy Yates from Jennifer Butler Design in Grand Rapids stop by to talk Christmas Decorating. Some Do’s and Don’ts. And somehow, we end up talking about pomegranates and live squirrels incorporated into festive table centerpieces….
Segment 4: Wooster Sherlock Roller Frame and Our Christmas Contest!
You have to be paint people to have a “favorite” roller frame. And yet, as “nerdy” as it may be to say so, this roller frame rocks! Sure, it’s about 3.5 times as expensive as a cheap one . . . but that still puts it under $12! And when you think how long you keep a roller frame? Buying this premium tool is a no-brainer!
Here’s a quick video:
And now . . . for the contest! RepcoLite has teamed up with Wooster Brush Company to make some family’s Christmas pretty amazing! We’ll be giving away a prize package of Wooster Paint Tools, RepcoLite Paint, and Games from Out of the Box Games in Zeeland and Kentwood! You can get all the information about how to enter on RepcoLite’s Facebook Page.
We took a hand drill guide for a test run and found that while it’s not perfect, it’s a great way to transform your portable hand drill into a functional drill press! Again, it’s not for every project and if you’ve got a drill press, it won’t replace it or duplicate it’s accuracy. But for large boards, job site work, and so on, it’s a great option! Check out the video below:
Segments 2-3: Out of the Box Games
Celebrating Small Business Saturday and looking ahead to the Holiday shopping season, we sit down with Jeff Rietveld, owner of Out of the Box Games, Toys, and Puzzles, and talk about his picks for “hottest games” this year! Here’s Jeff’s list. And if you’re interested in picking up one of these, stop out at one of his locations! There’s an Out of the Box in Zeeland and in Grand Rapids. You can find directions online.
Game 1: AZUL
The first game Jeff highlighted is Azul. It was new last year, but it’s one of his best sellers. And, there are 3 other versions out there, all different enough to make them each worth a try! The one pictured here is the original and is all about creating a beautiful mosaic tiled floor.
Also, there’s Azul Stained Glass, and Azul Pavillions.
It’s a quick game and the components are beautiful. It’s definitely worth a look!
Game 2: Welcome To Your Perfect Home
Game 3: Tiny Towns
Game 4: Everdell
Segment4: Our List of Stellar Gifts!
Under $50
Dan’s Pick: The Klein 11-in-1 Screwdriver!
Bety’s Pick(s): A Lighted Beanie and Utility Gloves with Screen Touch Ability
$50 – $100
Dan’s Pick: Toughbuilt Toolbelts with Clip-Tech!
My son, an electrical apprentice, uses his all the time! His favorite feature is the “kickstand” on the electrical tools pouch.
Betsy’s Pick: Wireless Endoscope! (and this one made Dan jealous because it’s really, really cool).
Something is going on! There is suddenly in influx of stories about toilets and toilet paper. Who needs a roll of toilet paper that lasts a month? Is that a wise thing to have if you have young kids? Also, did you know there’s a toilet encrusted with Swarovski Crystals AND that the most expensive toilet at a cost of $19 Million is on the International Space Station.
Segments 2-4: Lessons from a Rare Bird, Iris Apfel
Our Turn Design On Its Head event is finally over. But we couldn’t help feel that what we learned should be shared with the masses. So today, we dive into the lessons that can be learned from a Rare Bird, a Geriatric Starlet, and an all around inspiration, Iris Apfel.
This is actually a revisit of Episode 83 from last year. Sometimes we’re sad that certain segments or shows only play once so, from time to time, we like to bring them back to be enjoyed again!
There are a lot of tools that get ZERO fanfare! They’re not flashy. They’re not fun and exciting. They’re not powered by huge motors or batteries. But they do their job in an unassuming manner and move on to the next project. One of those is an automatic center punch. It’s a simple tool that is designed to quickly and easily pop a small divot in a surface so you can drill holes without having the drill bit “walk away” from the spot you wanted to drill.
It looks like a steel pen and you just place the point on the exact spot you want the hole and push. It’s spring loaded and pops a small divot into the surface quickly and easily.
Segments 2 and 3: Home Repair Services
Being out and about in Grand Rapids, we were thrilled that Joel Ruiter was willing to meet with us on the spur of the moment! (Thanks, Joel!) Anyway, we sit down with Joel in the boardroom at HRS and discuss some of their upcoming endeavors.
Segment 4: Fun Design
Calling on Architects and Interior Designers is fun on a number of levels not least of which is having the opportunity to see the spaces in which they work! We stopped at one particular architectural firm that drove home the idea that fun design isn’t just for kids or homes! Fun design can be professional AND it can also create at atmosphere in your place of business that makes your employees eager to be there!
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