If you missed out on the December 30th edition of The KTSA Home Improvement Show, don’t worry – we’ve got the highlights covered here. Lots of awesome calls this week, so be sure to read on!
Water heater replacement
Jan started the show off by asking for advice on a replacement water heater for her old water heater, which kept shutting off. She said she has two bathrooms in her home and plans to get a 50-gallon water heater. Jan also asked us for a plumber recommendation. We recommended that Jan get a 40-gallon water heater rather than a 50 gallon because 50 gallons is a bit unnecessary for her situation. Thirty gallons is good enough for two people and two bathrooms – but 40 gallons is good in case a guest stays over. We told Jan that Mr. Rooter was a very professional plumbing company.
Flooring
Ivan called in next, asking for some advice on improving his home’s value because he wants to sell it in about two years. He said he plans on improving the flooring in his kid’s rooms to improve his home’s value and asked us if ceramic tile or new carpet would be a better option.
We then asked if his home’s foundation is on a concrete slab or pier and beam, to which he replied that his home is on a concrete foundation. We then told Ivan that tile will add value to his home and make it easier to sell, but we recommended vinyl planks. Vinyl planks are very durable and require less labor due to their intuitive design. Ivan also asked if a uniform flooring with vinyl planks for his entire home would be a good idea, to which we replied – absolutely.
Plumbing
Ron called concerned about a circulation pump he installed in his home a couple of years ago. He said he installed it because one of his hot water pipes froze and snapped, but now his hot water is coming out of his cool water valves and his water softener stopped working. Ron then told us he turned off his circulation pump and everything went back to normal, except for the fact that he does not have any hot water.
We recommended that Ron replace his sensor valve because this is a common issue. If the sensor valve is malfunctioning and cannot detect the temperature of the water, problems like this will occur. Replacing the sensor valve would be the best bet for Ron because it not only affects all of the water in the house, but it would also solve the water softener issue as well.
