In this episode:
Plumbing and heating expert, Richard Trethewey, travels to Salt Lake City to replace a shower valve he has never seen before in his career with a conventional pressure-balanced one.
Painter Mauro Henrique assists a homeowner that needs help painting her radiator cover that is suspected to have lead paint. The house was built in the 1950s and lead paint was being used in houses until it was banned in 1978, that’s the indicator Mauro and other contractors use to determine whether or not to test for lead. Mauro uses a lead test kit to determine that the radiator cover does contain lead paint. When lead paint is discovered, a lead-certified contractor, like Mauro, should be called in to ensure that the lead is handled safely and properly. Lead is dangerous when it’s disturbed, so Mauro and the homeowner must follow all lead safety protocols and wear full lead protocol PPE. After all the lead is ready for proper disposal, they can get to painting. Radiator paint is used as it is specifically designed to adhere to radiators and be able to withstand high temperatures. Mauro demonstrates techniques to properly paint a radiator cover.
Tom Silva explains how to identify load-bearing walls and how to remove them. Load-bearing walls are an issue for many renovators today, as more homeowners are opting for an open concept layout instead of individual rooms. Unfortunately, these walls can’t be ripped out haphazardly as load-bearing walls play a vital role in the structure of a house. They distribute the weight from the roof, through the floors, and down to the foundation. Tom shares tips on how to determine if a wall is load-bearing or not. He suggests going down to the basement or attic to see which way the joists run. If the wall is parallel to the joists, it’s probably not load-bearing. If the wall is perpendicular, it’s most likely load-bearing. Tom then demonstrates two ways of removing these walls, the above-ceiling technique and the below-ceiling technique. These methods will prevent the floor above from sagging and can give you the open layout you desire.
How to Upgrade to a Pressure Balanced Shower Valve
Plumbing and heating expert, Richard Trethewey travels to Salt Lake City to replace a shower valve he has never seen before in his career with a conventional pressure-balanced one.
Where to find it?
Richard installed a Temptrol Pressure Balanced Tub/Shower Valve, which is manufactured by Symmons. They also manufacture the retrofit cover plate Richard used to conceal the hole left behind from the old valve.
The sink hole cover that Richard used to seal the hole from the old shower head is manufactured by Danco and can be found at home centers.
The other materials Richard used to complete the valve replacement, including the copper pipes, copper fittings, solder and flux can all be found at home centers and plumbing supply houses.
How to Re-Paint an Old Radiator Cover
Painter, Mauro Henrique demonstrates how to safely repaint a radiator cover that tested positive for lead paint
Where to find it?
Before doing any work on a house built before 1978, Mauro recommends testing for lead paint. The test kit he used was a LeadCheck Swap, which is manufactured by 3M. The test comes with easy-to-follow instructions.
Because the radiator cover tested positive for lead paint, Mauro had to switch to a full lead protocol, which any certified contractor will know how to execute. Since it’s easier to work outside, Mauro moved the work area outside and protected it with plastic drop cloths. Then, he and the homeowner wore goggles, gloves, coverall suits, booties, and an N100 respirator. This PPE can be found at most home centers as individual pieces, and they sometimes come in a full kit. For this project, Mauro and the homeowner used Supertuff Lead-Based Paint Protection Kits, which are manufactured by Trimaco.
For paint, Mauro used Ecos Radiator Paint in White (0000). He applied it using a foam roller and a brush, which can both be found at any home center or paint store.
How to Identify and Remove a Load Bearing Wall
Tom Silva explains what load-bearing walls are, how to identify them, and what needs to be done in order to safely remove them.
Original Air Date: Jan 24, 2021 Season 19; Ep.12 23:42
Products and Services from this Episode
- Tub/shower valve and retrofit cover plate manufacturer: Symmons
- Sink hole cover manufacturer: Danco
- Lead paint test kit manufacturer: 3M
- Supertuff lead-based paint protection kits: Trimaco
- Radiator paint: Ecos Radiator Paint in White
