Host Kevin O’Connor meets general contractor Tom Silva and landscape contractor Jenn Nawada at the shop to talk about bat houses. These helpful structures encourage bats to inhabit backyards where they can serve as natural pest control, cutting down the mosquito and harmful moth and beetle populations each night. Jenn also shares how bats are beneficial to a wide range of plants, including fruit trees and agave plants.
Next, paint expert Mauro Henrique takes us on a road trip to help a homeowner make the most of the natural light in her space. The two work together to choose a paint color that works around the room, adjusting the shade for the amount of light received. Then, Mauro helps the homeowner apply three coats of paint for a perfect finish.
Kevin takes us back to the shop to talk about wet basements with mason Mark McCullough and heating and plumbing expert Richard Trethewey. The three talk about some of the most common wet basement solutions. Mark explains that French drains are an exterior solution, though they can also be used inside a basement. Richard then shows how to get rid of water that the interior French drain collects with a sub pump.
Kevin meets Tom again as the two work on a bat house. Tom shows Kevin the best materials to use for a bat house before the two get to work cutting, assembling, and painting a bat house to encourage these beneficial creatures to hang out in Kevin’s backyard.
How Paint Color Can Brighten A Room
Paint expert Mauro Henrique shows a homeowner how to make the most of their natural light by varying paint concentrations to brighten a room with limited sunlight, reflecting light as needed throughout the space.
Where to find it?
Mauro suggests getting samples of your desired paint color in varying concentrations. You can paint colors at 75%, 50%, and 25% concentration. Before painting, prep the room by moving furniture to the middle of the room and covering it with plastic sheeting. Tape down flooring paper to protect from paint spills. Use painter’s tape along the ceiling and baseboards for crisp, clean lines.
An interior eggshell finish paint was used for this project.
How To Keep A Basement Dry
Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey and masonry expert Mark McCullough explain a variety of culprits and solutions for basements that are struggling with water issues. Water in the basement is either surface water or sub-surface water.
Where to find it?
Surface water requires water management solutions. Water management solutions could include but aren’t limited to leveling your yard, adding swales, repositioning your downspouts, and repairing any cracks in your foundation.
Subsurface water is groundwater that is coming into the basement via the floor as the water table rises. Solutions for subsurface water include French drains, sump pumps, and dry wells. Subflooring material with a raised rubber base can be used as a preventive measure for moisture.
Build It | Bat House
One of the best ways to support bats is to hang a bat house in your backyard. They give bats safe places to stay during the day while allowing them to move freely. Kevin O’Connor meets with general contractor Tom Silva and landscape contractor Jenn Nawada to talk about how beneficial bats are, and then Tom shows Kevin how to build a bat house to encourage these flying friends to nest.
Where to find it?
For the building materials, Tom has chosen 3/4” exterior grade CDX plywood and 2×4 cedar board.
To cut the cedar board, Tom uses a miter saw. He then uses a track saw to make all the other measurement cuts on the CDX plywood. To give the bats a better area to grip, Tom uses the track saw to cut a few rows of grooves on the bottom of the back piece.
To assemble the bat house, Tom secures the pieces with caulking adhesive and exterior grade pocket screws. He then uses a drill bit to create venting holes, allowing better airflow. For the finishing touch, Kevin and Tom paint the bat house with an exterior grade water-based black paint.
Original Air Date: May 2, 2024, Season 22; Ep. 22 23:42
