AsktheBuilder.com Issue #1217 (I think)

January 22, 2023

Dear ,

If you're a fan of old Western TV shows and this is your first issue, I might say to you, "Howdy pardner. You're new around these parts."

Let's get started.

Water - Aquam

Every now and then I share that my college degree is a Bachelor of Science in geology with a focus on hydrogeology and continental glaciation. Weeks ago my youngest daughter sent me a real estate listing of a house for sale near Joshua Tree National Park. Its listing price was less than a brand-new KIA car so she thought it might be a great deal.

She loves succulent plants, cactus, and desert landscape. This house had no well and it was miles and miles away from any municipal water supply. She asked for my opinion. My response was one word:

NO!

I told her that you must always have water. You can't ever HOPE that you have water. Look at this screenshot from Google Maps. Note the LACK of green coloration. It's all desert. The dashed outline is showing you the boundaries of Rio Verde, AZ.

Several days ago I read a story from an online news source. It was about the wretched plight of the people in Rio Verde, AZ - a suburb of Scottsdale. The most powerful sentences in the story, in my opinion, were:

"It's a cautionary tale for home buyers. We can't just protect every single person who buys a parcel and builds a home. There isn't enough money or water," said Sarah Porter, the director of the Kyl Center for Water Policy at Arizona State University.

Remember, you only HOPE for things you can't control like the weather or winning lottery numbers.

You don't want to pee outside do you? A retired doctor and his wife who live in Rio Verde are doing it now. Here's a far more in-depth story about what's happening in the community that no longer is getting any water. It's sobering. If you live near Rio Verde, say in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, Tempe, Gilbert, you should be VERY concerned about your future.

You CAN CONTROL whether you have abundant clean fresh water all the time. If you are unable to figure out yourself HOW TO DO THIS, I'm happy to impart my geologic wisdom with you on a phone call.

Hmmmmm... maybe that one anonymous book-title contributor was right! 

Marty's Roof Inspection

Several days ago I had the pleasure of talking with Marty on one of my consult phone calls. He's a subscriber like you. He asked for me to look at a 19-page inspection report sent to him by his insurance company.

On page 18 of the report, the inspector claimed the asphalt-shingle roof would last for another ten years.

Marty's insurance company was demanding he install a new roof before they'd insure the property. What's baffling is the typical term of a house insurance policy is one year.

Are you shaking your head yet? No where in the report did the inspector ever say what was actually wrong with the roof.

I had three pieces of advice for Marty:

• ask the underwriter why a new roof is required if the policy is only one year
• ask the underwriter what is wrong with the roof
• go shopping for a new insurance company

If you don't shop your house and auto policies each year, I feel you're making a mistake. Keep in mind that insurance companies seem to think loyalty is passe' - even though they might have some gimmick promotion or rebate trying to convince you to buy from them year-after-year. Here's why.

Annual insurance policies are nearly identical to playing blackjack at the Bellagio casino in Las Vegas. When you buy a policy for your home, you're betting that your house will burn down or be blown apart by a tornado in the next twelve months. The insurance company is betting the opposite. If your house burns to the ground, you WIN back all your premium plus hundreds of thousands of extra dollars even though it's a miserable experience.

If you have no claims, the insurance company WINS your premium. It's no different than playing a hand of blackjack at the $50 table at the Bellagio. Remember, ALWAYS split aces and 8s!

At midnight on the last day of your current policy, a NEW BETTING GAME STARTS. This is why the insurance companies don't care how many games you've played with them in the past.

Bravo to Barbara - A Critical Thinker!

Eariler in the week I received an uplifting note from Barbara. My immediate reaction was, "There's HOPE!" Yes, I do hope that more people engage their tiny gray cells. Barbara did and got stellar results. Here's what she sent me:

"I read your column awhile ago on how to increase the volume of water coming out of faucets by cleaning the aerator screens with vinegar. Many years ago my husband and I purchased an older house that had been vacant for more than a year. 

Water pressure was a problem but we knew that cleaning the screens would help. It did but not enough. We turned off the water to the house, drained the lines, closed the values at the faucets, removed a shower head and using a funnel filled the lines with vinegar and then went on vacation. When we returned we drained the vinegar out of lines and restored the water service. 

Problem solved. Great water flow. Told this to some plumbers and they said “impossible.”  All I know is that it worked and if it hadn’t, no damage would have been done by the vinegar in the system."

Now that's a fantastic story. I thanked Barbara and mentioned to her that she must have used many many gallons of vinegar and that all she had to do was remove the cartridges in the problem faucets. The issue no doubt was mineral buildup in the tiny passageways in the cartridges, not the actual water pipes.

The bottom line is Barbara didn't reach out to ask me if the vinegar would work. She reasoned on HER OWN that it might work. She was right! CONGRATULATIONS, Barbara!

More EV Truth

You know I've been on a crusade to deliver as many red pills as I can about all sorts of things. This is very important because you are being played about MANY THINGS. 

If you're not already wide awake, it's time for you to wake up and realize that you're the victim of relentless propaganda - even about home improvement products!!! You'll see that just below in my latest column about foam insulation.

Electric vehicles (EVs) happen to be one topic where the propaganda is deeper than the snow was on my front porch hours after Winter Storm Gail two years ago.

Did you know I've done expert testimony in construction lawsuits for decades? The last case I worked had me crawling around on the roof of the Brazilian Ambassador's home on the island of Antigua.

Did you know those of us who work within the legal system have a saying?

A half-truth is a WHOLE LIE.

You're being LIED TO about EVs because you're only getting PART OF THE TRUTH ABOUT THEM. You may know this by a different term - a lie of omission. Judges and juries can only make correct decisions if they know the WHOLE TRUTH.

This is why when I'm sworn in for depositions or on the witness stand in a courtroom I swear to tell the truth, the WHOLE truth, and nothing but the truth.

Watch this video. If nothing else watch the first THIRTY SECONDS and look at the guy's eyes. 😳

It really pays to watch the entire video because about halfway through you see some incredible reference material.

The video was created by the wealthy owners of the Hoovies Garage YouTube channel. I featured another one of their videos before Christmas with the same Ford F-150 Lightning. He showed how poor the performance was when he tried to tow something with his fancy EV.

Guess what happens when you drive your EV in COLD weather????

STOP BEING PLAYED!

If anything in this newsletter helps save you time or money, maybe you want to reciprocate and buy me a popover & a cup of coffee? That would be appreciated!

Truth About Spray Foam Insulation

Please read my latest column about spray foam insulation. Let me know if you've been mislead by its performance or WHAT you were really getting.

Have you had enough for today? 

I'll be back next week. Do you NEED HELP with an issue at your home? If so, GO HERE.

Alright, you know how I feel.

That's all.

Tim Carter

Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com

My Pronouns: Told/You/So

Winter Field Day Man - www.W3ATB.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

P.S.