SHOW NOTES: Welcome to The Money Pit! Home sweet home is the biggest investment you’ll ever make, but it doesn't have to be a bottomless money pit. We know you’re busy at this time of year with holidays and projects, but we’re here every week to help you handle those improvements, whether you have questions about painting, plumbing, home safety, security, or curb appeal! - Smart, Damage-Free Ways to Decorate for the Holidays: We emphasize the importance of using plastic light clips instead of nails or staples to prevent damage to your siding or roof. We also stress power safety, recommending outdoor-rated lights, weatherproof extension cords, GFCI outlets, and smart plugs or timers to control usage. - Simple Strategies to Keep Your Home Safe While Traveling: Make your house look lived in by using varied timers on lights and having trusted neighbors check on packages and park in the driveway. Key safety measures include locking all doors and windows and setting the thermostat to 55-60 degrees to prevent pipe freezing. - Must-Have Winter Checklist: We run through a must-have checklist of essential items to stock up on now, such as ice melt that’s safe for concrete and pets, snow tools, furnace filters, and emergency items like batteries, flashlights, and extra phone chargers. - Hide Messy Wires: Finally, we cover smart and simple ways to hide messy TV wires for a clean, modern media setup.   Q & A: - Karen in Pennsylvania needs a sturdy way to install a railing post into a prefabbed hollow concrete porch step. We advise using blue Tapcon screws specifically designed for masonry surfaces. - Pete in Ohio and his wife want to install canned lights in their finished, two-story home ceiling. We caution that this is an advanced electrical project requiring special tools, making it a job best handled by a professional electrician. - Lori in Missouri asks about a less messy way to remove her popcorn ceiling to achieve a flat surface. We suggest she first test for asbestos, then use the "wet scrape" method by spraying the ceiling lightly with a garden sprayer, letting it soak for 10–15 minutes, and scraping it off carefully with a wide spackle knife. - Robin in Wisconsin was refinishing her basement floor and has areas of carpet glue residue that resist sanding. We explain that sanding warms up adhesives and makes them stickier, advising her to choose a more rigid vinyl plank with an underlayment to bridge the small areas of uneven glue instead of trying to scrape or sand further. - Rich in Illinois has cedar siding that is weathered and untreated, and he seeks advice on how to secure and treat it. We recommend applying an oil-based anti-tannin primer first to prevent the natural oils from leaking, followed by a latex-based exterior stain to achieve a durable finish that could last around 15 years. - Ronnie emailed from New York City, asking if he should close off the five HVAC vents in his unused basement to save money. We advise against shutting off a large portion of the system, as it may strain the 15-year-old HVAC unit by forcing it to work harder.   ASK A QUESTION: Need help with your own home improvement or décor question? We’d love to help! Call the show 24/7 at 888-MONEY-PIT (888-666-3974) or post your question here: https://www.moneypit.com/ask. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices