Expert Advice for your Lawn & Garden TV Host of Today's Homeowner^® and home expert for The Weather Channel

Mike asks, “I just bought a house with a roof section that has a 1 to 2 inch pitch, should I use rubber roofing or are shingles acceptable? Thank you for your time” The usual slope for asphalt shingles is a 4” or greater rise for every horizontal foot of run. A 3” per foot slope is considered low, but may be acceptable if a double layer of felt is used.

Denise asks “Danny, On one of your episodes, Joe Truini said that muriatic acid would remove scum and water deposits from tile in a bathroom. What I need to know is where can I purchase muriatic acid?”

We’re going all out in our contest this month by giving away a Ryobi AIRgrip ProCross Self-Leveling Laser to each of the ten best Ask Danny video questions that are submitted during the month of December.

Kristen asks, “My house is 35 years old and the double pane windows are original. A few of them have begun to lose their seal and are taking on an almost opaque look. I’ve heard that I can have a professional put air in and reseal these windows? Any credence to that? Thank you.”

James asks, “I currently have a dated ceramic bathroom tile floor originally installed over a cement and mortar base. The ceramic tiles are about 6 inch square with a matte finish and about 1/4″ thick with 1/4″ sanded grouting. Is it possible to tile on top of the existing tiles with thin set mortar? If so, are there any preparations to the existing tiles required? Your advice would be appreciated.”

Janette asks, “Our large front windows face west. Is there any new window product that will make the rooms shady and keep out the heat in summer?” Windows have come a long way in recent years and are now able to deflect much of the sunlight in the summer while at the same time retaining the heat inside your home during the winter. One of the biggest advancements has been in low-E coatings.

Richard asks, “I would like to know which brand offers showerheads that don’t use a lot of water.” With drought gripping parts of the country, more and more homeowners are concerned about reducing their water usage, and replacing your showerhead is a good place to start. Not only will you be conserving our natural resources, but you’ll save money on water and utility bills at the same time.

Linda asks, “We are remodeling our utility room and would like to use a pocket door, because of space. Is this something that we as homeowners should be able to do, or do we need to hire a professional. We’ve done a lot of remodeling ourselves but nothing like this.”

A poorly maintained water heater costs more to operate and can even cause damage to your home. To make sure this doesn’t happen to you, once a month check the pipe connections, the valves and underneath the unit for any signs of a leak.

Hiring a handyman is not easy and many people have had unpleasant experiences trying to do so. They don’t show up, they don’t return calls, they say they can do the work, but then do a poor job. In order to avoid this type of disappointment, here’s some advice.