SideQuest 27 | Kiss, Marry, Eliminate: POWER TOOL EDITION 🛠️

Ep 30: The Definitive Guide to Deck Refinishing (And Why Paint is a Sin!)

Welcome back to How to Handyma'am! In Episode 30, we are tackling a massive project that every homeowner dreads but desperately needs: Deck Refinishing! Before we dive into our definitive 4-phase guide, we kick things off with literal, actual, certifiable studio chaos. We discuss why Emily’s "dead" backyard groundhog, Gerald, is actually alive and eating mulberries, how Emily blew $40 on car washes this week due to an aggressive pollen assault, and why Samantha is panic-recording because she's leaving for Europe for 12 days! Once the chaos settles, Emily metaphorically grabs your hand and walks you through the exact process to successfully shore up, clean, select, and apply stain to your deck. 🕒 Timestamps * 00:00 – Welcome to Team Chaos! * 01:15 – The Legend of Maya Papaya & Cheesecake Bites 🍰 * 02:45 – Gerald the Groundhog Lives! 🦫 * 03:30 – Emily’s $40 Car Wash Tax 🚗💨 * 04:20 – Samantha’s Europe Trip Panic & Bad Accents ✈️ * 06:10 – THE GOLDEN RULE: Why You Absolutely Must NOT Paint a Deck 🛑 * 07:45 – Phase 1: Structural Integrity, The Flathead Test, and the "Grinch Run" 🦎 * 11:15 – Phase 2: Soft Washing vs. Power Washing (Avoiding Splinter City) 🧼 * 14:00 – Testing Wood Pores & The Taser-Like Moisture Meter ⚡ * 16:30 – Phase 3: Choosing Your Opacity (Transparent to Solid Stains) 🎨 * 19:15 – Pro Brands We Love (And the ONE Product to Avoid!) ❌ * 22:10 – Phase 4: The Foolproof Application Pattern & Curing Timelines ⏰ * 25:00 – CRITICAL SAFETY WARNING: Spontaneous Rag Combustion 🔥 🛠️ Key Takeaways From the Episode: * Do Not Paint: Paint traps moisture inside the wood, causing it to rot from the inside out and peel off in giant, ugly sheets. * The Screwdriver Test: Stab a weathered board with a flathead screwdriver. If it sinks in like mulch, it’s dry-rotted and needs to be cut out to the nearest joist. * Soft Wash Only: High-pressure power washing shreds wood fibers, turning your deck into "Splinter City". Use a 2-step cleaner and brightener process instead. * The 15% Rule: Your wood moisture must be below 15% before you can apply any stain. * Combustion Warning: Oil-based stains pose a severe spontaneous combustion hazard. Always drop your used stain rags into a bucket of water outside to dissipate safely. If you loved this tutorial, take a before-and-after photo of your deck project and tag us on Instagram at @HowToHandymaam! Have a question for our monthly Q&A SideQuest episode? Email us at hthm@handymaam.com! If you are looking to shop for the products we recommended this episode, check out our Lowe's Storefront [https://shoplowes.me/4i2zfaI] with a page dedicated specifically to Deck Refinishing 101 [https://shoplowes.me/4xRWE6o]!

SideQuest 28 | How a Garbage Disposal ACTUALLY Works (And 2 Hidden Fixes!)

Think your garbage disposal is just a blender with sharp blades waiting to destroy your silverware? Today we are completely busting the myths around sink maintenance! 🛑🌪️In this "Sidequest" bonus episode of the How to Handyma’am Podcast, Emily plays garbage disposal detective to explain why a recent plumbing class completely blew everyone's minds. We reveal the hidden reality of how these machines actually grind up food (clue: it works more like a cheese grater than a knife!), map out Emily's foolproof troubleshooting protocol, and give you the step-by-step guide to fixing a jammed or silent unit using a simple phone camera trick and a 1/4-inch Allen wrench. We also tackle the ultimate "Family Feud" style list of what NEVER to put down your drain—including the starchy culprits that turn into instant pipe glue and the starchy fibers that will wrap around your machine's internals. Real trade skills are for everyone. Let’s get building!🏡 CLAIM YOUR WORKBENCH SPOT! 🏡General Public Registration for our massive, all-day "Weekend Intensive" Workshop on Saturday, August 22nd is officially LIVE! Spend the day with 39 other incredible women at Acme Home Exteriors on the south side of Lansing (right by Hawk Island Park) learning hands-on plumbing, tool competency, and drywall repair. There are ONLY 40 slots total and tickets are moving fast. Grab yours here:👉 www.howtohandymaam.com📌 TIMESTAMPS:00:00 - Welcome to the Sidequest Bonus Episode!00:45 - The August 22nd Lansing Weekend Intensive Details02:15 - Garbage Disposals: Common Knowledge vs. Mind-Blown Moments03:45 - Myth Busting: It's Not a Blender (How the Outer Grind Ring Works)05:10 - The Phone Camera Hack & Underside Access06:00 - The Two Hidden Underside Fixes (Allen Wrench vs. Reset Button)07:30 - Emily's Step-by-Step Troubleshooting Protocol09:15 - The "Never Go Down the Drain" List: Pasta, Coffee Grounds, & Grease11:40 - Pro-Tip: Why You Should Always Use Cold Water🔨 FOLLOW THE CREW:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/howtohandymaam (Join the 10k+ family!)Email us: hthm@myhandymaam.comWebsite: howtohandymaam.comAll our links in one place: linktr.ee/howtohandymaamIf this bonus episode saved you from a midnight plumbing emergency, hit that SUBSCRIBE button, drop a comment letting us know what crazy item has fallen down your sink, and share this with a friend! 👇#HowToHandymaam #GarbageDisposalFix #PlumbingForBeginners #HomeMaintenance101 #WomenInConstruction #LansingMI #DIYHouseHacks

Episode 29 | Fact or Fiction: The Outdoor Building Code Game Show! 🛠️

Welcome back to the studio! Today, we are putting our building knowledge to the ultimate test with Fact or Fiction: Outdoor Code Edition. Samantha steps up as our quizmaster and game show host while Emily and Arly battle it out to see who wins the Handyma'am Olympics of building code. Before we look at the rulebook, we dive into our mandatory 3 minutes of chaos to talk about Samantha's golden retriever, Winnie the Pearl—an Amish puppy with a serious case of FOMO who requires scheduled toddler naps to keep from losing her mind. We also have a very special joint dedication today for our incredible high school shop elf, Ellah, who keeps our world spinning! What we're breaking down today: • The frost line rule (and the floating deck loophole) • Why you can never attach a deck ledger directly to brick veneer • The 3/8-inch muscle memory rule for stair risers • The 4-inch "baby head" gap rule for guardrail spindles • Egress windows and avoiding "haunted basements" • The wild history of the Code of Hammurabi (where bad building meant the death penalty!) 🛠️ LANSING, MI IN-PERSON CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT! Our first-ever hands-on, all-day beginner workshop is officially hitting Lansing, Michigan on Saturday, August 22, 2026! You’ll walk away knowing how to do 12 practical home skills entirely on your own. Email list registration opens June 20, 2026, and public registration drops June 22, 2026. 👉 GRAB YOUR CLASS SPOT: https://www.howtohandymaam.com 👉 ALL OTHER RESOURCES & SOCIALS: https://linktr.ee/howtohandymaam 👉 SUPPORT THE MOVEMENT ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/howtohandymaam Follow our daily shenanigans on socials: @howtohandymaam

SideQuest 27 | Kiss, Marry, Eliminate: POWER TOOL EDITION 🛠️

Welcome back to another chaotic How to Handyma'am Sidequest! Today, we are playing a legendary game with a workshop twist: Kiss, Marry, Kill: Power Tool Edition. The rules are simple: Emily gives us three common tools, and as a crew, we HAVE to agree on which one we’d marry, which one we’d give a quick kiss to, and which one is getting permanently thrown into the dumpster. Warning: Things get incredibly heated. Arly fights for her life as the only one still working daily in the field, Samantha claims she can use her bare teeth as a utility knife, and we completely roast the adjustable crescent wrench. Let us know in the comments who you think won these debates! ✨ JOIN THE COMMUNITY & SUPPORT THE MISSION: 👉 Grab all our resources in one place: https://linktr.ee/howtohandymaam [https://linktr.ee/howtohandymaam] 👉 Visit our website: https://www.howtohandymaam.com 👉 Support our mission on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/howtohandymaam [https://www.patreon.com/howtohandymaam] 👉 Join our free Facebook support group: Search "How to Handyma'am" on FB! #HowToHandymaam #KissMarryKill #PowerTools #WomenInTrades #DIYComedy #WorkshopChaos #MilwaukeeFastback #ToolReview

Saws 101 | Episode 28

Welcome to Episode 28 of How to Handyma'am, the podcast where we are all up in your business! This week we are tackling Saws 101—breaking down the 6 best saws for your DIY arsenal, what they actually do, and how to use them without a trip to the emergency room. But first, we’ve got some serious field chaos to catch up on. The Chaos Before the Tools:The Maddie Fan Club: This episode is dedicated to Arly's brother's girlfriend, Maddie, whom we love so much we are keeping her and ditching him if they ever break up. The Left Ass-Cheek Sandwich: Samantha’s ongoing war with Panera over a flat, greasy breakfast sandwich that definitely had a left butt cheek imprint on it. A $20,000 Fix for $70: How Arly used a patent number and Google Reverse Image Search to save a client from replacing a whole French door system. The 100mg Zoloft Club: Normalizing store-bought serotonin, the gene mutation that keeps us from processing folic acid, and why SSRIs give you terrible heat intolerance on the job site. Saws 101: The Breakdown Circular Saw ("Cucumber Slaw"): Best for straight cuts on big plywood sheets. Watch out for blade binding and kickback. Miter Saw ("Chop Saw"): Perfect for accurate, repeatable angle cuts. Do not wear gloves around this spinning blade. Table Saw: Built for long "hot dog" cuts down a board. Always stand to the side and use a push stick so you don't lose a thumb. Jigsaw ("The Sewing Machine"): Great for curves, circles, and cutting sinkholes into countertops. Just don't cut things on your lap! Reciprocating Saw ("Sawzall"): Pure demolition. Great for slicing tree roots, but check inside your walls for wires before you go wild. Multi-Tool ("The Oscillator"): The absolute hero for precise flush cuts and slicing hidden nails. Watch out, the blades get burning hot. 💖 Support the Show on Patreon!Join us at ⁠patreon.com/howtohandymaam⁠ $5 Level: Extra content, deep dives, and unedited chaos. $25 Level: Directly sponsors a spot for someone who can't afford our in-person training classes. 📬 Connect with the Crew:Email: hthm@myhandymaam.comSocials/Website: @HowToHandymaam / ⁠howtohandymaam.com⁠