Full Show 2/21/2026: Controlling Pests in Heavy Woodland Areas

·1 hr 9 min·2 clips

A propane-powered trap emitted carbon dioxide, drawing mosquitoes, fleas and gnats into a net that filled monthly.

1. The Home Improvement Show on the Big 870 aired a Feb. 21, 2026 Saturday call-in episode, with pest control for a heavily wooded Mississippi River property as its first topic. 2. Host Paul takes calls and texts with producer Coleman running the controls, and he draws on his own experience building homes and owning a Slidell rental property. 3. The opening call from Robert in Port Sulphur pairs a thermostat upgrade for two gas-heat air handlers with a bug problem he describes as "horrific." 4. Paul tells Robert to choose a Wi-Fi-ready thermostat with a remote sensor, take a photo of the old wiring, and turn off power to both indoor and outdoor units to avoid damaging the transformer. 5. For the bugs, Paul lists a perimeter spray or drip line, yard granules, and a propane-powered trap that emitted carbon dioxide, which he emptied monthly for a couple of years, and he points Robert to the March 27-29 home and garden show at the Superdome. 6. Ray's bedroom-wall knocking is traced to possible pipe movement, and Paul advises checking the attic at the top of the wall for a sleeve or wedge or filling the gap with foam from a can; John's rusty, slimy Slidell well water leads Paul to recommend Waterworks, which offers a free water test before an $800 tank replacement. 7. William's floor repair prompts two options: a froth pack of closed-cell spray foam starting around $500-$600, or a six-sided box of polyiso board caulked airtight, with a warning that only polyiso meets code under a house. 8. In the second hour, Brett's metal roof lacks foam closure strips at the soffit, and Paul says they should go back in because the open corrugations let "wasps and bees and insects" into the attic. 9. Paul says epoxy grout is waterproof "through and through," while sealer needs multiple coats and ongoing maintenance, and he adds that visible mold behind shower drywall needs no test, while an air or swab sample suits cases with no visible growth. 10. Homeowners on the Gulf South coast with DIY or contractor questions would enjoy this episode.

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