Your New House
Mega Build -16,000 sf - Part 4: Flooring System
updated
MORE FROM YOUR NEW HOUSE
Featured videos:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eiqktEDbaQunVDuiTidxPxd
Great DIY Projects from Your New House:
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Quick Tips - easy tips to make your projects (and life) better:
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Gardening and Landscaping:
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Adventures in Homebuilding - Home info with a smile:
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Choosing and Using Tools with Carmen Ciricillo:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eisLdRjyue3eVZT-qjM9B6I
Factory Tours and Product Testing:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ej6wLU1NAVlWhcvVWL1ynJQ
Al Carrell - The Super Handyman:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ehFhy7mXnyX_pe4v03DrqfS
The Great Outdoors with Joe Sherinski:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejiksPCxa2DTFANK-gz52xN
Tool tips and tests from Your New House:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ehX3cm5ZYISCppsjMTtLhSU
Check This Out! Cool Products for your home:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejDrf6OxJlvcPtxvLv0BKYI
Making Your House Safer:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2egsIHaZpU9Qu-UK7BVmrEO4
Mega Build Project House
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eiwnMEDfDmfQ7jhMwua0zX0
Our Renaissance Project House:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ehMtbNx3vTTZc-qzoHtdQkn
Saving money on Your New House:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eiIHfs0e20H7noxgBOvEp4M
Kitchens - Remodels, Designs, Repairs...
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejKEAkPTZdgtnYceS9-jMWr
Paint and Painting Tips
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eiUeF4rpTs4tHY3I5woRnzO
Green Building
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejSsKdN3ankzvq-d6fwrIpt
Home Construction Basics
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ehrge0aN4sIb2aQYekH7FyW
Talent Playlists
Michael Holigan
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ehNvQD-JhehZiLNwiYYLu2u
Teresa Garrett
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eiLczSejQ-vGxpmoCoABkOB
Joe Sherinski
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eg4PJiaPpcgWr-EnEUoKl6I
Steve Easley
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2egSk2eVfDeQsUnpLE71TEn1
Al Carrell
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eguOq__HFjlT4LFYUQW6J20
Carmen Ciricillo
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eg7UbHCRqz1uomqn2cpncbT
Sonya McKinney
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2egq7ZoRPvCmkLp9yqR6ywM5
Steve Greenberg
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejDrf6OxJlvcPtxvLv0BKYI
Best Sellers in Home Improvement on Amazon: amzn.to/3UZaFxJ
Amazon Homepage: amzn.to/4aoiyB6
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MORE FROM YOUR NEW HOUSE
Featured videos:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eiqktEDbaQunVDuiTidxPxd
Factory Tours and Product Testing:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ej6wLU1NAVlWhcvVWL1ynJQ
Great DIY Projects from Your New House:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejNSy9ywo1mKiGaSXuTsEgE
Quick Tips - easy tips to make your projects (and life) better:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eh4zI-dJCevBTEdY5ioSAPQ
Gardening and Landscaping:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejdcWzNkAARBzUQDvT3W1ME
Adventures in Homebuilding - Home info with a smile:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ehA9bTrvQ58AHfE_utaBCLc
Choosing and Using Tools with Carmen Ciricillo:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eisLdRjyue3eVZT-qjM9B6I
Due to requests, I am now including links to products when possible. These links are provided for reference, no company or individual paid to be in this video. Depending on the vendor, a small commission might be paid and would be used to support adding content to this channel. Amazon Prime free 30 day trial: amzn.to/3g9mwCL
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Today's Amazon Landscaping Deals: amzn.to/3V23l4w
MORE FROM YOUR NEW HOUSE
Featured videos:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eiqktEDbaQunVDuiTidxPxd
Great DIY Projects from Your New House:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejNSy9ywo1mKiGaSXuTsEgE
Quick Tips - easy tips to make your projects (and life) better:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eh4zI-dJCevBTEdY5ioSAPQ
Gardening and Landscaping:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejdcWzNkAARBzUQDvT3W1ME
Adventures in Homebuilding - Home info with a smile:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ehA9bTrvQ58AHfE_utaBCLc
Factory Tours and Product Testing:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ej6wLU1NAVlWhcvVWL1ynJQ
Aerogel is already in limited use for insulating windows in europe. A quarter inch piece of Aerogel sealed in a vacuum between two panes of glass carries an R-value of 15. That’s comparable to the walls in most homes. Most ordinary windows in homes today with low-emissive coatings carry an r-value of 5 at best.
Other practical uses for Aerogel under consideration include insulation for small refrigerators and other appliances. There are several problems preventing the widespread production of Aerogel at this time: it’s very expensive to produce, it’s very fragile and it’s transparent properties fade over time. But as scientist continue working on it we could see Aerogel as an insulator for windows within the next 10 years.
LOW-SWIRL BURNER
The low-swirl burner is currently under development by scientist at Lawrence Berkeley labs and may soon be the primary heating source for residential water heaters. The low-swirl burner uses natural gas as its fuel but burns it 20-times cleaner than any natural gas appliance currently on the market. When natural gas burns it emits nitrogen oxides which are the gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect and therefore produce smog. By lowering the nitrogen oxide emissions, it will be an important ecological advancement and will help the everyday homeowner to further clean up our environment.
COOL ROOFING MATERIALS
Scientists at Lawrence Berkeley labs are working on the continued development of roofing materials that reflect the sun’s heat and therefore make the home much cooler inside. Scientists have found that ordinary black asphalt shingles absorb 95% of the sun’s energy, which is transferred through the attic and into the home’s interior. Ordinary green shingles absorb about 80% and ordinary white shingles absorb 75%. The best performing material is a white, smooth acrylic surface which reflects nearly 80% of the sun’s energy. Scientists are continuing to develop a “whiter” white asphalt shingle that has much of the same properties of the smooth, white acrylic surface. These “whiter” white shingles can reduce a home’s cooling needs by 10-percent. A company called “isp” is currently producing the “whiter” white shingles. They cost slightly more than ordinary white shingles and are harder to find but may be worth the added expense and effort the next time you re-roof your home.
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Featured videos:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eiqktEDbaQunVDuiTidxPxd
Great DIY Projects from Your New House:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejNSy9ywo1mKiGaSXuTsEgE
Quick Tips:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eh4zI-dJCevBTEdY5ioSAPQ
Gardening and Landscaping:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejdcWzNkAARBzUQDvT3W1ME
Adventures in Homebuilding:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ehA9bTrvQ58AHfE_utaBCLc
Choosing and Using Tools with Carmen Ciricillo:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eisLdRjyue3eVZT-qjM9B6I
Factory Tours and Product Testing:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ej6wLU1NAVlWhcvVWL1ynJQ
The pool can be finished in a variety of materials and styles. The kit comes complete with everything you will need, but the water.. It fits in most indoor and outdoor ground-level spaces.
The Endless Pool is excellent for many purposes: swimming, water exercise, aquatic therapy and relaxation. The cost of operation is about the same as a hot tub. All parts of the kit can fit through doorways as narrow as 24 inches, making it ideal for installations in existing spaces like basements and garages.
The width, length and depth can be customized to your specific needs. The entire Endless Pools system has been ETL listed after passing rigorous tests for electrical and other safety standards. When the pool is covered, very little humidity escapes into your indoor or outdoor space.
The Endless Pool propulsion unit can move a huge amount of water -- up to 5,000 gallons a minute -- through two grills that straighten and smooth the water's flow. The result is a river-like current that is is totally adjustable in speed from a gentle flow to a racer's pace by simply turning a knob. The swim current is generated by a 16'' propeller inside a protective stainless steel housing that is driven by a hydraulic motor.
The current is remarkably smooth because of an ingenious return system using the pool's underwater perimeter benches. As the water flows down the center of the pool, it enters a grill in the rear bench. The side benches act as return channels that loop the water from the back to the front of the pool.
The Endless Pool current is far stronger than those produced by jetted spas. These spas pump only a few hundred gallons of water a minute through high-pressure nozzles. Their currents are turbulent and very narrow, even when three or more jets are used. In a jetted spa, only a small amount of water is moving and the current speed is greatly diminished by the time it reaches the other side. In fact, the flow is so low that there is no need for a return channel system in a jetted spa. The system engineered by Endless Pools produces a broad, deep, non-turbulent current. It is remarkably free of waves and bubbles, making it ideal for swimming, exercising and physical therapy.
The Endless Pool is 39 inches (1 meter) deep at its standard water depth, which is also the standard depth of a lap pool. The pool depth can be customized to any depth up to 78 inches (2 meters) for those who want to do vertically-oriented non-swimming activities such as aqua aerobics, water walking/running or wet-vest running. It is constructed of modular steel panels, which allows for easy installation even in tight spaces, since all components can fit through a 24-inch doorway. The pool is transportable and can be relocated. It needs no connection to the household plumbing. You fill the pool with a garden hose, and the water only needs to be changed every one or two years.
The water quality system, which keeps the water sparkling clean, is part of a closed-loop plumbing system and timer that automatically pumps the pool water through a filter, heater, and copper/silver purification system. The operating cost is equivalent to that of a hot tub.
Site Requirements: Solid, level floor, capable of supporting 200 lbs./sq. ft. Can be installed above ground, partially above ground, or completely in-ground.
Minimum Power Requirements: 220 volts, 30 amps (GFCI) (assumes gas heater); 110 volts, 20 amps (GFCI).
Humidity and heat loss are controlled by a floating thermal blanket or optional retractable security cover which should be used when the pool is not in use. The Endless Pool can be insulated with up to 6 inches of rigid foam insulation.
The copper/silver water purification system virtually eliminates chlorine odor and effects.
Water filtration and heating systems are automated.
For safety's sake, there is no electrical connection at the pool site.
Pool includes underwater perimeter seating and an Aqua-Aerobic Bar for hydrotherapy exercise.
The pool can typically be delivered straight to your home within 2 to 4 weeks. Assembly can take 2 people as little as 2 days with some commonly used garage tools and the help of an electrician and a plumber for a half day each.
For information call 1-800-233-0741 or 1-800-732-8660.
0:00 Choosing a Lot youtu.be/e-vPGJI0C0U
3:14 Plumbing Rough youtu.be/iOHMiuFdg-I
8:49 Foundation youtu.be/LVZM9qpBpaQ
13:57 Floor Framing youtu.be/LxPLdL8aQ5E
17:53 Roof Framing youtu.be/zvvjTW22KHM
22:04 Framing a Strong Home youtu.be/exp_wE-f2zU
26:32 Homewrap youtu.be/UHrvGwf14Z0
32:45 Roof youtu.be/5Sjr37uyVw4
36:00 HVAC
41:14 Insulation youtu.be/CtemADeZUMI
43:32 Attic Ventilation youtu.be/StCLRX8ZFRg
47:35 Choosing Windows youtu.be/42_w-Z5LNr4
53:14 Drywall youtu.be/JtqoCPtxW70
1:00:28 Mid Project Update (Bonus)
1:06:47 Trim, Moulding and Interior Doors youtu.be/TuD6KDwyLD0
1:17:05 Safe Room youtu.be/MmKadWn93Fk
1:21:03 Cabinets youtu.be/zDsrevSOTvA
1:25:02 Interior Finishes youtu.be/Kdv6lKE2C3Q
1:34:05 Exterior Stone youtu.be/nEowQKv0XQs
1:37:50 Entry Door youtu.be/l_uIHk_5F9o
1:42:46 Faucets and Fixtures youtu.be/OYon6qHhswc
1:49:36 Central Vacuum youtu.be/lGV9Nxr8k1M
1:54:25 Lighting youtu.be/92VPLVTwSdQ
1:57:31 Wrap Up (Bonus)
Due to requests, I am now including links to products when possible. These links are provided for reference, no company or individual paid to be in this video. Depending on the vendor, a small commission might be paid and would be used to support adding content to this channel. Amazon Prime free 30 day trial: amzn.to/3g9mwCL
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Since the turn of the century the Stickley name has meant meticulous craftsmanship, practical
design and superb quality. In 1900 Leopold and younger brother John George purchased the Collins, Sisson & Pratt furniture company in Fayetteville, New York. Four years later it was incorporated as L. & J.G. Stickley, Inc. In the early decades of this century L. & J.G. Stickley, along with older brother Gustav, helped popularize the ideals and philosophies of the Arts and Crafts movement in the United States. The Stickleys believed in clean lines and the inherent beauty of natural wood and leather.
Strong, simple construction and honest, comfortable design were at the heart of their craft.
The American Arts & Crafts movement had its roots in Europe. John Ruskin and William Morris
in England, Charles Rennie MacKintosh in Scotland and Josef Hoffman in Austria all were
influential in creating a new aesthetic; one which stressed function and unadorned beauty over the
ornateness of the Victorian era.
The new style was championed in America by the likes of the Greene Brothers in California,
Frank Lloyd Wright in the Midwest and the Stickley Brothers in New York.
L. & J.G. Stickley introduced their first furniture line, the Mission Oak, at a 1905 trade show in
Grand Rapids, Michigan. Their collection of simple furniture built along mission lines was very well
received and helped set the standard in fine American woodwork for the entire furniture industry. By
the end of World War I, the Mission style had lost much of its popularity, but today these early pieces
are coveted by museums and collectors, and bring premium bids at auctions. Recent sales have set
records for 20th century American woodwork.
In 1922 Leopold Stickley announced the introduction of the Cherry Valley Collection. These timeless adaptations of traditional New England and Pennsylvania furnishings represent the pure and enduring appeal of authentic American design. Leopold scoured the American and European countrysides for trestle tables, comer cupboards, dressers and Windsor chairs. He inaugurated a line of period designs in popular finishes that helped expand the Stickley reputation for quality furniture. Fashioned from wild black cherry wood from the Adirondacks, these pieces have gained acclaim over the years and provided generations
of families with durable beauty and comfort. Experts have always recognized the superior quality of Stickley's craftsmanship. In 1956 Leopold Stickley was named Revered Dean of Cabinet Makers; whose art and craftsmanship has contributed mightily to American home life.
The modern era of the Stickley company began in 1974. Alfred and Aminy Audi purchased L. & J.G. Stickley and guided the company to new levels of accomplishment. Today the company employs
over 650 artisans and craftspeople, compared to 25 in 1974. The Audis have steadfastly maintained the company tradition of pride, integrity and deep respect for the Arts & Crafts heritage that made
Stickley famous. So highly regarded that in 1977 Stickley was honored by a tribute in the
Congressional Record. Stickley's new team of skilled cabinet makers now also manufactures classically designed pieces in rich Honduras Mahogany. The Mahogany line embodies the formal elegance of the mid-18th century. These intricately crafted and meticulously finished furnishings have only added to Stickley's reputation as an honest American classic. But it has been the reissue of the classic Mission Oak Collection that has piqued the interest of a whole new generation of collectors and furniture lovers. Just as sophisticated and contemporary today as they were in 1900, these pieces offer a level of quality and construction that still reflects the craftsman philosophy in which they were designed.
The L. & J.G. Stickley production and showroom facilities are now located in Manlius, New York, only 2 miles away from the original L. & J.G. Stickley factory. With over 300,000 sq. ft. of space, Stickley is prepared for a bright and growing future.
The company's commitment to quality design and construction has made the reissue of the historic Mission Oak a success. The dedication and handiwork, the unending quest for perfection, the firm commitment to the Craftsman ideal; all remain the same today as they did when the Stickley company began. The furniture you purchase today will be the valued antique of tomorrow.
Take this opportunity to rediscover the signature style of authentic Stickley furniture.
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Due to requests, I am now including links to products when possible. These links are provided for reference, no company or individual paid to be in this video. Depending on the vendor, a small commission might be paid and would be used to support adding content to this channel. Amazon Prime free 30 day trial: amzn.to/3g9mwCL
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The next time you need to jockey a bulky door into position, save your back and use one of the oldest and simplest tools: the lever.
Place a small wood block on the floor about 2 in. Away from the door—it will act as the fulcrum. For the lever, use a flat pry bar. Lay the bar across the wood block and slip its end under the door. Then, simply press down on the bar with your foot to lift the door, using both hands to guide the door into place.
If the lever doesn't raise the door high enough, use a thicker fulcrum. This technique can also be used when installing heavy sheets of drywall, cement board or plywood.
The fabrication process allows manufacturers to use smaller, faster growing trees to make large boards vs plywood. Southern Yellow Pine is a popular tree for making OSB. A machine called a waferizer is used to shave thin strands of wood from logs that, on average, are six inches in diameter. There wafers will measure 1/20 thousandth of an inch thick and approximately four inches by two inches. After sufficient drying, the wafers are placed in a large tumbler that resembles a clothes dryer. While being tumbled atomized particles of polyurethane resin are uniformly deposited on the wafers. This is the glue that will bond the wafers together when forming a board. The wafers are formed into a square or rectangular matte, about four inches thick. The matte is placed into a press that exerts 450 psi of pressure and heat up to 420 degrees Fahrenheit for two minutes.
Due to requests, I am now including links to products when possible. These links are provided for reference, no company or individual paid to be in this video. Depending on the vendor, a small commission might be paid and would be used to support adding content to this channel. Amazon Prime free 30 day trial: amzn.to/3g9mwCL
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MORE FROM YOUR NEW HOUSE
Featured videos:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eiqktEDbaQunVDuiTidxPxd
Great DIY Projects from Your New House:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejNSy9ywo1mKiGaSXuTsEgE
Quick Tips - easy tips to make your projects (and life) better:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eh4zI-dJCevBTEdY5ioSAPQ
Gardening and Landscaping:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejdcWzNkAARBzUQDvT3W1ME
Adventures in Homebuilding - Home info with a smile:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ehA9bTrvQ58AHfE_utaBCLc
Choosing and Using Tools with Carmen Ciricillo:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eisLdRjyue3eVZT-qjM9B6I
Factory Tours and Product Testing:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ej6wLU1NAVlWhcvVWL1ynJQ
Al Carrell - The Super Handyman:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ehFhy7mXnyX_pe4v03DrqfS
The Great Outdoors with Joe Sherinski:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejiksPCxa2DTFANK-gz52xN
Tool tips and tests from Your New House:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ehX3cm5ZYISCppsjMTtLhSU
Check This Out! Cool Products for your home:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejDrf6OxJlvcPtxvLv0BKYI
Making Your House Safer:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2egsIHaZpU9Qu-UK7BVmrEO4
Mega Build Project House
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eiwnMEDfDmfQ7jhMwua0zX0
Our Renaissance Project House:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ehMtbNx3vTTZc-qzoHtdQkn
Saving money on Your New House:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eiIHfs0e20H7noxgBOvEp4M
Mortgage Moments
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eiDJOkSsexbKk9vZI0zYb8g
Kitchens - Remodels, Designs, Repairs...
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejKEAkPTZdgtnYceS9-jMWr
Paint and Painting Tips
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eiUeF4rpTs4tHY3I5woRnzO
Green Building
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejSsKdN3ankzvq-d6fwrIpt
Making Your New House Safer
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2egsIHaZpU9Qu-UK7BVmrEO4
Fix It Up
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eheIDStwytBVShIaMQuHpxk
Home Construction Basics
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ehrge0aN4sIb2aQYekH7FyW
Due to requests, I am now including links to products when possible. These links are provided for reference, no company or individual paid to be in this video. Depending on the vendor, a small commission might be paid and would be used to support adding content to this channel.
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Modern technology has drawn on the unique combination of properties of copper and copper alloys in the form of tube and pipe products. Copper tube is used extensively to convey potable water in buildings and homes. Copper alloys are selected to convey many diverse fluids for the oil, chemical, process, and marine industries. Copper tube’s second largest application is in air conditioning and refrigeration systems; its fastest growing use in is fire sprinkler systems in residential and office buildings.
Copper is used for plumbing tube principally because of its corrosion resistance, machinability, and high level of heat transfer.
Chief tubular applications for copper in the transportation industry are for automotive and truck radiators, air conditioning systems, and hydraulic lines. In marine service, copper and copper alloy tube and pipe are used to carry potable water, seawater, and other fluids, but the chief application is alloy tube bundles for condensers and auxiliary heat exchangers. The food and beverage industries also use copper to carry process fluids for beer, spirits, cane sugar refining, and other food processing operations.
Extrusion involves heating a billet above the re-crystallization temperature and then forcing the metal through an orifice in a die and over a mandrel held in position within the die orifice. The clearance between mandrel and die determines the wall thickness of the extruded tube shell. Extrusion pressure varies with alloy composition, lubricant, and die design with the copper-nickel alloys requiring very high pressures.
In rotary piercing, one end of a heated cylindrical billet is fed between rotating work rolls that lie in a horizontal plane and are inclined at an angle to the axes of the billet and are driven forward toward the piercing plug that is held in position between the work rolls.
Extruded or pierced tube shells are then cold drawn to smaller sizes mainly on bull blocks for copper and draw benches for the copper alloys. With either type of machine, the metal is cold worked by pulling the tube though a die that reduces the diameter.
Concurrently, wall thickness is reduced by drawing over a plug or mandrel that may be either fixed or floating. Tubes may be annealed at any intermediate stage when drawing to smaller sizes is required because of the metal’s work hardening. In the mid 1960s, welded copper tube produced from strip without the use of a filler metal became commercial. This was soon followed by forge and fusion welded heat exchanger tube in sizes up to 31/8 in. (7.94 cm).
MORE FROM YOUR NEW HOUSE
Featured videos:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eiqktEDbaQunVDuiTidxPxd
Factory Tours and Product Testing:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ej6wLU1NAVlWhcvVWL1ynJQ
Great DIY Projects from Your New House:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejNSy9ywo1mKiGaSXuTsEgE
Quick Tips - easy tips to make your projects (and life) better:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eh4zI-dJCevBTEdY5ioSAPQ
Gardening and Landscaping:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejdcWzNkAARBzUQDvT3W1ME
Adventures in Homebuilding - Home info with a smile:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ehA9bTrvQ58AHfE_utaBCLc
Choosing and Using Tools with Carmen Ciricillo:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eisLdRjyue3eVZT-qjM9B6I
Al Carrell - The Super Handyman:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ehFhy7mXnyX_pe4v03DrqfS
The Great Outdoors with Joe Sherinski:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejiksPCxa2DTFANK-gz52xN
Check This Out! Cool Products for your home:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejDrf6OxJlvcPtxvLv0BKYI
Making Your House Safer:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2egsIHaZpU9Qu-UK7BVmrEO4
Mega Build Project House
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eiwnMEDfDmfQ7jhMwua0zX0
Our Renaissance Project House:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ehMtbNx3vTTZc-qzoHtdQkn
Saving money on Your New House:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eiIHfs0e20H7noxgBOvEp4M
Kitchens - Remodels, Designs, Repairs...
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejKEAkPTZdgtnYceS9-jMWr
Green Building
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejSsKdN3ankzvq-d6fwrIpt
Home Construction Basics
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ehrge0aN4sIb2aQYekH7FyW
Materials needed:
Due to requests, I am now including links to products when possible. These links are provided for reference, no company or individual paid to be in this video. Depending on the vendor, a small commission might be paid and would be used to support adding content to this channel. Amazon Prime free 30 day trial: amzn.to/3g9mwCL
Any glass container that suits your décor and has a lid
Activated charcoal amzn.to/3yaVZTj
Barked-based potting soil amzn.to/4btD5Fk
Decorative plants that have the same light and humidity requirements
(examples: prayer plant (Maranta), amzn.to/3UyiF7d
Pre-moistened sphagnum moss amzn.to/3y9FmHs
Distilled water
Steps to build your terrarium
Pour the activated charcoal into the glass container. This can be
obtained at any pet store. It is used in a terrarium to aid in draining the soil and to absorb unwanted chemicals. Pour a nice, thick layer (1-2”) into the bottom.
Put in potting soil. Bark-based potting soil is better because it absorbs water more readily and doesn’t dry out easily. Do not add too much. More will be added later. Put in just enough to cover the activated charcoal and provide a firm foundation for the plants.
Start putting in the plants. Select plants that are aesthetically pleasing, but more importantly, have similar light and humidity requirements. Put the taller plants towards the back of the terrarium. Carefully remove them from their pots and gently lower them into the terrarium. Do not completely cover the plant with soil.
Add more potting soil. After all the plants have been placed, add a little more potting soil to the terrarium, Spread it around evenly.
Add the pre-moistened sphagnum moss. Pre-moistened moss allows you
to add moisture to the soil without making a mess. It also acts as a decorative mulch for the plants. It can be obtained at any garden center or nursery.
Add distilled water. Tap water or well water contains chemicals that can build up in the terrarium over time, contaminating the pure environment Don’t overdo it with the water. Once the water is in, it’s very difficult to remove. You can always add more later if you didn’t put in enough to start.
Monitor your terrarium for the first few days. It will rain inside the terrarium every day, distributing the water throughout the environment. However, if you notice condensation on the inside of the container, it means that there is too much moisture. Simply remove the lid for a day or two to allow the extra moisture to evaporate, then replace the lid.
Lowes: lowes.com/pd/Marshalltown-5-in-Ground-Steel-V-Notch-Ceramic-Floor-Trowel/5001934249
Amazon Prime free 30 day trial: amzn.to/3g9mwCL
Best Sellers in Home Improvement on Amazon: amzn.to/2UasZnF
Amazon Homepage: amzn.to/3gQSS5z
Amazon Tool Deals of the Day: amzn.to/3eUGcsD
Today's Amazon Landscaping Deals: amzn.to/2UxQaJ1
Are you looking for a neat way to quickly spread glue on a pretty large surface? Here’s a quick tip for you.
A notched plastic trowel is a lot faster than a paintbrush, and it cleans up in just a snap. You can buy plastic trowels like these at home centers and floor covering stores for about $2. And you want to be sure you buy one with 1/8-in. notches along one edge.
All you have to do is pour a puddle of glue onto the work surface, and then use the trowel to spread the glue. As you near the edge of the surface, just turn the trowel around to avoid pushing glue right off the edge or anyplace you don’t want it to go.
The notches will apply an even coat of glue with a uniform thickness, and that will help promote a good bond between the surfaces you’re joining together. And there’s another good thing: It also saves glue.
MORE FROM YOUR NEW HOUSE
Featured videos:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eiqktEDbaQunVDuiTidxPxd
Great DIY Projects from Your New House:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejNSy9ywo1mKiGaSXuTsEgE
Quick Tips - easy tips to make your projects (and life) better:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eh4zI-dJCevBTEdY5ioSAPQ
Gardening and Landscaping:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejdcWzNkAARBzUQDvT3W1ME
Adventures in Homebuilding - Home info with a smile:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ehA9bTrvQ58AHfE_utaBCLc
Choosing and Using Tools with Carmen Ciricillo:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eisLdRjyue3eVZT-qjM9B6I
Factory Tours and Product Testing:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ej6wLU1NAVlWhcvVWL1ynJQ
Al Carrell - The Super Handyman:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ehFhy7mXnyX_pe4v03DrqfS
The Great Outdoors with Joe Sherinski:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejiksPCxa2DTFANK-gz52xN
Tool tips and tests from Your New House:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ehX3cm5ZYISCppsjMTtLhSU
Check This Out! Cool Products for your home:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejDrf6OxJlvcPtxvLv0BKYI
Making Your House Safer:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2egsIHaZpU9Qu-UK7BVmrEO4
Mega Build Project House
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eiwnMEDfDmfQ7jhMwua0zX0
Our Renaissance Project House:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ehMtbNx3vTTZc-qzoHtdQkn
Kitchens - Remodels, Designs, Repairs...
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejKEAkPTZdgtnYceS9-jMWr
Paint and Painting Tips
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eiUeF4rpTs4tHY3I5woRnzO
Making Your New House Safer
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2egsIHaZpU9Qu-UK7BVmrEO4
Fix It Up
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eheIDStwytBVShIaMQuHpxk
Due to requests, I am now including links to products when possible. These links are provided for reference, no company or individual paid to be in this video. Depending on the vendor, a small commission might be paid and would be used to support adding content to this channel.
Amazon Prime free 30 day trial: amzn.to/3g9mwCL
Amazon Homepage: amzn.to/3gQSS5z
Amazon Home Services: amzn.to/2FpQs08 Hand-picked pros and backed by Amazon's Happiness Guarantee. Top services available for Customers to purchase include: *House Cleaning *TV Wall Mounting *Smart Home Device Installation *Equipment and Furniture Assembly *Plumbing and Electrical *Handyman *House Painting
Romex is a brand name for a type of plastic insulated wire. The formal name is NM. This is suitable for use in dry, protected areas (ie: inside stud walls, on the sides of joists etc.), that are not subject to mechanical damage or excessive heat. Most newer homes are wired almost exclusively with NM wire.
Nearly every home built in the past 40 years is wired with nonmetallic sheathed electrical cable. Better known by the trade name Romex, this cable, made of insulated copper wires encased in a thermoplastic jacket, is easy to cut, bend and snake through walls and floors. Those are key reasons Romex and other brands have replaced metal-armored BX cable and metal conduit in most applications.
Nonmetallic sheathed cable comes several ways. Type 12/2 NM is the most common. Three-way switches require a Type 12/3 or 14/3 NM cable. Both contain three conducting wires (black, white and red) and a ground wire. Type UF - for Underground Feed - cable can be buried outdoors and used in damp, corrosive indoor locations.
Along with the 25-ft. size, the cable is sold in 50-, 100- and 250-ft. boxed rolls and in bulk. Before choosing any electrical cable, get a permit for any major electrical project from the local building department. And remember that special cable clamps are required to connect nonmetallic cable to electrical boxes. You'll also need cable straps or staples to fasten the cable to wood framing members.
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejiksPCxa2DTFANK-gz52xN
Hanging objects in our yards such as bird feeders, candles, and hanging baskets is a great way to add character to the great outdoors. However, there are some things to keep in mind.
Tips for hanging a bird feeder
Bird feeders are a must for anyone who wants to attract birds to the yard. But feeders also have a tendency to attract squirrels who often steal the food before the birds can get to it, and cats who eat the unsuspecting birds. To keep these unwelcome visitors from dropping by, use the following tips.
Hang the bird feeder from a pulley connected to a cable that runs between two trees in your yard. This takes care of the squirrel problem by making the feeder hard to get to, and it also keeps the feeder high enough off the ground so that cats can’t reach the birds as the feed. With a rope running through the pulley and attached to the feeder, you can easily lower the feeder for refilling.
Purchase a “squirrel guard” for your feeder. This is a device that sets above the feeder. Not only does it keep the rain off the birdseed, but since it rests on top of a sphere, any weight that falls on it (like a squirrel) causes it to tip over, sending the squirrel back to the ground.
Tips for hanging plants
For hanging baskets, use a hook with a built in swivel. This will allow you to rotate the plant periodically so that it gets sun evenly.
How to hang a clay pot
Materials needed:
2X2
Diagram
2 wood screws
Tools needed:
Coping saw
Sandpaper
Using the diagram, cut the pattern out of the 2X2.
Sand the wood to a nice, smooth finish.
Attach the hanger to any vertical, wooden surface using the wood screws.
Slide the clay pot up and into the hanger.
MORE FROM YOUR NEW HOUSE
Featured videos:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eiqktEDbaQunVDuiTidxPxd
Great DIY Projects from Your New House:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejNSy9ywo1mKiGaSXuTsEgE
Quick Tips - easy tips to make your projects (and life) better:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eh4zI-dJCevBTEdY5ioSAPQ
Gardening and Landscaping:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejdcWzNkAARBzUQDvT3W1ME
Adventures in Homebuilding - Home info with a smile:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ehA9bTrvQ58AHfE_utaBCLc
Choosing and Using Tools with Carmen Ciricillo:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eisLdRjyue3eVZT-qjM9B6I
Factory Tours and Product Testing:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ej6wLU1NAVlWhcvVWL1ynJQ
Al Carrell - The Super Handyman:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ehFhy7mXnyX_pe4v03DrqfS
Tool tips and tests from Your New House:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ehX3cm5ZYISCppsjMTtLhSU
Check This Out! Cool Products for your home:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejDrf6OxJlvcPtxvLv0BKYI
Making Your House Safer:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2egsIHaZpU9Qu-UK7BVmrEO4
Mega Build Project House
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eiwnMEDfDmfQ7jhMwua0zX0
Our Renaissance Project House:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ehMtbNx3vTTZc-qzoHtdQkn
Saving money on Your New House:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eiIHfs0e20H7noxgBOvEp4M
Mortgage Moments
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eiDJOkSsexbKk9vZI0zYb8g
Kitchens - Remodels, Designs, Repairs...
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejKEAkPTZdgtnYceS9-jMWr
Paint and Painting Tips
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eiUeF4rpTs4tHY3I5woRnzO
Green Building
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejSsKdN3ankzvq-d6fwrIpt
Making Your New House Safer
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2egsIHaZpU9Qu-UK7BVmrEO4
Fix It Up
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eheIDStwytBVShIaMQuHpxk
I will be adding links as I find more info:
-TruthQuest Phone on eBay (not from us): ebay.com/p/24042249376
-Voice activated Auto Dialer
-Mini-phone/FM Radio
-Uniden Long Distance Manager
MORE FROM YOUR NEW HOUSE
Featured videos:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eiqktEDbaQunVDuiTidxPxd
Great DIY Projects from Your New House:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejNSy9ywo1mKiGaSXuTsEgE
Quick Tips - easy tips to make your projects (and life) better:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eh4zI-dJCevBTEdY5ioSAPQ
Gardening and Landscaping:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejdcWzNkAARBzUQDvT3W1ME
Due to requests, I am now including links to products when possible. These links are provided for reference, no company or individual paid to be in this video. Depending on the vendor, a small commission might be paid and would be used to support adding content to this channel.
Amazon Prime free 30 day trial: amzn.to/3g9mwCL
Amazon Homepage: amzn.to/3gQSS5z
Amazon Home Services: amzn.to/2FpQs08 Hand-picked pros and backed by Amazon's Happiness Guarantee. Top services available for Customers to purchase include: *House Cleaning *TV Wall Mounting *Smart Home Device Installation *Equipment and Furniture Assembly *Plumbing and Electrical *Handyman *House Painting
MORE FROM YOUR NEW HOUSE
Featured videos:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eiqktEDbaQunVDuiTidxPxd
Great DIY Projects from Your New House:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejNSy9ywo1mKiGaSXuTsEgE
Quick Tips - easy tips to make your projects (and life) better:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eh4zI-dJCevBTEdY5ioSAPQ
Gardening and Landscaping:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejdcWzNkAARBzUQDvT3W1ME
Due to requests, I am now including links to products when possible. These links are provided for reference, no company or individual paid to be in this video. Depending on the vendor, a small commission might be paid and would be used to support adding content to this channel. Amazon Prime free 30 day trial: amzn.to/3g9mwCL
Fine Toothed Saws: amzn.to/3wdWBqI
Best Sellers in Home Improvement on Amazon: amzn.to/2UasZnF
Amazon Homepage: amzn.to/3gQSS5z
Amazon Tool Deals of the Day: amzn.to/3eUGcsD
Today's Amazon Landscaping Deals: amzn.to/2UxQaJ1
The next time you need to trim off half-an-inch or less, clamp the molding to a scrap piece of board that’s wider then the molding. Like so. Now, it’s important to make sure the board extends past the end of the molding.
Then use smooth, straight strokes to cut through the molding and, partially, into the scrap board. The board will provide a rigid support for the molding and help prevent the waste piece (here) from breaking off before you’ve sawed all the way through.
You also need to be careful not to force the saw on the push stroke, or the blade will tend to flex and pop off the waste piece even with the board in place. Cutting off small portions of molding this way will help you get smooth, precise cuts every time.
MORE FROM YOUR NEW HOUSE
Featured videos:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eiqktEDbaQunVDuiTidxPxd
Great DIY Projects from Your New House:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejNSy9ywo1mKiGaSXuTsEgE
Quick Tips - easy tips to make your projects (and life) better:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eh4zI-dJCevBTEdY5ioSAPQ
Gardening and Landscaping:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejdcWzNkAARBzUQDvT3W1ME
Adventures in Homebuilding - Home info with a smile:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ehA9bTrvQ58AHfE_utaBCLc
Choosing and Using Tools with Carmen Ciricillo:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eisLdRjyue3eVZT-qjM9B6I
Factory Tours and Product Testing:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ej6wLU1NAVlWhcvVWL1ynJQ
Al Carrell - The Super Handyman:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ehFhy7mXnyX_pe4v03DrqfS
The Great Outdoors with Joe Sherinski:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejiksPCxa2DTFANK-gz52xN
Tool tips and tests from Your New House:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ehX3cm5ZYISCppsjMTtLhSU
Check This Out! Cool Products for your home:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejDrf6OxJlvcPtxvLv0BKYI
Making Your House Safer:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2egsIHaZpU9Qu-UK7BVmrEO4
Mega Build Project House
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eiwnMEDfDmfQ7jhMwua0zX0
Our Renaissance Project House:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ehMtbNx3vTTZc-qzoHtdQkn
Saving money on Your New House:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eiIHfs0e20H7noxgBOvEp4M
Mortgage Moments
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eiDJOkSsexbKk9vZI0zYb8g
Kitchens - Remodels, Designs, Repairs...
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejKEAkPTZdgtnYceS9-jMWr
Paint and Painting Tips
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eiUeF4rpTs4tHY3I5woRnzO
Green Building
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejSsKdN3ankzvq-d6fwrIpt
Making Your New House Safer
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2egsIHaZpU9Qu-UK7BVmrEO4
Fix It Up
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eheIDStwytBVShIaMQuHpxk
Tools and materials:
White Mortar Mix (we used Type S) - lowes.com/pd/TXI-25-Sq-Ft-White-Brick-Mortar-Mix/3390652
Stir sticks - lowes.com/pd/SHLA-5-Gal-Paint-Stick-3-Pack/5001836465
Eye Protection - amzn.to/3yjpaUj
Rubber Gloves - amzn.to/3WHEPqk
Face Mask
Spray Bottle - amzn.to/3UGBF3O
Sponges - amzn.to/3V2Q37V
Ladder (if needed, depends on your fireplace)
Painter's Tape - amzn.to/3K1V7Tt
Plastic Tarp - amzn.to/3yiBGTL
or Builder's Paper - amzn.to/4dK60qW
Due to requests, I am now including links to products when possible. These links are provided for reference, no company or individual paid to be in this video. Depending on the vendor, a small commission might be paid and if so, would be used to support continuing this channel.
Amazon Prime free 30-day trial: amzn.to/2U9pttN
MORE FROM YOUR NEW HOUSE
Featured videos:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eiqktEDbaQunVDuiTidxPxd
Great DIY Projects from Your New House:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejNSy9ywo1mKiGaSXuTsEgE
Quick Tips - easy tips to make your projects (and life) better:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eh4zI-dJCevBTEdY5ioSAPQ
Gardening and Landscaping:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejdcWzNkAARBzUQDvT3W1ME
Adventures in Homebuilding - Home info with a smile:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ehA9bTrvQ58AHfE_utaBCLc
Choosing and Using Tools with Carmen Ciricillo:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eisLdRjyue3eVZT-qjM9B6I
Factory Tours and Product Testing:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ej6wLU1NAVlWhcvVWL1ynJQ
Best Sellers in Home Improvement on Amazon: amzn.to/2UasZnF
Amazon Homepage: amzn.to/3gQSS5z
Amazon Tool Deals of the Day: amzn.to/3eUGcsD
Today's Amazon Landscaping Deals: amzn.to/2UxQaJ1
It almost goes without saying that it’s important to insulate the interior walls and attic space in the home, in order to make the house as comfortable and energy-efficient as possible. However, there’s another area in even the best-insulated home that can be the source of significant energy loss—and that’s through the uninsulated spaces that bridge through to the exterior walls.
PROBLEM AREAS FOR STANDARD INSULATION
Examples of areas that are particularly vulnerable to this kind of energy inefficiency are wall cavities around plumbing, air supply ducts, and open air pockets around bay windows and within and around other irregular structural framing features. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to properly insulate these irregular areas with standard batt insulation.
The insulated areas around plumbing and electrical features are often sites of insulation compression. In this case, batt insulation that is rated at, for example R9, is compressed to fit between the plumbing and the exterior sheathing, and the insulating, or “R’” value can fall several points.
Air supply ducts that butt up against an exterior wall can also reduce the amount of cavity insulation and worse, create temperature extremes between interior and exterior surfaces that can create condensation and significantly increase the potential for moisture damage.
Finally, there’s an interesting, and significant effect known as “thermal bridging”, that basically is the transfer of energy through wood framing. Wood framing is not a good insulator, so every stud acts as a potential thermal leak point, or “short”. Thermal bridging is a factor that can contribute to energy loss in both heating and cooling situations.
Since stud edges comprise about a quarter of the total exterior wall space in the average home, when combined with the other problem areas mentioned earlier, the potential for costly energy loss in an otherwise well-insulated house is significant.
INSULATED SHEATHING CAN PREVENT ENERGY LOSS
One solution to the problems mentioned above is to place rigid insulating foam board sheathing on the exterior. Areas clad with exterior foam sheathing have an insulating “blanket” between outside temperatures and the air-conditioned interior spaces.
The addition of this exterior layer of insulation greatly reduces the energy loss due to thermal bridging and the previously mentioned issues caused by plumbing, electrical and air pockets.
Rigid foam board insulation is made from plastic that has millions of tiny bubbles, or cells, within the plastic. These cells contain air that slows down the movement of heat and cold through the board giving the board its insulating qualities.
MOISTURE CONTROL
The problems that stem from the presence of unwanted moisture in the home cause billions of dollars of damage in American homes every year. Two of the primary sources of moisture problems in the home are infiltration (through defects in the building envelope) and condensation.
Condensation occurs when the water in a gas form changes to liquid because the “dew point” ratio of temperature and humidity has been reached. One very common example of this feature of nature is the condensation that occurs on the outside of a chilled can of cola when it is taken from the refrigerated space and placed in room temperature.
For example, in a room whose temperature is 70 degrees and whose relative humidity is 35%, the “dew point” is 40 degrees Fahrenheit. That means that condensation will form on any surface in that room whose temperature is 40 degrees or lower.
Because interior temperatures in a home are often either much cooler or warmer than outdoor temperatures, it’s important to reduce the temperature differential in the areas of the home where outside temperatures come into contact with interior air-conditioned temperatures. This usually happens somewhere between the interior wallboard and the exterior surface of the home.
For this reason, by sheathing with foam board insulation (thus reducing the temperature differential in the areas where air conditioned interior surfaces meet outside temperatures) one reduces the possibility that condensation will form. In this way exterior foam board insulation helps protect against moisture problems in addition to providing a money-saving “thermal blanket” of insulation on the outside of your home.
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejiksPCxa2DTFANK-gz52xN
Whether you are planting a tree to provide shade, erosion control, fruit, or a branch for a swing; here are the steps to make your planting successful.
Steps for planting a tree:
1) Choose your tree. Your local nursery can suggest several types of trees, appropriate for your specific needs, your soil type, and your specific area of the country.
2) Prepare to dig. It’s always a good idea to sharpen your spade or shovel to make digging easier. Also, remember to contact your local utility/cable/etc. companies to mark any buried lines in your yard.
3) Dig your hole. Although digging a hole seems simple, here are a few things to remember:
- Dig your hole 3-4 times wider than the rootball of the tree.
- Put your backfill in a wheelbarrow. This will make refilling the hole easier.
- Do not dig your hole deeper than the rootball- the top of the ball should be at ground-level.
- Rough-up the sides of your hole. Smooth sides may cause roots to circle in the hole.
- Do not add peatmoss or rocks to the planting hole.
4) Place tree in the hole. If the tree is balled and burlapped, you may place the tree directly in the hole. If the tree is in a polypropylene “grow-bag,” remove the grow-bag before planting. Failure to remove the grow-bag may harm the tree’s root system as it grows. For container plants, simply remove the tree from the container.
5) Free some outer roots. Using a hard jet of water, blast away some of the outer soil around the roots. This will assist the roots in establishing into the outer soil.
6) If needed, mix some organic matter into the backfill.
7) Partially fill the hole, and water. Watering as you fill the hole will eliminate air pockets around the rootball.
8) Fill in the hole and build a levy around the base of the tree. The levy will aid in water retention during the crucial root-development stage.
9) Next, stake the tree. Three stakes should be driven around the base of the tree, into solid ground. The stakes should point towards the trunk of the tree. Using wire, attach the stakes to the tree. Old pieces of garden hose can be used to pad the bark from the wire. The wire can be made taut by driving the stakes farther into the ground.
10) Apply mulch around the base of the tree.
MORE FROM YOUR NEW HOUSE
Featured videos:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eiqktEDbaQunVDuiTidxPxd
Great DIY Projects from Your New House:
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Quick Tips - easy tips to make your projects (and life) better:
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Gardening and Landscaping:
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Adventures in Homebuilding - Home info with a smile:
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Choosing and Using Tools with Carmen Ciricillo:
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Factory Tours and Product Testing:
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We’ve built a beautiful Project House with a classic stucco exterior. Our design team has placed stone trim and detailing all over the exterior of the house to accentuate and complement that stucco façade. The designers have chosen a number of the same stone materials for the Project House exterior that they selected for various interior locations, to maintain a visual and textural continuity.
We're covering four options chosen for the exterior of our project house - Natural Stone, Cast Stone, and Natural or Ceramic (man-made) Tiles.
Nothing can match the beauty, the texture and the feel of natural stone. The Project House exterior features an array of strikingly beautiful stone and ceramic tile work from every corner of the globe including Italy, China, India, Brazil and Portugal.
How do you choose between natural stone and man-made ceramics for your tile work? You’ll have to strike a balance among varying factors - appearance, cost and maintenance. Stone tiles are 20 to 30 percent more expensive than ceramics that attempt a comparable look. The big difference is in maintenance. Ceramics are relatively maintenance-free.
Types of Stone
Natural Stone tile is quarried out of the ground in huge blocks. The blocks are sliced into slabs; the slabs are sliced into strips, and the strips are sawn into tiles. The Italians lead the world in stone-cutting technology. Blocks of stone come out of the ground all over the World (Spain, Portugal, Mexico and Brazil are big in the market now), but more often than not those blocks are shipped to Italy to be cut and returned. So a block of Texas Limestone may get shipped to Italy to be cut before it’s returned and distributed here in the States.
Since ceramic tile is a man-made product, it’s totally predictable and controllable in terms of color, texture and appearance. Stone is a product of nature. It varies like wine, in that granite from one region can have a completely different appearance and texture than granite from another region. Sometimes there’s great variety from one side of a mountain to another. You can also experience great variation within a single block of stone, so you should be prepared for imperfections and inconsistencies when you receive a bundle of tiles. If variations in color or veining will bother you a lot, you may have to buy considerably more tile than you need, so you can weed out the imperfections and get the most consistency out of your order as possible. Stone dealers rarely offer any guarantee or compensation against the fickle variations of Nature.
Travertine tiles form the edging around the pool and hot tub, and create the border around the front of the Project House. It’s the same material the designers chose for the interior floors. Travertine is a variation of limestone. It’s a soft, sedimentary rock, formed by a buildup of layers of sand deposits over millions of years. Travertine formed near ancient lakebeds and underground springs. The pressure of water and gas bubbling up through those layers of sediment for millions of years fills Travertine with natural pits and craters.
We chose Slate tiles from India and China for the floors of the three exterior balconies on the Project House. The designers also added a ribbon of slate to detail the stucco wall that encloses our back yard. Slate is a metamorphic rock, formed when layers of sediment are toughened by heat and pressure. Slate’s a little softer than marble. Slate gets its character because all that heat and pressure makes all those individual sedimentary layers very brittle. Slate tends to split along grain lines, almost like very brittle pages in a book.
A stone supplier named Maxent has provided Distressed Marble tiles, direct from a quarry in Italy, for our driveway. Marble is apparently a very popular and relatively common surface material for driveways in Italy. The 12”x12” tiles have been sand-blasted to form a non-skid surface for the driveway. The designers like them so much that they’ve chosen distressed marble to decorate the pool deck in the back. The non-skid marble surface will help keep everyone safe around the pool as well.
Because the tiles have been sand-blasted for driveway safety, the beauty and detail of the marble has been lost somewhat. We’re going to recover some of that beauty and detail by applying muriatic acid to the tile surface. That’s a relatively mild acid made of chlorine – the same chemical that cleans your pool. The acid will burn off a bit of the brushed tile surface (but not so much that the tiles are dangerously slick in the driveway) to once again reveal the beauty and detail of the marble.
You should use a special stone soap to clean stone tiles. Regular sudsy floor cleaners will eat away at the finish on stone tile.
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Venetian Plaster is a technique more than a product. It’s a modern version of the colored and polished hard plaster finish that first appeared in ancient Greek and Egyptian times. Hard plaster finishes were revived in the 17th century in Venice, giving rise to the name “Venetian Plaster” that we use today.
Chris Jewett has created a finish on the dining room walls with a translucent, almost liquid look to it. People who visit the Project House cannot resist touching the plaster, because it glows as if it’s wet and in motion. Chris achieves this mesmerizing effect because he applies three coats of razor-thin plaster to the walls. Each coat of plaster features its own distinct color. The first and third coats are done in the same color. The color of the second coat (sandwiched in between the others) differs only slightly and subtly. The three layers of color show through one another to create the effect that Venetian Plaster is famous for – the walls seem to glow from within.
Plaster is one of the oldest building materials known to mankind. The pyramids in Egypt have plaster made 4000 years ago that’s still hard, intact and durable. Plaster’s a mixture of a powdered natural mineral (usually sand or gypsum – the same material in your drywall) and water. The mixture hardens as it dries, just like a cast for a broken arm.
A Venetian Plaster finish uses a much finer sand than normal plaster or stucco, and it contains marble dust for color and strength. The small grains of sand (as fine as talcum powder) make the layers of Venetian Plaster so thin that they’re literally translucent.
Fresco
Just around the corner, in the dining room, two classically trained fine artists have created a genuine fresco, done in the same style and with the same techniques that Michelangelo used to create the frescoes in the Sistine Chapel five hundred years ago.
Nicola Vigini, a native Roman, is a fine and decorative artist specializing in the classical techniques of Buon Fresco, trompe l’oeil, and mural painting. Nicola is an internationally recognized master in the field of decorative painting. Before moving to the U.S., Nicola completed his formal study in Rome and Paris.
Jimmy Shugrue has perfected his skills at creating an eclectic variety of historical plaster and stucco finishes with extensive training in Venice and the ancient Etruscan village of Ceri, in Italy. He specializes in Buon Fresco plaster for fine art murals in the ancient tradition, as well as Venetian stucco, marmorino, and lime plaster coatings.
Fresco means “fresh” in Italian. The term refers to the fact that in the true fresco process, color must be applied directly onto a coat of plaster while the plaster is still “fresh” or wet.
Buon Fresco means “Good” or “True” fresco. The term is meant to distinguish the genuine fresco process from alternative (some would say inferior) techniques, which try to mimic the look of Buon Fresco through shortcuts and superficial coloring techniques
Cartoon – this is the classical term for the preliminary drawing of the fresco scene that Nicola prepares on paper in his studio. Once he arrives at the Project House, Nicola then transfers the cartoon (by tracing it with charcoal dust) directly onto the plaster in the niche where he and Jimmy will create the fresco.
Intonaco (“In-TONE-uh-coe”) – the smooth, final coat of plaster. Color is applied onto the intonaco while it is still wet.
Giornata (“Joor-NAH-doe”) – the amount of Intonaco that can be painted in one session or one day (from the Italian word for “day”).
Early civilizations were creating frescoes ten thousand years ago. Nicola and Jimmy have devoted themselves to preserving and teaching the traditional Buon Fresco techniques Michelangelo perfected to paint his frescoes in the Sistine Chapel. Buon Fresco is a very precise, demanding and time-consuming process. In a nutshell, color is applied to lime-based plaster while it’s still wet. When the lime dries (in other words, when it literally turns to stone), the color actually becomes part of the stone, not just a surface material. As the lime dries, it forms a transparent crystalline “skin” over the colors to preserve them in stone. The painted fresco will last as long as the stone lasts.
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The rose is perhaps the most popular flower in the country. And they are relatively easy to grow. But in order to succeed at growing roses, it’s important to know how to properly prepare your rose plants for the winter.
Instructions for winterizing roses:
Tools needed:
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- Topsoil
Steps for winterizing roses:
1. Hardening off the rose. Six weeks before the first projected frost, cut back on the amount of watering and fertilizing you do on the rose.
2. Pruning. After a good, hard frost has hit, cut the plant back 12 to 18 inches from the ground. When doing this, make the cuts 1/4” to 1/2” above the nodes of the plant. A node is simply a growing point on a stem. Also remove any dead stems that you find.
3. Hilling the rose. Make a mound of earth around the base of the rose with topsoil. This will insulate the soil and prevent temperature fluctuations in the root zone during the winter.
4. Chicken wire basket. Make a cylinder out of chicken wire that will fit all the way around the plant. Place the cylinder around the plant and stake it down with your wooden or metal stakes to keep it from blowing over.
5. Mulch. Fill the basket with a mulch that doesn’t tend to compact during the winter (pine needles work very well for this). Depending on how cold it gets where you live, fill the basket with 6 to 12 inches of mulch (the colder it gets, the more mulch you should use). We’ll leave this mulch in place until the Spring.
What to do in the Spring:
1. Remove the basket and mulch. Lift the chicken wire basket out from around the plant and carefully begin to remove the mulch. Be very careful while doing this, as there may be new growth under the mulch and you don’t want to damage it. Also, don’t dispose of your mulch yet. If there is a possibility of a cold spell in the Spring, you’ll want to place it back around the base of the plant (without the basket).
2. Remove the soil. Pull away the mound of soil that you built up when you were “hilling the rose.” Again, be careful not to damage any new growth that may be coming up.
Following these steps will help your rose bushes thrive next year in the great outdoors.
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Factory Tours and Product Testing:
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Segment #5751 from "Michael Holigan's Your New House" Home Improvement TV Show
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Now that we’ve completed construction on the walls of the Project House, we’re ready to install cabinets in the kitchen and elsewhere around the house. Wood-Mode built beautiful furniture-grade cabinets for us. Michael refers to these custom cabinets as “permanent furniture”, because they’re designed and built to last the lifetime of the house. Wood-Mode builds cabinets by hand, with the same skills and attention to detail you expect from fine furniture. Just like fine furniture, custom cabinets belong all over the house- not just in the kitchen. We’ve placed Wood-Mode cabinets in the kitchen, the bathrooms, the guest rooms, the utility room and the master bedroom suite of our Project House.
The Project House features a one-of-a-kind kitchen design, so we chose Wood-Mode for their design expertise (to help us with all the odd spaces and angles) just as much as for the beauty and durability of their cabinetry. Proper preparation is essential for a functional and efficient kitchen. You want to think about the layout of your kitchen long before you build.
Basically, there are three types of cabinetry:
Stock Cabinets are built in stock sizes and purchased “off the shelf” in a Home Center.
Custom Cabinets – true custom cabinets are built on a job site for that specific location by a builder or carpenter. It’s difficult to get long-term warranties on true custom work, especially from individual carpenters or builders.
Semi-Custom Cabinets are factory-designed & made. The factory offers choices of designs and materials (Wood-Mode will also do custom work), but they’ll build to suit your needs. For instance, they’ll build to any dimensions and combinations of features you wish (wood species, stain, size, frame style, etc). Most offer long-term warranties on their work; Wood-Mode offers lifetime warranties.
You should consider three main factors if you’re looking for a one-stop custom cabinet provider – the quality of design talent available, the quality of craftsmanship, and the quality of installation service. Design considerations are easily as important as the quality of construction if you hope to get the most out of your cabinets and the rooms you’ll furnish with those cabinets. Reliable custom cabinet companies will offer guidance from professional designers to help you plan the layout and design of your kitchen.
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When a panel “Resists” a bullet, it actually stops the bullet within the layers of fiberglass. The bullet compresses and imbeds within the panel. At ArmorCore they say the panels “absorb & defeat” the energy of the bullet. Each layer steals a little more energy from the bullet as it passes through the panel. That energy transfer de-laminates the panel & stops the bullet.
The point of intruder deterrence – The idea is to create a safe haven within the home in case an intruder breaks in. The idea is NOT to create a “bomb shelter”-type room for extended use, so the room doesn’t have to be large to be safe. The walls, door & ceiling of the room are reinforced to resist any forcible attempt to break into that safe room. The room will be wired for a phone line to notify authorities of an intrusion.
Deterrence Material – The walls of the room are lined with heavy gauge Steel Mesh. The FBI & ATF both use this mesh for holding cells and as a safety feature within the office walls to protect law-enforcement officials in their field offices and headquarters. The door to the room is reinforced with steel frame plates. The door has dead bolts like you’ll find on an exterior door. The door itself is not specially built. Builders or consumers choose a standard door (steel-faced exterior door or solid-core wooden interior door) and the safe room contractor fits the steel frame reinforcement on the frame around that door.
Installation – Steel mesh is attached to the wall studs; drywall will cover the mesh. We have B-Roll of the installation process. They’ve installed the steel mesh with diamond-shaped fasteners driven into wall studs at close intervals to further stiffen the steel mesh
Next Step – After the steel mesh is installed, but before drywall goes up, we’ll install bullet-resistant fiberglass for further protection for the family against violent intrusion.
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Whether you own a home or are renting an apartment, a tool kit will come in handy for quick fixes or major repairs. Here are some quick tips on what every toolbox should contain.
You’ll always need a carpenter’s hammer for anything from hanging pictures to building a bookcase. A tape measure is an absolute must. You will need it for everything from measuring windows for curtains to measure exactly where to make a cut when sawing.
A smaller finishing hammer can be used for more delicate projects like working on a picture frame or installing new weather stripping around a door.
You will also need a pair of pliers with wire cutting jaws that can be used for small gripping jobs and cutting picture wire for those pictures you want to hang. Needle nose pliers are excellent for getting into those hard to reach spaces.
A small file is very helpful for smoothing metal objects or sharpening blades. And keep a sanding block in your toolbox with different types of sandpaper for smoothing wood.
You’ll also want a variety of screwdrivers both flat head and Philip’s head, three sizes of both should handle any screw. You need a variety of screwdrivers because if you use the wrong size screwdriver you will run the risk of damaging the screw head so that it can’t be removed.
A 6 inch adjustable wrench will needed for gripping and tightening loose nuts. Also add a box set of ¼ inch drive sockets for working on some furniture and appliances.
A smallhand saw will be helpful for general use around the house.
You need to wear eye protection whenever you hammer a nail since there is always the possibility of a nail to fly out of the hole, or a piece of metal to chip from the nail or hammer head.
Remember you will carry your toolbox with you wherever you live, stock it with quality tools and it will last for years to come. You will definitely want to have a pair of safety glasses or goggles handy.
Here is a list of other tools you may want to consider when it comes time to turn you toolbox into a work shop:
Long-nose pliers
Electric drill
Chalk line
Circular saw
Chisel Hacksaw
Combination square
Utility light
Fish tape
Cable stripper
Wire stripper
Colored tape
Voltage tester
Keyhole saw
Utility knife
Right-angle drill
Pry bar and wood wedge
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Choosing and Using Tools with Carmen Ciricillo:
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Factory Tours and Product Testing:
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There’s no avoiding it. Even the neatest painters have to deal with drips. Here are some quick tips to help you avoid at least a few drops.
First of all try punching a few holes in the rim of the paint can. You can use a screwdriver and mallet. Then when the brush is wiped against the edge of the can, the paint will flow back into the can. When you are through the lid will cover the holes so the paint won’t dry out.
And before you get started, protect your hands and face with moisturizer. When it comes time to clean up, the paint will come off faster and the moisturizer will prevent paint from seeping into your pores.
Here are some more painting tips we found for you.
Try cleaning out old nail polish bottles and filling them with “touch up” paint for scuffmarks and scratches. You can also do this with small, glass baby food jars.
For very tiny touch ups don’t use a paintbrush, use a cotton swab!
If you have an old rubber ball, don’t throw it out, keep it with your painting supplies. The next time you need to paint a ceiling, cut the rubber ball in half and cut an opening at the center of the “half” ball. Insert your paintbrush through it and use it as a guard to keep the drips from falling on you!
While you are painting that ceiling be sure to wear eye protection to keep what paint drops that do get by the ball, from falling into your eyes. If you don’t have protective eye wear, try an old pair of swimming goggles.
Protect your work shoes from paint drips by covering them with old worn out gym socks.
You can store left over latex paint in clean plastic milk jugs. Shake the jug before using the paint again and label the jug.
If you are going to paint a stairway, paint every other step one day, and allow them to dry over night. The following day you can paint the remaining steps.
You can remove paint splatters from woodwork with very fine steel wool. Before painting, apply a coat of lemon oil to woodwork you want to protect from paint splatters. The lemon oil will make it easy to just wipe away the unwanted drops of paint.
Add a tablespoon of ammonia in a pan of water and leave it in a nearly painted room overnight. The paint odor will disappear the next day.
You can also try leaving a large onion cut in half in a pan of water in the center of the room; the onion will also absorb the paint odor.
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Quick Tips - easy tips to make your projects (and life) better:
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Gardening and Landscaping:
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Choosing and Using Tools with Carmen Ciricillo:
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Knowing what your roof is made of and how it weathers the elements is a smart idea. If you live in an area of the country prone to severe storms and hail damage it might be a good idea to know what to look for.
After a hailstorm your roof may appear to look undamaged. In fact, it may not leak or have any problems for years. But, one good hailstorm could have done more damage than the eye can see.
At Haag engineering in Dallas, extensive research has been done that to see how hail can damage certain roof coverings. For example; your typical asphalt composite shingle which is used in 85-percent of the homes in north America will damage very easily.
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Quick Tips - easy tips to make your projects (and life) better:
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Gardening and Landscaping:
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Adventures in Homebuilding - Home info with a smile:
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Choosing and Using Tools with Carmen Ciricillo:
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Factory Tours and Product Testing:
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Once we installed the interior doors inside the Project House, we added molding in every room to begin the decorative stage of building. Molding can add a luxurious touch to your new house, or to any existing house, at a very reasonable price. We’ll point out some choices available to you.
History of Molding
Moldings probably originated as structural elements in prehistoric buildings. They would support different surfaces, bind them together or separate them. They’d keep the wind and weather from blowing through cracks between walls, floors and ceilings in early structures. Today they’re essentially decorative elements with design roots in ancient Greek and Roman architecture, but they still cover the edges of drywall panels between walls, floors & ceilings. The term “molding” comes from the practice of pouring material (mud or plaster or man-made materials) into a mold to shape & place the material as it hardens.
Plaster Molding
Plaster is one of the oldest building materials known to mankind. The pyramids in Egypt have plaster made 4000 years ago that’s still hard, intact and durable. Plaster’s a mixture of a powdered natural mineral (usually gypsum – the same material in your drywall) and water. The mixture hardens as it dries, just like a cast for a broken arm. If it’s poured into a mold, it will faithfully reproduce the most intricate detail. Plaster molding is porous so it should be sealed before it’s decorated or painted.
We’ve installed large pieces of plaster crown molding (running between the walls & ceiling), pitted to look like natural stone, in the dining room and family room of our Project House. We’ve also installed plaster domes in the ceiling above the master bedroom & the dining room. These 5-foot domes weigh about 300 pounds. The same manufacturer offers 10-foot domes that can weigh from 600 to 800 pounds.
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Gardening and Landscaping:
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Adventures in Homebuilding - Home info with a smile:
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Choosing and Using Tools with Carmen Ciricillo:
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Factory Tours and Product Testing:
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This will be updated as segments are added.
Our Project House is really big – nearly 6000 square feet – and we’ve taped this segment at a time when it’s really starting to take shape. If you’ve been watching the show, you know we’ve followed every detail in the building of this house, from the foundation pour & the ground plumbing, through the framing & the roofing stages, all the way through the walls and floors going in.
At this point we’re about two-thirds done with this house. We’re finished with the framing work, and so this is a great time to see how our plans and details are coming together. We’ll take a look around and show you what we’ve done so far.
Our tour of the house has to begin in the Great Room, the centerpiece of the Project House. The architect (Fred Wynn of Dallas Design Group) designed a beautiful structure with a tremendous amount of interior space. From a building perspective, that volume of interior space presents some challenges. Working together, the architect and builder have to strike a balance between form and function.
We’ve built a lot of open space into this interior, but we still have to make sure the frame around us and beneath us is strong enough to support the weight of the house, and to stand up to the potentially destructive forces of severe wind & weather. Open space means fewer walls, which means fewer opportunities for a frame to support the weight of a floor or a ceiling. One big limiting factor is the maximum possible horizontal span between supports for floor or ceiling loads. We used Engineered Wood products in the Project House to increase that maximum span distance, so we can support loads over longer horizontal distances. We used thicker vertical structural members (2x6 and 2x10 studs, instead of the standard 2x4s many builders use) that allow us to build load-bearing walls that can accommodate the 20-foot tall bank of windows we see in the Great Room.
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You know, a lot of times, touch up paint jobs really only need a couple of drops of paint. So here’s a quick tip for getting those tiny amounts where they need to go every time. Now, all you really need is a plastic squeeze bottle and a funnel. Then, just pour the paint after the very first time you’ve painted through the funnel into the squeeze bottle. Now you can go ahead an pour as much in there as you have and let it fill up the bottle.
Now, you want to be sure to label the bottle, making sure to note the room you’re painting in. Now you’ll have a nice amount of paint for your future touch ups. I’m just going to write on here “living room.” Now all you have to do when you’re ready to touch up that spot is just put a couple of drops of paint on your paintbrush – or even a paper towel will work – and then you touch up a spot fast and easy.
When you’re through with the touch up, just snap the lid tightly shut, and it’s ready for the next time.
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Gardening and Landscaping:
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Adventures in Homebuilding - Home info with a smile:
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Choosing and Using Tools with Carmen Ciricillo:
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Factory Tours and Product Testing:
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This will be updated as segments are added.
There are three primary considerations when choosing windows for a home:
1) personal budget
2) personal taste or sense of style
3) the energy efficiency of the windows and how that can affect monthly utility bills
Basic Window Types:
Sash (single-hung or double-hung) – The moveable part of a window is called the sash. Single-hung sash windows have either a top or bottom sash (usually the bottom one) that slides up and down in a channel. Both upper and lower sashes move up & down on a double-hung sash window. These are the most common type of residential window. Double-hung sash windows offer a safety benefit if you have small children. When you want some fresh air, you can keep the bottom sash closed & leave the top one open. That configuration will let fresh air come through, but it’ll keep the children from climbing through the window.
The windows in our Project House offer a feature where both sashes can be tilted inward for easy cleaning. This is a great convenience, especially on the upper floors of a home where the leaning and reaching required to clean a window could be dangerous.
Casement Windows- These windows open and close with a crank operated from the interior. Casement windows offer better insulation than sash windows because the seal on a casement frame is more air-tight, and the cranking mechanism pulls the sash tightly into the weather-stripping insulation in the window frame. A casement window is ideal over a kitchen sink or behind a piece of furniture where it could be difficult and painful to bend to open a single-hung or double-hung sash. Andersen offers a casement crank that can be turned with ease, unlike older models. Some manufacturers offer motorized controls, which allow you to open and close casement windows with the push of a button on a remote control.
Feature Windows – also known as Picture Windows - This is a window that does not open and so it does not ventilate. Feature windows are usually placed around a home for architectural or aesthetic enhancement since they’re not functional. A picture window is a large feature window. These come in a wide variety of pre-made styles and shapes, and can be custom–designed to fit a particular location.
Builders have to consider the size of windows at the framing stage. Since glass cannot bear any weight, every window in a wall reduces the load-bearing capability of that wall. Code says any ceiling height over 12’ requires 2x6 wall studs in the frame. Our Project House has 2x8 walls on the Eastern exposure & 2x10 walls on the Northern exposure (this is the wall with the largest feature windows in the Great Room). Those thicker 2x10 studs support the weight that would otherwise be supported by the studs that are missing, because we have so many windows in those walls.
There are three predominant materials used in window construction:
Aluminum windows
Aluminum is a poor insulator – if it’s hot outside, the aluminum frame will heat up the inside the house. If it’s cold outside, the aluminum frame will allow heat to transfer right through the frame itself and escape from the house. Michael compares an un-insulated aluminum window to a skillet. Whatever the temperature is below the skillet, you’ll find the same temperature above the skillet. The same is true with an aluminum-framed window – heat passes easily through the aluminum frame, too easily to maintain reasonable energy efficiency.
Vinyl windows
They’re more expensive than aluminum (about 10% to 100% more expensive), but they’re much better insulators (heat & cold don’t transfer through vinyl the way they do through aluminum). Vinyl windows hold up better against the elements (vinyl stays warm to the touch in cold winter weather). Vinyl colors can fade in prolonged sunlight, so choose colors carefully and read the fine print on any warranty.
Wood windows
Wood windows are the most expensive. Some windows are wood clad in vinyl on the exterior side to withstand the brutal effects of weather. The vinyl exterior protects against the elements and eliminates the need to re-paint faded wood year after year. The wood interior allows unlimited freedom to paint or stain, and provides a beauty that manmade materials cannot match.
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Gardening and Landscaping:
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This will be updated as segments are added.
Soffit, Fascia & Trim Defined – Rafters are the parallel beams that support the roof above the top floor of the house. Fascia is the vertical board that closes off the end of the rafter tails. It’s normally vertical, sometimes sloped. The Soffit is the horizontal under-hang that completes the boxing-in of the rafters and the sheathing. That box is known as the “eaves” or the “overhang” of the house. Lookouts are short pieces of 2x4s that horizontally connect the rafter tails to the top of the wall. A Closed Soffit is a closed box. An Open Soffit leaves the rafter tails exposed. “Trim” is a term used to describe soffit & fascia.
Attic Ventilation Defined - Moisture is the #1 concern. Heat is #2.
We’ve gotten much better over the years at building houses that are energy-efficient. We’re better at building “tight” Homes - that means they’re designed to keep the elements outside & your energy dollars inside. But that level of homebuilding expertise can also cause some problems. Modern insulation and house-wrapping techniques create a tightly sealed envelope that blocks leaks, drafts and other unintentional paths for fresh air to enter a house. Those techniques also prevent “stale air” inside the house from finding a path to exit.
A “Sick House” Defined– Insulation and house-wrapping create a “stale air” environment inside. The air gets stale because the same air keeps getting conditioned – you notice it inside an airplane cabin sometimes. Lots of moisture gets produced in a home (showers, boiling water, people & pets breathing, condensation when the weather changes, etc) & it floats up into the attic as water vapor in rising air.
One of the biggest problems is managing the moisture. If we don’t control that moisture, we can do a lot of damage to the materials that we build into your new house. A buildup of moisture will promote the growth of mold, mildew & other biological pollutants. Moisture over time will rot the wood in the frame of your house and remove all strength from that wood. Once the frame of your house is ruined, the entire investment you’ve made in your new house is ruined along with it.
If it’s not vented away, mold can grow in the attic, decreasing the indoor air quality and making your house “sick”. Warm air naturally rises, so it wants to pool inside the attic. If the attic is hot and improperly vented, then energy bills go up because that hot air pocket grows and works its way down into the living area. The HVAC cannot work efficiently, and you have to pay to cool that hot air out of the attic. The combination of excessive moisture & heat can make your roof shingles deteriorate & fail prematurely. Proper venting is by far the most cost-effective way to cool the attic.
Attic Ventilation Designed - The best venting design puts vents in the soffit (for intake) and up near the ridge line (for exhaust). That way, fresh air naturally bathes the attic as hot air rises up & out of the ridge line and fresh air replaces that outgoing air through the soffit vents.
Soffits will have either discrete or continuous vents. Many builders install individual 4x16 or 8x16 vents, or else they create a continuous soffit vent with screen door material all the way around the eaves.
Even with great tight houses, there could be too many places between a ceiling & an attic where air can leak. Some tests show that air exfiltration (that’s air that leaks out of a house – the opposite of infiltration) could be severe when powered fans suck air out of an attic.
Different styles of passive roof vents
Michael showed a Passive Turbine Vent, a common roof vent. Most people call it a “twirler”. It’s circular, and it twirls when the wind blows through it – that twirling helps draw hot air out of the attic, which draws cooler air in through the soffit vents to clean out the hot air in the attic. It works best when it’s mounted high on the roofline.
Sometimes people like to put plastic bags over these twirlers in the wintertime to prevent cold air from moving through your attic and into the living area. This can cause problems because you end up with a lot of moisture buildup in your attic in the wintertime. In cold weather, your house is hot and the air upstairs in the attic is cold, so moisture forms just like it would on the side of a glass of ice water in the summertime. So, leave those twirlers open & exposed, even in the wintertime.
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Cellulose Defined – Cellulose is the material that makes up the cell walls of plants. In this case, the Cellulose is wood pulp; the natural fiber used to make paper.
Insulation defined – every material has a resistance to heat transfer – that’s the rate of heat flow through a material exposed to different temperatures on each side. In the homebuilding industry, we measure that resistance as an “R” Value. The higher the “R” Value, the better the insulation. The “R” Value helps builders figure out the energy efficiency of a house. The ultimate insulator is a body of still air “trapped” in place by an insulating material
Cellulose Insulation Defined – The bulk of the material the insulation we used is from recycled paper. Every 100 pounds of insulation contains 85 pounds of paper. That paper is treated to retard fire and repel insects.
Cellulose Insulation Installed – It’s sprayed in place, directly into the interior cavities between the wall studs that make up the exterior walls of the house. This spray application will fill all cavities and odd-shaped openings much better than “batts” (pieces) of standard fiberglass insulation.
“R” Value Targets – Michael always recommends at least an R-19 rating for walls & an R-38 rating for attics. In the walls of our Project House (with studs no smaller than 2x6s), we should be able to reach an R-20 rating. That will cost more in material than the typical R-13 recommended by builders, but homeowners can make that money back within a couple years with lower utility bills.
Actual, Real-life vs/ Theoretical, Rated “R” Value – Inch for inch, calculated “R” Values for fiberglass and cellulose are very similar. Those calculations make sense on paper, but application in a real-world setting can severely alter a material’s ability to insulate. A piece of fiberglass insulation installed with any gap or kink in it will not insulate to its rated “R” value no matter how well it’s built or rated. If it’s “shoved” into a cavity, the air pockets inside the fiberglass material will get squeezed and the actual “R” Value drops.
The beauty of a spray insulation is its ability to fill gaps and voids, and work its way completely around wires hidden between the studs in a wall cavity. This “seamless” blanket of insulation (air trapped in pockets of the paper material) offers better protection against air infiltration – that’s air that leaks into or out of a house through the thousands of tiny gaps & cracks between building materials in any house. Cocoon™ Cellulose Spray Insulation keeps buildings about 35% “tighter” than fiberglass batt insulation.
Some people worry that sprayed cellulose insulation will “settle” over time, and lose its place. That’s not the case if it is properly installed. The insulation is sprayed through a hose. That hose has a water line that activates an adhesive in the cellulose material, so it glues itself in place. The water dries out but the glue is always there holding it up.
Framing Safety Benefit – Here’s where we see the payoff for beefing up the frame of the Project House with 2x6s instead of 2x4s. There’s more room to hold insulation, so the “R” value of the walls is higher than it would be with 2x4s (About R-20 vs/ R-13). This insulation system lowers energy bills that will more than offset the extra lumber cost over the lifetime of the house. Some of our walls in the Project House are built with 2x8 and 2x10 wall studs, so the energy savings increases.
Fire Rating – Our insulation has a top rating (Class 1) against flame spread & smoke development. The boric acid flame retardant is infused in the natural fibers of the cellulose. During a fire, the retardant melts and holds the heat until the cellulose fibers char.
Make sure the insulation is sprayed evenly into your walls, like a blanket – no dips or valleys. Before you spray upstairs, make sure you insert baffles to block your soffit vents (they’re located in the overhang of your roof). If you don’t, you could block the airpath that otherwise provides proper attic ventilation by spraying insulation over those vents. Don’t spray insulation over a light fixture in a lower room, because that could cause a fire. Don’t insulate over a combustion inlet for the furnace or the water heater. Spray insulation all over the attic before you put down any decking.
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Electric Shock or Electrocution due to Ground Fault – this is when an electrical current “Leaks” out of a line to the ground. Anytime electricity makes contact with water (in a kitchen or bathroom, near a pool or spa), the current “leaks” into the water. The current leak could be enough to kill someone in contact with that water but still not be large enough to trip a circuit breaker. Standard circuit breakers guard against overloads and short circuits. They’re not designed to protect people from electrical shocks. Hundreds of preventable electrocutions happen in and around homes every year. Electrical outlets in wet areas (kitchens, bathrooms, outside near pools, etc) pose the greatest hazard.
Electrical Fire due to Arcing – this is when a current “Jumps” through the air from one place to another, causing a free and uncontrollable flow of electricity. That uncontrolled electricity can start a fire inside your walls that can literally burn your house down from the inside out. Our segment featured a “Jacob’s Ladder” – it looks like a contraption from Dr. Frankenstein’s laboratory – to illustrate arcing from one wire to another. Arcing can occur with damaged or frayed extension cords. It can happen if an electrical outlet is improperly installed or gets damaged. It can happen if you drive a nail into a wall to hang a picture and you pierce a wire hidden in the walls.
Damaged or destroyed electronics due to Surges – This is when the voltage in an electrical system “Spikes” or “Swells” as it travels through wiring into everything plugged into that wiring. Lightning storms cause major surges (up to 6000 Volts or more). Utility companies cause controlled surges as they alter systems to meet demand. Motors on appliances like the fridge or the AC cause mini-surges (1000 volts or less) when they turn on & off. That can slowly break down wiring insulation, leading to faulty operation or failure of appliances. The average home experiences hundreds of these small surges every day.
All these problems can be solved at the Breaker Box – electricians call it the “Load Center”.
Let’s first take a look at a standard circuit breaker:
A Circuit Breaker is a safety feature that interrupts the flow of electricity (“breaks the circuit”) whenever it senses trouble within your home’s electrical system. Most circuit breakers have a thermo-magnetic function. The thermal part of the breaker senses any overloads that can heat up an electrical line. If you plug too many appliances into a single circuit, that overload will heat up the wires in that circuit and that buildup of heat will trip the breaker. The magnetic part of the breaker senses a short circuit and trips the breaker to cut power to that circuit.
A short circuit means that the power has found its way to ground in an unintended manner (if two wires in a wall switch accidentally touch for example). The power has been short-circuited and will trip the breaker, interrupting the flow of electrical current.
Surge Arresters plug into the breaker box just like a standard circuit breaker. It works like the surge protector you plug your computer into, but it senses and stops surges throughout the house. It not only protects the electronics you’d protect with a plug-in surge protector, but it will protect the hard-to-reach appliances (like a wall-mounted microwave) that you might not be able to reach with a plug-in surge protector.
Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI) also plug into the breaker box just like a standard circuit breaker. Your house should already have GFCI receptacles anywhere in the house where water is present (bathrooms, kitchens, outside near the pool, etc.). GE’s GFCI breakers work better than GFCI’s on individual receptacles because one GFCI breaker will protect all the receptacles connected to that circuit. For example, if you have 7 outlets connected to a single circuit in a bathroom and one of those outlets experiences a ground fault, the GFCI breaker in the breaker box will shut power to all 7 outlets.
Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters (AFCI) – Because arcing occurs at levels lower than conventional circuit breakers or fuses are designed to detect, sporadic arcs can go undetected for extended periods. As heat from arcs climbs to 5,000 degrees Celsius
and higher, wire insulation and other nearby materials grow more susceptible to fire.
You cannot prevent an arc fault from occurring inside your walls, but you can stop that arc. An AFCI breaker electronically detects any arc faults and stops the flow of electricity to that circuit in a fraction of a second. No electricity means no heat, and no heat means no fire. By tripping a breaker on a specific circuit, that AFCI breaker helps you identify the source and location of your arcing problem right from the load center (the breaker box).
You can really feel the chill of winter when the wind blows your electrical outlets and switches.
Here is a quick tip that will keep you warmer and your energy bills down.
You can install a wall plate gasket and safety plug covers for your switches and outlets.
Or you can buy a roll of 1/8” sill plate gasket at your local hardware store or home center.
Use your switch or plug faceplate as a template to trace around the gasket material. Then using a razor knife them cut out and use them for your gasket.
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Featured videos:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eiqktEDbaQunVDuiTidxPxd
Great DIY Projects from Your New House:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejNSy9ywo1mKiGaSXuTsEgE
Quick Tips - easy tips to make your projects (and life) better:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eh4zI-dJCevBTEdY5ioSAPQ
Gardening and Landscaping:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejdcWzNkAARBzUQDvT3W1ME
Adventures in Homebuilding - Home info with a smile:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ehA9bTrvQ58AHfE_utaBCLc
Choosing and Using Tools with Carmen Ciricillo:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eisLdRjyue3eVZT-qjM9B6I
Factory Tours and Product Testing:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ej6wLU1NAVlWhcvVWL1ynJQ
Al Carrell - The Super Handyman:
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The Great Outdoors with Joe Sherinski:
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Think of your roof as a Three-layered Weather Protection System, made of Decking, Felt & Shingles or Tile.
Layer #1 - Decking – Sheets of wood are placed over the roof rafters. Rafters are the parallel beams that support the three-part roof system. The most common types of decking are Plywood or Oriented Strand Board (OSB). We used sheets with a radiant barrier on the Project House. OSB is an engineered wood product made of narrow strands of wood fiber. These strands are oriented lengthwise and crosswise to form a strong sheet of support for the upper layers of the roof.
Radiant Barrier Defined –
We used a radiant barrier OSB Decking. It is a normal piece of Oriented Strand Board with a laminated layer of shiny material on one side. This acts as a low-e (for low emissivity) & high reflectivity system. The shiny side goes down because in summer’s heat, the low-E capability prevails (it does not emit heat radiating from the outside world). In winter, the high reflectivity capability prevails (it reflects back into the house the warmer air from the heated portions of the house). There are three types of heat transfer – radiant, conductive & convective. Radiant heat is the biggest culprit in a house in the summer – heat radiating from the roof system above as it takes a beating from the summer Sun. In general, attic insulation acts as a barrier between the attic & the living space of the house.
Layer #2 - Felt paper – This used to be called “tar paper”. It’s organic felt saturated with asphalt. It serves as a barrier so any water that penetrates the shingle or tile layer runs straight off the roof and does not soak into the wood decking material. Felt paper also makes sure shingles don’t stick to decking under the heat of the Sun, and it prevents a reaction between the chemicals in asphalt and the wood material in the decking.
Layer #3 - Shingles –the top layer of protection against sun, rain and wind. Shingles come in a wide variety of materials (composition, or asphalt-saturated paper; wood; metal; slate or imitation slate made of cement fiber; clay; concrete; etc.).
Weight is Important - Make sure you keep in mind the shingle material you plan to use when you design a roof on a new house. The roof must be built strong enough to bear the weight of the shingles that will sit on top of it. Clay or concrete will weigh four or five times as much as composition shingle, and so a roof design may not be strong enough to support heavier shingle materials unless it’s designed to bear such a load. On the Project House roof, the roofing crew “loaded” the roof with the full set of concrete tiles. This lets the roof adjust to the weight of those tiles. If the roof sags anywhere under the weight of these tiles, you have time to reinforce or brace the roof before they’re permanently installed.
Shingles are measured and sold in Squares. A square will cover a 10’x10’area, or 100 square feet. Shingles are packaged in Bundles.
Shingle Materials:
Concrete Tile – Our Project House roof is covered with concrete mission tiles. The concrete weighs 900 or 1000 lbs. per square.Clay weighs 600 or 700 lbs. Clay does not withstand impact as well as concrete does – that’s important if you live in areas prone to hailstorms.
Composition Shingles – These are asphalt-impregnated fiberglass or paper covered on one side with colored stone granules. This is the lightest, the least expensive and easily the most common shingle. 85% to 90% of homes in the US have composition shingles.
Three-Tab is the simplest and cheapest composition shingle. Weight varies from 220 to 350 lbs. per square. A shingle is a row of (3) pieces called tabs; each individual tab is not a shingle as most people might assume.
Asphalt Shingles are overlapped during installation to provide a double layer of protection against the elements. The composition shingles have a self-adhesive strip that seals two overlapping shingles together once the sun heats them.
Slate – real slate comes mostly from Vermont, and it’s very expensive. Some manufacturers make imitation slate made of cement fiber and sand. Imitation slate generally weighs about 350 lbs. per square. Real slate can weigh 500 lbs. or more.
Metal or Steel – Very resistant to hail damage; these shingle materials can often be installed directly over existing asphalt shingles. Metal & steel are completely fireproof. Different manufacturers make metal or steel shingles that imitate the look of composition, slate, Spanish tile & cedar.
Wood Shingles or Shakes – Wood shingles or shakes are a very traditional roofing material, but these days they’re illegal in many areas because of the potential fire hazard. Some manufacturers build metal & concrete shingles or tiles designed to look like traditional cedar shakes.
There are a variety of different models available that reflect a wide range of quality and style. Just one example is a single cylinder deadbolt that locks from the outside with a key and from the inside with a turnpiece. A double cylinder deadbolt adds even more protection because it locks from the outside and inside with a key on each side. This type of deadbolt is ideal for doors that have glass or windows. If a burglar broke through the glass and tried to open the deadbolt from the inside, they wouldn’t be able to thanks to the interior lock. Deadbolts have even gone high-tech with keyless models that lock and unlock with the press of a keypad.
No matter what type of deadbolt you choose, you can install them yourself. In this segment, Teresa installed a single cylinder deadbolt.
For this type of installation, you’ll need a deadbolt set, a drill, a hole saw, a chisel, a mallet or hammer, safety goggles, and a tube of lipstick.
First, make sure that you’ve read the manufacturer’s instructions thoroughly. Then take the lock template that came with the deadbolt and tape or hold it to the door. Using the template, mark the center for the deadbolt with the pencil, and then mark the center for the latch bolt.
Then take the drill and hole saw, and bore a cylinder hole into the door. Stop once the drill starts to break through. Next, drill through the hole on the opposite side. This will give you a cleaner cut.
Afterwards, use the drill and hole saw to bore a latch-bolt into the end of the door. Then insert the latch-bolt. Once that’s done, position the plate over the latch-bolt and trace around the outside of the plate with the pencil.
Take the chisel and the mallet or hammer and use them to carefully remove the wood. The latch plate should then fit flush with the edge of the door.
Next, assemble the latch by directing the cylinder’s screws through the locking mechanism. Then attach the face plate onto the inside of the door, and screw the dead-bolt latch onto the face plate.
Close the door and find the point where the latch bolt meets the doorjamb. The strike plate can serve as a template, and you’ll need to mark the location where the deadbolt will land. An easy way to do this is with a tube of lipstick. Just put a little on the bolt, shut the door, and once it’s open, you should see the mark.
Next, hold or tape the plate over the mark, trace around the plate, and then chisel out an area that will allow the deadbolt to sit flush against the doorjamb.
Drill a hole into the center for the latch bolt, and then screw the plate into position. Always be sure to use screws that are three inches or longer. This ensures that the plate isn’t just attached to the doorjamb, but also to the stud in the wall, and this will make it even harder for someone to kick the door in.
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Featured videos:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eiqktEDbaQunVDuiTidxPxd
Great DIY Projects from Your New House:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejNSy9ywo1mKiGaSXuTsEgE
Quick Tips - easy tips to make your projects (and life) better:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eh4zI-dJCevBTEdY5ioSAPQ
Gardening and Landscaping:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejdcWzNkAARBzUQDvT3W1ME
Adventures in Homebuilding - Home info with a smile:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ehA9bTrvQ58AHfE_utaBCLc
Choosing and Using Tools with Carmen Ciricillo:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eisLdRjyue3eVZT-qjM9B6I
Factory Tours and Product Testing:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ej6wLU1NAVlWhcvVWL1ynJQ
Due to requests, I am now including links to products when possible. These links are provided for reference, no company or individual paid to be in this video. Depending on the vendor, a small commission might be paid and would be used to support adding content to this channel.
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Home Wrap Defined – Home wrap provides the secondary line of defense against weather between the exterior surface (stucco on our Project House) and the sheathing (Oriented Strand Board or OSB on our Project House). It’s an unavoidable fact that weather will penetrate the exterior cladding – it’s a question of “when” and “how much”, not “if”. Home Wrap is designed to combat the three primary weather forces that will drive up energy bills and potentially damage a house: water, moisture & air infiltration.
Air Infiltration Defined – Insulation in a house works best when the air inside the insulation is still & dry. A house has thousands of places where building parts come together. Everywhere they join there’s a crack or a gap that lets air infiltrate in, which raises your energy bills and can make you uncomfortable inside the house. The average (2500 square foot) home has up to a half mile of these gaps and cracks – that means our 6000 square foot Project House has more than a mile of gaps and cracks where air can leak into the house. That’s like leaving a window wide open all day every day.
Here are places where air can leak - fireplaces, doors, windows, exterior corners, interior wall intersections, electrical & plumbing cutouts, framing joints
Every wall in your house has a Resistance to heat or cold, measured as an “R” Value. A Higher “R” Value means that material is better at keeping energy dollars inside the house. A draft of only ten miles an hour can decrease the effective “R” value of insulation by 63%. Even a draft as light as that will create pressure differences between the inside and outside walls of a house. That negative pressure can suck the cooled or heated air right out of the house. Every time the wind blows into your house it’s replacing air you’ve already paid to heat or cool. Adding thicker insulation does nothing to stop the problem. Stopping the air infiltration will.
Water Intrusion – rain and snow will penetrate the exterior surface of a house. If that water hits the OSB and cannot dry in a reasonable amount of time, it can raise the moisture content of that wood to the point where mold & mildew can rot the wood.
Moisture Intrusion – House are built “tight” to keep energy in, but that also keeps moisture in. The average family creates nine gallons of moisture a day (cooking, bathing, dishwashers, plants, pets, humans, etc). All that moisture gets into the walls, and if it can’t escape it can cause the same damage as rain or snow.
Proper Installation – The best time to install a home wrap is before the windows and doors go in, but you can install afterwards (as long as you’re careful about proper flashing). The whole point is to drain water down and away.
Existing homes – There are simple Do-it-yourself ways to cut air infiltration in your house. To get a sense of how leaky your house can be, check for air infiltration around the house with a candle and a blow-dryer. Stand inside with a candle while someone else runs the blow-dryer from the outside. If the candle blows out, you know you have a leak. The best first step is to seal windows with caulking and doors with weather-stripping
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Great DIY Projects from Your New House:
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Quick Tips - easy tips to make your projects (and life) better:
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Gardening and Landscaping:
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Adventures in Homebuilding - Home info with a smile:
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Choosing and Using Tools with Carmen Ciricillo:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eisLdRjyue3eVZT-qjM9B6I
Factory Tours and Product Testing:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ej6wLU1NAVlWhcvVWL1ynJQ
Ceiling fans come in a variety of styles and models, and can range in price from forty to four hundred dollars or more.
Before installing a ceiling fan, you must first make sure that there’s enough clearance for the fan. It’s recommended that you have at least an eight-foot ceiling. The fan is going to hang down almost a foot, and you have to make sure there’s enough clearance between the fan blades and someone’s head.
You can use electrical power from an existing circuit to power your new fan.
Always be sure to first turn the power off to the circuit before you remove the light fixture. Once it’s removed, disconnect the electrical wires, and make sure that they’re in good shape.
Next, check the electrical box that used to hold the old fixture. Make sure that it’s strong enough to support the weight of the fan. If it’s in bad shape, replace it.
Install the mounting bracket and then securely fasten it so that the fan doesn’t wobble. The next step is to attach the fan assembly to the mounting bracket, which should just slide right into place.
Next, attach the wires. White should go to white, black to black, green to green, and blue to blue. Be sure to cover every connection with a wire nut. If you have specific questions about wiring, be sure to consult a licensed electrician.
Once the wiring’s complete, attach the canopy and the fan blades.
Finally, turn the power on to the switch, and turn the fan on.
Ceiling fans can keep you comfortable during the different seasons. In spring and summer, run your fan in a counter-clockwise direction. This will cause a downdraft that will make you feel cooler. By running a ceiling fan in warmer months, your air conditioning bill could be reduced by up to forty percent.
During colder months, run your fan in a clockwise direction. This pushes warm air up against the ceiling and down the walls, and this could reduce heating costs by as much as ten percent.
The tile that Teresa is installing in this segment is attractive porcelain tile from Dal-Tile. Porcelain is a great choice for a home office. Because porcelain tile is fired at very high temperatures, it’s denser and more durable than ceramic tile, and can better withstand the heavy use that’s typical in a home office. Porcelain tile is also very resistant to stains.
Step 1. The sub-floor of our house is a concrete slab. The first step is to remove the carpet and pad, then check the concrete floor for inconsistencies and rough spots. Dents and dings in the concrete will not pose as serious a problem for tile as will protrusions. If possible, chisel off any protrusions in the concrete that exceed an eighth of an inch. Then give the concrete a good cleaning.
(If the sub-floor beneath your tiling project is plywood or oriented strand board, plane down any high spots and re-nail the sub-floor in any places where the flooring has come loose.)
Step 2. Find the center of the room. To find the exact center of the room, measure the distance from one wall to the opposite wall, divided that number in half, and made a long perpendicular mark at that spot. She then repeated the process for the two other walls, and put an “X” where the two lines intersected. The same result can be achieved by striking chalk lines at the center points on opposing walls, and marking the point where the two chalk lines intersect.
Step 3. Then lay out a dry run of tiles from the center point to a facing wall, making sure to put spacers between the tiles. Measure the distance from the last tile to the wall, being sure to take into consideration the quarter inch of grouting that would fall between the last field tile and the border tile. If the distance between the last field tile and the wall is two inches or less, you should move the line of tile back toward the center of the room to ensure that the border tiles are not too narrow. This process ensures that the border tiles along this wall and the opposite wall are the same width. Then repeat the process along the other axis, toward the adjacent wall.
In this case, all border tiles needed to be cut at seven inches, resulting in border tiles measuring 12” X 7”.
Step 4. Teresa used a dry scoring tile cutter to cut all the border tiles. One can also use a wet saw, which can be rented from most big box home improvement stores. We were using a pattern that combined 12” X 12” tiles, 6” X 12” tiles and 6” X 6” tiles. To create the 6” X 12” tiles, Teresa simply cut the 12” X 12” inch tiles in half.
Step 5. Teresa bound the tiles to the floor using thinset mortar adhesive. There are many kinds of tile adhesive on the market, including pre-mixed compounds that come ready to spread. The thinset used came as a powder, and Teresa used an electric drill with a huge blender attachment to mix the powder with water until it was about the consistency of toothpaste.
Step 6. When the first batch of thinset mortar was ready, Teresa used a notched trowel to spread an even coat of thinset over the area she would begin to tile. She began the installation in the corner, first setting a square 7” X 7” tile, then began laying the other border tiles along both walls for a few feet.
Step 7. Next Teresa began laying the field tiles in the pattern we chose for this installation, spreading a section of thinset, then placing the tiles down in the pattern. She continued working in this fashion until the floor was completely covered in tile.
Step 8 It is extremely important to let the tiles set for a full 24 hours before applying the grout. Once the tiles have set for 24 hours, remove the spacers from between the tiles, and begin the grouting.
Step 9 For this project, we used a pre-mixed grout. Teresa spread the grout over the tile, making sure to push the grout down into the spaces between the tiles, not worrying too much about getting the grout onto the tile surface—there’s really no way to avoid getting grout on the tile surface while grouting, so it’s best just to concentrate on ensuring that the spaces between the tiles are filled.
Step 10. Although it’s tedious, it is necessary to sponge the grout off the top of the tiles soon after the grout is applied, using repeated passes with a sponge dipped in clean water. Because the grout is much harder to remove from tile after it has dried, it’s a good idea to grout only a small section at a time. A section five by five feet is about as large an area as can be adequately grouted before the grout begins to dry on the surface of the tile.
Miter boxes are easy to use and can make your weekend project a breeze.
A basic box has pre cut angles and are very inexpensive. The plastic boxes like the Jorgnesen #60115 amzn.to/2HRjVAP or Stanley BSB14 amzn.to/320viNW have pre-drilled holes for secure mounting.
Multi-angle, manual boxes are the next step up. bit.ly/2THoekK (I know nothing about this website, I'm just adding this link for reference)
If you do a lot of cutting, power models from many manufacturers are available online, big box stores and even discount retailers. amzn.to/3jUlYSc
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Featured videos:
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Great DIY Projects from Your New House:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejNSy9ywo1mKiGaSXuTsEgE
Quick Tips - easy tips to make your projects (and life) better:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eh4zI-dJCevBTEdY5ioSAPQ
Gardening and Landscaping:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ejdcWzNkAARBzUQDvT3W1ME
Adventures in Homebuilding - Home info with a smile:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2ehA9bTrvQ58AHfE_utaBCLc
Tool tips and tests from Your New House:
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Due to requests, I am now including links to products when possible. These links are provided for reference, no company or individual paid to be on this channel. Depending on the vendor, a small commission might be paid and would be used to support adding content to this channel.
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The primary force that drives all of us to find a home is the desire to provide shelter for our loved ones and our possessions. You should think of the frame as the backbone of your house, the anchor for the shelter you’re building for your family. The frame is a system of features located all over the house that depend on one another to form a united structure. Let’s start from the ground up to take a look at some ways to tie those features together so you can protect your house from the damaging forces of nature & keep your family safe.
Concept: The Frame as a Safety System – Our segment featured framing elements at our Project House that tie the house together, foundation to roof, for greater structural integrity & greater resistance to extreme weather conditions - conditions which could tear apart a house that does not include these safety features in the framing process. Forces of nature tend to rip a house apart (negative pressure caused by tornadoes & hurricanes makes a house want to literally “explode” outward, wind can lift a roof off a frame, rain pouring into a hole in the roof can ruin a house in minutes, etc). We’ll demonstrate how a tied-together system of safety features combats those forces.
Talking Points:
Anchor Bolts – We’ve mentioned in past episodes that tornadic forces can sweep a foundation clean of any evidence of a structure. Anchor bolts can help the frame of a house resist these forces. Anchor bolts are L-shaped bolts that are placed in a foundation just after the concrete is poured, while it’s still wet. Once the concrete sets, the bolts are anchored in place. They stick out an inch or two above the foundation. Framers build the walls and drill holes in the base plates (the bottom piece of wood on the exterior walls). The entire wall is then lowered onto the bolts, and secured to the foundation with washers and nuts. This creates a much stronger structure than simply nailing base plates into the foundation, as some builders do.
If a wall is simply nailed into a foundation, a strong wind could place a tilting force on the wall and loosen the nails holding it to the foundation like a claw on a hammer can loosen nails.
2x6s vs/ 2x4s – Experts recommend 2x6s as the main structural elements in the walls of a solid frame. 2x6s cost more to a homebuilder up front, but since they're larger structural members, they contribute to an overall increase in the strength & stability of the frame compared to 2x4s.
Consumer Tip – 2x6s may cost more up front, but since they allow for more and better insulation, they'll quickly pay for themselves in lower energy bills.
Corners wrapped in OSB –
Louisiana-Pacific provided the Oriented Strand Board for our Project House
Once the four walls of the frame are built, the next step is bolstering the strength of the corners of the frame. This is done using sheets of Oriented Strand Board. OSB is an engineered wood product made of narrow strands of wood fiber that are oriented lengthwise and crosswise and bound in resin for increased strength. The corners of the frame are “wrapped” in OSB, top to bottom, and extending out at least four feet from the corners. The “box” of the frame can now resist shearing and twisting forces better than it can without the reinforcement at the corners. In our segment, Michael held a common cardboard box that he twisted with his hands to demonstrate the shearing or twisting forces on a frame that wrapped corners counteract and resist.
Wrapping corners in OSB is a minimum safety step. Michael recommends you wrap your entire frame in OSB, so your house is solid like a tank against the attack of severe wind & weather.
Rafter Clips or Hurricane Straps – Strong winds can easily get under the eaves of a roof and lift it off the frame. If a roof is simply nailed to the top of the walls, the wind can pull those nails out like the claw of a hammer can pull nails out of wood. Hurricane Straps or rafter clips form a stronger connection between the walls and the roof to resist those forces.
If a rafter is simply nailed into the top of the wall, the forces of a strong wind could lift the rafters off the wall like a claw on a hammer removes a nail.
All these features form a System – Now we have a cohesive and unified system to strengthen the entire frame. Anchor bolts secure the walls to the foundation. OSB wrapped around the corners ties the entire wall to the base plate, which is anchored to the foundation. Hurricane straps anchor the roof to the walls, completing the system top to bottom. All the individual features work together to fortify the frame against destructive forces.
Drywall is the building material used to create the walls of your home.
It comes in various thicknesses, from ¼” to 5/8”.
But probably the standard thickness is ½” which we used in our project of putting drywall over a framed out storage area in our garage.
First, measure the length of the wall.
In our case, our first wall was 48” long.
When hanging drywall you want to hang it horizontally so that you have the least number of seams that you have to tape and bed in the wall.
Also, you want to avoid lining up seams of each drywall piece as you go hang each row.
Finally, always hang drywall from the ceiling down. This way if you have to put in a narrow piece at the bottom of a wall, it won’t stand out as much as if it were eye level or above. This way the wall will look better and will be straighter.
Take your measurement, and mark 48” on the drywall.
Also, the studs of our wall are 16” on center so we need to mark the drywall for that as well, that way we’ll know exactly where to put a nail or screw so that it will hold it to the stud.
After you’ve marked the drywall for length and studs, take a T-square, or a four foot level, something that is long enough to give you a straight edge across the four foot width of the drywall, and use a pencil to mark that line across the sheet of drywall.
When you’re finished, take a utility knife and score the drywall along the length line you’ve marked, in our case, at 48 inches. (Since we’re hanging a piece of drywall on a wall that is less than the 8 feet long standard piece of drywall we are going to have to break the drywall to the correct length.)
Once you have the length line scored, go around to the back of the drywall and put your knee on the line where the drywall is scored, and then crisply pull the drywall towards you. This will break the drywall in half.
Again take the utility knife and cut the paper backing on the drywall.
After this is done, you may notice that the edges of the drywall are a little rough. That’s Ok, take a drywall shaver tool and rub it along the edges to smooth them out for a nice clean edge.
Once you’ve got your edges smoothed out, you’re ready to hang the drywall.
Use a hammer and drywall nails to attach the drywall to the studs.
For the top piece, make sure it is flush with the ceiling and you’re ready to nail.
When you hammer in the nail, you want to hammer the nail so that it’s just recessed a little bit in the paper. In other words, you want to hammer in the nail just enough to create a little dimple.
If you hammer the nail too deep, you’ll break the core of the drywall and it will lose its strength.
If you don’t feel confident with a hammer, you can buy or rent a Duraspin drywall screw gun. The great thing about this tool is that it has a depth gauge so you can set the depth of your screw so that it will create a perfect dimple every time and not damage the drywall.
Taping and Bedding the Drywall
Taping and bedding is the method for smoothing out the nail marks and seams to give you a seamless, smooth looking wall.
First of all, you need to buy some joint compound (available at any hardware or home center) and a 4”, 8” and 10” blade.
Take the 4” blade, and use it to apply joint compound over the dimples left by the nails or screws in the drywall.
Be sure and scrape away any excess.
Next, take the 4” blade and float in or spread about a ¼” of joint compound over the seams. Make sure you have a nice even layering.
Next, take some drywall tape, and spread it evenly over the joint compound that’s covering the drywall seams. The joint compound will hold the tape in place.
Tear the tape off when you reach the end of the seam.
Now, take the drywall 4” blade and while holding the tape down with hand, smooth out both the tape and the joint compound to make sure you don’t have any bubbles in the seams.
After this first coat is dry, lightly sand it. You don’t want to sand too hard because you don’t want to tear the paper.
Now you’re ready to apply a second coat of joint compound over the tape using an eight inch blade.
Let that dry overnight and then sand it again.
Then apply your third and final coat using a ten inch blade.
As you can see you’re using larger blades each day.
The reason for that is that you want to feather or spread out the joint compound and extend it so that it blends in with the rest of the wall.
After the third coat is dry, sand it once again to get rid of any imperfections.
Due to requests, I am now including links to products when possible. These links are provided for reference, no company or individual paid to be in this video. Depending on the vendor, a small commission might be paid and would be used to support adding content to this channel.
Amazon Prime free 30 day trial: amzn.to/3g9mwCL
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This will be updated as segments are added.
Amazon Tool Deals of the Day: amzn.to/3eUGcsD
Due to requests, I am now including links to products when possible. These links are provided for reference, no company or individual paid to be in this video. Depending on the vendor, a small commission might be paid and would be used to support adding content to this channel.
Amazon Prime free 30 day trial: amzn.to/3g9mwCL
Amazon Homepage: amzn.to/3gQSS5z
Flooring System: More details in the description youtu.be/37S4nt2_UcA
Roof Framing: More details in the description youtu.be/zvvjTW22KHM
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This will be updated as segments are added.
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The roof of your house can make a striking visual statement, but your roof is first and foremost a crucial structural element. Without this roof, the walls of this house could not stand up. Most important, the roof is your first line of defense against the elements. This is a big roof for a big house, and a lot of planning went into the design of this roof. If you’re working with a builder to design a house, you’ve got an infinite number of options when it comes to roof design. But you also want to make the right choices now to make sure your house wins the battle against the elements, and you save money in the process.
Roof Support:
Rafters defined – these are the parallel beams that support the roof (just like the joists support the floor). The rafters support decking, tar or felt paper, and shingles.
Trusses Defined– a pre-engineered option for more conventional roof designs, not an option on our Project House because of all the cuts and angles designed into the roof. The rafter crew calls the work on this Project House “stick framing”.
Consumer Tip – Pre-engineered trusses can be cheaper than a stick-frame, if the design of the roof allows.
Roof Defined – A roof exists to protect a house from the elements. A roof is a system built in three layers:
Layer #1: Decking – normally Plywood or Oriented Strand board (OSB); it’s nailed to the rafters.
The decking on our Project House is Tech Shield Radiant Barrier OSB provided by Louisiana Pacific
Layer #2: Felt paper – asphalt-saturated organic felt. It serves as a barrier so shingles don’t stick to decking under the heat of the Sun, and it prevents a reaction between the chemicals in composition asphalt and the wood material in the decking.
Layer #3: Shingles –the final layer of protection against sun, rain and wind. Shingles can be made of metal, asphalt composition, slate, clay, concrete, even rubber.
Pitch Defined – The angle or “steepness” of a roof is called the “pitch”. Pitch is measured in a ratio of drop over length. A “6/12” roof drops 6 inches for every 12 inches of roof length. 4/12 is not as steep as 10/12 or 12/12 (this is a 45 degree angle). A flat roof would be a “0/12” roof.
Consumer Tip – A roof with a higher pitch will shed water and snow better. So in the Northern sections of the country, a high-pitched roof would make sense to avoid heavy snow buildup in the winter. But there’s a cost tradeoff. Steep pitch also means it will take more lumber to build that steeper roof, so you’ll be buying a lot more roofing material to cover that roof. In warmer climates it’s not so crucial to have a high-pitched roof. A lower-pitched roof can accommodate larger rooms underneath it.
Pitch as a Design Element - The pitch of a roof plays a large part in determining the character and look of a house. A single-story house with a very high-pitched roof would look a little strange, because there may be more roof than house. On a 2-story house, the 2nd floor could consist simply of the space under a high-pitched roof.
Variety of Roof Elements Defined –
Ridge – the uppermost, horizontal crest of a roof
Valley – a line (like an inner corner) where two planes of a roof meet
Hip - a line (like an outer corner) where two planes of a roof meet
Variety of Roof Designs Defined -
Gable Roof – a ridged roof with 2 sloping sides over two vertical walls forming a triangular shape at each end.
Hip Roof – a pitched roof with 4 (or more) sloping sides.
Turrets – they are purely decorative, with no functional purpose.
Consumer Tip – Turrets are also costly to build, since you’re using rectangular building elements to create a round design
Mansard Roof – four sides slope upward to form a square peak (exists half a mile away at Glen Eagles)
Flat Roof – Most appropriate in warm climates.
Dormers – An extrusion from an upper story room.
Consumer Tip – depending on its size, a dormer can add a fair amount of usable space to an interior room, or it can increase the room’s exposure to sunlight.
Roofing materials – The Project House features concrete tiles, which are beautiful but heavy. That’s a design consideration that directly impacts the design of the roof, because that roof has to support a lot more weight than a house with composition shingles. Concrete tiles are also pretty expensive.
Since the roof is the first line of defense against the elements, it takes a beating year-round. It heats up tremendously under the Sun, and it can transfer a lot of that heat into the attic. That can interfere with the performance of the HVAC, leading to unnecessarily high utility bills. Our segment featured a product that will keep a lot of that heat out of your attic and save you money on those utility bills.
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This will be updated as segments are added.
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We’re just about finished framing our Project House, but before we go any further, I want to show you the flooring system we built here for the upstairs. I’m standing on the sub-floor – this is the part directly underneath your carpet or hardwood floor, or whatever material you decide to use. When you walk on this floor, you definitely don’t want to feel the floor give at all, and you don’t want to hear any squeaks. We’ve built a sub-flooring system that virtually eliminates any chance of this floor squeaking or sagging. Every town has minimum code requirements for this kind of work, but we’ve built this sub-floor better than the code requires to make sure this floor is safe, strong & quiet.
“Code Plus” Defined –Code Plus is a building concept defined by APA – The Engineered Wood Association (formerly known as the American Plywood Association). This language is taken from the APA web site:
“Code Plus is a brand that says your floors, walls and roofs are built to high quality standards which are one step above building code requirements. Code Plus floors, walls, and roofs are stronger, safer and provide a greater measure of security against high wind and seismic activity. A Code Plus floor is up to 84% stiffer between joists than typical built-to-code floors. All APA Rated floor panels are glued and nailed for increased rigidity. And squeaks are virtually eliminated.”
“Engineered Wood” Defined – Strength in this flooring system comes from Engineered Wood. Engineered Wood products are designed to eliminate the flaws that are common to conventional lumber. Engineered wood products are manufactured by bonding together wood strands, to produce a larger and stronger composite unit with structural performance characteristics superior to conventional lumber. Performance is engineered into the products, so you don’t have to rely on the potential performance of a piece of raw lumber based on simple visual grading. These products are engineered for high performance and to meet rigorous quality standards. Engineered wood products are kiln-dried to remove moisture, so they won’t warp like conventional wood that may still hold a lot of moisture when it’s harvested.
I-Joists Defined – Willamette Industries provided all the I-Joists & Glu-Lam for the Project House
I-Joists are the support members that span the distance between load-bearing walls. They are specifically engineered to support the load of the sub-floor system on the second floor of this house.
The end of an I-Joist is shaped like the letter “I”. Here are the main parts of an I-joist:
Webs made of Oriented Strand Board or OSB – the web is the vertical part of the “I”
Flanges made of Laminated Veneer Lumber or LVL – the flanges are the two horizontal lines of the “I”.
I-joists require one-third less wood fiber than lumber for similar applications. I-Joists are conveniently designed so you can punch pre-cut holes out of the web to run electric and plumbing conduit through them (not so easy to do with 2x12s).
Consumer Tip - In a house as big as the project House (6000 square feet), with big rooms, large open spaces and large distances between load-bearing walls, I-joists typically perform better than conventional lumber (usually 2x10s or 2x12s) in supporting a floor. They're engineered to be longer, stronger & straighter (they won't warp, camber or bend to make the floor squeak like conventional lumber can). It’s hard to find conventional lumber that’s long enough and thick enough to support the weight of the flooring system that doesn’t have at least a little bit of warp or twist in it.


