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By Gerald L. Wykoff. Sooner or later, every renovation contractor will run into this menacing material. Be prepared in your contracts and company policies.
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By Steve Loken. If you build tight houses but aren't in love with air-to-air heat exchangers, there must be a simpler solution. This Montana builder has been experimenting.
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By Charlie Page. How do you seal and insulate around a chimney flue? The codes conflict and the experts disagree on how to handle this critical detail.
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By Harris Hyman. If you think that a new, engineered heating system is going to work flawlessly from the day it's installed, you're in for a surprise—and a callback.
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By Richard E. White. Before plastic plumbing makes any inroads into residential water-supply systems, the manufacturers wi ll have to come up with a better joint system.
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By Ed Pell. What's the difference between high-pressure laminates, melamine panels, papers, vinyls, and other cabinet surfaces?
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By Patrick J. Galvin. New materials and products from the functional and elegant to the downright bizarre. Electronic bathtubs, anyone?
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By Milton Snyder. The new CABO plumbing code allows smaller water, drain, and vent pipes that NAHB claims can save up to 36 percent in piping-materials costs. But at what cost in quality?
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By Art Betterley. Tips for trimming laminates, countertops, and cabinets to fit in irregular spaces.
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By Harry T. Swanson. Old mud-style jobs are too expensive, and mastic over drywall is too vulnerable to water. Thin-set offers an alternative.
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By Geoffrey Taylor. Don't just throw in a set of stock cabinets as an afterthought. Rather, think it through like a cook.
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Henry Spies of the Small Homes Council focuses on soundproofing floors—the biggest acoustics problem in many multifamily projects.
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There's more to it than slapping half-inch board all around and smearing on joint compound. Marylee MacDonald tells how better materials and techniques yield a better job.
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The murky science of acoustical design is brought into focus by acoustics consultant Timothy Foulkes.
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A successful set of stairs is so comfortable you don't notice it, says engineer Harris Hyman. And here's how…
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Practical tips from architect John Rahill on how to bring light and views into a house using a sensible amount of glass.
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Veteran plasterer David Matte tells how to get an old-world plaster finish with the new one-coat system.
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Spell out your expectations and commitments at the beginning, or be prepared for misunderstandings that can mushroom into financial disaster. H enri de Marne proves his point with two case studies.
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Roving Editor Paul Hanke expected a mass melee over the topic of stress skins, but he found a good old celebration of timber- framing finesse instead.
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How a starry-eyed-builder learned the hard way about architects, customer relations and 100-year-old farmhouses. Roland Merullo tells all.
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There's more to demolition than sawing, sledging and hoping for the b est. Engineer Harris Hyrnan reviews the principles and techniques of removing part of a standing structure.
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Canadian correspondent Jon Eakes explains how adding insulation to a brick wall or masonry foundation can do more harm than good—unless you deal with moisture movement first.
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During renovation is an ideal time to improve sound control in a building. Author Jon Eakes explains simple, inexpensive techniques for keeping rooms quiet.
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Engineer Marc Rosenbaum tells us how to build energy-efficient houses without spending a bundle, and gives a review of some of the products he's used.
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Others say that solar is dead, but Harris Hyman is convinced it's on the rebound. Energy-efficient window glazings are mak- ing the difference, he says.
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Jon Eakes reviews the basics of indoor humidity, explains what makes a heating system healthy and comfortable, and pre- views a new gizmo on the Canadian market that promises to change the way we think about electric heat: the silicone- controlled r
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Henri de Marne explains why some of the stories we hear about moisture and insula- tion are just all wet.
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Gene Rosov of the Water Test Corporation tells builders what to look for in a water-testing lab—and how to avoid problems (and possible lawsuits) related to water quality when you build.
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Henri de Marne looks at the basics of construction and outlines some of the more promising options.
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A leak-free basement may not be as elusive as you thought, says Paul Hanke, who offers some tips and gives an overview of some of the waterproofing products on the market.
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John Voytek Jr. of the National Water Well Association explains how wells are constructed and answers some common questions about wells and groundwater.
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The technical staff of The Old-House Journal tells us everything we need to know to get the job done right (and safely).
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Vapor 'Barrier' Paints, Is Superinsulation Overrated? Gravity Loops, Energy Fortune-Telling
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Foundation Cracking, Insulating Log-Home Foundations, Pressure-Treated Wood Foundations, Climate Concerns, Shingling Over Shingles, Insulation Retrofit
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Insulation Squeeze, Metal-Roof Corrosion, Weird Nailing Method
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What Do Test Pits Really Tell Us? Detecting 'Hidden' Damage in Wood, Insulating Under Aluminum Siding
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Wood Preservatives & Health Concerns, Driveway Specifications, No Simple Answer on Siding, Moisture-Resistant Finishes for Wood, Composting Toilets: How Effective?
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Terminating Termites, Vinyl-Siding Problems, R-Value Queries, Moisture and Thermal Bridging
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Steam-Heating Efficiency, Fire-Rated Wall Systems, What Kind of Sheathing? Siting for the Sun, Ventilating for Appliances