After a visit from OSHA, a design-build contractor learns how to do things by the book and profit from it.
Improved waterproofing and drainage details promise rot-free performance from this combination insulation and cladding.
On-demand systems install quickly and can save both water and energy.
An experienced tile setter takes a close look at a new way of installing a shower pan.
The crawlspace of a home was consistently wet — in spite of the 6-mil poly liner. Here's how a builder fixed it to assure long-term durability of the foundation and floor frame.
Use applied moldings create the look of a custom door for a fraction of the cost.
Sealant is the key to a leak-free installation.
An architect shares his plan and process for building a northern Vermont house that produces as much energy as it consumes.
Special mounts, acoustic blankets, and properly sized barriers are all part of the solution.
Builders give a Katrina-devastated structure a lift with concrete, steel, and SIPs.
Temperature differences between dry and wet spots can provide important clues.
When the original builder flubs a foundation, someone else has to clean up the mess.
Addressing structural issues first made the interior finish work easier.
Unlearning bad habits picked up during the boom years is the first step to recovery.
Water for household use is within easy reach, but you have to filter and disinfect it first.
A lot can go wrong with a two-part plastic insulation that is essentially manufactured on the job site as it’s being applied. Here’s what to look out for.
A methodical approach yielded masterful results in this oversize remodeling project.
Meticulous planning was the key to profitability on this multi-unit job.
In the hands of a skilled operator, a horizontal boring machine can solve tough drainage problems without damage to the landscaping.
With careful air-sealing and the right insulation details, a leaky older home becomes a tight and thrifty one.
Take pains to seal all possible leaks, then run a blower-door test before insulating.
Pedestal supports and preassembled wood tiles simplify installation and maintenance.
Reducing indoor humidity was a critical first step.
Advanced framing and exterior foam reduce conductive heat loss and provide good air-sealing opportunities.
A look at the techniques used to add skylights and thermal solar collectors to a foam-core roof.
A steep slope and a tight lot call for some imaginative foundation solutions.
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Class action suit holds that the "green" project rating system is just a marketing gimmick that harms the interests of non-LEED building performance experts.
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It's good insurance against problems caused by wind-driven rain, but experts wonder whether the additional cost is necessary.
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New "skinny vacuum" configuration promises higher thermal performance without added bulk.
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As homes get smaller, buyers like them more.
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Ledger was fastened with nails, not lag screws.
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Localities can't impose standards more stringent than the state's.
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Defendant denies the charge.
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Free download of code available.
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State waranty law sets one-year limit.
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Advertising services isn't looking for work, officials say.
Study finds that modest upgrades in insualtion and HVAC equipment dramatically reduce energy use in warm, humid climates.
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Practice is called "a new form of price gouging" by lender group.
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Challenges from pipe trades and environmental group keep California plumbers guessing.
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Teardowns aren't as common as they were during the boom, but they're still causing problems in some communities.
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EPA delays enforcement of lead-safety requirement; employee-misclassification crackdown; showerhead uproar; more
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Massachusetts stretches for higher homeenergy scores; lack of energy-efficiency training impedes job growth; Energy Star tightens requirements for product certification; more
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Q: I have customers who want me to build a log home that will be used seasonally, for about two months of the summer and another two months in the winter. During the rest of the year they want to leave the house closed up and unheated. We're at the edge of the Rocky Mountain Front Range in eastern...
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Q: Do so-called "double-cell" insulating window shades perform as advertised? One salesperson claims R-3 if they are installed with an airtight edge seal. But what if they are installed without the perimeter track?
Q: Although code inspections are not routinely done in the rural area where I work, I want to make sure a winder stair I am building to access the upstairs of a storage building meets residential code - just in case the space is ever used as a living area. According to the IRC, you need a minimum...
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Q: I recently purchased a DeWalt 18-volt cordless tool with lithium-ion batteries and noticed that the new batteries also fit my old DeWalt tools. Is it okay to use lithium-ion batteries in tools that came with nickel-cadmium (nicad) batteries?
Q: A homeowner has asked me how to repair what looks to me like a botched job, where new entry doors were installed in a brick home covered with stucco or some kind of cement parging. The home is in New Jersey and dates to 1905. The stucco was crudely chipped away, leaving 1/2-inch gaps between the...
Q: Last year we completed a SIP roof deck using two kinds of panels. Some were the standard OSB-foam sandwich panels, and some had prefinished T & G pine ceiling boards attached to the bottom. During installation, we noticed a small gap between the panels with the attached T & G ceiling, because...
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Q: Is it okay to fish electrical wiring through the wood-framed chases built around hvac ducts and chimneys?
Q: I am about to start a basement remodel project in a cold climate. I plan to apply a waterproofing product to the inside of the basement wall, then stick a sheet of polyethylene directly to the basement wall over the waterproof coating. Once that is in place, I'll frame a 2x4 wood-frame wall on...
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Q: I occasionally receive framing lumber that has some mold on it. Will this mold continue to grow and cause rot once the wood is in the dry? Do I have to clean it off? I'm also concerned about customer perception.
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Q: I've come across a product that was created to combat the anthrax spore and was later found to be effective against mold as well. It's fogged throughout the job for 24 hours, with no access allowed. The product is said to eradicate mold, not just put it in a dormant state. Does this work?
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Q: A past customer purchased Mexican Saltillo tile from a distributor and had it installed by a tile installer I referred her to. The tile came presealed and was installed - per instructions on the shipping boxes - using thinset mortar. Within a day or two, the sealer began to fail, appearing as a...
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Q: I understand that fiberglass batt insulation can allow air to move through it and that this air movement degrades the insulation's R-value. Two causes I've heard about are wind-washing at the eaves and convective loops that can start in a wall cavity on really cold days and wick warmth from...
Captures thermal energy from wastewater to preheat incoming cold supply.
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Self-adhesive wrap applied to below-grade section is designed to preventag rot.
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Tapered, snap-together formwork includes pre-bent rebar cut to size.
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No-itch batts are made from natural stone and slag.
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Nanogel material can be mixed with plaster and stucco to improve thermal efficiency.
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Fits between trusses and provides an alternative to carrying stored items up and down steep pulldown stairs.
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Sand finished wallboard without creating a cloud.
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Locks over edge of the first decking board; diverts water and debris.
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Re-design of widely installed unit optimizes noise reduction, energy efficiency.
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Quick fix for drywall defects.
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Custom-fitted, washable protection from dirt and stains
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Air-injection technology enables luxurious spray.
Feit Electric’s Performance LED lamps come in many sizes and require only 10 percent of the energy needed by comparable incandescents, says the maker.
With L.J. Smith’s Bending Landing Tread you can make a template and fabricate the pieces on site.
The new Endurance series graspable handrail from Railing Dynamics mounts to many types of railing assemblies and is IBC-, IRC-, and ADA-compliant in spans up to 6 feet.
Kohler’s Flipside hand shower offers four distinct spray patterns that are selected by simply pivoting the head into position; each spray uses a separate nozzle.
Fiberglass windows are stronger than vinyl, insulate better than aluminum, and cost less than solid wood, say manufacturers.
Co-extruded decking is made with a plastic shell, but Trex leaves the plastic off the bottom of Transcend boards so that moisture can escape and the surface can accept adhesives.
Titan Wood Limited’s Accoya pine lumber has been treated with a concentrated form of vinegar in a process called acetylation, which makes it inedible to insects and rot-causing microorganisms without adding toxins.
It can be tricky to fit window treatments on hinged glass doors because stock door handles may not provide enough clearance space, but RAK’s handle extensions are sized for cellular shades, blinds, and shutters.
Retro Treads are solid hardwood stair tread caps designed to cover existing treads that were originally carpeted.
You can bend Cold-Bend hardwood boards without steaming, says the maker, because they were already steamed during manufacturing, then compressed in length, a process that “accordions” the long grain fibers and makes them flexible.
Delta’s Pilar Waterfall faucet turns on or off with a touch anywhere on its handle or spout.
Adding PolyPavement soil solidifier to dirt creates a waterproof drivable surface, says the maker, providing a ready alternative to asphalt and concrete paths, drives, and parking areas.
In contrast to traditional metal lath, woven fiberglass SpiderLath is rustproof and unlikely to cut the installer.
The new ProShot one-quart sprayer — made by Graco for Sherwin-Williams — is powered by an 18-volt lithium-ion battery for easy portability.
UltraStock-Free MDF by Temple-Inland has no added urea formaldehyde, meaning that it contains only trace amounts naturally found in the wood-fiber ingredient itself.
Pro Spec Level Set Deep Pour 3 is a self-leveling non-gypsum underlayment that can be poured up to 3 inches thick in a single lift.
Delta Rim Composites’ Yellowbead washers are made of silicone rubber.
Broan’s new Ultra Silent Series QTRE080R retrofit bath fan is designed to be installed from below the ceiling.
Polymatrx is an elastomeric paint additive that can make an exterior paint job last 20 years or more, says maker Gulf Synthetics.
The DewStop bath-fan control by GTR Technologies monitors air for high humidity and activates the room’s exhaust fan as needed.
3M’s latest masking tape, ScotchBlue Advanced, has a moisture-activated additive that reacts with the water in latex paint to better seal along the tape edge.
U.S. Gypsum has replaced its Durock backerboard with a version called Durock Next Gen.
Bercom’s Handy Paint Pail offers a couple of advantages over painting right out of the can.