October 1999 Table of Contents

Features
A Builder's Guide to Geothermal Heat Pumps

Installed correctly, ground-source heat pumps can provide comfortable, efficient heating in many climates. Here’s an overview of the available options. Read more

8 Rules of Thumb for Better Framing Layout 8 Rules of Thumb for Better Framing Layout

Veteran framer Don Dunkley explains how to translate the information on the blueprints into a fast, accurate layout of walls and headers. Read more

Getting the Final Payment Getting the Final Payment

If you’ve ever had a problem collecting that last check, you’ll appreciate the value of this builder’s systematic approach to getting what he’s owed. Read more

Protective Supplies for Remodelers

Remodeling an occupied home creates clouds of dust, splatters of drywall mud, and dings and dents in existing woodwork. Fortunately, there’s a slew of products designed to help you get a messy job done neatly. Read more

Repiping with PEX Repiping with PEX

Corrosive water is a major problem in many areas of the country, causing copper pipe to degrade prematurely. A plumber tells how he installs new domestic piping, using cross-linked polyethylene. Read more

Troubleshooting Roof Leaks: Problems & Solutions Troubleshooting Roof Leaks: Problems & Solutions

A small roof leak can create expensive problems. An inspector with years of experience surveys the trouble spots on both flat and steep roofs. Read more

Letters
Letters

Differing viewpoints on sealing crawlspaces, NEC clarification, nuances of foreign-made tools, why clothes washers break trap seals Read more

News
Notebook

Cordless battery update, lumber price predictions, “green” building defined, geothermal heat pump rebates curtailed, job-site theft, storm shelters in tornado alley, algae-resistant shingles, residential silos Read more

Q&A
Dryer Vent Installation

Q: What’s the right way to vent a dryer? The standard plastic flex-hose with the spiral wire always collects condensation and sags. There’s got to be a better way. Would metal or plastic pipe work? Read more

Q&A: Rules for Splicing Romex

Q: I want to lower receptacle outlets from 4 feet off the floor to 18 inches. I plan to make a splice at the existing receptacle and extend the new wire down through the stud cavity. Can the junction box be inside the wall or does code require that you have access to it by using the existing outlet box as a junction box with a solid cover plate? Read more

Q&A: Heating Tubes in Basement Slab

Q: A client wants a portion of a basement slab to have radiant heat to take the chill off the floor of a planned playroom (there will be supplemental heat). The hvac contractor wants the radiant tubing, which will be attached to wire mesh, to be lifted into the middle of the slab during the pour to put the heat closer to the surface. The concrete contractor doesn’t want to do this because he insists that cracks will show up along the tubing. He wants to leave the tubing at the bottom, and says the insulation board will drive the heat up anyway. He recommends at least 3 inches of concrete-above the tubing. Which is correct? Read more

Design
By Design: Details for Damping Household Noise By Design: Details for Damping Household Noise

Details for controlling household sound Read more

Business
Strictly Business: Limits to Growth

Good reasons for resisting growth Read more

Legal
Reviews
Resources

Guide to corporate paperwork, masonry reference, historic restoration resources Read more

Products
K&B Problem-Solvers

This selection of products will help you design, install, and customize functional, attractive kitchens and bathrooms. Read more

Products

Patch kit for oversized receptacle holes, new anti-scald shower valve, terrazzo tiles, premixed structural-anchor cement, comfortable safety harness, drywall crack repair mesh Read more

Toolbox
Toolbox: High-Tech Sanding Block

Ergonomic hand-sanding block Read more

Other Articles
JLC Online

Sales advice for novice remodelers Read more

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