Federal courts have ruled that building codes, once adopted into law, can’t be copyrighted. A new lawsuit will test whether that principle also allows free re-publishing of ASTM standards and similar industry-created consensus-based rules. More
Your state may be the next to mandate these systems, so it’s a good idea to... More
Florida sings the blue-tarp blues; California chooses I-Codes; second-home market... More
NAHB pulls out of NFPA code process, new device for drying basements, California claimed unfair to nonunion apprenticeship programs, suburb’s no-step entry requirement dropped, Business Tune-Up, more More
International Codes update, a look at “nominal” sizes in building materials, trend toward minimum home sizes comes to Utah, new tax rules for small businesses, more More
Residential sprinklers systems are unobtrusive and effective, but are not usually installed because of cost. One way to make them more affordable is to use plastic piping, as described in this article by a California fire marshal. More
Most chimney problems stem from a few root causes, such as improperly mixed mortar and poorly constructed crowns. Unfortunately, once done, the resulting damage can be expensive to repair. A chimney expert shows how to recognize and prevent More