Quick Column Summary: Problems with new house construction Correcting an off-center window Wood-burning stove exhaust stack not properly installed Checking to see if the contractor is on the run DEAR TIM: I'm having a house built and I've got some problems. It's still in the rough stage with just the rough framing pretty much complete […]
Quick Column Summary: Chimney repair for the ages Protect your chimney with a crown Chimney liners Prevent cracks with wire mesh DEAR TIM: My chimney is constructed with concrete block and has a thin stucco coating. I know the top of the chimney is not right and some of the blocks are falling apart. There […]
Roof Flashings - They're Easy to Install Quick Column Summary: What are flashings Install flashings properly Flashings protect your home from water How to make your flashings waterproof From the September 9, 2014 Newsletter DEAR TIM: I'm looking at bids right now for a re-roof project and a new deck job at my home. The […]
Quick Column Summary: OSB roof boards swelling Pull off or cover over OSB OSB can swell and still be good Question builder on delays Steve, who's having a house built in Ann Arbor, Michigan, has a questionable builder. I see big trouble brewing. "We are having a home built and OSB boards were used for […]
Quick Column Summary: Home improvement endorsements Are they credible Did the endorsers test the product Did endorser get paid for this I'm pretty much just like you. I'm not immune from receiving advertisements in the mail. Earlier this week, I received a postcard from GutterBrush that was promoting a 20-percent-off offer. Here it is: On […]
Quick Column Summary: Plastic fiber gutter guards After testing, these will fail Get micromesh gutter guards Video links, test results Tracy, who eats lots of cajun food in Plaquemine, LA, asked me about a poor-quality gutter guard I reviewed in a past video of mine. Here's what she said: "In your video about gutter guards, the […]
Quick Column Summary: New roof has asphalt smell How is it getting into home Shingles off gassing into attic Turbine vents will remove smell Rosie Palau, who lives in Sarasota, FL the home of the best sugar beach sand in the USA, has a big problem in her home. I know how to solve it! […]
Quick Column Summary: Have asphalt shingles improved There are great shingles out there Metal roofing is great too Use ice and watershields Barb Koehler, who lives in Moultonborough, NH, is facing an expensive re-roofing project. I have a feeling she has the same decroted pieces-of-crap shingles on her house that I have. Read this: "Tim, […]
Simple Common Roof Rafters Quick Column Summary: How do you create a roof rafter You need 4 simple tools and geometry How to determine your roof slope DEAR TIM: I'm now retired and starting to attack a huge list of projects. One of them is building a simple shed and I have no clue how […]
Quick Column Summary: Roof turbines keep blowing off Should I just remove them Great roof turbines can take high winds Link to great turbine manufacturer Bill Curtis, who lives in Concho, AZ, emailed me with a fascinating situation: "We have a barn that we installed 8 roof turbines. Four blew off, mangled. Company sent 4 […]
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