Termite Control Methods
I have just purchased an older home in a rural area and I was told that my neighbor had termites in his foundation and I might also have them. Is this something I need to be concerned about? Peter Frequent Huntsville, Texas Water can be an enemy of your foundation, but the termites extending from [...]
House Leveling
After researching to determine the reason that my foundation was showing a lot of movement, I learned that I had a drainage problem and I corrected it immediately. I also installed an irrigation system to regulate the moisture around the perimeter and now my foundation and house are once again stable. Is there anything else [...]
House Foundation Problems
I decided to replace my carpet and when I pulled up the old carpet, the concrete was damp and I noticed a white power spread over the surface. What is going on with my foundation and is there anything that can done about it? Joe Crimmons Barker, Texas Joe it is obvious by what you [...]
Residential Foundation Inspection
We all are so busy with life that we think about our foundations about as often as we think about having a root canal, that is until we observe or feel the big hurt. Like a root canal, foundations don’t get our attention until they cause problems, such as cracked and buckled walls, floors that [...]
Concrete Basics
Many of the buildings in ancient Rome, Italy were constructed with concrete. The Pantheon is one of them, it was built in 447 BC and is more than 43 meters high. It is constructed of both marble and concrete. New York City would be spread out about a hundred miles in each direction if it [...]
Roof Maintenance
How often do any of us think about our roofs? Well why should we, unless we’re having a dinner party and rain is dripping onto our plates. That is when we remember how simple it would have been to inspect the roof when it was not raining, and since right now it isn’t raining, we [...]
House Framing Basics
Whether you are going to frame a new house or remodel your current home; there are several framing basics with which you you need to become familiar. Most of the houses in the United States are framed with wood studs. In older homes studs were mostly 2×4, however today many homes are being framed using [...]
Oil Versus Latex?
Painters and wanna-be painters all seem to have their preference, including myself. For years it has been a forgone conclusion that oil-based paints were superior to latex and in cases I think oil still makes the best choice. It’s the more durable of the two, which is why I like to use it on wood [...]
Should I Replace My Windows?
Replacing your windows may not always be necessary or practical. Storm or magnetic windows, weather-stripping, and caulking can improve their energy efficiency. If your wooden windows are rotting, or maybe the mechanism is worn out or outdated, then you should consider replacing them. Nationwide we spend over 10 billion a year on replacement windows creating [...]
Water Saving Toilets
Gone are the days of the 3 to 7 GPF as the 1.6 GPF has become the new mandated standard. The old dependable toilets that used water like a broken dam are a thing of the past. In 1992 Congress passed the Energy Policy and Conservation Act calling for a new standard that we’ll live [...]
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