Blog Archives

SIMPLE SYSTEMS

Posted by on 24/ 11/ 15

Simple septic systems consist of a tank, some pipe, and some gravel. These systems are common, but they don’t work well in all types of ground. Since most plumbers are not septic installers, I will not bore you will all of the sticky details for putting a pipe-and-gravel system into operation. However, I would like to give you a general overview of the system, so that you can talk intelli­gently with your customers.

THE COMPONENTS

Let’s talk about the basic components of a pipe-and-gravel septic system. Starting near the foundation of a building, there is a sewer. The sewer pipe should be made of solid pipe, not perforated pipe. I know this seems obvious, but I did find a house a few years ago where the person who installed the sewer used perforated drain-field pipe. It was quite a mess...

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CEILING & ROOF INSULATION

Posted by on 24/ 11/ 15

Compared to walls and floors, it is usually relatively simple to add insulation to the ceiling of a building. Insulation thickness can generally be increased without adding structure or other complications. Gravity holds the insulation in place, and the only disadvantage is a loss of attic space. In addition, the ceiling is where most of the heat is gained or lost from an insulated space, so the addition of insulation is especially effective.

CEILING & ROOF INSULATION

iNSULATiON THiCKNESS LiMiTED HERE DUE TO ROOF PLANE

The only complication occurs at the edge of the building where roof structure typically restricts the potential for insulation thickness...

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Staining and Sealing: A Sampler

Posted by on 24/ 11/ 15

There should be a Ph. D. in stains. There are all-pigment stains that won’t fade (a good choice for window trim), water – and oil-based stains, liquid stains, penetrat­ing stains that both stain and seal, and gel stains that won’t run on vertical surfaces. Plus, there are wood conditioners, sanding sealers, presealers, and a plethora of putties and wood fillers. If you want to learn more, excellent resources are Michael Dresdner’s Painting and Finishing and Finishes and Finishing Techniques (both The Taunton Press).

► To achieve an even stain on softwoods such as fir, preseal them with a thinned coat of whatever the clear finish will be, say, 1 part oil-based polyurethane to 4 parts mineral spirits. Presealer soaks into the softer parts of the wood and seals them slightly...

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GUTTER/EAVE

Posted by on 24/ 11/ 15
Подпись: ROOFiNG LAPS

Snow guards, or snow clips, are metal protrusions that are integrated with the roofing to prevent snow from sliding off the roof. They are either clipped to the top edge of the roofing material (tiles and slate) or are nailed integral with it (shakes and shingles). Snow guards are used at the rate of 10 to 30 guards per square, depending on roof steepness.

SNOW GUARDS

GUTTER/EAVE

SEE 121-122

Most heat is potentially lost or gained through the roof, so ceilings and roofs are generally more heavily insulated than floors or walls. Building codes in most climates require R-30 in roofs. The temperature dif­ference between the two sides of a roof or ceiling can cause condensation when warm, moist interior air hits cold surfaces in the roof assembly...

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GUTTERS & DOWNSPOUTS

Posted by on 24/ 11/ 15

Introduction

GUTTERS & DOWNSPOUTS

MiTERED iNTERiOR CORNER

 

WiRE MESH

KEEPS LEAVES
OUT OF GUTTER

END CAP

 

STRAiNER KEEPS DEBRiS OUT OF DOWNSPOUT.

 

HANGER TYPES SEE 195C

 

GUTTER WiTH EXPANSiON JOiNT EVERY 40 FT. OF STRAiGHT RUN

 

OUTLET (DROP)

 

STRAPS AT TOP & BOTTOM OF DOWNSPOUT AND AT JOiNTS iN DOWNSPOUT

 

ELBOWS AVAiLABLE iN 45°, 60°, 75°, OR 90

 

DOWNSPOUT FOR EVERY 40 LiNEAR FEET OF GUTTER (APPROX.)

 

GUTTERS & DOWNSPOUTSGUTTERS & DOWNSPOUTS

Подпись: NOTE ALUMiNUM GUTTER WiLL EXPAND 1/8 iN. OR MORE iN A 40-FT. RUN & GALVANiZED GUTTER WiLL EXPAND 1/16 iN. OR MORE iN A 40-FT. RUN WiTH A 100°F TEMPERATURE CHANGE. GUTTERS & DOWNSPOUTSSHOE (SHOWN) AT PAVED SURFACES OR SPLASH OR PLASTiC GUARD CAP (NOT SHOWN)

AT CONNECTiON TO DRAiN PiPE

SPLASH BLOCK AT LOCATiONS WHERE DOWNSPOUT iS NOT CONNECTED TO DRAiN PiPE. BEFORE RELYiNG ON A SPLASH BLOCK, VERiFY LACK OF NEED TO CARRY WATER TO STORM SEWER OR DRY WELL.

PARTS OF A GUTTER SYSTEM

Подпись: SAME AS OGEE, EXCEPT NOT so COMMON Подпись: HALF-ROUND GUTTER CANNOT BE SITE-FORMED; IT iS AVAiLABLE iN VINYL OR UNPAINTED GALVANIZED STEEL OR cOppER. GUTTERS & DOWNSPOUTSGUTTERS & DOWNSPOUTS

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METAL ROOFING TYPES

Posted by on 24/ 11/ 15

Подпись: 30-LB. FELT UNDERLAYMENTПодпись:Подпись: METAL ROOFiNG OVERHANGS FASciA 1 IN. (MIN.) FORMING DRip.Подпись: FASCIAMETAL ROOFING TYPESПодпись:Подпись: RAFTER OR TRuSSПодпись:Подпись:METAL ROOFING TYPES

Подпись: ROOF SHEATHING
Подпись: RAKE FLASHING LAPS HIGH POINT OF ROOFiNG METAL & LApS BARGE WiTH DRip; ATTAcH WiTH ScREWS OR NAILS WiTH NEOPRENE WASHERS.
Подпись: BARGE RAFTER OR VERGE RAFTER OR RAkE TRIM

Profiles

metal ridge

Подпись: FLASHiNG LAPS RooFiNG 6 iN. (MIN.)Подпись: METAL ROOFING Подпись: ROOF SHEATHING RAFTER oR TRUSS Подпись: RIDGE BOARD OR BEAM (OR BLOCKING BETWEEN TRUSSES) METAL ROOFING TYPESПодпись: TYPicAL VALLEY FLASHiNGПодпись: HiP FLASHiNG LAPS 6 iN. (MiN.) TO EACH SiDE OFMETAL ROOFING TYPESFLASHiNG MADE FRoM SAME MATERIAL AS

roofing

closure FLASHiNG at top of METAL roofing KEEPS out insects &

Подпись: ДЛ METAL-ROOF VALLEY & HIP
Подпись: METAL-ROOF RIDGE FLASHING

wiND-DRiVEN RAIN; FLASHiNG LAPS 30-LB. FELT uNDERLAYMENT.

Подпись: 30-LB. FELT UNDERLAYMENT EDXTENDS UP BEYOND END OF LOWER ROOFING PANEL. Подпись: LOWER ROOFING PANEL EXTENDS 3 IN. (MIN.) BEYOND INTERSECTION WITH TOP PANEL.METAL ROOFING TYPESBEAD of caulking or SEALANT AT TOP EDGE oF

lower roofing panel forms a dam against wind-driven rain.

top roofing panel nests AGAINST lower PANEL, forming tight seal.

SHEATHING

pitch-change FRAMING SEE 133B

METAL-ROOF PITCH CHANGE

GUTTER HANGER TYPES SEE 195C

Подпись: SNOW GUARDS SEE 196BПодпись: GUTTER SHAPES SEE 195A & BПодпись: NOTE SiZE GUTTER AND DOWNSPOUT ACCORDiNG To RAiNFALL iNTENSiTY & AREA OF ROOF. cONSULT LOCAL SHEET-METAL SHOP FOR RULES OF THUMB iN YOUR AREA. Подпись: DiVERTER AVOiDS SHORT GUTTER wiTH SEPARATE DOWNSPOUT AT SHORT EAVE. Подпись: SpLASH PAN pROTEcTS ROOFiNG WHERE DOWNSpOUT EMpTiES ON ROOF.Подпись: NOTE ALTHOUGH GUTTERS ARE cLOSE TO LEVEL FOR AppEARANcE; A SLOpE OF 1/16 iN. PER FT. iS PREFERRED FOR DRAiNAGE. METAL ROOFING TYPESconnect down­spout TO DRAiN pipE or to splash block.

SEE 194

Подпись: Vinyl gutters, although more expensive, are popular with owner-builders because they are more durable and can be installed without specialized equipment. Downspouts conduct the water from the gutter to the ground, where it should be collected in a storm drain and carried away from the building to be dispersed on the surface, deposited in a dry well, or directed to a storm sewer system. The problem of water freezing in gutters and down-spouts may be solved with heat tapes. Snow sliding off a roof can cause real problems— especially over porches, decks, and garages. The problem of sliding snow may be solved by keeping the snow on the roof with a low-pitched roof or with snow guards that project from the roofing surface to hold the snow mechanically in place (see 196B).
Подпись: The collection of rainwater by gutters at the eave of a roof prevents it from falling to the ground, where it can splash back onto the building and cause discoloration and decay, or where it can seep into the ground, causing settling or undermining of the foundation. Gutters also protect people passing under the eaves from a cascade of rainwater. In areas of light rainfall, gutters may be eliminated if adequate overhangs are designed and a rock bed is placed below the eaves to control the water and prevent splashback. Most wood-framed buildings are fitted with site- formed aluminum or galvanized steel gutters with a baked-enamel finish. Continuous straight sections of site-formed gutters are limited only by the need for expansion joints (see 194) and by the ability of workers to carry the sections without buckling them. Very long sections can be manufactured without joints, the most common location of gutter failures.

DOWNSpOUT FOR Every 40 FT. OF GUTTER

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CROSS-SIGHTING A JAMB

Posted by on 24/ 11/ 15

CROSS-SIGHTING A JAMB

Once the jambs are installed, you need to cross-sight them—that is, check to see that they’re parallel or in the same vertical plane. Close the door and make sure it rests flat against the stops at both the top and the bottom. Sometimes the door hits the bottom of the stop, for exam­ple, but misses the top by 1/s in. or more. This may happen because the door is warped, but it can also occur when two jamb sides are out of parallel.

To check whether the two jambs are parallel, stretch two strings diagonally across the door frame to form an "X." If the strings just touch in the middle, the jambs are parallel. With experience, you can also learn to check for parallel jambs by eye.

Step back along the wall, about 3 ft...

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WOOD-SHAKE VALLEY & HIP

Posted by on 24/ 11/ 15

Clay tiles have been used in warm climates for centuries. Their use is still common in the southern extremes of this country, but they have recently been superseded by concrete tiles, which cost less and have better quality control.

Concrete tiles are made from high-density concrete coated with a waterproof resin. They are available in a variety of shapes and colors. Most tile patterns fall in the range of 16 in. to 18 in. long and 9 in. to 13 in. wide. Tiles weigh from 6 lb. to 10V2 lb. per square
foot (psf), which is about 21/2 to 5 times the weight of asphalt shingles. This extra weight may require that the roof structure be bolstered in some situations.

The cost of concrete tiles themselves is high com­pared to other common roofing materials, but most concrete tile-roof systems have a 5...

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Colorful Character for a Colorful Home

Posted by on 24/ 11/ 15

Подпись: [Photo © Anna Carter.]Colorful Character for a Colorful Home

IN 1991, WE REHABBED A HOUSE

for a couple with seven children. The father, Eddie, had never had his own bed as a child. As we worked together fixing up the house that would become his family’s new home, it was clear that he was overwhelmed with pride.

Eddie had a colorful personality, and he loved color in every aspect of his life. Each room in his soon-to-be completed house was to be painted a happy color—hot pink for his girls, electric blue for his boys. And on the outside? Bright-yellow vinyl siding.

After the house was finished, Eddie and his family came to our church to thank the congregation for sponsor­ing the rehab of their new home.

Striding down the aisle with his wife, Shandra, and all their kids,

Eddie—whos at least 6 ft. 3 in. and rail-thin— was all smiles...

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Testing for Chemical Fumes

Posted by on 24/ 11/ 15

A barrage of chemical odors often assaults new homeowners as they enter their newly constructed home. Many people who have never before been affected by chemical sensi­tivities find they are bothered or made chroni­cally ill by prolonged exposure to the fumes in their new home. Sniffing finishing materials such as upholstery, carpets, and paint before they are installed will reveal important infor­mation. However, even if a building product or material passes the sniff test when sampled, the odor can become unbearable once the product is installed because chemical fumes accumulate inside the house and are emitted from a much larger surface area than that of the sample.

If you are unsure how you will tolerate a product once it is applied or installed in your house, we recommend that you ...

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