Library builder

Framing and sheathing. These tasks are enjoy­able if you can swing a hammer accurately and work with someone more experienced to explain how to raise walls. If you use a power nailer to speed up the job, read the operation manual care­fully. Hard hats and eye protection are a must. Hanging windows and doors. A […]

Heating and cooling systems are varied and com­plex, so make your house purchase contingent on a professional inspection by an HVAC contractor. In your walk-through, look for the following: ► If the bottom of the heating unit is rusted out or if it’s 15 years to 20 years old, it probably should be replaced. It’s […]

If you’d like to buy a house, make your offer contingent on a licensed pest — control inspector’s report. You probably won’t see insects, but you might see any of these signs: ► Sandy brown tubes, in. in diameter, that run up a foundation wall and wood burrows that run parallel with the grain indicate […]

Squeaky floors may take 2 minutes to repair or 2 days, when the cause is elusive. If you can live with some squeaks, they’re rarely a sign of any­thing serious. Excessively springy floors suggest subflooring or underlayment that’s not strong enough to span the joists. Additional layers of subflooring or flooring should firm things up. […]

Review the notations you made about the roof, chimney, and eaves. Now look for outdoor-indoor relationships such as missing flashing and stains on the underside of roof sheathing. Structural condition is the first thing to consider. Are the rafters and ridge sagging? If so, you should hire a structural engineer to see how seri­ous the […]

Is there flashing over doors and windows? If not, suspect water damage behind. Examine windows and doors very carefully. Are frames solid? Deteriorated window sashes should be replaced, creating costs that quickly add up. Also inspect doorsills and windowsills, which are rot prone if water collects there. Before replacing them, you’ll first need to improve […]

Eyeball the eaves trim. Is it intact or splitting? Do you see stains or discoloration? Water damage along eaves is usually caused by clogged gutters or missing drip-edge flashing on the roof and, less often, by roof leaks. You’ll need to replace metal gutters that have rusted through or that leak widely. But this a […]

On older built-up roofs, there were alternating layers of heavy building paper and hot tar, cov­ered with light-colored gravel to reflect sunlight and protect the layers from ultraviolet (UV) dam­age. More recently, modified bitumin (MB) has largely replaced hot building paper. MB roofs typically have cap membranes "torched on” (heated with a propane flame) to […]

Shingle wear will almost always be greater on a south-facing roof because that side gets the most sun. If shingle ends are cupping and splitting, plan to reroof soon. Mossy shingles or shakes are common in wet climates and on shady roof sections. Although moss-covered shingles can be relatively sound, the condition will induce rot […]

If the granular surface of asphalt shingles is worn and if shingles are cupped and dog-eared, it’s time for a new roof. Ditto if gutters contain a sig­nificant amount of gravel washed off the surface of the shingles. If the roofing is lumpy and uneven, it proba­bly has two or more layers of shingles that […]