Library builder

Tape dispensers hold paper or mesh tape and clip to your belt, so your tape is always ready to roll. Bigger dispensers hold a 500-ft. roll. 1111 Finally, tape up sheet plastic to isolate the rooms you’re sanding, especially if you’re living in the house. Painter’s tape will do the least dam­age to trim finishes […]

the vanishing Nail Drywall screws install faster than drywall nails. They also hold better and are less likely to damage a panel’s paper facing. Ring-shank nails are used to tack up panels, but screws take over from there. Besides, screws are quiet and nonconcussive, so installers are less likely to disturb finish surfaces, tottering vases, […]

Upgrading the heating and cooling equipment in your house is a good way to improve interior air quality and con­serve energy. Ask a reputable local HVAC contractor about the following: ► Induced-draft gas furnaces. Roughly two-thirds of North American homes have forced-hot-air (FHA) sys­tems, so replacing an existing FHA furnace is a great way to […]

To conserve space, builders often attach 1×3 furring strips to basement walls. These strips help secure insulation and provide a base for attaching drywall. But furring strips are viable only if the foundation walls are dry and relatively plumb and flat. If foundation walls are lumpy and off-plumb, a stud wall erected inside the foun­dation […]

Loose-fill insulation—usually cellulose—can be blown in at low pressure to supplement existing attic insulation or pumped into wall cavities at high pressures to achieve a dense pack that’s virtually airtight. Before insulating, be sure to review earlier sections of this chapter on sealing air leaks, correcting excess moisture, and block­ing insulation to keep it away […]

All batts are installed in basically the same way, so the following tips for installing fiberglass batts also hold true for cotton and mineral-wool batts, unless otherwise noted. Getting started. Carefully seal air leaks before insulating; air currents can dramatically reducean installation’s R-value. Then suit up with the appropriate safety gear to keep fiberglass off […]

Mold can’t grow without moisture, so first identi­fy and correct the source(s) of the excess mois­ture before you start cleaning up. Otherwise, the mold can return. Necessary precautions. Limit your exposure to mold spores by wearing a respirator mask with N95 (or higher) filters, rubber gloves, eye protec- I A Bathroom Fan tion, and disposable […]

Because ductwork usually runs through basements or uncondi­tioned crawl spaces, sealing it will reduce heat loss and sub­floor moisture being drawn into living areas. Leaky ducts can waste 25 percent to 30 percent of total heating/cooling costs. Sup­ply ducts most often leak where they take off from the main sup­ply trunk, at section joints, and […]

Controlling the ture, and heat determines how comfortable, affordable, and durable a house will be. In the old days, houses were often drafty and cold, but because energy was cheap homeowners could compensate by throwing another log into the woodstove or by cranking up the thermostat. All that changed in the 1970s, when energy costs […]