Wall framing requires moderate carpentry skills. Exterior framing is often more difficult than framing interior walls. Framing 2x4 interior walls that are non-load bearing are the easiest walls to construct. Accurate measurements are a must as well as walls that are perfectly square.
Wine room humidity and temperatures must be maintained for wine to age correctly. It is important to have a vapor barrier to trap the water vapor in the wine room so it does not migrate to other parts of the house. This is especially true if one or more walls of the storage room are exterior walls of the house.
Screw extractors allow you to back out screws whose heads are stripped. These simple and effective devices can be found at large national retail stores that have a hardware department. The extractors have special hardened steel heads with reverse cutting bits. Once inserted into a regular drill they cut into and grab the head of the screw as you rotate the drill in reverse.
Floors that bounce up and down when you walk across them are annoying. The floor may be structurally sound and built within code limits. In almost all cases, the floor can be fixed so that it is solid and does not bounce.
Removing foundation tar is not easy. It can also be dangerous. Do not use solvents like gasoline, paint thinner or mineral spirits because of the extreme fire danger.
Metal fireplaces can become flooded by rainstorms or hurricanes. Once the water recedes, is it safe to use the fireplace? The answer is yes, so long as the integrity of the fireplace firebox was not compromised.
AAMA certification of vinyl windows means quality. Windows bearing this special label meet the rigors of independent lab test standards.
Buy vinyl windows that allow you to replace the glass. Avoid having to replace the entire sash or mismatching vinyl color that may have yellowed.
Low e glass windows offer insulation against heat and cold. Two types of low e glass, soft and hard coat, look and perform differently. Soft coat low e glass has a higher r value. This table will compare glass r values.
Low-e window glass provides insulating r value to keep the temperature of the window close to the temperature of the room air. This insulation provides comfort and energy savings. UV blockage varies with the low e glass. Low e film also produces impressive results for your windows.
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