Limestone

Posted on by Tim Carter

I had the good fortune to grow up surrounded by limestone. In fact, the limestone rock in Cincinnati, Ohio, is world famous. The interbedded layers of limestone and shale that are seen in road cuts in and around Cincinnati make up a series of rock formations that were created in the upper Ordovician period of geologic time. This was a very long time ago, and for those keeping time it was a little over 440-million years ago.

The fossils in this limestone are of such great quality and diversity, that these formations are the world-type section of rock for this period of time. In layman's terms, this means they are the best rocks of their time. That's first place, best-in-class, or the winner.

The limestone around my childhood home had many uses. Not only was it of great interest to paleontologists, the geologists who study fossils, but it was also was/is used heavily by builders and landscapers. The rock is very dense and hard and served as a foundation material for tens of thousands of businesses and homes in the area. It also was the material used for miles of limestone retaining walls.

There are many different types of limestone. The texture of the stone in Cincinnati is very coarse. The fossils in the limestone are abundant, and it was formed in an environment similar to what you would see if you visited the Great Barrier Reef on the northeast coast of Australia.

But just 125-miles west of Cincinnati in Bedford, Indiana, you can inspect the famous Indiana limestone. This limestone is extremely fine-grained an is called an oolitic limestone. This limestone is strong, durable and easily carved. Many of the buildings in Washington, DC, use Indiana limestone on their facades. Tens of thousands of commercial and residential buildings use this magnificent and gorgeous limestone. If you look closely at it, you can see tiny fossil remains in the stone.

Crushed limestone is used by contractors and builders everyday. It makes a fantastic base for asphalt driveways and roads. This crushed stone also can serve as an excellent gravel drive or roadway by itself. The angular shapes of the stone that result as the rock is crushed allow each piece to interlock to make a very stable roadbed.

Some primary limestone uses are:

  • limestone tile
  • limestone flooring
  • primary ingredient in Portland cement
  • limestone countertops
  • stone walls
  • building foundations
  • decorative building facades including columns, balusters, railings, etc.

Suffice it to say that limestone is used as a building material simply because of its hardness and long-term durability. Limestone is not as hard as granite, but it's hard enough that it can easily last centuries when exposed to weather.

In different parts of the Midwestern USA, you can readily see a limestone quarry or two as you drive along several interstate highways. There is a massive one southwest of downtown Chicago, several limestone quarries can be seen in northern Ohio, and there are the famous ones in Indiana. These surface mines are very distinctive as you can see the sheer faces of the limestone rock as well as active trucks, cranes and other machinery.

One other interesting characteristic of limestone is that it is the rock of choice that Mother Nature prefers to use when she constructs limestone caves. Limestone is alkaline, as it is primarily calcium carbonate. Rainwater itself can sometimes be slightly acidic and become more acidic after it falls to the ground. This acidic water seeps into the bedrock and dissolves away limestone creating massive underground caverns.

Just southeast of Cincinnati,in western Kentucky, you can visit Mammoth Cave National Park to see limestone caves that extend for miles. It's a humbling experience indeed to see how solid rock can be slowly melted away over time.

The next time you see limestone rocks, don't just brush them off. When you stop and think about it, limestone is one of the natural materials that has made America great. It's an abundant resource that's close to the surface of the earth, and we use millions of pounds of it each day in our homes, our roads and even on our roofs! Yes, limestone dust is often used to add weight to regular asphalt shingles. Can you believe that?

Column QA

Inspection Services

Posted on by Tim Carter

When you're buying or building a home, you'll absolutely have a much better experience if you use different inspection services. There simply is too much money on the line for you to hope everything is going to be okay, either in the existing home you're buying or the new home your builder is constructing. Home-inspection services cover a gambit of different specialties. You can hire an overall building inspector, a structural inspector who has a professional engineering license, a certified water inspector, a pest inspector, etc. It's best to make sure you hire an inspector that has the highest level of certification.

Inspection testing services are usually very easy to locate. If you're buying an existing home, realtors often know different inspectors. But always keep in mind that an inspector is called a different name by some licensed real-estate agents. They often call them deal killers. If an inspection uncovers many defects, or plants in the mind of the buyer all sorts of future expenses, the negotiations of buying the home can blow up. When that happens, the real-estate agent has to start all over on a different home. You can see how an unethical realtor would be inclined to suggest an inspector that had poor credentials or is known to do a low-quality inspection.

It's easy to do searches on the Internet to discover all of the inspection testing services you might need. I did this myself on the house I purchased in New Hampshire. Within minutes, I found a local inspector who had the best inspection credentials from the most-respected home-inspection association in the USA.

Purchase my Easy-to-Use Home Inspection Checklist Now. This Simple-To-Use Tool allows you to spot many defects before you have to hire a real inspector. You can then eliminate a house and move on to one with fewer defects.

You have nothing to lose. If my checklist doesn't work for you, I'll give you your money back. Oh, one more thing, it's an Instant Download! You can have the checklist in your hands just minutes from now!

Building-inspection services are almost always handled by a local government agency. Building inspectors exist to promote the public health and safety. Without laws covering building practices and minimum construction requirements, the quality of houses would be highly suspect. Natural disasters, like earthquakes, routinely bring this to the forefront. You'll hear about building collapses that were caused by the lack of building inspectors or corruption when in comes to government building-inspection services.

If your new home is going to be a sizable investment, it really pays to have an independent home-inspection service look at the house at different times during the construction process. I feel the most important inspections are:

  • soil inspection
  • foundation inspection - structural and to ensure it's square
  • rough framing
  • electrical and plumbing
  • insulation and air infiltration
  • heating and cooling system
  • roofing - including flashings
  • grading and drainage

You can't always count on the building inspector that works for the local government to do a thorough job on all these inspections. They have their own set of priorities as well as a workload of job sites to visit each day. Rarely can they spend an hour or two each time at your new home.

There are a number of different national and state associations that certify inspectors. It's very important that you spend lots of time going over the requirements that an inspector must fulfill to get a certificate that allows him to place a fancy acronym behind his name.

If you invest time investigating property inspection services, and the associations that represent them, you'll discover that it doesn't take much effort at all to get a certificate. In some instances, you just have to take a few free quick online tests and agree to some other terms. Do this and make a credit-card payment, and you're certified!

On the other hand, you'll discover that some who do real estate inspection services have to go through rigorous training, education and even periodic continuing education to qualify and maintain their certification. I used an inspector like this for my home in New Hampshire.

Take your time when deciding which inspection services you'll use. This is the last place you want to cut corners. Remember that if a defect shows up at a later date that isn't covered by a warranty, or the builder / previous homeowner will not fix it, then you have to repair the defect at your own cost or disclose it to the next person who buys your home. Imagine having a list of these defects all because you didn't think it was smart to spend a few hundred dollars on a top-notch inspection service. Please don't make that mistake.

EXTRA NEWS from Tim Carter:
Purchase my Easy-to-Use Home Inspection Checklist Now. This Simple-To-Use Tool allows you to spot many defects before you have to hire a real inspector. You can then eliminate a house and move on to one with fewer defects.

You have nothing to lose. If my checklist doesn't work for you, I'll give you your money back. Oh, one more thing, it's an Instant Download! You can have the checklist in your hands just minutes from now!

Column QA

Home Safety & Security

Posted on by Tim Carter

Home safety & security could be a top priority for you. If you're like me and my family, you want to know that any threat that could harm you or your possessions is minimal. When you're safe and secure, your stress level is low, and you can have a much higher quality of life.

Home security safety is not too hard to achieve. It's a broad topic that extends all the way from storing products and possessions in a safe manner to having sophisticated home-security systems that can alert you and others in the event of an emergency.

For example, if you have a pyromaniac in your family like I was as a child, then you want to store flammable liquids and matches in a locked metal cabinet. This sounds extreme, but if you would have seen the fire I started in my parents garage one day, you'd have that cabinet installed so fast you wouldn't believe it.

When you really start to think about home safety and security, it's easy to get overwhelmed. If you have little children, you're concerned about anything that's a threat to them. This could be a simple bottle of cleaning solution. You wouldn't drink it, but a toddler surely would like to sample it. Any heavy objects that can fall on a child are serious threats. Hot objects, regular wall outlets, even a partially filled bucket of water. Thousands of children are injured or killed each year in senseless accidents where obvious threats were not dealt with.

As you get older, home safety tends to gravitate to threats from intruders, fire, carbon monoxide, water leaks, etc. All of these things can be monitored by installing a home-security system. I've had one in my own home for years, and I can tell you they allow me to relax both when I'm home and when I'm away. I know the electronic sentry is going to alert police and fire departments in the event something goes wrong.

I've seen all sorts of issues at homes I've visited and worked in through the years. I've also been inside homes that have been ravaged by fire, so I know what to avoid if you want to minimize fires at your home. This is a very limited list of home security safety tips that just may protect you and your loved ones from danger:

  • Avoid storing flammable objects near furnaces or water heaters
  • Schedule a free inspection from your local crime and fire-prevention officers
  • Never place objects on stairs
  • Structural failures of foundation walls and wood rot can stress electric cables leading to fires
  • Consider installing motion-detecting exterior lights that deter trespassers
  • Be sure overhead garage doors are in perfect working order
  • Install secure locks on all windows and doors
  • Extension cords can be very dangerous - use them with great care
  • Never use flammable liquids indoors or in garages where open flames or pilot lights exist
  • Purchase gun locks or gun safes and use them
  • Consider a home-security system that alerts you to all dangers
  • Install grab bars in shower areas
  • Obey all building and electrical codes if you're a do-it-yourselfer

With more thought and help from other contributors, the above list could be miles long. You can see that home safety & security covers so many things, it's nearly impossible to name all the things you need to worry about.

Many are common sense, but you'd be surprised how that commodity is in short supply in many households. Mother Nature deals with this issue daily in the real world. Animals that make mistakes become someone's dinner. Don't let it happen to you.

Column QA

Home Security Alarm

Posted on by Tim Carter

I've had a home-security alarm in the past two homes I've owned. The one home-security alarm system is in a house that I build in the mid 1980's, and has magnetic switches on every door and window that's reachable at ground level. The other system is in a house I purchased in New Hampshire. It's very different in that only the doors are switched and the rest of the house is protected by motion detectors in the event that a person enters through an open window, or they force a window to gain entry.

Home security alarm systems do much more than just tell you that a burglar is trying to enter your home. Home security alarms can and do alert you to other dangers. For example, at my home that was built in the 1980's, there are two different types of sensors that tell of dangers other than intruders. One is a standard smoke detector and the other is called a rate-of-rise indicator.

The rate-of-rise indicator is one that can sense a fire danger in certain situations before there is enough smoke to trigger a traditional smoke detector. The indicator senses that the temperature in the room is rising at an abnormal rate thus triggering the alarm system.

Home-security alarms now cover a range of threats including, but not limited to:

  • carbon monoxide
  • flooding
  • sewer backups
  • burglary
  • fire alarms
  • broken glass by humans or storms

This level of monitoring allows you to feel comfortable whether you're at home or when you're away for a period of time. Add to this, the ability of remote monitoring via the Internet, and you can see why a monitored home-security alarm is a highly desired item in both new homes and existing ones.

You may think it's expensive to sign up for home-security alarm monitoring. The cost I was just quoted (2009) was less than one dollar per day. In my opinion, that's a bargain when you think of the cost you might incur if you ever have a problem. Without a home-security alarm, a burglar will get in and have a field day. With an alarm that's blasting, he might run away leaving you simply with a broken window or door. Had he gotten in, you may have tens of thousands of dollars of loss, some of which may be tough to recover from your insurance company, if you don't have documentation that you actually owned the items.

Thirty years ago, my wife and I were victims of a burglary. I can tell you now that I wish I'd had a home burglar alarm security system. When I walked in the door and saw the house had been ransacked, I was scared, angry and felt extremely violated. To avoid all those emotions for less than a dollar a day is a true bargain.

If you think that a home-security door alarm is all you need, you better call in several professionals. I would first call your local police department and see if there is a crime-prevention officer. Often the officer will come to your home at no cost and do a survey telling you where your vulnerable. Not only may your door be susceptible to break ins, but also windows and basement entries.

Once the police officer has given you his opinion, then call in several professional home-security companies to see if they agree with the police. Then see what each company has to offer to equalize the threat of danger.

The bottom line is that a home-security alarm can save you time, emotions, money and offer you priceless peace of mind. I can tell you that every home I'll ever own will have a home-security alarm system.

Column QA

Home Wireless Security

Posted on by Tim Carter

Home wireless security is a popular topic. It can actually mean two entirely different topics - home-security systems that are wireless instead of hard-wired, or it can mean securing a wireless router that is broadcasting a wireless Internet connection in and around a house.

A wireless home-security system is a dream come true. When I was still building each day, home wireless security was simply not available. My security experts had to string tiny low-voltage cables throughout the house to windows, doors and sensor locations. This took extra time, and the cables had to be installed with great care so the thin wires inside were not damaged. You then had to worry about the insulation subcontractors hoping they didn't break a wire or cable.

A wireless system eliminates all of this worry and hassle. You simply install the sensors at the locations you want to monitor and these communicate via radio signals back to the central monitoring panel or communication center. The wireless signals can extend for hundreds of feet and penetrate numerous walls and ceilings that might be in the way.

If you decide to look into a home wireless security alarm, be sure to get a demonstration that will convince you that the system will work in your home. This is really important in older homes that may have very thick plaster walls or when you have concrete or masonry walls that are between doors and windows that are being monitored. You want to be sure the wireless signal has no trouble getting to the control panel.

If you're like me, you'll be attracted to wireless home-security systems for any number of reasons. You can view and control the system from any web browser or even a mobile phone. My 3G iPhone allows me to launch a browser so that I can monitor my system, change settings and view reports even though I'm thousands of miles from my home or business. Who would have thought just a few years ago this was possible?

I'm in the planning stages of building a new home. You can bet that I'm giving serious consideration to a wireless home-security alarm system. I want to protect myself and my family from all threats, no matter if they are human or those served up by Mother Nature. Fires, smoke, carbon monoxide, burst pipes, flooding, as well as human intruders can all be sensed by a wireless system.

The best of both worlds would be a wireless instantaneous connection to the police and fire departments in the event of a problem. Not all communities offer this amazing level of service. The advantage of being able to communicate directly with these government agencies is that it cuts valuable minutes off the response time in the event of an emergency. This is mission-critical in fire and life issues. If you give a fire too much of a head start, it can ravage a home in your absence. If you have a life emergency and can't get to a phone because you're collapsed on the floor, your wireless system can save you.

If you're like most, you'll want to know how to select the best wireless home security. To achieve this, you often need to look at numerous aspects of the system. The hardware that does the heavy lifting is often not the determining factor. You want more expensive equipment that will not generate false alarms, but you want it to be sensitive enough so that it can alert you to threats before they can be real dangers.

In addition, you want to be very concerned with response times. How much time passes from the time your wireless home security system is triggered to the moment the police or fire departments are on the way to your home? This data is not always easy to obtain, but you want to try to get it. Minutes matter. It pays to purchase a system that can guarantee they have the fastest response time. You can't control the speed that the police and fire departments respond, but you can control, to a degree, how soon they're alerted to your emergency.

Column QA

Home Security Camera

Posted on by Tim Carter

A home security camera, in my opinion, is perhaps one of the most ingenious and helpful inventions when it comes to applying modern technology to the average home. Here is an item that's both affordable and extraordinary. Home security cameras allow you to have extra sets of eyes watching your loved ones and your possessions. These electronic eyes never blink, never get bored, never need sleep nor take bathroom breaks. They can observe and record all activity that happens while you concern yourself with other things.

Traditional home security cameras need a cable to send the video images to a monitor, computer or a simple digital video recorder (DVR). These cables can be pesky to run, and are challenging to install in an existing home. A wireless home-security camera eliminates the need for the video cable. These wireless cameras still require a power source, but not having to run the video cable is a big time saver.

Not too long ago, I tested a home-security camera system. I was really impressed with how easy it was to set it up. The system I tested came with four separate cameras, a monitor to view all cameras at once and a DVR. The integration of the system was truly plug and play. There was no software to load. You simply connected all the components powered them up, and you were viewing and recording what the cameras saw. In years past, a home-security camera system like this would have only been available to the wealthy. But with advancements in technology, the equipment is very affordable.

You may be interested in an outdoor home-security camera. I have that same need. Soon I'll be building a new home, and I want to be able to view the construction site both night and day. You may want an outdoor camera to see who is at your front door or walking around your home. You can get an outdoor camera that will resist all weather and has infrared capabilities to illuminate objects that are in the dark. I like this stealth technology as people who are walking near your home at night have no idea they are being watched.

If you purchase a home-security Internet camera, you can watch what's happening and be thousands of miles away. You can view what the camera is seeing in real time by using a simple Internet connection and some simple software, or a special website. Some cameras allow you to move them up and down, left and right and zoom in and out all remotely over the Internet. This feature is helpful if you have a vacation home or a business you wish to view.

When you start to get serious about purchasing a home-security video camera, take your time and compare features. Be sure that the cameras will produce great resolution so the video images are crisp and clear. If you're serious about the infrared aspect, make sure the video camera produces the infrared light that illuminates the objects. Pay attention to the real distance the camera can see when in the infrared mode.

Be sure to pay close attention to price. The marketplace is so competitive, that price is often a great barometer about quality. A higher-priced home-security video camera may contain better parts thus producing better images and offer more durability.

You may have a need for a hidden home-security camera. These devices are often used to record babysitters, housekeepers, workmen or any other person you may not completely trust. Hidden home-security cameras are surrounded by controversy as they are considered an invasion of privacy. If you intend to use one to record someone without their permission, be sure you have the legal right to do this. It's possible in some states that you may not have the right to use a camera like this even in your own home. 

I have a home-security surveillance camera that's not much larger than a pack of cigarettes. As time goes on and technology improves, I predict you'll be able to get fantastic cameras that will be no larger than a book of matches. When you combine this small size with wireless capabilities you can see how advantageous it can be to own a home-security camera or several of them. I can tell you that these cameras generate enormous amounts of peace of mind. When you get one and record images for the first time, you'll be a believer for sure.

Column QA

Electric Wiring Residential – Respect It

Posted on by Tim Carter
label electrical circuits

Electric Wiring Residential | You can use a simple Sharpie to label wires. These labels will help you label each circuit breaker correctly. Look at some of the labels! I wrote these on the circuits for my daughter's new home on Mt. Desert Island in Maine. If you're serious about DIY electrical wiring, read about it here. Copyright 2021 Tim Carter

Electrical Wiring Residential - There's a Learning Curve

DEAR TIM: I've a chance to take a $250 course on electric wiring residential. This home electrical wiring course covers how to change outlets, switches, light fixtures, rewiring circuits, etc. I'm terrified of electricity and use a stick to trip my circuit breakers.

Do you think this course will help me deal with my fear of electricity so I can be comfortable doing my own repairs thus saving me precious money? I already have curly hair, so there's no need for the low-budget perm. Should I sign up for the course and why? Elaine J., Baldwinville, MA

DEAR ELAINE: Get out your pen and checkbook. Fill out the registration form for this electrical wiring residential course. When you discover how to wire electric fixtures, outlets, and switches the safe way, you'll be beaming with confidence.

Electric panels

Electric panels, cables' and wires can be scary. (C) Copyright 2021 Tim Carter

CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE BIDS from local electricians.

Can You Do Electric Wiring Quickly?

Basic electrical wiring is something you can learn very quickly if you have the desire. It sounds to me that you have this yearning for knowledge. Your fear of electrical wiring is based on ignorance of how it works. Think of how a vast majority of professionals work with it every day without getting hurt. This is possible for the respect they give to electricity. You'll gain that respect, but you'll also be wiring things at your home within a month after starting the course.

Should I Fear Electricity?

I understand your fear of electric wire. Many years ago when I was a wee remodeling contractor, I thought I knew it all about electrical wire. I was adding an additional light fixture to an existing one. I had been taught that the white wire in a circuit was the neutral and thus not dangerous. Was that ever bad advice.

Using this bad advice, I simply turned off the switch to the light. I then proceeded to take apart the white wires in the electrical box. As soon as I touched them, I was knocked to the ground. Because I failed to turn off the actual circuit breaker, I wasn't stopping the alternating current that was still passing through the white wires that were energized from other things on the same circuit. Let me tell you that once that happened, I was a quick study just as you plan to do.

Is Wiring Switches Important?

Wiring electrical switches should be a core part of the class as switches in the average home can get used frequently. They can wear out or need to be changed to spruce up the looks of a room. You'll discover that electric switch wiring is really simple.

How Can I Get Over My Fear of Electricity?

I totally appreciate the fear that you have for home electrical wiring. The electricity is invisible. You know it's there, but you can't see it. The class you'll take should teach you how to use a voltage tester that will allow you to always know if a wire is indeed hot or dangerous. Once you understand how the current flows from the panel to the outlets, switches and fixtures in your home, you'll develop confidence in working on the simple tasks in your home.

Will the Simple Course Transform Me into an Electrician?

But understand now that this simple course is not enough to turn you into a master electrician. It can take months or years of day-to-day interaction with electricity to gain a knowledge base that will allow you to do all the things in and around your home. Add to this the intricacies of the National Electric Code, which can be humbling, even for a professional electrician, and you see why there is much to be learned about electrical wiring.

Why are Ceiling Paddle Fans Hard To Wire?

If you are taught electric fan wiring, pay particular attention to that part that deals with ceiling paddle fans. These fixtures require a special electrical box that's designed to handle the weight and torque the fan exerts on the box up in the ceiling. Many a ceiling fan has dropped from a ceiling because a contractor or homeowner connected the fan to a box not designed to handle a fan.

How Do You Wire a Split Receptacle?

As you study electrical plug wiring, be sure you discover how to wire a split receptacle. This is one where one of the two receptacles is always hot, while the other one operates from a switch somewhere on a wall. These outlets are very simple to connect, however, they constantly perplex people.

What are the Principles of Electric Wiring Residential?

You need to discover the principles of electrical wiring. Some of them are:

  • wire sizes
  • loads
  • circuit breakers
  • grounding
  • 3-way and 4-way switches

The biggest thing to overcome is the fear of knowing when the wires are safe to handle. A voltmeter is your ally in these situations. You can use this device to tell you if wires are carrying current, and if so, how much.

Remember, there is always a possibility that a circuit or outlet has been double fed. I had this happen to me years ago in a house. An outlet was mysteriously fed from two different circuits. Fortunately, I didn't get shocked too badly. The mistake I made was not using a voltmeter to check the circuit after I had turned off the circuit breaker.

Column 762

January 18, 2009 AsktheBuilder News and Tips

Posted on by Tim Carter

What’s in This Issue?

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER
SO MUCH TO SAY - SO LITTLE ROOM!
BITTER COLD WEATHER
LARRY AND BILL
LAST CALL FOR BOSTON
SEARS EDITORS CONFERENCE
CERTIFIED ARBORIST HELP
HEATING PROBLEM IN CANADA
SNOWING
BILL KEMP
GREEN REMODELING BOOK
GOLF LESSON
LATEST COLUMNS

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER

SO MUCH TO SAY - SO LITTLE ROOM!

My visit to Cincinnati for the Christmas season ended nine days ago with a last-minute decision to leave 13 hours early to drive ahead of the massive snowstorm that caused the 50-plus-car pileup on I-93 just south of where I live in New Hampshire. That trip back up here caused me to skip the newsletter last week. Ouch! Now I have too much to report! I'll try to get it all in with lots of tips.

As for the drive back to New Hampshire, I've decided from now on, I'm going to always leave Cincinnati at 5 or 6 p.m. Tristan, my son, and I drove through the night arriving in Utica, NY at 3:45 a.m. The roads were empty shooting up through Ohio and across I-90 at that time of night. We slept for six hours, got up, ate some grub and bolted through the southeast Adirondack Mountains on State Route 8 arriving in Burlington, VT at 2:00 p.m. We unloaded his gear, got him settled for classes the next day at Champlain College, and I was on the road 25 minutes later. I arrived back at the lake house in Meredith, NH at 5:30 p.m last Saturday. Hours later, the snow started to fall. This time I beat Mother Nature, but I'm always aware she bats last.

BITTER COLD WEATHER

Many are suffering from the bitter cold weather gripping much of the USA right now. I was in Orlando, Florida just three days ago at a Sears Editors Conference, where they showcased some absolutely amazing new products. More on that later. I was standing in shallow left field of the Osceola County Stadium, the spring-training location for the Houston Astros, freezing to death. So even the deep south suffered for two days. I taped several videos there, one of them about the origin of the name of the town where the stadium is located. I'll have those videos up for you soon.

When I got back here to New Hampshire just past midnight on Thursday night, it was -14 F. On Friday morning, two of the pipes here at my house were frozen. The kitchen sink hot-water line is still frozen as I type this three days later! I didn't build this house, and I'm pretty upset at the builder, plumber, carpenter and insulation contractor. Frozen water-supply lines in a six-year-old house are simply unacceptable, especially in a NH house where temperatures routinely drop below zero.

The pipe is still frozen because my house here in NH has a finished basement with drywall ceilings. I hate those things! You have no access to mission-critical utilities like this hot-water pipe. If a gorgeous and attractive suspended ceiling were here, I'd have had hot water again in about 30 minutes using a hair dryer. But I digress.

The other pipe that froze here was on an interior wall. I'm sure the reason is related to cold air dropping down the wall through the gap around the sink vent pipe as it penetrates up through the attic. It might also be a poorly insulated chimney stack. This house I'm in has two metal chimneys. Oh well, I simply wanted you to know that I suffer along with you at times.

LARRY AND BILL

I got to hang out with Larry Phillips and Bill Pass in Orlando for about 90 minutes on Wednesday night. Both are subscribers to this newsletter, and took me up on the offer to share a soda. It was a great time discovering what they both did. As you can imagine, they had all sorts of questions to ask me about AsktheBuilder.com and what I do each day. There was never a lull in the conversation. I'd love to do more of these and even am thinking of having an event where we can all meet if you're willing to travel to a location. Tell me if that interests you.

We were seated under the massive glass ceiling in the atrium of the Gaylord Palms Resort. If you visit Orlando, consider staying there. Wow is it a gorgeous place! I took a restful two-hour nap in the warm sun by the pool just before meeting Larry and Bill. That night the cold front rushed in and Thursday was cold!

LAST CALL FOR BOSTON JANUARY 24th!

If you live near or in Boston and want to hang out, let's do it this Saturday, January 24th. I'll be attending the Boston Home and Garden show. If you want to do lunch, email me.

SEARS EDITORS CONFERENCE

As I just mentioned, I was in Orlando, FL several days ago. It was a whirlwind trip with me on the ground in Orlando for only 32 hours total. Sears understands how the media works. For years, I've been very lucky to be invited to numerous conferences where they showcase new products to members of the media. This event was a first for me. It was their annual Lawn and Garden conference. All of my past events were centered around Sears hand and power tools.

In upcoming newsletters, I'm going to share with you all I saw. But for now let me tell you that the most amazing thing there was a propane-powered string trimmer. WOW ! ! ! ! Have you been frustrated like me for years when gasoline-powered engines fail to start? Those days are over. Propane doesn't have the carburetion issues that you have with gasoline. Propane is delivered straight into the engine as a gas from the get go, so there are no problems with deposits that clog the small orifices in carburetors. Wait until you see the videos I plan to do showcasing this fantastic innovation.

I also drove a zero-turn lawn mower with a regular steering wheel, not the two levers. The lightweight electric lawn mowers were wonderful. I'm getting one for my yard up here in NH. There were many more great lawn and garden tools, so watch upcoming issues of this newsletters for columns and video links.

CERTIFIED ARBORIST HELP

I need some help from a professional. Are you a certified arborist or Christmas-tree grower? If so, what's the best fertilizer to use to accelerate the growth of evergreen trees here in New Hampshire?

HEATING PROBLEM IN CANADA

Judy Isherwood wrote me:

"I live in an old house near Montreal. It has an old coal furnace that has been updated. But still the upstairs radiators are always hotter than the downstairs ones. We have chinked the windows as best we could and tried to block the fireplace, but downstairs is cool while upstairs is very warm. I have read about a pump, or something, called the Smoother, which promises to even out the heat. Are they correct? Since we have such an old system, no one wants to touch it, but maybe an attachment to the pump would work, though I can't understand how. I have a publishing business that I run from my home. My office is upstairs and is relatively warm, so I can spend most of my time here. But sometimes I have company and it is chilly in my living room. I'm sure this is not an unusual problem. I suppose if I know a good plumber I could ask him but I don't."

My response to Judy was:

"You may be a perfect example of someone who would benefit from a small point-of-use electric heater.

Think how much you might spend on the pump and installation. Then what if it causes a problem? The electric heater only needs to be turned on when you're in that room. It may cost 20% of the pump and labor. The electric to operate the heater may be just a little more than the cost to operate the pump!

Actually, it may be far less as the pump might run much more than the heater. The heater may only be on 90 minutes a day when you want to sit downstairs."

The point is, be sure you think through all options before you pull the trigger on an improvement. In this case, the little heater may be a much wiser investment.

SNOWING

I have to tell you that it's snowing like mad up here as I type this. It's magical! The snow on the evergreens is gorgeous. As soon as the storm is over, I'll be testing two snow blowers. Watch for those videos in the next issue. It's drop dead gorgeous outside right now.

BILL KEMP

Just before flying to Orlando, I was in Paramus, New Jersey to deliver a speech at a national sales meeting. Dealers who handle the MasterShield gutter guard were gathered to discover how to grow their businesses in this tough economic climate.

One of those in attendance was Bill Kemp. He's a young man that reminds me of myself twenty years ago. Bill has a home-improvement business (kempwindows.com) located in Richmond, Virginia.

He struck me as intelligent, forward thinking and nimble. I also got a very strong vib that he's as honest as the day is long. If you live in or around Richmond, VA and have met Bill, tell me what you think of him.

I share this because it's refreshing to meet contractors who really care about their customers, and treat their jobs as a vocation. It's my feeling these professionals exist in just about every town in the USA. In fact, I developed a set of four videos that are in all of my checklists that show you exactly how to find these great craftsmen and women. No doubt I could travel to Richmond, VA and reverse engineer using my methods finding out about Bill in no less than 90 minutes. You want a professional to do your work? Then see if one of my checklists matches your upcoming job:

GREEN REMODELING BOOK

I just received a book titled:  Green Remodeling - Changing the World One Room at a Time. It was authored by David Johnston and Kim Master. It appears to be a comprehensive encyclopedic guide describing how you can make your home green as you remodel. In these harsh economic times, remodeling is going to be what's happening as the new-home construction market has all but disappeared.

You may want to take a peek at a sample chapter of this book if you are part of the Green Movement and intend to remodel soon.

GOLF LESSON

Two years ago, my kids bought me golf lessons for my birthday. Believe me, I needed them as my game is like that of the normal hacker. My 37 handicap tells it all. But let me tell you that I always have a great time when I play. I just enjoy being outdoors on the course with my friends. I'll never be a golf pro, but Tiger will never be able to produce a cheek cut on a valley rafter like I can. Yes, I know that he can afford to hire 100 roof cutters at once to do it for him. That's not the point.

My oldest daughter Meghan did her homework. She scheduled a swing and club analysis with Cincinnati's only PGA Master Teaching Professional. I believe he's the only one in Ohio as well. This wizard's name is Joel Suggs.

I've been so busy over the past two years in making the move to New Hampshire that I had only taken two of the four lessons that were in the gift package. But all that aside, Joel and I have become close friends over the two years communicating via email and phone calls. Three days before coming back to NH, I took my third lesson. It was a cold, icy and rainy day, but Joel had a warm practice area set up indoors with a large net and his mandatory cameras. To make a long story short, I GOT it. Joel's magical methods and his computer setup showed me how to swing properly. His simple methods allowed me to discover in minutes the way professionals swing the club so it stays in the swing plane. Go to his website to see the video he took of me. It's amazing to see the improvement in just minutes of instruction.

After memorizing the muscle movement, we went outdoors to hit balls. Well over half were hit so they at first traveled right of the target line but then developed the magical slight draw so they gently curved back to the center of the fairway. Yippee ! ! ! ! ! !

Go to Joel's blog and sign up for his free newsletter and free phone consult. You don't have to live in Cincinnati to benefit from his teachings. When I go back to Cincinnati this spring to visit Kathy, Joel and I are going to play 18 holes for fun. I can't wait to show off as I'm practicing here in NH. It's a good thing my basement has 11-foot ceilings allowing me to take a full swing. Joel is a great man. He's a third generation golf professional. You'll not be disappointed. If you need help golfing, you simply must sign up for his newsletter. It's free, just like mine.

UPDATE: Joel's site seems to be down.

LATEST COLUMNS

I think you've had enough of me for a week. Next week I'll have a huge list of new columns and videos for you to read and watch.

Click here to read past copies of my newsletters.

Tim Carter
Founder - AsktheBuilder.com

Do it Right, not Over.

AsktheBuilder.com

Home Inspection

Posted on by Tim Carter

Home inspection is a relatively new industry. I can clearly remember back in the late 1970's when I was one of the few construction experts in Cincinnati, OH that performed home inspections. If you opened the Yellow Pages phone book that listed all businesses at that time, there was not even a heading for Home Inspections or Home Inspectors. Builders and some engineers were the ones who offered home-inspection services to consumers who were trying to determine if a house was in good condition.

It didn't take too long for me to see that there was a business opportunity doing these inspections. To look professional and to be able to offer a formal report to the consumers who hired me, I determined that it would be very beneficial to have a nice home-inspection checklist with me as I looked for defects. The other benefit of the checklist was that it forced me to look at all the components of each house no matter its size or style. This methodical approach helped ensure the person received a thorough inspection.

The home-inspection industry really started to take hold in the early 1980's as consumers saw the benefits of an inspection. Aside from making sure a buyer didn't purchase a home that had all sorts of defects, buyers soon discovered the home-inspection report was a tool to renegotiate the asking price of the home. Sellers were put into a pickle because any defects that the report uncovered now became public knowledge.

Add to this the expansion of property-disclosure laws in many states and you can see how a home-inspection report forced the hand of the seller. Even today, many sellers don't realize that if a home inspector uncovers real defects, those defects must be disclosed to any subsequent buyer that walks through the door. All in all, a home inspection is a bargain for the buyer of a home as it helps her/him make an informed decision and it allows them to bargain for a better deal if significant defects are uncovered.

Many people who are building new homes often overlook a new-home inspection. The homeowners often confuse the government building inspector with the independent home inspector. Often people feel that if the house gets its Certificate of Occupancy, stating that the house meets the building code, then all is well. Nothing could be further from the truth. The building code is a set of minimum standards, and the government inspectors might not be able to invest the hours of time an independent home inspector might spend doing a new-home inspection.

The home-inspection report that's generated during the inspection is often a detailed document. The most recent one I had performed on a house I purchased included many color photos of the problem areas as well as lab tests of the well water. The report was very easy to read and comprehend. Make sure your home inspection includes a written home-inspection report.

Whatever you do, don't substitute a free home inspection when you're about to spend tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars on a home. A free inspection may just cover a few minor things in the house. It may also be a trick to get you to sign up for a more-expensive inspection once the free inspector is at the house and has you as a captive audience and in dire need of an inspection.

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House Plan

Posted on by Tim Carter

A house plan is the foundation of a home-building project. Over the years, I've looked at thousands of house plans, so I have a good feel for what makes a good one and what plans doom a project to failure. Never forget the purpose of the house plan: it's a communication tool that tells the builder, sub-contractors and material suppliers exactly what you want. If your plan is incomplete, it creates confusion, frustration and possibly arguments. I've yet to meet a builder or a sub-contractor that has extrasensory perception!

The biggest problem with house floor plans is that you may start your project with a set that has a tremendous amount of missing information. Great house plans are often 15 or 20 pages long and are accompanied by a set of written specifications that could be 50 typewritten pages! My guess is the average house plan you've seen before consists of maybe 8 to 10 pages and that's it.

Imagine yourself, for a moment, as one of the subcontractors. Let's say you're building your dream home and you know exactly where you want the towel bars in your master bathroom, and more importantly, you know how high you want them. Three subcontractors might want to know this: the plumber, the heating and cooling contractor, and for sure the finish carpenter.

A great set of plans will have interior elevations drawn of each room that has cabinetry or fixtures on the wall. In this case, an interior elevation of your master bathroom would show a two-dimensional drawing of each wall showing what that room will look like the day you move in. It would show cabinets, plumbing fixtures, the actual towel bars, the tile base, any in-the-wall heat registers and any wall outlets or switches.

House plans that have these handy interior elevations allow each subcontractor to make sure his items don't conflict with those of another. What's more, in the framing stages of the job, the rough carpenter would know where to put blocking for the towel bars. This blocking allows the bars to be attached to the wall solidly, not using anchors.

In my opinion, a house plan has to have these things on it to meet my minimum requirements:

  • Site plan
  • Foundation plan
  • Floor plan of each level, including an unfinished basement
  • Exterior elevations of each face of the house
  • Interior elevations of each room that has cabinets, fixtures or anything other than a plain wall
  • Structural sections showing cutaways of the primary structural components
  • Typical wall detail
  • Numerous detail drawings in large scale showing how things are to be constructed
  • Separate electrical plan for each level NOT drawn on regular floor plan
  • HVAC plan showing all ducts, radiant tubing runs, all equipment, etc.
  • Plumbing plan showing all drain lines and water supply lines as well as sizes
  • All schedules in table form: Room Finish, Electrical Fixtures, Plumbing Fixtures, Cabinet Finish
  • Written specifications

You can see how all of the things in the above list would allow you to have a complete house plan that would minimize confusion and questions. Your house plans need to speak clearly in your absence or that of the on-site builder.

Here's are a few examples that illustrate how a great house plan can save time and money. Imagine the plumber is on the job and no one is around. If your plan shows a great interior elevation as well as a Plumbing-Fixture schedule, he'll know to rough in the drain line at the correct height for the pedestal sink in your powder room. Those sinks tend to rough in a little higher so the p-trap is tucked up under the sink.

Let's imagine that you know exactly where you want electrical outlets in a home office so they are very convenient and not down behind a desk. You actually planned for some outlets to be high on the wall so they are directly adjacent to printers or fax machines that may be up on shelves. I have this setup in my own office. Interior elevations of your home office showing the exact height of the outlets allow the electrician to do this without you being there to tell him. There is no confusion.

To create a fantastic house plan, you can see it takes lots of thought and preplanning. This effort pays off in the long run if you decide to do it. Building your new home is supposed to be full of happiness, not stress, arguments and countless change orders correcting things that have to be moved later as mistakes are uncovered.

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