Sawzall Video

Posted on by Tim Carter

If you are still using an older hand saw, you might be doing it the hard way. Add power to that saw with a sawzall. A sawsall can be used to cut all types of materials - wood, steel, plastics. Plus you can use it to cut shapes or curves, that you can't with a traditional hand saw.

Sawzall blades are small and thin. They come in a variety of styles for the different materials you are cutting. The blades change quickly.

Need to cut a hole in the center of a piece of wood without first drilling a pilot hole? The sawzall will allow you to do this. Just place the blade at a very low angle to the wood and turn it on. Gently push the blade down into the wood. Once through, you can continue your cut.

Sawzalls are versatile and should be in your toolbox.

Exterior Shutters Video

Posted on by Tim Carter

Wood shutters are nice, but they don't always hold up over time if not properly maintained. Vinyl window shutters are a great alternative. They are maintenance free and come in a variety of styles and colors for any style of house.

Vinyl shutters come with a special fastener for quick and easy installation. Drill a 1/4" hole into the shutter and in the house, then drive the fastener into the hole.

Vinyl window shutters are easy to hang, maintenance free and look great. Try them if you have to change your shutters.

French Cleat Video

Posted on by Tim Carter

Instead of ruining a piece by drilling holes and putting screws through it to hold it to the wall, try a French cleat. The French cleat can mount objects, such as mantles, to the wall without the use of unsightly fasteners.

What is a French cleat? It is two pieces of material that interlock with each other. It can be made from wood or metal. Use it to mount picture, plate, mantel, etc. to a wall. To make one out of wood, set your circular saw to 45 degrees and rip a 1 x 3 in half down the length of the board. Attach one of the pieces to the wall with the V facing up. The other piece gets attached the opposite way on the object being hung. Slide the two pieces together and you will have an interlocking mount.

Great for hanging objects without having nails or screws showing.

This video was mentioned in Tim's April 5, 2011 Newsletter.

Mixing Paint Colors Video

Posted on by Tim Carter

Trying to match the exact color of that desk, cabinet or house exterior when it is time to paint? And the ready made colors just don't match? Or you want a shade that is just a little different.

Go the paint store and buy two quarts of two colors that closely match the desired color. Make sure the paints from the same manufacturer and the same type of paint with the same finish. Put some on the wall to check. If it is not quite right, get a measuring spoon and mix the paints together. Keep track of how many parts of each color you use. Once you found the right mixture, you can use the amounts to blend the paint required for your painting project.

A little trial and error and you will get the perfect color. It takes time and patience. But the results will be worth it.

Exterior House Painting Tips Video

Posted on by Tim Carter

When painting the exterior of your house and want a professional looking finish? First, spackle all the nail holes in the trim and caulk all the cracks. This will keep water from getting into the wood and causing the paint to blister.

Use an exterior spackling compound. They are light weight and easy to work with and they don't shrink! Holes only have to filled in once.

Get an acrylic latex caulk. They are available at most paint stores and they also fill in holes and cracks. Most caulks do shrink. So check in a day or two after the first application to see if a second one is needed. Apply the caulk in a small bead about the size of the crack you are filling. Wipe it in with your finger to work it in. Then, take a damp sponge and wipe any excess off the wood.

Caulking and spackling are not that hard, but they are very important to achieve that long lasting paint job.

Payments To Contractors

Posted on by Tim Carter

Payments to Contractors

Anxiety is a very common emotion felt by people who are about to begin a massive building or remodeling project. Huge sums of money are often in the balance. 15 or 20 year mortgages are signed. It is serious business. It is no wonder that people get nervous or anxious. Unfortunately, not everyone invests the proper amount of time in selecting the right contractor for the job. A homeowner may select a real bottom feeder. Believe me, there is one in every "sea".

Boilerplate Laundry List

Every year, I see an article in a paper about how to choose a contractor. I see the same old checklist each time. You know, the one that says to call the Better Business Bureau, ask for references, visit completed jobs, etc. Only a small percentage of people ever do these things. Guess what? You can do those things, get good reports, and still end up with an unqualified contractor. The process of finding a good contractor is involved, takes effort on your part, and sometimes is a function of pure luck.

The Root of the Problem

There are probably several basic reasons why you have such a hard time finding a reputable, reliable, trustworthy contractor. The one that I feel is foremost is the fact the industry, as a whole, does not require a formal education. In other words, you and your neighbor can go into business tomorrow hanging drywall or finishing concrete. Not only have you probably never read a technical manual on all the aspects of these tasks, there is a better than 50/50 chance the contractor you do intend to hire has read anything. The industry is loaded to the gills with people who "think" they know how to do things right. Very few contractors have a solid background based upon written facts developed by manufacturers, associations, and the industry as a whole. This means you need to get educated about the work you plan to do. Armed with this education you will be able to ask pointed questions to contractors. By default you will find the one who has the best understanding of what to do.

Payment Problems

Do you know someone who has had a contractor disappear and not come back to finish a job? Do you think that would happen if the contractor was owed a significant amount of money? In most instances the contractor has actually walked away with extra money!

Homeowners routinely advance more money to contractors than they should. The result is that the homeowner has become a lending institution. The homeowner lends money to the contractor and HOPES that the contractor will PAY BACK the money in the form of work. What a mistake! Don't get into the lending business.

Job Cost Breakdowns

12 years ago, I stumbled across a very unique way to convince homeowners that my job bid or quotation was, in fact, the right price. I started giving homeowners a complete breakdown of my quotation. The quote showed each and every aspect of the job. The homeowner was able to see that I accounted for each aspect of the job and had attached a realistic number to each task. It didn't take long for me to build a bridge of trust with homeowners. I discovered that trust is the foundation for a buying decision. I hope you find a contractor you can trust.

The following job cost breakdown items were taken from some of the over 30 different Checklists I have developed. The Checklists contain questions about a specific project. They also ask for a cost breakdown. If you want to see a complete list, check out my Checklists page.

Kitchen Remodeling Checklist Breakdown Items

Building Permit Demolition Asbestos Removal Lead Abatement Debris Removal Dumpster or Dumping Fees Rough Lumber Supplies Rough Carpentry Heating / Ventilating / Air Conditioning Plumbing Electric Phone / Computer / Cable TV Wiring Insulation Drywall / Plastering Finish Lumber Materials Finish Carpentry Ceramic / Marble Painting Wall Coverings Kitchen Cabinets Counter Tops Appliances Sinks Faucets Hardwood Flooring / Linoleum Lighting Fixtures / Fans Windows Doors Shelving Hardware Miscellaneous Allowance Items Contractor's Projected Profit

New Home Construction Checklist Breakdown Items

Building Permit Builder's Risk Insurance Policy Survey / Stakeout Site Clearing Excavation Footings / Foundation Foundation Waterproofing Footing Drain Tile & 1" Gravel Cover Downspout Drainage System Termite Control Structural Steel Rough Grading Excess Excavated Dirt Off-site Removal Gravel Interior Concrete Slabs (Basement & Garage) Rough Lumber Materials Rough Carpentry Backhoe Work Roofing Heating / Ventilating / Air Conditioning Plumbing Electric Phone / Computer / Cable TV Wiring Security / Fire Alarm Wiring Insulation Drywall / Plastering Windows Exterior Doors Exterior Lumber Materials Exterior Carpentry Masonry (Brickwork, Stonework, etc.) Stucco Vinyl Siding / Trim Gutters / Downspouts Exterior Painting / Staining Exterior Sidewalks / Patios Interior Trim Lumber Materials Interior Doors Built-in Cabinetry Interior Painting Wall Coverings Hardwood Flooring Carpeting Linoleum / Vinyl Tile Ceramic Tile Kitchen Cabinets Bath Cabinets Kitchen Counter Tops Bath Counter Tops Laundry Room Cabinets & Tops Appliances Plumbing Fixtures (China fixtures, tubs, sinks & faucets) Lighting Fixtures / Fans Mirrors Hardware Miscellaneous Fixtures (Towel Bars, etc.) Specialty Shelving Miscellaneous Allowance Items Garage Doors & Openers Driveway Apron (if applicable) Driveway Final Grading Landscaping Debris Removal / Dumpster Fees Construction Utilities (electricity & water) On site toilet facilities Final Cleaning

SUBTOTAL HARD JOB COSTS Contractor's Projected Profit / Overhead

TOTAL JOB COST = $ Fill in the Blank! I hope your project comes in on time and under budget.

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Build A Trellis Video

Posted on by Tim Carter

Need to build a simple and quick garden trellis? With some stakes and some lattice, you can build a garden trellis. Redwood is a good choice for use outdoors. Cut four stakes to length (about 36" on this project). Points on one end will help stick the trellis into the ground. The lattice pieces need to be about 36" and a total of six will be needed.

Screw the lattice strips to the top of the stakes. Then space the others down the stacks. Next, drill a hole through the middle of the stake legs to accept a 1/4" bolt to make the hinge. Use some small chain and cup hooks to keep the X-shaped trellis in position.

This makes a simple and quick trellis for use in your garden.

Cutting Crown Molding Video

Posted on by Tim Carter

Please know that my Crown Molding eBook offers detailed, step-by-step instructions and photos to help save you from hassle and frustration.

Cutting inside and outside crown molding corners are easy to cut. Make some small 90 degree test pieces for both corners. First, these test pieces help you make the proper cut. Remember on the inside corner, the longest side is the bottom of the molding. On outside corners, the top is the longest side of the molding. The crown molding must be placed upside down in the miter saw when making these cuts. Cutting Crown Molding doesn't have to be hard - master it with my eBook.

Helpful tip - take a piece of tape, place it on the saw table and mark it "Ceiling - Top of Molding". You can also make the power saw fence "Wall - Bottom of Molding."

These test pieces will help you understand how to cut crown molding correctly. Once you have mastered this, you can move on to the longer pieces for your crown molding project.

If you REALLY want to discover how to install Crown Molding, you need my Crown Molding eBook or Installing Crown Molding DVD..

Laminate Flooring Installation & Care

Posted on by Tim Carter

Plastic Laminate Flooring
Installation Tips / Floor Care Suggestions

Every 5 to 10 years or so there is an innovative building product that appears. The product is so good it becomes a classic material. All others products in that particular category strive to imitate or they struggle to compete against the wonders/efficiency/beauty of the new product.

Examples of such products, in my opinion, are fiberglass batt insulation, plywood, Low-E glass, washerless faucets, etc. I believe that plastic laminate flooring just might be one more of these excellent products. It seems to take the best qualities of other flooring materials and combine them into one easy to install and maintain material.

Not Your Average Countertop!

My first impression of plastic laminate flooring was to compare it to the standard plastic laminate countertops. Big mistake! The basic composition and manufacturing process is virtually the same, however, the clear wearlayer applied over the printed patterned paper is nearly 20 times thicker than the clear plastic wearlayer found on the average countertop. Plastic laminate countertops have proven themselves for years as being durable. The plastic laminate floorings, when cared for, will also perform as well as their cousins the countertops.

Benefits of the New Flooring

One of the things that impresses me the most about the laminate flooring is the built in resiliency of the system. All of the laminate floorings require you to install a foam pad similar to carpet cushion beneath the flooring. This cushion enables the plastic laminate flooring to absorb shock much better than if it were simply installed directly on the subfloor. The pad also enables your legs and feet to not ache as much at the end of each day.

Laminate flooring comes out of the carton prefinished. An average room can be completed in less than 8 hours. The next day you can move furniture back in and use the floor. Only wall to wall carpet can offer a quicker turnaround time.

Many of the laminate flooring products are impervious to most stains. Some even resist cigarette burns! Most other flooring products cannot make this claim.

What happens if you stain or burn a carpet or hardwood floor? Usually the entire floor must be replaced or refinished. Not so with laminate! The damaged piece or pieces are simply cut out and news ones are fit back in their place. The repair job can often be accomplished in less than 2 hours.

Level Sub-floors are a MUST!

Laminate flooring has very critical fit tolerances. When two pieces are mated together, the seam virtually disappears. To maintain the seamless appearance, it is important that your existing subfloor be very level. The level requirement, as defined by most manufacturers, means that the maximum difference in height between any two points in a circle with a 20 foot diameter is 3/16 inch. That is a tight tolerance. If your floor exceeds this limit, you must fill low spots or somehow grind down high spots. Keep this tolerance in mind if you are building new. Make sure that your carpenters use floor joist with little or no crown. Concrete floors must be installed carefully to achieve this nearly flat tolerance. Make sure everyone understands the plan!

Gluing the Floor is Important

If you don't already know it, the laminate flooring is not nailed or glued down to the subfloor! It simply floats over the lower floor. However, the individual pieces of laminate are glued to one another. Special glue provided by each manufacturer performs two important functions. The glue holds the flooring together to create the seamless look. It also seals the edges of the exposed hardboard core to prevent moisture infiltration. This is vitally important if your laminate flooring is installed in an area where water might sit on the floor for extended periods of time.

The gluing process during installation is important. Too much glue can cause the flooring pieces to not mate tightly. Too little glue can cause areas where water will enter the fiberboard core. If water gets into the fiberboard, you will have problems. The flooring will swell and not return to normal when it dries.

Take your time to read all of the installation instructions. Do this whether or not you intend to install the floor yourself. Remember, knowledge is power!

 

Plastic Laminate Flooring Manufacturers

Here is a current list of manufacturers of plastic laminate flooring. I'm quite sure that the list will grow within the next 6 - 12 months. I would call these manufacturers and ask for any and all product literature. Don't forget to look in their literature as to the makeup of the fiberboard core. You want written proof in their literature that you are getting a product with a high density fiberboard core.

If you’re interested in learning more about prices for laminate flooring I have an article here.

  • Armstrong World Industries ... 800-233-3823
  • Bruce Floors ... 800-527-5903
  • Formica Corporation ... 800-FORMICA
  • Perstorp Flooring ... 800-33-PERGO
  • Wilsonart ... 800-433-3222

Laminate Flooring Types / Descriptions

Wood Grain.... Which Species and Tone!

One of the remarkable aspects of laminate flooring is the varied choice of wood floor looks you can choose from. Traditional hardwood flooring is primarily oak. You would achieve different "looks" by using different colored stains. However, you always were left with oak graining. Not so with laminate!

The reproduction capabilities of the modern presses which print the paper that is beneath the clear wear layer of the laminate flooring is incredible. It is virtually impossible to distinguish a piece of real walnut flooring from a piece of laminate "walnut" flooring. I know, as I am looking at two pieces as I write this!

Here are several wood species that are available: Cherry, Walnut, Beech, Maple, Ash, Curly Birch, Pine, Knotted Pine, Oak, and Mahogany. In addition, there are often several shades/ grain variations in each of the above species! Try to buy prefinished walnut hardwood flooring for $3.99 a square foot.....Good Luck!!

I almost forgot, do you like painted, wood grained floors? You can get those too, blue, green, and rust!

Marble, Granite, Tile & Terrazzo

If you want the look of a stone floor it is possible as well. There are many patterns and colors. What's more, you can mix and match! Choose a granite pattern for the center of the floor and create a walnut border around the rest of the room. Your house will look like one of the many at the Biltmore estate!

 

Plastic Laminate Flooring Installation Tips

Installing laminate flooring is a great DIY'r project if you have some patience and are willing to sit down and follow manufacturer's instructions. The following tips, in addition to the mfrs. instructions, will help you produce first class results.

Layout - All Important

Laminate flooring can be installed in any direction. However, there are some things to consider. Every manufacturer would like to see you install it so that the planks are parallel with the direction in which natural light streams into the windows. Installing the flooring in this manner will make for a better looking floor. Why? If the sun beams enter the room at a low angle during early morning or late afternoon and travel perpendicular to the planks, it can sometimes make the floor look like it is wavy.

In addition, you must think of long hallways. The laminate planks look much better if they are parallel to the walls in the long hallways. If a hallway is part of your installation, you may wish to chalk a line parallel to one of the walls in the hallway and let this line extend into the adjoining room. Measure from this line to the wall in the room where you intend to start. See if the starting wall is parallel to the chalk line. If not, you will want to cut the first row of starting planks in the room at an angle so that when you come to the hallway, you are in line! Remember, you can NOT tweak the planks as you install. They must be glued tightly against one another. So, if you start wrong, you will have a major problem as you continue to lay the floor.....

Straight lines from the get-go are imperative! The tongue and groove nature of the product dictates that the planks interlock with one another and be straight. If you install the first row to conform to a wall you think is straight (and is actually crooked), the next row will not fit tightly! Most of the written instructions provided with the flooring cover this aspect very clearly. The First Three to Four Rows

All of the manufacturers recommend that you install three complete rows of flooring before you continue with the rest of the floor. After gluing the first three or four rows, most manufacturers want you to wait an hour. They would like to see those planks drawn tight to one another and be in a straight line. The primary reason is to allow those planks to form a rigid foundation for the remaining flooring. If you were to just continue to lay the floor and hammer and tap, you may get all of the planks slightly out of alignment.

Expansion / Contraction

The laminate floorings are not to be installed tightly against the walls of any room. Why? Because they will expand and contract with changes in humidity. By leaving a 1/4 inch gap around the flooring you will be in good shape. This gap is subsequently covered with a decorative toe strip. Most of the manufacturers provide you with handy spacers which will keep the flooring gap consistent. The spacers are removed once the glue is dry.

Gluing the Planks

The laminate floors are floating systems. They are all installed on top of a foam pad. The pad and the laminate planks are not attached in any manner to the subfloor or old flooring you are covering. The only thing that holds the flooring together is the special glue which is applied to the grooved edges of each plank. The glue also performs an important secondary function. It seals the inner wood fiberboard core. For this reason it is important that enough glue is applied to each grooved edge. However, if you apply too much, you may have a problem fitting two pieces of flooring snugly against one another. The ideal glued edge will produce a thin bead or line of glue on top of the flooring once two pieces are mated together. This glue should be removed immediately with a wet rag. Wipe in one smooth motion down the joint. Don't rub in a circular fashion. Rinse the towel/rag and wipe again. Have a dry towel handy to dry the joint. This way you can check for excess glue and to see if the flooring pieces are fit perfectly.

The joints will swell ever so slightly in response to the water in the glue. This swelling will go away within 21 - 28 days.

Cutting Pieces

Plastic laminate will chip readily. As such, you need to use a saw blade with fine teeth. If you use a power saw of any type, the saw blade must cut down into the laminate, not up as the blade advances. This means cutting the laminate upside down in most cases when using a hand held power saw. If you use a hand saw, cut with the good side up, but only use pressure on your down strokes. When pulling the saw back up, don't let it contact the uncut portion of the line.

Waste

If all goes well, you should have very little or no waste. Why? Because the outfall from the first row is the piece that starts the second row! The only time this doesn't work is if the outfall piece from a cut is less than 8 inches long. Most manufacturers like to see you start a new row with a piece at least 8 inches long. Never throw waste pieces away as they can be used in closets, odd corners or other weird places as you progress with the installation.

When to Walk

You can't walk on the laminate floors immediately after completion. Most manufacturers like to see you wait at least 8 to 12 hours. Of course 24 hours would be better. Use common sense. The glue must be allowed to cure and adequately hold the floor together. If you break a joint open, it is tough to get it tight again!

Kneepads are a NO-NO

If you need to protect your knees during the installation of the toestrip, fold up an old blanket and use that. Hard plastic knee pads or even rubber ones can sometimes trap a sand particle and scratch the new flooring! Vacuum the floor before installing the toekick or at the very least sweep it with a broom.

Furniture Glides & Mats

It is a great idea to install heavy felt discs or pads on the feet of all chairs, tables, or any other furniture. You can scratch plastic laminate as you would any flooring material. The felt pads will really do a fantastic job of protecting your flooring investment. Check the felt pads on the chairs regularly for wear. Invest and clean on a regular basis floor mats at each door. Sand and grit can be tracked in. These particles, next to water, are the worst enemies of a laminate floor. Regular removal of grit will keep the floor like new!

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Hygrometers – Controlling Indoor Humidity

Posted on by Tim Carter

Condensation - Controlling Indoor Humidity

Several years ago, a friend of mine called me. She was frantic. It was bitterly cold outside. She opened an interior closet door to find one of the walls covered with frost! She thought something was seriously wrong and wanted my advice.

I went to her house and sure enough, the closet was frosty. I went into the attic and located the problem. Someone had cut a hole in the top wall plate of the closet wall. In addition, there was a gap in the insulation which allowed the cold, dense attic air to fall into the wall void. This cold air chilled the wall surface to such a degree that it was below 32 degrees F! The warm, moist inside air readily condensed on this cold surface. It didn't take long for it to then freeze.

Think Soda or Beer....

Condensation happens in warm weather all of the time. Unless you live in the desert or some other very dry location, surely you have seen the outside of a can of soda pop or beer get wet from condensation. The warm, moist outside air readily turns to liquid as it is cooled by the metal surface of the can. The temperature of the cold can is at or below the dew point of the humid air and condensation immediately begins to collect.

The easy way to stop this problem is to stop drinking beer....

Hidden Problems

If you have a condensation problem in your older home, it might not cause too much concern. Why? Old homes were naturally leaky. Many old house had no insulation or lack building materials which readily trapped moisture. As such, humid air could readily mix with colder air outside and dissipate.

However, modern building practices have created tighter and tighter houses. Foil faced sheathing products completely stop moisture transmission. Tight houses tend to have very high levels of indoor humidity as cold, dry air is not allowed to mix. The mixing of cold, dry air with indoor humid air lowers the overall humidity of indoor air. This is another reason you probably did not have a condensation problem in the house you lived in as a child.

Measuring Humidity Levels

Humidity is a relative thing. That is why your TV weather person says "..the relative humidity is now....." As you heat a constant volume of air it can hold more moisture. Eventually it becomes saturated. This is when the relative humidity of that volume at that temperature reaches 100 percent.

Dew point temperatures are also indicators of humidity. The dew point is the temperature when water will condense out of the air for a given humidity. This is why humidity is relative. Confused? It can be tough to understand, so don't worry.

Humidity is measured using devices called hygrometers or sling psychrometers. These devices are calibrated in such a fashion that they can tell you the relative humidity of air within a given temperature range.

The hygrometers can be electronic or ones with a standard dial face with a moving needle. The sling psychrometers are weird devices that incorporate two thermometers. One thermometer is dry while the other one has a wick attached to the bulb end. You get the wick wet and spin the two thermometers around in the air. Depending upon how humid the air is or is not, the water in the wick will evaporate at different rates. The faster the rate of evaporation (drier, less humid air) the lower the wick covered thermometer will read. Remember, evaporation is a cooling process (Why do you think Mother Nature created us so we sweat....?).

Using a chart, you correlate the temperatures of the dry and wet thermometers to determine relative humidity. They are pretty cool devices!

Checking Your House

If you have an indoor humidity or condensation problem, I recommend that you purchase an inexpensive hygrometer. Take readings in the same room(s) at the same spot each day at the same time. Start to chart your readings. Then begin to isolate sources of indoor humidity. Try to control them. See how it affects your readings each day. It may take several days to see a drop in humidity readings.

Take readings at different points within your house. Try to avoid the bathroom and kitchen. You can get widely spaced readings because of ever-present moisture sources.

Hygrometers - Manufacturers / Features

There are many manufacturers of hygrometers - instruments which measure relative humidity. I have listed just a few here. You can usually find these instruments advertised in the back of Popular Science or Earth magazines. These magazines always seem to have an abundance of ads about companies who sell weather related equipment. Your grade school or high school science teacher will also have science equipment catalogues you can browse through. Want REALLY sophisticated equipment? Call your local TV station's staff meteorologist - they absolutely know who makes top flight hygrometers.

  • NovaLynx Corporation ... 800-321-3577
    Humidity Dial Model # 220-730 - Features a brass case and sufficient openings to allow good air flow over the inner humidity element. Certified to +/- 3 percent accuracy. $120.00

  • Radio Shack ... 800-THE SHACK
    Wireless Weather Forecaster Model #63-1090 - Handy electronic gizmo that forecasts using temperature, barometric pressure and humidity. Shows date and Atomic time. Requires 2 AAA batteries for sensor; 3 AA for meter. $39.99

    Indoor / Outdoor Thermometer with Hygrometer Model #63-1032 - Displays interior temperature, exterior temperature and relative humidity and humidity comfort readings. Electronic. Requires 2 AA batteries. $19.99

  • Robert E. White Instruments 800-992-3045
    Call for current pricing!
    Model BA777 Compact and accurate. 2 1/2 inch diameter Wall mount $45.00
    Model BA410 4 inch dial, graduated every 1 percent. Accurate to +/- 4 percent, $66.00
    Model CONH6 Outdoor dial hygrometer, 4 1/2 inch diameter, swivel mounting bracket. $39.00
    Model 730 Most accurate (+3 percent), 6 inch diameter, brass case. Wall mount $120.00

Tips on Controlling Indoor Humidity / Window Condensation

People who live in colder climates can become victims of condensation. Water can collect on both visible and hidden surfaces. My eyeglasses always fog up when I enter my favorite chili parlor on a cold winter night. The thin glasses get cold walking from the car to the restaurant. When I hit that humid environment, BINGO! my glasses steam up.

If you see visible condensation on windows, walls, etc., it is a sure sign that your indoor humidity might be too high. Water can collect in wall cavities and attic spaces if you do not take aggressive action to lower the humidity and/or ventilate the hidden spaces.

Identify the Source of Humidity

All types of things add humidity to indoor air. Aquariums, cooking, washing clothes, bathing activities, house plants, human and animal breathing, slabs, crawl spaces, basement floors & walls lacking vapor barriers, etc.

It can be tough to identify any single source of excess humidity. All the above activities or conditions can collectively add to the problem. What's worse is that as the outside temperature drops, it takes less humidity in the indoor air to cause a problem! That is why indoor humidifiers are supplied with controls that tell you what the setting should be in relation to the outdoor temperature.

Controlling Indoor Humidity

Bathing activities (hot showers and baths) probably cause more indoor humidity problems aside from humidifiers that are set too high. Try to see if you can't take shorter showers and/or ones that use less hot water.

Install and use an excellent bathroom exhaust fan. Turn it on during your shower or bath. Leave it on after your bath for 10 minutes or so. Be sure the exhaust air is piped to the outside of your house. DO NOT dump this air into an attic space. It will rain in your attic!

Do you have a crawl space? Does it lack a high quality vapor barrier? If so, the soil in the crawl space is liberating vast quantities of water vapor into your house. Cover the soil with a vapor barrier and you will drastically lower your indoor humidity. I have written a past column and bulletin on this very topic.

Older homes that have basements are just as bad as houses with crawl spaces. However, it is tough to solve this problem. I am currently doing research on water based sealers that can be sprayed on indoor masonry surfaces which will stop moisture transmission. Stay tuned for that upcoming column!

Cooking liberates lots of water. Boiling water for noodles, vegetables, etc. puts lots of moisture in the air. Try to minimize these activities or install a ducted kitchen exhaust fan.

Window Condensation

I get mail every winter from people who install new windows. They think the windows are bad because water condenses on them. Well, the source of the problem usually lies in the fact that the windows are doing too good of a job! The old windows leaked vast amounts of cold air into the house. This very dry air mixed with the indoor humid air and lowered the overall humidity in the house. The new windows stop the dry air resulting in a higher indoor humidity! This humidity then fogs the cooler glass surface.

To minimize new windows from fogging or condensation, be sure to order ones with soft coat Low-E glass. This type of coating produces a warmer interior glass surface. The warmer the glass surface, the less chance of condensation. Read my past column and Builder Bulletin on Low-E glass.

Look for windows that offer warm edge technology. This refers to special spacers that are used to separate the pieces of insulated glass in your new windows. The spacer strips are made so that the cold outer pane of glass conducts a minimum amount of cold to the inner pane of glass. Ask tough questions to get the right answers when you window shop!

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