Home Construction – Eco-Friendly

Posted on by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: I am planning to build a new home soon. Protecting our natural resources, energy efficiency, and minimizing damage to the environment are extremely important to me. What can I do to be 'environmentally' responsible as I build? Are there any programs or guidelines available which to follow? E. G.

DEAR E. G.: The eco-friendly or 'green' movement has become very popular in residential construction. There are many environmentally friendly products available. Building practices are also changing to reflect the responsible attitude people, such as yourself, have towards the environment.

Fortunately, within the past year, a program has been developed to help you build your home and satisfy all of your concerns. If you fulfill many of the guidelines outlined in this program, you can reduce the environmental impact of construction by a minimum of 25 percent. The name of this program is "The Good Cents Environmental Home program.

This home construction program is very unique in that it measures the impact on the external environment and helps to improve the interior environment of the house as well. It achieves this goal by examining the following areas: energy efficiency, building materials, construction practices, water efficiency, building design, and ecological living.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local companies who can help make your home more energy efficient.

Individuals who wish to enroll in this program must do so through their builder. Many local utility companies across the nation have information regarding this program. Your plans, materials, house fixtures, construction practices, etc. are graded, much like a test.

In order to have your new home certified as a "Good Cents Environmental Home", you must accumulate a minimum of 700 "EcoScore" points out of a total of 1,300.

Points are scored by answering 'yes' to questions in each of the six categories mentioned above. The questions deal with specific topics such as landscape plants which require little watering, availability of walking or bike paths, disposal of unused paints and sealers, use of organic pesticides and herbicides, etc.

The benefits to the environment are significant. Houses which conform to the guidelines help to conserve electricity over the life span of the structure. Conservation of electricity minimizes the amount of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrous oxide emissions.

Good Cents Environmental Homes also conserve fresh water. Because of minimal waste and intelligent construction practices, construction debris is kept to a minimum. This helps to extend the life span of our landfills.

The "Good Cents Environmental Home" program is a spin off of the original "Good Cents" energy efficiency program which appeared approximately 18-years-ago. That program was, and still is, licensed by almost 300 utility companies in 29 states.

Many of these same utility companies will, in all likelihood, license this new program as well. Consider contacting your local utility company to see if they are currently participating in the new program.

Environmentally friendly building is not that difficult. As with anything, it requires planning. Almost all manufacturers of building products are doing something to make their products 'green'. You won't have any trouble finding products which will help you achieve your environmental goals.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local companies who can help make your home more energy efficient.

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Solid Surface Countertops

Posted on by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: I am developing plans for a major kitchen remodeling job. The solid surface countertop materials appeal to me. My husband is skeptical of their long term durability. Are they all the same, or are there distinct differences? Are there other long lasting countertop alternatives? Do you feel that solid surface materials are a good value? T. T.

DEAR T. T.: After installing hundreds of different countertops as a builder, I can see why the solid surface countertops appeal to you. All of my customers who have purchased them have been delighted with the material. Solid surface countertops are both beautiful and easy to care for. I feel that they represent a fantastic value.

Solid surface countertops have been available for over 25 years. They are a product of the plastics industry. Plastics, in one form or another, dominate the kitchen and bath countertop industry.

The vast majority of plastic countertops are made from thin sheets of plastic laminated to wood or wood by-product substrates. Solid surface countertops are simply that, they are solid plastic.

The solid nature of these materials offers distinct advantages. Colors and patterns are solid throughout the material. These solid surface materials have many of the same properties of wood, which allows them to be shaped and molded into countless shapes and figures.

Because the material is plastic, special adhesives allow separate pieces of the material to be welded to one another to make one solid piece. These adhesives actually cause the plastic molecules of one piece to interlock with the molecules of the other piece.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local contractors who can install a new Solid Surface Countertop in your home.

Solid surface countertops do have distinct differences. Different materials are made from different plastics. Some materials are primarily acrylic while others are a blend of acrylic and polyester plastics. Those solid surface materials which have a high content of acrylic plastic seem to have higher performance standards.

Your husband's concerns about durability are, for the most part, groundless. These materials have excellent characteristics. They have great impact resistance. Virtually all of them are nonporous, so they are unaffected by food and liquid stains. These nonporous surfaces also inhibit the growth of bacteria, mold, and germs.

solid surface countertops

If you've suffered damage to your Solid Surface Countertop CLICK THE IMAGE to get an all inclusive kit to repair the damage.

A unique property of these solid surface materials is their ability to be easily repaired. Scratches can be buffed out by hand. Cigarette burns can be sanded away. Severe damage to the surfaces can also be repaired in virtually all instances. To the best of my knowledge, no other countertop material can make similar claims.

Solid surface countertops do have a slight drawback. Excessive, concentrated heat can damage the surfaces. However, this problem is frequently overcome with the use of decorative trivets made from the scrap material from the sink and cooktop cutouts.

You do have other alternatives, however, no single one seems to have as many advantages as solid surface materials. Natural stone products, such as marble and granite, can be difficult to repair. Solid color laminate plastics offer fewer advantages, yet cost virtually the same as solid surface materials.

Artificial stone products, because of their composition, do not seem to perform as well as the plastics. Remember, as with many other things, you get what you pay for!

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local contractors who can install a new Solid Surface Countertop in your home.

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Job Pricing -Time & Material Method

Posted on by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: I just received three bids for a major remodeling / rehabilitation project for my home. I have an excellent set of blueprints and written specifications for the work. Two of the contractors have suggested doing the job "time and material". They indicated that I would save money in the long run. I'm not quite sure I agree. What do you recommend that I should do? L. M.

DEAR L. M.: I recommend that you meet with the two contractors who have suggested this method and ask them a series of hard questions. A time and material job, in your case, could become a financial nightmare.

Based upon the facts which you presented to me, I do not feel that your job is a candidate for the time and material approach. Time and material jobs seem to work out for the best when there are many 'unknowns' about a job. Because your plans and specifications are so complete, there is virtually no speculation attached to your remodeling project.

Job pricing

A major problem associated with time and material projects is one of accountability. It is easy for workers on the job to loose the incentive to be as productive as possible.

Mistakes made by workmen can be buried in the cost of the job. Material waste can become a problem. The temptation for dishonesty is exceedingly great.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local contractors who can finish your new remodeling project.

Time and material jobs, when performed by honest contractors, do permit a homeowner to pay exactly what a job should cost. Certain remodeling jobs may encounter hidden defects.

Planners may make false assumptions regarding the existing structural soundness of an existing home. Water or termite damage may be discovered. Poor soil conditions may exist at the construction site.

However, professional contractors almost always know when these things may be encountered. They can discuss with you these aspects of your job during the bidding stage.

Those areas of the job which may have hidden costs can be approached on a time and material basis. All other aspects should be quoted as fixed costs like a regular bid.

There are certain jobs which do work well in a time and material format. However, I highly recommend that a 'not - to -exceed' figure be called for if you must do business this way.

With such a figure, you, the homeowner, have some form of cost control. A time and material job with no cost control is like a financial time bomb waiting to go off.

I suggest that you ask the following questions to the contractors who wish to work 'time and material': What aspects of the job are unclear? What is prohibiting them from attaching specific time estimates to specific tasks?

Why can't material costs be accurately forecast? If certain tasks remain unclear, or hidden conditions exist, what is the worst case scenario for that aspect of the job? In other words, how much will that aspect cost if everything possible goes wrong.

Finally, if you must do a job 'time and material' let me make the following suggestions. Obtain specific material costs and quantities. Obtain a list of workmen and the labor rate that each will be paid.

Arrange for close monitoring to make sure that each person did, in fact, work the amount for which you are being charged. By all means, insist on a not - to - exceed number. The contractor should be able to predict the worst case scenario.

Always obtain at least 2 - 3 estimates. Different contractors may have a more innovative approach which can possibly save you time and money.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local contractors who can finish your new remodeling project.

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Paint Stucco – or Not?

Posted on by Tim Carter
cement stucco

Painting stucco is not necessary. This cement stucco has never been painted. It's decades old and is in great shape. You can extend its life by applying a clear silane-siloxane water repellent. CLICK HERE to have this repellent delivered to your home in days

"Untreated concrete and stucco will readily absorb water. Both will allow water vapor to freely pass through them. You want water to evaporate from concrete and stucco as fast as possible to avoid damage."

Is Painting Stucco Bad? - Well, It's Not What I'd Do!

DEAR TIM: The stucco on my house has been painted many times. There are large areas which are peeling. Concrete, which is virtually maintenance free, seems very similar to stucco. If this is so, does stucco require painting? Are there alternatives to using paint? G. F.

DEAR G. F.: Your observation concerning the similarities of stucco and concrete is right on target. The two materials, for the most part, have very much in common. Concrete usually consists of cement, sand, and varying sizes of aggregate (gravel).

What is Stucco?

Stucco, on the other hand, usually consists of cement, hydrated lime, and sand. When concrete is finished, its surface and that of stucco are virtually the same.

However, there is a big difference. In a majority of residential applications, concrete is applied in contact with the ground. Stucco is applied to the sides of many houses in lieu of brick, stone, siding, or similar weather shielding material.

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Does Stucco Absorb Water?

Untreated concrete and stucco will readily absorb water. Both will allow water vapor to freely pass through them. You want water to evaporate from concrete and stucco as fast as possible to avoid damage.

Do you see where I am headed with this one?

Free & Fast Bids

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local painters who can paint or stain your exterior walls.

What Happens If Stucco Stays Wet?

If a concrete sidewalk or driveway gets wet, it's no big deal. However, if stucco gets wet for extended periods of time, this moisture can cause problems. Water may eventually wick through the stucco and begin to rot the wood sheathing or wood framing members. Water vapor may be pulled into the house.

What Happens if Water Leaks Through Stucco?

This may cause the insulation to become wet, drywall or plaster to crumble, and interior paint to peel. Stucco should have a protective coating of some type to prevent interior or structural problems to your home. 50 years ago, the only material available to readily protect the stucco was paint.

Why is Painting Stucco a Bad Idea?

Paint is a coating. Because of its viscosity, it does not readily penetrate things that it covers.

Paint will peel over time. That's why you are experiencing the peeling problems. Water vapor from the inside of your house may be pushing the paint off of the stucco. This is a very common problem on thousands of houses.

Can You Add Color to Stucco?

Yes, you can add dry pigments to cement stucco just like pigment is added to paint. You can tint stucco any color you want.


Can You Spray a Clear Water Repellent on Stucco?

Yes, there are great clear silane-siloxane water repellents for cement stucco. These are the same products recommended for concrete slabs on grade.

silane - siloxane water repellent

This is a magnificent silane-siloxane water repellent that soaks into concrete or stucco. CLICK HERE to have it delivered to your home in days.

Are There Great Products That Don't Peel?

Fortunately, advancements in coatings technology have produced products which will enable you to avoid peeling in the future. If you're able to remove the paint from your stucco completely, or had it never been painted before, you would have two alternatives. The choices available to you are either penetrating masonry stains or clear penetrating finishes.

penetrating concrete stain

This is a great penetrating stain that will protect stucco. You can buy it in lots of different colors. It will NOT peel. CLICK  HERE or THE IMAGE now to have it delivered to your home.

These products are extremely effective, because they take advantage of the microscopic makeup of concrete and stucco. Stucco and concrete look very much alike under a microscope.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local companies who can remove or strip paint and stains on your walls.

Are There Small Spaces in Stucco?

The space between the aggregate (sand and gravel) is comprised of interlocking crystals. The crystals have void spaces between the interlocking needles of each crystal. 

If you were small enough to climb through the spaces you could travel from one side of the stucco to the other without much difficulty.

How Do the Stains and Water Repellents Work?

The penetrating finishes take advantage of these void spaces. The liquid nature of these products allows them to penetrate into the crystalline matrix. After the liquid portion of the product evaporates, the small solid parts are left behind to partially plug up the void spaces.

Some of the products are designed that they will not allow liquid water molecules to pass by, however, water vapor can readily pass through. This is an advantage, in the event water vapor from the inside of your house is trying to get to the outside air.

I recommend that you give serious consideration to these products, as you prepare to recoat your peeling stucco. You will not be disappointed.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local painters who can paint or stain your exterior walls.

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Why Cork Flooring

Posted on by Tim Carter
cork flooring

Cork Flooring

DEAR TIM: I was beginning to shop for wood flooring the other day. A visit to a local wood flooring dealer left me perplexed. The salesperson showed me samples of cork flooring. At first, I thought he was joking. Isn't it too soft to use for flooring? Is it really a suitable flooring for heavy traffic areas? A.B.

DEAR A. B.: You should consider yourself extremely fortunate. Should you decide to select it for your home, you will not be disappointed. Cork flooring is one of the most interesting wood floor products that I know of.

If you are an environmentalist, you will love cork flooring. The cork which is used to produce the flooring is harvested from the bark of the cork oak tree. These trees grow primarily in Portugal, Spain, and Tunisia. The cork is harvested approximately every nine years. Amazingly, the cork bark grows back with no harm whatsoever to the tree!

Cork is probably the ultimate resilient flooring. It has excellent shock absorbing and sound deadening properties because of its unique cellular structure. Fifty percent of the volume of the material is comprised of air! These small pockets of air act as natural shock absorbers. Thus, walking or standing on the floor produces little fatigue. Cork also has the ability to absorb sound waves. Rooms with cork flooring are unusually quiet.

Because of its lack of grain, cork flooring offers a unique look. Cork flooring is made by grinding up the bark into small pieces. These pieces are then coated with a non-toxic resin binder. The flooring is produce in sheets of different thickness and often cut into precision 12 inch by 12 inch pieces. When installed, the floor has a very attractive smooth 'pebbled' appearance.

Cork flooring is available in different colors. However, you won't believe how the cork is colored. The cork is placed in ovens and baked. The longer it remains in the ovens, the darker it becomes.It is available in a wide range of colors. The cork can be installed natural (a light tannish brown) or you can request a deep brown similar to dark walnut.

Author's Note: If you want a cork floor of your own and want to see how easy it is to install, you should consider buying my Cork Flooring eBook. It has wonderful step-by-step color photos and easy to follow directions. I guarantee your satisfaction!

Adhesives are used to install cork flooring. The material is also easily cut with a razor knife. Cork flooring can be purchased prefinished, however, finishing the material on site makes for a virtually seamless floor. The best results are achieved by performing a light sanding before applying urethane. Due to its porosity, the cork may require 4 - 5 coats of urethane. Urethane coated cork is extremely durable. Remember, when you walk on a finished floor you wear away the finish, not the flooring.

Your concerns about cork's softness are legitimate. There are some simple precautions you must take with cork flooring. Because it is resilient, heavy furniture can permanently dent it. It is suggested that you use high quality furniture pads beneath table or furniture legs. Also, as with any wood floor, water, in excessive amounts can damage the flooring. Cork flooring should not be installed in basements which may be subject to seepage or flooding.

The maintenance of cork flooring is similar to any standard wood flooring. Simple periodic vacuuming of dust and grit will prevent scratches. Spills should be wiped up with a damp sponge or cloth. Cleaning should be done with mild detergent and a damp mop. Avoid waxing the floor if you have applied urethane finish. The wax may cause problems at a later date, should you decide to brighten the floor with an additional coat of urethane.

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Hot Water Heater Failure

Posted on by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: I have just replaced my hot water heater. It was installed just 4-years-ago. This is the second time this has happened. Why is the tank corroding so quickly? Also, the plumber installed a funny looking small tank on the cold water line this time. Will this help extend the life of my new hot water heater? T. Q.

DEAR T. Q.: You are not alone in your misery. For a variety of reasons, many homeowners suffer from reduced water heater lives. There are some steps you can take to possibly extend the life of your hot water heater.

Hot water heater tanks are made from steel. We all know that when exposed to moisture and oxygen, steel will rapidly corrode. Water heater manufacturers, during the 1950's, began to apply a thin glass coating on the inside of water heaters. This coating isolates the steel from the water and dissolved oxygen within the tank. However, certain parts of the tank (inlet / outlet nipples, tank fittings, etc.) can not be easily coated with glass. These can and will corrode.

Water acidity, electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, and temperature contribute to water heater corrosion. The first three items are present in varying quantities depending upon the source of your water supply. The water temperature within the tank can also vary, depending upon how high you set the thermostat. As water temperature rises, so does the rate of corrosion.

All water supply systems have dissolved minerals within the water. These dissolved minerals enable the water to conduct electricity. Those people who have well water, or municipalities that draw water from deep wells can have high amounts of dissolved minerals within the water. As the mineral content of water rises, so does its ability to conduct electricity. This flow of electricity within the tank begins to attack the parts which do not have a glass lining.

To offset this corrosion process, manufacturers install a magnesium anode rod within each tank. This rod serves as a miniature lightning rod. The electrical current present in the water is attracted to this rod. The magnesium corrodes easier than the other parts. If your water conditions cause high electrical conductivity, this anode rod can be corroded in a short period of time. Once it is gone, the electricity begins to corrode the other tank parts. Fortunately, anode rods can be replaced. Have a qualified service technician check yours every year.

The little tank that the plumber installed will extend the life of your water heater, but for an entirely different reason. Water expands when it is heated. This expanded water used to simply push the water in your cold water line back into the city water main. However, many public water systems are requiring backflow prevention devices to be installed on residential water systems. These devices prevent water from your house being drawn back into the public water supply. Broken water mains, fire trucks, etc. can actually siphon water from your water pipes.

These backflow devices block the expanding water. The little tank is an expansion tank which acts as a temporary storage site for the expanded water. Without this tank, your hot water heater may fail because of the high internal pressures created by the expanding water. Some water heaters burn natural gas or propane. The internal flues which exhaust the combustion gases can collapse because of high internal pressures. A collapsed flue could cause carbon monoxide to concentrate within your house. Expansion tanks are good ideas. Consider installing one with your next hot water heater.

Poured Concrete Walls vs. Concrete Block

Posted on by Tim Carter
poured concrete foundation walls

Here are some great cast concrete, formal term for poured walls, foundation walls that were formed and poured in ONE DAY just down the street from where I live. You'd NEVER build block walls that fast. (C) Copyright 2016 Tim Carter

Poured Concrete vs Block Wall TIPS Just Below

FAST TIPS for Poured vs Block Walls:

  • Block walls can be as strong or stronger than poured walls
  • Block and concrete are strong in compression, but weak in tension
  • Reinforcing steel needs to be in block walls - both vertical and horizontal
  • Block cores must be filled with pea-gravel concrete
  • Poured, or cast, walls must have horizontal steel top and bottom

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS for foundations walls for your new home.

DEAR TIM: I am getting ready to construct a new home with a full basement. I am convinced that poured concrete walls are stronger than concrete block walls. However, a friend of mine has told me that there is no difference. My contractor has indicated that there are many factors that control overall strength in each type of wall. Can you shed any light on the subject? J. D.

DEAR J. D.: First of all, I can tell you that your contractor is quite right in his statement. There are many variables which control overall strength of masonry or poured concrete basement foundation walls. Design strength of the concrete, concrete blocks, and mortar are very important. The thickness of the wall with regard to its height is also extremely important.

For the most part, each type of wall has two categories, reinforced and non-reinforced. A reinforced wall, either poured concrete or concrete block, always contains some form of reinforcing steel. The presence of reinforcing steel dramatically increases the overall strength characteristics of masonry or concrete.

However, let's compare two 8 inch thick walls. One will be poured concrete, while the other one will be standard 8 inch hollow core block. There are two forces which act primarily upon foundation walls. The one force is a downward force (gravity load) created by the load placed upon the wall. The other force is a sideways or lateral force caused by the backfill or earth which is placed against the wall.

The strength of concrete is often measured in pounds per square inch. This is a measure of the weight that it will support before fracturing. You can apply these same standards to concrete blocks and mortar. Let's assume that each of the test walls have the same strength. The strength of each wall is directly proportional to its cross sectional area. In our example, a standard concrete block wall may only be half as strong as the poured concrete wall when a gravity load is applied to it. This is due to the hollow voids within the wall.

When you apply a lateral load to these two walls, you will achieve similar results. The poured concrete wall has more mass or interlocking cement paste crystals to resist the cracking force. The hollow block wall is depending solely on the strength of the thin mortar bed between each concrete block.

The addition of reinforcing steel to either wall system complicates the issue. For example, you can make a concrete block wall stronger than a poured concrete wall, by simply adding some reinforcing steel and additional mortar to the block wall. The trick is to insert vertical steel rods from top to bottom in the hollow cores and fill those hollow cores to the top with mortar. The addition of thin wire truss reinforcing steel in between the layers of block will add even more strength. This block wall would be far stronger than a similar non-reinforced concrete wall.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS for foundations walls for your new home.

Your best bet, in my opinion, is to install a steel reinforced poured concrete wall. Have your foundation contractor install two 5/8 inch horizontal reinforcing bars about 16 inches from the bottom and top of the wall. These bars will minimize cracking if your soil beneath the footer rises or falls.

Consider installing singular vertical bars approximately two inches away from the inside face of the foundation wall every two feet on center. These bars will help withstand the bending force caused by the backfill dirt.

Remember, you only get one chance to install reinforcing steel. Spend the extra money and your foundation will not let you down.

Design-Control-Concrete

GET THIS BOOK NOW. CLICK THE IMAGE TO BUY IT.

If you want to learn lots about how concrete should be installed, you must buy a copy of a neat paperback book published by the Portland Cement Association. It is titled Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures. This book is a little technical, but it has many very important facts and guidelines that will help you order and place concrete under all sorts of site and weather conditions.

The Portland Cement Association has another book called The Homeowners Guide to Working With Concrete, Brick and Stone. This swell book contains some great photos, illustrations and numerous tables. It educates you about how to order and work with concrete. The book also shows you how to install brick and stone. It is a must have! To buy it now, just click it.

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Roof Plywood Swelling – A Case Of The Bumps

Posted on by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: We recently had a new home built. Within the past few months a problem has developed with the roof. There are distinct bulges and it appears that you can see the outline of many of the pieces of roof plywood. I know for a fact that these humps and bumps were not there when we moved in. The builder and the roofer admit no fault. I am not experiencing any leakage at this point but am worried. What happened and can it be corrected? P.J.

DEAR P. J.: Based upon your description of the problem, you need to get another individual into the loop. Your problem, in all likelihood, was caused by the carpenters who installed the roof plywood. The problem may have been magnified by the roofer and builder as well.

Wood products because of their cellular structure expand and contract with changes in moisture content. They experience the greatest dimensional change across the face of the grain of a piece of wood. Plywood products are giant pieces of wood exposing this face grain. Because of the manner in which plywood is constructed, this face grain points in both directions (width and length) on a piece of plywood. This means that you can experience severe expansion in both directions on a piece of plywood.

Plywood manufacturers are aware of this problem and have specific installation guidelines available to builders and remodelers. It is quite possible that these guidelines were not followed in your case. Two of the primary points in these guidelines speak to panel spacing and attic ventilation.

Because of the expansion problems that can occur with plywood, it is recommended that you plan for this expansion. There should be a minimum 1/8 inch gap around all edges of abutting pieces of plywood. This gap will allow the pieces of plywood to expand without buckling. My guess is that your plywood was installed without this required gap. When your plywood expanded, it puckered at the edges. In severe cases you will also see bulges within a single sheet, such as in your case.

Ventilation of attic spaces must also be adequate. The reason for this is really quite simple. In the summertime, the air in attics can get very hot (120 - 150 degrees F). As air gets hotter it has a greater capacity to hold water in the vapor state. This creates a problem for poorly ventilated attic spaces.

The air in these attics can hold, in the vapor state, a greater quantity of moisture than an equal volume of air on the outside of the roof. This extra moisture can be readily absorbed by the plywood which in turn causes the plywood to expand.

Adequate roof ventilation can minimize this buildup of water vapor by exchanging outside air with the air inside of your attic spaces. Advancements in ventilating technology allow for air in your attic spaces to be exchanged or moved on an almost continuous basis. Model building codes suggest minimum ventilating requirements.

It's very possible that your roof has inadequate ventilation. This responsibility should be shared by the builder and the roofer. There are many ways in which you can properly ventilate roof and attic spaces, all of which should be familiar to your roofer. Continuous roof vents, stationary roof vents, turbine vents and power attic ventilators are just a few. These ventilating systems work in conjunction with adequate soffit ventilation. Your builder is responsible for providing adequate soffit ventilation.

Call your builder and have him fix the buckled plywood. Also, have him prove to you that your attic space is adequately ventilated.

Drywall Finish Problems

Posted on by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: I have a strange problem. During different times of day and at night, you can see strange shadowing on my new drywall walls. When I slide my hand over these areas they feel smooth, yet they appear uneven. This problem comes and goes with the changing seasons. Is there something wrong or should I schedule a visit to the eye doctor, as my wife suggests? R. S.

DEAR R. S.: There is no need to go to the eye doctor. However, I do suggest that you schedule an appointment for your wife! Your photographs clearly show to me that you are a victim of 'joint banding' or 'telegraphing', as it is commonly referred to in the trade. To make matters worse, your walls were painted with a gloss paint which magnifies the problem.

In order for me to explain just what is happening, I had to dust off my high school physics book. The root of your problem lies in light reflection. The light bouncing from your drywall is not doing so in a uniform manner. This is caused by several things.

While the surface of the drywall appears smooth to the touch, it is in fact comprised of two entirely different surfaces. The drywall paper itself has a completely different texture than the joint compound used to fill the joints and cover the nails and screws. Not only that, the paper and the joint compounds can absorb liquids unevenly. Herein lies part of the problem.

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When your painter applied the paint, the paint film was not able to adequately disguise these different textures. When light hits these surfaces at a low angle (morning and afternoon), it reflects differently from the paper and the joint compound areas. Because the paper has a slightly rougher texture than the joint compound, the light rays from the sun are scattered by the rough texture. The light bounces more uniformly from the smoother joint compound areas of the wall surface.
This problem comes and goes with the changes in seasons, because the angle of the sun changes in the sky. Your problem is evident at night because of the recessed lights in your ceiling. These lights cast direct light onto the wall at a low angle.

You can solve the problem very easily. All that has to be done is to create a uniform texture on the drywall surface that absorbs liquids at a uniform rate. Ordinary paints do not have this ability, for the most part.

Fortunately, there is a very simple way to enable the light to bounce uniformly from your walls. There are special paints which can be applied to the drywall that will perform this task. These paints contain special compounds which seal the paper and the joint compound so that they absorb subsequent coats of paint at a uniform rate. These paints also contain lots of small solid particles that fill the uneven texture of the paper to make a uniform surface.

Many of these paints are very affordable. Almost all of them are both easy to apply and environmentally friendly. They can also be applied to your walls, even though they have already been painted. Many of them have rapid drying times which allows you to apply the finish coat of paint the same day.

One final tip, try to use flat wall paints whenever possible. These paints, generally speaking, when viewed under a microscope, have a rougher texture than glossy paints. This rough texture enables them to trap the light rays and scatter them as they leave the surface of the wall. This scattering effect can often hide very small imperfections which would otherwise be visible had you used a glossy paint.

Concrete, Snow and Ice

Posted on by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: Winter is fast approaching. Within the past month, I had a new concrete driveway and sidewalk installed. I am concerned about surface scaling caused by deicing salts and freezing temperatures. Is my new concrete at risk and what, if anything, can be done to minimize the damage caused by salt and ice? A. L.

DEAR A. L.: Many homeowners ask this same question. Because of the relatively high initial expense of installing concrete, homeowners want their driveways and sidewalks to last as long as possible. Virtually everyone knows that deicing salts and freezing temperatures can damage concrete - concrete that has not been ordered, placed, finished and cured properly that is.

Your new driveway is extremely susceptible to damage in its first year. Only use sand for traction. Concrete, contrary to popular belief, is not a totally 'solid' object. It contains microscopic passageways. These passageways are created during the initial crystallization process as concrete transforms from the liquid to the solid state. These tunnels are created as the needles of the interlocking cement paste crystals grow.

Water cannot be compressed. When water freezes and turns into ice, its volume expands by about nine percent. If there is not sufficient room within the passageways to accommodate this expansion, the ice can begin to break the needles of the interlocking cement paste crystals. Your freshly poured concrete already has a high water content. Although it appears dry, there is quite possibly a large quantity of free water still within the crystal structure.

Deicing salts can also cause similar problems. The presence of salts in concrete can create high internal pressures. Deicing salts melt snow and ice and create a salty brine which is absorbed into concrete. As the temperature drops and ice crystals begin to form, the concentration of the unfrozen salt brine begins to increase. This brine actually attracts water creating a pressure difference within the network of cement paste crystals. This pressure can and does fracture some of the crystals.

Fortunately, there are things that can be done to minimize the damage from these forces. When concrete is mixed, additives can be included which create very small air bubbles within the concrete as it dries. These air bubbles provide a place for the expanding ice crystals to relieve their pressure. Residential concrete should have an air content of five to seven percent.

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Concrete strength is a function of the amount of cement powder that is added to the mix. This strength is often measured in pounds per square inch or PSI. Residential concrete subjected to freezing or deicing salts should attain a minimum strength of 4,000 PSI. You can order concrete with higher PSI strengths. The concrete can only attain this strength if it is properly cured. A liquid curing compound should be applied to your concrete as soon as the final finish has been applied.

When finishing or placing concrete, never add extra water to the mix. Also, do not sprinkle water on top of the concrete as it is being finished. Never finish concrete that has standing water on the surface.

These practices dilute the amount of cement paste at the surface of the concrete. With less cement, there are fewer crystals to hold things together.

You can also apply special sealants to the concrete which minimize the absorption of water or salt brine. Many of these sealants are highly effective and can often help to protect concrete which has been improperly installed. These sealants should have the capability to breathe. Water vapor from the soil beneath the slabs must be able to evaporate into the air.