Powered Attic Fans – Attic Insulation Facts
Attic ventilation should not be done using a powered attic ventilator. They pull air conditioning out and may return combustion gas. Ridge vents are the answer.
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Decking Materials – Synthetic
Decks don't have to be made of wood only. You can find many types of alternative decking material. Virgin vinyl, recycled plastic, plastic resin mixed with wood fibers and aluminum. Sealing many of these materials is not necessary. Read this column to see the pros and cons.
Strip Finishes Off Decks
Wood decks look great when coated with a film forming sealant ... for about a minute. They tend to peel from exposure to the elements. Strip these films off and clean your deck. Oxygen bleach will clean without causing all the damage that chlorine bleach will. Apply a synthetic water repellent. It will not feed the growth of mildew and algae and will look great ... for years.
Outdoor Lighting
The outdoor lighting surrounding my neighbor's patio reminds me of airport runway lights. Low-voltage landscape lighting allows you to create outdoor lighting drama and exterior lighting accents around your home.
Concrete Crack Prevention
Concrete installation by a seasoned professional is the best way to ensure that your concrete driveway will last for years. Concrete reinforcement with steel or rebar will help control cracking. Concrete expansion joints are critical as is a good solid base.
Home Wiring for the Future
Home wiring for the future can prepare a house for electronic technology. From one central distribution panel, the electrical wiring should include a UTP CAT 5 cable and RG-6 coaxial cable to each room. This hard wiring is more secure than wireless.
Quality Dream Home Specifications
Dream home specifications should exceed building codes to assure your new home will be quality built. Building codes are minimum standards. New homes needn't cost dramatically more to upgrade some materials or labor techniques that will produce the dream home that won't disappoint.
Building Code Defects – Hiring Attorneys to Win Court Battles
Oh the misery. You have gotten into a dog fight with your builder and it is time to hire an attorney. Going to court is ugly, expensive and emotional. It is also a gamble, unless you happen to hold the winning hand.
New Homes
New homes can hide a number of mistakes and problems if you aren't alert. Quality is not accidental, and regular quality control inspection by the homeowner is wise. Learn here what to look for when you are at your construction site.
Avoid Annual Deck Cleaning
Clean and seal your deck and take next year off? It can be done. Use oxygen bleach to get a beautiful clean. Power washing will chew up the soft wood of your deck. Penetrating water repellents made of synthetic resins soak into the wood. These are not film forming sealers that will feed algae and mildew. Follow the directions and then take a year or two off.