What Is a Knee Wall? In some finished attics or upper floors, the sloped roof creates short vertical walls. Behind those walls may be unconditioned attic space. These are commonly called: Knee walls. Why Do They Matter? One side faces conditioned living space. The other may face an attic that becomes: Very cold in winter
WHAT IS AN ATTIC KNEE WALL? Read More »
Your Attic Looks Like Free Storage Space So you put down boards and stack: Holiday decorations Boxes Luggage But insulation works partly by trapping air within the material. Compressing it can reduce its effective thickness. What Happens With Blown-In Insulation? Placing items directly on loose fill can: Flatten the material Push it aside Create thin
CAN ATTIC STORAGE COMPRESS YOUR INSULATION? Read More »
Why Do Metal Panels Create Gaps? Profiled metal roofing is not flat. The ribs and valleys create spaces where the panel meets: Eaves Ridges Flashing Closure products are shaped to fit those profiles. What Do They Help With? Depending on the system, closures may help reduce entry of: Wind-driven rain Snow Insects Debris while completing
WHAT ARE CLOSURE STRIPS ON A METAL ROOF? Read More »
You See a Gap. Should You Caulk It? Not automatically. Vinyl siding is designed to: Expand Contract Drain incidental water Some visible joints are part of the installation system. Why Random Caulking Can Be a Problem Filling every seam may: Restrict movement Trap water Create messy joints Hide an installation issue instead of fixing it
SHOULD YOU CAULK VINYL SIDING SEAMS? Read More »
What Is That Powder on the Siding? Run your hand across older aluminum siding. If a fine coloured or whitish powder comes away, you may be seeing: Chalking. The exterior finish has been weathering after years of: Sun Rain Temperature change Is the Aluminum Rotting? Not necessarily. The visible chalk can come from deterioration of
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Long Walls Need Joints Vinyl siding panels come in set lengths. A long wall may require multiple panels within each row. Where two panels meet, they overlap. Why Overlap? The overlap allows the siding to maintain a finished exterior while still accommodating normal material movement. Why Stagger the Seams? If joints line up vertically on
WHY ARE VINYL SIDING SEAMS STAGGERED? Read More »
What Is the Nail Hem? Look at an uninstalled vinyl siding panel. Along the top is a strip containing elongated slots. That is the: Nail hem. The fasteners pass through these slots to secure the siding to the wall. Why Are the Holes Long Instead of Round? Vinyl expands and contracts with temperature. The slots
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Capping and Replacement Solve Different Problems Fascia sits along the roof edge and often supports the eavestrough system. Many homes use aluminum to finish and protect the fascia. But there is an important rule: Capping should go over sound material. What Is Fascia Capping? Formed aluminum covers the exterior face of the fascia. It provides:
FASCIA CAPPING VS. FASCIA BOARD REPLACEMENT: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE? Read More »
Soffit Protects More Than the Roofline Soffit finishes the underside of the roof overhang. When intact, it closes areas that would otherwise leave parts of the attic perimeter exposed. A missing or damaged panel can create an opening. What Can Get In? Depending on the size of the gap, potential intruders can include: Birds Squirrels
HOW CAN DAMAGED SOFFIT LET PESTS INTO YOUR ATTIC? Read More »
The Downspout Needs Support Too Your eavestrough may be firmly attached to the fascia. But the vertical pipe carrying water toward the ground also needs to stay secure. Downspout straps or brackets hold it against the wall. What Happens When They Loosen? A loose downspout may: Rattle in wind Pull away from the wall Separate
WHY DO DOWNSPOUT STRAPS AND BRACKETS MATTER? Read More »