Why Does Door-Frame Rot Often Start at the Bottom? The lower corners of an exterior door experience a lot of weather. Water can reach the area from: Wind-driven rain Snow Splashback Poor drainage Failed exterior seals Wood that remains repeatedly damp can deteriorate. Why Are the Corners Vulnerable? Several components meet there: Vertical jamb Threshold
WHY DOES THE BOTTOM OF AN EXTERIOR DOOR JAMB ROT? Read More »
The Handle Turns—but Nothing Happens A casement window uses an operator mechanism to push the sash outward and pull it closed. If the handle spins without moving the window, part of that hardware may no longer be transferring force correctly. Possible Causes The problem may involve: Stripped operator gears Loose crank handle Disconnected arm Worn
WHY DOES A CASEMENT WINDOW CRANK SPIN BUT THE WINDOW DOESN’T MOVE? Read More »
A Window Can Provide Light Without Providing Emergency Escape This matters when a basement room is being used as a bedroom. An egress window is designed to provide an emergency opening that can be used without: Special tools Complicated disassembly Why Window Style Matters A window’s outside dimensions do not tell you the usable opening.
WHAT MAKES A BASEMENT BEDROOM WINDOW AN EGRESS WINDOW? Read More »
Your Attic May Contain More Than Insulation Some homes have HVAC ducts running through an unconditioned attic. Those ducts can carry: Heated air in winter Cooled air in summer while the attic around them may be extremely hot or cold. Why Insulate the Ducts? Duct insulation helps reduce heat transfer between the conditioned air inside
SHOULD ATTIC DUCTWORK BE COVERED WITH INSULATION? Read More »
Don’t Blow Insulation Around a Heat Source Without Checking It First Attics can contain: Masonry chimneys Metal vent pipes Furnace or water-heater flues These are different from ordinary framing. Depending on the venting system, required clearances from combustible materials may apply. Why Is This Important Before a Top-Up? Loose-fill insulation can hide the area once
CAN ATTIC INSULATION TOUCH A CHIMNEY OR METAL FLUE? Read More »
What Is Butyl Tape? Butyl tape is a flexible sealing material supplied in a tape-like form. Metal-roof systems may use it in specific locations such as: Panel laps Flashing joints Closure details Other manufacturer-specified connections Why Use Tape Instead of Exposed Caulk? Butyl can be compressed between metal components. That lets the seal sit inside
WHAT IS BUTYL TAPE USED FOR IN METAL ROOFING? Read More »
Does Metal Make Lightning Choose Your House? No. A metal roof does not make a building more likely to be struck simply because the roof is metal. Strike risk is influenced more by factors such as: Building height Location Surrounding topography Storm conditions Why Does the Myth Persist? Because metal is an electrical conductor. But:
DO METAL ROOFS ATTRACT LIGHTNING? Read More »
The Highest Line on the Roof Still Needs Protection Two roof slopes meet at the ridge. On a metal roof, that joint needs a compatible finished detail. That is the: Ridge cap. What Does It Do? The ridge assembly helps: Cover panel ends Manage wind-driven precipitation Finish the roofline What About Ventilation? Some metal-roof ridge
WHAT DOES A METAL-ROOF RIDGE CAP DO? Read More »
Want the Look of Individual Shakes? There are several ways to create it. Two broad options are: Natural cedar shake Vinyl shake-style siding Natural Cedar Cedar provides: Natural grain Variation Individual character But natural wood needs ongoing maintenance and moisture management. Vinyl Shake Vinyl shake-style panels are manufactured to imitate the texture and shadow lines
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What Holds the Soffit at the Wall? Soffit panels span the underside of the roof overhang. Their edges need to terminate in a secure, clean way. One accessory used in some installations is: F-channel. What Does It Do? The shaped trim creates a receiving pocket for the edge of the soffit panel. Depending on the
WHAT IS F-CHANNEL IN A SOFFIT SYSTEM? Read More »