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Basement Renovation
A finished basement can be a great place where you can entertain your family and friends by putting in a recreation room which includes a pool table, ping pong table, pinball machine, and/or dartboard.
Before a basement renovation you should:
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BUILDING PERMITS AND INSPECTIONS
Probably the most intimidating part of building your own house is the permit process. Not only do the the requirements vary from township to township, but at times the decisions made seem so subjective that we find ourselves seething in...
Guns and Gurus
"Treat death as an ally," the shamans advise.
I often wondered what Native American medicine men and shamans meant by this saying. One idyllic summer afternoon, I got my answer. The messenger was Indian -- not from America, but from India!
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Keep your house move hassle-free: seven essential tips
I've always been a bit of a nomad and with 20 moves in 25 years, I've learned a thing or two about moving myself and my stuff from place to place. Here are seven steps you can take to make move day go smoothly.
1. Upstairs, downstairs
Everything...
Remodeling Your Kitchen
Remodeling a kitchen is one of the best investments a homeowner can make. For most homeowners it is the most important room in the house. It is used for cooking, eating, and gathering, and is typically a focal point in the home. Consequently, though...
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Schreiber, Johansson Build A 'Bridge' To A Classic
Liev Schreiber and Scarlett Johansson are starring in a widely praised revival of Arthur Miller's <em>A View From The Bridge</em>. They tell reporter Jeff Lunden that as in all great tragedies, this one's clashes and catastrophes have something of the inevitable about them.
Stargazing At The Opera
The Hayden Planetarium in New York takes opera to the moon with a new production of <em>Il Mondo Della Luna.</em> Diane Paulus and Philip Bussmann talk about merging cosmos footage with music, how science can enhance the arts and the future of technology and theater.
Obama 'The Musical' Opens In Germany
A new theater production <em>Hope: The Obama Musical Story</em> opened this week in Frankfurt, Germany. It tells the story, in song and dance, of America's first black president. It is likely to be a big success in a country where President Obama is still immensely popular.
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Hidden Causes of Water Damage in the Home
In addition to causing destruction, water damage also has an adverse affect to the indoor air quality of your home.
Damage from water can cause wood rot, insect infestation and mold .
The obvious causes of water damage are leaking roofs, windows, doors, foundation cracks and visible plumbing leaks.
These are fairly easy to detect, enabling a quick repair before maximum damage occurs.
The not-so-obvious culprits are moisture behind finished basement walls that are insulated with fiberglass; poor grading around foundation walls and air leaks that occur between the living space and attic.
Insulating finished basement walls with fiberglass is not a good idea.
Fiberglass will absorb water and not allow it to travel through the wall, preventing a drying effect.
Some people think installing a plastic barrier in the wall is the answer, but this approach only traps moisture.
A better way is to use rigid insulation (also known as blue board).
This insulation is semi-permeable and allows moisture to travel through the wall, allowing it to dry.
Water can also enter the basement if the grade of the land is pitched toward the house.
Grading the soil away from the house and adding rain gutters will guide rainwater away from the house.
Openings from the house to the attic and poor ceiling insulation in houses located in colder climates can lead to ice dams that cause water to back up into the house.
Air leakage from the house to the attic will carry moisture in the form of humidity into the attic that can form water on the underside of the roof leading to rotting and mold.
Typical leakage points between the house and attic are:
* leaky attic hatches
* holes drilled for plumbing pipes and electrical wires that penetrate the attic and are usually not sealed
* Recessed light fixtures that are not the airtight type
* Exhaust fans that vent directly into the
Study: Colonoscopy Prevents Colon Cancer Deaths
Removing precancerous growths spotted during the test can cut the risk of dying from colon cancer in half, the study suggests. Doctors have long assumed a benefit, but research hasn't shown before that removing polyps would improve survival rates.
Starting Vegetable Garden Seeds & Plants Indoors
Starting Plants IndoorsSeeds can be germinated and seedlings started in a box, pan or flowerpot of soil in a window. In addition to having at least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day, the room must be kept reasonably warm at all times. Washed fine...
attic
For those who live in warmer climates, water damage can occur within your walls because of poorly designed air conditioning systems.
Systems that are oversized (a larger capacity than necessary)will not remove enough humidity which leads to high moisture levels that condense on cooler surfaces.
Duct systems that are imbalanced can draw outside humidity through walls that can produce water in the walls.
Mitigating these problems requires a professional.
Repairing the attic problems listed above may seem simple enough, but trying to do it yourself doesn’t guarantee you really fixed the problem and can sometimes lead to other problems.
Hiring an insulation expert who specializes in building science (also known as a building performance specialist) will ensure the job is done properly and safely.
These specilaists come equipped with tools such as blower doors, pressure guages, etc. to quantify the measures taken for the repairs.
The same goes for the air conditioning specialist, he should have duct diagnostic tools to test your ductwork to be sure it is properly designed and performing efficiently.
If you are unable to find someone in your area, go to www.energyconservatory.com.
They are manufacturers of the required testing instruments and they will have contractors in their database they can recommend.
In addition to taking care of the water damage, your home will be more comfortable, you’ll save money on your energy bills and improve your indoor air quality.
About the Author
Ed Bishop is founder and president of Enhanced Living Inc., a Troy, NY-based design-consulting and contracting company. contracting. Trained in the “House Is A System” approach to HVAC design. He was formerly a building analyst instructor, providing certification training for New York's Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® program
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