The Journal of Light Construction articles from January 2006

The Journal of Light Construction archives from January 2006

Using PEX in Solar water heating.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2006... In the article "Solar Hot Water 101" (10/05), the author states, "We don't use PEX because in California it's illegal to use it for potable water--plus the high temperatures found in the dosed loop of a glycol system could easily be too hot for...

Solar hot-water storage.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2006... I appreciated Gary Gerber's article on solar hot-water systems. I'd like to offer another viewpoint on one area, however. He gives an optimum amount of storage in gallons per square foot of collector, and says that this optimum varies with...

How does hot-water recirculation work?(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2006... I was interested in the article on the retrofit pump for hot-water recirculation (Kitchen & Bath, 8/05), but have a question: How can a pump circulate water through a pressurized system? Does the system account for the street-line pressure...

Leak testing questioned.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2006... In "Rainproofing Stucco Trim" (10/05), the author describes using the ASTM Ell05 standard for testing window trim and stucco cracks against water penetration. This is a stand-alone test and has not been adopted by either the stucco or...

Improved energy efficiency in central air: new federal regulations take effect this month.(In the News)
January 1, 2006... Central air-conditioning systems manufactured after January 23, 2006, must meet a new Department of Energy (DOE) standard for energy efficiency. While this means lower electric bills for those using the new systems, the up-from costs of the...

In compliance with a NAFTA panel ruling, the U.S. Commerce Department has recalculated the countervailing duty (CVD) on imports of lumber from Canada.(In the News)
January 1, 2006... In compliance with a NAFTA panel ruling, the U.S. Commerce Department has recalculated the countervailing duty (CVD) on imports of lumber from Canada. Under NAFTA methodology, the penalty drops from approximately 16 percent to 0.8 percent,...

Think the recent wave of immigrant workers into the building trades is driving down wages for U.S.-born workers?(In the News)
January 1, 2006... Think the recent wave of immigrant workers into the building trades is driving down wages for U.S.-born workers? A study published in the fall by the nonprofit National Bureau of Economic Research suggests this might be so--but only for the 9...

Rhode Island building permits hit a 15-year low in the first three quarters of 2005, reports the Rhode Island Builders Association (RIBA).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Rhode Island building permits hit a 15-year low in the first three quarters of 2005, reports the Rhode Island Builders Association (RIBA). Compared with the same period in 2004, single-family home permits were down 8.8 percent. Hailing back to...

An Alabama circuit court judge ruled that illegal immigrants are eligible for workers' comp benefits.(In the News)
January 1, 2006... An Alabama circuit court judge ruled that illegal immigrants are eligible for workers' comp benefits. The October decision followed on the heels of a similar ruling in California (In the News, 12/05). According to the Associated Press, the...

Mortgage investor Freddie Mac will fund $1 billion of below-market-rate mortgages for the purchase or repair of homes in federally designated Hurricane Katrina disaster areas.(In the News)
January 1, 2006... Mortgage investor Freddie Mac will fund $1 billion of below-market-rate mortgages for the purchase or repair of homes in federally designated Hurricane Katrina disaster areas. Qualified borrowers may also use the loans to buy a home elsewhere...

How many houses does a big builder build?(In the News)
January 1, 2006... How many houses does a big builder build? D.R. Horton announced that it sold more than 50,000 homes for a profit of $1.5 billion in the past fiscal year, setting new records in the residential building industry.

California comp system harmful to workers, say doctors.(In the News)
January 1, 2006... Since 2003, when California enacted a series of reforms as part of an effort to overhaul its workers' comp system, the state's premiums have decreased by 26 percent. At the same time, says state insurance commissioner John Garamendi, insurers...

Big builders sell big-name lifestyles.(In the News)
January 1, 2006... Sony. Levi Strauss. General Electric. Gap. You'd have to live in a cave on an island in the middle of the sea not to be familiar with those brands. Instantly recognizable, they've become part of our everyday speech, along with the names of...

Lots of companies give away pencils printed with the company's name--some even give away coffee mugs.(In the News)
January 1, 2006... Lots of companies give away pencils printed with the company's name--some even give away coffee mugs. But Home Depot wasn't giving anything away in November when Lawrence, Mass., carpenter Michael Panorelli accidentally left the giant chain's...

Armed with a video camera, Washington, Mo., police staked out a parking lot at Lowe's Home Improvement Center after receiving several reports of tool theft, The Missourian reported recently.(In the News)
January 1, 2006... Armed with a video camera, Washington, Mo., police staked out a parking lot at Lowe's Home Improvement Center after receiving several reports of tool theft, The Missourian reported recently. In the resulting video, one person in particular...

Ohio has temporarily put the kibosh on any use of eminent domain for the purpose of economic development.(In the News)
January 1, 2006... Ohio has temporarily put the kibosh on any use of eminent domain for the purpose of economic development. On November 16, Governor Bob Taft endorsed the measure, which also sets up a task force to study the issue. The moratorium runs out on...

The walls had ears--and four paws and a tail--in Emily Vano's new Louisburg, Kan., home.(In the News)
January 1, 2006... The walls had ears--and four paws and a tail--in Emily Vano's new Louisburg, Kan., home. After Vano and some workers heard noises near the bathtub, the workers opened up a wall and found a cat, frightened but alive. The builder guessed that the...

Prices up for PVC, asphalt, insulation.(In the News)
January 1, 2006... The prices of many construction materials experienced double-digit inflation in 2004 and 2005, concludes a recent report from the Associated General Contractors of America. In the association's "Construction Inflation Alert," AGC chief...

Ramping up cordless-tool voltage.(In the News)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Though it's better known in the cellular phone and laptop worlds, lithium-ion technology is opening up new possibilities for cordless power tools. About a year ago, Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp. introduced a line of 28-volt cordless tools...

Q. Drip-edge and roofing membranes.(Q&A)
January 1, 2006... When using peel-and-stick roofing membranes, does it matter if the membrane goes under rather than over the metal drip edge at the eaves? In my work as a home inspector, I've noticed that these membranes get installed both ways, and that even...

Q. Fasteners for ACQ plates.(Q&A)
January 1, 2006... What type of gun nails should you use with ACQ plates and mudsills? Is it necessary to use stainless steel and then switch back to regular nails for regular lumber? A. Tim Uhler, a lead framer for Pioneer Builders in Port Orchard, Wash.,...

Q. Sealers for porch floors.(Q&A)
January 1, 2006... We just installed a T&G fir floor on a covered porch that the customer plans to have painted in the spring. I would prefer to at least seal the wood against the weather until the painter has a chance to prime and top-coat the floor. Do you have...

Jig for fast Jack Miters.(On the Job)
January 1, 2006... Lastspring, as part a of discussion of traditional New England trim in JLC Online's finish-carpentry forum (search on "New England home details"), Jim Chestnut posted a great explanation of the benefits of the traditional jack-mitered beaded...

Remodeling without losing your shirt.(Business)
January 1, 2006... Estimating combines science and art. The science part is straightforward enough: The prints show the square footage or linear footage for some item, so you do a takeoff and that's how much you budget for. The art involves looking at a set...

Caution before cloning.(Business)
January 1, 2006... If your business is like most construction and remodeling companies, it started out small and is growing in response to demand. The first place you will add employees is probably in the field, since your field people actually make you money,...

Flashing an entry door: for doors with applied casings, simple flashings made from self-healing membrane serve the same purpose as fins.
January 1, 2006... There's plenty of material available about how to flash windows and patio doors, but most of it seems to cover flanged units. Nearly every house I build, though, includes at least one "flangeless" unit--typically a standard entrance door with...

Building brick stairs: a long-lasting set of masonry steps starts with a solid base and includes good drainage.
January 1, 2006... Though I was asked only to repair this set of exterior brick stairs, I knew that simply repointing its crumbling mortar joints would be a case of treating the symptom and not the disease. Due to uneven settling, some sections of the brickwork...

Controlling the job with purchase orders: this simple tool can streamline your estimating, purchasing, and job-costing--and boost your bottom line.
January 1, 2006... For its first several years of business, when my remodeling company did only one job at a time, I was able to keep all relevant business data in my head. I could remember which materials had been ordered and which hadn't. And when an invoice...

Trim routers: for light routing, these laminate trimmers do more with less.(Tool Test)
January 1, 2006... Whenyou're working with historic buildings, you've got to be prepared for just about anything. Over the past 150 years, changes in hardware and trim details, along with other product introductions and evolutions (weather-stripping, for...

Supporting a floating stone countertop.(Kitchen & Bath)
January 1, 2006... When I first looked at the plans for this small, upscale bathroom remodel, I knew the L-shaped stone countertop shown in the drawings would be a challenge. It was to run like a narrow shelf the length of the 61-inch-long powder room before...

Temperate tile.(Kitchen & Bath: Floor Warmers)
January 1, 2006... Until now, cold feet were an unavoidable hazard in bathrooms with ceramic- or stone-tile floors. No longer. The Warmly Yours radiant-heating system heats tile floors by electrical resistance and is controlled by a digital 120-volt thermostat...

Plastic fantastic.(Kitchen & Bath: Floor Warmers)
January 1, 2006... This high-tech conductive polymer membrane is suitable for installation under any type of flooring, says the maker. The low-voltage (24-volt) Step Warmfloor automatically spot-regulates in response to the floor's surface temperature. For...

Warm wire.(Kitchen & Bath: Floor Warmers)
January 1, 2006... Embedded in thinset adhesive directly beneath a ceramic or masonry floor, the armored heating-wire elements of the SunTouch floor-heating system generate gentle, uniformly dispersed warmth. Even shower floors can be heated. Mats come in...

Good Hood.(Kitchen & Bath: Cabinets)
January 1, 2006... Encourage your clients to take a mix-and-match approach to their range hood with Yorktowne's Wood Hood program. By combining the unit's three elements--chimney, transition, and mantle--in a variety of shapes and finishes, they can create a...

Cottage class.(Kitchen & Bath: Cabinets)
January 1, 2006... With its clean lines and casual charm, bead-board paneling is one of the most popular classic looks in interior design. HomeCrest's Bayport White series offers a diverse array of semicustom cabinets for kitchens, baths, and other rooms. White...

Smart storage.(Kitchen & Bath: Cabinets)
January 1, 2006... The Diamond Logix collection takes cabinet storage in new directions with clever ideas like the 24-inch Base Pots & Pans Pullout (left), which maximizes useable space and brings order to what is typically a chaotic mess; and the 36-inch...

Wet-stick sealant.(Products: Gutters)
January 1, 2006... A rain gutter that leaks is about as useful as a wooden nickel. Now you can seal even the smallest holes and seams with OSl's new Pro-Series Micro Gutter Sealant. According to the manufacturer, the substance has great stretch and adhesion, and...

Gutter stuffer.(Products: Gutters)
January 1, 2006... Of the dozens of methods I've seen for keeping leaves and other debris out of gutters, the Leaf Defier strikes me as one of the most promising. This UV-stabilized foam insert--treated with a fungicide and biocide to prevent mold, fungus, algae,...

Special K.(Products: Gutters)
January 1, 2006... Got a client who wants K-style gutters in a color other than run-of-the-mill white or brown? Alcoa's DreamColor line of exterior products encompasses some 700 baseline hues--or, if that doesn't do the trick, the company can create a custom...

On tap.(Products: Water Treatment)
January 1, 2006... Providing your customers with quality drinking water could be as easy as installing Delta's Simply PUn Water Filtration System. The company says this sink-mounted dispenser removes a variety of harmful chemicals and contaminants, including...

Drain-free membrane.(Products: Water Treatment)
January 1, 2006... Unlike charcoal or carbon filters, which become increasingly clogged with each glass of water, reverse-osmosis systems use a semipermeable membrane that's continually cleaned as water is forced through it. The problem is that even the most...

Colorful, Compact Softener.(Products: Water Treatment)
January 1, 2006... Water softeners can take up a pretty large chunk of living space. One notable exception is Kinetico's surprisingly small 2020c Compact Water Softener. Besides being the world's littlest softener, it's the only one that uses block salt instead...

Fine finish.(Products: Electrical Devices)
January 1, 2006... If traditional white or ivory outlets just aren't a good match for your customer's granite counter-tops and wood-paneled library, you might suggest the Elements line of Decora electrical devices from Leviton. Made to simulate finishes like...

Safer outlets.(Products: Electrical Devices)
January 1, 2006... The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that about 1,300 children are killed or seriously injured every year when they insert foreign objects into electrical outlets. Pass and Seymour's new line of Tamper-Resistant Decorator...

Trouble-free tails.(Products: Electrical Devices)
January 1, 2006... The best method for wiring a receptacle is to group the wires and run pigtails to the device. That way, even if one of the devices in the series malfunctions, the voltage is maintained down the line. Yet most residential electricians avoid this...

Is that a V28 under the hood?(Toolbox)
January 1, 2006... As a remodeler, I love cordless tools. Not only do they save me set-up time, but I don't have to drag dusty extension cords through somebody's clean house. Plus, the cordless kits allow me to carry three or four tools in a single case. For...

Top shelf.(Toolbox: Stepladders & Accessories)
January 1, 2006... For those times when there's just not enough room on top of a stepladder, a Flip Tray can double the available real estate. Its maker says this folding tool tray holds up to 40 pounds of tools and supplies, and mounts easily on most ladders....

Horse of a different color.(Toolbox: Stepladders & Accessories)
January 1, 2006... When I'm cutting in a top coat at the ceiling, sometimes it seems like I spend more time moving the ladder than painting. This little scaffold-stepladder hybrid could be just what I need. With its 12-inch-by-38-inch walk surface and integral...

Three-legged stepladder.(Toolbox: Stepladders & Accessories)
January 1, 2006... Many serious fall-related injuries involve heights most carpenters wouldn't consider dangerous. Some result from setting up stepladders on uneven surfaces, others from excessive reaching. Both types of accidents could be prevented with a...

Light headed.(Toolbox: Hammers)
January 1, 2006... When I first heard about titanium hammers, I couldn't imagine that such a lightweight material could really pound nails effectively. However, after talking to carpenters who use them, I've changed my mind. At about half the weight of their...

Slide hammer.(Toolbox: Hammers)
January 1, 2006... With Norwolf's Glide Hammer, you can make swinging a sledge easier on your body. Designed with a unique sliding grip that eliminates the need to change hand position midswing, the aluminum-handled hammer is virtually indestructible, says the...

Shock absorber.(Toolbox: Hammers)
January 1, 2006... It's no secret that pounding nails day after day can take a toll on your wrist, elbow, and shoulder. Fuller's new Wavex Hammers promise to minimize the shock waves that go through your arm every time you strike a nail. According to the company,...

Very old growth.(Backfill)
January 1, 2006... Carpenters often lament the scarcity of old-growth wood, which they prize for its dimensional stability and natural rot resistance. Most of the oldest old-growth wood available today is only about 2,000 years old when it's cut. But the...