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It's not secret that insulation improves energy efficiency and keeps your home more comfortable, but insulation that interferes with attic ventilation can cause more harm than good. Insulation baffles, which are also known as rafter vents, allow fresh air to enter the attic through the soffit vents to prevent problems with moisture, heat and ice dams.
Every home comes with its share of problems. Even new homes can have things that need to be repaired or replaced. Whether it’s due to age, poor construction or weather damage, major house problems can cause you major headaches. It’s important to be prepared, and have the knowledge you need to assess and fix the problem as quickly and inexpensively as possible.
Vents are essential components of plumbing waste systems, with most houses having a main vent stack that extends through the roof. When adding new fixtures, the usual procedure is to connect the vents for their drain lines to the main stack, but that isn't always practical. When it isn't, an alternative may be to run the vent through a wall. The plumbing code allows this, as long as you maintain the required clearances.
The roofs of Victorian houses differ from their modern counterparts in that the gutters are fixed to the edge of the upper roof surface, rather than hanging beneath. Usually made of wood, these gutters will rot over time if not properly sealed. If the gutters of your old house are in this unfortunate condition, fix them yourself using the most basic of tools and materials and in much the same way the original was constructed a century ago.
After parking in direct sunlight for an hour or so, the underside of a car’s roof becomes extremely hot. This causes the contact adhesive between the foam-backed roof liner material and the headliner board to deteriorate. If your car’s roof liner starts sagging, the manufacturer probably saved a few cents by using a standard product, instead of a high-temperature contact adhesive. When this happens, you can remove the roof liner panel and replace the material yourself, instead of taking the car to a trim shop.
Though typically sloped or flat, most roofs are made up of planes and angles. Straight lines, however, are not the only option. Decorative details, such as eyebrow windows are a feature of many cottage-style historic homes and conical, curved roofs cover turret features in older and modern homes. Barrel roofs, domes and half-circle roofs are options as well. These tend to be more resistant to leaks than flat roofs, as well as withstanding high winds and harsh rain. To cover the roof, shingles are attractive and easy to install. Modern asphalt shingles are flexible so can be installed on any…
Tiles are one of the most common forms of roofing material. Typically made of clay, they provide an interlocking pattern of coverage. S-tiles give a decorative edging to the roof. They are a common feature in architecture in Mediterranean countries. With the right preparation, roof tiles are relatively easy to install.
Roof vents are designed to extract air from inside the roof voids of buildings. Vents intended for this purpose, such as those sold at hardware stores and home improvement warehouses, are sized only to recover enough energy from the wind to extract that hot, stale air. The electricity such vents could generate would be extremely small. Larger mechanical vents are able to harness more air movement, and therefore can turn larger roof vent generators.
Properly insulated roof eaves can help reduce energy bills and increase comfort in the home. Eaves left exposed on the outside are vulnerable to extreme heat during the summer and extreme cold in the winter. To properly insulate eaves, you must ensure that vents along their underside are clear and able to ventilate the attic effectively. Provide a 1-inch gap between the ceiling at the eaves and insulation for improved air flow.
A roof vent is an important part of your plumbing system; if it is clogged, the fixtures that are connected to it won’t work. This means that toilets won’t flush, sinks won’t drain or the washer won’t empty. To correct the problem, you must clean the roof vent, which may be clogged with twigs, leaves or other debris. A MiniRooter uses an electric motor to spin a cable with a cutting device attached that will clear virtually anything it encounters.
Building a shed is as complex as building a house. You could call a storage shed a storage house, especially if it has a house-style roof with storage space in a sort of attic. You could make it even more of a storage house by insulating the walls and roof. The best roof style for a storage house is a steeper pitch, with roof joists under the rafters to support some flooring and provide space for storage inside the rafters, much like in a house attic.
Flashing is the galvanized steel or aluminum trim installed on the eaves, skylights, dormer windows, valley and joints of your flat roof and helps prevent water from seeping into the home and causing potential damage. Regular wear or weather damage creates small holes in the flashing that can lead to roof leaks and interior water damage. Removing the entire flashing piece isn’t necessary to repair a small hole or crack. Measure and cover the hole with a chunk of aluminum or galvanized steel to create a water-tight, inexpensive repair.
Gables provide homes with a decorative look, but they also serve a functional purpose by enclosing the space under the two sloped sides of a roof. The term "gable" is generally used in reference to the entire triangular area directly under these parts of the roof. In some cases, it is feasible to build a gable that is curved, rather than straight. The trick is making the gable look like it fits with the home's architecture.
Quonset huts are rounded, prefabricated metal structures that are often used as storage facilities. The hut is based on the British Nissen hut that was mass-produced during World War I. Today’s structures are durable but not entirely impervious to damage, which can cause water leakage. You can repair your Quonset hut’s corrugated metal roof with a metal patch. You will need to clean and prepare the metal roof properly to ensure an effective patch repair and use butyl tape to compensate for the roof's curve.
Underneath clay roof tiles are a type of roof underlay. The underlay protects the roof sheathing from moisture, and it is a critical aspect of the roof construction. Over time, the underlay might become damaged or deteriorate to a point that allows water to seep through. This can damage roof components such as plywood sheathing, trusses or even the structure's walls. You'll need to remove the roof's clay tiles and wood battens before replacing the underlay.
The vent pipes appearing along roof surfaces allow hot air to escape from a home’s attic space. And while vent pipes provide ventilation for attic enclosures, damaged or deteriorated pipe materials can quickly become a source for roof leaks. Vent-pipe structures consist of a metal pipe and an outer flashing piece, or pipe boot. Installing a lead flashing boot involves ensuring the roof’s shingles form a tight seal with the vent-pipe flashing.
A roof jack is a water penetration shield that fits over vent pipes and other protrusions through a flat gravel roof. Roof jack flashing seals to the protruding pipe and to the roofing material to prevent water leaks around the protrusion. A roof jack resembles a truncated cone with a metal flange around the bottom. Installing a roof jack on a tar-and-gravel roof requires that you follow specific procedures.
Gerard metal roofs have shingles to protect them from the elements. Over time, a shingle may show signs of damage or become loose and you may need to replace it. Single shingle removal and replacement takes only minutes and requires only minor tools. It is important to replace damaged or loose shingles to prevent damage to your metal roof.
Roof rafters often require miter cuts, cuts at an angle other than 90 degrees. Occasionally a rafter needs two miter cuts, called a compound cut. The top end of a hip rafter rests against both the ridge board and a long common rafter. To fit comfortably between these two framing members, the hip rafter needs a miter cut on both sides of the board. Making these types of cuts involves some mathematical calculation but nothing especially complicated.
Skylights installed in a flat roof typically shine directly into the room below. Skylights in a gable roof shine into an attic, which is fine if the attic is a finished room. If you have an unfinished attic and want the light to reach the room under the attic, you’ll need to build a light shaft connecting your roof opening to a ceiling opening into the room below the attic.
Butyl tape, a rubber adhesive strip, is specially designed for work on metal. The product's built-in weather- and ultraviolet ray-resist properties make it ideal for outdoor surfaces, such as roofing and wall panels. Manufacturers offer the sealant strip in various sizes. Butyl tape can provide an adequate seal when it is used in the appropriate size for the metal roofing job.
Releading a chimney, better known as flashing or re-flashing, is the process of applying new sheet lead to the join between the chimney and the roof. This process must be repeated as a part of regular maintenance. Without quality flashing, water can enter this space and cause rot, mold growth and ceiling leaks that could lead to costly repair bills. To relead your chimney, you'll need a few specific tools and a little bit of construction experience, but the process itself is relatively simple.
A carport with an awning keeps snow and rain off your car while also shielding it from the sun. Carports are much simpler structures than enclosed garages. However, they still will require repairs if damaged during severe weather, or hit while you're driving in or out of the carport. Carport awning posts are replaceable regardless of whether they're made of metal, wood or plastic. However, you'll need to purchase an identical post to replace the damaged one to avoid the need for further modifications to your carport.
Using hot asphalt on a roof is commonly used on a build-up roof, or BUR. Built-up roofs are typically used on roofs that have a flat surface and are commonly found on commercial buildings. The built-up roof is composed of layers consisting of the rooftop, a layer of tar, roofing felt, and gravel top. The gravel top helps prevent the breakdown of the asphalt by reflecting the sun’s rays and helping to evaporate water that has accumulated on the roof.
Architectural brackets, the decorative millwork often seen under the eaves of homes, give compelling visual interest to an otherwise overlooked area of the house exterior. Manufacturers make a wide variety of shapes and sizes of brackets that make choosing a style appropriate for your home a relatively simple task. Although you can hire a professional to install them, putting brackets on a home is a straightforward task, well within the skill range of the typical do-it-yourself homeowner.
Unfortunately, it's not safe to replace your roof if it's raining. Even going up on your roof to look at the damage is too dangerous during a rainstorm because the roof will be slippery, debris could get in your way and of course, lightening and wind could be a serious hazard. However, you can tarp your roof during a break in the rain. The tarp will protect your roof temporarily; and when you anticipate a longer break in the rain, then you can re-roof.
Metal roofing is a green alternative to traditional asphalt roofing. Not only does it outlast most asphalt roofs by decades, it can be recycled when it is finally replaced. Gone are the days when metal roofing was a cheap solution for barns, came in only one color, and had exposed fasteners. Today's standing-seam metal roofs have elegant powder finishes and often can be installed with metal clips that are hidden within the roofing seams instead of nails.
Wooden decks are generally constructed of boards with narrow gaps between them, designed to allow rainwater to leak through. This method prevents standing water from rotting the wood, but it also means that a second-story deck makes for poor shelter during a rainstorm. If you want to be able to use the space under your deck during rainy weather, installing corrugated roofing panels to the deck's underside can solve the problem.
A cloth awning or sunshade that is not designed around a solid framework of metal or PVC piping relies on tension to give it shape. This type of awning, usually referred to as a sail shade, is stretched taut between a structure on one side and poles or posts on the other, or just between three or four posts, depending on its shape. To better maintain its shape, sail shades often have cording, or thin stainless steel cables sewn into the pocket created by hemming the shade's edges. If a cable or cord snaps, you need to restring the awning.
GAF Mineral Guard roll roofing is suitable for use on roofs that have a low slope, where shingles may not be practical. There is no special knowledge required to complete the project; the average do-it-yourselfer can install the roofing using some basic tools. You can install GAF roll roofing over the existing roofing material; however, in the case of a leaking roof you should remove the old roofing material in order to inspect the sheathing and trusses for water damage and rot.
An aluminum awning provides more than just an attractive feature on your house; it also helps moderate your home’s temperature. An inexpensive way to improve an awning’s insulating properties is to install rigid foam boards on the unit’s underside. Foam boards are available at home improvement stores and can be cut at home and installed without the need for expensive tools or equipment. Turn your awning from a decorative element to an energy-saving tool with rigid foam board insulation.
Your roof may see every type of weather and temperature change from direct sunlight to an extreme blizzard. Depending on the type of roof that you have, you may have flange nuts with cotter pins that hold bolts in place along the rooftop. Over time, through various weather conditions and aging, you may need to replace the flange nuts and cotter pins due to rust or as a preventative measure. The removal and installation process will only take a minute or two for each flange nut and cotter pin.
The first Airstream trailer was built in 1929, when Wally Byam built a platform on a Model T Ford chassis. The brand has advanced to include modern amenities such as refrigerators and electric stoves in addition to air conditioning. Installing a roof-top air-conditioning unit on your Airstream trailer allows you to control the climate inside the trailer, making traveling much more comfortable. There are various AC models to use, but installation is basically the same with all models. Basic knowledge of electrical systems is required to ensure proper installation and safety.
Slate roofs are designed to last for 100 or 200 years without needing to be replaced. Unlike an asphalt shingle roof, which may require a partial or complete tear-down when undergoing repairs, typical slate roof repairs often involve replacing only one or two broken slates at a time. You'll use special tools to remove the broken slates, and install hooks to hang the new slates. Then hang a new slate on the hanger.
Radiant barrier is a foil-backed paper or plastic installed to keep heat from penetrating into a home through the roof. It can be installed anywhere from over the roof sheathing to the attic floor insulation to help lessen the transfer of heat from the roof to the interior of the home. Some roofers, both DIYers and professionals, mistakenly sandwich radiant barrier between shingles and roof sheathing, either under or in lieu of roofing felt. Without an air gap between the radiant barrier and the shingles or other surface, the barrier is ineffective and can even damage the roof. Homeowners with…
When a roof leaks, a homeowner's thoughts may instantly turn to damaged shingles or flashing, but these are not the only potential culprits. A roof is pierced in a number of places for the sake of ventilating the attic space as well as waste stacks. Waste stack vents are the pipes that stick up from the roof and are sealed to the roof with a rubber gasket mounted on a metal plate, called a boot or a collar, at the base of the pipe. After years of exposure to sun and rain, the rubber can rot and crack, allowing water…
Ice belts are used on house roofs in colder climates to help prevent roof leaks and water damage. During cold weather, ice dams can form on the edges of roofs, trapping standing water. The standing water can seep beneath roof materials, such as shingles, and into the house. Metal ice belts installed on the edge of the roof solve this problem by preventing ice and snow buildup. You can add a decorative touch to your ice belt by installing metal seam-type plates.
Metal is a simple, inexpensive material to use as a roof covering. But metal has poor thermal insulation, so an uninsulated metal roof would leave the building within uncomfortably hot during the summer and cold during the winter. Insulation can be a sound barrier, too, as well as a means of dispersing condensation that can form on the underside of a metal roof due to the rise and fall of temperatures as well as to humidity and to other factors. Spray foam insulation made from closed-cell urethane can help you conserve energy, maintain a constant temperature within a building, and…
Many homeowners enjoy the idea of placing skylights in the roof, but are concerned about leakage. The skylight openings allow natural light to permeate an inside space so that electricity is saved on sunny days. Flat roofs offer a challenge to skylight installation; the level surface can succumb to puddles after a rain that can make leakage possibilities worse. However, proper construction techniques while installing skylights on a flat roof will prevent any water leaks and provide beautiful sun rays to enter the home.
A loft is space inside the roof rafters of a house or cabin that is open, but not finished with walls to make a room. Lofts are often used for storage or for extra sleeping areas. Children are often assigned to sleep in lofts, while adults occupy bedrooms on the main floor. A loft must have a steep enough roof pitch so the rafters do not interfere with its use, but this varies with the width of the cabin. A cabin may need a steeper pitch or slope to provide comfortable space in the loft.
Trussed roofs are one of the most common types of roofing structures. A series of trusses are built in parallel to form the peak and pitch of the rooftop of a home. Wearing of the roof, roof leaks, excessive heat in the attic and vermin all contribute to problems with the trusses. A prompt truss roof repair will restore integrity and function to the roof.
Homemade awnings are an easy do-it-yourself project that requires only a few items such as canvas fabric. However, these types of awnings cannot withstand high winds and end up either on the ground or ripped to shreds. Fortunately, you can build your own cheap and durable awning that will stand strong during high wind and storms by using inexpensive products you can find at your local home improvement stores.
Replacing tar and gravel with composite roofing is a matter of removing the tar and gravel and installing composite roof shingles. Keep in mind the pitch, or roof slope, requirements of each material before attempting to replace a tar and gravel roof with composite shingles. A shingle roof generally needs a surface that slopes at least 1 inch vertically for every 6 horizontal inches, while tar and gravel is a material suited to relatively flat roofs. Check your roof pitch and composite roofing pitch requirements before beginning the removal process.
Every kind of roof needs some sort of frame to provide support and to attach it to the walls of the structure it covers. Metal roofs, which are made of overlapping corrugated metal panels, typically have wooden frames. A metal roof is highly durable, making it an appealing choice for sheds and other practical structures. Metal roofing is also an option for homes and garages when their design accommodates metal's modern, industrial appearance. Building a frame for a metal roof involves determining the roof's weight and installing enough structural lumber to support it for the life of the roof.
Roofing installation is a process of layering. This process is compounded when cedar shakes are used to cover the surface. A three-ply cedar shake roof combines the traditional layers of wood, flashing and felt with three complete layers of cedar shakes. These multiple layers take a bit more time to install, but once in place they will provide superior, long-lasting protection to the building while giving it a whole new look.
A dormer vent does not refer to a vent placed on a dormer, but to a roof vent shaped like a dormer. Roof vents play an important role in keeping your attic properly heated and cooled during the year. Vents help keep the home from overheating during the summer and prevent warm air from causing ice dams in the winter. The International Residential Code, or IRC, the main body responsible for residential home building rules, has set certain standards for roof venting. Homeowners planning to install dormer vents need to be aware of these important regulations.
Most houses are roofed with three-tab asphalt shingles, which generally have a lifetime of 15 to 25 years. It is possible to build a 50-year roof, however, with the proper materials and careful installation. The major decision in building a 50-year roof is the type of covering. All 50-year roofs must have solid framing, the proper kind of decking or sheathing and a strong, long-lasting waterproof membrane or underlayment. These underpinnings are vital to the life of any roof; if the underlayment fails, the roof covering will also eventually fail. Asphalt, slate, tile or metal are the basic 50-year materials.
The roof flange surrounds a mast to keep water from seeping in under the roof. A flange made to fit around a mast on a roof is needed to create a proper seal. These are available at home improvement stores. The flange should be installed before the mast for the most secure fit. Using this method leaves the doughnut-shaped flange intact, and the mast is inserted up into the roof through the flange.
Two types of cedar are used for shingles, western red and eastern white. The main difference is the color, although both left unstained will eventually fade to a gray. Both are long-lasting wood, resistant to most insects and decay. Cedar shingles are sawed into regular shapes, generally tapered with a thinner top edge, with a smooth surface. Shakes are another style, usually split rather than sawed, with a rough exterior surface. Either style works for roofing and siding. You can apply cedar shingles over most types of house siding without removing the old material.
Hips roof differ from gable roofs in that all sides run from a central point down to the tops of the walls. With a gable roof, only the front and back of the roof connect connect to the walls in this way. Measuring the amount of square feet in the typical hip roof is not difficult once you know the correct formula. You do not need to know the dimensions of any framing members, such as the rafters. You can break the sections of the roof into geometric shapes and then multiply the height times the width of each section.
