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FEMA guidelines released in April recommend that houses in New Orleans be built at least three feet off the ground. It was a contentious decision. Some criticized it as being cost-prohibitive, while others pointed out that flood waters reached much higher than that during Katrina.
In a major windstorm, such as a hurricane or a tornado, it's the windows and doors that usually hold a house together. “Once you breach the envelope, the air rushing in pressurizes the building just like blowing up a balloon,” explains Scott Schiff, civil engineering professor and director of...
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After a quick glance at the high-rise office buildings and road projects, the prevailing wage and bonding requirements, the copious codes, and the penalty clauses common to commercial building, the prospect of applying anything useful from the non-residential sector to a residential remodeling...
The Powerbolt 1000 electronic deadbolt runs on four alkaline batteries. It retains the memory of security codes during power outages and allows the use of secondary codes for guests.
Like many old homes, the back stairs in the 1800s farmhouse in The Plains, Va., being renovated by architect Anthony Barnes, Barnes Vanze Architects, Washington, D.C., had small winders, which, while efficient, were neither safe to use nor up to code.
Sunroom, solarium, patio cover, porch enclosure, garden room, country room, three-season room, all-season room, conservatory. These are among the many names given to the glassed-in additions that have become popular remodeling accessories. Typically, these structures are discrete units consisting...
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So much about selecting a good window comes down to the warranty,” says Chris Mathis, of MC Squared, a building-science consulting company based in Asheville, N.C. Mathis focuses on windows, doors, and skylights, serves on the ASHRAE and ASTM code committees as well as the International Energy...
Every re-roof requires a close inspection of the substrate. Incidental roof leaks, particularly ones that go unnoticed, can delaminate plywood sheathing or cause OSB to swell. The worst cases result in patches of rot.
It is common building practice to use flashing to keep moisture from getting between the house and the ledger. The Uniform Building Code requires flashing, and many contractors meet the requirement by installing an L-shaped piece of metal. The horizontal leg covers the top of the ledger and the...
Remodeling in Florida means complying with the strictest codes in the country for wind-borne debris and wind loading. Ben De Prenger of John Kiernan Construction has no worries about compliance because he installs PGT's WinGuard impact-resistant windows.