Room by room
This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Local codes, regulations, and best practices vary by region. Basement flooring must tolerate moisture better than any other flooring in your home. Below-grade spaces are inherently vulnerable to water intrusion and humidity. Flooring materials that
When things go wrong
This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Local codes, regulations, and best practices vary by region. Water is rising in your basement. You’re watching inches accumulate. This is an emergency that has specific things you need to do right now and
Room by room
This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Local codes, regulations, and best practices vary by region. An egress window is a properly sized window that allows safe emergency exit from a basement room. Building codes require them in bedrooms and sleeping spaces
Room by room
This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Local codes, regulations, and best practices vary by region. Attic ventilation prevents moisture damage and extends roof life. An attic without adequate ventilation traps moisture. Roof decking rots. Rafters deteriorate. Insulation loses effectiveness. The roof
Room by room
This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Local codes, regulations, and best practices vary by region. Most attics are used for storage. Holiday decorations, seasonal clothing, rarely-used items, and family keepsakes end up in boxes pushed to the back corners. An attic
Room by room
This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Local codes, regulations, and best practices vary by region. Attic insulation is one of the highest-value home improvements because the attic loses more heat than any other part of the house. Heat rises, and if
New homeowner
This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Local codes, regulations, and best practices vary by region. Your attic is cold in winter and hot in summer. There’s insulation up there, probably. You’ve maybe opened the attic access once and immediately
Tools & skills
This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Local codes, regulations, and best practices vary by region. Helping contractors with unskilled work reduces their labor hours and your bill. Understanding what tasks contractors can direct you to do saves money substantially. Demolition and
Safety & security
This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Local codes, regulations, and best practices vary by region. Asbestos was used in building materials for decades because it’s fireproof and insulating. Homes built before 1980 likely contain asbestos somewhere. Asbestos is dangerous only
Working with pros
This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Local codes, regulations, and best practices vary by region. When you’re planning a home project, you might need more than a contractor. You might need a professional who designs the project, ensures it’s
Home maintenance
This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Local codes, regulations, and best practices vary by region. Your appliances are expensive. Refrigerator, stove, dishwasher, washer, dryer together represent thousands of dollars. When one fails, replacement is real money. But appliances have lifespan. You
When things go wrong
This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Local codes, regulations, and best practices vary by region. Ants showed up in your house. You see them marching across the kitchen counter in a line, or you notice trails along baseboards. They appeared seemingly