Campbell
General Carpentry, Inc
Serving the Hudson Valley
Phone : 845 246-5431
Fax : 845 247-0247
E-mail: Camp27@aol.com
Home Repair Articles
Drywall Decisions
If you have ever gone to a home center you would think sheetrock came in 4' by 8'-ft panels, 1/2" thick. But drywall is also available in longer sheets and different thicknesses, and you can get special panels designed for ceiling, curves, cover-ups and firewalls. Choosing the right panel not only will make your building or remodeling project go more smoothly, it also can result in a better quality job. Use the following chart to make your decision on the right panel.
| Type | Grade | Description | Application | Dimensions |
| Type III Wallboard |
R-Grade, regular core |
Standard and most widely used; fire-resistant |
Most wall and ceilings; 3/8" for repair and over existing surfaces; 1/4" for curved walls; 54" wide for 9' ceilings | 1/4", 3/8, 1/2" 5/8" all 4ft wide. And 1/2" by 54" wide. |
| """""""""" | X-Grade fire-resistant core, aka. "type X" | Highly fire-resistant; also available in more fire-resistive grades in 1/2" and 5/8" sizes | Garage/living space wall; tuck-under garage ceiling; furnace room; on basement ceilings over fuel burning appliances; over wall containing foam insulation. | 5/8" by 4ft wide. |
| """""""""" | High abuse | Core additives reduce indentation and penetration; heavier face paper and stronger backer paper | Mud rooms, garages or other areas subject to abuse impact. | 5/8" by 4ft wide. |
| """""""""" | R-Regular-core ceiling panels | High strength to resist sagging; weighs less and costs less than 5/8" panel | Ceilings, especially with 24" OC joist below insulated attics or with acrylic textured finish. | 1/2" by 4ft wide. |
| """""""""" | Flexible | 1/4" panel. Bends to fit tight curves without wetting; usually two layers. | Ideal anywhere a tight radius is required for walls, archways and or stairways. | 1/4" by 4ft wide. |
| Type VIII Water-resistant Backing Board | R-Regular, W-Water-resistant, X fire-resistant cores; a green board, aka,WR (water-resistant), MR (moisture-resistant) |
Water-resistant core, facing and backing; approved for wet areas | Base for tiled walls in kitchens and baths; not recommended for ceilings with framing spacing over 16" OC. | 1/2" by 4ft and 5/8" by 4ft. |
| """"""""""" | Dens-Shield (Georgia Pacific) | Glass matt gypsum substrate for tile. | Superior tile backer for wet areas such as tub and shower walls, bath and laundry floors. | 1/2" by 3'-5' 1/2" by 32"-5' 1/2" by 4'-8' |
Home of the Future
Interaction and integration of TV and computers will soon be common, and consumers will want to network their computers with their TV and access video and data from multiple sources.
I believe most people can only imagine what the Digital Home of the Future will really be like. The challenge for builders today is to prewire the homes they build or remodel now to accommodate the needs of consumers today, but make sure they have the right wiring infrastructure in place for tomorrow. These homes need to be wired so consumers have the option to add the new video and telecommunication products coming as early as this fall. American Digital Systems has developed a Digital Home of the Future wiring concept that will give new home owners the piece of mind that their new home is truly wired for future video and communications products.
This is not complicated. Just follow these basic rules:
1. Make sure you Home Run Wire (wire from every outlet runs back to a central location) high-grade R6-G coaxial cable to every outlet in the home. A single run will work in most cased; however, American Digital Systems recommends running a dual wire for future expansion. (Cable is the least expensive part of the prewire.)
2. Make sure you use Category-5 telephone cable (with 4 twisted pair in each cable) throughout the home. This, too, should be home run to a central location. American Digital Systems also recommends you run Cat-5 phone cable to all video outlets also, because most new video products, like satellite TV and WEB TV, require video and phone connections.
3. Install dual in-wall boxes at all TV outlets so wall plates can include both TV, phone, and computer connects at each location.
These are just a few of the recommendations American Digital System has for wiring new homes for the digital future.
It's cold outside...
Your heating equipment is the workhorse of your home's indoor climate system. To achieve the best possible comfort at the most reasonable cost, you should invest in the highest efficiency equipment for your climate and utility costs. Even the least efficient equipment available today is more efficient than models sold over 10 years ago.
High efficiency equipment will provide personal comfort every day and it will typically pay for itself in energy savings in just a few years.
Here are some guidelines to help you know what manufactures mean by the most common heating/ cooling equipment designations:
--"high efficiency" means 90% A.F.U.E. or higher
--"mid range" equipment delivers 80-89%
--"standard" equipment delivers 71-79% efficiency
For example, an 80% A.F.U.E rating means that 80% of the fuel is used for heating the home. The remaining 20% is wasted and goes up the chimney.
For air conditioners or heat pumps-seasonal energy efficiency ratio (S.E.E.R.) designations are:
--High efficiency 10.0+
--Mid range 8.0-9.0
--Standard less than 8.0
S.E.E.R. is the "miles per gallon" measurement for your air conditioner or heat pump. The higher the number, the greater the efficiency and the more energy you'll save.
Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF) is the heating efficiency measurement for heat pumps. The ratio compares the amount of heat output to the input energy required to produce it. So the higher the number the better. The HSPF ratings range from 5.5 to 7.5 with the average around 6.84
Radon
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Office of the Surgeon General, all homes should be tested for radon. Health effects from radon exposure are not immediate but are severe. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer.
Test your home for radon by either using a home owners test kit, or hire a professional to take the measurement. Radon levels can be reduced to below 4pCi/L for a cost ranging from $300 to $2500 depending on the shape of the house and the choice of radon reduction methods.
Radon can seep into a home through:
-dirt floors or cracks in concrete floors and walls
-cracks and pores in hollow masonry block walls
-sumps pumps and floor drains
-openings around plumbing and utility pipes
-well water, especially if used for washing and showering
What is the best way to reduce radon in a home?
There are many effective ways to reduce radon in your home: The
use of caulking and special well and sump pump covers. The EPA recommends
methods that prevent the entry of radon. Sealing cracks and other openings
in the foundation is key to reducing radon flow into you home.
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