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HVAC Ducting Best Practice
My company does about half our work in new construction and half in whole house remodels. If you were to blindfold me and take me into a house that has the drywall removed, I could tell you the decade...
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Smart Building Design For Hot/Humid Climates Part 1 of 2
If you've never heard Architect Peter Pfeiffer speak about green building and designing a home for our hot Austin, TX climate then you're in for a treat. I first met Peter 9 years ago at a Building...
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Wood Siding Installation - Best Practice
My company is doing a very cool renovation & addition project to a 1935 house in Historic Clarksville which is a downtown neighborhood in Austin, TX. The architect is Hugh Jefferson Randolph....
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Rainscreen Installation Details
In my last post I showed some video footage of this rainscreen installation, but I've gotten a few requests for some detail shots. If you've never seen this method of siding installation there are...
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OSB vs. Plywood Sheathing
When you frame a house, the 2x4 studs provide tremendous strength to the forces pulling straight down on the house, but the structural sheathing used on the outside is what resists the racking forces...
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Understanding Vapor Drive in Reservoir Claddings (Stone & Brick)
This topic is one that I've only recently understood fully how it affects houses over the decades, and it just so happens that I'm remodeling a house that's about 50 years old with a stone veneer...
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Soundproofing Cheap Tricks
I've talked a lot about sound proofing on my blog (and video's) and it's always a popular topic. Here's a few links to videos of my use of Quiet Rock and Green Glue and a post-install test of Quiet...
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Dehumidifier Retrofit - HVAC + D
I attended a great building science seminar yesterday where the speaker talked about "HVAC + D". He was referring to the need for supplemental dehumidification in high performing houses in our...
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Humidity Controlling Thermostats
I'm going to be straightforward with you, I don't like Thermostats that control humidity. (Unless they are connected to a stand-alone dehumidifier) Yes, these Thermostats will add a some level of...
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Sikkens Cetol 123 Review: Details for a Long Lasting Wood Siding Install
This 800 sf foot guest house was designed by Architects Rick and Cindy Black. I was back there yesterday doing a one year follow up service, and I was struck by how amazing the Douglas Fir siding...
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Building A Modern Craftsman Staircase
What is Craftsmanship? My definition: "Precision Carpentry that leads to crisp details, and a visible sense of Pride from the completed work." I just made that up, but it sounds pretty good, eh?...
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Mark LaLiberte - Why we love wood framing
I came across this video series and wanted to share it with my blog followers. I consider Mark one of my heroes in this world. I first heard him speak about 10 years ago when I was working in...
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Aprilaire Media Air Cleaner Review Model 2410/2310/2210
I've been using this Aprilaire 2000 series Media Air cleaners for the past 8 years in all the HVAC systems my company installs and I really like this model. It's an ideal balance between price and...
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"I can't install this" - Poka Yoka (mistake proofing) on my job site
My college degree is in Industrial Management, and a good portion of my studies were about Japanese Management Techniques. In the 1960's Toyota had a very astute Industrial Engineer named Shigeo...
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Termite Control without Chemicals
When I started in the construction industry in 1995 the national builder I was working for taught me that Termite control involved dumping 100-200 gallons of termite control chemicals on the ground...
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Insulated Headers Using TimberStrand LSL Engineered Lumber
I've become a big fan of TimberStrand LSL Headers over the past few years. These engineered lumber headers replace the typical sandwich of 2x10's with 1/2" plywood in between, and if you're framing...
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"Instant Hot Water" - Without Dumping Cold - Metlund D'Mand Circ Pump
Have you ever waited for the water to get hot at your faucet and thought about how much water you're wasting? I have a Gas Tankless Water Heater but it's located on the opposite side of my house...
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Fluid Applied Tyvek Saves A Botched Recessed Window Install
I'm building a new house with Dick Clark Architects and it generally has pretty standard Tyvek weatherization details. We're using DuPont Tyvek Drainwrap along with DuPont FlexWrap for sills, and...
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Recessed Window Flashing Details Video
I posted the pictures of the recessed window install, but I also took some video of the process. Enjoy. Matt
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