Home Things

It happens to countless homeowners around the end of the year - you make the annual visit to your attic to collect the holiday decorations and what do you find? Spots and blotches covering the bottom of the roof sheathing.

Worse yet - it turns out to be attic mold!

What does energy conservation have to do with mold in the attic? Well if you take a step back and consider how the house behaves as system, they are often directly related.

Building science experts have long been using the “house as a system” approach to diagnose the cause and origin of building defects.

For example, ice dams. These are often caused by warm air seeping into the attic which causes the snow and ice on the roof to melt. The water drains to the edge of the roof (which is colder than the rest of the roof because it is an overhang and not warmed by the attic), freezes and creates an ice dam. As this process is repeated daily, the ice dam grows larger. Eventually water is forced under a shingle where it can seep into the house.

Understanding how the house behaves as a system and the various causes and effects is necessary to diagnose most building related problems.

But how about that attic mold? How did it get there?

Mold requires chronic moisture to form and to thrive, so source(s) of moisture must be present. Possibly the moisture came from outdoors. The roof is newer and a quick check of the roof shows no obvious damage or leaks.

Possibly the moisture came from indoors. During the heating season, the interior of the house frequently has high moisture levels, especially bathrooms and kitchens. A quick check shows that all bathroom fans, kitchen vents, etc. are properly ducted completely outdoors and not into the attic. The amount of insulation looks good and the attic is well ventilated.

Don’t give up - you are almost there! Remember the house as a system? You know that warm, moist air is in the house, but how is it getting into the attic?

By air leaks! Air leaks are the leading source of energy loss in most houses, and a frequent source of chronic moisture that can cause attic mold.

Most homeowners are well aware of air leaks around windows and doors (especially old ones), but many overlook the numerous gaps leading directly into the attic!

Have a look around the attic and you may find large gaps around recessed lights and fans, holes where wires or pipes are installed, even large gaps around the chimney.

And don’t overlook the whole house fan and especially the folding attic stair - a big, uninsulated hole in your ceiling that is often overlooked!

These gaps can add up to a large hole that allows warm, moist air from the house to flow right into the cold attic. The warm moist air condenses on the cold roof sheathing, creating chronically damp conditions that can lead to attic mold growth. And the energy loss - it can be like leaving a window
open all winter long!

Seal these air leaks and you stop a significant moisture source. And just think of all the energy you can save and the cold drafts you can stop!

Mark D. Tyrol is a Professional Engineer specializing in cause and origin of construction defects. He developed several residential energy conservation products including an attic stair cover and a fireplace draftstopper. To learn more visit http://www.batticdoor.com

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If you are working on a home improvement project and need to know how to tape drywall you have come to the right place. This article will feature instructions on taping drywall so the do-it-yourselfer can complete home improvement projects involving this process. Knowing how to tape drywall properly is not a difficult process to learn.

All you need are the proper tools and techniques to get the job done. Although the process of taping drywall is not difficult, it is, however, a time consuming and detailed process. Taping the drywall seams can take three times as long as it takes to hang the drywall in some cases.

Understanding how to tape drywall is so important because without completing this process correctly the room may have an unattractive and unprofessional look. This article will include instructions for how to complete this project but if after reading the article, you are not feeling confident about this project it might be wise to consider hiring a professional drywall finishing crew. Their highly specialized skills will enable them to complete the process with a great deal of precision resulting in a room that really looks complete.

The Right Tools for the Job

Knowing how to tape drywall includes understanding that you will need to have the proper tools to complete the job. It is often said that knowing how to do a job and having the tools to do the job is half the battle. It may be possible to complete the project without the right tools but it will likely take significantly longer.

To tape drywall you will need drywall tape, joint compound and an appropriately sized drywall knife. Also, a coarse and fine grit sandpaper will be needed to finish the job. Without these tools and supplies the process will not only be more difficult but may also not end up looking as professional as it would if you used the proper supplies and tools.

Finishing the Drywall

Knowing how to tape drywall involves understanding the entire process involved with finishing the drywall. This is important because failure to understand the entire process may result in a finished product that does not have the appearance of work done by a professional.

The first step in the process involves applying drywall compound on each joint. Three layers of this compound are typically applied. After each layer is applied, the compound is allowed to dry completely and is then sanded before the process is completed. After the third layer of drywall compound has been sanded it is time to tape the joints.

The joints between each sheet of drywall are then taped and filled with drywall compound. Once the tape is applied the drywall compound is smoothed with a caulking knife and the excess compound is removed.

Finally after the drywall compound dries completely it is sanded first with a course grit sandpaper and then with a finer grit sandpaper to create a smooth and polished look. Allow the compound to dry for 24 hours before you begin to sand.

The coarse grit sandpaper should be used to remove large amounts of compound. The finer grit should be used to blend the edges of the compound to the wall to provide a seamless transition. You may have to repeat the process of applying compound and sanding to attain the desired result. Knowing how to tape drywall will provide that professional look to your drywall project.

Visit http://www.onlinetips.org, and read about automatic drywall taping tools and using a drywall lift.

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Hanging drywall is almost an art. Just ask anyone who does it professionally and they’ll tell you that it takes years of practice to do a perfect job. If you’re lucky enough, you might even get a few drywall finishing tips out of the conversation. If not, don’t worry. Here are some drywall finishing tips that everyone can benefit from!

Make Sure You Have Everything Before You Start

Drywall finishing tip #1: You need to have at hand a taping knife spreader, application knife, joint tape, joint compound, bread pan and a corner taping tool.

Get Secure About What You’re Doing

Drywall finishing tip #2: Drywall demands that all your measurements are accurate and that every panel is tightly secured to the supports that it’s nailed to. Could there be anything more embarrassing than to complete a drywall job - only to have it unexpectedly fall down during dinner or entertaining guests?

Make sure that your nails are long enough to keep the panels on their supports. If you’re more comfortable with using screws, then use them instead. You could even use a second set of nails as reinforcement. The important thing as that you feel as secure about your project as they’re secured to its foundation!

Beware A Muddy Mess

Drywall finishing tip #3: When mixing your cement (or mud), strive for a consistency that resembles icing on a cake - not too stiff and not too loose. Essentially, you should be able to scoop some of this mud onto a trowel, hold the trowel upside down, and not lose any of the cement. At the same time, you should also be able to easily apply this cement into drywall joints without too much effort.

While mixing, take care not to “whip” the cement. A whipping action will inadvertently attract air - air which will form bubbles in drywall seams.

Mesh Your Work Into A Smooth Finish

Drywall finishing tip #4. Use mesh tape instead of paper tape. Because mesh tape is porous, it allows the cement to seep through it. The end result is much smoother than paper which is sometimes visually apparent.

Use More Glue And Save On Nails

Drywall finishing tip #5: Use an adhesive to hold panels in place. Although this technique can’t and should never be used on the ceiling, you’ll only need to insert nails at the edges of drywall panels.

Give Your Drywalls A Little Dimple

Drywall finishing tip #6: You can hid the heads of your nails by hammering them in just below the surface of the drywall. This might take a little practice beforehand, as you don’t want the nail heads to show, but on the other hand, you don’t want to break the surface of the drywall either!

Patch Like A Pro

Drywall finishing tip #7: Stuffing a hole with newspaper tends to leave weak spots on a wall. Instead, cut a sizeable circle around a hole that needs patching. Insert a support piece that will fit behind the hole, and then glue it in place with cement. After about three hours, use even more cement to adhere a small piece of drywall to the support piece you inserted earlier. When dry, cover the hole with more cement and tape. You want to continue this process in the same manner as if you were concealing a joint.

Visit http://www.onlinetips.org, and learn about automatic drywall taping tools and outside corner drywall joints.

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