Moisture Against Gravity - Destroying Walls

Well I'm going to start this article with a little information on a job I did once.

I had been repairing a rental house for one particular homeowner for about three years when all of a sudden I got a phone call from him telling me the rental house was destroyed and he had never seen nothing like this. He sounded so upset over the phone I told him I would meet with him immediately.

On my way to the house I was trying to get an idea in my head what the house was going to actually look like. Since I have been repairing rental properties for over 20 years at this point of my career, nothing really shocked me. I had pretty much seen everything that could possibly be done to rental property by the tenants that lived there. There is a lot to be said about taking care of it as if it were your own.

He was waiting for me at the front door and he looked thoroughly disgusted. As I approached him he was shaking his head and yelling at the same time can you believe these people, can you believe what they did to my house. I was expecting to see the front door ripped off and all the windows broken out of the house but this wasn't the case.

As he led me through the home and I could see the usual clothing on the floor, broken cabinets, a few holes in the walls and of course that awful smell of mold and mildew. All of this stuff was nothing new to me because I'm the guy they call to fix it when a renter moves out of the property.

As I entered one of the bedrooms I got my first glimpse of something I had never seen before but heard stories about and could not believe my eyes. Looking at the walls in the bedroom about 3 feet from the floor all the way around the room, the plaster was soft. It actually looks like someone shoved popcorn into the wall somehow.

The homeowner wasn't even looking at this because of the rest of the damage in the home. I started to explain to him I'd never seen nothing like this but I could guess it was water damage somehow since the plaster was soft. I could actually stick my finger into the wall, that's how soft the plaster was.

My first thought was to examine the carpeting a little closer to see if it was wet. Well it was damp but it wasn't as wet as I would've expected it to be with the amount of water in the walls. With a little more home inspecting I had found the culprit, it was a broken water bed. The water bed was now in the backyard looking innocent.

I couldn't believe a broken water bed could do this much damage so I looked around for broken or leaking water pipes and could not find any. The other bad news I had to inform the homeowner was that the water had damage the bathroom and closet walls also. These walls of course were on the other side of the bathroom walls that were damaged.

Well the point of this story is that water will actually wick its way up or worked its way up into a wall. I had to remove 4 feet of drywall all the way around the room. The plaster or drywall actually acts like a sponge pulling the water into the walls. Hard to imagine that gravity in this case seems to reverse. I would've never thought that water would've traveled so far up the walls creating that much damage.

To repair the rental property I had to remove the damaged drywall, remove the carpeting, dry the wood framing out and put the whole thing back together.

I'm still amazed and will remember that project for as long as I live.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more Building and Remodeling Library and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.

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Living With What If In Your Life

Bathroom Lighting Fixtures - How to Choose For Your Remodeling Project

When thinking about a bathroom remodeling project, there are many things to consider. One of the most important items you will need is light fixtures. Keep in mind there will be differences in your project depending on if you are working with an existing home or a brand new home. If you are remodeling an existing home, your lighting requirements for bathroom light fixtures may be different than if you are building a new home. For instance, in an existing home, there will likely be elements in place that dictate the basic style of bathroom vanity you need to choose. Or there could be a decorating style across the rest of your home that you want to continue into the bathroom.

Start by searching the internet to view vast array of light fixture styles available through the many different lighting retail websites. Your choice is important because the way you choose to decorate will need to last for many years and should reflect your personal style. Now is also the time to formulate your budget. Be mindful of costs while shopping and keep your budget updated so you know where you sit. This will assure that you are able to do all of the things you want to in creating a comfortable bathroom.

The size of your bathroom will determine a large amount of your project. It will dictate the style of the bathroom vanity that you choose and the amount of lighting you will need. If the room is small, choose a single sink vanity. If you have a larger space to work with, consider a double sink vanity. The double sink provides additional surface and storage space, and also creates personal space for the people that use the room.

If you are working with a small bathroom, you can create the appearance of a larger space by using light colored paints, selecting a narrow vanity with under-sink storage, and by using mirrors to help create the feeling of more space. Do this by selecting a large mirror that adds dimension.

If you are working with two bathrooms, consider decorating one with a feminine style and the other one with masculine dcor. For a feminine look, use soft light colors for the bathroom vanity and walls, and for the masculine bathroom use strong, dark colors and wood finishes.

The bathroom light fixtures are extremely important to the overall mood in the room. Be sure to work out the electrical wiring for your light fixtures. If you have experience in household wiring you can tackle this project yourself. If you do not have the skills for this, call a professional electrician or select a lighting retailer that can offer you assistance. If you hire out, get at least three quotes so that you can compare the prices. You can find these electricians by going to your computer and searching the internet.

The primary use of a good vanity light fixture is to provide correct lighting for your grooming activities. These lights are placed above and or on the sides of the vanity for good lighting. Often times, the vanity lighting needs to light the entire bathroom, so be sure to choose a fixture or fixtures that you are sure will accomplish this task. Soften the lighting affect in your room with frosted or beige colored light bulbs or by selecting frosted shades for the bulbs. Many lighting retailers have a large selection of shades from which to choose.

When you tackle a project like a bathroom you must do so by sitting down and planning first. The most critical part of your bathroom remodeling project is selecting the light fixtures and the vanity. Everything else will complement these main elements. The floor covering, the walls, the shower and tub colors, and small decorative items you choose will make your bathroom much more appealing and comfortable if you spend the time in the beginning to think through your entire bathroom remodel plan.

Julia Ritzenthaler is Owner of boutique multiple online furniture stores, For more information about unique bathroom vanity ideas, visit us online or email us with your questions at uniquevanities@msn.com.

Roof Framing Drywall Backing

Attic Odors and Strange Smells

If you've ever opened up your attic access hole, only to find one of the worst odors you have ever smelled in your whole life, I've been there too. What causes these horrible smells and what can you do about them?

Let's start with the cause of these smells, moisture, dirt, mold, mildew, dead animals, animals that make their home in your attic and the biggest problem of all is normally poor ventilation.

Poor ventilation is the biggest problem with musty smells in the attic. These smells are often caused from moisture accumulating in the building materials over time. If there is enough moisture in the attic, the wood will start to rot but this wouldn't be a normal situation, unless there was a roof or water leak.

Roof leaks can cause a constant supply of water to one part of the attic. This constant supply of water will eventually rot the wood and damage the ceiling. Water leaks from pipes can provide a steady supply of water and the situation can attracts termites and mold. Not a good thing.

One of the worst possible smells or odors in your attic would be a dead animal. Don't under estimate the size of some of these animals, they have found dead raccoons, cats, snakes, large birds, squirrels, rats and mice in some attics. These animals usually enter through damaged access holes or vent blocks, roof vents, large gaps, holes and even fireplace chimneys.

Once these animals die, their bodies start to decompose and produce one horrible odor. Once the body is completely decomposed, the smell usually goes away if the attic is ventilated properly. These smells can seep into the homes living area, often creating a room that no one wants to enter.

Home peststhat make their home in your attics, often create smells from urinating and defecating in the areas around their nest. Large birds like owls can become a problem over time.

Now that we've figured out some of the causes for attic odors and strange smells, what can we do to prevent this from happening and if it's already happened, how can we get rid of the smell.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a Home Buyers Guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

If your having problems in your attic, find out more at pest control books and home building ideas.

What The Bleep Do You Know

Home Improvement Tips For Any Economy

With the way things are looking, there might not be much real estate moving these days. But, it's not always going to be this way. So if you are hunkering down and planning to stay in your house for another year or two, why not try to make the best of it?

For only a few dollars out of your pocket at a time, you can make the changes on your home that it needs. You can actually get your house ready for when the upturn takes place and you're back into a seller's market. Just look around your house and take some notes. Then, use your imagination like I always urge everyone.

You would be surprised how easy it is to make most of your home improvements. There are only a handful of things you shouldn't attempt without a qualified contractor. For everything else, all you need is a passion to do it yourself and the desire to have a little fun.

For instance, faux finishes are fun ways to put texture on the walls. You can make them look like stone, metallic, cloud, marble, old leather or crackle and aging. Some of the simplest techniques make all the difference. Sponges, rags and crumpled paper are great applicators that produce the beautiful texture. Two different shades or completely opposite colors can be mixed to create the illusion. Get artistic and start painting your walls.

You don't have to do it all at once. Remember that. You can do a room at a time or even a wall at a time if you want. You'll have enough time to make it around the house, so just get enough paint for a small project and leave it at that. Go week by week or month by month and you'll have it all finished before your house goes on the market.

Another good example for rather inexpensive improvements on the home is to walk around and take a look at your fixtures. Light fixtures, door knobs, faucets and the like can all be changed for very little if you know where to look for great deals. Light fixtures and door knobs for the most part are relatively cheaper than faucets. Door knobs are definitely less expensive.

However, light fixtures can be rather appealing. You can find yourself losing sight of the mission and buying very expensive light fixtures if you aren't careful. Yet if you look around, you can even find some nice chandelier selections that won't dent the bank account too much. And the other light fixtures around the house are far less expensive. Once you finish work on the light fixtures and the door knobs, focus on the faucets.

Every few months, pick a different room starting with the kitchen, then the bathrooms and then other sinks throughout the house. Handles and inserts can be bought for less than a happy meal. But, the faucets themselves are quite a bit more expensive. If you are aggressively looking, you can have every faucet around your house replaced in style for less than a few nights eating dinner out in a nice restaurant. Some people don't think about the small things. But, they are just as important as fixing a hole in the wall.

Home improvement efforts aren't always about knocking out walls and taking months to finish. I fixed a sidewalk in a day one time. I've put some of the most complex landscaping together in a day's time as well. It doesn't take long if you focus and put your back into it. When the work is done and you get to see the finished project, you could not feel prouder of yourself. Well, at least that's the way it makes me feel.

Jessica Brylan has been a student of construction all her life, under her father who retired in 2004. Her passion turned to interior design and strangely evolved into becoming a fireplace expert. Her latest fireplace report DIY Outdoor Fireplace demonstrates her knowledge and love of fireplaces. Read further details about the Ventless Gel Fireplace reports at The Ventless Gel Fireplace Reports and sign up for the newsletter so you can be updated whenever Jessica Brylan puts out a new one.

Basement Wall Staining

Home Appliance Energy Saving Tips - Minimize Consumption by Half

Amid this recession everyone is looking quite exhausted and tired. Undoubtedly, money helps a human to run in the same fashion as gas does to an automobiles or electricity does to your home appliances.

Thus, there is no wonder if somebody is looking for some definite methods which may help to minimize the holes in his wallets.

Amazingly enough, the strategies and methods to save some important bucks are pretty much easier to devise than you might have ever thought of. And these are nothing but starting from your consumer appliances only.

Have you ever thought that how much does it cost when you use your home appliances not carefully enough? Believe it or not, only a certain amount of careful approach while you run your consumer appliances will help you save a whopping 40-50 percent of your total energy consumption.

See here we go!

Learn To Cover : You can save a handsome amount of energy only if you never keep your pots uncovered while using stoves. A covered pot cooks fast which helps you save substantial energy. Also, use only those pots which come with 'sandwich bottoms.' Such pots consume less energy so you can cook at a low temperature too.

Postpone Pre-heating : Most of us have developed a poor habit of pre-heating every time we turn on the ovens. Doing so frequently with this home appliance turns out to be too expensive.

Thus shun this habit of pre-heating until and unless it is too important while cooking. Try to buy an oven which is equipped with air circulation mode. Such a mode is helpful enough to save considerable energy.

Read The Temperature : Never use your freezers and refrigerators out of a "chilling" impulse. Don't think that lowering the internal temperature of these home appliances will give you an enhanced service. Contrarily, doing so may backfire with increased power bill.

Consumer appliances such a freezers and refrigerators work best with an internal temperature of 18 and 7 degree Celsius respectively. Also use moderate temperature while washing greasy dishes in a dishwasher. If the dishes are not greasy, then washing dishes on low temperature, or manually, saves noticeable energy.

Sleep, Don't Stand : I still wonder why people prefer to keep their consumer appliances in stand-by modes though switching off the appliances requires no extra effort.

Don't they know that even a half-sleeping household appliance consumes energy, though the amount is a meager one? So whether it is your DVD player or TV or any other entertainment appliance, switch it off completely.

Go Near The Nature : Whenever you find that there is no extreme weather, then go to your windows and turn them wide open. Let the outer air come in and see that you don't require the AC anymore. If it is very hot or cold outside, you have to keep the windows shut, of course.

Moreover, using transparent and colorless window glasses can help you save a lot of energy as such glasses allow enough natural light to creep in. However, in the nights use CFL or LED light bulbs.

Shower Power : Having a bath in a tub needs more water than doing so under a shower. Thus if you leave the habit of bathing in a tub, you may not only save enough water but considerable amount of energy too. Surely, filling the bathtub up to its edges consumes extra energy, even a child knows it.

Some More : Get ensured that your freezer is 60-65 percent full. Experts say that a refrigerator without icebox saves 15-18 percent energy. Use washing machines and dishwashers only when you are sure that the dirty clothes and dishes will be enough to fill them 100 percent.

Doing so will save much energy. Avoid using dryers and use your courtyard to dry the clothes. So try these easy tips and tricks when you use your consumer appliances next time and save sufficient energy.

Digitivity.com brings one of the most admired consumer appliances to your doorsteps. Watch out!

Do you know how to keep your computers clean in the simplest manner or how to maintain your sewing machine? Check out My Electronics Blog from Pattrick Savarna, a consumer appliances expert.

Home Water Heater Damage

Solid Surface Sink Repair

Solid surface sink repair is one of those things that most homeowners will not ever have to worry about. If you are one of the exceptions to that rule then you should know some things about having your sink repaired.

First thing is, if the repair that you need is for a crack in the sink, you don't need a repair, you need a sink replacement. When a solid surface sink gets a crack in it there is no reliable or good looking way to repair a crack in one of these sinks. There is no magic potion to be applied to it, no glue to make it go away and anything short of a complete replacement is a total waste of money and will not stay repaired, it will crack again and usually even bigger than the original crack.

Now, if the repair that you need is a chip or a scratch or even a tough to remove stain you are in luck. In most cases, these issues can be solved by someone who is experienced in solid surface repairs and refinishing. These things can usually be resolved with some vigorous sanding using a sander or in some cases even sanding by hand with a piece of sandpaper. In fact, for small chips and scratches and stains most homeowners could actually do these repairs themselves.

The only problem with that is that most homeowners would not even dream of ripping into their expensive solid surface sink with a scratchy piece of sandpaper. That is probably a wise decision because if they are not used to working the material the results they get may be less than satisfactory for them.

Bryan Dix is the owner of Complete Solid Surface Refinishing in North Carolina. Started in 1998, CSSR is North Carolina's first "repair only" fabricator. Specializing in solid surface countertop repairs, alterations, refinishing, and of course kitchen and bathroom sink replacements.

Please visit http://www.countertoprepairshop.com for more details and contact information.

Small Crack In Roof Rafter

Considering Home Painting

When remodeling a house, homeowners should not forget the importance of painting their home's exterior. With expert help, homeowners can get a paint job that will allow the rest of the remodel to come together nicely and compliment the rest of the work that has been done. Exterior painting is often the factor that brings the remodel together and gives the house the best chance of looking great.

When considering home painting, homeowners should realize the importance of a good paint job. Simply painting the house is often not enough to make the house look its best. The homeowner should ensure that the job is left to the most qualified person possible. When things are left to the experts, everything else will just fall into place. Simplicity when it comes to handling these complicated jobs is something every homeowner can smile about. Realizing that they cannot handle home painting and other complex jobs themselves is the best realization a homeowner can come to when remodeling.

Contractors are their best bet in getting the results they are expecting or hoping for. The work of an amateur is just not up to par with the work of a professional. Professionals simply have too much training and experience for amateurs trying to emulate their work. Home painting can be tricky, so this training and experience will come in handy for sure. When the painter does not possess these qualities, they will often fall short of the expectations that have been laid upon them.

More information on College Works Painting home repair for your home is just a click away.