Last year my wife and I purchased an older home with the intention of fixing it up, and, well, it’s been a slow process. I’ve painted and in some cases repainted everything, and we’re about 75% through the job of updating the wiring from the old knob and tube. For the most part it’s still an old house in need of some TLC. It’s drafty and because of our geographical location, it is always very humid, especially in the summer. [click to continue…]
Windows & Doors
Even with the use of flashing, water penetration may continue to be an issue. High winds are often the culprit and as seen in this picture, rot and warping can be the result. Flashing tape is a good back-up in these cases. Ideally, it should be applied under the flashing. It’s also used to cover the seams under siding and shingles. In this case though, we used it over the existing flashing to cover and seal a gap that had been missed during the original door installation. [click to continue…]
SureSill is an easy to use flashing system designed for installation on both windows and doors. It protects against moisture, rot and mold resulting from water seepage through jambs and around doors and windows. The “Sloped Sill Pan” offers structural support along with a positive slope to the exterior, so water drains away from your window or door. The pan accommodates any door or window up to 12 1/2 feet wide, although custom sizes are available on request. Sills and pans can be cut to the desired length and installed easily using PVC cement. Additional flashing products include the Sloped HeadFlash and SureCorner. So why use SureSill? [click to continue…]
As you all probably know by now, Home Fixated is always looking for ways to use reclaimed material. Reclaimed windows offer quite a few options both decorative and practical. I have a friend who just hung one on his living room wall as-is and it actually looks pretty cool. But, here are a couple projects for those who are a bit more ambitious. [click to continue…]
When I first was invited to attend Genie’s Blogger Summit in the heart of Amish country in Ohio, I was a little confused. It’s a garage door opener. How much to it can there be? It lifts the door up and then lowers it back down. Well, it turns out there’s a whole lot more to garage openers than meets the eye. Once I started to get past the severe culture shock of the San Diego to Amish country transition (we passed a lot of horse-drawn carriages and women with bonnets riding bicycles), I started to absorb a lot of useful information about garage door openers in general, and Genie garage door openers in specific. [click to continue…]
