Parrish Construction

Archive for the ‘Freezing Temp. Problems’ Category

Your “Winter’s Coming” Checklist

Thursday, September 15th, 2011 Posted in Advice to Clients, Disaster-Fire, DIY Home Improvements, Freezing Temp. Problems, Frozen Pipes, Handyman/Small Jobs, Heating/Cooling, Home maintenance, Insulation, Money-Saving Tips, Plumbing, Safety Hazards, Seasonal Considerations, Timely Home Upgrades, Waterproofing, Windows & Doors, Winter | No Comments »

Conserve and Protect: that’s what winterizing is about.  Homes can take a beating in our cold Colorado winters, and so can your heating bill. After some education and practice, winterizing will become as natural a rhythm to a homeowner as is flying south ...

Q—The brick planter box on our house has a white, chalky stain on it. We have tried scrubbing it off, but it keeps coming back. What causes it, and what can be done about it?

Tuesday, June 21st, 2011 Posted in DIY Home Improvements, Exterior Remodeling, FAQ, Freezing Temp. Problems, Historic Homes, Landscaping, Materials- Construction, Spring, Waterproofing, Winter | 1 Comment »

A—The white stain is called efflorescence, and is caused by salts that have been transported from within the brick and mortar by moisture in the brick, and deposited on the surface by evaporation. The stains are cosmetic, and not harmful. ...

Q—Is it too late in the year to start construction projects because of bad weather?

Friday, October 15th, 2010 Posted in Construction Costs, Construction Process, Fall, FAQ, Freezing Temp. Problems, New Construction, Winter | No Comments »

A—Since Colorado is blessed with so many sunny days in the winter, we are able to build year-round with only short delays during the worst weather. The biggest problem is with foundations. Once frost is in the ground deeper than ...

Q- It’s Fall and will start to freeze soon at night. What can I do to prevent frozen pipes?

Saturday, October 9th, 2010 Posted in Advice to Clients, Basements, DIY Home Improvements, Energy-Saving Tips, Fall, FAQ, Flooding, Freezing Temp. Problems, Frozen Pipes, Heating/Cooling, Insulation, Plumbing, Spring, Timely Home Upgrades, Ventilation, Winter, YouTube Videos/"Larry on the Level" | No Comments »

A--As we all settle in for the upcoming Winter, it is worthwhile to consider one aspect of the new season that is not pleasant—frozen water pipes. Whether you are new to our climate or a “seasoned” veteran, a review of ...

Q—Recently, I’ve noticed a musty smell of damp earth in our crawl space. Is this serious? What can be done about it?

Sunday, February 28th, 2010 Posted in Basements, Building Codes/Regulations, DIY Home Improvements, FAQ, Freezing Temp. Problems, Heating/Cooling, Spring, Ventilation, Waterproofing | No Comments »

A—In the spring, when the rains and irrigation cause the water table to rise, many crawl spaces get damp, and begin to smell. In extreme cases, the humidity can get high enough to support the growth of mold and mildew, ...

Q—We have hot-water baseboard heat in our home. We’re planning to add a master bathroom addition, and would like to install radiant heat in the floor. Can we use the existing boiler?

Wednesday, February 10th, 2010 Posted in Additions, Bathrooms, Energy-Saving Tips, FAQ, Flooring, Freezing Temp. Problems, Green Building Topics, Insulation, Money-Saving Tips, Plumbing, Remodeling Concerns, Winter | No Comments »

A—Assuming your boiler has the surplus capacity to handle the extra heating load, you should be able to heat your bathroom floors by using a mixing valve to moderate the water temperature. Radiant floor heating requires somewhat cooler water than ...

Q—We’ve heard about radiant floor heating, and wonder if it would be a good idea for our whole-house remodeling project.

Tuesday, February 9th, 2010 Posted in Construction Costs, Design Tips, Energy-Saving Tips, FAQ, Flooring, Freezing Temp. Problems, Green Building Topics, Heating/Cooling, Home Luxury, Materials- Construction, Money-Saving Tips, Remodels/Additions, Winter | No Comments »

A—I’ll list some of the pros and cons, and let you decide: Radiant heat can be more expensive to install—as much as 20-50% or more. Radiant heat does not provide ductwork for ...

Q—Help! We have a ceiling leak in our cathedral ceiling every winter. We’ve had it checked by a roofer who says the roof is fine. Any suggestions?

Monday, February 8th, 2010 Posted in Drywall Repairs, FAQ, Freezing Temp. Problems, Heating/Cooling, Lighting, Money-Saving Tips, Paint, Roofing/Ceilings, Spring, Structural Issues, Timely Home Upgrades, Ventilation, Waterproofing, Winter | No Comments »

A—The water damage is likely due to humidity inside the house condensing in the cold rafter space (usually the underside of the roof sheeting) and dripping on the insulation and drywall as the weather warms up. This is probably caused ...

Q—The new wood flooring I had installed this past summer has cracks developing between the boards—some as much as 1/16” wide. Why is this happening? Should the cracks be filled?

Thursday, February 4th, 2010 Posted in FAQ, Flooring, Freezing Temp. Problems, Heating/Cooling, Winter | No Comments »

A—The cracks are caused by shrinkage of the wood as it adapts to Colorado’s extremely dry climate. Most finish-grade lumber, such as flooring, is kiln-dried in ovens to a moisture content of about 6% by weight—dry enough in most states ...