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Three and Four-Way Switches and Deck Cleaning
Six different three and four-way switches will be installed here once the house is complete. The wiring looks complex, but it’s not. (C) Copyright 2019 Tim Carter
Three and Four-Way Switches
QUESTION #1: Tim, I need you to mediate a dispute between my husband and me. We’re building a new home and there are quite a few places where two, or more, switches can be used to control lights. I like the convenience but my husband has had nothing but problems trying to troubleshoot these three and four-way switches. He wants nothing to do with these ‘wretched switches’ as he refers to them. Your vote will decide the issue. I have to add that pecan pie and moist pumpkin bread are two of the favorite things I like to bake. Veronica B., Lakeland, FL
There’s no need for Veronica to bribe me with two of my favorite desserts as I’m a huge fan of three and four-way switches. I wish I could meet the engineer who many years ago figured out how to make these magnificent switches that allow you to control a light, or group of lights, from multiple locations.
The most common uses for these switches are at the top and bottom of staircases or at the ends of a long hallway. When you use one in a finished home, you might think it’s magic that’s making it all work. In reality, you just need special switches that are readily available. You also need to have a special cable with one extra wire that runs between the two switches.
The simplest setup is to have just two three-way switches control one light. A three-way switch has three screws on it plus the green grounding screw. A standard single-pole switch only has two screws on it plus the green grounding screw.
That extra screw on a three-way switch confounds almost all homeowners and apprentice electricians as I get their emails each and every week asking for help. There are a few ways to connect two three-way switches together, but I prefer the method where you use a cable that has an extra red wire in it. It’s called three wire with a ground.
The real fun and magic of these switches is when you have a situation where you want to control some lights or an appliance from three, or more, points. My daughter is building a new home right now and she’s got at least five sets of lights in here home that are controlled by four different switches.
To achieve this higher level of electrical wizardry, you install four-way switches in between the two three-way switches in the circuit. A four-way switch has four screws on it plus the green grounding screw.
To make the wiring work flawlessly so your husband becomes a lover of these switches you install the same special three-wire cable in between all the three and four-way switches in the circuit. That lovely red wire along with the black wire in the cable will do all the heavy lifting and your husband will think that all the switches in your new home were sprinkled with pixie dust.
I have three helpful videos at my AsktheBuilder.com website showing you how fast and easy it is to wire up and troubleshoot three and four-way switches. Just type 3 way switch or 4-way switch into the search engine at my website to find them. Collectively these videos have been watched by over 2,400,000 people saving them hundreds of thousands of dollars on electrician and divorce attorney fees!
Deck Cleaning
QUESTION #2: Timmy, can you share what you feel is the best deck cleaner for both wood and composite decks and why you feel it’s best? There’s lots of conflicting information out there on the Internet. Many many people say to mix chlorine bleach with water in a 50/50 solution. Others say to blast away using a pressure washer. I’m very interested in your opinion and any stories you can share. Lori S., Portland, OR
You may be in the same situation as Lori. You read blog posts, watch videos and become catatonic as you stare at cable TV home improvement shows. I’ve tried all the methods Lori described and finally discovered, quite by accident, the best way to clean a wood deck.
I’ve always known that chlorine bleach is the worst thing to use outdoors to clean decks, patios, and sidewalks. My neighbor who lived next to me in Cincinnati killed a magnificent maple tree that provided luxurious shade on her rear patio using chlorine bleach. Each spring she’d dump three gallons of pure bleach on the patio and scrub away to rid it of algae. I told her it was a mistake and she ignored me. The tree got sicker and sicker and eventually, it was cut down.
Other friends of mine and many contractors feel pressure washers are the answer. Yes, they are magnificent tools and blast away mildew, dirt and sun-damaged sealers. But the high-pressure stream also erodes the soft light-colored spring wood in between the darker bands of summer wood in the decking. Soon your deck looks and feels like a 50-year-old fishing pier.
Twenty-five years ago, I was doing research for how to seal a wood deck. I interviewed a manufacturer and casually asked about using chlorine bleach as a cleaner. He responded, “Oh, that’s the worst thing to use. You want to use oxygen bleach. Call this chemist and he’ll tell you all about it.” I made the call and it changed my entire opinion about how to clean anything that’s water washable, including wood and composite decking.
Stain Solver is MADE in the USA with USA ingredients that are food-grade quality. CLICK THE IMAGE to order some NOW.
Oxygen bleach is readily available. There are quite a few brands. I’d recommend one that’s certified organic. Oxygen bleach is not toxic to vegetation. It doesn’t bleach out the color of wood as chlorine does. There’s no foul odor when you use oxygen bleach.
Oxygen bleach comes as a powder you mix with water. Use warm or hot water and stir until all the powder dissolves. Work in the shade and apply the solution to dry decking so it soaks into the wood to deep clean it. Apply the solution liberally and allow the oxygen bubbles to work for at least 15 minutes before lightly scrubbing the decking with a medium scrub brush. Rinse well with clear water, let dry and you’ll be amazed at how clean your wood is!
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CRH/building materials: concrete results sought
Executive pay must rise in line with company scale from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8247360 https://www.ft.com/content/8d110e2c-5b90-11e9-9dde-7aedca0a081a via http://www.rssmix.com/
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PEX Water Lines vs Copper and Water Heater Venting
The red and blue pipes will supply hot and cold water to each plumbing fixture in this new home as soon as they’re connected to a distribution manifold inside this closet. (C) Copyright 2019 Tim Carter
PEX Water Lines vs Copper
QUESTION #1: Can you help me make a decision, Tim? I’m building a new home and have the option of using PEX piping for my hot and cold water in the house as opposed to traditional copper. Do you have an opinion about both materials? Have you used both? What do you have in your own home? Linda P., Rocky Point, NC
You may be building a new home or planning a large room addition that will have a new bathroom, kitchen, or some other plumbing fixtures that require hot and cold water. Your builder or plumber may lay at your feet the same decision Linda has to make. I can help you as I’ve been a master plumber since age 29.
The PEX plastic water piping for drinking water has been around for almost three decades now. Plastic PEX piping was first introduced in the late 1960s and its use as radiant floor heating exploded in Europe in the 1970s.
During the early part of my plumbing career, I only installed traditional copper water lines. It was a mainstay in the Midwest. However, the plumbing codes started to permit the use of PEX and once plumbers became comfortable using it, its use started to grow like dandelions in the spring.
I have PEX piping in my own home for both the radiant heating system and all of the hot and cold water that’s supplied to each faucet. It’s important to realize there are different brands of PEX. While the piping chemistry may be the same or very similar, the method you connect the pipe to fittings is different. The one that I’ve come to trust and use is AquaPEX that employs an ingenious expanding compression collar at each end of the tubing to create a leak-proof connection.
Installing traditional copper can be a complex and time-consuming process if you solder the tubing to the fittings. In the past decade, there’s been a shift to connecting copper tubing and fittings with a pressing tool that crimps the fittings onto the end of the tubing without using molten solder. An inner rubber o-ring in a raised collar on each fitting along with the crimping creates a leak-proof joint. I have these press fittings in my own home where the copper water lines connect my modulating boiler to the heating distribution manifolds.
The copper press fitting system saves enormous amounts of time. It only takes seconds to create a leak-proof connection. However, you may have to install quite a few of these press fittings to supply water to just one fixture. PEX piping eliminates all these fittings.
PEX water piping is much like electrical wiring. It’s flexible and you can run long lengths of it from a central distribution manifold all the way to the plumbing fixture without any joints. These long runs of tubing from a fixture to a manifold are called home runs. You can install one PEX pipe in just minutes if your home is framed using open floor trusses. The home run system allows you to turn off the hot or cold water to just one fixture and still have water working at all other fixtures.
The fastest way to install hot and cold water lines in a home or room addition hands down is the PEX piping employing an uninterrupted single pipe between each fixture and the central manifold. To put this in perspective, my son-in-law and I installed all of the hot and cold water lines to his new four bathroom home in less than three hours. You could never accomplish this feat using copper, even with the wonderful press fittings.
I have a video at my AsktheBuilder.com website showing you how fast and easy it is to create one of these PEX connections using the simple expansion compression collars. I suggest you go there and type Connect Pex Pipe into my search engine and watch it. You’ll be astonished at how simple it is to work with PEX water lines.
Water Heater Venting
QUESTION #2: Hey Tim, I need your help connecting my new gas water heater to my chimney. Here’s my deal: My chimney has an 8x8 clay flue liner that’s just under 20 feet from the inlet in the basement to the top of the chimney out on my roof. The water heater vent pipe is 3-inch PVC. The water heater has a 50-gallon capacity with a 40,000 Btu burner. Should I install a 4-inch pipe from the new water heater to the flue liner? Ron D., Boise, ID
Each week I receive lots of email from homeowners like Ron asking detailed questions about exactly how to install any number of building products. I understand I think, why they come to me. It’s easy to ask me, a sales clerk at a store, or even some online home improvement chat group.
However, in most cases, I’m the wrong person to ask and you should be extremely cautious following the advice from others who you’ve not vetted determining the depth of their experience solving the exact problem you face.
When it comes to the nuances of installing products and mechanical equipment like Ron’s new water heater, there’s only one accurate source for your answer: the manufacturer of the product or fixture. The first place to start is by reading the product label or the instruction manual.
In Ron’s case, he needs to understand that the water heater venting system is most likely controlled by a very tiny, yet powerful, computer that’s connected to sensors within the water heater. The vent may have to be PVC from the heater all the way up through the roof or out a side wall. There are maximum lengths the pipe can be as well as the number and types of fittings that can be installed between the water heater and the end of the pipe outdoors.
In other words, stop hoping that something is going to work when it’s installed. Stop hoping if you or your family is going to die from carbon monoxide poisoning. Take the time to read what the manufacturer wants you to do. In many cases, they may have their own installation videos showing you what to do. Remember, if you want to be SAFE and you want the warranty with a product, only do what the manufacturer says to do. Period.
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April 14, 2019 AsktheBuilder Newsletter
Welcome if you're a new subscriber. I'm glad you're here. If you're a subscriber in good standing for years or a month, it's great you're still here.
Running AquaPEX and Wire
My son-in-law Brent and I have been working our butts off at the new house he and my daughter are building on Mt. Desert Island in Maine. Last weekend in just four hours we installed, are you sitting down?, nearly 1,800 feet of red and blue AquaPEX made by Uponor.
You use AquaPEX for the hot and cold water lines to plumbing fixtures and faucets.
CLICK or TAP HERE to discover more about exactly why I chose to use AquaPEX made by Uponor.
If you had tried to install traditional copper lines using solder, perhaps you could have installed pipe to one or more fixtures in that four hours by cleaning, fluxing and soldering the pipe and fittings. Yes, you can use the modern press fittings for copper, but most people can't afford the $1,500 press tool required to crimp the fittings to the copper tubing.
By the way, I'll be demonstrating how to use one of these magical press tools that squeeze a copper fitting that has a rubber o-ring in it to create a leak-proof joint. I'm using this technology to install the copper around the modulating Noritz combi boiler going into my daughter and son-in-law's new home. You'll see that video in two months or less.
Wait until you see how amazing this press tool is and how soldering copper will eventually be kicked to the curb in most instances.
The primary advantage to using AquaPEX, or other PEX, is that you don't have fittings hidden behind walls and ceilings. You just have a connection point at the water distribution manifold and then you have a connection at the shutoff valve at the fixture.
The PEX installs like electric wiring. You just pull it through the open bays of the floor trusses or holes you might drill in solid floor joists or engineered-wood I joists.
I'm sure once again you can see why I specified to use open-web floor trusses on this job by looking at the above photo!
Can you imagine drilling HUNDREDS of holes in floor joists to run PEX, heating PEX or the electric cables???
12-Gauge Wire
A few day ago, we started to install the electrical wiring in the new house. I discovered long ago the advantages of 20-amp circuits as opposed to 15-amp circuits which most houses have. A 20-amp circuit can handle 2400 watts vs the 1800 you get with a 15-amp circuit.
Do you remember your high school physics class? Watts = Amps X Volts
One hundred and twenty volts is the standard here in the USA.
Yes, 12-gauge wire is slightly tougher to bend when you install an outlet or a switch, but it's worth it to have all that extra power for just $25 more for each 250 feet of cable you buy!
Yes, at the time I purchased the spools of cable, it was just ten cents more per foot for 12 gauge wire vs 14-gauge you use for 15-amp circuits.
What are all the red wires for? You're looking at a massive bank of switches just as you walk in from the garage of their new home. These switches operate any number of lights using both 3 and 4-way switches. I prefer to use 12/3 wg cable to wire 3 and 4-way switches. Watch the two following videos to see why it's a huge advantage to use three-wire when wiring these special switches!
CLICK or TAP HERE to watch my 3-Way Switch video.
CLICK or TAP HERE to watch my 4-Way Switch video.
CLICK or TAP HERE to discover a bunch of other electrical wiring tips I've accumulated over the years.
DEEP Searching at AsktheBuilder.com
Last week I created a few new messages that new newsletter subscribers receive after signing up.
You've been receiving these same messages.
I got a HUGE GRIN on my face about three days ago when a subscriber responded to the message about doing Deep Searches on my AsktheBuilder website.
My suggestion is when you have a problem, just type the simple phrase into my search engine.
In his case, he had a hardwood floor scratch. He wanted to know the best way to repair it. This kind gentleman was actually responding to my message about Deep Searching instead of trying to find the answer himself.
I got the biggest kick out of that. If he had just typed:
hardwood floor scratch
he would have found right away this very useful column:
Hardwood Floor Repair
I'll bet you dollars to doughnuts you didn't know about the alcohol lamp guy, did you? Go ahead, click or tap here and tell me the truth. I know, I can't handle the truth!
Downloadable AsktheBuilder Podcasts
A few days ago, Rachel reached out to me and suggested I make my podcasts downloadable. I pretty much assumed anyone who has in interest in podcasts would have an app allowing them to do this.
As usual, I was wrong!
It turns out there's a button I can click when uploading a podcast that allows you to download it easily without an app. This button defaults to NO downloading, so that's why I missed it.
I went back and turned ON all the buttons so you can now download my podcasts to listen to on your terms.
CLICK or TAP HERE to see the full list of podcasts.
That's quite enough for a Sunday! Happy Get-Your-Taxes-Done Day!
Tim Carter Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com Certified Organic Clean Man - www.StainSolver.com Cast RF Man - www.W3ATB.com
Do It Right, Not Over!
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Countryside Properties says first-half housing completions rise
Property group says chief operating officer to stand down from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8247360 https://www.ft.com/content/b55b7d50-60da-11e9-b285-3acd5d43599e via http://www.rssmix.com/
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Galliford Try tumbles 20% on profit warning
FTSE 250 company says earnings to widely miss City expectations from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8247360 https://www.ft.com/content/6db0a164-600e-11e9-a27a-fdd51850994c via http://www.rssmix.com/
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Mahathir’s Beijing trip will not lift Malaysian construction
Deal to revive Belt and Road rail project would not be enough to reverse slump from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8247360 https://www.ft.com/content/2750847c-5ac4-11e9-9dde-7aedca0a081a via http://www.rssmix.com/
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April 8, 2019 AsktheBuilder Newsletter
Are you a new subscriber? Hello from snowy Bar Harbor, Maine where I'm working on my daughter's home. Subscriber of record in good standing? There's 4 inches of FRESH SNOW on the ground and more falling! The winter with no end!
READ THE NOTICE JUST BELOW PHOTO OF MY BOOT
A Day Off
Today I'm taking the day off. My son-in-law and I worked the past eleven days straight here on his new home and that of my daughter. Each day was ten hours and yesterday we finally decided to work a half day so we could enjoy the gorgeous sunny day with a 52 F temperature.
I drove just 20 minutes to get to Acadia National Park's ocean walk. I then parked my truck, walked about a mile, and took a nap on the granite ledge above the sea. Here was the view when I woke up. I fell asleep for at least 30 minutes and was happy no sea gulls were pecking at my face.
You're About to Receive Weird Messages From Me - Don't FREAK OUT
In a few moments, I'm going to add about four or five new messages to my Welcome-to-my-Family email series. These messages are designed to help NEW SUBSCRIBERS become more acquainted with all the content and services at AsktheBuilder.com.
Even though you're an existing subscriber, you WILL RECEIVE these new messages.
I can't stop these messages coming to you. You may actually discover something new, so don't freak out. If you're currently stressed out, just ignore them.
You'll know the messages are somewhat different because in the subject line you may see something like (2 of 5) or (3 of 5) or (4 of 5) etc.
There's NO NEED TO RESPOND to me about these weird messages.
Consider opening up the messages - they're short - and maybe you'll save some money.
New Columns and Videos
I uploaded several new videos today and a new column.
It's important to realize, you can always find the FRESHEST AsktheBuilder.com content by going to the Q&A navigation link at any page of the website. The topics you see at the top of the stack are the latest ones added to the website.
CLICK or TAP HERE and scroll down a bit to see a headline that's of interest to you. The top headline about the Install Radiant Heat Under a Wood Floor is an amazing video you should watch! (Editor's Note: At the time of this Newsletter being posted, the Install Radiant Heat Under a Wood Floor Column was pushed down to second on the page, since the Newsletter took over top spot.)
I'll have a full-blown newsletter to you soon after I re-charge my mental and physical batteries.
Tomorrow we start to install all the electrical wiring in Meghan and Brent's home. Yes, it's all 12 gauge. I deplore 14-gauge wire. The 12-gauge wire, when I bought it a few months ago, was only ten cents more per foot. What a bargain to have a 20-amp circuit!
Tim Carter Founder - AsktheBuilder.com
Do It Right, Not Over!
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Install Radiant Heat Under Wood Floor 24 Inches OC
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Installing Radiant Heat Tubing
Tim Carter shows the complex method of looping Uponor hePEX tubing in between framing that's 24 inches on center. Three heat transfer plates are in each truss bay, not two.
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XO Rust Spray Paint Video
XO Rust Spray Paint Video
Watch this video to see how I used XO Rust spray paint to restore a rusted piece of wrought-iron patio furniture. The test panels will be just after the music interlude.
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Mystical Mt. Desert Island Artesian Well Water
youtube
Tim Carter discovers a mystical artesian well on Mt. Desert Island. Consuming this elixir makes one feel like they're 18 years old again. Watch the results for Tim.
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Sticky House Wrap and Squirrels in Attics
This is a marvelous newer full-adhesion house wrap. Installed correctly, you’ll discover your heating and cooling bills will be much lower. (C) Copyright 2019 Tim Carter
Sticky House Wrap
QUESTION #1: Tim, I’m building a new home and the builder wants to apply an exterior house wrap that reminds me of adhesive shelf paper. All the other house wraps I’ve seen come in large rolls and are nailed to the house. I’m afraid the adhesive house wrap might not stand the test of time. How do you feel about these self-adhering house wraps and what’s involved in getting it installed correctly? Pam T., Lexington, KY
You may be building a new home like Pam or having a room addition put onto your home. Self-adhering house wraps are a great refinement over the first-generation house wraps that require nails. I would absolutely use a self-adhering house wrap on a new house I’d build for myself, a family member, or a customer.
There are several manufacturers of the self-adhering house wraps. All the products are fabulous and it’s quite hard to differentiate them from one another. As with many things in construction, the devil is in the details. You can have a great product and it can be installed incorrectly thus voiding the warranty and causing nightmares down the road for the homeowner.
I witnessed a builder this past winter who did just that. He decided to use a traditional nail-on house wrap but used a hand tacker tool that pounds hundreds of small staples through the house wrap into the wood wall sheathing. The issue is the staples are an unapproved fastener and they actually create tiny holes around each staple that can leak both water and air.
The newer self-adhered house wraps won’t allow liquid water to touch the wood framing, but they allow water vapor in the wall assembly to pass through to the atmosphere. This is exactly what you want.
I’m attracted to the newer house wraps that have the adhesive because they do a superb job of bridging any gaps in the wall sheathing and virtually eliminate air infiltration into a house. Air infiltration is a major cause of higher fuel bills for both heating and air conditioning.
It’s very important for you, the homeowner, to read the simple installation instructions for the self-adhering house wrap you decide to use. The instructions are simple and not at all complex. Some products can be installed horizontally or vertically. I’d recommend a horizontal installation starting at the bottom of the structure. Be sure you overlap the next higher piece no less than 2 inches or whatever the instructions say to do.
Most products have great instructions how to deal with pipe and duct penetrations on the outside walls. You also need to follow the instructions with respect to how to apply the overlapping pieces of the house wrap around all windows and doors.
Some of the products require the use of a j-roller that works just like a giant steamroller that compresses asphalt paving on roads and driveways. The j-roller ensures the house wrap adhesive is in great contact with the wood wall sheathing.
Pay very close attention in the written instructions or videos about how to flash underneath all windows and doors. You need to inspect these openings to ensure it’s been done correctly. If you can’t be there, then insist the builder take photos with his smart phone of every window and door and send them to you so you can verify the job was done correctly.
Squirrels In Attics
QUESTION #2: Last night I came face-to-face with a squirrel up in my attic. I was astonished at his presence and wondered how he gained entrance. I looked at my roof and saw my ridge vent was higher in one spot. I had the ridge vent put in when I re-roofed the house thinking it would be a benefit to the traditional triangle gable-end vents that have worked well for 50 years. What’s the best way to stop the squirrel from becoming a permanent resident in my attic? I’m open to any and all suggestions. Chris A., Arab, AL
Animals of all sorts try to get into house attics. A few years ago, I had at my own home an infestation of flying squirrels in my attic. At night the little devils would roll acorns across my bedroom ceiling like they were bowling. It was infuriating. I solved my problem when I re-roofed my home by sealing off the entrances with heavy metal.
My advice to Chris, or you should you have the same issue, is to get rid of the ridge vent. I’d get a 10-inch-wide piece of heavy aluminum coil stock that siding contractors use. This would cover over the cut-out made for the ridge vent. Nail it securely over the shingles at the peak of the roof every 6 inches.
I’d then cover over the aluminum with standard asphalt cap shingles to match the current roofing. Since cap shingles are 12 inches wide, they’ll fully cover the aluminum so you’ll never see it. The squirrels will have to chew through the shingles only to encounter the thick aluminum. I’m quite sure they’ll give up and go to your neighbor’s home where it’s easier to get into the attic.
I happen to love turbine vents. I’d consider adding two or three on the back of your home up near the peak of the roof. Be sure you can’t see the spinning whirlybirds from the front yard or the street. Squirrels don’t like the spinning motion of these great wind-powered ventilators and you should have no issues at all in the future.
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UK construction trio investigated over alleged ‘cartel’
Competition watchdog accuses three construction services firms of anti-competitive behaviour from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8247360 https://www.ft.com/content/5f916d24-5aa1-11e9-9dde-7aedca0a081a via http://www.rssmix.com/
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March 31, 2019 AsktheBuilder Newsletter
Are you a new subscriber in the last week? Welcome and you picked a great time to jump aboard. Distinguished subscriber of record? I've got some great new-house eye candy for you today.
Floor Trusses - Endless Joy
The construction of my daughter and son-in-law's house continues. The brutal cold weather is behind and I've been hard at work with my son-in-law continuing to put in the entire plumbing, radiant heat, and electrical systems in the house.
Before I jump into the topic of floor trusses, I wanted to give you an overview of what's going on.
The past few days, I pretty much finished all the rough plumbing drain, waste, and vent piping. Here's a couple of shots showing how to combine the benefits of cast iron with the affordability of PVC.
This first photo was taken in the living room looking above at the underside of the master bathroom. You see lots of no-hub cast iron piping installed for both durability and sound control. You'll never hear water flowing across the ceiling and down a wall after someone flushes the toilet or takes a shower! Cast iron is QUIET!
This next photo is showing the main wall in the master bathroom. You can see the vanity drain line sticking out of the wall. That vanity is going to be a 36-inch tall base cabinet with a shallow vessel sink on top of it. That's why the branch arm is roughed in so high off the floor.
The other white PVC pipes are vents (left to right) for the shower, free-standing tub, and the not-so-common 3-inch full-size vent for the toilet and the rest of the house. That 3-inch pipe will be extended across the ceiling this coming week and connect to the 4-inch pipe that pokes through the roof.
Note how the vanity stack has cast iron extending up through the floor, but at the tee fitting it has transitioned to plastic PVC. You can combine the two pipe types in your home just like this.
CLICK HERE to see why you'd want to use both cast iron and PVC pipes in your next new home or remodeling job. Now about the floor trusses.
I've used floor trusses on a past job or two. It's been so long I forgot how wonderful they are.
Each day as we've been working putting in over 5,000 linear feet of the Uponor WIRSBO hePEX tubing for the radiant heating, I've come to fall in love with floor trusses. They have me swooning.
Look at the following photos and tell me if you could ever imagine putting in all you see using regular solid floor joists. Think of how many holes and friction points you'd have with solid lumber!
CLICK or TAP HERE to read about floor trusses. In that column, you'll discover a link you can click to get pricing for floor trusses and a local factory that will make them for you.
I recorded a FAST video about nine days ago on a whim about floor trusses. It was raining outside, it was dark in the garage and we used an iPhone. That explains why the video is not as good as my normal ones.
But I was SO overjoyed while working up in the floor trusses I had to share what I felt.
CLICK or TAP HERE to watch the fast video.
I can't begin to tell you how difficult it would be to run all the hePEX without the floor trusses.
Without floor trusses, I can't begin to tell you how many hundreds of holes would have to be drilled for all the:
hePEX heating tubing
plumbing drain lines - HUGE holes
plumbing supply lines
electrical wiring
low-voltage wiring
I can't begin to tell you how much my shoulder would ache. I can't believe all the extra time it would have taken.
Oh, and it's important to realize, when you decide to use floor trusses, you eliminate the need for interior bearing walls!
Can you see how that gives you all sorts of options when it comes to open floor plans and the ability to change the floor plan in the future with minimal disruption?
The other thing I love about the floor trusses is all the floors in the house are FLAT. Regular floor joists have crowns in them and the resulting floor can have all sorts of humps and dips in it.
Floor trusses allow you to have nice smooth floors.
I'm shooting a very interesting video today about how to install hePEX tubing that's 8-inches on center in 24-inch-on-center framing. You can have that in certain situations. I was unable to locate a video on YouTube showing how to do this very complex operation.
It's not going to be easy to record the video, because it's such a hard thing to visualize and do. But I'm going to give it my best shot.
It's time to get ready to go to the job site. I've already worked the past three days ten hours a day and the next eight are more of the same as my son-in-law took off a week of vacation so we could ram-rod this part of the job.
Have a great week!
Tim Carter Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
P.S. NEXT WEEK is a full issue about our certified organic Stain Solver. Now that spring has arrived, you need to know all about Stain Solver and ALL of the things it can clean around and in your home. Of course there will be a special sale - especially on our most popular 4.5 and 9.2-pound sizes.
If you're a loyal user of Stain Solver, speak up now and send me your quick story about the most remarkable thing you cleaned or restored. Help Kathy and me convince others how wonderful Stain Solver is.
I'm going to be sharing many of the things you can CLEAN safely using Stain Solver. You'll also hear some incredible stories from homeowners just like you.
Here's my FAVORITE story of all time with stunning before and after photos. Look VERY CLOSELY at what's under the hat in the top BEFORE photo.
Do It Right, Not Over!
The post March 31, 2019 AsktheBuilder Newsletter appeared first on Ask the Builder.
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L&Q to spend £4bn building homes in Northwest England
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UK construction sector remains lodged in contraction, PMI shows
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US manufacturing rebounds in March from two-year low
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