HowToDoThings.com Exteriors

How To Tell If Your Roof Needs Repair

Crichey — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:17:09 -0500

Generally, a home is the biggest purchase that most people make in their life. More and more homeowners are taking on do-it-yourself projects and major chains like Home Depot and Lowes offer free classes in all kinds of projects. However, sometimes you may not be aware a problem exists. In this article, we're going to take a look at the roof of a home and how to tell if it needs to be repaired or if the entire roof needs to be replaced.

How To Powerwash Your Home

estaban2501 — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 15:35:05 -0500

Powerwashing your home may seem odd, but you really need to do it if you plan to paint your home or if you need to remove dirt and any other unwanted debris. Many people don't see a need to powerwash a home before they paint it, mainly because they think that the paint will just cover up the dirt or that it's useless to wash a home because it will be dirty again in a matter of days. The unfortunate truth is that you need a clean surface in order for the paint to form a good hard bond. You would never see an artist paint a picture on a dirty canvas so why would you paint a dirty house? Fortunately, powerwashing your home is not that hard and it can add years to your paint job.

How To Stucco

dlphns13 — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 12:55:48 -0600

So you want to learn to stucco? I will do my best to show you the quickest and cheapest way to do this. You will need some patience and a few tools that you can pick up at any home improvement store.

How To Fix a Loose Brick in Your Step

dlphns13 — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 11:20:47 -0600

Do you have a loose brick in your step? Not sure how to fix it or who to call? Well I will save you a lot of time and money with this quick and easy fix.

How To Choose the Right Style Home

Youshouldown — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 15:38:40 -0500

Homebuyers often confuse one style of home for another. When searching for your next home or trying to determine the style that matches your needs, it's important to know the different styles of homes available and on the market. Below is a breakdown of the many styles and their descriptions.

Bi-Level: A bi-level style home is typically a one-story floor plan that has been raised above ground level, where another level of living such as a basement or additional rooms resides. They are often considered ranches or split-level homes. In fact, when you enter the front door and have to climb stairs to get to the kitchen or main living space, you're typically in a bi-level style home.
Bungalow: A bungalow style home is a compact 1-1/2 story house that contains smaller rooms. There will typically be 2 or more bedrooms on the main floor, along with a bathroom and living space.

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How To Apply Concrete Sealer and Stain

Grace170 — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 09:10:00 -0600

If you have recently completed a project using concrete, you may need to seal the surface to prevent water and other seepage. Additionally, some concrete projects will receive an aesthetic "lift" if stained properly. Whether it is a paver driveway, an exposed aggregate pathway, or a patio, you will want to consider the benefits of sealing and staining your work. Here are some tips.

Sealer: Why use it? Concrete sealers are needed for projects that require the material to be impenetrable, or at least, less penetrable than unsealed concrete. Concrete sealers are finish coatings used to protect the concrete. Sealers act to prevent damage from traffic, water and chemical agents. Sealers reduce the porosity of concrete and prevent water and dirt from getting into the concrete.

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How To Find a Tubular Skylight

Staff468 — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 15:51:00 -0600

Tubular skylights have become a popular choice for many homeowners. Skylights let 8 times more light into your home than a comparably sized window, so if you're looking to brighten up a room, a skylight will certainly do the trick. Tubular skylights look more like a standard light fixture than an average skylight, as they are typically much smaller. Tubular skylights fit well in bathrooms, hallways, closets or other small rooms that are tucked away in the dark.

Since tubular skylights are lined with a highly reflective interior coating, the sunlight is able to bounce through the metallic tube until it reaches the end where it radiates into your home. Most tubular skylights come with UV inhibitors or diffusers to prevent ultraviolet rays from causing your furniture to fade. Tubular skylights are also more energy efficient than your average skylight, which will save you money on your monthly energy bill.

How To Choose a Skylight

Staff468 — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 10:45:00 -0600

When it comes to choosing skylights for your home you have a variety of options. You can choose skylights in all different shapes and sizes, with different tints and levels of UV protection, and with differing levels of energy efficiency and ventilation. There are three major categories to consider when you're choosing a skylight for your home.

Style and Functionality. Skylights come in many shapes and sizes...and functionalities. In the broadest sense your skylight can be fixed, operable or tubular, but within these classifications you have more options yet.

Fixed. A fixed skylight is one that doesn't move or open. It's sole purpose is to allow light into a room. Fixed skylights include:

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How To Remove Asbestos Siding

Staff468 — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 12:24:00 -0500

So you plan to remove asbestos siding from your home yourself. Are you nuts? Asbestos is nasty stuff. What is asbestos anyway?

How To Find Corrosion Control Products

Staff468 — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 13:19:00 -0500

Corrosion is the deterioration of materials, usually metal, due to reactions with the environment. While corrosion can occur anywhere, it is the corrosion of a home's pipes that is the cause for the most concern, as it can lead to the toxicity of a family's water supply.

Before using a corrosion-control method, conduct a test to estimate the degree of corrosiveness. There are a couple of simple ways to determine if your pipes are corrosive. For one, if you see blue-green stains in your sink or the same stains along the joints of the copper piping, corrosion is present. Rust stains will appear when iron corrosion is present. Toilets with blue, green, or rust stains indicate corrosion as well. If the tap water tastes bitter or metallic, corrosion may be the culprit of that, too. Sometimes corrosion also gives off an odor.

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