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Often times I am struck by the amount of folks who treat home maintenance as crisis management. I encounter this in all types of homes and all types of homeowners. It is not restricted to one socioeconomic class or another, nor is it restricted by geographic boundaries. I have seen this in mansions, and I have seen in in railroad shacks. What is always the most striking about this is the reaction I get when I ask the homeowner about their “maintenance plan” and am greeted by a glassy-eyed stare complete with rapid blinking of the eyes. The oft repeated statement that follows is usually something like- “Maintenance plan?” “What do you mean?”

When one buys a car, it is generally accepted by the buyer that the vehicle will require some regular maintenance and upkeep to run properly and have a long lifespan (this is not true of some friends of mine who think that cars are self-healing and require only gasoline). Anyway, most automobile owners know that if they do not keep up with their car’s maintenance and treat it well, it is likely that the car will not treat the owner well either. Due to the potential expense, loss of investment, and general inconvenience experienced when a car suddenly breaks down, most people try to at least achieve the minimum level of required maintenance on their vehicle, some people like my father-in-law even take pride in this and are downright militant about it.

But this is much less often the case with homes. Your home is a machine. It keeps you dry, provides a comfortable temperature and living space, and protects you from the elements. Your home is a machine because it works 24 hours a day, without ever stopping or getting a break. It is punished by a constant battle against ground movement, sun and weather, seasons, hot/cold air, wind, and usage by inhabitants. Don’t take that last part personally. Being inhabited is hard on any structure, no matter who the inhabitants are.

- At this point I am curious, is this boring to you? If so, you can confidently disregard the rest of this post if you can promptly and affirmatively answer ALL of the following questions:

1. When was the last time you replaced your furnace filters? Was it within the last 90 days for regular filters and/or 12 months for pleated HEPA fiters?
2. When is the last time you replaced your humidifier filter on your furnace? Do you even have a humidifier on your furnace? Do you know where your furnace is? If you have a gas-fired furnace, have you had the flu cleaned and the burners adjusted recently? Ever?
3. Have you cleaned and purged your water heater recently (annual job)?
4. Have  you cleaned your dryer vent (interior) and any pest screen (exterior) in the last 6 months?
5. Do you have a water filter on the home line or the water dispenser on the fridge and if so have you replaced that in the last 12 months?
6. Have you tested your smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors in the last 12 months? Did you know that the NFPA recommends testing monthly?
7. Do you have a fire extinguisher (you should have at least one in the kitchen and one near the cloths dryer) and is it current with a full charge?
8. Have you done a visual inspection of exterior masonry and/or siding to see if any tuckpointing or caulking/painting (respectively) is needed?
9. Have you performed or had a tradesperson perform an annual inspection of your roof, foundation, and visible structural members?
10. Are you experiencing any water pressure or drainage issues?
11. Have you noticed any new cracks or movement in the drywall/plaster on the interior of the home?
12. Have you performed a test of all GFCI breakers and receptacles in the home in the last 30 days (NEC recommended)? If not, have you done so in the last year?
13. Have you had your boiler (if applicable) flushed and filled and all air bled this year?
14. Is your A/C system properly charged- with no leaks –  and are the components of the system operating properly?

This is the short list. And just in case you are curious- YES these are serious things to be checking. Roofs only leak when things have gotten BAD. Bad spots in masonry joints can quickly transform into water intrusion spots and structural weak-points. Missing caulk and paint on cement/wood siding invites water and weather in which means higher energy bills and possible mold formation along with ruined drywall and trim. Clogged dryer vents mean decreased dryer efficiency, higher operating costs, and a VERY REAL threat of fire. A slow drain can usually by handled with a drain auger, a stopped drain may be able to be augered but can translate into sewage backups and piping replacement. Defective smoke detectors and GFCI receptacles are defective life-safety devices and don’t protect anyone if they don’t work. These devices have saved countless lives and must be maintained to protect you.  Clogged furnace filters decrease efficiency by a tremendous amount, lower the ability of the furnace and A/C to make the home comfortable, shorten the lifespan of the equipment, and will wreak havoc on allergies. Dirty humidifier filters render the humidifier useless and can grow mold and mildew which is then pumped throughout the home in the ductwork.

A technician can inspect these items inexpensively and perform routine maintenance quickly in the vast majority of cases. This can save tens of thousands of dollars in replacement work, hundreds if not thousands of dollars in energy costs per year, and provide peace of mind. It can even save lives!

If you have done these things, I applaud you on your technical knowledge and diligence in the upkeep of your home. If you have not, consider doing so either yourself or by hiring a professional. A professional can show you how to perform the bulk of this upkeep yourself and can handle the ladder and technical inspections.

Protect your family. Protect yourself. Protect your investment. Inspect and maintain your home.

As we move into 2012, we wish you a VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Note: Scarlett Construction Company employs several professional tradespeople who are more than adept at inspecting and maintaining homes. Please contact us if you have any questions or would like to set up an appointment.

Do you want to give your Mansard-style roof an upgrade while giving your house a face-lift? I decided to use synthetic slate on mine. While my house originally had a slate mansard, it had been roofed with ugly asphalt shingles years ago. These shingles were starting to fail (and they were hideous 3-tabs) so I had to make the decision of what route to go. Luckily, I discovered slate underneath the roll roofing on the rear slope of the mansard- this confirmed that the roof was originally slate. Next I had to remove the asphalt shingles (and I was desperately hoping that the original slate did NOT still exist under the asphalt shingles on the front slope). When asphalt shingles are installed over slate, the nails driven into the slate shatters the slate and you are left with thousands of razor-sharp pieces of rock to contend with. Luckily, the original had been removed prior to the installation of the asphalt. I was stunned. The guys who put the asphalt shingles on some 25 years ago neglected to install ANY flashing at all (step, counter, drip-edge, etc.) and simply applied huge gobs of black asphalt roof cement to the rake edges of the roof. UGH. Fortunately, the age of the tar and the temperatures being in the mid 50′s meant that the tar was relatively brittle. Solution- a flat-blade cold chisel and mason’s hammer chipped most of the chunks right off. UNFORTUNATELY- asphalt cement also stains the brick and the stains are nearly impossible to remove without damaging the brick. I will have to learn to live with some imperfection. Observe the before:

Once all the cruddy old roofing and paper was removed, it was time to do some assessing. The existing framing was sufficient to support the new roofing. I knew this for two reasons:

1. The new roof is synthetic slate which is SUBSTANTIALLY lighter than natural slate, and the roof was originally roofed with natural slate. Therefore, it had held the larger weight at one time.
2. I had repaired the rafter tails and supports for the mansard 2 years prior to this project when I had replaced the damaged soffits and fascia on the front of the house. I put in additional cribbage bracing when I did this which was bearing on the masonry wall at a 60 degree angle and took the “bounce” out of the 2×4 mansard rafters.

Next I had to investigate the existing sheathing for problems. The sheathing was 1×12 planks original to the house. Codes prefer that these be replaced with plywood, but do not require it unless the existing is damaged. While I did find some damage to the existing, it was isolated to one piece on the main slope and one each on the two small “hip” sides. I replaced the small piece on the main with old-growth clear douglas fir which matched what was there. On the hips, I cut triangles out of Advantech decking plywood and installed that. I did do the replacement as per code preference because the vast majority of decking was in great shape, I did not want to disturb the underframing structure, and the plywood preference by code is due to the stability needed for asphalt shingles. Asphalt shingles require a plywood deck with NO gaps or wind can rip away the shingles-slate/tile do not require this nor does synthetic slate provided all the nailstrikes are into solid material.

Once those repairs were made, I “papered in” with #30 roofing felt. I prefer the #30 over the standard #15 as it has a lot more strength, is much more tear-resistant, and can handle winds much better. It is required for natural slate installations, but not for synthetic slate installations. I was battling rain and consistent 15-25mph windy days with some days offering 35-40 mph gusts. Needless to say, this part was nothing but good times. I did get the paper on before the first rains came, and we were 100% watertight.

And as this lovely roof boasted a 16/12 pitch, I did the lower section using ladders/planks/scaffolding, the midsection using planks on roofjacks and a chicken ladder, and the top from the main flat roof. I will say, there were moments I had my nerves a little frayed (especially on the windy days), but I am a believer in and practitioner of fall-arrest harness use.  I didn’t use the amount of nailers and rails I would have preferred, but I knew that if I fell, it would suck a lot less. Harnessed falls do still hurt, but they slow the decent with less force and prevent complete drops.

I then installed the aluminum drip edge, snapped my chalk lines, and installed the starter and 1st courses. Once past the initial layout, I did my 2nd and third courses using the markings on the shingles. At course three, I took multiple measurements and snapped a new king line to make sure I wasn’t veering off or wandering on my accuracy. After that, I didn’t need to snap any more lines as the shingle markings were extremely accurate (one HUGE plus with the synthetic slate) and the nature of the roughness around the shingle allows some play. I am glad I did this check-up line though, if I had been off line, each successive course makes the error show more and it just gets worse and worse. I installed aluminum step flashing as I went at the rakes and hips. The cards I made were 10″x13″. I had to terminate the two hips under the fifth course, and while I had my concerns about how this would come out, it worked quite well with the preformed hip/and/ridge shingles.

I had to cut the top tiles into 10″ pieces, and I decided to use some poly-adhesive under the bottoms of these shingles for a little extra insurance against wind. At this point, I have not installed the ridge cap shingles or the counterflashing at the rakes, I am waiting on the shingles to arrive at the supplier (unfortunately, none of this stuff is stock or easily returnable). As for the counterflashing, I ab fabricating it out of 18ga sheet copper now as my next post will show in detail. Current state of the roof looks like this:

Note: I have not removed the jack brackets yet. Also, I mixed the random colors myself as I purchased these before you could get the “premixed bundles” the suppliers now offer. I am glad I did this though as I was sure that the pattern would be totally random, which is more historically accurate to this time period in my opinion. I also, wanted the roof to look like it had been there long enough to have had repair pieces put in that didn’t necessarily match the others….

Before a recommendation on a specific tool can be made with confidence, the question I would need to have answered is: what are you trying to do? There really is not one specific tool that can do every job it encounters efficiently. That said, there are tools that are extremely versatile and should be in your tool collection if you intend to work on your own home or on projects for others. As it is a topic which I am overly enthusiastic about, I will start with power tools.

There are multiple tenets upon which to judge a tool’s usefulness and value by.  In my opinion, the following are the critical items one must consider when selecting and purchasing a tool. They are in order of importance with number one (1) being the most important.

1. Usefulness on specific project, positive impact on productivity/safety, likelihood of consistent reuse
2. Reasonable expected lifespan of the tool and durability
3. Warranties
4. Power, flexibility/versatility, compatibility with other tools or available kits
5. Weight and transportability
6. Purchase cost
7. Available accessories and accessory cost
8. Maintenance cost
9. Location of Manufacture and Brand

The individual weight each category carries can vary for each person, but these are the baselines that I draw to decide which tools I purchase.

Experience has taught me to research each tool before buying and not to trust tools that have a brand name that has a bad history or is likely not made by the name on the tool. For example, Craftsman-brand cordless tools are outsourced to a third party to manufacture and have (in my experience) short battery lives. That is not to say that all Craftsman tools have drawbacks – their mechanics tools are some of the best available. But be cautious about blindly trusting brands.

For cordless screwdrivers, the 12V lithium-ion tools by Milwaukee and Bosch are fantastic for those just starting out or those that want a lighter and more agile alternative to corded and heavy cordless tools. Unlike their predecessors, these drills can drive 3″ screws with little effort, the batteries charge quickly and are less likely to overheat, ad they are extremely lightweight. Don’t let the weight fool you though, there is plenty of power for their purpose.

Why does weight concern me? If you tend to tote a lot of tools around from job to job, every ounce of tool weight is an ache you will feel at the end of the day and possibly beyond. My back and shoulders instructed me to stow my machismo a long time ago in the interest of self-preservation. The result is more productive workdays and less aches at the end of those workdays.

So how do these two drills match up?

There are things I have not covered here.

• First- there are other tools and I am not trying to shun anybody. I have used both of these and I have a comfort level with them. Please feel free to suggest others if you so desire.
• Second- torque and RPMs. These drills are about the size of squirt-guns and therefore I don’t rank torque as being a high-priority. It doesn’t matter how much power it has if it breaks your wrist – there is too much torque. I only worry about a drill’s torque if it has a second or side-handle attachment.
• Third- clutch. You don’t need a clutch to drive 3″ screws into wood. The clutch is only useful for very delicate applications where stripping the screw is of a high likelihood, applications where you are desperately concerned about binding (such as when driving machine screws into a pre-threaded piece of metal), and for those that want to reign in the torque.
• Fourth- LED lights: many of these drills have small lights designed to illuminate the work area when the trigger is pulled. However, these are generally not very bright and are still a bit gimmicky in my opinion. If you can’t see your work piece, stop and set up a work-light for safety. Drilling in the dark is lazy planning and downright silly.
• Fifth- chuck type. The Bosch has a retractable-sleeve 1/4″ Hex chuck which only fits bits with the same base. This restricts the amount of items you can use with it – but you are driving screws, not using ship augers. The Milwaukee has a 3/8″ ratcheting keyless chuck. Tried-and-true, but not a great benefit for something used primarily to drive screws.

I first began using these types of drills when I got sick of my 18V hammerdrill constantly pulling my toolbelt down due to the weight. I bought and currently use a 7.2 volt Dewalt cordless screwdriver. I didn’t bother to mention it in the review as it is a NiCad battery which is a dying technology and inferior to the power and lifespan of Lithium Ion, and with the battery installed it weighs 4 lbs. It is durable, and I have no complaints about its service to me. But it has no other kit components in that 7.2 volt range (with exception to a right-angle driver) and the batteries for it are both hard to find and expensive.

Other benefits to consider: The Milwaukee has about 200 attachments for their 12V LI line and many of them are very useful tools. Remember, don’t buy the drill for the other items in the kit. I have made that mistake and regretted it.

Personal Overall Preference: The Bosch. Lower price, lighter weight, same batteries, smaller size, comparable power, backed by Bosch and the Bosch warranty