Building A House - A Simple Plan

Radiant Heating Pipe in the Bathroom

2011-06-12T11:08:00.000-07:00

I've just finished installing the radiant heating pipe in the upstairs bathroom. The pipe I'm using is 1/2' PEX pipe with an oxygen barrier. (More on that in a later post.)

I'm working with a 500' roll of pipe, so I've made up a quick n' dirty unspooler out of a couple of long clamps and a piece of 4" ABS pipe. When installing the Pex pipe, it needs to actually be unrolled, as opposed to just laying the roll of pipe on the floor and uncoiling it. If you just uncoil it from the roll, it will get twisted and be almost impossible to work with. (Think of how a garden hose gets all twisted up when you just uncoil it.) By hanging it up and unrolling it, you don't get any twists in the pipe and it installs easily.

I began by putting the end of the pipe down through the floor and into the chase that goes down to the basement. Then I layed the pipe in the long, winding slot in the floor. When I got back to the beginning again, I cut the pipe with enough length to go back down to the basement again. The entire length of pipe was 130'. Eventually, the two ends of the pipe will get connected to the radiant heating manifolds in the basement.

Bathroom Floor Preparation

2011-06-06T15:41:00.000-07:00

Today I was preparing the bathroom floor for the radiant heating system. The first step was to lay down 8" wide strips of plywood such that there is a 5/8" gap between them. At the ends of the strips of plywood I've cut semi-circles out of plywood as well. The goal is to create a continuous pathway that the Pex heating pipe will lie in.

I've also installed aluminum heat transfer plates in the straight sections. As the name implies, the heat transfer plates will help to transfer the heat from the warm Pex pipe to the floor by spreading the heat over a larger surface area.

You can see a short length of white Pex pipe in the photo below. I just put that in there to test the fit of the aluminum plates, and it all fits fine.

Where the Pex pipe exits the floor and heads down towards the basement, I've put 1/4 circles made out of plywood under the opening in the floor. That ensures that the pipe bends downward without getting any kinks in it.

Installing the Bathroom Exaust Fan

2011-05-28T10:16:00.000-07:00

I’ve recently finished installing my bathroom fan system. Rather than have an individual ceiling fan in each bathroom, I’ve installed a single remote fan to ventilate both bathrooms. The fan is installed in an area away from the bathrooms and exhausts out the roof. This results in a quiet and efficient system. I’ll put in a timer switch in each bathroom, so the fan can be set to run for 5 – 30 minutes and then shut off automatically.

The white vent pipe you can see in the photos is 4” PVC pipe. I’ve used the rigid PVC pipe rather than the flexible accordion-style pipe because the PVC pipe walls are smooth, so there is less air resistance than in the flexible pipes. The pipes run from both the bathroom ceilings to a Y-fitting on the intake side of the fan unit. The fan exhausts through a 6” diameter pipe to a roof vent. The 6” pipe is flexible aluminum pipe, but it’s only two feet long so there isn’t a lot of air resistance to deal with.

The fan I used is a Fantech FR 150. It’s rated at 263 cfm, which should be plenty for both bathrooms. It’s amazingly quiet. Even when standing right next to it, you can barely tell that it’s running. All you can hear is the air rushing through the pipes.

Here’s a link if you’d like more information: http://fantech.net/docs-resi/450399-fr-brochure.pdf

The ducting connections to the fan are sealed with aluminum duct tape. It's different than traditional duct tape; which will dry out and peel away. This is actually made of thin aluminum and will last for the life of the fan.

Roof Vent For Bathroom Fan

2011-05-27T10:47:00.000-07:00

I've installed the roof vent for the bathroom fan system. I removed a couple of shingles and cut a round(ish) hole for the vent.

The top of the vent flange is tucked up underneath the roofing felt, and the new shingles get installed over top of that. I've used silicone sealant underneath the top and sides of the flange to ensure a good seal as well.

Loft Insulation

2011-05-24T20:03:00.000-07:00

I've been installing the pink insulation baffles in the loft area. Their purpose is to ensure an air space is always present between the insulation and the bottom side of the roof sheathing. That air space is essential for proper roof ventilation.

Insulation Progress

2011-05-21T19:53:00.000-07:00

Today I installed the insulation and poly in the bathroom walls and ceiling.

More Lights Installed

2011-05-09T19:40:00.000-07:00

I have finished up a bit more wiring and installed a few more lights. The half-bath wiring is done now, and the lights over the stairs and in the loft are installed.

These are all just temporary light fixtures; I'll eventually install an appropriate bathroom light and some sort of pendant lights over the stairs and in the loft.

Siding Progress

2011-05-05T19:32:00.000-07:00

I've finished up the siding and soffits to the peak of the roof on this side of the house. All that's left to do is the fascia.

More Siding Done

2011-04-25T20:42:00.000-07:00

I'm gradually making my way up the walls.

Bug Screen for the Rain Screen

2011-04-24T11:20:00.000-07:00

I'm just about finished installing the siding on this wall. However, I first have to install the bug screen for the rain screen system. The bug screen stops bugs from getting into the air space between the siding and the outside of the wall. (There is also a bug screen at the bottom of the wall.)

I use a piece of fiberglass window screen 12" wide for this. I tuck a third of it behind the tops of the plywood strips, and then fold the remaining part in half and staple it to the plywood strips. Folding the screen in half gives it some bulk so that it fits somewhat tightly to the backside of the siding.

Now I can install the frieze board and then the last row of siding.

Flashing Details for the Wraparound Eaves

2011-04-23T11:28:00.000-07:00

This shows the flashing detail at the top of the wraparound eaves. I've put the shingles on first, then tucked the top leg of a piece of L-shaped aluminum flashing up underneath the housewrap and sealed it with tape. The bottom leg of the flashing sits on top of the shingles.

Soffits Finished Above Patio Doors

2011-04-19T16:12:00.000-07:00

Today I finished the soffits above the patio doors.

Wrap-around Eaves

2011-04-07T16:03:00.000-07:00

I've just finished building the wrap-around eave section at the front of the house. Now I can continue with the siding on this wall.

Installing Soffits

2011-03-24T19:52:00.000-07:00

As I'm moving along with the siding, I'm also installing the soffits as I go. The soffits are what covers the underside of the eaves. Like the siding I'm using, they are made of vinyl. I'm using the perforated variety as they allow for free air movement up into the roof cavity.

The soffits are held in place by placing one end into a vinyl channel (called an F-channel) that's screwed to the wall underneath the inside of the eave, and by nailing the other end to the underside of the fascia board on the outside of the eave.

The soffit panels are interlocking in a way similar to that of the vinyl siding. Once you install one piece, the next piece hooks around the edge of the previous piece.

The finished product.

Siding Finished on the Front

2011-03-16T19:50:00.000-07:00

I've finished up the siding on the front of the house... almost. There is still a partial row to go up at the top once the soffits are installed.

Flashing for an Outdoor Light Fixture Box

2011-03-12T19:23:00.000-08:00

I've discovered some plastic flashing blocks that work great for protecting outdoor electrical boxes from getting water inside them. It's a two-piece unit... once piece goes over top the electrical box before the siding goes on... and the second piece goes on after the siding is installed.

This is the electrical box for the outside light at the front door.

Here's the back half of the flashing block. It just slips over top the protruding edge of the electrical box.

Now the siding goes on.

Now the front half of the flashing block slips on overtop and outside of the back half.

Once the light fixture is installed, the electrical box is well protected from getting wet inside.

Window Drip Caps

2011-03-06T20:32:00.000-08:00

One of the things that building inspectors are fussy about is the flashing ... or drip cap... that goes above the windows. The purpose of the drip cap is to force water out and away from the top of the window; or more specifically, away from the joint where the top of the window meets the wall. Here, the building code requires that the drip caps also have end dams to prevent water from running down the side of a window as well.

The drip cap stock comes preformed in 10' or 12' lengths in either aluminum or vinyl. I'm using vinyl because I could get it in the same color as my corner posts and soffits. That's the easy part. The hard part is making the end dams.

Here's the drip cap stock as it comes from the lumber yard.

I begin my making two cuts 3/4" from the end; one in the front lip, and one in the back. I use tin snips to cut it.

Next, I clamp a small piece of thin plywood on each side of the flat part of the drip cap... with the edge of the plywood lined up with the cuts I made. Now I heat up the end with my heat gun.

After 30 - 45 seconds with the heat gun, the vinyl becomes very pliable. I bend the end upwards to almost a 90 degree angle, tucking the vertical flap around behind the back. The edge of the plywood helps me get a nice clean bend.

This is looking at the bottom side.

The next step is to put some silicone sealant between the flap and the back of the drip cap, and then clamp them together.

Next, I put in a couple of rivets to hold the flap and the back together; and lastly I trim off the lip and round off the top corner on the end. Now I have a finished end dam. To finish the drip cap, I just cut it to length and then repeat on the process on the other end.

Here's the completed drip cap in place. The front lip of the drip cap protrudes past the trim by about 3/8". That protrusion forces water to drip away from the surface of the trim; thereby helping to prevent water from getting behind the trim by capillary action.

Trim and Siding Progress

2011-03-01T13:03:00.000-08:00

I've finished up the trim around the front windows and got a bit more siding up. I'm quite happy with the way it's shaping up overall, except for the window trim around the octagonal window.

I wanted to keep the same style of trim around all the windows, but the trim around the octagonal windows doesn't look quite right... too heavy on the top perhaps. I'll just have to learn to live with it though, because I'm not changing it now.

Siding and Window Trim on the Front

2011-02-26T00:11:00.000-08:00

I've installed some of the window trim on the front of the house. I'm using a product called Smart Trim, which is an engineered product made out of wood chips and resin, and finished on the face to look like rough lumber. It comes primed for painting.

To make the window sill, I've sandwiched two pieces of the Smart Trim together to give me the thickness I need, then I've beveled the top side so that it will shed water. I've used a router to round over the edges on piece that goes underneath the sill (the apron), the two pieces that go on either side of the window (the legs), and the piece that goes over top the window (the head). Once the trim is painted, the rounded edges will give it a more finished look.

Here I've cut out the siding to fit around the window trim at the bottom of the window. Part of the siding butts up against the trim and part of it slides behind the trim.

Siding Started on the Front of the House

2011-02-20T23:37:00.000-08:00

I've begun installing the siding around the front of the house. I started by installing the flashing, the bug screen, and the starter strip. Note that I'm using galvanized metal flashing here and not the vinyl flashing that I had shown in my siding mockup. Instead, I'll be using the vinyl flashing as the drip cap over top the window trim.

This is as far as I can go with the siding until I've installed the trim around the windows, because the siding butts up to, or sticks underneath the trim.

A Real Front Door

2011-02-15T19:54:00.000-08:00

I've finally installed a real front door. It's just a simple steel door with a glass insert, but it looks so much better than the old "plywood & padlock" door.

Siding Started

2011-02-06T18:14:00.000-08:00

I've started installing the vinyl siding on the west wall of the house. This part went fairly quickly, but I'll have to set up scaffolding to continue any higher, so that'll slow down the process.

Installing Vinyl Siding - Screws vs. Nails

2011-01-31T19:33:00.000-08:00

I've had people ask me why I'm using screws instead of nails to install my vinyl siding. Nails work fine when you're attaching to a plywood sheathed or OSB sheathed, conventionally framed wall.

However, because I'm attaching to a plastic web that's embedded in the ICF wall, I need the extra grip that screws will provide. I've heard of people using nails to install siding on ICF walls, but I just don't think a nail has enough holding power when driven into plastic.

Just my opinion of course; but I'm sticking with screws.

Siding Mockup

2011-01-28T15:22:00.000-08:00

I've built a small mockup of a wall section so I can make sure my siding installation fits together as planned. I started with a scrap piece of plywood, covered it with housewrap, and then added two plywood strips, the same as I used outside.

The first step is to install the bottom bug screen. The bug screen prevents bugs from getting up inside the airspace between the housewrap and the siding, but will still allow moisture to drain out. There will also be a bug screen at the top of the wall.

I'm using a strip of fiberglass window screen about 10" - 12" wide. I pull the bottom edge of the furring strips away from the wall just enough to slip about 4" of the screen up between the plywood strip and the housewrap. Then I fold the screen around to the front of the strip, and then fold it down on top of itself. Finally, I staple through the front folds into the plywood strip to hold it in place. The bulky folds of the screen will hold it tight enough to the back surface of the siding to stop bugs from getting through.

The next step is to cut a slit in the housewrap just below the plywood furring strips. The top edge of the flashing goes up through that slit and behind the housewrap. The flashing will be screwed every 16" into the plastic webbing embedded in the ICF wall. Any moisture that comes down the face of the housewrap will travel over the flashing and drip onto the ground.

Once the flashing is in place, then I attach the starter strip to the wall. The starter strip is the component that the bottom row of siding clips on to. It will be screwed through the plywood strips and into the plastic webbing inside the wall.

You can see the "S" shaped bottom edge of the starter strip here. The bottom edge of the first row of siding will clip around that "S" shape, holding the siding to the wall.

The next step is to install the bottom row of siding. Vinyl siding isn't really difficult to install, but there is one thing that's extremely important to remember: Vinyl siding must not be attached tightly to the wall. In fact, vinyl siding isn't so much "attached to" a wall, as it is "hung on" a wall. The screws cannot be driven in tightly, in fact they need to be driven in so that there is approximately a 1/32" gap between the screw head and the siding. (That's about the thickness of a dime.)

The reason for this is that vinyl siding expands and contracts with heat and cold. If it is attached tightly to the wall, it will buckle when it expands in the heat of the summer. When this happens, it's very noticeable and looks terrible. So, it's extremely important to leave that gap between the head of the screw and the siding. Also, the screws should be placed in the center of the slots so that the siding can move freely in either direction.

To install the first row of siding, the bottom edge of the siding is first clipped under the bottom edge of the starter strip, and then the top edge of the siding is screwed to the plywood strips. The next row of siding follows the same principal; the bottom edge of the siding is clipped under the top edge of the siding below, and the top edge is screwed to the wall.

Here you can see how the bottom edge of the siding clips around the top edge of the row of siding below.

When the siding is finished, I'll install a trim board (called a water table) underneath the flashing on the bottom. In this case, the water table is strictly cosmetic, it's only purpose is to give some definition to the bottom edge of the siding, separating it from the bare area on the bottom portion of the wall.

Housewrap and Rain Screen Inspection

2011-01-12T14:00:00.000-08:00

I've finished up the housewrap and rain screen and had my inspection done. The inspector was happy and I can proceed with my siding installation.

You can see a couple of areas in the photographs that still show bare plywood. Those of course will have to be covered in housewrap first, but I explained to the inspector that I would like to do the housewrap and siding all at once while I have the scaffolding set up, rather than do the housewrap and then tear down the scaffolding only to have to set it up again to install the siding. He had no problem with that, and it will save me some time in the long run.

Electrical Outlet Installation Details

2010-12-21T12:17:00.000-08:00

Here's a description of what I do when install an electrical outlet. I'm not claiming that this is the only way, or the "right" way, but it's what I've been doing and the Electrical Inspector is happy with it.

This the rough-wired outlet box with the wires stripped and ready for installation. The wire marked with the red tape (left wire, above the box) is the supply-side wire. The other wire goes from this outlet to the next outlet; becoming the supply-side wire for the next outlet.

In the back of the box there are two green ground screws. The bare ground wire from the supply-side wire is first wrapped around one of those screws.

Then the two ground wires are twisted together with a third piece of wire. The third piece of wire is called a pig-tail, and is what gets connected to the outlet plug.

Next, the Hot (black) wires and the Neutral (white) wires are twisted together with their respective pig-tail wires. A marette (the orange cap) is twisted on to the wires to hold them together and insulate each group of wires from the others.

Here you can see the Hot and Neutral pig-tails. They'll get connected to the outlet plug.

The next step is to neatly coil the wires up inside the box so that there is still lots of room for the outlet to sit comfortably inside the box as well.

Here you can see the three pig-tails sticking out, ready for connection to the outlet.

The wires are all attached to the outlet... the ground wire to the dark green screw at the bottom, the Neutral wire to a silver screw, and the Hot wire to a brass screw on the other side. It is important to attach the right wire to the right screw. Hot wires get attached to brass screws, and Neutral wires get attached to silver screws.

The final product.

Rough Electrical Inspection Passed

2010-12-17T13:40:00.000-08:00

The Electrical Inspector paid me a visit and I've passed my rough wiring inspection for the main floor and the loft. (I haven't done the basement yet.) He was happy with everything and there's no re-work required! Now I can proceed with connecting all my completed circuits to the service panel.

More Insulation

2010-11-24T08:21:00.000-08:00

Here's the insulation finished on the east wall... ready for poly. I've also got a few of the insulation baffles installed in the roof cavity.

Insulation Update

2010-11-20T18:16:00.000-08:00

Today I installed the insulation and vapor barrier in the short roof over the kitchen. As with the other sections of the roof, I've put in two layers of 6" fiberglass insulation. That provides an insulative value of R40.

Electrical Details

2010-11-14T16:55:00.000-08:00

When I first started designing the electrical system for the house, I decided that I was going to make fairly detailed drawings of all the circuits. That way, when the inevitable "Where does this wire go?" question comes up, I'll have something to refer to.

Here's a sample of what I've done. (Click on it to enlarge it.)

I've started installing some of the lights and light switches. With a couple of good books on the subject and plenty of wiring diagrams available on the Internet, it's really not that hard to do simple wiring.

The part that's difficult is getting everything to fit neatly inside the box. We'll see what the Electrical Inspector has to say in a couple of weeks.

Insulation Progress

2010-10-28T21:10:00.000-07:00

The dormer above the living room gets insulated. (I can hardly stand the excitement.)

Housewrap Progress

2010-10-14T11:00:00.000-07:00

I'm continuing to work on installing the rest of the housewrap, although I have somewhat changed my method for installing it. In a post back in May, I talked about using fender washers to hold the housewrap in place. That method worked okay, but I've found a better way.

Now I'm using 3/8" x 3" plywood strips to hold the housewrap in place. The plywood strips get screwed to the plastic webs embedded in the ICF walls, thereby holding the housewrap in place. The siding will get screwed to the plywood strips (and into the plastic webs beneath as well.) That leaves an airspace between the housewrap and the siding. This is known as a rainscreen system.

The purpose of the rainscreen is to allow any moisture that gets behind the vinyl siding to drain down the wall and out the bottom; thereby stopping the moisture from getting trapped and causing problems.

For an in-depth description of how a rainscreen works, check out this article: www.greenhomebuilding.com/pdf/RainScreen.pdf

Patio Doors Installed

2010-09-30T13:12:00.000-07:00

I've recently installed the first set of patio doors. They have an integral nailing fin along the sides and top, so they get installed in the same manner as the windows. The door set weighs about 150 lbs, so I used my trusty winch to lift them up into place.

I had to cut away some of the existing housewrap over the opening to make room for the peel-and-stick flashing above the door.

Once the flashing was in place, I cut a strip of housewrap about 16" x 84" and inserted the top edge of it underneath the housewrap above. Then I taped it down over top the flashing above the door. The important thing to remember is that upper pieces of housewrap or flashing always must lap over top of lower pieces. That's the only way to ensure that moisture is always forced outwards.

The completed installation, ready for trim. Now I just need a deck.

Insulation Updates

2010-09-10T10:45:00.000-07:00

I've finished insulating the bedroom ceiling and have installed the vapor barrier. I'm using 6 mil poly for the vapor barrier.

The last time I installed a vapor barrier (many years ago), the building code called for all studs, joists, and trusses to have a bead of sealant applied before the poly was installed. The sealant works well, but it's extremely messy to work with. It's vile, black stuff that gets on everything!

However, much to my pleasant surprise, the building code has changed. The sealant is not required if the seams in the poly are overlapped by at least 4" and sealed with tape. Woo-hoo! What was once a somewhat dreadful job is now not so bad at all.

Having said all that... the sealant does do an excellent job of keeping the warm air in the house from escaping into the roof cavity, so I'm still using it in some places... on the top and bottom plates of the walls, and where the roof trusses meet the sill plates.

Summer's End

2010-09-07T10:31:00.000-07:00

Contrary to what my lack of blog postings might suggest, I have still been working on my house. However, now that the busy-ness that comes with summer is over, I should be able to get back to some somewhat regular posting.

Insulation Work Started

2010-08-22T11:46:00.000-07:00

I've started installing the insulation in the bedroom ceiling and walls. I'm using R20 fiberglass batts that are approximately 6" thick.

The walls will get one layer, and the ceilings will get 2 layers. That'll give me an insulation value of R40 in the ceilings. The building code only calls for R28 in ceilings, but most new construction and remodel jobs have R40 or higher.

Preparing for Roofing Insulation

2010-08-15T06:44:00.000-07:00

I'm getting ready to start insulating my roof now. The first thing I have to do is install the insulation baffles... also known as insulation stops or rafter vents.

The roof is designed so that there will be an air space between the insulation and the bottom surface of the roof sheathing. That space allows air to move freely from the soffit vents under the eaves up to the roof vents at the peak. That air movement will help to prevent condensation from forming in the roof cavity during the winter and keep the roof cooler in the summer.

The purpose of the insulation baffles is to preserve that air space by preventing the insulation from touching the roof sheathing. The baffles also prevent any insulation from falling into the soffit area underneath the eaves.

The baffles are made of thin styrofoam and are simply stapled to the bottom side of the roof sheathing between the roof trusses. The molded shape of the baffle ensures that there is space for free air movement between the baffle and the roof sheathing.

Rough Plumbing Completion

2010-08-04T11:31:00.000-07:00

Now that my rough plumbing inspection is done, I was able to connect the roof vents with the rest of the drain/waste/vent system. (Just to back up a bit… the reason for not connecting them earlier was so that the rest of the system could be pressure tested.)

So far in this house project; designing and installing the DWV system was one of the most enjoyable things I’ve done. I’m kind of sad to see it finished.

The photo on the left shows the capped-off vent pipe. I simply cut off the cap and then added an elbow and another piece of pipe that continued up to the roof vent.

The completed main vent line; top to bottom.

Building Inspections

2010-07-26T15:53:00.000-07:00

I had the Building Inspector come by today to do my framing inspection and plumbing inspection. He wandered around and looked at things and asked me a bunch of questions. Then he said "Looks good. Your inspections are passed."

The only thing he said that I didn't really want to hear was that I need to do my siding this year. If I don't, I'll have to replace my Tyvek housewrap next year because the manufacturer specifies that it should be covered within six months of installation. It's not a big deal really... of course the siding has to be done anyway. It's just that I had planned to do other things first.

Basement Cleanup Complete

2010-07-18T11:24:00.000-07:00

I've just finished the huge job of cleaning all of the junk and scrap lumber out of the basment and adding about 8 yards of soil to bring the ground level up to where I need it. It looks good now though... all ready for the building inspector.

Basement Drainage System

2010-07-09T12:31:00.000-07:00

It's been quite hot here the past week so it's given me a good excuse to do some work in the basement where it's nice and cool. I've installed a drainage system that consists of a sump pit and pipes that wind their way around the perimeter of the basement.

It's 4" perforated drain pipe that's covered first with crushed rock, then with landscape fabric, then with dirt. (The drainage pipe I'm talking about is the white pipe in the photos. The black pipe is for the plumbing drains. The two systems are not connected.)

Just to back up for a minute... When I poured the concrete footings for the house, there were two or three places where the footings were sitting on bedrock, not on soil. It's that bedrock that's causing the problem here. When all the snow melts in the spring, water is seeping into the basement through fissures in that bedrock; below the footings and the exterior drainage system. Now, that water will now find it's way into this interior drain pipe and sump pit, where I can pump it back outside.

Getting Materials Into The Basement

2010-07-08T13:07:00.000-07:00

I have to get a bunch of soil, crushed rock, and gravel down into the basement, so I've built a crude chute to funnel everything down through one of the basement windows. The chute is just made of scrap lumber, plywood, and plastic sheets that I had laying around.

At first I tried to used it with just the bare plywood on the bed of the chute, but I found that a lot of the soil just sat there... it didn't slide down the chute. That's when I got the idea to put the heavy plastic sheets on top of the plywood. It's much more slippery than the plywood, and the soil slides right down it. (The heavy plastic sheets came as part of the shipping material from the ICF blocks that the house is built with.)

I simply load up the bucket on the tractor and dump it over top of the chute. Down in the basement, I put a wheelbarrow underneath the chute and I can wheel the material over to wherever I need it.

It aint pretty, but it works.

Water Supply

2010-06-27T20:45:00.000-07:00

I've set up a small pump and pressure tank so that I've got water when I need it. Eventually I'll install a submersible pump that goes down inside the well, but in the meantime this will suffice... at least until winter.

The system works like this:

The pump draws the water out of the well and puts it into the pressure tank.
The pressure tank contains compressed air (18 p.s.i) and a water bladder. As the water bladder fills up, it compresses the air even more. When the air pressure inside the tank reaches 40 p.s.i., the pump shuts off.
When you open the tap on the pressure tank, the air pressure inside the tank pushes the water out.
When the air pressure inside the tank gets down to 20 p.s.i. (i.e. when the tank is almost empty), the pump comes back on and fills up the pressure tank again.

The purpose of having the pressure tank is so that you can get water without having the pump come on every time you opened the tap. It also gives you water that comes out at a constant pressure.

Without the pressure tank, every time you opened the tap, the pump would come on, even if you were only getting a few ounces of water. The pump would be turning on and off many times a day.

By incorporating a pressure tank, the pump only comes on when the tank is almost empty. This saves a lot of wear and tear on the pump.

Second Floor Subfloor

2010-06-20T20:09:00.000-07:00

I've recently finished up the second layer of subfloor on the second floor. With two layers of 3/4" plywood, the floor feels really solid when you walk on it. (I did this because I'm putting ceramic or porcelain tile down, and if the floor's not solid, the tile can crack.)

So, the subfloor is done and the electrical is done in the bathroom and loft area. I can't finish up the electrical work in the bedroom until I've got the ceiling insulated and covered in poly. (It'll make sense when I get to that point.)

Wild Roses

2010-06-19T21:18:00.000-07:00

Dozens and dozens of Wild Roses at the top of my driveway. When I turn of the highway, and I have my window down I can smell them as I drive by. So cool.

Loft Electrical Work

2010-06-14T20:20:00.000-07:00

Today I ran the wiring for the lights and plugs in the loft area. Up the ladder. Down the ladder. Repeat ad nauseum.

Duct Tape Magic

2010-06-10T18:31:00.000-07:00

I have a pair of knee-pads that I wear when I'm installing subfloor, but I find that they're more of a pain than they're worth because they're constantly coming undone... or slipping down... or sliding around to the side.

A wise old friend of mine suggested wrapping duct tape around my legs to hold the knee-pads in place. I tried it today and it worked perfectly. The knee-pads stayed in place all afternoon. Thank you wise old friend! (It should be noted that the word "old" refers to the friendship, not to him.)

P.S. He has also been known to be a "wise-ass" old friend, but only once or twice.

Keeping Track of the Electrical Circuits

2010-06-07T20:07:00.000-07:00

I've been making a point of keeping track of the electrical circuits as I'm doing the wiring. I don't ever want to stand in front of my breaker panel and wonder "Where the hell does THIS wire go?"

When I run a wire down to the breaker panel, I wrap three pieces of colored electrical tape around the end of the wire. At the other end of the wire... where the wire goes into the first electrical box of that particular circuit, I put the same colored tape on the side of the electrical box.

In the photo below, you can see I've got red/green/green on the box. Down at the breaker panel, I've got the same red/green/green marking on the wire that feeds this box. If I have to do any troubleshooting, I won't have to trace the wires back to see where they go. Also, when it comes time to label all the circuits on the breaker box, I'll know exactly which one is which.

While I'm on the topic of colors, you can see in the photo below that the wire I've used for this outlet box is yellow instead of white (visible at the back of the box and also below it). The yellow wire is a heavier guage (12 guage) than the white wire in the photo above (14 guage). This outlet box below is one of the kitchen counter outlets, and the Electrical Code requires that kitchen counter outlets be wired with 12 guage wire.

Using different colored wire for different guages just makes it easier to know which spool of wire to grab when running a circuit. It also makes it easier for the inspector to tell if you've used the correct wire for a particular circuit.

Hat of the Day

2010-06-02T20:27:00.000-07:00

The weather has been rather crappy for the past couple of days, so I put my electrician's hat back on and did some wiring work inside. I've installed the boxes for the ceiling light fixtures in the front entrance and over the stairway, as well as some more outlet boxes.

More Housewrap Done

2010-05-30T21:15:00.000-07:00

I finished up a bit more housewrap on the weekend. One thing I didn't mention before was how I was attaching the housewrap to the ICFs. For plywood sheathing, housewrap is normally just stapled to the wall. However, staples won't work on the styrofoam.

I've read about screws with oversize plastic heads that are designed for this, but I've been unable to find a supplier for them. So, I'm improvising by using a large flat washer... called a fender washer... with normal screws. I drive the screw into the web of the ICF, and the washer holds the housewrap tight to the wall. Then I cover it with a piece of the red housewrap tape. I'm putting them in every four feet, staggered in rows about three feet apart.

ICF Construction and Housewrap

2010-05-25T21:19:00.000-07:00

I've had a couple of people ask me why I am installing housewrap on a house built with ICFs. It's certainly a valid question.

Simply put, the main purpose of housewrap is to keep wind and water out. Even though you may have exterior siding on your house (wood, vinyl, etc.), water can, and does, get behind the siding. Housewrap will prevent that water from getting any further. It also helps to prevent air intrusion around framing members in conventional construction.

When you build a house with ICFs, you don't need housewrap. The outside layer of styrofoam serves as the moisture barrier, and the concrete does a fine job of keeping the wind out.

On my house, the only parts of the house that really need housewrap are the parts that are built using standard framing methods... the dormers and the tops of the gable end walls. So... why would I install housewrap on the rest of the house?

When I rub my hand over the outside of the house, my hand gets covered in a very fine white powder... similar to chalk dust. The styrofoam is starting to deteriorate from UV exposure. It isn't anything to be concerned about at this point, but it is starting to happen.

That's why I'm installing the housewrap. I'd like to think otherwise, but realistically it'll be at least another year before I'm ready to install the exterior siding. By installing the housewrap now, I'll prevent any further UV damage to the ICFs.

My Favorite Place To Work

2010-05-24T19:20:00.000-07:00

Today I put up some housewrap on the east wall of the house. The housewrap comes in a 9' wide roll, but I cut it into smaller sheets and installed it around the windows... rather than hanging one long piece across the entire wall and then cutting out the window openings afterwards.

There are pros and cons for both methods I suppose. Hanging it in one long piece would be neater, but there's less waste doing it the way I did. Also, being that I'm doing it by myself, it would be quite cumbersome trying to work with a piece 9' high and 16' wide; especially up on a ladder. I'll have to think about that some more though, because I've got lots more to hang.

On one trip up the ladder, I reached up to grab one of the lookout rafters to steady myself. My fingers brushed something that didn't feel like lumber. When I leaned over to look, I got a big surprise.... it was a fairly large wasp's nest... about 5" across. Fortunately this must have been a nest from last year because there was nobody home. You can see another smaller nest on the next rafter up as well.

Okay, working way up in the air is not my favorite place to work, but it has to be done... so I do it. I've learned that if I stop thinking about where I am (but at the same time be mindful of it) and concentrate on the work at hand... it's really not that bad.

Bedroom Windows Installed

2010-05-23T21:28:00.000-07:00

I installed the bedroom windows this weekend. These were the last windows I had left to install.

The toughest one was the arched window. In order to build the rough window opening the same shape as the window, I measured the height of the window at six inch intervals along the bottom of the window, then used those measurements to draw the arch on the inside of the plywood sheathing that covered the existing opening.

You can see the pencil lines I've drawn on the plywood in the photo below. (Click on it to enlarge it.)

Once I had the arch drawn out, I cut the plywood out and then built up the arched top with 2x6's glued and screwed together. In this case, the rough window opening itself doesn't really support any weight; all it has to do is hold the window in place. The header above the window, which is supported by 2x6's beside the window, is what bears the weight of the wall above.

The finished product.

Kitchen Windows Installed

2010-05-15T21:54:00.000-07:00

I've installed the second of two kitchen windows. It was a pretty straightforward installation; using the same techniques I used for all the other windows.

Octagonal Front Window

2010-05-09T20:01:00.000-07:00

I recently finished installing the small octagonal window at the front of the house. I had to use a lot of peel-and-stick flashing on this one because I had to flash the entire square rough opening as well as the actual window itself. As with the other windows, I was careful to install the flashing so that upper pieces always overlapped lower pieces. That ensures that water is shed properly and doesn't get behind the flashing.

The corner pieces are built up with five layers of 5/8" plywood glued and screwed together. For each corner, I started by joining three triangular pieces of plywood together to make a "block". I cut the blocks so that they fit snugly between the window and the window buck. I then glued and screwed those triangular blocks to the window bucks.

Then I added two more, slightly smaller pieces of plywood on the inside of each corner. That gives me a surface to use for attaching drywall when I finish out the corners on the inside. I also left a gap between the smaller triangles and the window buck so that I can seal the corners with spray foam.

Front Windows

2010-04-26T20:24:00.000-07:00

I installed the third big window at the front of the house on the weekend. It's fairly big (4' x 5') and very cumbersome to handle. A very good friend of mine helped me with the first two windows, but I was on my own for this one.

I used my trusty winch to help lift this one into place. It worked out well... I was able to string the cable out through the ventilation space in the eaves.

I attached a piece of 2x6 to the top of the window... using screws through the flange along the top of the window. Then I attached the winch cable to that piece of 2x6. That way, the weight of the window was carried evenly across the top of the window, instead of at one single point.

Once I got it lifted up to the height of the opening, I pushed the bottom of the window into the opening and tacked it into place with a couple of nails. Now that the weight of the window was being supported by the bottom of the window opening; I was able to remove the winch cable and the 2x6. I then slid the top of the window into place and finished nailing it in.

Electrical Service To The House

2010-04-25T20:25:00.000-07:00

The guys from Fortis BC came and hooked up the electrical service to the house last Friday.

Finally I would have electrical outlets instead of having to drag extension cords all over the place.

I would have ceiling lights instead of my work-light that was constantly falling over and blowing bulbs at $5.00 a pop.

So, Saturday morning I was ready to test it. I went to the basement and took a deep breath and flipped on the main breaker.

For a few seconds nothing happened, then......

Naw... just kidding! There was no sound... no sparks... and no smoke. I turned on the switch and the lights came on. It was all rather anti-climactic really.

But, I did have to play with it for a while...

[click] Light goes on.

[click] Light goes off.

[click] Light goes on.

[click] Light goes off.

Catching Up On Odd's n' Ends

2010-04-18T20:57:00.000-07:00

The weather has been really nice so I've decided to take advantage of it and catch up on some things outside.

I set up the scaffolding in the northeast corner and installed a kitchen window and then finished some framing details under the eaves. The worst thing is that it takes more time to set up and tear down the scaffolding than it does to do the work.

Electrical Inspection

2010-04-02T20:00:00.000-07:00

I had my electrical inspection and everything was good except for one thing. I had originally put my grounding electrode in the soil in the basement, but the Inspector told me that the Electrical Code here specifies that the grounding electrode must be buried outside the house.

This was something I wasn't aware of, and I'm not quite sure what the difference is; but the Electrical Inspector has been really good to deal with and has been very helpful, so I wasn't going to question him.

So, I simply dug a big hole outside the house and moved my grounding electrode outside. Easy peasy.

The Inspector came back and passed it, and I'm good-to-go with getting power directly to the house.

A Bit More Wiring Done

2010-03-27T19:49:00.000-07:00

I'm continuing to work on the rough wiring. Notice that I leave a bit of extra wire looped close to the electrical boxes. That's just in case I screw something up when wiring a plug or switch and I need a few more inches of wire. The cost of an extra foot of wire is minimal compared to the cost (and labour) of having to run an entire new length of wire.

Plumbing Pressure Test Successful

2010-03-18T21:01:00.000-07:00

A few posts ago I was talking about having some difficulties when trying to pressure test my plumbing system. The rubber o-rings on the cleanout plugs weren't sealing properly. The solution was to smear a bit of plumber's grease on the o-rings. Problem solved.

My pressure test is now successful. The building code calls for the pressure test to hold 5 P.S.I. for 15 minutes. Today I pumped in 6 pounds to test it. This photo was taken after 30 minutes.... still holding tight at 6 P.S.I.

Electrical Work

2010-03-13T19:56:00.000-08:00

Lately I've been working on my electrical system again; running wire and installing switch boxes and outlets.

For the plugs or switches installed in the outside walls, I cut a hole out of the ICF foam for the electrical box and a slot for the wire. Once the inspections are done, I'll use spray-foam to fill in the slots. For the interior walls, the electrical box has fins on it so that you can easily attach it to a stud with screws.

The wiring for the house will be done in two stages. The first stage includes installing the meter base and service panel (which I finished several weeks ago) and installing the wire, outlets, and switches for a few lights and a few plugs. That's all done now and I've called for my electrical inspection. If everything passes, the Electrical Company will bring my power directly to the house and I won't have to run extension cords from my temporary power pole.

The second stage will be to install the rest of the plugs, switches, etc, and run the wire "up to" the service panel, but not "attached to" the service panel. Then the inspector will come back and check everything out. If all is okay, then I can attach everything to the service panel and the electrical work will be considered finished.

I'm using colored electrical tape to mark both ends of the wire when I run it from an electrical box to the service panel. That way I know which circuit breakers control which plugs and lights.

Pressure Testing The Rough Plumbing

2010-02-25T20:51:00.000-08:00

In order to pass my plumbing inspection, my plumbing system has to be able to hold compressed air at 5 PSI for 15 minutes. I've done a couple of tests so far and I've run into some difficulties.

I pump the air into the drain system by way of a valve fitting that I've put into one of the tee-fittings. The valve is similar to the valve-stem that you find on a tire. In order to connect the valve to the tee, I had to use two threaded fittings to reduce the size of the pipe down to the size of the valve. That's where my first problem occurred.

The best way to check for leaks is to spray a bit of soapy water on the fittings. If there is a leak, it will cause bubbles to form. You can see in the photo below the bubbles around the valve fitting. I undid the fitting and cleaned up the threads and put it back together; this time with more teflon tape. It seemed to resolve the problem.

The next problem I had was with the cleanout caps. The caps have a rubber O-ring gasket on them that's supposed to seal the fitting, but at least two of mine aren't sealing.

You can see the bubbles forming around the edge of the cap. I didn't put any teflon tape on these caps because the gasket is supposed to do the trick; but I think I'll pull this one apart and try some tape on it.

Rough-in For The Basement Half-bath

2010-02-10T18:50:00.000-08:00

I've finished up the last major piece of rough plumbing. This is for the half-bath that will eventually go in the basement.

That's the toilet drain on the left (orange cap), the toilet vent up the middle, and the sink drain and vent up the right side.

The drain lines connect with the rest of the drain lines in the basement. The vent stack goes up the wall through the main floor and then up to the loft where it joins another vent and then goes out through the roof.

Of course the drain lines will eventually be underneath the basement floor. You can see the metal strip along the base of the wall... that's that level at which the basement slab will be.

Pipe Puzzle

2010-02-08T19:18:00.000-08:00

This bit of plumbing looks like something a doctor might have pulled out of a patient in a Far Side cartoon. I had a lot of pipe to cram into a small space, but it's all legitimate and up to code.

Grounding The Electrical System

2010-02-06T20:11:00.000-08:00

In a lot of houses the electrical system is grounded by connecting to the metal water pipes coming from the municipal water system, but since I don't have any metal water pipes coming into the house, I've installed a grounding plate electrode to ground my electrical system.

It's simply a metal plate about 12"x16", and it's connected to the service panel with #6 copper wire. The ground wire is just a bare, uninsulated wire that runs on the surface of the ground up to the point at which it comes through the basement slab. There, it's protected by a short piece of PVC conduit. After that, it just runs bare again up to the service panel.

The electrical code says that the grounding plate has to be buried at least 24" underground, but I can't find any rules regarding it's location (i.e. inside the house or outside the house), so I dug a hole in the basement and put it there. I have to leave it uncovered until the electrical inspector approves it, so if turns out that I have to put it outside instead... well, it's really no big deal.

More Plumbing Excitement

2010-01-19T20:12:00.001-08:00

The photo below is taken in the bathroom area upstairs. Here you can see the vent line that comes up from the kitchen sink (below... on the main floor), the bathroom sink drain, and the vent that goes up through the roof.

The orange test caps are installed just so as to cap off the drain system until the plumbing inspection is done. They seal the system so that I can fill it up with compressed air and check for leaks. Once the inspection is done, I'll take the caps off and finish up.

Once the plumbing inspection is done, I'll put in a piece of pipe to connect the drain system with the vent through the roof (the blue lines). I left this section of pipe out for now... so that I could put the test cap here... inside the house. If I would have put this section of pipe in now, the test cap would've had to go up on the roof. I honestly don't know if the plumbing inspector will be okay with this idea, but I sure hope so. I don't want to have to get back up on the roof just to put on and then take off a test cap.

(Click on the photo to enlarge it.)

Main Bathroom Drain Installation

2010-01-03T20:18:00.000-08:00

I've started to install the drain system for the main bathroom. It's much easier to run the drain pipes parallel to the floor joists (i.e. in-between the joists), than to run them perpendicular to the joists (i.e. through the joists), but unfortunately I found it was unavoidable to have some of the pipes run perpendicular to the joists.

To install the drain lines I had to cut out some 4.5" holes in the floor joists. Although it seems that cutting such a large hole in the joist would weaken it, the engineering specifications for the joists do allow for holes of this size to be cut out.

Also, in an earlier post I mentioned that I was reinforcing the joists with plywood on one side so as to stiffen up the floor. Where I've had to cut holes in the joists for the drain lines, I'm installing the reinforcing plywood on both sides.

Ideally, the plywood reinforcement should be applied before I run the pipe through the joists... and for the most part I've done that. There are a couple of instances where I couldn't, so I'll have to cut some slots out of the plywood and fit it around the pipe afterwards.

Once I had the holes cut out, I started threading the pipe through in sections approx 12" long. The sections are joined together with ABS cement and a coupling fitting.

The odd shaped fitting on the right-hand side of the photo below is where the plumbing vent line will attach to the drain line.

A coupling fitting on the end.

That's a cleanout fitting on the right... to allow for access to the pipe in the unlikely event (I hope) that the drain gets really plugged.

Building Drain

2009-12-20T18:24:00.000-08:00

The building drain is the lowest point of a home's plumbing system. It's where all of the other drains (sinks, showers, toilets, etc.) meet up. I've installed a back-water valve (aka back-flow preventer valve) in the building drain at the point just before the drain exits the basement underneath the footings.

If for some reason the septic tank ever gets full, the back-water valve will prevent any nasty stuff from coming back up the building drain and into the house.

When I pour the basement slab, the back-water valve will be left accessible for maintenance.

Rough Plumbing Work

2009-12-18T17:28:00.000-08:00

I'm spending a bit of time on the Drain/Waste/Vent system again. I have to run some of the vent pipes up the exterior walls, so I have to cut some wide slots in the styrofoam.

There are hot-knife tools that are made specifically for cutting styrofoam, and I've also heard of people using electric chainsaws to cut away the foam. I don't really have that much to cut, so I can't really justify buying either a hot-knife or an electric chainsaw.

I've improvised by using my reciprocating saw with a very short blade. I make a couple of passes down each side of the slot, and then I use the claw end of hammer to hack out the foam. It does make a bit of a mess (that's where the hot-knife is better), but it works just fine.

For the tight spots where I have to take the foam out behind a floor joist... I just put a 12" blade in the reciprocating saw and make the cuts at a really shallow angle up behind the joist. Then I just poke away at the foam with a long screwdriver until it all comes out.

Rough Wiring and Half-Sistered Joists

2009-12-15T19:30:00.000-08:00

Lately I've been trying to get some of the rough wiring done, but this is another one of those jobs where I can't do the main task-at-hand until I finish another seemingly non-related task.

I'm planning on putting ceramic or porcelain tile throughout the house. One of the prerequisites for laying tile is a strong, stiff floor. If the floor flexes, the grout between the tiles can crack. In order to help stiffen the floor, I'm reinforcing all the floor joists by screwing and gluing a 12" wide piece of 1/2" plywood to one side of each joist. (When renovating existing homes, sagging floors are often fixed by installing new joists directly beside existing joists. That's called "sistering the joists".)

Since a lot of the wiring will run through the floor joists, I need to get the joist reinforcement done before I can run any wiring. Once the joist reinforcement is done, I'm able to drill some holes and run my wire through the joists.

Framing A Fake Roof Girder

2009-11-30T19:28:00.000-08:00

Although there is no main roof girder in the bedroom area, I wanted to frame it up so that it would look like there was. That way... when the ceilings are all finished (i.e. drywalled & painted, etc.), the ceiling in the bedroom will be consistent with the ceiling in the main part of the house.

Main Stairway Finished

2009-11-22T18:17:00.000-08:00

I finished the stairs to the loft today. All in all, they turned out well and I'm very pleased with them.

I used my table saw to cut the dadoes in the stair treads and the risers. I don't have dado blades, so I just make several passes; moving over 1/16" each time.

The top of the riser fits into the bottom of the stair tread, and the back of the stair tread fits into the bottom face of the next riser.

Stairway Progress

2009-11-11T08:00:00.000-08:00

I've got the steps up to the second landing done. If anyone ever tells you that stairs are easy to build... they're lying.

Electrical Service Panel

2009-11-08T09:32:00.000-08:00

I've got my electrical panel installed now. The electrical code says that the electrical panel must be installed "as close as practicable" to the service entrance (i.e. meter base on the outside), so I've installed the electrical panel just on the other side of the wall from the meter base.

I've used 2" PVC conduit to go down from the meter base and through the wall to the electrical panel. There are three 2/0 gauge wires that run through the conduit. The wire is very stiff and difficult to work with, and it took me an hour of pushing and pulling and cursing to get the three wires through the conduit.

The center wire (white tape) is the neutral wire and the other two are the "hot" wires.

Oh yes... there is no power on any of this yet. I wouldn't be doing any of this if there were. Once I have everything installed the electrical inspector will have a look at it, and if he approves it then the power company will come and install my electrical meter and hook me up to the grid.

Second Landing Done

2009-11-04T19:25:00.000-08:00

I've finished building the second landing for the stairs up to the loft. This one was a bit more difficult because of it's shape.

Shingling All Done

2009-11-01T18:49:00.000-08:00

With the help of some good weather and despite a seemingly endless list of other things to do, I've finally finished shingling the back of the house. My days as a roofer are done for now.

First Few Steps Done

2009-10-26T19:46:00.000-07:00

I've finished building the first few steps up to the landing. So far everything is working out well... all the steps are the same size and they're square and level.

Building a Set of Stairs

2009-10-17T07:56:00.000-07:00

I've started building the main-floor stairs. Although it appears simple enough, building a set of stairs is definitely not an easy task. Getting all of the "underneath" parts to fit together so that the rise (the distance from the top of one step to the top of the next step) and the run (the distance from the front edge of the step to the back edge) are all correct is pretty tricky.

I'm using LVL (Laminated Veneer Lumber) for the stringers. It's very strong and won't warp or shrink. The steps will be made of two layers of 3/4" plywood. Everything will be glued and screwed together. When they're done, they should be strong and squeak free.

The first task was to build the landing. It's constructed of 2x8's and is supported on the outside walls by the same ledger beam that supports the floor. The inside corner is supported by a stub wall. There is a post in the basement that sits directly below the stub wall; so the corner of the landing is supported all the way down to a concrete footing in the basement. The floor of the landing is made from two layers of 3/4" plywood.

Plumbing Vent Details

2009-10-07T18:12:00.000-07:00

This plumbing vent stack is made from 2" ABS pipe that protrudes up through the roof. A plastic and rubber flashing goes over top the vent pipe. The rubber top on the flashing is supposed to be self-sealing around the pipe, but because of the steep angle of the roof, the rubber didn't fit tightly around the vent pipe. I put some silicone around the joint, then put a second rubber flashing over the vent... similar to the storm collar that goes around the chimney.

The vent flashing is also just like the chimney flashing in that the shingles sit on top of the flashing on the upside of the slope, and the flashing sits on top of the shingles on the downside of the slope.

On underside of the roof, the pipe is secured to the roof framing with pipe strapping. The bottom end of the vent stack will eventually connect to the rest of the DWV (drain/waste/vent) system.

Electrical Service Entrance

2009-10-05T19:53:00.000-07:00

I've been spending a bit of time building my electrical service entrance. The service entrance consists of the electricity meter and the associated conduit and wire... basically all the electrical stuff that's on the outside of the house.

The meter base is mounted on a piece of treated lumber. It has to be anchored securely to the house, so I drilled holes in the concrete wall and used 1/2" galvanized lag bolts and anchors. The service conduit is a 2.5" galvanized steel pipe, and it's mounted to the wall in a similar fashion.

I was worried that it was going to be a huge, ugly task drilling large holes in the concrete, but I rented a rotary hammer drill and it was a piece of cake. You can drill a 3/4" hole through an 8" concrete wall in under a minute. I used a block of wood attached to the outside of the wall as a guide. It helps to hold the drill bit straight so you don't end up with a wobbly hole in the wall.

I'm having a 200 amp service installed, so the specified wire is 2/0 guage. It's about 7/16" in diameter and very hard to bend. It was quite a task getting it to bend and fit through the weatherhead on the top of the conduit.

Front Windows

2009-10-04T20:23:00.000-07:00

A very good friend of mine visited me on the weekend and we put in a couple of the large front windows. They're a bit big for one person to handle, so I really appreciated the help.

They were installed using the same method as previous windows... peel-and-stick flashing goes in the opening first, then a bead of silicone is put on top of that, then the window is nailed into place. Finally, another layer of peel-and-stick flashing is put on top to seal everything up. (I still have to do the last step on these.)

Main Ridge Vent Finished

2009-09-28T22:32:00.000-07:00

Today I finished the main ridge vent and have the top three feet of shingles installed from end to end now.

In a post about a week ago, I talked about the details of installing the ridge vent and cap shingles, and I mentioned briefly about nailing the last cap shingle down and covering the nails with silicone.

All along the ridge vent, each shingle is nailed so that the next cap shingle covers the previous shingle's nails. That's why you can't see any nails along the top. However, when you get to the end, obviously you still have to nail the last shingle down, but because it's the last shingle, there won't be another shingle to cover those nails.

So, you cover the nail heads with a bit of brown silicone, then you sprinkle a few shingle granules on top and press them lightly into the wet silicone. (There's always a bunch of loose shingle granules inside the plastic wrap from the bundles of shingles.)

The nail heads all but disappear, and from ground level you won't be able to tell at all.

Here's with the nails showing.

Here's with a bit of silicone.

Here's with the shingle sprinkles.

Ring-Shanked Nails

2009-09-27T21:59:00.000-07:00

For the roof platforms I use for shingling, I usually tack everything together with hand-driven 3" common nails because it's easier to pull everything apart when I need to move the platforms. Today I was reassembling one of the platforms and I didn't have any of the 3" nails within reach, so I grabbed my framing nailer and used it.

I use ring-shanked nails in my framing nailer. The rings are like little ridges on the nail. There is also a red coating on the bottom half of the nails, which I imagine is something to increase adhesion.

Anyway, after I was done with the work platform and started tearing it apart, those nails held so well that when I went to pry the top board off, it pulled the heads of both nails right through the top board. The nails stayed stuck in the bottom board. This has actually happened to me several times, and I'm continually amazed by how well those nails can hold.

Click on the photo below to enlarge it. You can see the two nails are still stuck in the bottom board after I've pried the top board off.

Roofing Progress on the Back of the House

2009-09-26T08:48:00.000-07:00

I've been fortunate to have a couple days of really nice weather and I'm making good progress on shingling the north side of the house.

Ridge Vent Details

2009-09-20T20:45:00.000-07:00

When you build a roof, it has to be built so that air can move freely between the underside of the roof surface and the top surface of the roof insulation. One of the methods by which this is done is to use a ridge vent. This diagram gives you an idea of how it works.

You can see the long narrow opening along the peak of the roof. The opening is approximately 1.5" wide, and runs the entire length of the top of the roof except for about 4' on either end.

The ridge vent is made of flexible plastic and comes in a roll 30' long and 14.5" wide. It gets folded over the peak of the roof and nailed down along the edges. It allows air to flow up through the slot in the roof and out the sides of the vent.

The cap shingles are installed on top of the ridge vent. You start installing the shingles on one end of the roof, and install them so that each shingle is overlapped by the next one. The nails are always covered by the next overlapping shingle... except for the last shingle. On that one, I'll put some silicone sealant on top of the nail heads.

Flashing The Dormer Peaks

2009-09-20T18:51:00.000-07:00

The point at which the peak of the dormer meets up with the main roof is one that has to be flashed carefully. In addition to using the peel-n-stick flashing, I've built up another layer of protection using aluminum strip-flashing.

I first cut a piece of aluminum L-flashing about 2' long. I cut along the fold line for about 8" and then fold the ends up a bit. I then lay it over the peak of the dormer with the two legs laying flat on the upside of the main roof. I don't put any nails within 6" of the peak of the dormer.

Then I cut a piece of 9" flat aluminum stock about 12" long. I cut a V-shape out of one end, and lay it down over top the first piece of flashing. I then put a generous amount silicone sealant along the seam where the two pieces overlap.

Lastly, I lay another piece of peel-n-stick flashing over the top edge of the aluminum flashing. Once the shingles are in place, I don't think I'll have any problems with water coming in here.

The most important thing to remember about roofing is that for any for any two pieces of roofing material... whether it be tar paper, or peel-n-stick flashing, or shingles... the upper piece must always overlap the lower piece. Always. Always. Always.

Getting Ready To Shingle Again

2009-09-14T09:31:00.000-07:00

I've been getting ready to start shingling the back side of the house. This time I'm installing all the work platforms first, across the entire roof, rather than just for the section I'm working on. I'm hoping that will speed up the entire shingling process.

Drum Roll Please

2009-09-10T21:30:00.000-07:00

Today I finished the shingling on the front half of the roof.

Flashing The Front Of The Dormers

2009-09-09T21:06:00.000-07:00

Any time there's a change in a wall-to-roof plane, it's a possible trouble spot for moisture problems. I've installed aluminum flashing (known as apron flashing) where the main roof meets the front wall of the dormer. The flashing sits on top of the shingles and then continues up the wall underneath the housewrap. This gives the best protection against water getting underneath the shingles.

At the corners of the dormers, I've also fashioned a kick-out flashing which continues past the step flashing. This will prevent water from running down the side of the dormer and turning the corner to possibly get in underneath the apron flashing.

Once everything was in place, I added a bit of silicone sealant to the inside seams and brought the housewrap down in front of the flashing.

Roofing Update

2009-09-02T09:36:00.000-07:00

Still working my way down the roof. Almost finished this side.

Dormer Shingling Finished

2009-08-30T20:18:00.000-07:00

I finished the shingling on the front dormer today. Shingling the valley and the dormer peak are the most time-consuming pieces, so now that all that is done it shouldn't take long to finish up the front roof.

Change Of Subject

2009-08-25T20:27:00.000-07:00

I've been spending a bit of time in the evenings working on my rough plumbing. The first order of business is to build the DWV (drain/waste/vent) system.

I'm using the black ABS pipe that is very common in residential construction in this part of the world. The pipe and fittings are glued together with a solvent cement that fuses the pieces together. It's easy to work with, but you have to work quickly.

Once you apply the cement and join the pieces together, you have only two to three seconds to get them aligned. After that, there is no forgiveness... they are s-t-u-c-k! If they aren't right, you throw them away. (Yes, that IS experience talking.)

Shingling Progress

2009-08-18T19:34:00.000-07:00

I've started working my way down the last bit of the roof on the front of the house.

Rake Rafter Up

2009-08-16T21:24:00.000-07:00

I've got the rake rafter up and the roof sheathing trimmed on the west end now. This one was lots of fun. When I was up on the roof I had to lean over the edge to my left. I'm right-handed... and definitely not ambidextrous.

Shingling Update

2009-08-08T16:50:00.000-07:00

I've finished shingling down between the dormers on the front of the house and I've got the work platforms set up so that I can finish the shingles on the left side of the roof. The end is in sight.

Dormer Window Installed

2009-07-26T19:35:00.000-07:00

I've installed the window in the right-front dormer. I needed to do that before I could remove the work platform so that I can finish the shingles in front of the dormer.

A Few More Shingles

2009-07-25T05:31:00.000-07:00

I'm working my way down between the dormers on the front now.

More Shingling

2009-07-19T20:22:00.000-07:00

I've shingled one side of the second front dormer and now I'm working my way down the roof and in between the dormers.

Shingles are installed so that they overlap each other, and they're designed with an adhesive on the back so that they'll stick together where they're overlapped. This helps prevent them from getting blown off in the wind as well as preventing water from getting underneath. In hot weather, they'll start to stick together within about 15 minutes, and they're difficult to separate once that happens.

When I finish doing a section of shingles, I stick shims under the edges of the bottom two rows. The shims keep the shingles separated just enough so that they don't stick to the roof or to each other. This is important because when I'm doing the next section of shingles below, I need to be able to lift these edges up so that I can nail the top row of the next section in place. When I'm done nailing that top row, I pull out the shims and everything sticks together like it's supposed to.

Shingling Done On One Part Of Roof

2009-07-10T20:23:00.000-07:00

I've finished the shingling from top to bottom on the right hand side of the roof. The middle section is next.