Most new houses come with a deck accessible from the family room, kitchen or both. When these decks are 30 inches or higher off the ground, deck building codes require them to have railings. We’re familiar with the top railing where we put our hands and don’t really know what the materials supporting the railing are called. … Read More
What is A Double Hung Window?
Unless you’re an architect or builder, you probably don’t know what is a double hung window, or how it’s different from a single hung window. And while they look identical, there are important differences that are worth understanding. These differences are especially important if you’re planning to buy or build a new home. We hope … Read More
Think You Know What French Doors Are?
French doors were originally used in the 17th century as windows, not doors. They were brought to America by early settlers of Louisiana, and remain popular in places like New Orleans. These doors provide maximum light to the interior of your home. The glass and visual space makes rooms appear larger. Often French doors are decorative, although they may … Read More
Find a Certified Home Inspector at ASHI
When buying a home, you probably don’t know enough to conduct your own home inspection. Your real estate agent can suggest someone and they might be great but how do you know that? You want someone inspecting your new home is top notch, to protect the investment you’re making. That’s why you want to find a certified … Read More
Lally Column or Basement Floor Jack
Lally columns (red posts above) are found in basements. Sitting in Arizona, it’s funny because there aren’t any basement but I’m from the northeast where everyone has a basement.
A Spool Combines a Swimming Pool and ???
We sometimes play with words to create new ones. Imagine my surprise yesterday when I was visiting a Toll Brother development (The Overlook at Fire Rock) in Fountain Hills, Arizona and the Realtor® told me there was a spool in the model next door. I asked him to explain more. He said a spool combines … Read More
Common Uses for a Pony Wall
When my girlfriend bought her new home, one of the changes she wanted to make was removing the pony wall by the front door. I’d never heard the term pony wall before, so I confirmed what she was referring to. Then I decided to learn more about the term and where these half walls are … Read More
What is a Swamp Cooler?
Have you ever asked the question, what is a swamp cooler? The term refers to evaporative coolers that offer an alternative to the typical air conditioning system. Swamp coolers lower temperature using evaporative cooling versus vapor-compression refrigeration. It’s a strange nickname as these coolers don’t work in places with lots of swamps, like Florida. The name … Read More
Dentil Molding (or Moulding)
You’ve probably seen dentil molding on historic buildings but never knew what it was called. The easy way to remember is dentil sounds like dental, because both words come from the same Latin word dens, which means tooth. So it’s no surprise that this decorative trim looks a lot like teeth. This molding is made up of … Read More
Building Permit (or Construction Permit)
When you build a house or remodel your home, your local town requires you to apply for a building permit (also called a construction permit). You can think of the permit process as a dialog between the homeowner, the builder or remodeler, and the town’s building department. The goal of the building permit is to … Read More
