Our houses are pretty complicated, just like our cars and our bodies. The question is when will you decide that it's time to learn the anatomy of a house? Most people won't make this decision until they're forced to ... because of an emergency. Maybe their roof is leaking, the hot water heater …
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When I started my handyman business, I struggled with the words I needed to discuss customer problems and solutions. Not only did I have to learn the terminology, I also needed to understand the concepts behind the words that explain how houses are built.
For example, flashing took me months to figure out because each of my techs would use the word differently. Making it even more frustrating was that different types of flashing have different names like drip edge on a roof.
That's why I decided to start building this glossary of terms that every homeowner will want to learn.
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- Understanding the Anatomy of a House
- What Are Production Home Builders?
- What are Puddled Curtains?
- Crown Molding – What It Is & Where to Use
- What is Quarter Round Molding
- Cement Board: What It Is & When to Use
- Popular Eggshell Paint Finish
- Orange Peel Texture On Your Walls?
- What is a Floating Deck?
- Matte Paint: Same as Flat Paint?
- MERV Rating or Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value
- Ridge Vents on Top of Your Roof
- What is a Fascia Board on a House
- Difference Between HVAC Registers and Grilles
- Rebar, Short for Reinforcing Bar
- What are Lintels & How They Hold Your House Up
- Real Estate Terminology, Construction Terminology & More
- Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) or Super Plywood
- Lumber Quality Grades
- Ipe Wood is a Green Building Material
- Blocking & We’re Not Talking Football
- What are Balustrades?
- Balusters Versus Spindles
- What is A Double Hung Window?
- Think You Know What French Doors Are?
- Find a Certified Home Inspector at ASHI
- Lally Column or Basement Floor Jack
- A Spool Combines a Swimming Pool and ???
- Common Uses for a Pony Wall
- What is a Swamp Cooler?
- Dentil Molding (or Moulding)
- What is an Outbuilding?
- Building Permit (or Construction Permit)
- Certificate of Occupancy
- Weep Holes Let Unwanted Water Escape
- Gable Vents for Ventilation
- PEX Tubing
- Knockdown Drywall Texture
- Fascia Boards
- Sponge Test for Wood Rot
- Why You Need Soffit Vents
- Attic Rafter Vents
- IBS: International Builders Show
- Janka Hardness Test for Hardwoods
- Lumber Sizes
- Bow Window
- Bay Window
- Weep Hole
- Debt-to-Income Ratios
- Boxing Paint for Color Consistency
- R is for Roofing
- VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds)
- Award Letter
- Flashing: A Key Construction Concept
- VOC? Do I Care About this New Acronym?
What Are Production Home Builders?
There are many different types of home builders, from those that build a few houses each year (custom builders) to companies that build hundreds and even thousands of homes a year. Production home builders are companies really, who build hundreds or thousands of homes each year. There are two …
What are Puddled Curtains?
When I think about puddles, what comes to mind is a pool of water on the floor that needs to be cleaned up or my granddaughters jumping in puddles after it's rained (here they're enjoying the puddles at the Magic Kingdom). So where does the term puddled curtains come from ... What are Puddled …
Crown Molding – What It Is & Where to Use
Crown molding is one of the most popular trims found in a house. Similar to baseboard that hides the seams where walls meet the floor, crown moulding hides the seams where walls intersect with the ceiling. But wait. Is it crown moulding or molding? The British use the ou spelling while …
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What is Quarter Round Molding
Quarter round molding is most often used to cover the gap between baseboards and flooring. My first experience came when remodeling a 100 year old Victorian. We tried but didn't quite get the floors level between our new kitchen-dining-family room and the family room next to it. That's when our …
Cement Board: What It Is & When to Use
Cement board is the most common building material used under tile installed on floors, walls, countertops and backsplashes. It's purpose is to support the tile which needs a level surface to avoid cracking. That's why this material is also called backer board or cement backer board. You'll …
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