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 most often …
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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 …
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 …
What is an Outbuilding?
When more people lived on farms, the concept of an outbuilding was well understood. There was a barn and possibly other buildings that got added as more activities took place on the farm, as that's where people lived ... and worked. Families would add structures when needed for space and/or …
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 …
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Certificate of Occupancy
A Certificate of Occupancy (CO) is used to confirm that a new building has been inspected, and is ready for use by the intended occupants. The document is issued by a local government agency, typically the building department. It certifies that the building is in compliance with all local laws and …
