What defines cold weather? Working conditions below 40 degrees F. This temperature is generally considered “cold weather conditions” for masonry.

What happens when the weather gets colder? Colder temperatures will slow the cement and water reaction rate. If the temperature gets cold enough the water in use will freeze, causing unexpected expansion and other problems. If the surfaces being covered or cemented together are wet or frozen, this will inhibit the bonding process. So far it’s all about the materials, but what about the workers? If you are working in colder weather you obviously must take extra care to ensure comfort and safety. Keep in mind that cold weather may affect the overall workmanship, as you may try to work faster or slower than normal to account for the cold weather. All these problems can be overcome with careful planning. One of the best steps to take is to enclose the area and bring in a heat source. This may not always be practical, but even warming up smaller areas at a time can be beneficial.

Also, the simple task of keeping all materials properly covered will help keep snow and ice off them and protect them from cold winds making the material even colder.

So working in cold weather shouldn’t stop your masonry project, but you should plan and take some extra precautions to ensure a successful outcome.

Find a local concrete contractor near you.

So what is a vented rain screen? Well, the best simplified example is a tent. If you have used a tent with a rain-fly, this is the same concept as a vented rain screen. This accomplishes two important purposes. The air cavity between the inside wall and outside wall allows for the pressure to be more equalized between the outside and the cavity. This prevents air from being forced, or sucked into this space due to pressure differences (capillary moisture transfer). Also, this air cavity will promote quicker and more efficient drying if water does happen to get past the outside wall and into this space. The space is usually vented especially at the base to allow for water to also drain down and out of the air cavity. This also allows the area to breath, and dry out if any moisture comes into the area.

This concept is quite simple, but it can add some more work to the construction process. By creating this space, all other objects that pass through into the home, like windows, and doors. These items need to be appropriately adjusted to account for this extra space. The roof overhang may also need to be extended.

Okay, so you are building a new home. Lots of decisions right. Well, along the way you will probably meet with your builders electrician to choose where you want any extra plugs or switches, etc. Let me point out a few extra areas that you may not have thought of but come in very handy for plugs.

Plugs in closets. Yes, place plugs in closets, especially a vacuum closet. Many vacuums and similar household cleaning tools are rechargeable. What better place to recharge them, than where they are stored. Even if your vacuum is a standard plug in vacuum, you can probably still just leave it plugged in inside the closet and still vacuum a good portion of your house. This can be really convenient for quick clean ups.

Plugs inside your kitchen cupboards. With all the cell phones, and cameras, and gadgets we all have, counter tops can become very cluttered with charging cords and cell phones being charged. Why not pick a cupboard to hide these items in, place a plug or even a couple plugs in the back of the kitchen cupboard and nicely hide away all your charging electronics. You could also use the closet as a place to charge digital cameras and camcorders also.

If you like more information on home building, you can read our home building tips article, and 10 Steps to building a home.
If you have any other great tips on where to place outlet plugs, please post a comment here and share it with us.

Now that the worst of winter weather is in full swing, home construction can become difficult. One way to get around the winter weather quickly is to use panelized construction. Panelized construction can usually get a home framed and enclosed in a much shorter time span, especially in bad weather. The framing wood does not have to sit out in the elements waiting to be used to construct a wall. Much of the on-site planning and blue-print analysis is greatly reduced also, as most panelized systems have a well organized number system for the construction sequence. Much of the typical construction waste is also eliminated, since everything arrives pre-cut and correctly sized for the need.

If you do choose to go for the panelized route, make sure you ask the builders you interview if they are familiar with panelized construction. While there are many similarities to the process of stick-built building, there are some differences that make it helpful to have a builder that has worked with panelized systems before.

Some notes about extension cord use. Many times extension cords are misused, or are used as a permanent solution. Extension cords should only be used when necessary. Be sure to read the instructions for the device you plan to use with the extension cords. Some specifically warn not to use with an extension cord, or others may specify that only certain types of cords can be used.

Be sure that both ends of the plug are completely plugged in, do not leave any part of the metal plug showing. (See the diagram) . Always use polarized extension cords with polarized devices. If the cord starts to show any wear, or cracking, stop using and replace with a new cord. Use three-wire extension cords for devices with three-prong plugs, never cut off the 3rd wire to make it fit. If you need to use an extension cord outside, be sure it is one that is rating for outside use. Before you buy an extension cord, make sure it is UL listed.

Almost any construction site is going to need to use extension cords for power tools, etc. Just use common sense to avoid cut wires, and other mishaps. A common accident with extension cords is people tripping on them, so try to keep them out of frequently used paths on the site if possible.

Gutters are a very important item on your home. For some home owners gutter are absolutely critical. Water is your homes enemy and gutters are one of the best ways to keep this water away from your home. Sometimes though even if you have gutters, water still seems to end up around the base of your home by the foundation. If this is happening, watch to see if the water is leaking down between the roof and the gutter. If the gutter is not properly installed, water can leak here.

First, check the nails to make sure they are securely holding the gutters in place, over time the nails may have come loose. Or contact a gutter contractor to come and check them out and re-attach them to your home. Also check to make sure that your roofing shingle is hanging just over the edge of the gutter. If the shingle is a just a bit short, this can cause some of the rain water to drain between the shingle and your gutter. If you find shingle is short, you can try installing some flashing yourself, or contact a roofing contractor to have the problem fixed. The picture here shows the shingle with a slight overhang over the gutter to allow for proper water drainage off the roof.

There can be many times when a modular structure can be the best option. One of the main benefits of modular construction is the speed. If you need a building up quickly, modular may be your answer. While modular homes account for only about 3% of single family homes, they are gaining in quality and popularity. Also consider in 2006 Country Living magazine chose a modular home for their “house of the year”. You can view the setup of the country living modular home of the year. Once you see the finished product, it’s hard to believe that it is a modular home. Many of use think of mobile home and modular home as one and the same. Clearly modular homes do not have much in common with mobile homes these days. Please browse through our list of modular home builders if you wish to consider this building style.