Comments on: (649) Specialty Ceilings http://www.dannylipford.com/diy-home-improvement/attics-and-basements/649-specialty-ceilings/ Expert Advice on Home Improvement Fri, 12 Mar 2010 23:35:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Ben Erickson http://www.dannylipford.com/diy-home-improvement/attics-and-basements/649-specialty-ceilings/#comment-48716 Ben Erickson Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:42:33 +0000 http://www.dannylipford.com/diy-home-improvement/attics-and-basements/649-specialty-ceilings/#comment-48716 Hi Edith, Being in the north, you're wise to turn off the water and drain the pipes in the winter. Here in south Alabama, my main concern would be to prevent mold and keep the air in the house from becoming too stale during the summer months, so I would probably leave the AC set around 78-80 degrees when I wasn't there. If it is installed properly (either on a slab or using cement backer board on top of a plywood subfoor), I don't think the swings in temperature should affect a tile floor. Large swings in humidity and temperature can definitely affect wood in cabinets, flooring, or furniture. Hi Edith,
Being in the north, you’re wise to turn off the water and drain the pipes in the winter. Here in south Alabama, my main concern would be to prevent mold and keep the air in the house from becoming too stale during the summer months, so I would probably leave the AC set around 78-80 degrees when I wasn’t there. If it is installed properly (either on a slab or using cement backer board on top of a plywood subfoor), I don’t think the swings in temperature should affect a tile floor. Large swings in humidity and temperature can definitely affect wood in cabinets, flooring, or furniture.

]]> By: Edith Hook http://www.dannylipford.com/diy-home-improvement/attics-and-basements/649-specialty-ceilings/#comment-48709 Edith Hook Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:11:22 +0000 http://www.dannylipford.com/diy-home-improvement/attics-and-basements/649-specialty-ceilings/#comment-48709 Do you approach a vacation home differently from a home that is occupied year round? Do you assume that the heat and AC(or humidifier) will be operating whether or nor the house is occupied? If not, how do the temperature swings and humidity affect your choice of materials and furnishings? Do you recommend that the utilities be shut off, if the house is unoccupied during the winter months? Despite steps to winterize, our lake home has sustained damage over the years due to the cold in winter and humidity in summer. For example, when the vinyl tile floor popped off: we wondered if the adhesive was affected by freezing temperatures. In addition, we have experienced water damage from burst plumbing so at present we don't have a dining room ceiling. I am not inclined to replace it with drywall because this occurred despite our best efforts. I am thinking bead board instead or something that would give ready access to the plumbing. Note also that it is not unusual for the power to go out. The house is way over due to be rehabbed and I would like to know if there are material choices that would be less vulnerable to temperature and humidity swings and preferable building practices. The house is occupied on weekends from late spring to mid fall. The family has had the lake house for over 30 years and we always shut off the water pump when it is unoccupied. And, almost always, the plumbing is drained for the winter. The plumbing fiasco occurred due to a very early and unusally severe cold snap. It could have been much worse; we were lucky that the well pump was off. The spot above the dining/great room is where all the plumbing problems occur and I would rather not dry wall the ceiling. I would like a drop or coffered ceiling with a water resistant bead board, if there is such an animal. Given that the house is exposed to sub zero in the winter and high humidity in the summer, I would like input as to what kind of cabinetry (laminate, solid wood, mdf, lacquered, steel etc) would be better. I came across a cabinetry website that emphatically denied warranty coverage to wood doors that were exposed to very high or very low humidity. Mitered joints are especially vulnerable as well as the stiles and rails. A well known Canadian manufacturer offers kitchen cabinet boxes made with marine plywood for waterfront areas. One cabinet maker that is widely distributed suggested that the heat should be maintained even if the house is unoccupied, a not very appealing prospect. In addition, I am concerned about the adhesives used in laminates; are they vulnerable to temperature and humidity swings? I have even looked at stainless steel cabinets except that they are almost exclusively modern. We do battle mustiness in the kitchen cabinets. Also looking for ideas on flooring. The foot print is 30'x40' so cost per foot is an issue. There was a time that we toyed with the idea of ceramic tile flooring but we don't know if the thermal swings would impact the tile installation. Or terazzo, does it require a concrete substrate? Is a floating floor a solution; how vulnerable are the floating laminates to humidity? Another factor is that the sandy gritty soil gets tracked in despite our best efforts. Thanks I have hunted high and low for a practical discussion on the issues that result when homes are not occupied full time. Do you approach a vacation home differently from a home that is occupied year round? Do you assume that the heat and AC(or humidifier) will be operating whether or nor the house is occupied? If not, how do the temperature swings and humidity affect your choice of materials and furnishings? Do you recommend that the utilities be shut off, if the house is unoccupied during the winter months? Despite steps to winterize, our lake home has sustained damage over the years due to the cold in winter and humidity in summer. For example, when the vinyl tile floor popped off: we wondered if the adhesive was affected by freezing temperatures. In addition, we have experienced water damage from burst plumbing so at present we don’t have a dining room ceiling. I am not inclined to replace it with drywall because this occurred despite our best efforts. I am thinking bead board instead or something that would give ready access to the plumbing. Note also that it is not unusual for the power to go out. The house is way over due to be rehabbed and I would like to know if there are material choices that would be less vulnerable to temperature and humidity swings and preferable building practices. The house is occupied on weekends from late spring to mid fall.
The family has had the lake house for over 30 years and we always shut off the water pump when it is unoccupied. And, almost always, the plumbing is drained for the winter. The plumbing fiasco occurred due to a very early and unusally severe cold snap. It could have been much worse; we were lucky that the well pump was off. The spot above the dining/great room is where all the plumbing problems occur and I would rather not dry wall the ceiling. I would like a drop or coffered ceiling with a water resistant bead board, if there is such an animal. Given that the house is exposed to sub zero in the winter and high humidity in the summer, I would like input as to what kind of cabinetry (laminate, solid wood, mdf, lacquered, steel etc) would be better. I came across a cabinetry website that emphatically denied warranty coverage to wood doors that were exposed to very high or very low humidity. Mitered joints are especially vulnerable as well as the stiles and rails. A well known Canadian manufacturer offers kitchen cabinet boxes made with marine plywood for waterfront areas. One cabinet maker that is widely distributed suggested that the heat should be maintained even if the house is unoccupied, a not very appealing prospect. In addition, I am concerned about the adhesives used in laminates; are they vulnerable to temperature and humidity swings? I have even looked at stainless steel cabinets except that they are almost exclusively modern. We do battle mustiness in the kitchen cabinets.
Also looking for ideas on flooring. The foot print is 30′x40′ so cost per foot is an issue. There was a time that we toyed with the idea of ceramic tile flooring but we don’t know if the thermal swings would impact the tile installation. Or terazzo, does it require a concrete substrate? Is a floating floor a solution; how vulnerable are the floating laminates to humidity? Another factor is that the sandy gritty soil gets tracked in despite our best efforts. Thanks I have hunted high and low for a practical discussion on the issues that result when homes are not occupied full time.

]]> By: Allen http://www.dannylipford.com/diy-home-improvement/attics-and-basements/649-specialty-ceilings/#comment-22519 Allen Thu, 13 Mar 2008 19:38:46 +0000 http://www.dannylipford.com/diy-home-improvement/attics-and-basements/649-specialty-ceilings/#comment-22519 Keith, 48037 is actually a code reserved for P.O. Boxes. We should be on the local CBS station (WWJ) Saturday afternoons (12:30) but may be pre-empted due to the basketball games on tap. Keith,
48037 is actually a code reserved for P.O. Boxes. We should be on the local CBS station (WWJ) Saturday afternoons (12:30) but may be pre-empted due to the basketball games on tap.

]]> By: Keith Henderson http://www.dannylipford.com/diy-home-improvement/attics-and-basements/649-specialty-ceilings/#comment-21228 Keith Henderson Sat, 01 Mar 2008 19:33:08 +0000 http://www.dannylipford.com/diy-home-improvement/attics-and-basements/649-specialty-ceilings/#comment-21228 I am from Canada. This week, CBS broadcast a basketball game during your usual broadcast time. When I entered the postal code 48037 (which is CH 7 Detroit)into your section "View local listings for the show in your area:" the responce was "invalid postal code". How do I find out which station in Detroit MI and broadcats time will carry your pgm this week? Thank-you I am from Canada. This week, CBS broadcast a basketball game during your usual broadcast time. When I entered the postal code 48037 (which is CH 7 Detroit)into your section “View local listings for the show in your area:” the responce was “invalid postal code”.

How do I find out which station in Detroit MI and broadcats time will carry your pgm this week?

Thank-you

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