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Step inside Judi and Marty Noras home in Stillwater and you can almost smell the orange blossoms and taste the tapas. The house, inspired by a real Spanish palace, is one of the most unusual dwellings in Minnesota.

With its soaring ceilings, gilded medallions, columns and arches, it was described as Fairyland when the first high-society gala was held there in 1902 soon after it was built.

Originally, the place was designed to be a party palace, not a residence. William Sauntry, a lumber baron, built what became the Noras house next door to his own Victorian mansion, now a B&B. He envisioned an exotic space for entertaining his friends, and modeled it after the Alhambra, the medieval palace in Granada, Spain, considered the pinnacle of Moorish architecture.

In his Gymnasium, Sauntry included a ballroom, connected to his mansion by skyway, as well as a bowling alley and indoor swimming pool in a separate poolhouse.

But after the logging business lagged, Sauntry tried his hand at mining, with disastrous results. He lost his fortune and committed suicide in 1914. The skyway connecting his house to his Moorish palace was taken down, and his exotic playground was converted into a boarding house and later a triplex.

It was in sad shape when the Noras bought it in 2000 and resolved to bring it back to its former glory. They started remodeling and worked with Henning Restoration to undertake a complete historic renovation. Original columns and decorative woodwork, discovered in the attic, were put back in place, and original chandeliers were replicated in India.

The house may look wildly exotic, but it has an open floor plan that works well as a family home, according to the Noras, who have three children.

Raising them in this space was easy and wonderful, said Judi. The kids always wanted to play here. Their children hosted dance parties and sleepovers in their unusual home. They once pitched a tent in the middle of the ballroom.

But now with their children grown, the Noras have decided its time to downsize from the 5,000-square-foot, four-bedroom house.

Now that the kids are gone, the house is too quiet, she said. Its a party house, a happy house.

Richard McDonough of Edina Realty has the listing, 612-819-3518.

Originally posted here:
Exotic Stillwater home inspired by famed Spanish palace hits market for $1.6M - Minneapolis Star Tribune

Jason and Heather Bristow bought a handsome early 1900s Tudor Revival in Minneapolis, intending to fine-tune it for modern family living, but also infuse it with nods to their backgrounds and passions.

Mission accomplished. Their remodeled kitchen evokes a turn-of-the-century chemistry lab, complete with a perimeter of mini storage drawers.

The dark concrete basement was transformed into a lively English pub to honor Jasons heritage. And an unfinished attic was morphed into a cool Xbox game-room getaway for their boys, Lleyton and Callum.

We preserved as much history and original features of the house as possible, Jason said. At the same time, we put our mark on it.

The original owner, Everett Ward Olmsted, could never have dreamed of this dramatic transformation of his home.

A century ago, the University of Minnesota professor commissioned architect Franklin Ellerbe to design the gracious three-story residence across from Lake of the Isles.

In 2014, the Bristows were living in Seattle, and Jason, who grew up in Eden Prairie, was planning to move his family to Minnesota for a new job.

The couple loved older homes and were hunting for an excellent candidate for smart, functional modifications. They had narrowed down their search to neighborhoods near Breck School in Golden Valley, where they planned to enroll their boys.

After the Bristows had scrutinized 34 houses, and Heather was to fly back to Seattle the next day, they finally struck gold.

The six-bedroom, three-story stucco Tudor was empty, and had just been listed that day. It overlooked the east side of Lake of the Isles and was only a few blocks from Uptown.

Heather loved the Tudor arches and the pristine chunky oak woodwork around the doorways, windows and paneling on the fireplace wall. Massive pocket doors and push-button lights were still intact. Only the kitchen had been remodeled likely in the 1980s.

The 100-year-old house was untouched, she said, in a good way.

But the best part was the unfinished rafter attic and concrete basement, both of which the Bristows could convert into family-friendly hangouts.

The house is built like a tank, said architect Christopher Strom, referring to its thick walls and concrete floors. Strom and Jason had been friends since they were kids, and he designed the extensive project encompassing more than 4,000 square feet.

It involved careful historical renovation of existing rooms and the creation of some new spaces for this family of sports fans, Strom said.

The maids staircase climbs up to the third-floor attic, where Strom advised the Bristows to do it right by adding dormers to bring in light and get that beautiful lake view right across the street. Strom worked with a structural engineer to restructure the sloped roof for the three new dormers and high-performance insulation.

Jasons initial idea was to turn the attic into a gym for the boys. Strom learned that it would be too costly to reinforce the floor and do soundproofing because the master bedroom was below.

Instead, the large attic is a comfortable TV and rec room with a big flat screen to play video games and watch sports, along with a Ping-Pong table and a wall of built-in bookcases.

A home-automation system on the wall has an intercom so parents can tell the boys that dinner is ready when theyre in the kitchen two stories below.

If they dont come, we can turn off the TV with the iPad, Jason said.

Kitchen chemistry

Photos of turn-of-the-century chemistry labs inspired the design for the kitchens unique bygone style. To double the size of the cramped existing space, Strom tore out a back servants staircase and a wall.

Heather, who did all the interior design, had seen many similar-looking kitchen photos on Houzz and was searching for a different approach. I wanted to follow a theme, she said, but not be silly.

Strom came up with the theme old school chemistry labs. When you cook, its like chemistry, he said.

Heather gathered many historic photos and illustrations for ideas. Chemistry labs had lots of drawers, she said, and so does the new kitchens perimeter, each with a numbered label.

She chose a chunky reclaimed elm slab for the massive island, which doubles as a kitchen table for meals and watching sports on a wall-mounted TV.

The island had to be solid-looking, like the homes original millwork, Strom said. But instead of high school lab Fireslate, the countertops are made of more durable black honed granite.

Jason was on board with the chemistry lab aesthetic, but since hes the cook in the family, he wanted to make sure it was functional for meal prep and entertaining.

A BlueStar range with eight burners, a Sub-Zero refrigerator built into a wall niche, as well as a big walk-in pantry, fit the bill. It worked really well when we hosted a year-end baseball party, Heather said.

A taste of London

The finished basement, reminiscent of an old English pub, is dedicated to playing games and sipping a pint. Jasons family is from England, and he wanted to recreate that vibe from the pubs he had visited in London.

He furnished it with a refurbished 1880s pool table placed next to wood drink rails.

Dark rift-sawn oak paneling across the walls echoes the Tudor woodwork upstairs. The cold concrete floor was replaced with easy-care Coretec wood-look planks. The illuminated mirror above the bar reflects rows of glass liquor bottles.

Heather even carried the pub theme into the lighting above the bar. She asked the tile installer to cut off the bottom of uniquely shaped gin bottles, and clipped them into a lighting track in the ceiling.

The Bristow pub even has a Cheers-style entrance an original door and steps lead down to the basement from the driveway.

Dinner parties always end up in the pub, Jason said. Its the best place to shoot pool and watch sports.

Other interior improvements include tearing out an old rear screen porch and, in its place, adding a main-floor mudroom and powder room.

Strom seamlessly blended the new parts with the old by matching the original millwork and wood flooring, and integrating period architectural details. The new kitchen island legs even replicate the columns on the homes front entry.

Heather bought unfinished brass door knobs, dimpled each one with the tip of a screwdriver and hammer, and used Jax to age the brass so the new knobs look like they have always been there.

On the outside, Strom designed a new garage, which complements the homes Tudor Revival architecture.

The Bristows also put in a brick patio facing Lake of the Isles to better connect with neighbors and watch the world go by, Heather said.

The renovation took 14 months, and the Bristows had to move out for part of the time. But now the 100-year-old Tudor will easily meet the needs of modern families for decades to come.

In the past, kitchens were merely work areas for servants, but todays incarnations are the hub of daily life.

At dinner time, Lleyton might be working on Spanish homework at the table while Callum plays with a Rubiks Cube and Heather marinates chicken, all watching Arrow on TV. Soon Jason will be home to grill.

Its a multipurpose room where we can all be doing something different, yet be together, Heather said.

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'Family of sports fans' transforms Tudor overlooking Lake of the Isles - Minneapolis Star Tribune

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Home remodeling contractor Alexandria and Arlington, Virginia

Alexandria, Virginia (PRWEB) August 30, 2017

Elite Contractor Services, a top-rated home remodeling contractor servicing Northern Virginia cities as diverse as Alexandria, Arlington, and Fairfax, is proud to announce ambitious website upgrades. As busy Northern Virginia residents search for the best home contractors in the area, the new content upgrades extend the leadership of Elite Contractor Services as a good option for any home remodeling project.

"We realize that our customers turn first to online resources such as Angie's List, Google, and Houzz but they quickly end up on our website," explained Ana Blanco, marketing manager for Elite Contractor Services. "Our new content upgrades help us not only with information on home remodeling, in general, but with specific city information such as for Alexandria, Arlington, and Fairfax in Virginia."

Interested persons can visit a sample upgraded page such as the page focusing on home remodeling at http://elitecontractorservices.com/home-remodeling/. Similarly, the company is launching localized informational pages such as a page on home remodeling services in Alexandria, Virginia, at http://elitecontractorservices.com/services-areas/alexandria-va/.

THE VALUE OF A LOCAL HOME REMODELING CONTRACTOR

With many aging homes in Northern Virginia and with many affluent consumers, the demand for home remodeling is strong and rising. That said, many consolidated services exist that are not actually home remodeling companies or contractors but rather online services the pull together inquiries. Similarly, many Northern Virginia customers in cities as diverse as Alexandria, Arlington, and Fairfax would prefer to deal with a family-owned, small business for their home remodeling needs. By upgrading its website to showcase the breadth of service offerings such as bathroom or kitchen remodelings, attic or basement additions, or even custom home buildings, Elite Contract Services is reaching out to Northern Virginia homeowners in terms of online information. Persons, including journalists and bloggers, interested in learning more about this innovative online initiative are urged to visit the website.

ABOUT ELITE CONTRACTOR SERVICES

Elite Contractor Services (http://elitecontractorservices.com/) is a family owned home remodeling company serving cities as diverse as Washington DC, Alexandria Virginia, and Bethesda Maryland as well as Falls Church home contractor services. Persons looking for a top remodeling contractor for a home remodel or kitchen remodel, can reach out for a no obligation consultation. The company consists of expert contractors for kitchen remodels, home remodels or additions, and even specific jobs such as basement remodels or attic additions. The company aims to be one of the best, top-rated remodeling companies and remodeling contractors in communities as diverse as Arlington or Fairfax, Herndon or Washington DC or up to Vienna, Fairfax County or even Rockville, MD.

Media RelationsTel. 703-813-1678

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Home Remodeling Contractor Serving Alexandria, Arlington, and Fairfax, Elite Contractor Services Announces Website ... - PR Web (press release)

Drive up and down the streets of any neighborhood and each individual homeowners pride of ownership reveals itself in various ways. In many cases, a homes curb appeal is a quick snapshot of what lies beyond the passerbys view. Regardless of what end of the spectrum a home falls on from snappy and pristine to dull and dingy most homeowners have a list of home improvement projects either written down or filed away in a mental note.

With a list in hand, or in mind, the next natural step is to prioritize the projects. Here is where budgets, wants, and desires start to vie for pick me status. One way to help prioritize the list is to consider the return on investment (ROI) of each project. This is especially helpful when considering how a project, or projects, will impact the current and future market value of the home.

Fortunately, each year studies are conducted to analyze the cost for various upgrades and how much will be recouped on that investment when the home is sold. One such report is Remodeling Magazines Cost vs. Value report.

Results reported in the Cost vs. Value report are produced by researchers scrutinizing 29 popular home improvements in 99 markets nationwide. They poll contractors on how much they charge for these jobs as well as real estate agents who share how much they think these improvements increase a homes market price. Next, each projects upfront cost is divided by the homes resale value. The resulting percentage offers some guidance as to how well the money invested in each particular renovation project pays off.

Comments from Craig Webb, editor of Remodeling Magazine, point out that the value of pricier projects rose significantly over last year. These results may come from the health of the housing market. When the market is hot, Realtors are more likely to give value to more expensive renovation projects, because they expect that the market will stay hot and people will pay the price, he explains. When the market is cool, Realtors tend to put less value on those big-dollar projects, because they have concerns about whether the house will get sold in any state.

Despite the uptick in value associated with pricey renovation projects in the 2017 report, once again the highest ROI projects came with the cheapest cost to complete. This year (same as last year), the number one finisher was installing loose-fill fiberglass insulation in the attic. Hidden away and silently doing its job, according to Remodeling Magazine, with an ROI of 107.7 percent, insulating the attic is the only project that regularly pays back more than the dollars invested.

Number two on the ROI list is replacing an ordinary, run-of-the-mill entry door with an attractive steel replacement door at 90.7 percent, third at 89.4 percent was adding manufactured stone veneer.

Data from the 2017 report suggest that curb appeal projects such as new doors and exterior siding generate higher returns than improvements completed to a homes interior.

Reviewing the individual ROI on all 29 projects analyzed in the Cost vs. Value report, its clear that most renovations wont pay them back in full. On average, in 2017, homeowners can expect to get back 64 percent of every dollar spent on home improvements.

Its also apparent from the data that tastes vary widely by geographic location. For this reason, Remodeling Magazine breaks down its data into nine U.S. regions and then further down into the major metropolitan cities of each state. In Portland, Maine for example, replacing an old entry door with a new fiberglass door earned the highest ROI at 93.7 percent. Next at 91.4 percent was siding replacement, followed by garage door replacement at 85.8 percent.

Wondering what improvements, if any, should be made to your house? Craig Webb says, If you see yourself keeping the house for at least five years, you shouldnt worry about value at all. Housing trends can change dramatically in this amount of time, so whats hot or popular today could be outdated in the near future. Renovate however will make you happy.

However, if youre planning to sell in less than five years, then looking at the return makes sense, says Webb. Be sure to do your research. Remember, tastes vary widely by location.If you, or someone you know, has a project list for their home, refer to Remodeling Magazines Cost vs. Value report for guidance and be sure to consult with your local trusted Realtor.

This column is produced by Rick Bisson and his family, who own Bisson Real Estate with Keller Williams Realty of Midcoast and Sugarloaf.

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What's your return on investment? - The Coastal Journal

Who We Are and What We DoEfficient Attic Systems (EAS) specializes in helping homeowners save energy and reduce heating and cooling bills. We achieve these savings through our Efficient Attic System, which targets the unseen inefficiencies caused by your homes attic.

The first component of the Efficient Attic System is proper Attic Insulation. While most homes have some level of attic insulation, many homes either have insufficient or poorly-installed attic insulation. As a result, the insulation is not effective in reducing the heat transfers between your hot or cold attic and your air-conditioned living spaces in the home. Without the right levels of attic insulation, your air conditioner works harder in summer and your furnace works harder in winter.

The second component of the Efficient Attic System is our Radiant Barrier. Simply put, we apply a safe, highly-reflective paint on the underside of your roof decking to block much of the suns radiant energy away from your attic. If youve ever been up in your attic during the heat of the summer, your attics temperatures can skyrocket. This can be damaging to stored items in the attic and will also cause your air conditioner to work harder. SolaShield is the premium spray-on radiant barrier coating available today. This award-winning radiant barrier spray reflects heat away from your home in the summer and back into your living space in the winter.

This remarkable compound is applied just like ordinary latex paint, but its proprietary composition enable it to reduce roof-to-attic energy transfer by up to nearly 80%. SolaShield spray-on radiant barrier is water-based, breathable, and does not interfere with antenna or mobile phone reception.

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Efficient Attic Systems - Attic Insulation, Radiant ...

QUINCY, Ill. (WGEM) -

The Quincy Police Department is looking for a man accused of deceiving asenior citizenout of thousands of dollars, according to a news release.

Det. Adam Gibson stated a local bank notified QPD of suspicious transactions from senior citizen's account. He said the transactions showed several thousand dollars being paid to someone for remodeling.

Gibson stated the victim said a man showed up at her door, saying he was there to perform an inspection. The victim said they were told several thousand dollars worth of repairs were needed in the attic.

Police reported the victim was unable to look in the attic.

According to Gibson, the victimagreed to pay the money the man was asking for, but "virtually" no work wasdone. He stated the victim was told work was completed.

Gibson stated an investigation determined the suspect was Torrey E. Rickey, 41, of Carthage, Missouri. He said Rickey was wanted in several counties across Illinois, Missouri and Kansas, which includes a warrant in Adams County for aggravated home repair fraud.

Police reported Rickey could possibly still be in the area, who has ties to the Hannibal area. Authorities said he's believed to be driving a gray or light-colored GMC truck with a camper shell and Missouri plates OEB828.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Quincy Police Department or Quincy Regional Crime Stoppers. Residents were also encouraged to only work with reputable contractors and door-to-door sales persons with caution.

Link:
Local police looking for suspected fraudster - WGEM

Good afternoon and welcome to ask the expert remodeling and renovation with Tim mosque. For the next hour so Tim is here to answer your questions about those projects from the foundation to the roof. Everywhere in between. You have a question for Jimmy Egan Ascot via email or consent in both acts two mosques and songs.com. Their phone number is 8774994361. Inning seventh seventh. Or 994361. And on the web it's ten months and sons not count. As are all the information by Tim and his company has plus. Links to all their social media sites as well all right Tim let's get right into the questions today are first question says. I recently bought a new home and I just found out that the Dreier is vented into the attic is that OK or should it be vented elsewhere. Well it all depends if it stops at the yeah some prior France will go through the attic. In an ego aside IC. And that's OK. You know sometimes I'll Ian occasionally. Bill bill like come out the roof. You know that that might not be stupid because. It's stuff. On the roof true. But usually when I say go through attic and ends up panning out the gable. If if what they're talking about is advanced out the Gabler somewhere outside go with adding that's fine. But what you don't want is stopping. It just spinning into the attic. As a pioneer in there to begin with Assam from drier yeah plus an analyst humidity up via. So that can be really really bad thing. In fact just this past week ice I was in a house where they had sagging floor. And it was all confined to an area. Where they have put. Drier venting into the cross place. And they couldn't understand. Why 4% in an area was pretty. Evident what was happening. You like if you were gonna make a rock that your you know leagues are bent yes we have a ban those legs heat well they put him under pressure. And any of moisture oyster okay yeah moisture pressure's gonna ban would. So they had an area where they were banning their drier under the house under load bearing walls. So they were just injected it with moisture and it was under a lot of pressure so of the floorboards as they bet like rock rails. So that was the problem pants and they need to get better. They're dryer vent and outside instead of an across place where you can have the same problems that you've been an up and yet you just don't want that moisture and you would. Dry wood is strong. Maybe you would wet. You know it all depends and a percentage of moisture. If you get wet without rotting. But if it'll take away the strength will be strong. And then you get to a certain point of mildew and in more moisture rot so you don't want moisture would you wanna keep dry so don't open your your nature or. It drives and a vanity via a sort of those people that had a floor boarded after just replace whole floor than because Earl buckled. Well. We're not completely through with the engineer come on now you know he's got to finish troupe whatever you do some structural like this. And engineers boast the commitment and an issue report so what'll what'll happen is when someone calls me up for structural kind of thing. I'll look at it bringing engineering and generals say what you need do this this this. And and you file engineers instructions if you're off all the engineers instructions you're just. These open on your own and your engineering wife is in trouble. So in a couple weeks I can tell you exactly what it. But I suspect we're gonna do with it spent the dryer I'll. So it's not making moisture make sure there's a paper record downs and a bullish on grounds it would. And and we could slowly likes rejects. Raise that backed worst post and probably is also appears that maybe you know Leo. The matures they support us. And it's a real problem which runner in Iowa. At one time animal was still the case Els like the number one calls for I believe it or she get those arms. And general race. You know if you were dryer vent go straight. Can be a problem because once you really are in no. When it dryers drown in their push and a turn at all at all float around in the order of things. Usually once you know you went trapped in your drawer model finals though. And go through you wanna be able to keep it clean and most prior rents for switch and from plastic you know they plan which. Medal. Which is a lot safer the plastic milk. Or half. I think with technology they can do something with the drier that would prevent stuff like that. Sustain that mr. some technologies that I imagine if they could do it they would do or they did it cost like 20000 dollars for dryers. I don't. What you remember there's also reached it. Is it count is count is that you are when microwave schema yes. Like the size your office yet they what it was like incredible you know I'm Barbara what somebody's house. And they were they were telling me some hot chocolate and I was not go to that trouble at victories. You do that in my app that there were Paloma. Andy and mean it here you know it seems like they could come up with some kind of technology. If they can heat up a couple water. In thirty seconds but the good writer. And a but you know maybe that would involve individual piece of clothing in the machine at one time so then they might could do it. Bits and pieces but you know for a whole long load of laundry. It's probably not that efficient but it probably is some kind of technology writer close quick one piece yanks go. Let's get back to me mere million dollar idea. That executives are that's a great. Irate if you have a question for Tim here and ask the expert remodeling and renovation with two monster sent an email with your question. Info and it's Tim Moss and songs.com. The next question him says that I have tile flooring. And my ground a starting to look worn out. Would be possible for me to replace route without replacing the tile if it is how should I get the grout outs yet. It is rule that's on tongue twister route out Greta that I'll. Yeah that's that's a real common thing to do is is take DO ground out. The most common mistake one of the new ground doesn't last his if you get enough program. They sell like these little five dollar tools for scrape rat out. It would take you long time. The deep regret that these tools. So I have an off sledding saw. Have you seen these things. Imagine they spin toward hostilities they they go more like and of people in NC what I'm doing but it goes outside decide decide decide yet it is at its emotion like that and you can adjust the speed. So I have one it's called a fine made by a German company. And they had the patina means costly so most. And you could do all kinds of stuff you could cut a piece based or rate worse it's. And it's like a perfect. You can make cuts on finished would it be like really nice economic plunge coats and the Hardwoods. And there's also. A special like accessory. But it as a as a blade for taken out grow okay he put in Gosling cells all in it'll take this route right now. With hardly any work at all. Cut dusty. In NC got to protect the rest of furniture from dust. But it works great great and costly X. So like harbor freight her or for and a they show like really cheap tools. I don't buy stuff here if I won the last but if I want to give a sledding soft registered to ground you probably won't for 3040 dollars while. Probably only last as long as you routed. You know for that one tile job. Paulo last that long are afraid tools to not last long at all. But if you needed tool in the world's but a lot of money in Oregon use begin to be pleased to get tools. If you wanted one of the better better tools finds. Patent expired so I paid for and some dollars from us all patent expired. Last links on now you get for like hundred dollars. You know soup. All depends and he accessories yet you've spent a 10200 U of one molester for next 1520 years. Boring spent thirty you know fiction grow in disposable. Oh which one do. Ray. And are a lot of questions still to get to here and ask the expert remodeling and renovations with Tim mosque the stuff that you'd like to know. Jim's happy to answer questions you can send those via email to see you in vogue asked. Jim moss and songs.com. Their phone number is 8774994361. 87 sevenths. 4994361. And on the web it's Tim mosques and suns dot com. Coming up next have a question Tim but Ivey we'll get to that coming up next here and ask the expert on WBT. I. Welcome back to ask the expert remodeling and renovation to Tim mosques. Kim's answer your questions about remodeling renovation projects from the roofs downed the foundation in February between inside outside. It has the answers Corey and you have something you'd like to ask him to send an email to info at a mosque in suns dot com. The phone numbers 8774994361. In on the web it's Tim mosques and suns dot com right back to the questions to him. Says could I have any problems from having I AV growing up the side of my house. It's currently growing up my brick veneer and that like how it looks Wrigley Field avenue and for a hundred years that seems to be okay. Well it looks the doesn't yet debt a couple of Ivy League cog colleges yet on us because I'd be. Here but actually calls for real. Usually the full audience that. I don't like it by now if you have to put you get a little aspired for a new place. But more it can cause structural. So I was. Are remodeled guys. Political. Well it would baca they would insert quarters. But you know in a big mansion. In the main house and it servants quarters disservice worthless. Became his wife's arts studio. It was going to be as what source you. He won immediate remodeled it and terrico Ruth Ehrlich stuff. And actually see you big. As we a lot of money to want it. And he thought I'd be looked cool on a missed field. And he really never had on it and munchies now it was going to be his which one story of historic. Things. So we hired me to come over and complete redo it. Mean and we have trouble with the this quite awhile ago. But you would probably with this idea done it was it was like Virginia creep or not it. You gotta watch you don't get poison which. Is you start pan out you Uga really six X. Video we got all this Ivey off and it it'd actually ruin a lot of corporate it would all do is I mean it doesn't rule it overnight. But it's got like little almost like her like strains. That'll grow into any creek mountain and then it'll widen. And when it starts to grow it'll. Negotiable little hole it just keeps widening it. So it broke the the brick was all broken up we're replacing brick it was go on between the windows. Like the window panes. And the wind assesses any worry gifts like little Ehrlich fingers in their. And then it would expand tools is actually went in side. So we can really take off on excellent although it through and start ago and yes it was for all the walls and side to win in. It completely penetrated the walls and with the walls inside. If it costs this guy whole Lotta money because he I think he liked the way that I've. So some people that really wanna have a side so I have a house at one on don't have anymore. In moderate liked the look IV but I knew the game music because because Europe and Georgia. So what I did when I got the house I took all the big vines off. You know that the term kind of brown and hard yes I took all those off and that I left the book yellow and green lines up. So what I would do is every couple years I would peel back off you know anything that was in March. How popular office a lot of worse you know have that I have to keep it up yeah so I would peel it off and it and take away. The I'd be that it got brown and horror. You know that was started Annika and make just just leave like the green shoots. So you had this deadly pro. Yet to prune it to make sure that you didn't have anything penetrate in the veneer house because it will go through the windows and if it breaks. And it got to be such a chore just pruning missed. That when I sold my house. The guy that bought he just got rid of all. But it does look really neat but it is very very destructive. So if you don't have it you're gonna have to you know keep it proved keep it back don't let the big vines you know develop. Most of lines it's certain size you gonna pull it on and off. And it's. It's not easy because you setters like that would find it aloft which ones it yen in if you get the wrong on its gonna ruin your house. And you gotta keep it short they eat you know the over and some things because it'll go when your act you. So I had to really keep pruned its now like I was do it every week. But I would check on it easily twice a year ago entered the room. To keep it checked. It wasn't worth the trouble I mean it really wasn't worth troll. Just watch a cubs game is yelled at do you want there at Wrigley Field yet but I can understand what people like yeah I mean it literally cool side now. But it's you know keep in mind it's awful lot of cover. For rodents. For snakes. You know it always see stuff like that frogs in a big rodents frogs and in this nature comment at all kinds of books. So if I had to do it all over again I think I would just taken them ethnic. Up fake ID at that that I think and they myself. It really might have think I've yet. Are at or taking your questions here on ask the expert re mildly renovations of Tim mosque you have a question for Tim sin it be email to info and and it's two mosques and suns dot com. This question says Tim I'd like to finish my basement which currently is unfinished and only has block walls is finishing a basement a difficult project what. All do I need to consider. What did he used to be difficult it. Is it's a difficult project now because all the regulations. Yet when you when you fix up a basement. So what people used to do is sometimes at which she rock and on the blocks sometimes they just further blog now. And then put sheet rock on Latin it was finished basement and I still sees sound better on that way Newton that really wasn't a good idea because that makes. And makes. Major break in the Blanca when you when you put and a but for strips on it you know that now screws that penetrates the block any kind of moisture comes true. And you can end up with a lot of term so that never was a good idea but that's how most people which finished the race the fact. You know before coach change I used to finish the basement. You know that same way that no better at whatever rate it N. Nowadays. You have to do I'll show you know bowl. And it went from you know the furry strips the regular tuba formal. You have to buy for just like your frame and upstairs then you have a tuba for wall all framed out in the basement and when when that first. Gotten active people were surprised when we of these thirty blocks are revealed another Cuba for wall. Not the hold up the second story for story it was just to insulate we have placed when insulation. And a place to run all the wires and acted like chase you run your wires plumbing. Insulation all that would be in the wall it in this to a four Waltz in off the block wall so what would it. So for the longest time that was in which routed to a net and then they changed the code again. And you had to any place that you've slept in the basement that was the bedroom you'd have a an ex skate outside but egress. And don't that was OK we are able to do that and and some people you know they had to get rid of their ideas that I guess that bedroom down there. Because they couldn't fit when Newton and then I got to be that. Any room in the basement as as separate ex skate out separate egress elicits a bathroom all lawyer clause. So we went from doing quite a few basements every year. The few were basements to almost nobody's. Because unless you have a daylight basement it's almost our military our finished it out to waive the codes post. Because you know every time you have only windows room which you have to have. It's about three or 4000 dollars it's a big deal Puerto. A window or door in the basement. That leads back outside so just a door to one of the drugs into the world back upstairs. So it ends up being really really big deal. In order to finish the race now. So you would thing now with all these code changes we have a lot of safe basement strength yet. But all of on it and the consequences yes and ethnic guess what really happened people aren't doing it now getting permits adds what's happened so instead of Coleman's contract that would do it right. Because they got to follow all the rules. Bill call some panic handyman guy personally willing to break the rules and they and have basements Don and are not code at all. You know they might be going back but for us troops on the wall as she rock yeah so it could really. The generated in it income didn't rise up. You know that the coyotes the unit didn't rise careers donor basements and spending like well that's just too much. And they went back under. Are seeing a lot of and literally. I think a lot of finished basement now that are no where near code. No corner code at all I mean they were they were you know people put up with a certain amount of regular mountain disliked open taxes. You know when they feel like tax levels or fair there's a very high compliance rate when they feel like now that's not fair compliance rates on. And it's assembled with building. If they select their common sense and and it's for their safety. People are willing to comply they wanna feel like hey this is my house I never have window when every room in my basement that's that's absurd. Then all of a sudden they won't hire me because why come in until I got to I don't follow code acting evidence spektr's gonna to look at yeah I gotta get my permit I gotta have an inspector coming in and then I lose that based. People coma for basements anymore I don't go Boller book as an Albany new job. But any counsel law unintended consequences. Mean you can only regularly so much before people book and say a magnitude. So I think those are good idea. So I'm not same coast aren't a good idea but if you regulate too much and people aren't analysts. All exactly. Are still many of your questions to get to hear. And ask the expert remodeling and renovations with Tim mosque something you'd like to ask Tim sent an email to info at Tim Moss and suns dot com. Pivotal call other phone number is 877. 4994361. And the website Tim mosques and suns dot com. More questions coming up next here and ask the expert remodeling and renovation with Tim mosque and WBZ. Welcome back to ask the expert remodeling and renovation with Tim mosques. Stand here to answer your questions about rebounding and renovations projects that he might have. And you can send emails to in folks adds Tim mosques and suns dot com. Their phone number is 8774994361. The website is Tim mosque and suns dot com. Back to the questions stem Tesla says I have a small hot water heater in my crawl space and I keep running out of hot water. I'm guessing it's because the tank missile small so I'd like to replace it with a larger one but can't fit a larger tank in the crawl space is there a good solution for that. Dollars a couple. Couple things one is you can look for another place now. Put your water heater and you know it doesn't have to be in the crawl space on its work in maybe you can give clauses. Especially if it if you elect. You know your your options are limited to get. Here but if it's electric and you have more options it's easier for news. So thank you exhausted all you must execute on those. We still have an option. What those prankster called low voice. You can piggyback. So you don't have to just one under you could have two or three or four. On yeah and it would they piggyback each other. They're all tied together with that would. It's the same as that one really large tank if you have 23 or four. That we put up three and crawl space. But any help you can piggyback. And if you don't wanna do that. You can always go with like. Most thankless systems share the hot water on the man. You can switch to hot water on the men and those boxes you can mount outside. It's best that Iran gas natural. Error liquid propane. The electrical it was run electricity. They don't work well I wouldn't wouldn't get those at all real. Yeah well you think you know takes a lot of electricity Mickey Astra and when that water goes through there it's gotten heated. With. He ailment and it spoke at the request yet so those elements are now why were you. Actual fire line. Packing heat the water pretty easy as it passes Rupp. And that those out so the gas ones everybody every one that I put the gas ones in four hopefully they were like really really pleased. Really happy without and a and a lady that didn't like. It turns out that these ecosystems. Dude run on a little bit of electricity. President is go a little computer. On here this is an associate like it because if she would lose your power she wouldn't have water. Words were like regular. Thanks system runs on gas. You can have hot water even electricity exactly so she didn't understand how that worked. And we all installment. In what she found out. As she lost power of water. So we have changed the whole thing. But that's like once in twenty years yet you know so that's that's a pretty good record. And that was probably my fault for maker understand. Interest. I think immigrant or payment they forgot but these health. After reminded her and I wouldn't have to read Google it now price wise how much more of the tank less than just the radio how water heaters is pretty substantial difference I think you get a regular hot water heater from 600 dollars in the tank was ones you know 12115100. And and it cost less Coca. System. Is composed of a tank in the tank with one. I spent about 2000 dollars in the tank as well. And wall with Hank you know just switch and now. Security having to switch out unique it's an 800 dollars that's that's. So it's quite a bit more. But then you safe save quite a bit of money because you're not. You know with a tank your heat no water bowl on it and you know it used and they've been you know. I had the customer what we've long passed away. But he was always into the new stuff. And his his dad was with General Motors and was in like the European division at one time in his life in the south American. So we traveled all over the world. In any retired. And he would always call me to do work so he had introduced me to a lot of building materials that it never seen before. And I was able to happen and that is before the Internet. But I was able to tap into it because. He had been only places in a Buick what do you think about it thankless Horry. And every her before and it's all over Europe like you know I have one in my house so I had to go to the supply iron before research and we adding it was shipped and but that's were a lot of things. That I didn't know about I ended up learning a name for confident the day was over its. Like all your puck Mike Campbell in my house you know so all these things that you know bamboo force. We were doing bamboo floors for Bob before and never knew bam bam boo or existed but he did you know and other countries they the other. I wouldn't say that there advance but they'd you know they do things. You know they didn't have the resources that we. You know like for. Endless supply outlawed Ehrlich and stuff and and they have very small living quarters. So he was able to show me a lot of things I'd. Didn't even know existed. That now I can incorporate and it is building new things and additions. At a fancy toilets like they have in Japan and Apple's it's it never seemed overly caught on over here at least. Well I've put those in four people that were. You know in and have good insurance moderately expensive. Some of these you know Japanese watched. Like 3000 total now yeah I mean it's it's a lot of a lot of money. You know and they don't like amazing things. So your copy for almost. As yet and it's everything. Let the times that I've put him in its not that often. You know once all work for airlines in he had a frozen if frozen shoulders. Now color all kinds of stuff work for people need to have frozen shoulders. Any work for airlines these that it could be run wires overhead. So we gallery can use of forms and he got these fancy Japanese. But usually wanna put me it's like extreme cases. The days you know they don't cost that much compared Japanese. So is it most exotic well let's put me into it photos be heard those. I have not the other three or four dollars and you know which boast be flushed all kinds of stuff they got videos like foolish and golf all of a man. So that's that's about the most exotic things review. On a regular basis. But these you know all all the other stuff you talk about we will do it and and we have done it but it's it's usually. Elements. Really really has a physical need that they have. Are there super rich and do a lot of overseas traveling and have seen it 11 for themselves yeah well you know I don't. We don't do that much for what you call the super. I guess that the Donald Trump for each race you know the billionaires and don't you ever been any were familiar with employment were familiar yet. Most millionaires will grab an annual it's you know they got that way because there. Very careful with their money so they always look for the biggest bank book after. Are we still have time for a few more questions on this week's ask the expert remodeling and renovations with him costs. Something you'd like to ask him he's happy to answer those questions on the air to send those emails do this info at him mosque suns dot com. Phone number is 8774994361. Plus an 8774994361. And make sure to check out Jim's website Tim Moss and songs.com you can see. Background of Tim and his sons and their company with some of the work that they've done over the years and place their social media sites FaceBook Twitter things like that. Solid Tomas and songs.com we'll be back with more ask the experts. Here at WBZ. Welcome back to ask the expert remodeling and renovations that Tim mosque Kim's answer your questions but those remodeling projects to do and around the house renovations and things like that. Yet the question for him to send an email to info adds Tim Moss and songs.com. The phone number is 8774994361. The website is Tim mosque and suns dot com. Still have time for a few more questions on today's episode Tim. Would it be feasible to add two or rumors to an existing house I think it would greatly improve the appearance of my house. Well it's it's. Totally feasible. Couple years ago. Time square. Like ten years ago when realist they would draw yes. We ago ankles and he's in his house dismissing. He'd just. Now at a restaurant when would like but it sold 700 some of these fast food restaurants now so you know a lot of money restored investor rules we bought this. Legal means and house golf course. And he just felt like it needs to dole a cable or without Einar. And when they get talkative that it needed born you know it was miserable. So we put in a budget or on the south. And they were all false rumors emanating bidding go anywhere also if you win side it was like the window looking out is just from the house like it was right for Ernie yeah from the outside it made you think that you know the last story the real story of the house yeah let's switch put the Ballmer and vote really really it. You know I used to you know when an I don't know if rebel force on some play in eighties priestess of some more. And we would be very common like over a very steep route follow over the garage we would put these as if they were on and it really added to look at a house. We've also put money on that you know fully functional. But it's not uncommon at all for people endorsed house and he won't function at all minicamp if you want to. But like you know most one and adore it's because were finished in the first or second story and we wanna give some light went in there. But just for looks yet on a college all toolbar properties looks like missing though coming in there and a full Aurora. It's a real warmer it looks as well but there it doesn't go anywhere. You know if you are in the attic you would be it would open the window because totals sealed off yeah but it does it'll and a whole lot to your house. You just wanna make sure it matches in architectural I'll. Of the rest how's how's about about two months ago. And he had been put on. But what they did anybody over. So within matched restless now house. So he'd had it down once realized that didn't match the style. It was 1 am re worked so he liked the sides front window and all but he can thank the roof I didn't expect it. With the rest and you're right it would whale off. But that's why speak it's worth paying him money. Recruits at a plants you know cause the guy that draws plans. He should be drawn up plans exactly how its outlook and that attribute idea but I'm always surprised at some people wonder presented with a a plant in social front you decide view that back new every view. In between. And say I teensy. Bit. I don't know I can't. You know with a whole set of pictures but some people just yet they're you know the mine's still work there yeah they don't they don't process things process visually. In you know they via. Processes through what they hear it's hard scrabble and some people dismissive. But it's really important it is to designer and somewhat control planes that we need to. And when an idea they can borrow well might spend a thousand dollars on Ballmer doesn't make it. Plans are for our books. In it saves a whole lot of money into 145. Former via fiber 6000 bucks you want to write first. And bud if you actually want one that's that's. Work that works that's not the facade you can do that too yes you can do either one. But Pakistan usually will work to it and finish in the second or third story. We'll put there for. People at skate to. Where it's required a polite and via. But there's a lot of older houses re of this. You know big third story roof. In a local little plane or honor spurs. But those when before. OK let's keep the questions moving here and ask the expert remodeling and renovations with Tim Moss. And he'd like to ask him send your emails to info at Tim mosques and suns dot com. Tim I can sometimes are buzzing sound coming from my breaker box is that normal. It's common but it's not bull look at. You know. Lot of people their boxes overloaded them so they have a budget things running at one time. Much sport hero blows in and that's working out the group talk about that before. Bad yet you don't want electricity jumping anywhere in your electrical box because that they keep that generates very intense you know like 5000 degrees. And so if you hear buzzing going on your electrical box electrician payment have to upgrade service. Anywhere you're posing you know switches Alice. Any place like that. That's usually electricity is jumping inside or out of the box yet he's so you don't you don't want that happenings in media qualified electrician important and you wanna fool you won a licensed electrician from entered affixed. It ought to be master of the electricity. Now. OK well let's not keep moving along here and ask the expert remodeling in renovations it's a mosque. Tim I have a house with a basement. And the house sits significantly lower than the street. So that the yard slopes down to the house lately Evan having trouble with water getting into my basement wall on the side that faces the street. What do I need to do to fix its. It's it's always a problem. Every time every house I see that it's lower than street. They like always have some on one pro gravity will do that and at that yet and then on that and at this at much lower than street. So for anybody go on how shop and make sure your health at higher than mystery there's a street. I mean that's a lot of war are run run off coming off that I asked all day and then it's gonna soaked underground it's a liberals say well I watched it wouldn't rain and Althea much water off. It's still going somewhere and it'll it can run underground you know people don't realize water and run rate underground especially if it's been raided. You know to bring in a clean soil. Bill shall on the putting on top of finish welcome although real line at that shoreline the original soul line and water will penetrate. Clean fill. Go right down that old soul shall line and then run right at that level IC. So water runs at all different levels underground depending on what the makeup of the sort them. So him being lower. Their orient house burned to kick into an instinct about that your. So the best way to fix this in a lot of companies will come in and say it will put an internal rate system and and that's real appealing because it doesn't cost them much in relatively cheap compared to what they really needed to. What they're really need to do is dig out that side of the house and water proof that wouldn't range waterproof it. And an editor where that cost a whole lot more than internal trade system yet. The reason you don't wanna go into an entry system is it's not gonna preserve foundation and keep your basement for floating. You just let the water come in your control where it goes in the new Pope America but still covenant it's still company it so when waters passive three your foundation. You know we have I. Esta con war that's why tobacco groups well and YE you know people a little while I'm down in word Gordon. Because they got to neutralize acids and when that rain water mixes with acid in overtime it dissolves the blocks your. So it's not not a short period it happens but I usually see it you know about a fifty years and if there's no waterproofing on the on the block where it's a deteriorated. It will does all that walk. So that's what you wanna stop for males and. Good advice. Our it was still have time to squeeze in a question or two here and ask the expert remodeling and renovation with Tim mosque the said the new would like to ask Tim. Send your emails to info. Hats Tim mosques and suns dot com. I have an older house that was built built for installation was standard. I'd now like to add insulation but I was hoping to avoid tearing open all of my walls is there any easy way to add insulation. Seems. Older houses we're thankful pork and he stuffed old newspaper well you know they want the insulin it was something yeah so. And he may very well knew the concept installation but they didn't have. Actual material for sure. It is is never rule easy to insulate after. You know everything is no big deal and crawl space is no big deal but the walls. There's companies that come out and they'll drool like a hole in the wall. And then they'll put a little pipe in there and and I'll fill the blow. But what I found is minutes better than nothing. But there's gonna still be voids were insulation. If there's any cross bracing in the walls and installation stopped when it across great actors like in Mika horizontal bracing. It'll it'll stop when it hits that so. I don't know what percentage walls and have it insulated you know the mine and potentially fifty to 60%. Walls you know would give insulation. But it's a lot better than nothing yet so short of terror in the walls open. And if if you want to inflict sure you typical she Rocco oral side or the other of these you Freud and she. Publisher yet on the side. A short of turn walls open. The only thing I know is the you know it released little holes. Probably tune. In in the blow the installation of those but it doesn't it doesn't cover up. But it's better than nothing exactly and you know some sort of better companies though have. Like a formal imaging gun man. And little bull a shot and on the walls and it'll tellem were they missed and then they control and other old feel feel that area IC so. Dependent on what level company your Vietnam in some companies are coming out though the liberal top of the wall feel and a and then they're done and other and that but they're not as expensive as these companies Camaro but I'm imaging year. Their very thorough but you'd probably spent twice as much for them. And the companies that don't have economic here but it's I would say it's worth it because I mean a whole thing is you're insulated tape on. Energy save money yet so it's probably worth the extra cost so when did they start when it insulation start becoming common. It's been around for quite awhile hasn't that must have a pretty old old house. I've seen houses built in the sixties without it seriously yeah. You know we didn't get uniform building code in 1980. OK so owe a lot of a lot of things that would be decode were more like suggestions from here on enforceable. So I mean I even built some housing bill permits completely legal I think I did two or three. Without any kind of permits. And it was you know that was all legal. But now you know they have the building codes and everything's been inflated it Elliott what our value as both. Yeah. Aren't I guess we are out of time for today's ask the expert remodeling and renovations with him mosques. But if you have a question for Tim. You can submit debt free future show it's easy to do this right an email and send it to you in both answer to a monster and suns dot com. Here's their phone number if you'd like just. Give them a call ask about have some work done at your place 8774994361. Again 877. Or 994361. The website with all his information about his company's some of the projects they've done and links to all the social media sites. Can be found it to a mosque in suns dot com. That's gonna wrap it up for today's ask the expert. Remodeling and renovation with him lots on WBZ.

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Answers To Questions about Repairs From The Roof To The Floor - WBT

Today, The Hawk Eye gets a new look. Old issues, be they found in the walls of a house or carefully stored at the public library, show how the newspaper has constantly changed.

Most have heard the saying, If these walls could talk.

The walls of Dorothy Hesters house on Orchard Street in Burlington can, in a way. They were filled with old newspapers, dating back to the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Hester has lived in her house for 30 years. A few years after moving in, she and her husband decided to remodel. But when the couple started knocking down walls, papers started flying out.

Back in the day, they used to insulate houses with all this, Hester said, pointing to boxes of brittle, yellowed newspapers.

We had fun when we were remodeling, because you had to be careful because all the stuff would come flying out at you, she said.

The papers once were stuffed into walls throughout the house, including the kitchen, bathroom, laundry room and living room.

An 1891 copy of The Burlington Hawk-Eye read Easter Announcements across the top.

That was years ago, and Hester said she had forgotten all about the newspapers. Her late husband, whom she described as a saver, had packed the newspapers away somewhere to gather more dust.

Then, recently, Hester decided to replace the windows in her attic. As the young man working on the project pulled away woodwork from the windows, Hester said he called down to show her another armful of old newspapers. Snippets of fragile pages floated down into her yard. Hester said she was picking them out of the grass all day.

Hester delicately flipped through the pages with ink-stained fingers. She laughed at how outdated the content seemed ads for rustproof corsets, recipes for scalloped eggs, and embroidery patterns.

One paper, dated 1913, showed the papers cost to be 1 cent.

They better not tell them that today, Hester joked. Because I just sent in for a year.

While she does not have any use for the papers, Hester said she could not throw away the history they contain. Since using newspapers for insulation was a common practice of the time, Hester said she is sure other houses in the neighborhood have their own stories tucked away inside the walls.

However, Burlington residents who dont want to tear out their plaster can find any copy of The Hawk Eye at the Burlington Public Library. Samantha Helmick, the public services librarian, said the newspapers are bound in large books and kept in the basement for posterity. However, the public can access them on eight microfilm machines.

Every single day we have folks coming in to research their family history, research the history of the community, look for specific articles of interest for legal investigations, Helmick said. Its fascinating.

Those books full of newspapers show decades of history. They illustrate the changes the newspaper has gone through since it was established as the first daily newspaper in Iowa in 1837.

An 1860 copy reads Burlington Daily Hawk-Eye across the top of a wide newspaper. Underneath, the tagline reads An Independent Republican Journal. Tiny font covers the pages, which do not have photos.

Advertisements for everything from hoop skirts to hog prices recall a time before television and internet offered businesses other outlets.

Stories encouraged Burlington residents to vote for Abraham Lincoln.

In 1951, the paper was called The Burlington Hawk-Eye Gazette. By then had photos and bigger headlines. Crossword puzzles and comics were added, along with a section titled News for Women, which included engagement and marriage announcements and fashion advice.

Today the paper looks different, too, adding to the time machine-like collection at the library.

This teaches us about our history, Helmick said. And where we are going.

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Inside the walls or at the library, brittle paper offers glimpses of the past - Burlington Hawk Eye

In order to comply with attic ventilation requirements number of attic vents needs to be calculated and strategically installed. This is one of or rather the most important issue associated with attic area, having huge impact on your house health and proper functionality (especially in cold climates).

As long as you have an attic (most likely if your house has a pitched roof and none or partial cathedral ceilings), it should be accessible, and periodically checked for any abnormalities. Inadequate attic ventilation often results in such abnormal issues.

Many of the home owners dont even realize, that theres an attic, and how important it is to maintain attic ventilation and control amount of moisture migrating into this area. Providing attic ventilation by using a combination of various types of attic / roof vents, plays a key role in preventing such problems as attic mold, condensation, and ice damming

So, how much of that air circulating through your attic you really need

You can find online calculators, to give you explanation in numbers calculator 1 and Ill try to add a few words to it.

Basic attic ventilation principal is to keep that unused section of our house as cool as possible critical condition during the cold season dividing amount of the roof upper and lower vents 50/50.

Some of us think absolutely opposite, and seal all of the attic ventilation ports,sometimes insulate roof decking, assuming that such action will lower the utility bill. Unfortunately, by doing that, they are creating ideal attic mold growing environment (moist and warmer than exterior). You can partially determine how good is your attic ventilation by examining roof surface during the winter (from the ground of course!).

After some snow accumulates on pitched roof surface, monitor it over the next few days, and if roof remains snow covered, theres a good chance, that your attic ventilation and attic floor insulation is adequate, and whatever heat is being transferred through the attic floor (house ceiling), and all other penetrations between the house and attic area has enough escape routes.

Any roof surface section, where snow starts disappearing, usually corresponds to a heat source in the attic, or pin-points attic part where the warm air has been trapped, instead of being vented to the exterior. With ambient temperature above freezing, such investigation might not be accurate, and youll need to open the attic hatch

The ideal roof / attic ventilation would consists of combination of vents located in upper section of the attic (ridge vents, turbine, box shaped or dome static vents, electric motor powered vents), vents installed along the bottom parts of the roof overhang, called intake, or soffit vents, hip vents, and / or gable vents (all of the provided links are just samples, vents manufactured by one company). Roofs with no, or very small overhang might be able to utilize vented drip edge .

Do not combine attic gable vents with roof soffit and ridge / upper roof vent systems it will disturb attic ventilation process.

Complexity of some roofs might prevent such installations, and compromise proper attic ventilation, but each of those unique designs would have to be examined and discussed separately. Lets assume, that we have as many venting ports as we should (based on simple formula above, and house exterior examination), and that everything was installed the way it should be, without cheating

We can only see this element of attic ventilation roof soffit vent cover, and expect to have an opening behind it. Once installed, it is hard to determine, if the cover has been secured directly over the cut-out in soffit board. The easiest way would be to access attic area, and check for a light shining through the soffit vents, you should be able to see it from access point.

However, in some cases, you might have to walk further from the attic entrance be extremely careful if you decide to do that, use good lighting and watch your steps, because most of the attics have no floor boards installed, and you have to step on framing members.

If roof soffit vents are visible on exterior, but you cant see any light shinning through them, your attic ventilation could be suffering, and you can expect that:

roof soffit vents are sealed with attic floor insulation, so called vent chutes / baffles correct this problem, and they should be installed in rafter / truss spaces corresponding to soffit vents on exterior, or in all spaces (just like on the pictures with black chutes) they are cheap and more can only do better

Most common problem with gable and roof top vents is that they get clogged by bird nests or dust / lint, which compromises ventilation. If that happens, just clean it periodically and if wire screen is damaged replace it.

Some people install screens on the inside (from the attic), covering cut-out in roof decking board, it is easier and it does prevent rodents penetration, but it is still great spot for a bird nest.

Follow links to attic mold, cathedral ceiling ventilation,attic power vent , and Roof and Attic Ventilation Inspection posts for more attic ventilation answers.

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Attic Ventilation | How Many Attic Vents Your Roof Needs ...