Solid brick and brick veneer structures use some of the same construction materials, but their installation techniques are different. Solid brick houses (also known as double-brick and solid masonry houses) are built from either two layers of brick, or a layer of concrete block and an adjacen
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04/03/2010
Pesticides are poisons designed to kill a variety of plants and animals, such as insects (insecticides), weeds (herbicides), and mold or fungus (fungicides). They are each composed of an inert carrier and a pest-specific active ingredient, both of which are toxic to humans and pets. Human E
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04/03/2010
There are three basic types of underlayment used beneath roofing materials: asphalt-saturated felt; rubberized asphalt; and non-bitumen synthetic. One of the most common types of underlayment used in residential, steep-slope applications is black, ashphalt-saturated felt paper. Felt underlayment
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04/03/2010
Static electricity is the buildup of electrical charges on the surface of non-conducting materials. It is called "static" because, unlike a home's electrical system, static electricity has almost no current. Static typically forms when two materials come into contact, and some of the charges red
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04/03/2010
Raising plants indoors is a home-healthy move because of their ability to clean the air of carbon dioxide, but their benefits don't stop there. It turns out that the average houseplant can remove formaldehyde, benzene, and a host of other toxins that plague typical indoor air. It may come as a
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04/03/2010
Raising plants indoors is a home-healthy move because of their ability to clean the air of carbon dioxide, but their benefits don't stop there. It turns out that the average houseplant can remove formaldehyde, benzene, and a host of other toxins that plague typical indoor air. It may come as a
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04/03/2010
Inspectors should understand electrical concepts in order to perform competent electrical inspections. This article seeks to clarify some elementary electrical terms and concepts that are sometimes confused. Basic Electrical Measurement Units Voltage, measured in volts (V), is the measure of p
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01/11/2010
Carpeted bathrooms are bathrooms that have carpeted floors instead of traditional floor surfaces, such as tile or vinyl. Despite their tendency to foster mold and bacteria, carpets are sometimes installed in residential bathrooms for aesthetic purposes. Carpets should never be installed in bathro
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01/10/2010
"Green lumber" is another term for wet lumber, which is wood used in construction that has a moisture content of more than 19%. Moisture Content InterNACHI finds that green lumber is more commonly used in arid regions of the United States, such as Arizona and parts of California, because the
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01/10/2010
Kickout flashing, also known as diverter flashing, is a special type of flashing that diverts rainwater away from the cladding and into the gutter. When installed properly, they provide excellent protection against the penetration of water into the building envelope. Several factors can lead t
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01/10/2010
