Avoiding Cracks in a Post-Tension Slab Foundation
Cracking is the most common issue experienced with slab-on-grade foundations. Even under the best conditions, concrete naturally forms cracks as it shrinks during the curing ...
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Building Homes in California to Withstand Earthquakes: Where and how to build
California has gained notoriety for many things, one of which is earthquakes. Because southern California has so many earthquakes and a large population, strict zoning ...
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Building Homes to Withstand Earthquake Damage
Why is it important for builders to understand earthquakes and their impact on home construction? First, earthquakes can be deadly and extremely destructive; building to ...
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Installing a Rain Screen Helps the Exterior Wall Assembly Dry Out Quickly: Creating a safe distance for drying out
The exterior finish of a home, whether it is brick, stucco, vinyl, wood, or another material, is not waterproof. Rainwater, snowmelt, and wind-driven moisture wet ...
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Protecting Homes Against Wind Damage: Selecting the right location, orientation, and specifications
Why is it important for homebuilders to understand wind movement and the impact wind has on homes? Consider these statistics: Roughly 1/3 of the U.S. ...
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Tips for Handling and Installing I-Joists: Ensuring safety and durability during the framing process
I-joists are engineered wood structural members that can be used in residential and light commercial construction in place of dimensional lumber joists, such as 2x10s ...
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Ask the Expert: Preparing a slab before installing wood flooring
Question: What's the recommended way to prepare a concrete slab before installing wood flooring?Answer: There are two options for prepping concrete before installing wood flooring. The ...
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Ask the Expert: Using slab edge insulation
Question: Why is perimeter slab insulation important? Where and how should perimeter slab insulation be applied? Is there any way to eliminate perimeter slab insulation ...
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Investigating moisture and mold growth in homes
To assess a mold problem, visit the home to gather facts. Here, we'll review how to protect yourself during your investigation, as well as some ...
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Avoiding Problems with Tile Floors over a Slab: Protecting against grout stains, poor adhesion, and cracks
In production homebuilding, it’s common to make the mistake of not paying close attention to the floor installation. Blame it on rushed schedules, costs, or ...
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When It Rains, It Pours: Managing water on a shingle roof
Shingle roofs are popular, functional, and attractive. Installed correctly, they can last through their warranty period, typically 10 years, and beyond. Weather, particularly rain and ...
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Consider the Crawlspace
Although homeowners rarely think about that small space under their home, builders should give crawlspaces careful consideration. Some of the most common—and damaging—building problems stem ...
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Vapor Barriers for Basements: Shielding against water intrusion
Slabs are solid and strong, but they aren’t armor for a home. Because they’re made of concrete, they’re porous, which allows water and water vapor to ...
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Cumulative Overturning Design for Site-Built and Prefabricated Shear Walls: By Bryan D. Wert, M.S., P.E., Simpson Strong-Tie
The following is an excerpt from an article published in the October 2007 issue of Structural Engineer magazine. We've republished it here with Simpson Strong-Tie's ...
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History and Challenges of Fastening Composite Decking: By Clark Allen, Simpson Strong-Tie
The following article was published in the September 2007 issue of Building Products Digest magazine. We've republished it here with Simpson Strong-Tie's permission.Surveys indicate approximately ...
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Design Solutions for Wood-Frame Multi-Story Buildings—Resisting Uplift and Lateral Forces: By Randy Shackelford, P.E. and Steve Pryor, P.E., S.E., Simpson Strong-Tie
The following is an excerpt from an article published in the August 2007 issue of Construction Specifier magazine. We've republished it here with Simpson Strong-Tie's ...
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Cold-Formed Steel Framed Shear Wall Assemblies: By Jeff Ellis P.E., S.E., Simpson Strong-Tie
The following is an excerpt from an article published in the April 2007 issue of Construction Specifier magazine. We've republished it here with Simpson Strong-Tie's ...
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Coat Your Homes in Quality: Avoiding delays with a solid interior paint finish
One of the first features buyers notice in their new home is the interior finish. Slight flaws in the wall surface can lead to delays ...
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How Moisture Moves: Understanding factors that contribute to water intrusion and damage
Water intrusion compromises the quality of a home and reduces its market value. Water can enter a home in many ways. Good water management strategies ...
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Covering Your Bases: Preventing moisture damage in basements
Today’s homeowners won't tolerate damp, wet, musty-smelling, and mold-infested basements, especially in newly constructed homes. Homeowners expect warm, dry basements that can be finished to ...
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3 Ways to Configure a PEX Plumbing System
There are three main ways to configure a PEX plumbing system. These configurations are the trunk-and-branch system, the home-run system, and the remote manifold system. To ...
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Best Practices® for Installing Precast Foundation Walls
Constructing a basement using precast foundation walls includes preparing the gravel base, placing and connecting the panels, installing a capillary break, installing the flooring, and ...
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Getting Serious about Quality Assurance
As American author John Steinbeck wrote (borrowing from Scottish poet Robert Burns), the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry. In homebuilding, ...
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Water Management: Shingle Roof Best Practices®
The roof drains the largest amount of incoming water from the home. It must present a watertight surface to the weather, protecting the home from ...
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Powering Up Your Jobsite: Three options for temporary electricity
During construction, most jobsites don't have built-in electricity, so builders often have to rely on a temporary power source. Here are three options to provide ...
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Using Temporary Power Systems Safely: Avoiding shocking mistakes on the jobsite
Electricity is needed to run power tools and light the interior of a home during construction. However, during construction, most jobsites don't have built-in electricity. ...
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$37+ Million in Water-related Warranty Claims: A builder’s story
Over the past few years, a single division within one of the country’s top production homebuilders has handled claims that are a result of water ...
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Preventing Cave-ins: Excavation safety
Excavation is one of the most hazardous construction operations performed on residential jobsites. The weight of soil falling from the side of an open trench ...
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Arresting Falls with PFAS’s: Full-body harnesses keep employees and trades safe
Falling accounts for about 1/3 of fatalities on residential jobsites. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, falls from roofs, scaffolds, and concrete structures killed ...
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Building in Flood Zones: Don’t let homeowners be swept away by flooding
Everyone lives in a flood zone. In fact, floods are one of the most common hazards in the U.S. Flooding typically causes more than $2 ...
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Making the Grade: Protecting your home and lawn with proper foundation grading
The foundation grade is the slope of the land around a home's foundation. A properly established grade slopes away from the home and uses gravity ...
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Making the Connections: Resisting wind and seismic forces
The forces of nature, particularly wind and seismic activity, can put heavy pressure on a home. To enable homes to withstand wind and seismic activity, ...
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Safeguards against Hurricane Damage: Reinforced garage doors
As the largest opening, a garage door is the weakest point in any home. Garage doors are typically made of lightweight materials, making it easy ...
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Hurricane Safety for Homeowners: Educating homeowners on what to do after the storm
Studies show that homeowners who live in coastal areas are willing to pay more for hurricane protection and peace of mind. In addition to providing ...
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Riding out the Storm: Protecting homes from hurricane damage
Hurricanes are one of nature's most destructive forces, as witnessed in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina pummeled the Gulf Coast. FEMA estimates that Katrina killed over ...
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Safeguards against Hurricane Damage: Roof sheathing
Builders can use several strategies for keeping the roof on the home during a hurricane. Plywood is preferable to OSB decking, because it’s sturdier. High-quality ...
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Safeguards against Hurricane Damage: Shear panels
In zones with a high risk of hurricanes, conventional wall bracing isn't enough. Shear panels are required at critical areas, usually at the corners. A ...
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Hurricane Safety for Homeowners: Protecting homeowners with storm rooms
Storm rooms provide a place for homeowners to survive a hurricane without injury. Debris, such as signs, roofing material, and small items left outside become ...
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Risk Management Articles on the Jobsite: What are they about?
Today, more than ever, production builders are working hard to get a better handle on risk management. In fact, with little potential to increase margins ...
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Ask the Expert: Minimizing window condensation
Question: What are the most efficient and effective building practices to minimize window condensation?Answer: Building in a desert would take care of the problem in ...
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Keeping Your Attic Cool and Dry: Best Practices®
Properly installed HVAC, insulation, roof ventilation, and air sealing can greatly contribute to keeping an attic cool and dry. Here are some Best Practices® to ...
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Central Return Duct Systems: How they work
In a central return duct system, or whole-house return, return grilles are installed in central locations on each floor, usually close to the air handler. ...
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Concrete Solutions for Slabs: Properly curing a slab-on-grade foundation
Time is money. The faster a builder can construct homes, the greater the profits. So it's important to keep construction projects on schedule and minimize ...
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PEX Plumbing Flexes Its Muscles: PEX offers many benefits, including increased energy efficiency and fewer water leaks
To ensure a comfortable living environment, a plumbing system should meet the demands of the homeowner. Plumbing should be durable and free from leaky connections, ...
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Breathe Easier with a Dehumidification System
People spend approximately 90% of their time indoors. Indoor air, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports, can be more polluted than outdoor air in even ...
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Don't Break Your Back over Drywall Cracks: Inspecting the framing to prevent drywall cracks
About 75% of what homebuyers see as they walk through a new home prior to closing is the wall and ceiling finish. Drywall makes up ...
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$4 Million in Drywall Warranty Claims: A builder’s story
Drywall cracks are a common source of customer complaints that can cost you big time. There are many causes of drywall cracking – from improper ...
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