Jim I hope I haven't discouraged you from doing the work you know needs to be done. Yes..it's gonn'a be hard and it's gonn'a take time. Just deal with it. Once the ceiling is opened up is the time to do the work...not later. If you want to install a gable-end fan..do it now and run the new wiring to...

Well folks I got to reading... and thinking. Something troubles me. Somewhere along the way the great American dream got confused. Everyone wants to own their own home..that's the dream. I don't have a problem with that. What troubles me is..can everyone afford a dream home? My neighbor recently had...

Well now folks..as a hermit I must admit I have not had a door on my bathroom for...ohhhh...about 2 years. Mebbe more. Never bothered me much....menfolks look at this subject differently than wimminfolks I figger. For menfolks..living the hermit life..a bathroom door is an inconvienence. I reside th...

Well folks..time for a peek into my most intimate life. (giggle!) Intimate is a vague subject at my age so bear with me! Anyways...I asked my dear friend Carol what she would like for Valentines Day. She ponder this a long time and I pondered it as well. "Perhaps a trip to the local spa...hours...

Jim you mentioned repairing the rafters. Let me explain something. You're most likely going to find the rafters bowed downward from wall to wall. Mine were bowed down 2in. ! I pulled a chalk-line from wall to wall (at the top of the wall-plate where the rafter sets on the wall) and the line was ABOV...

Jim, in my case there was indeed a vapor-barrier...just plastic sheeting..tacked to the underside of the rafters..on the upside of the ceiling panels. I tossed that out to. What I wanted to do was install new 3/8in. drywall on the ceiling. And I wanted to glue and screw the new drywall to the rafter...

As for drywall, Oldfart, it really hasn't been a problem with either home. We do know on this home that we had questionable leveling and wanted to make sure that the possible floating could be the culprit before begging the guy to come back out to the boonies to fix. I would never get anything but ...

JIm..there ain't no easy way to do this as far as I know. That being said I have an old 1970 s.w. and I did just that. I ripped down the entire ceiling from stem to stern. Then I replaced ALL the gussets on the rafters... since all the original gussets was just left-over paneling, staples and glue. ...

Brize I'm going to jump in here with some well intentioned thoughts and suggestions. First off... the shut-off valve inside the home. Brize if you can get to the incoming line where it enters the home you can install a simple ball-valve in-line to shut off the water. Look closely and try and determi...

Well folks after reading all the well thought out post above I ponder... what I could possibly add to them. Hmm? I've never been a "man of means." Never had a lot of education and have no political ties. Don't much care to nither. I've always worked hard..usually 1 full-time job and scores...

Americanaman allow me to intruduce my self. I'm Audie..the Oldfart. I weigh 250lbs.....somewhat more with a tool-belt strapped about my ample girth, 52 yrs. old and stand about 6ft.3in. when I can git all the kinks out of my aging back. I've spent a lot of time up on the roof of my old trailer sprea...

Mark I read your post with great interest. Can I presume that the new product may be applied over drywall where stress cracking is evident due to the constant expansion & contraction of our homes? How large a joint will the new product fill and how will the paint flex to accomadate this expansio...

Folks allow me to explain. My 1970 S.W. has one gable end facing south..which used to be a porch. Years ago I framed the porch in, put vinyl siding on that end and made this into a 4ft.X10ft. storage room. I also added in a 3ft.X4ft. sliding window in the south-facing gable wall of the new "roo...

Sir, the most efficient furnace is, hands down, an electric forced hot air furnace. They are 100% effecient, require no chimney nor flue. No heat is wasted or lost. But..are they the most affordable? Depends on the cost of electricity in your area. Gas..(propane or natural gas) furnaces can be 99% e...

Well folks I'm a bit late here but I'm gonn'a jump right in with some thoughts. Alternative energy sources are a great idea but sometimes the cost of such gets swamped by the cost of 'em. Here's some low-tech/low-cost ideas. Got a dryer? Stop using it. Whether gas or electric they use a lot of energ...