In the early part of the twentieth century, there were several types of wall board materials that were quite different than the traditional interior wall finish - plaster.  Most were made with compressed wood fibers or pulp. Some were smooth-surfaced, some manufactured with a wood grain texture and some were striated to look like boards.  The wall boards were simply nailed to studs and joists in unfinished work or nailed ...

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Continued from "Home Automation--not just for McMansions anymore | Part I" Another X10 device I purchased was a bedside controller which operated every light in the house. Before getting the dogs, it was comforting knowing that if I heard a suspicious noise downstairs I could turn the house into Yankee Stadium with the touch of the ALL ON button by my bed. I found that it could also control macros on my ...

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Most old homes don't have just a single roof. Many have separate roofs over porches, additions, bays or towers.  As a result, there are typically numerous intersections where  roofs meet vertical surfaces.  Chimneys, skylights and plumbing vents also interrupt roof surfaces.  If the flashings at these joints and intersections aren't installed correctly, and with proven methods, they leak.  Leaks at these locations are much, much more common than in the ...

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