Hot answers tagged

53 votes

Is this "asbestos siding"?

Just as we here in internet land cannot tell without a lab report, neither can the Insurance company. Ask them for the lab report that verifies that your home has asbestos siding. When they cannot ...
RMDman's user avatar
  • 25k
30 votes

Is my plan to safely remove asbestos siding sound?

WHAT...??? You can do this. You’re working on the outside of the house so you don’t need a tent or fans. (They have the fans going the wrong way anyway. If you were working inside the house, you want ...
Lee Sam's user avatar
  • 23.1k
26 votes

Why does home siding not extend to the ground?

Because constant moisture, from the ground, causes many materials to rot.
Steve Wellens's user avatar
23 votes

Is my plan to safely remove asbestos siding sound?

No. Hire a licensed, EPA certified asbestos abatement company. This is not a DIY job. Asbestos exposure isn't like a disease or injury after which you heal. The risk is cumulative: the fibers stay ...
The Evil Greebo's user avatar
23 votes

How can I seal 8 inch round holes in my siding?

I would procure a sheet of aluminum or steel (available at home improvement and hardware stores), fold a suitable hem at the bottom, and slide it up behind both courses of siding (above and below the ...
isherwood's user avatar
  • 129k
19 votes

Hang 20lb projector screen on Hardieplank

Mount a board on the wall and then mount the screen on the board. Get an 8 foot cedar or pressure treated 2x6, you can then use timber screws to mount it to the wall insuring you hit the studs. You ...
Alaska Man's user avatar
  • 13.5k
19 votes

Is this "asbestos siding"?

A lot of asbestos siding was textured to look like wood. Newer mineral siding looks exactly like asbestos (and so, like wood) siding but contains no asbestos. And may still be called "asbestos ...
jay613's user avatar
  • 34.3k
18 votes

Is my plan to safely remove asbestos siding sound?

I used to be a certified asbestos remover in Europe, where we have pretty stringent asbestos removal laws. Usually it's only legal for a person to remove things alone under a certain quantity(3 big ...
Tschallacka's user avatar
14 votes
Accepted

How can I fill the gaps between barn wood siding boards?

Do not try to use caulk between all the boards. It will look like crap and on top of that, like you already indicated, it will be hard to put in there in the first place. The proper approach to this ...
Michael Karas's user avatar
  • 64.1k
14 votes

Is my plan to safely remove asbestos siding sound?

The asbestos shingles on a 1920’s house were typically applied over the original wood siding in the 50’s or 60’s. Thus, there is more than likely excellent existing siding hiding beneath. There is a ...
Christopher Green's user avatar
14 votes

How can I seal a gap between floor joist boxes and foundation?

This is a perfect scenario for spray foam, which both seals against airflow and adds insulation value. Pick up a couple cans and seal all such joints, then overlay fiberglass batts that match or ...
isherwood's user avatar
  • 129k
12 votes

Advantages to quotes from Lowe's/Home Depot vs direct from contractors?

HD and Lowes to my knowledge do not have any contractors on staff. Meaning that they outsource all of their services to local contractors. Pros you get a warranty from a company you know will ...
DMoore's user avatar
  • 47.8k
12 votes
Accepted

Does siding rot propagate upwards?

First, you need to understand what "dry rot" is. The name itself is misleading, except that infected wood becomes brittle and crumbling when it is dry. Basically, dry rot is a fungus. In dry ...
alephzero's user avatar
  • 894
12 votes

How can I seal a gap between floor joist boxes and foundation?

Isherwood is right on the approach - spray foam or caulk - or both (caulk first). I however want to add... If I had a crack this big I would block it off with a 2x4 or even 1x's. This is mouse ...
DMoore's user avatar
  • 47.8k
12 votes
Accepted

What's this layer in between OSB sheathing and house wrap?

It's gypsum sheathing, and it's white (as is the Tyvek). Your camera's white balance is off. In the full-res photo you can clearly see the porous texture and paper facing. Here it is looking a little ...
isherwood's user avatar
  • 129k
8 votes
Accepted

What to do on the siding around a cable going into the house

Wow, he didn't really care much about craftsmanship. No drip loop sucks; see if there is any slack where you could pull it down a bit into a gentle loop and use a zip-tie to hold the shape (don't kink ...
Jimmy Fix-it's user avatar
  • 35.1k
7 votes

Hang 20lb projector screen on Hardieplank

I've dealt with this issue by using chains (although, not outdoors, and it was a more permanent installation, so I didn't have to keep hanging & removing it). Basically, you attach brackets at ...
Joe's user avatar
  • 7,256
7 votes

Why does home siding not extend to the ground?

In areas where termites are active (which includes most of Colorado), any "edible" (to termites) material that is in contact with the ground gives termites an easy path to infiltrate your ...
Wayne Conrad's user avatar
6 votes

How can I seal 8 inch round holes in my siding?

I would use a pice of plastic like from a binder and slip it up under the upper shingle and tape it for a temporary quick fix. I would not use a towel as any moisture that gets on the towel will be ...
Ed Beal's user avatar
  • 102k
6 votes

How to fix water missing gutter?

In my area (Ohio), companies extend the downspout horizontally down the roof and INTO the lower gutter. They claim it reduces erosion of the shingles but also prevent said issue from happening at the ...
Evil Elf's user avatar
  • 3,704
6 votes

How to install grab bar in aluminum siding

A grab bar should be mounted into studs. Most likely it is near a door, so get a stud sensor and find where the studs are from the inside. Should have two studs together at the door side and the next ...
crip659's user avatar
  • 22.7k
5 votes

Advantages to quotes from Lowe's/Home Depot vs direct from contractors?

According to Home Depot's website, they provide a year of warranty on anything that is done. Of course this has the added benefit that they're a huge company with the ability to cover any problem you ...
Dean MacGregor's user avatar
5 votes

What is the correct way to seal/flash coolant lines through siding?

Depends on where the indoor unit is that he had to connect to, in comparison of where the other were in your neighbors house. The important thing is, the tech did slope the pipe down and out of the ...
Jack's user avatar
  • 34.2k
5 votes

How do you keep vertical siding on a house from leaking?

Ed's suggestion is fine. Another option is to assume it will leak and built to allow it to happen as a rain screen wall. A rain screen wall has a waterproof interior, an air gap, then the exterior ...
DA01's user avatar
  • 24.2k
5 votes

Does siding rot propagate upwards?

There are multiple reasons that it degrades and "rots" from the bottom edge. The lowest point is where all water runs so that part is likely the last part to dry out. The lowest part of the wall gets ...
Michael Karas's user avatar
  • 64.1k
5 votes
Accepted

Wood siding meets concrete

Wood meeting concrete in a damp area is never a good recipe. As porous as concrete is, its not even ideal that treated wood meets concrete. this is mostly because of the chance for standing water or ...
noybman's user avatar
  • 2,017
5 votes

Is my plan to safely remove asbestos siding sound?

Be as safe as possible and be as fast as possible. If it is legal to do it then: Do not do it by yourself. Ask a couple friends to help you. Do it all at once, no unnecessary breaks. All of you wear ...
Crowley's user avatar
  • 1,377
5 votes

How can I seal 8 inch round holes in my siding?

I would buy the similar 8 inch vents that were removed, insulate them properly to match wall insulation, and install as dummy vents.
Ken Potts's user avatar
5 votes
Accepted

How to properly repair siding holes

Well, that's a bit messy looking! The best repair would be to remove the two damaged planks and replace them with new ones. Next best would be to cut back the planks away from the hole and replace the ...
Jasen's user avatar
  • 19k
5 votes
Accepted

Can I make a raised flowerbed against my siding?

You can rot your siding wall, or you can change your plan. With vinyl siding, IT probably won't rot, but the sheathing & framing behind it surely will. You either need airspace (not a plastic ...
Ecnerwal's user avatar
  • 201k

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