Raleigh, North Carolina.  It’s A Cover-up And Everyone Knows It!  Wherever you go the plastic housewrap used to cover homes is flapping in the breeze.  If you take note of it at all, most of it seems to say Tyvek.  I venture to say most folks don’t know what it is or, for the most part, what it does.  The outside, or shell, of a home protects those within its walls.  But whatever that shell is (brick, wood, stucco, etc.), it has to function in harmoney with other components of the home to protect the home against moisture penetration.  Whatever siding is used, it is porous.  There are many laps, joints, and connections in it and back of it that water and air can get through.  Water that seeps through can cause wood to rot, mold to grow and lowers insulating values.  Less energy efficiency means higher fuel and air conditioning costs.  That’s where housewrap comes in.

Housewrap comes in various types and it serve three purposes: (1) - It creates a second weather barrier behind the siding.  It keeps rain and other moisture from getting to and penetrating the sheathing  (2) - It is a vapor-permeabler membrane that provides the reverse function of allowing moisture that is in insulation and framing lumber to get out  (3) - It is an air barrier that helps prevent air infiltration.  The bottom line is that it is used to protect the wood framing and reduce energy costs. 

On a windy, rainy day water adheres to windward areas.  Porous materials, such as masonry veneers and stained wood clapboards, absorb water.  Materials such as vinyl and aluminum and newly painted wood do not.  None-the-less, the water film adheres to all kinds of siding.  Water moves up, down and sideways according to the speed and direction of the wind.  It moves from high pressure areas to low pressure areas.  The area behind a wind-blown wall surface has a lower pressure than the exterior area.  The pressure difference sucks water inward through any crack or hole it can find.  If there is no building wrap the wood sheathing will wick the water up an - voila - wood rot.  However, just using housewrap is no guarantee of total protection.  It must be integrated with the flashing, properly layered, overlaped and taped to get a complete and effective system accomplished.  Caulking around windows and joints is supposed to solve the moisture penetration problem but it doesn’t.  For example, the shrinking and swelling of wood corner board will eventually fail at bonded connections.  Vinyl moves, caulk (in time) fails, and so caulking is not the answer.  An expert in this area of keeping water and air out, Paul Fisette, says that of the three types of weather-barrier systems (Sealed-face method, rain-screen approach and redundant-barrier system) the redundant-barrier approach is the best and most cost effective.  Quoting directly from an article he did in 2001 he said, “The redundant-barrier works well for the vast majority of homes built today.  And this system has the advantage of being familiar to builders.  Basically, putting tar paper or approved housewrap on the exterior walls before siding is installed is the first tep to build an effective redundant-barrier system.  Proper installation is required to make this system work.  You must design a drainage plane that keeps water out!  When water penetrates the siding, it must have a clear path to follow downward.  Water must remain outside of the protective wrap.  Be sure that tops of windows, doors and penetrations are flashed properly.  All water must be directed outward.  Also, we must choose materials that are capable of providing the protection we expect and need.  The barrier should be resistant to liquid water and air infiltrationl while being permeable to water vapor.” 

Determining the product to use and installing it properly is the job of the builder and isn’t necessarily an easy one.  There are many housewraps available and they don’t all provide the same function.   While the American Society for Testing and Materials is in the process of trying to standardize tests for these materials they have not yet finalized them.  However, Permeance ratings determine a material’s ability to transfer water vapor.  The higher the permeance number is the more permeable the material is.  Building codes specify a weather-resistive barrier to equal or exceed grade-D building paper.  That paper has a permeance rating of approximately 5.0.

According to independent tests conducted by Mr. Fisette the housewraps that best resisted water infiltration and permitted water vapor to evaporate were Tyvek Home Wrap, R-Wrap by Covalence Coated Products, Typar and the traditional old standby #15 felt paper.  While the #15 felt paper scores well and costs less, most builder prefer the plastic housewraps because they are available in a number of sizes which makes installation faster.  Other factors come into play as well.  For example, the type of siding used.  With vinyl siding a smooth-faced housewrap is recommended.  With tightly fastened board siding a furrowed rain-screen housewrap is recommended.  With stucco a housewrap specifically designed for it is recommended. 

Industry experts say that housewrap that is poorly installed causes more problems than it solves.  They also say that properly selected and installed insulation is even more important than housewrap and seeing to that comes before the selection and installation of the housewrap.  Another very important factor is properly used housewrap seam tape.  It helps stop air infiltration and preserves the integrity of the housewrap during construction.    

Mr. Fisette says that he has Felt paper on his own home and if he could choose between felt and housewrap he would still go with felt because he the feels that, under certain circumstances, it outperforms housewrap.  Mr. Fisette’s recommendations are: * Always use housewrap  * Determine if climate requires a vented rain screen or redundant barrier system  * For redundant barriers I would choose Tyvek, R-Wrap or 15-pound felt  * Tape all seams in barrier  * Protect all flashings with overlapping wrap  * Avoid use of caulking, concentrate on developing an effective drainage plane.  * Protect all penetrations with appropriate detailing.  * Prime all surfaces of wood siding (back-priming before applying top coats.

You might well say, “Whether I buy or build I expect the builder to know these things and I am stuck with what he does.  Since I am not an expert in these areas and don’t have the knowledge or time to determine whether he is doing the right things or not this is information is of little value to me.”  For most of you this may well be true.  However, the more information you have about matters such as this the more useful your conversations with the builder and/or his subs can be.  Yes, in this day and age we become more and more specialized and seem to have less and less knowledge about the things of everyday life we should have some knowledge of.  Thus, for those of you interested in widening your horizons, this is for you.

That’s “a wrap” for 2007.  I would like to wish each and every one of you all good things for 2008.

John Fish (919) 696-3474   Email: Marvmax@mindspring.com  Website: www.JohnFish.com

A Simple And Easy Way To Start.  I have had a lot to say during recent weeks abou how to develop you own style and tastes in exterior home design and interior home design.  I discussed how much information is available from the many sources available to you including magazines and books at your local book store.  After you start gathering such information, unless it (for example) is a book about design it can be hard to start putting the pieces together.  Unfortunately, a book about exterior design and/or interior design can often end up gathering dust on a shelf or on the “I’ll get around to it” stack on your coffee table.  With this in mind I would like to direct your attention to the Winter 2007 issue of Beautiful Homes (by Better Homes and Gardens).  I think you might find this a great place to start.

How Do You Put A Room Together?  see pages 16 and 17.  Here you will see comments on balancing the elements of a kitchen: lighting, range hood, cabinetry, faucets, countertop.  You don’t like this particular kitchen?  So what?  That’s not what is important.  What is important is getting the idea of how they went about selecting the harmonious balance of items selected. 

Creating a Comfortable Scale - pages 48 and 49 (part of a larger article).  Here you will see interior cut away plans of two levels of a 9,394 square foot home.  The task set before the designer was to create areas of comfortable scale within larger areas of two levels of the home.  There are also photos of the areas so you can see the plan, arrangement and finished product.

Lessons In Civic Style - (pages 50-55)  Photos and relevant elements of how an architect developed a home in Atlanta that had to fit the need of the client and the area it was built it.  It was built in an area that connects a historical area and a high rish office building area.  The interior and exterior needs are explained and what the architect designed to meet them.  Again, you see the cut away plans and the key areas defined so you can see how they function and work together.  There is also a question and answer section with the builder.  To tie it all together there is, on page 121, a resources section that lists the sources of most of the materials used in the home.  You lose much of the value of what is provided it you look at it as a simple list without doing some digging by going to some of the websites listed and seeing who they are and what they offer.  If you will do this you will start to gain an understanding of how materials are selected and put together and also start to appreciate what an excellent magazine it is and what it has to offer you.

There are four other homes presented that break down their designs as well.  If you purchase the magazine and really dig into each article you will learn more about design, style, color and other elements of putting a home together in a short period of them than you might think possible.  Furthermore, you have the luxury of taking just one article at a time and digesting what it has to offer rather than trying to get a text book understanding of all that an entire book presents.  Do this and it won’t be long before you no longer think of yourself as an outsider looking in.

John Fish Telephone: (919) 696-3474   Email: Marvmax@mindspring.com   Website: www.JohnFish.com

Chapel Hill, North Carolina.  Blue Heaven Centers Sold To “Outsiders”.  Madison Marquette of Washington, D.C. paid $13.1 million for Rams Plaza and $40 million for University Mall.  Rams Plaza is 115,000 square feet in size and University Mall is 366,000 square feet.  The buyer specializes in renovating older retail centers.  The purchases push the value of shopping center sales in the Triangle for the year to $523 million.  That’s five times the annual average over the last five years. 

Morrisville, North Carolina:  LED Follow-Up.  LED Lighting Fixtures of Morrisville has developed a lamp that uses 5.8 watts of power vs. 60 watts for an incandescent bulb of equal brightness.  The new fixture uses less than 9 percent of the energy used by regular incandescent bulbs and 30 percent less that used by flourescent bulbs.  Their best current product uses 15% of the energy and incandescent bulb uses and 50% less than used by a fluorescent bulb .  The company hopes to introduce the more efficient and brighter lamps by the end of 2008.

John Fish (919) 696-3474   Email: Marvmax@mindspring.com   Website: www.JohnFish.com

Everywhere, USA.  Analog Systems To Shut Down.  In a previous post I mentioned that if you are considering the purchase of a new TV it had better be digitial.  Televisions sets aren’t the only electonics being affected by the change to wireless technology.  The automotive OnStar system will shut down after February 18, 2008.  That will affect approximately 500,000 OnStar-equiped cars.  Analog cell phone networks which support this service will also cease service.  Approximately a million cell phones will also lose service.  Yet another service that will take a hit in the coming year with the loss of analog service is that of home alarm systems.

OnStar:  General Motors owns OnStar.  They started modifying their cars in 2002.  However, some GM cars made as late as 2005 can’t use digital networks for OnStar and they can’t be upgraded.  Some of their cars can be digitally upgraded for $15 but not all.  Similar systems offered by other auto manufacturers are also affected by the analog shut down.

Home Alarms:  As to home alarms about 400,000 still use analog service.  AT&T, Inc., Altell Corp. and Verizon wireless are major carriers that still have analog networks.  I suggest you check with both the carrier for your unit and a local electronics store to see what kind of service you have so you can upgrade it if needed.  A useless home alarm system is not something you want hanging on the wall if the need for it arises.

I hope you all had a great Christmas.

John Fish (919) 696-3474   Email: Marvmax@mindspring.com   Website: www.JohnFish.com

Corporations Line Up To Help Environment.  A long line of major and minor corporations are beginning to see the light about the necessity of addressing environmental issues.  For social, political and competitive business reasons they are taking steps to “get with it.”   At the same time they are finding out they can save money by doing so.  Some Examples are:

Dell - They say they will cut back on emissions of gases and go “carbon neutral”.  They will use renewable energy and invest globally in environmental projects.                                         Wal-Mart - Will use more solar power for its stores, use alternative fuels for its trucks and hope to sell 100 million flourescent bulbs.                                                                                Google - Is using one of the worlds larges solar powered arrays to power its headquarters.

Aside from being “good neighbors” they save money, get a jump on their competitors and address problems with, in the future, could become major liabilities.  While all of this is very important the most important “green move” will have to come from the public at large - each and every one of us.  Without the firm resolve from each of us to do what we can to help in the areas of energy and water saving (to name but two vitally inportant areas) it may well be too late to take effective action when, by absolute necessity, we are actually forced to do so.

HASENTREE - Continued from previous post.  Below are the last of the photos of the second Hasentree home I have been posting photos of.  The pool and waterfalls of this Hasentree home in Wake Forest are, to say the least, spectacular.  I say once again, if $4 million is a figure you can handle and if the Triangle area of North Carolina works for you, you will not be able to find a more gracious place to live than this home and Hasentree.  For more information call me or send me an the telephone number or email address give below.  To see each photo full size just click on it and click on - Back - to return to the next photo and/or this page.

John Fish (919) 696-3474   Email: Marvmax@mindspring.com   Website: www.JohnFish.com  

Raleigh, North Carolina.  Perking Up Your Home And Daily Living.  A simple item like a special floor mat in front of the sink can make life a little better.  Standing on a hard wood or tile floor in front of the sink for a long period of time can do unkind things to your legs.  Gel Pro Mats are filled with a soft gel and are scientifically engineered to absorb shock.  They are available in a number of different colors, clean easily and are stain resistant.  Try - www.gelmats.com

If you are looking for the unusual in hardware take a look at Rocky Mountain Hardware - - rockymountainhardware.com

Don’t you just A-Door it?  In driving around during December I have had occassion to pay special attention to some front doors.  In particular, two were bright red, one was bright green, one was a rich brown and one was yellow-gold.  They had been refinished, re-painted with high gloss paint and all the hardware had either been refinished or was new including (in one case) the framing of the leading glass in the door.  In every case approach produced a striking entryway.  But beware!  If not done properly it can be just plain ugly!  

Looking for window ideas?  Look up a local dealer in your area that handles HunterDouglas and ask for their free 92-page Designing Windows book.

Looking for something unusual for your kitchen? Check out your local artisans for one who makes decorative tiles and have him or her produce a ceramic tile tableau for a backsplash area.  It won’t be cheap but it will add a dynamic look and feel to your kitchen.

Are you thinking about purchasing a new TV?  If you are be certain to plan ahead.  On Feb. 17, 2009, analog TV broadcast transmission will cease in the U.S.  At that time all TV’s that receive signals from an antenna must be able to receive digital signals or use a converter box so it only make sense to buy digital.

In the words of the immortal Pogo Possum (to the tune of Deck the Halls) “Deck us all with Boston Charlie, Walla, Walla, Wash . . and Kalamazoo!  Nora’s freezin’ on the trolley, swaller dollar cauliflower alley-garoo!  Since I can’t improve on that I would just like to wish you the very best in all things.  Merry Christmas!

HASENTREE - Continued from the last post.  Here are of the lower level’s spa and the screened porch.  The photo looking toward the golf course shows the broad front screen part way down.  It raises and lower electrically.

To view these photos full size click on each one.  To return to the next one click - Back.

John Fish (919) 696-3474   Email: Marvmax@mindspring.com   Website: www.JohnFish.com

Wake Forest, North Carolina.  Yankee Pitcher Takes Strike Three.  I grew up living, breathing and playing baseball in the land of the Cubs and Cardinals.  Therefore, it was only natural that I hated - - the Yankess. 

A few years ago a friend and business associate introduced me to Tommy Byrne at Tommy’s home.  I vividly recall the goose bumps I got in seeing the signed bats, baseballs, photos and other memorabilia of his years as a pitcher in baseball but more particularly of his Yankee team mates and friends.  Tommy played with the Browns, Senators and White Sox as well but his Yankee years were his most memorable.  Meeting Tommy was not meeting a hated Yankee but meeting baseball in the flesh and all the memories that went with it.  Being able to ask him questions about other players and listen to his stories about some of them - - - it doesn’t get any better than that.

I saw him several times after that and also got to know one of his sons, Tommy, Jr.; another very fine man.  Tommy served as a town commissioner in Wake Forest for eight years and two terms as mayor.  He had many business interests including being a partner in the building of the Wake Forest Country Club golf course.  After baseball and his wife, golf was Tommy’s first love. 

How often it’s the small moments in life you remember the most.  Getting to know Tommy, if just a little, will one I will never forget.  He has now rejoined his team mates and I do hope they play baseball in heaven.  I wonder if God has a favorite team?

HASENTREE - continued from yesterday’s post.   These photos are of the wine room, the lower level kitchen and the exercise room.  I could go into detail about them but I think you would rather look than read.  To view each photo full size just click on it and click - Back to return to the next one.

John Fish (919) 696-3474   Email: Marvmax@mindspring.com   Website: www.JohnFish.com

Durham, North Carolina.  Global Investors Sells Buildings for $115 Million.  The sale of Triangle homes is cooling off but there is still sizzle in the commercial steak.  The 1.6 million square feet of Imperial space Crown Realty & Development purchased is their first investment in the Southeast.  Imperial, a California company out of Irvine, sold an office park in California to generate the funds for the purchase.  They spent a year identifying growing, affordable markets all across the country and Raleigh-Durham came out on top.   Sales of Triangle apartment, office and industrial properties are running 18% ahead of last year with more to close prior to year end.

HASENTREE - Continued from Wednesday’s post.  On the second floor you step up into the playroom, media room, second floor family room, music room area - use it how you will.  On the lower level the feast overflows.  You see the billards and card table area with the kitchen in the back-ground.  Looking back toward the stairway you see the recreation area with its fireplace and flat screen TV.  To view these photos full size please click on each one.  To return to next photo click on - Back.

John Fish (919) 696-3474   Email: Marvmax@mindspring.com   Website: www.JohnFish.com

Durham, North Carolina.  Durham’s Cree, Inc. Leads The Way With LED Lighting.  In my posts concerning ways to save energy I have had relatively little to say about LEDs (light emitting diodes).  At the present time they offer long term savings and other benefits for lighting parking lots, large parking garages and commercial buildings.  By the same token bulbs and fixtures for the general public are not all that common and are far more expensive than most are willing to pay.  The incandescent bulbs you are used to are just now starting to make way for the longer lasting fluorescent bulbs.

LEDs, however, have a lot to recommend them.  They use about a tenth of the energy of comparable incandescent bulbs and a third of the energy of similar fluorescent bulbs.  They produce very little heat so there is no need for expensive air conditioning units to cool down rooms.  Furthermore, they don’t contain hazardous substances and thus are friendly to the environment.  Also, household LED bulbs screw into standard ligh bulb sockets.  Lighting consumes 22% of the electricity produced in the U.S.  Within 20 years, widespread use of LEDs could cut that rate in half which is equal to 500 million barrels of oil.  California and Canada say they are going to ban the sale of incandescent bulbs by 2012. 

The director of marketing at Cree says that during the last two years diodes have doubled in energy efficiency and brightness and that the company now produces bulbs that have a warm light similar to incandescent bulbs.  The price of LED bulbs has been prohibitive for any widespread use by consumers.  However, they have steadily declined in price and industry officials claim that within a year LED bulbs will be make sense, price-wise, for individual consumer use.

I have had a very small LED flashlight (the small seed shaped item at the bottom of the photo below) on my key chain for two years.  It has proven invaluable for showing dark areas of homes such as attics and crawl spaces and is a life saver when trying to find keyholes during after dark showing.  When I purchased it, it cost $20.  The covenience alone has been worth far more than the cost to me.  I got it at Brookstone.  Whether they still carry them or not I don’t know.  To view it full size click on the photo.  To come back to this page click on - Back.

HASENTREE - Continued from yesterday’s post.  The mainfloor master bedroom has a coffered ceiling, fireplace and a private but expansive view of the pool area and golf course.  The master bath is so opulent it almost beggars description.  A stone fireplace with sit-down ledge, open shower stall, two private vanities, vaulted ceiling with wrought-iron chandelier are just a few of its features.  European castles may have been considerably larger that this home but they didn’t begin to have its comforts and conveniences.  To view the photos below full size click on each one.  When ready to view the next one click on - Back.

John Fish (919) 696-3474  Email: Marvmax@mindspring.com  Website: www.JohnFish.com

Raleigh, North Carolina.  Atlantic Partners II Shells Out $3.8 Million For Raleigh Warehouse.  The 128,000 square foot warehouse is located at 2315 Atlantic Avenue.  The purchase price was a neat 67% increase over what the property sold for in 1999.  Warehouse vacancy rates in northeast Raleigh have declined one-third from a year ago.  At the end of September a year ago the vacancy rate stood at 15.2%.  At the end of September this year the rate was 10.3%. 

HASENTREE - Continued from yesterday’s post.   To your left as you enter the home and part way up the stairs to the second floor is the office/den.  The marvelous vaulted ceiling, wrought-iron chandelier and fireplace tucked away in the corner all catch your eye and take your breath away.  The floor to ceiling stone fireplace and elegant beamed ceiling of the Keeping room let you know that while this is a home of high price and quality it is also one where you and your guests can kick your feet up and get comfortable and not worry about it.  The kitchen, while a chef’s delight, doesn’t exclude whoever is doing kitchen duty from the activities going on in the Breakfast room and Keeping room.  To view the photos below full size simply click on each one.  To get back to this page and the next photo click on - Back.

John Fish (919) 696-3474   EmailL Marvmax@mindspring.com  Website: www.JohnFish.com