Water is the enemy of structural integrity. It just is, so you have to design against it.

A basement built with frost heave in mind

A new show about extreme climate construction is interrupted by a global pandemic

When plumbing lines burst, people notice. Unfortunately, a lot of the moisture damage in houses has nothing to do with bulk water.

A thick wall with exterior insulation with airtight details for the foundation and ceiling

A couple of ways the pros rollout peel and stick, getting it to stick where they want it to

Water management begins with the framing and extends to WRB

Mesh sheeting creates a drainage space between the siding and weather-resistive barrier (WRB) allowing walls to dry much faster which makes them last much longer.

Roof valleys are like gutters with a steep pitch, but the stakes are higher for valleys than they are for gutters

Use gravity and capillary breaks to stop water from seeping into the basement

Flashing, overlapping, and sealing layers keeps the outside out and the inside in

A monolithic layer of protection for holes in walls

The Tyvek weather-resistive barrier can be a water barrier and an air barrier, but it is NOT a vapor barrier

Use real trim stock and give some thought to the layout—it will improve the look of your job 100 percent

Peel and stick Z-flashing and some padding pushes a ledger flush with the face of the thick panels. A cover sheet of peel and stick completely waterproof the ledger before the deck is framed

Dry and durable walls come from keeping water out and giving it a way to get there

The premier season of Weatherization Nation was shot in NW Washington DC where we tore off an unfortunate addition to the back of a 70+-year-old brick house and we added a two-story addition which nearly doubled the sliving space.