What to Consider When Buying Skylights
Skylight shafts can be built with plumb sides, flared sides or a combination. Skylights brighten up dark rooms. Even small units make a big difference in the way rooms look and feel. There are many brands and several styles to choose from. But I ... [... more]
This Old House |
From the Ground Up: Roofing and Siding
Peel-and-stick flashing Cement siding Shingle panels Solar-powered roofing Solid-core vinyl siding Nothing is as important to the look of a house as roofing and siding. Take two identical wood-frame houses, for example. Finish one in white ... [... more]
This Old House |
Fixing Damaged Roof Shingles
Maintaining a sound roof literally tops the list of crucial home repairs: It keeps you and your family warm and dry, along with everything in your house. Any damage or signs of wear call for immediate action to keep water from seeping under the ... [... more]
This Old House |
Preventing Ice Dams
Stopping ice dams is simple, in principle: Just keep the entire roof the same temperature as the eaves. You do that by increasing ventilation, adding insulation, and sealing off every possible air leak that might warm the underside of the roof, ... [... more]
This Old House |
This Roof Resists Hurricanes, Collects Water
Squared-off pieces of Bermuda limestone, called slates, await installation on the roof at Harbour View, the current TOH TV project house in Bermuda. The local stone is soft enough that a mason can cut a slate to fit on the spot using just a ... [... more]
This Old House |
Birth of an Ice Dam
The birth of an ice dam: Warmth from the attic heats everything but eaves The growth of an ice dam: Snow melts, then freezes on the cold eaves Heat collects in the attic and warms the roof, except at the eaves. Snow melts on the warm roof and ... [... more]
This Old House |
How to Install a Wide-Angle Skylight: Overview
Requires good carpentry skills, and experience in working on roof Skylights have been used to brighten up interior spaces for centuries—think of the Pantheon in Rome—and today they're more popular than ever as more homeowners convert unfinished ... [... more]
This Old House |
How to Repair a Rotted Soffit: Overview
Roof repairs typically involve replacing damaged shingles and rusted flashing, but the overhang of a roof is often the first area to succumb to rot, peeling paint and other weather-related problems. The good news is, unlike most roof repairs, you ... [... more]
This Old House |
Perfect Dormers at Winchester
Some people could spot it right away; some people could barely see it, even after it's pointed out to them. Some people didn't seem to care; some people cared a lot. One who did care, importantly, is our Winchester homeowner Bruce Leasure. His ... [... more]
This Old House |
Fast Fixes for Ice Dams
Icicles hanging along the eaves of your house may look beautiful, but they spell trouble. That's because the same conditions that allow icicles to form—snow-covered roofs and freezing weather—also lead to ice dams: thick ridges of solid ice that ... [... more]
This Old House |
Solar Shingles
The latest solar shingles from Atlantis Energy System's Sunslates PowerLight's SunTile blend almost seamlessly with traditional roofing materials. After a long eclipse, solar energy is shining again. Its comeback is being fueled by an enticing ... [... more]
This Old House |
Wright House, Wrong Roof
Frank Lloyd Wright modeled Wingspread after rough bark huts constructed by Native Americans in the Great Lakes region. His modern wigwam — one of the architectural wonders of the 20th century — was treated with reverence by the workers who spent ... [... more]
This Old House |
