House about it - Softcover

Koones, Sheri

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1586853775 ISBN 13: 9781586853778

Publisher: Gibbs Smith Publisher, 2007

Synopsis

When it comes to building or remodeling a home, it is easy to feel bombarded by the countless choices that have to be made. Now, anyone can forgo hours of research and endless footwork by picking up a copy of House About It. From doors and windows to flooring and plumbing, House About It is an all-in-one, totally empowering, homeowner's bible packed with innovative ideas and details to help increase the value, comfort and aesthetics of your home. Looking for windows that are self-washing or an elevator that runs on a vacuum? Can't decide between wood and coconut palm flooring? Want to install an outdoor fireplace? This book is concise and informative, exciting and cutting edge, and profiles countless products to build a new home from scratch or remodel an existing one. An extensive resource section, helpful tips, and a handy notebook are included for keeping organized notes on preferences for the items reviewed along the way.

About this title

From the Inside Flap

Table of Contents Introduction Top 10 List I The larger Picture 1. Architectural Styles Adirondack A-Frame Bungalow Cape Cod Chateauesque (Picturesque Eclecticism) Craftsman Style Federal French Colonial Style Georgian Gothic Revival Greek Revival International Italianate Mission Style Moderne or Art Moderne Style Prairie Style Pueblo or Adobe Style Queen Anne Ranch Shingle Style Spanish Colonial Stick Style Tudor 2. Types of Construction Stick Building Steel Construction Modular Log Construction Post & Beam/ Timber Frame SIPS Strawbale Construction Panelized Concrete - Insulated concrete form (ICF) - Concrete Masonry - Removable forms - Precast Concrete - Tilt-up - Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) Geodesic II Exterior Components 3. Roofs Roof Parts Considerations Steep Roofs - Asphalt - Wood Shingles & Shakes - Synthetic Roof Shingles - Metal - Naturally Weathering o Aluminum o Stainless Steel o Copper o Zinc o Titanium - Metals - With a base Coat of Steel o Stone coated steel o Terne Metal o Galvanized & Galvalum - Slate - Tile - Fiber cement shingles Low Pitched Roofs - BUR - Single Ply - Polymer-Modified Bitumen - Sprayed polyurethane foam-based roof systems (SPF) - Flat seamed metal panels 4. Siding Criteria for selecting Wood - Solid Wood o Boards o Wood shingle & shakes - Other Wood Sidings o Plywood o OSB o MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) over plywood Vinyl o Exterior Wood Composite Paneling Vinyl Fiber Cement Sheet Metal - Painted Steel, Galvanized Steel, Galvalum - Zinc, Copper, Stainless Steel, Titanium & Tern Coated Stainless Steel - Aluminum Panels Stucco - Traditional three-coat system - Thincoat or fiber reinforced stucco (FRS) - Exterior insulation and finish systems (EIFS) Brick - Full Face Brick - Thin Brick Systems - Mortarless brick siding system - Fiber cement brick Stone - Natural Stone o Full thickness Stone o Split stone - Manufactured stone veneer (MSV) o Individual stones o Component systems New Innovations 5. Windows Types of Windows - Fixed Windows - Windows that open o Casement windows o Double or single hung windows o Awning windows o Sliding windows o Hopper windows o Tilt-turn windows o Rotating windows o Jalousie windows o Clerestory windows o Transom windows o Glass Block - Projecting windows o Bay Window o Box window o Bow Window o Greenhouse - Skylights Secondary Decisions - Glazing Options o Single, double or triple glazing o Argon and krypton gas o Types of glass - Frame Material - Spacers - Divided Lites - Hardware - Additional options - Warranty - Energy Efficiency - New Innovations 6. Exterior doors - Patio doors - Entrance doors - Fire-rated doors 7. Garage doors - Criteria - Openers - III Interior Components 8. Flooring Criteria for selecting Hard Floors - Brick - Natural stone - Reclaimed terracotta and stone - Manufactured stone o Terrazzo o Engineered stone - Tile o Ceramic Terra cota Quarry Glazed Porcelain Encaustic Photographic o Mosaic o Glass - Concrete Hard Wood Floors Laminates Resilient Flooring - Linoleum - Vinyl Novelty flooring - Rubber - Cork - Bamboo - Coconut palm - Leather - Metal Carpeting & Rugs - Carpeting - Rugs 9. Lighting Things to consider Components of light Types of Lighting Terminology Lighting Technology - Incandescent - Fluorescent - High Intensity discharge - Neon - Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) - Fiber optics Specialty bulbs Types of fixtures - Decorative Lighting - Architectural lighting Lighting effects Lighting Controls Outdoor lighting Energy Efficiency 10. Interior Doors Types of doors Considerations when selecting doors 11. Fireplaces Considerations Venting Types of available fuels for fireplaces - Wood - Gas - Propane - Wood Wax firelogs - Pellets - Coal - Oil - Electric - Gel Fuel Fireplace Options - Masonry fireplaces - Prefabricated or manufactured fireplaces - Freestanding Stoves - Fireplace Inserts - Outdoor fireplaces - Virtual fireplaces - Specialty fireplaces Controls Chimneys Accessories Safety tips 12. Staircases & Elevators Staircases - Considerations - Parts of the staircase - Code requirements - Configurations Elevators - Considerations 13. Mechanicals Considerations Types of Heating Systems - Forced air - Forced Hot Water, convection or hydronic heat - Radiant Heat - Heat pumps - Hydro-air - Solar Air Conditioning Systems - Individual air conditioners - Split systems - Packaged units - Ductless or mini-duct air conditioning system - Evaporative Coolers or Swamp coolers - Whole-house Attic Fans Ducts Condensation pumps Back-up generators Types of humidifiers - Portable humidifiers - Whole house or central humidifiers Dehumidifiers Air Exchangers Air cleaners or purifiers Water heaters Energy Efficiency 14. Trim Types of trims Considerations when selecting trim IV Environmental Health and Safety 15. Health & Safety Universal Design Health House Smoke and Carbon Monoxide (CO) Detectors and Fire Sprinkler Systems - Smoke alarms - Carbon monoxide alarms - Automatic fire sprinkler systems - Guidelines for fire prone areas V CEA Survey VI Appendix A-List of Terms B-Relevant Books Index VII Workbook Architectural Styles Types of Construction Roofing Materials Siding Materials Windows Doors - Patio Doors - Exterior Doors - Interior Garage Doors Flooring - Common areas - Kitchen - Bathrooms - Bedrooms - Playroom - Misc. Lighting Fireplaces Staircases & Elevators HVAC Trim Fire safety CEA Survey Notes Telephone Numbers Notes Graph Paper

From the Back Cover

"Get ready to dog-ear pages and pages of this book; you'll be pulling it from your bookshelf for years to come." --Michael McCarthy, Editor-in-Chief, Log Home Living magazine "A wonderful reference for those who strive to make their houses not only beautiful, but also energy efficient, healthy, and comfortable." --Rob Fanjoy, Editor, Smart HomeOwner magazine "Before purchasing or remodeling a home, this book should be required reading." --Eric Fulton, Building Systems Councils of the National Association of Home Builders

About this edition

• Publisher: Gibbs Smith Publisher
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 1586853775
• ISBN 13: 9781586853778
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 360