Editor's Notepad

How To Clean Up After October’s Freak Snow Storm

By Official Fine Homebuilding Post
Wet snow and leaf-covered trees were a recipe for disaster this past weekend.

Just two months ago we began the enormous task of recovering from record flooding and wind damage along the entire Atlantic seaboard caused by Hurricane Irene. On Saturday we were having a bit of déjà vu as a completely different kind of storm pummeled the Northeast. Though the circumstances were quite different, much of the damage to homes is the same. Among other things, falling trees have torn shingles off of roofs, cracked framing, and smashed windows.

If you need help figuring out how to put your house back together, take a look at this collection of how-to articles and videos:

 

REPAIRING ROOFING

picture of flashing boot for roof pipe

 

How to repair a flashing boot in a roof:

https://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/13604/how-to-repair-a-roof-flashing-boot-in-a-flash

 

picture of magazine article

A Durable Roof-Valley Repair

https://www.finehomebuilding.com/how-to/articles/durable-roof-valley-repair.aspx

 

 

picture of man repairing roof valley

Preparing the Valley of a Roof for Shingling

https://www.finehomebuilding.com/videos/index.aspx?id=60454&c=7&ac=fp

picture of nailing pattern for roof shinglesNailing roof shingles in high-wind zones

https://www.finehomebuilding.com/how-to/qa/nailing-roof-shingles-in-high-wind-zones.aspx?nterms=63046,61632

 

 

 

picture of magazine article
10 Roof Goofs, and how to fix them

https://www.finehomebuilding.com/how-to/articles/10-roof-goofs-how-to-fix-them.aspx

 

 

 

picture of magazine articleWill Your Next Asphalt Roof Last a Lifetime?

https://www.finehomebuilding.com/tool-guide/articles/will-your-next-asphalt-roof-last-a-lifetime.aspx?ac=ts&ra=fp

 

 

 

picture of man installing step flashingInstalling Step Flashing

https://www.finehomebuilding.com/how-to/departments/building-skills/installing-step-and-corner-flashing-on-a-roof.aspx

 

picture of man soldering roof flashing

How to Solder Copper Flashing (video)

https://www.finehomebuilding.com/videos/index.aspx?id=106456&c=1

 

picture of man making step flashingHow to Make Step Flashing (FAST!) With a Plywood Brake (video)

https://www.finehomebuilding.com/videos/index.aspx?id=102820&c=1

picture of man making step flashingHow to Use a Sheet Metal Brake to Bend Flashing (video)

https://www.finehomebuilding.com/how-to/video/using-a-sheet-brake-to-bend-and-cut-metal-for-flashing.aspx

 

Emergency Flat Roof Repair:

https://www.finehomebuilding.com/how-to/tips/emergency-flat-roof-repair.aspx

 

How to Estimate Materials for Roofing Projects

https://www.finehomebuilding.com/how-to/articles/estimating-shingles-for-roofing-projects.aspx

 

 

REPAIRING WINDOWS AND SIDING:

 

picture of window sill pan flashing How to Install Leak-Free Windows (8-part video series)

https://www.finehomebuilding.com/pages/window-flashing/

 

 

picture of man repairing vinyl siding Repairing Damaged Siding (6-part video series):

https://www.finehomebuilding.com/pages/how-to-repair-siding/

picture of magazine article Making  Common Siding Repairs (magazine article):

https://www.finehomebuilding.com/pages/Making-Common-Siding-Repairs.asp

 

 

 

picture of man repairing house wrap

Tape Housewrap Seams to Keep Water and Air Out (video)

https://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/12985/building-skills-tape-housewrap-seams-to-keep-water-and-air-out

 

 

 

Fine Homebuilding Recommended Products

Fine Homebuilding receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Affordable IR Camera

This camera is super useful for tracking down air leaks in buildings. The one-hand pistol grip arrangement frees your other hand for steadying yourself while maneuvering tricky job sites.
Buy at Amazon

8067 All-Weather Flashing Tape

Available in 2- to 12-in. widths, this is a good general-purpose flashing tape that sticks well to most things. It features a two-piece release paper, water-shedding layers, and good UV resistance.
Buy at Amazon

Handy Heat Gun

This heat gun is great for drying joint compound, primer and paint when patching drywall and plaster walls. Plus it can soften adhesive, get a very cold small engine to start, and shrink heat-shrink tubing.
Buy at Amazon
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