Welcome to the Fine Homebuilding podcast, our weekly discussion of building, remodeling, and design topics aimed at anybody who cares deeply about the craft and science of working on houses. This is senior editor Patrick McCombe. I’m joined by Fine Homebuilding contributing editor and production manager for TDS Custom Construction Ian Schwandt, producer Andres Samaniego, and new Fine Homebuilding associate editor Grant Baver. Please email us your questions to [email protected].

You can find previous podcasts and check out the show notes at finehomebuilding.com/podcast.

Listener Feedback 1:

Keith writes:

Podcast posse,

In episode 661, Mike, an owner/builder, wrote in looking for advice to help him land a construction management position. Ian had excellent advice, and I’d like to share an additional path that could help Mike. Mike could look for opportunities to volunteer with his local Habitat for Humanity affiliate. Someone experienced with tools and people skills is usually quickly “promoted” to crew leader.  This kind of volunteer work will advance both Mike’s management and his technical skills. Another organization with a similar mission and volunteer structure is Rebuilding Together. They have three affiliates in North Carolina, so one may be close to Mike’s location. In addition to volunteer opportunities, some affiliates have one or more paid construction supervisor positions that Mike may consider as a first job in construction management. Good luck and keep at it—we need all the help we can get to replace retiring tradespeople.

Keith Bohling
Cabinet craftsman

RELATED STORIES

• Diary of a Habitat Blitz Build
• Foundations for Success

Listener Feedback 2:

Joe writes:

Good afternoon podcast team,

Ian’s recent upgrade to fiber-optic internet service reminds me of my own story. We used to use a Verizon Jetpack hotspot device or our cell phones for internet service. Then the new service for rural customers was Bloosurf wireless broadband via terrestrial towers. Our neighbors had a 60-ft. tower installed to mount the directional antenna within the transmitter’s line of sight.

Well, only a few months later we got a letter that Mediacom Xtream fiber optic is coming down the street… bummer they had just paid to install the wireless gear. I’ll speed up the story to the day they were supposed to bury the cable drop that ordinarily would have already been wired in but the technicians to install the modems were backed up. I pulled into the driveway as they were “burying” the cable.

They had used a spade to make a slit trench a mere inch or two under the surface. In one spot, they ran it over a root and kicked dirt around it. The contract said it would be buried and encased in conduit. Well, the conduit was a joke, and I needed the wire buried much deeper in anticipation of a future patio.

Fortunately, I had my dad’s tractor with a backhoe. As soon as the cable subcontractor left, I took the tractor around the house and dug a 3-ft.-deep trench (because the modem wasn’t installed, I had a healthy whip to work with). The assembly is as follows; 1-1/2-in. poly pipe that was bored under the road to my side, an irrigation control box that covers the utility-to-street side connection to my 1-1/4-in. conduit, long sweep elbows to an LB box that right angles (gently) into the foundation, where they could easily pop it up the wall for final installation. I also left a gap for future foundation “outsulation.”

At the same time, I buried 3-in. conduit to bury my service entrance cable in the future.

When the technician came to hook it up he said it was the first time he had seen the fiber run through conduit. He even checked the LB to make sure I haven’t made too tight of a turn.

Attached are my current speeds.

A short while ago y’all were talking about Diamond Pier. I just installed DP-50/50s for the first time a few months ago and have a video if you’re interested. It was a solid excuse to buy a larger Makita demo hammer…

Best,
Joe Garvilla

Question 1: How should Sam insulate his attic roof in his balloon-framed house for additional living space?

Sam writes:

Hey FHB podcast crew,

I love the podcast, and this is the second time I’ve written in for excellent and entertaining advice. This question pertains to a home on the Eastern Shore of Maryland (Climate zone 4A) that we bought three years ago and are currently renovating. I am doing as much of the work as is possible, but there are some things I am still kicking the dirt about.

Details on the home:

It is a small 1940s balloon-framed, rough-sawn, square-nail, lath-and-plaster house with lead paint, asbestos siding, knob-and-tube home, and two crumbling chimneys. What’s more, the brick piers are undersized and crumbling. Luckily the house didn’t have far to fall, as the crawlspace is barely 12 in. tall. How much did we pay for the home, you may ask? TOO MUCH.

That being said, we love it, and it was in our price range after getting outbid on five other entry-level homes in the past two years. We are working through the issues and are hoping to bring this old home back to life.

Questions for the team:

We want to finish the small third-floor attic for additional conditioned storage because the house is very small. Additionally, a ducted condenser unit will be installed in the attic so that we can run ducts to the small rooms on the second floor. How should I insulate the roof!!!??? The ceiling joists are rough-sawn true 2x6s. There is not much ceiling space currently, and the added kneewalls and collar ties will reduce the room size even more. Spray foam? Open cell or closed cell? Batts?

If spray foam is the answer, once the contractor is there should I just have them spray the entire home? The balloon frame has open stub bays from the beam in the crawlspace clear to the attic joist bays. As I was tearing out the old lath and plaster, I found half a dozen critter nests complete with clam and oyster shells packed into the nest. Either those mice/rats were eating well… or the original builders of the house were eating seafood for lunch everyday and tossing them into the wall cavity. I can’t imagine how that must have smelled… I also found a dead cat in the ceiling cavity. Needless to say, I want to close off the joist bays between floors and spray foam could achieve that rather than individual blocking for each bay.

We plan to raise our family in this house, and I am very worried about spray foam off-gassing and causing unsafe living conditions for young ones. What would you all suggest?

Thanks again for the podcast and keep up the great work!
Sam

RELATED STORIES:

• What is balloon-framing?
• Bringing Back Balloon Framing
• Clever Fix for Balloon Framed Floor

Question 2: Will my approach to calculating the size of my new heat-pump system work?

Paul writes:

Holiday Greetings from Central California!

I’m considering a DIY heat-pump AC system to replace my aging propane furnace. There’s no AC currently, which leaves me unsure how to size my new unit appropriately. I know that the right answer to this question is to do a Manual J calculation. I did try one, but was so bewildered that I gave up and chose to proceed by dead reckoning instead.

In a previous home, I had a 3-1/2 ton AC unit that was ample for our hot summers (ranging up to 115˚F). That home was slightly smaller and more poorly insulated, which I figure roughly equates to my current home. When it comes to heating, I assume that the same unit would be adequate for our mild winters that rarely get below 30˚F.

As a way of verifying my dead reckoning, I have also summed up the Btu of my window ACs, which comes to around 48,000 Btu, or 4 tons. The propane furnace puts out 69,000 Btu, which equates to a colossal 6 tons, which is just crazy for a space of only 1344 sq ft.

The estimates I get from online sources range from 2 tons to 4 tons, which is about as accurate as throwing a dart, and slower.

Can you folks offer me some guidance here? It’s a big purchase, and I don’t want to be wrong.

Thanks!
Paul Rosenfeld

RELATED STORIES

• GBA.com: DIY Heat-Load Calculation Part 1
• GBA.com: DIY Heat-Load Calculation Part 2
• Finding Contractors Who Perform Load Calculations
• Sizing Heating and Cooling Equipment
  

Question 3: What is the best way to attach extension jambs to a window or exterior door?

Patrick writes:

Let’s talk about extension jambs. I’ve seen and used several methods to attach extension jambs to doors and windows. What’s the best way? When I ask best, I mean efficient and without blowing out the side of the extension jamb or leaving a lot of prep for finishing. I was thinking of pocket screws and then later said to myself, “Why are you making this so complicated?” Back in the day, you’d drill a hole in the extension with a long twist bit and drive an 8d or 10d finish nail into the window frame. Do people still do that? Screws instead? We’re talking one or two windows, not a whole house.

RELATED STORIES

• Video: Mike Sloggatt Installs Extension Jambs

Please sign up for a Fine Homebuilding All-Access Membership

Unfortunately that is all the time we have for today. Thanks to Ian, Grant, and Andres for joining me and thanks to all of you for listening. Remember to send us your questions and suggestions to [email protected] and please like, comment, or review us no matter how you’re listening–it helps other folks find our podcast.

Happy Building!

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