Archive for December 2014
Mortar : Our Word of the Week
Mortar – Mortar is a workable paste used to bind building blocks, like brick and stone, together. Mortar is also used to fill and seal the irregular gaps between the building blocks. Sometimes the mortar can be used to add decorative color and textural patterns in masonry walls. In the broadest sense of the term,…
Read MoreFrench Drain – Our Word of the Week
French Drain – Although you may want to attribute this invention to the good citizens of France, the french drain actually gets its name from it’s creator, Henry F. French. In 1859, the Massachusetts judge, French, literally wrote the book on farm drainage. He called it Farm Drainage. The techniques French detailed showed how to divert water…
Read MoreDouble-Hung Window: Our Word of the Week
Double-Hung Window– a double-hung window is one of two main types of operable windows you’ll generally find. A double-hung window has two sashes, an upper and a lower sash, that slide vertically past one another in a single casement. One of the more traditional styles of windows, the double-hung window typically sets the lower sash in front…
Read MoreYes, You Do Want a Pressure-Balancing Mixing Valve in Your Shower
My family and I just spent the holiday weekend in a very nice cabin in the mountains. Everything about it was great. But I was reminded about how nice it is to have a pressure-balancing mixing valve in the shower. This cabin did not have one, so when I was taking a shower and my wife…
Read MoreCasement Window: Our Word of the Week
Casement Window– A casement window is one of the two most common types of operable windows you’ll find. The other being double-hung windows. A casement window is one where the operable window sash swings out to open like a door would. Usually the window is hinged to the side of the opening into which the it is fitted or…
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