The HTRC

The Homeowners & Trades Resource Center

FAQ – how you can fix fiber board sheathing from the inside…

I opened up my walls and there is this black (or brown) fiber board where I should see exterior sheathing… This generally leads most to ask; just what is it, followed up by, it has pulled away from the studs is there a way to fix it without tearing off the exterior siding. Oh wait, is […]

Guest Post: How The 2015 Energy Code Affects Historic & Existing Buildings

So what happens when a couple of veteran construction editors get frustrated that construction media hasn’t really moved beyond magazines to an actual jobsite tool like, say your smart phone? Well they decided to create their own site to meet those needs and went live last June. Say hello to ProTradeCraft.com; a training and information resource site created for builders, remodelers, […]

Tiny Homes: Things to Consider

With todays hustle & bustle, I can see the allure for many for downsizing & jumping on the “Tiny Home” craze. While many might consider this a new movement, there have been versions of it before, along with many lessons one can learn from them. Having worked on many of these why not take a […]

Replacing Door Glass

Talk about a door that has seen better days – so the question becomes, do I replace it or can I give it a facelift? Maybe you like the glass but your neighbor shot it with a BB gun, so how do you replace the glass? Got a broken grille – do you have to […]

First Look – The 2015 IRC Changes

This is part two of our series on the 2015 code changes. The first one dealt mainly with the Energy portion (2015 IECC) while this one will focus more on the building side. As many know the Building Code & Energy Codes are updated every three years. Every code update cycle seems to focus around or is […]

Notes from the field: Finding the leaks

Quick Note: As many know “The HTRC” was created and brought to you by SLS Construction & Building Solutions LLC. Many of the articles on here are based on projects we work on, questions that are asked, etc… In this case, this piece was brought about by a few recent tests we did & basically covers […]

Wacky Weds: Follow the Manufacturer’s Directions…

Sometimes it amazes me the shortcuts some people take… One of the biggest things that has come out over the years is when installing a product make sure you read & follow the manufacturers directions. Bah, this way is faster & we have never had a call back… This is from a window with a nailing […]

Safety Sunday: Raised Fireplace Hearth & Kids

A few weeks ago we talked about kid proofing a home & one item I spaced was a trick we used for our raised fireplace hearth. As most know, when your kid starts trying to learn to walk they aren’t the most graceful so hard sharp edges are not something most parents like to see […]