Tag:Tips
Ice Dams
We’ve been dealing with ice dams this winter. Several clients have had issues in locations that they have never occurred before. Usually when they call though, the “dam” comes first and the spelling is different… Often it’s unclear if this new occurrence is due to a change in conditions with the building or an unusual weather pattern.
Ice dams are what occur at the eaves on buildings where snow and ice melt on a roof and the resulting water runs to the edge of the roof and refreezes. The dam actually occurs outside the building wall envelope. Unattended, water created by the dam can cause rot to occur on the roof deck and possibly on structural members, it can saturate insulation causing loss of R value, and eventually damage to interior finishes such as drywall, paint and wood trim.
Typical Ice Dam Condition
The typical ice dam is caused by a combination of poor attic insulation and poor attic ventilation. Heat escapes from inside of the building and into the attic. The heat in the attic warms the roof and causes the snow on the roof to melt. The water from the snow melt runs down the roof towards the eave. As it passes over the exterior wall where the roof hasn’t been warmed, the water refreezes and an ice dam forms. As the ice dam forms, it stops the water from reaching the eave and escaping. As the water refreezes, it expands and pushes back up the roof and often under the shingles. As it pushes up under the shingles, it breaches the weathertight barrier. As it passes back over the exterior wall, it gets back to the warm area and thaws again. The resulting water then drips in the attic. This is when the water problem occurs and is often the first time the ice dam becomes apparent.
Easier Digital Picture Uploads
Eye-Fi Wireless Storage Card
I ran across this item and it’s now on my wish list. The Eye-Fi wireless storage card fits in your camera and can automatically upload your pictures to a photo sharing website. The card fits into your camera just like a regular storage card. It comes with a USB adapter that lets you set it up with a connection to your wireless network. Its range is limited, but that’s not too surprising when you consider that they have crammed the necessary electronics into a standard storage card. The software involved is quite small as well leaving most of the 2 gigs available for picture storage. It runs off your camera battery, but the draw appears to be negligible.
Nikon Coolpix 5200
The digital camera has become ubiquitous to our industry. Working on our website and this blog would be much more difficult without a digital camera. Plus we work with enough out-of-town clients and architects that the digital camera has become an indispensable tool. The saying “A picture is worth a thousand words.” remains true. We have even begun including color pictures in our proposals along with sketches and drawings to better illustrate the intentions that accompany the words. I’m currently using a Nikon Coolpix 5200 which is easy and convenient, but I am in the market to upgrade. In some cases I need something that does better in lower light and has a panoramic option.
If you’re interested in purchasing a Eye-Fi storage card, they are available from Amazon for as little as $51: http://www.amazon.com/Eye-Fi-Wireless-Secure-Digital-EYE-FI-2HM/dp/B001AD0TGQ/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1237668695&sr=8-2
If you are interested in reviews, I’ve included a couple of links below:
PC World reviewed it here: http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/product/30801/review/card.html
Digital Photography Review reviewed it here: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/eye-fi/7
