Don Booth was the home improvement columnist for the Oakland Press for 11 years.    Below are some of his past articles.

As we enter the next century it is predicted that home remodeling and do-it-yourself fix up and repair will go from a 100 billion dollars plus to a 200 billion dollar industry.     One of the reasons is that more people are choosing not to move but rather stay and maintain what they already have.      Along with this is the fact that a larger number of these people are living alone (one income households) or retiring and living on a fixed income.     Situations such as these will force us to become more motivated to save some money and do more home maintenance and repair chores ourselves.  

Don Booth is one of America's noted home experts in the area of home improvement and accessibility consultation with over 30 years experience.   In working for the State of Michigan he specialized in alternative barrier free housing with experience in property development and property management.   This included developing over 100 group homes for the physically and developmentally challenged.    As the owner of Booth Group, Ltd. he provides residential structure and barrier free consultation to individuals, governmental bodies and organizations.    He has taught do-it-yourself classes and programs on home improvement and home maintenance throughout Michigan, and has appeared on a number of local and national radio talk shows such as WXYT-AM 1270 "Ask the Handyman".   His home video's have been featured on cable TV, interactive cable TV, FOX News Broadcasts, in newspaper and magazine articles such as the Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, Woman's Day, Home Ideas Magazine and Mid-West Living Magazine.   He has done home maintenance and repair segments for a PBS TV show called "Senior Focus" which was broadcast nationally in over 44 states and Canada.   He also was, for a total of 11 years, the Home Improvement Columnist for the Oakland Press, a southeastern Michigan newspaper.       

If you have questions or comments on articles e-mail at:  boothgroup@comcast.net 

 

 

                

Growing mold in newly constructed homes

 

Growing mold in newly constructed homes is directly linked to building materials and building techniques utilized during construction.  Constructing a house is a complex system of interacting components, building materials and building techniques.  If not engineered and design properly condition could develop to allow for the growth of mold.   One of the key prevention is to build keeping the buildings interior material dry.    Mold is fungi that need three things to grow, food, water and temperature.    As food mold can feed off of existing mold that could be present in sawn lumber, paper faced drywall and even pre-chewed wood products such as (OSB) and particleboard.     To germinate and grow the mold will need a high level of water or moisture.  Humidity levels greater than 60% relative humidity can create these conditions.    Without water mold will die or go dormant.   Temperature is also an important component in the growth of mold.    The ideal temperature zone for mold growth is 50 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit.     If the temperature is comfortable for you it is also idea for growing mold.  One of the reasons mold is such a problem today in new construction is that homes is being builder tighter.   Tighter homes with the lack of air exchange from the outside tend to dry out slower.   Any accumulation of moisture will take a longer time to dissipate.   Un-insulated or poorly insulated homes built in past generations will dry out before mold gets a chance to grow.    Better-insulated homes cuts heat flow through walls and the ceiling in turn slowing the rate of drying.   Another consideration is that engineered wood materials today allow for better mold food.      Juvenile lumber products such as oriented strand board (OSB) plywood contain a higher level of moisture and mold-prone sap.    Along with the fact that they have been re-engineered exposing the wood sap sugars, which is perfect food for mold growth.     Basement and crawl spaces is another major contributor to moisture rising up through floors and walls.   There should never be standing water or moisture accumulation in the crawl space or basement.     Proper detail should always be given when installing flashing and vapor barrier materials.        If installed improperly small amounts of moisture could develop over time creating hidden mold in walls and the attic.   It is the responsibility of the builder to make sure that proper calculation for mechanical ventilation has taken place.  This would involve proper ventilation for the heating system, bathrooms, laundry room, attic and crawl space.     You may not be able to do this alone.  This may require the professional expertise of a structural engineer or an architect.    

  

Written by:   Don Booth  

 

There is no one-countertop material that is totally superior over another

                                                                                                           

The one thing that should be understood about countertop materials is that they all have their pros and cons.  There is no one-countertop material that is totally superior over another.  With that said, there are countertop materials that are more popular with consumers.   At the present time the most popular materials are granite, quartz and solid surface.    Therefore I will just address these three materials in this article.    In today’s market granite seems to be the top choice for consumers for bathrooms and kitchens.   As I indicated in my December 2006 article on granite it is considered to be stain-resistant.  However some types of pigments or oils can be absorbed into the granite surface. This could cause cloudy discoloration.  This is why it is imperative that the granite surface be sealed ever two to three years.    Granite countertop installers tell me that one of the complaints they hear from homeowners is that their granite countertops overtime became discolored and stained.  When investigated it was discovered that they used cleaning chemicals that striped away the surface sealers leaving the granite porous to stains.  Plus they neglected to re-seal the surface on a timely bases.     Granite is scratch resistant and you can place a hot plate directly on the surface without damaging it.   When polished granite can look quite beautiful and last forever.    Quartz is actually an engineered stone made with a mixture of 93% quartz and 7% resin binders.    The resulting material is a super-hard, low-maintenance stone-looking material that can be made in a variety of colors.     It is mold and mildew resistant and does not have to be sealed.  Silestone a quartz stone manufacture actually adds an antimicrobial treatment called Microban that is resistant to stains and odor.  The down side to quartz is that it is expensive.  Quartz can cost as much as $10.00 per square foot more than granite countertops.       Another con to quartz and granite countertops is that they are both very difficult to repair.    When quartz is polished it can hold its luster and also last forever.  Some of the manufactured brand names for quartz countertops are Silestone, Zodiac, Caesarstone, Technistone, Legacy and Cambria.    Solid surface countertops materials are usually made of acrylic based thermoplastics.   The plus of solid surface is that it is a repairable material that is mildew resistant.    It has a seamless appearance, is non-porous however will burn or melt if expose to extreme heat.   Dupont Corian is one the best known brands of solid surface countertop materials on the market.    Corian per square foot is slightly less in cost then granite and quartz. 

 

Written by:   Don Booth