Bob looks at storm-ready features on the Punta Gorda house, starting with the front door that is outswinging with a stop to prevent blow-in. He also points out the impact-resistant glass that is being used throughout the house. Leslie Chapman-Henderson talks with Bob about soffit details that are being incorporated in the storm-ready house. The problem with poor soffits is that during a storm wind-driven rain and wind force their way up under the roof, into the attic where wind force attacks the structure and rain soaks the insulation and walls. In humid climates wet insulation and wallboard begin to grow mold within hours. Closing the soffit to penetration is not currently a code requirement but is critical to smart building in storm zones. Joe Breese from Alcoa shows Bob the vinyl soffit that is being used in the Punta Gorda house. The locking panel system means that wind will force the panels to grip tighter to one another rather than pull apart. The panels are connected to a j-channel that is attached to the wall. They are installed with 5/8-inch stub nails spaced every 16 inches. The soffit panels are cut to fit and stapled in place. There are no ventilation grilles evident on these vinyl panels. All air moves through the grooves in the panels to ventilate the roof and attic space. Still, these panels have about 80 percent more ventilation capacity than standard vinyl soffit panels.

Bob confers with carpenter Cortney Lofton and cabinetmaker Brian Comeaux on the milling and construction of an interior soffit of the bungalow.

Bob, Ryley, carpenter Danny Ruffini, and copper work specialist Fred Mitchell install custom fabricated copper-lined wood gutters on Bob's home. Bob reviews the special cuts used to optimized the gluing surface. Ryley discusses the soffits and the copper that will line the gutters.

Bob opens the segment with a look at the Certainteed Landmark shingles selected for this project. Fabricated with a dragon's tooth angle, the Landmark shingles give the impression of a handsplit shake roof. Next Bob flashes back to the construction of the roof. Starting with the raising of the laminated veneer lumber (LVL) ridge beam onto the gable ends, Bob walks the viewer through the various steps in the process - laying out 20 foot 2 by 10s for the rafters, marking a ridge cut at the top of each rafter and a crow's foot at the bottom, positioning and securing the rafters to both sides of the ridge starting at the center, applying the CDX plywood sheathing followed by an ice and water barrier as underlayment for the first course of shingles, nailing on the aluminum drip edge, and finally laying out and applying the first course of shingles. Once the first course is finished, felt paper is stapled to the rest of the sheathing as underlayment. After the roofers have finished shingling all the way to the top, they add ridge vents and soffit vents to prevent moisture from building up under the shingles.

…LEAF and LAWN VACUUMS Discover the fastest, easiest solution in leaf cleanup. The DR® LEAF and LAWN VACUUMS collect and mulch leaves, grass clippings, pine cones and more in a fraction of the time it would take to do the job by hand. So throw away…

…2nd or 3rd year. Wood Chips and Bark Mulch - Put a large mulched circle over the roots, but do not mound bark mulch up around the trunk of trees. Trees and shrubs grown under mulch develop stronger roots and are healthier…

…from under the bush and spread mulch or hay around the base, piled…
…moss, wheat-free straw, bark mulch, or wood chips. Mulching protects…
…Choose an appropriate organic mulch. Step 7: Wrap shrubs in burlap to prevent frost damage…

Well-pruned shrubs have a natural look and are healthy, allowing for new growth. Step 1: Evaluate the shrub Before pruning, evaluate the…

Plants specially bred for bigger flowers or delicious fruits are often very poor growers. So buds or branches are grafted onto a vigorous genetic root stock which improves the growth of the whole plant.