Media Blasting
“Back in the day” (really, only about 10 years or so prior to me getting involved in the coatings industry), there was a process for removing paint that, although effective, was a bit brutal. This process, known as ‘sandblasting,’ definitely did the job, but when its methodology was utilized on residential housing stock, its face […]
What is a Public Adjuster?
One of the more frustrating experiences that one can work through is that of dealing with a homeowners insurance claim. The ironic part about this of course is the endless array of commercials that one sees from the various insurance companies touting their wares through creative marketing, celebrity appearances, and a whole lotta superfluous exaggeration […]
What is a Pocket Door?
Recently we were working on a project where someone did what I believe that they thought was a good idea at the time, but then the real world functionality of their creative ambition kicked in and a more practical solution was called upon to be enacted. The center of this predicament was a pocket door […]
“I Have A Hole in My Ceiling!”
Did you ever have a problem where you thought perhaps you were the only one to have that problem and then come to find out once you mentioned it to someone, you found out that they had the same problem, and then you found someone else, and then someone else? This could be related to […]
The Beauty of a Built-In
A ‘Built-In’ is a term used in construction that is right up there with the best of them in terms of those that can be confusing for whomever may be hearing it for the first time. When someone thinks of something being ‘built in’, their mind may automatically gravitate toward something as simple as the […]
What is a 5-in-1?
Three decades ago, when I was breaking into the home improvement world on the painting side of the business, I was bombarded with what seemed like an endless amount of new terminology from all angles on a daily basis. ‘Primer’ ‘Alkyd’ ‘Bullhorns’ You name it, it was like an entirely new language for me. I […]
The Toilet Paper Test!
Upon first glance, when someone hears the phrase, ‘The Toilet Paper Test’, it would not be uncommon for the still undeveloped far reaches of one’s brain to automatically default to imagining imagery that would fall in-line with that paralleling the thoughts of the great 90s thought leaders Beavis & Butthead. As facetious as this may […]
Trapping Mildew Between Product Coatings
There is a scene in the classic original ‘The Karate Kid’ (1984) movie where Daniel (Ralph Macchio) is being coached by Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) through an exercise which Daniel believes is pointless at the time. Daniel was shown by Mr. Miyagi a technique in which he should be stroking the brush when painting a […]
Frozen Pipes
Every once in a while, we get a particularly harsh cold snap in Southern New England. Though I’d imagine not as frequently as our neighbors in Northern New England, we still get them on occasion and every time we do, it reminds me how much I personally dislike the cold (I’m afraid my roots are […]
Mysterious Leaks
If there were ever a topic that I could write about and provide seemingly countless examples for, ‘Mysterious Leaks’ would certainly be at the top of the list. While unintentionally developing a bit of a reputation over the years as an expert leak diagnoser, my list of ‘out of the ordinary’ leak situations definitely has […]
