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Home & Building

Building and Maintaining a House

Residential construction in a cold climate, with full plumbing and electrical courses and a timber-framing option.

111 lessons ~8 h 5 courses

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Who it's for

Building, renovating, or simply understanding a Wisconsin house.

Course 1 of 5

Residential Construction

Codes, foundations, framing, the building envelope, and finish work.

0 of 27 done
Unit 1

Codes and Planning

3 lessons · 16 min

  1. 1 The Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code and Permits 6 min Start
  2. 2 Reading Construction Drawings 5 min Start
  3. 3 Climate Zones, Frost Depth, and Design Loads 5 min Start
Unit 2

Foundations

4 lessons · 19 min

  1. 1 Footings and Frost Depth 5 min Start
  2. 2 Basements, Crawlspaces, and Slabs 5 min Start
  3. 3 Concrete: Mixing, Placing, and Curing 5 min Start
  4. 4 Drainage and Waterproofing 4 min Start
Unit 3

Framing

5 lessons · 21 min

  1. 1 Platform Framing 4 min Start
  2. 2 Floor Framing 5 min Start
  3. 3 Walls, Headers, and Openings 4 min Start
  4. 4 Roof Framing: Rafters and Trusses 4 min Start
  5. 5 Sheathing and Bracing 4 min Start
Unit 4

The Building Envelope

6 lessons · 26 min

  1. 1 Water-Resistive Barriers and Flashing 4 min Start
  2. 2 Windows and Doors 4 min Start
  3. 3 Roofing 5 min Start
  4. 4 Insulation 4 min Start
  5. 5 Air Sealing and Vapor Control in a Cold Climate 5 min Start
  6. 6 Siding 4 min Start
Unit 5

Mechanical Overview

2 lessons · 9 min

  1. 1 Heating Systems 5 min Start
  2. 2 Ventilation and Indoor Air 4 min Start
Unit 6

Interior Finish

4 lessons · 17 min

  1. 1 Drywall 5 min Start
  2. 2 Trim Carpentry 4 min Start
  3. 3 Flooring 4 min Start
  4. 4 Cabinets and Countertops 4 min Start
Unit 7

Old Houses

3 lessons · 17 min

  1. 1 Assessing an Old House 5 min Start
  2. 2 Restoring Old Windows 6 min Start
  3. 3 Lead and Asbestos 6 min Start

Course 2 of 5

Residential Plumbing

Supply and drain systems, materials, fixtures, wells, and septic.

0 of 17 done
Unit 8

How Plumbing Works

3 lessons · 14 min

  1. 1 Supply, Drain, Waste, and Vent 5 min Start
  2. 2 Traps and Why Vents Matter 5 min Start
  3. 3 Water Pressure and Pipe Sizing 4 min Start
Unit 9

Materials and Joining

5 lessons · 22 min

  1. 1 Copper and Soldering 5 min Start
  2. 2 PEX: Crimp and Expansion 4 min Start
  3. 3 PVC and ABS Drain Pipe 4 min Start
  4. 4 Threaded and Cast Iron Pipe 4 min Start
  5. 5 Shutoffs and Valves 5 min Start
Unit 10

Fixtures

4 lessons · 18 min

  1. 1 Toilets 5 min Start
  2. 2 Faucets and Sinks 4 min Start
  3. 3 Showers and Tubs 4 min Start
  4. 4 Water Heaters 5 min Start
Unit 11

Rural Systems

3 lessons · 12 min

  1. 1 Private Wells and Pressure Tanks 4 min Start
  2. 2 Septic Systems 4 min Start
  3. 3 Water Testing and Treatment 4 min Start
Unit 12

Cold Climate and Code

2 lessons · 8 min

  1. 1 Preventing and Thawing Frozen Pipes 4 min Start
  2. 2 Wisconsin Plumbing Code and Homeowner Work 4 min Start

Course 3 of 5

Residential Electrical

Service, panel, wiring methods, devices, and code.

0 of 18 done
Unit 13

Fundamentals

3 lessons · 15 min

  1. 1 Volts, Amps, Ohms, and Watts 5 min Start
  2. 2 AC and the 120/240-Volt Split-Phase Service 5 min Start
  3. 3 Circuits, Loads, and Overcurrent Protection 5 min Start
Unit 14

Service and Panel

3 lessons · 13 min

  1. 1 The Service Entrance and Meter 4 min Start
  2. 2 Grounding and Bonding 5 min Start
  3. 3 Breakers, GFCI, and AFCI 4 min Start
Unit 15

Wiring Methods

3 lessons · 12 min

  1. 1 Cable, Conduit, and Boxes 4 min Start
  2. 2 Wire Sizing and Box Fill 4 min Start
  3. 3 Making Good Connections 4 min Start
Unit 16

Devices

3 lessons · 12 min

  1. 1 Receptacles 4 min Start
  2. 2 Switches and Three-Way Circuits 4 min Start
  3. 3 Lighting 4 min Start
Unit 17

Safety and Code

3 lessons · 11 min

  1. 1 Working Safely: Shutoff and Testing 4 min Start
  2. 2 The NEC and Wisconsin's Electrical Code 3 min Start
  3. 3 Permits and Inspections 4 min Start
Unit 18

Beyond the Basics

3 lessons · 12 min

  1. 1 Subpanels and Outbuildings 4 min Start
  2. 2 Generators and Transfer Switches 4 min Start
  3. 3 Solar PV Basics 4 min Start

Course 4 of 5

Old House Repair

Repairs and upgrades for a century-old house: old wiring, insulation, plaster, windows, siding, stairs, heat and water, code, doors, and basements.

0 of 31 done
Unit 19

Old Wiring

4 lessons · 16 min

  1. 1 Knob-and-Tube Wiring 4 min Start
  2. 2 Old Switches and Switch Loops 4 min Start
  3. 3 Two-Prong Outlets and Ungrounded Circuits 4 min Start
  4. 4 Fishing New Cable Through Plaster Walls 4 min Start
Unit 20

Insulating an Old House

4 lessons · 17 min

  1. 1 Where an Old House Loses Heat 4 min Start
  2. 2 Air Sealing and Insulating the Attic 5 min Start
  3. 3 Insulating Walls Without Tearing Them Open 4 min Start
  4. 4 Basements and Rim Joists 4 min Start
Unit 21

Walls, Windows, and Openings

3 lessons · 15 min

  1. 1 Patching Plaster and Lath 5 min Start
  2. 2 Adding a Window 5 min Start
  3. 3 Patching Siding Where a Vent Came Out 5 min Start
Unit 22

Stairs and Floors

3 lessons · 12 min

  1. 1 Fixing Squeaky Stairs and Floors 4 min Start
  2. 2 Redoing Old Stairs 4 min Start
  3. 3 Sagging Floors and Sistered Joists 4 min Start
Unit 23

Old House, New Code

6 lessons · 26 min

  1. 1 What 'Up to Code' Means for a 1905 House 4 min Start
  2. 2 Correcting a Switch Loop 5 min Start
  3. 3 GFCI and AFCI When You Touch Old Circuits 4 min Start
  4. 4 Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms 4 min Start
  5. 5 Fuse Boxes, Old Panels, and Service Upgrades 4 min Start
  6. 6 Lead Paint and Asbestos Before You Open a Wall 5 min Start
Unit 24

Heat and Water in an Old House

3 lessons · 10 min

  1. 1 Radiators: Steam or Hot Water? 4 min Start
  2. 2 Old Boilers: Keep, Fix, or Replace 3 min Start
  3. 3 Lead and Galvanized Water Lines 3 min Start
Unit 25

Old Wood Windows

2 lessons · 6 min

  1. 1 Repairing Old Wood Sash 4 min Start
  2. 2 Storm Windows 2 min Start
Unit 26

Old Doors and Hardware

3 lessons · 11 min

  1. 1 Doors That Stick, Sag, or Won't Latch 4 min Start
  2. 2 Mortise Locks and Skeleton Keys 4 min Start
  3. 3 Weatherstripping an Old Door 3 min Start
Unit 27

A Dry, Safe Basement

3 lessons · 11 min

  1. 1 Where Basement Water Comes From 4 min Start
  2. 2 Repointing a Stone Foundation 3 min Start
  3. 3 Humidity, Sump Pumps, and Radon 4 min Start

Course 5 of 5

Timber Framing

The traditional alternative to stick framing.

0 of 18 done
Unit 28

Frames and Traditions

4 lessons · 17 min

  1. 1 What a Timber Frame Is 5 min Start
  2. 2 English, Dutch, and German Barn Frames in America 4 min Start
  3. 3 Norwegian Grindbygg: Frames Without Mortises 4 min Start
  4. 4 Reading Frame Drawings and Timber Lists 4 min Start
Unit 29

Timber and Tools

3 lessons · 13 min

  1. 1 Green Timber, Species, and Grading 5 min Start
  2. 2 Framing Chisels, Slicks, Mallets, and Saws 4 min Start
  3. 3 Boring Tools and Power Tools for Framing 4 min Start
Unit 30

Layout Systems

3 lessons · 11 min

  1. 1 Scribe Rule 4 min Start
  2. 2 Square Rule 4 min Start
  3. 3 Mill Rule and Modern Layout 3 min Start
Unit 31

Joinery

4 lessons · 17 min

  1. 1 Pegged and Drawbored Mortise and Tenon 5 min Start
  2. 2 Braces and Knee Braces 4 min Start
  3. 3 Tying Joints: Posts, Tie Beams, Plates, and Rafters 4 min Start
  4. 4 Scarf Joints 4 min Start
Unit 32

Projects and Raising

4 lessons · 17 min

  1. 1 A Timbered Bench 4 min Start
  2. 2 Small Shed and Sauna Frames 5 min Start
  3. 3 Raising Day: Assembly, Rigging, and Safety 4 min Start
  4. 4 Foundations and Enclosure for a Small Frame 4 min Start