Like many firefighters, I always look at buildings as though I were sizing them up for firefighting operations. One building construction technique that always intrigued me is the metal pitched roof.

That first trip to the cottage after a long winter tells you a lot. The door swings open and the air hits you - stale, stuffy, and noticeably warmer than it should be. You crack the windows, flip on a ...

Q. In some of your articles on ice dams/roofs, you mention ridge vents. Our experience with ridge vents has been that openings are blocked by any significant snowfall. Without ventilation all heat ...