Building Tips For New Homebuyers The life-changing event of purchasing a new home can be both exciting and overwhelming. With homebuyer horror stories of houses plagued with mold, leaky roofs or worse, it's no wonder some homebuyers get cold feet. Prospective homebuyers can save themselves from headaches by working with their builder on these useful construction do's and don'ts: • Help prevent mold before it starts. Ask your builder to use vapor retarders in addition to insulation in your home's walls. Smart vapor retarders like CertainTeed's MemBrain allow wall cavities to "breathe" so excess moisture within the wall can escape. This helps prevent the growth of mold and mildew. Other vapor retarders can trap moisture in your walls, creating an environment that supports mold growth. • Work with your builder to ensure that no mechanical equipment, ductwork or plumbing is built into exterior walls, vented attics or vented crawlspaces. • Take control of your home's temperature and acoustics by ensuring your contractor insulates with the correct R-value for your region. Regional R-values can be found online at www.certain teed.com. • Windows are often the largest single source of heat loss and heat gain in a home. Select vinyl windows with low-E glass and a high-performance glazing system that reduces heat transmission through the glass. • Know what's under your roof. For instance, waterproofing shingle underlayments go under asphalt roof shingles to further protect your home's interior from winter leaks caused by ice dams and wind-driven rain. Posted by Allen Banks on December 13, 2008 at 12:00 AM About Allen Banks Allen Banks is affliated with Warrior Realty, which is located in Tuscaloosa, AL. For further assistance please use the contact information located on the right. As of 05/17/12 the Allen Banks RePage is ranked at 5,022 with 380 points.

Local Information for Tuscaloosa, AL

Latitude: 33.20654 -- Longitude: -87.534607

---

ZIP Codes for Tuscaloosa, Alabama	35401  35402  35403  35404  35405  35406  35407  35473  35475  35476  35485  35486  35487
Area Code for Tuscaloosa, Alabama	205
Time zone for Tuscaloosa, Alabama	CST

Other Area Cities:   Northport, AL  Tuscaloosa, AL 

Enter our Photo Sweepstakes and Win $200 for your Tuscaloosa photos!

Click on Photos to Enlarge. To see all Tuscaloosa area photos Click Here.

Submit your photos of Tuscaloosa and become eligible to win $200. Click Here for details.

Tuscaloosa is a city in west central Alabama in the southern United States. On the Black Warrior River, it is the seat of Tuscaloosa CountyGR6 and the fifth-largest city in Alabama with a population of 79,294 (2003 U.S. Census Bureau Estimate). Tuscaloosa is named after the Choctaw chieftain Tuskalusa (which means Black Warrior in that language), who battled and was defeated by Hernando de Soto in 1540 in the Battle of Mauvila. Tuscaloosa is known for its college sports - particularly University of Alabama athletics. In the 1925 football season, an underrated University of Alabama Crimson Tide football team played in the first of many Rose Bowls, defeating Washington 20 - 19 and giving the Tide the first of 12 national championships. The Tide's 12 national titles tie the University of Notre Dame for the most in college football history. The Crimson Tide also has the most SEC championships, the most bowl appearances and the most bowl wins of any team in college football. ROLL TIDE! -- Source: Wikipedia.com