Brady-Built Sunrooms often recommends a helical screw foundation for the installation of
sunrooms as an alternative to a concrete pier (often called a Sonotube) foundation. What is it and why use it?

First; it is best to understand what a concrete pier foundation is. A concrete pier foundation requires the excavation of a hole large enough to accept the pier form (usually a cardboard tube).The hole must extend to below the frost line, which in most of New England is set at 48” by building code. Depending upon soil conditions and the weight of the structure that the pier will support, a flared bottom is sometimes required on the pier. This is achieved by using a plastic form under the cardboard tube form that gives the pier an upside down ice cream cone shape.The hole for this type of pier is significantly larger than a straight tube pier. (more…)

A new structure that is to be added on to the existing structure.  Additions are often new rooms such as a family room or a conservatory or an expansion of an existing room.  Most states require a building permit for additions.

A structural or trim piece that is manufactured by forcing aluminum through a die.  Extruded aluminum is commonly used for the frame on many sunrooms and is used by Brady-Built for the exterior weathering surface of their sunrooms, making it possible to have the maintenance free qualities of aluminum on the outside and the beauty of wood on the inside.

A thin covering of sheet aluminum used to protect the exterior many wood products.

A technique for applying a thin but durable coating on aluminum.  Anodizing is similar to the electroplating process that is often used to coat steel and other metals.  The colors available and the color saturation is limited for anodized finishes.

A Noble (inert) gas designated by the symbol Ar.  It is often used between lites of glass in an insulating glass unit to improve the units insulating qualities.  Argon is colorless, odorless and harmless to humans.

Window that hinges at the top and opens outward from the bottom like an awning. Typically wider than tall.

Low-maintenance, and durable cornice or other exterior trim made from a cellular PVC material that’s impervious to insects and moisture.

When a hole is dug for a foundation more material is removed than is necessary for the foundation itself so that there is room for workers and equipment.  Once the foundation is complete the soil must be placed back into the hole.  This is called back-filling.  Most often, simply pushing the soil back into the hole is unacceptable because over time it will settle, leaving a depression.  To avoid this, the soil is replaced in layers (called lifts) and compacted with vibrating machines or heavy rollers.  Often water is used to augment the process

In a Brady-Built Sunroom, the fixed glass is installed using a structural silicone technique that virtually eliminates any chance of moisture leakage.  As with most things that Brady-Built does, perfection is our goal.  The beam helmet is a secondary defense against moisture getting into the sunroom.  The beam helmet creates a gutter =under the edge of the glass that directs any water through these channels to a weep hole on the outside of the room at the bottom of the glass area.