Green Homes News

This has been years in the making...I am on a personal mission to get to the bottom of the difference(s) between icicles forming on a house and the presence of…

Hi, I’m insulating my rim joists soon in zone 5a. I’ve decided on EPS foam for its vapor permeability and to allow drying in my very old home. I also…

I'm thinking out loud here, and thinking far ahead.  Mostly thinking about sequencing and labor.I've got a CZ3 house with Thermoply, and am starting to plan a small addition combined…

I have two Panasonic intelli balance 100s,They are direct ducted to the bedrooms. 1 serves 4 bedrooms and is silent- there is no way to tell it's on. This is served…

1700s timber-framed original structure with 1800s balloon-framed addition in CZ6. Gut rehab begun in 2021. All interior walls and ceilings were gutted to the original framing. I had chosen to…

A real-world case study utilizing both code and building science best practices

I Work for a small builder, we use a lot of 1 inch XPS on 2x4 walls. CLZ5A In one of our homes we have some dead space on exterior…

Hi there, Climate zone 7 here.I'm building a 900qft house on a remote property. Off-grid, solar and propane powered. I'll be using a mix of hydronic heating and wood stove…

I’m planning to air seal and insulate my rim joists in a cold climate (Zone 5/6) and want to make sure I’m not creating a long-term moisture problem.The house is…

Does anyone know of a vendor selling uses foam boards in the Indianapolis area? I’m wanting to use EPS for my rim joist project and Google is failing me.

Climate zone 4C, mixed marine... and I saw a question about sill plate encapsulation asked here that made me worry...I've got an old 70s house, same as the questioner, that…

Holiday meals shouldn’t come with a side of harmful pollutants. Switching to electric appliances is one of the easiest ways to breathe cleaner indoor air.

What happens when a design team commits to a vapor-open, low-carbon, petrochemical-free building envelope? The Cape Cod Hemp House offers answers.

Doing a remodel on our house in Sacramento Valley, California (climate zone 3b), and making a conditioned/unvented attic with a vapor diffusion port. HVAC system will have dehumidifier and will…

I have a question about insulation. I’m in metro area of nyc for reference. I have a basement, 1st floor, and second floor. The basement exterior walls are insulated with…

Hi All,Currently remodeling / redesigning an unvented assembly that had water intrusion issues (leaky roof, and / or incorrect insulation).One end of the roof (4:12 pitch) ends outside in closed…

‘The Clean Green Neighborhood,’ published by Building Decarbonization Coalition, depicts a model thermal energy network in action.

Does a direct vent fireplace normally allow outside air into the unit at the bottom (red arrow). I feel really cold air coming out of this area even with the…

Hello from Climate Zone 5a, I'm trying to decipher all of the information on insulating rim joists I've taken in from this site and Fine Homebuilding. We just bought a home…

Hi All,Thank you for the great info on this site. What a valuable place! After a deep dive into the articles and Q&A's, I'm looking for some more input on…