Green Homes News

I am working on a "Solar Shed" structure.  Essentially a single slope roof that will mount solar panels, underneath which will be a gravel floor shed.  My intent is to…

Cold Climate Heat Pump Experts!What's the best practice for managing the defrost water, when the heat pump is mounted close to the house?Here's a picture of what mine looked like…

We have a mostly finished basement, except a large utility room. I'd like to insulate this room by putting rigid insulation against the foundation and then building and insulating a…

Hello, I am planning on adding XPS foam board insulation to the basement in my home built in 1920. I am in climate zone 6. I see that using continuous…

I'm planning an extension to my house, with 2x6 studs and 1.5" polyiso insulation on the outside. I'm planning on having the WRB be housewrap on the sheathing before the…

Part three of the Energy Smart Detail series on integrating windows with continuous exterior insulation

Hello, I am in a 1950’s house that I believe is fairly leaky. The ceiling is not air tight as it has many can lights. One room has wood paneling…

Is this level of installation something that should cause concern? The  top of the rigid here is at finished grade.It’s maybe a half inch gap with half the sheets due…

We are starting a DER (Deep Energy Retrofit) on our old 2200 sq ft. house . It was built out of an old church by my Wife's daddy. In the early 80's we…

Hi all. I’m going to be installing metal 5-rib panel roofing onto an 8x8 shed. The rafters are 24” OC and I have installed 3/4” plywood for sheathing due to…

Because of the way our windows were installed, and the need to shim the brackets, our contractor placed 1/2" polyiso insulation around the sill, header, and sides. This was done…

This latest action strips billions from companies actively scaling green building and energy solutions

Hi, I'm brand new to the forums -- been reading nonstop for weeks and have reached the edge of what I can research here and other places.I want to upgrade…

Hello GBA community,Climate Zone 5b for context.I'm building a little studio (basically a glorified shed) that will be a conditioned space, used as an office/spare bedroom. 2x4 walls with fiberglass…

Hello! I am not the most experienced in DIY stuff, so please excuse any deficiencies in nomenclature and the possible bad ideas.I have a shed I am attempting to climate control.…

Hello GBA Community,We're getting ready to install our flooring and have run into a common but tricky detail. The Challenge: We are installing a floating floor on our second-floor landing…

Hello,I am in the middle of building a passive house and walls/roof will be framed soon. I designed it with a vent integral with the fascia. See attached images for…

Can a gas appliance get enough air in a tight house without an external source?

I know this question has been raised before and I have read the articles related to the matter on GBA. That said, there are differing opinions from reputable sources regarding…

Scratching my head a little.Not my project.  A friend has purchased for his home: a 1960's chalet with an exposed roof system.  As the rafters are exposed, there is no…