Green Homes News

A sweating air handler can signal trouble with airflow, attic conditions, or system design

We have a 3200 sq ft attic with 14in of blown insulation on the floor. We had a company come open cell spray foam the roof deck and did a…

I live in Warwick RI on Narragansett bay which I believe is climate zone 5AMy wife and I recently had blood work done and were found to have high level…

This site, including the articles and the public forums, is an amazing resource! I’m finally, finally in a position to move forward with (to me) a very complicated and long-overdue re-roofing…

Lead is dangerous, but dealing with it safely involves understanding how it works and following some simple steps

Hello all, asked my first question about insulating cathedral ceiling and received a lot of great information which has lead me down the rabbit hole of different truss styles and…

Hello GBA, long time lurker first time poster. We're building a house in Northern Michigan (zone 6A) and we're trying to hit PGH standards. Single story with unconditioned attic, 2x6…

I am building this structure and I noticed the roof system(purlins on top of beams) wont be an affective roof for my climate zone.  6Bshooting for 60pswftAs far as my research…

We are still working away on the cabin that we are building, and we're currently working on the rough-in electrical.  I have read the Pretty Good House Book, and I…

Thought I'd post a progress update on my eternal Mudroom remodel, by way of thanks for the helpful feedback I've gotten here.Previous questions:https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/question/mudroom-retrofit-questionshttps://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/question/frost-heave-questionhttps://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/question/another-unvented-ceiling-questionhttps://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/question/exterior-sconce-install-detailshttps://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/question/mudroom-floor-assembly-critique-pleaseThis whole thing started because I got two…

Clearly defining the relationship between window unit and rough opening dimensions eliminates guesswork and helps set up a successful installation.

We have an existing building with a 2x T&G redwood floor over a crawl space, dirt covered with 6 mil plastic.  We'll be putting down Marmoleum over its subtrate, over…

Hello all, I'll be having a new outbuilding built in the near future. Use will be woodshop and homegym. Overhead space for these use cases will be a premium, however…

I recently bought a house in Westchester County, NY (Climate Zone 4a).  It is a contemporary custom build from the early 1970s. It is along the lines of a "glass…

A new home failed four duct-leakage tests, exposing unsealed connections, damaged ducts, and some lessons about when and how duct systems should be tested.

We're on the homestretch from an attic/roof nightmare: previous homeowner not disclosing an attic mold issue, discovering new mold + roof leak, full roof replacement, (while roof was off -…

Hi AllI just had my 36x14 vaulted shop ceiling and gambrel walls sprayed with Miracell 180 closed cell foam at what’s supposed to be 3.5” deep, besides the obvious of…

I have a Cape Cod home in Westchester County, New York (Climate Zone 4A), and I’m trying to determine whether the best approach for insulating my unfinished attic is blown-in…

Building scientist Joseph Lstiburek explains when to vent your roof, when not to, and how to execute each common roof-venting approach successfully.

Hello all!We are working on tightening up the air sealing of our Brooklyn brownstone townhouse in Brooklyn.  The next project is to add polyiso insulation above the deck of the…