Green Homes News

Allison Bailes discusses the successes, mistakes, and ongoing improvements in his Atlanta home—from a poorly installed spray-foam attic to heat pumps, balanced ventilation, radon mitigation, and basement remodeling.

https://basc.pnnl.gov/videos/umn-northernstar-doe-building-america-exterior-foundation-insulationI'd never seen this before. Interesting approach. I wonder if there are alternatives to the spray foam, and I can't come up with any.

We have recently developed an issue in our vented attic where we have condensation and mold beneath the insulation, on top of the ceiling drywall. It’s soaking wet. There’s 3000…

We waterproofed the front entry/landing with a liquid waterproofing, then bonderized steel and went over it with liquid waterproofing before pouring the concrete landing/steps.  The bonderized flashing was carried up…

As homes become tighter and ventilation requirements more complex, the HVAC industry faces a growing problem: Nobody truly owns residential ventilation.

I am currently working on the thermal envelope design for a train maintenance workshop and have some doubts regarding the perimeter insulation strategy at ground floor level.The building includes both…

We’re renovating the basement of our 1926 house with block walls. Zone 5 (Nebraska). I was planning on 1” XPS against foundation wall, then 2x4 stud wall with the rock…

Working with a homeowner on a fully ICF house — walls, floor system, and roof are all ICF, not just the typical walls-only application. This is a large, one-of-a-kind project…

We live in Anchorage, Alaska (climate zone 7). The house was built in 1983. We are having LP smart side put over our existing cedar T&G siding that has a…

Understanding the differences between old-growth and managed-growth lumber

CZ7.  I have a handful (about 15) of ends of joist bays that were blocked with BCI cut offs and where I perhaps errantly decided to just drill a hole…

Roughing in SIP home. Cathedral ceiling is SIP roof but rest of roof is rafter. We know rim joists need to be sealed with PU stray foam. What areas of…

Turns out things aren’t as bad as we thought, but there’s no cause to change course.

The EPA's AirNow app can help you track wildfire smoke, ozone, and other pollutants—and decide when it might be time to take action

I'm currently in the very early stages of a Pretty Good House build. We are very cost conscious but don't want our forever home to lack in quality or comfort.…

On our old house CZ 2A, we are removing the old siding and installing Zip sheathing, taped and sealed. the windows are going in as well, taped and sealed. The…

On our old house CZ 2A, we are removing the old siding and installing Zip sheathing, taped and sealed. the windows are going in as well. The exterior foam insulation…

I have a section of my basement with an 11 foot concrete wall. I'd like to frame the wall here in the thinnest way to save floor space. What are…

Seven basic principles to make homes safe, durable, and energy efficient

Description:Multi-story wood-framed home in Panama, Central America (ASHRAE climate zone 1A — hot-humid, near-equatorial, minimal diurnal swing, high year-round outdoor absolute humidity). Looking for feedback on a diagnosis and remediation…