Green Homes News

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…

We're redoing the attic insulation in our 1976 house in Massachusetts (climate zone 5A) and I'd like a gut check before the installer starts in early December.Background:We had interior water…

I'm a remodeler in Maine, and the wall assembly often spec'ed for us is often as follows:SidingRain screenTaped ZipR 9 or 122x6 studs w/ DPCIntelloPainted GWBThe ZipR is airtight and…

Contractor Jake Bruton takes us through the design, construction, and lessons learned from living in his own high-performance home

Hi-Our house was built in 1922.  It had a covered vestibule that had an exterior door recessed about 6 feet in.  The siding is clapboard and shingles.The previous owners moved…

Adding lighting, electrical outlets, and a soil gas vent during encapsulation can make future maintenance easier and help protect indoor air quality

I'm currently building a 40x60x12H structure and have decked the roof with 7/16 OSB. I want to install ICE & WATER on the entire surface of the roof because I'm…

Rising cases of silicosis among stone fabricators are driving a proposed ban on engineered quartz. Here's what it could mean for builders, fabricators, and homeowners.

For a low-energy house in Portland, Oregon, which layout choices are worth making early if the home may eventually need to accommodate mobility aids or a household robot? I am…