Green Homes News

Understanding exergy helps explain why heat pumps are such an effective match for low-temperature heating and cooling—and why combustion often isn't.

We're currently designing a simple gable-roofed house with continuous exterior rockwool insulation.Our walls and roof are basically:Drywall > timber stud wall (with insulation in-between) > plywood sheathing > WRB >…

I'm building a small entry addition adjacent to an existing building with a full basement.  We were going to do a crawspace under the new entry, but discovered a large…

Western North Carolina. We built a 800 sq ft semi-prefab cabin with prefab shell and SIP roof panels. We noticed some drip lines coming down a few of the rafters…

Greetings GBA! I have read everything I can find on vapor retarders here on GBA and want to confirm that I am doing the right thing by NOT including a…

In Ecuador’s highlands, a courtyard plan, volcanic stone, and operable glass walls provide privacy, passive cooling, and year-round comfort

For our basement reno we would prefer to keep our washer/dryer along the exterior wall where the previous owners positioned them, and add shower controls/head along the same side. We're…

When a failed pressure switch revealed bigger problems

I was reading the NREL test process for testing the maximum depressurization of a house, at: https://sws.nlr.gov/sites/default/files/2023-11/CAZ%20Depressurization%20Quick%20Guide.pdfBasically you measure the air pressure inside the house, then you turn on all…

Does anyone have a contact(s) in the Harrisburg area for a residential architect or engineer that believes in building science?  I (homeowner/ client) am tired of fighting.  If I have…

As discussed in the thread referenced below, I made one of the recommended tertiary filters for the Whirlpool HP dryer WHD560CHW2.  Since I no longer have the dryer, I no…

Hello, I recently decided to insulate my basement. After reading several blogs, I have decided to go with the continuous rigid foam strategy. I have a couple of options as…

My house was built in the early 1950. I'm planning on insulating my basement. My preference would be to excavate the foundation and apply exterior rigid foam, but the engineer…

Just wanted to thank Brian Pontolilo for his editorial in the August/September Fine Homebuilding Magazine on AI. Backed by Active Interest Media, he has reaffirmed that the content there and…

This is an odd one, but has anyone ever seen a tool that you can load with custom caulking, and if so what is it called?The nearest two caulking colours…

I want to put roof mounted intake ventilation (like edge vent) on a house in climate zone 6  The roof pitch is 3/12 There is not any existing intake venting…

Does anybody have experience with the Renewaire Aeri MT? Looking to install one in Maine. Hoping that it's quality product like the rest of the Renewaire product lines.

Code language, building science, and ICC interpretations can help resolve disagreements over how a building-code provision should be applied

I recently completed a full renovation of the second and third floors of my home, including closed cell spray foam insulation and all new windows. The space is now extremely…

Hello,we have rockwool exterior insulation and opted for cellulose in the interior of our new build in Wisconsin. I’m wondering if there is any benefit to clean fiber (cardboard boxes)…