Green Homes News

A tool commonly found in an electrician’s toolbox can also be useful during energy audits and building investigations

Hey this is a question that might have been answered but couldn't find it via search tools.Randy I was wondering if you went back to trade school or what certifications…

Hi,I am designing an addition to an existing brick home. The home had a double width load bearing brick wall with plaster and lath as the inside layer. I am…

The roof on our 1961 ranch (standard gable roof with asphalt shingles and plywood sheathing) in Climate Zone 5A is coming up on end-of-life soon and that would be the…

The foundation is where the enclosure begins

I'm looking to put some rigid foam board insulation in a standard 16" stud cavity. Not for an entire house, just in one stud cavity to prevent a conduit that's…

Can anyone recommend a zoned controller that I can use to open and close multiple dampers on a set schedule, or on call from a Humidistat?I'm looking to use a…

Test your skills as a building science investigator, what's causing the moisture issue in the wine room?

I am designing a house for zone 5 in Massachusetts and have a large footprint because it is a handicapped accessible home. Most of the living space is on the…

This is a piggyback off a previous post. I have two conduits running horizontally across an exterior framed wall. Warm moist indoor air is entering it, condensing where the conduit…

Hi, I have 3 locations that I'm (mostly) unsure about what to do with. I cant seem to get the uploads to work, so here is an imgur link: https://imgur.com/a/jcoXSvp1.…

From freestanding tubs to poorly placed shower controls, today’s bathrooms often ignore the fundamentals of safe, functional design.

Hello, I don't know if this is the right place to ask these questions. I am a homeowner with no knowledge of construction and looking for advice. We recently bought a…

Hi all, I'd just like to sanity check whats going on in my vaulted cieling attic space. Fairly new to this but have been reading as much as I can on…

The walls may not have footings below the frost line, which complicates things

I've been asked to help with a design in Newport County, RI. Newport is a popular summer destination because it's cool by the ocean, you can have your windows open…

Hi all, I’m installing Simpson post bases into concrete using 1/2” Titan HD anchor screws (4” length).  I’ve overdrilled the depth to account for dust, and vacuumed out the hole…

Hey - homeowner here, with a 140 year old Queen Anne. With all the snow this winter, I've got major ice dam issues. My attic desperately needs additional sealing & insulation,…

Hello Hoping to reduce labor and simplify floor insulation. Considering: Wood floor over rubberized underlayment on subfloor sheathing,2 inches high density rigid foam on top of 2x10 joists filled with 9.5rockwool. Bottom…

Just curious if there are any first hand accounts of how unbalanced an HRV/ ERV can be made to run to create positive pressure? My owner built home is coming along…