Green Homes News

Renovation creates opportunities to improve water management, airtightness, insulation, and durability—but how far should you go?

Hello,We recently had a full roof replacement and I'm starting to question if a past insulation contractor did not complete what we paid for. I have attached the scope of…

I’m considering installing roof-mounted intake ventilation, such as an edge vent, on a house in Climate Zone 6. The roof has a 3/12 pitch, and there is currently no intake…

I am planning to improve the insulation in the basement of an older home and want to choose an approach that will help control moisture, improve energy efficiency, and make…

Condensation happens when moist air meets something below the dew point temperature. Cool the grass overnight with lower air temperature and night-sky radiation, and dew forms in the morning—a drop…

Hello, new member here, I've read a lot of good information off this site.  I'm building a post frame / pole barn style home and am looking for guidance on…

Situation: Zone 4/5. A summer cabin that is used only about a week or so in the winter and mostly in the summer. Currently no insulation. It has a cathedral…

It's been a busy summer...I'm working on a design repurposing a 1986 saltbox.  It has a massive central chimney -with a single flue!- that carries sections of the roof and…

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…