Green Homes News

A framing question for you. A lot of designs have windows directly in front of kitchen sinks, which necessitate a header (lintel in Canada) and king and several jack studs on…

I have a ~3300 square foot house in upstate New York, so climate zone 5.  When we moved in, the house had an oil boiler for baseboard heat and hot…

I have two rooms of an 80s rebuild from an older building. CZ 3A hot humid. Starting from inside it has 3/4” pine paneling it has alkyd paint and seams…

I am building a timber frame home in climate zone 6 in Idaho. So far we've been able to navigate the complexities of wrapping and enclosing the timber frame with…

They use renewable materials, low-energy lighting, and recyclable components instead of plastic or harmful chemicals.The goal is to create signage that’s durable, attractive, and kind to the planet — without…

Code is not the enemy—it’s the foundation for mainstream high-performance construction

Hi, coming back to this group to help a Vermont friend on the ceiling/floor Assembly for an add-on room above cold storage/barn. existing conditions: - existing add-on room over and…

I'm converting a garage into living space for a client and he wants to raise and insulate the floor, so I'm planning on using 2x6s and insulating joist bays. My…

Hello all,I am an architect in upstate NY currently working on designing renovations of a historic 1800s house. The house is in generally very good historic condition. The renovations are…

Discover how well a mini-split heat pump tackles humidity control

I am building a timber frame home in climate zone 6 in Idaho. So far we've been able to navigate the complexities of wrapping and enclosing the timber frame with…

The cedar shingles on a significant portion of the south and west facades  of our ~100-year-old two-story house in Climate Zone 5A (Eastern Massachusetts) need replacing. The thing is, the…

7/16" OSB 1/3rd the price of Zip sheathing.  Found on this site that you can use Zip tape with 3M 90 as a primer for seams on regular OSB.  Is…

I am working on a "Solar Shed" structure.  Essentially a single slope roof that will mount solar panels, underneath which will be a gravel floor shed.  My intent is to…

Cold Climate Heat Pump Experts!What's the best practice for managing the defrost water, when the heat pump is mounted close to the house?Here's a picture of what mine looked like…

We have a mostly finished basement, except a large utility room. I'd like to insulate this room by putting rigid insulation against the foundation and then building and insulating a…

Hello, I am planning on adding XPS foam board insulation to the basement in my home built in 1920. I am in climate zone 6. I see that using continuous…

I'm planning an extension to my house, with 2x6 studs and 1.5" polyiso insulation on the outside. I'm planning on having the WRB be housewrap on the sheathing before the…

Part three of the Energy Smart Detail series on integrating windows with continuous exterior insulation

Hello, I am in a 1950’s house that I believe is fairly leaky. The ceiling is not air tight as it has many can lights. One room has wood paneling…