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4 Answers

Larsen Truss vs. Joe Lstiburek's Ideal Double-Stud Wall Design

I'm designing a house for Rochester, NY, zone 5. It's going to be a single floor with a finished basement. The roof will be constructed with raised heel trusses and insulated with cellulose. I don't want air-tight drywall, so I'm planning on using a layer of plywood or osb to form the ceiling air barrier.

In Green building techniques | Asked By John Ranson | Nov 1 15
12 Answers

Complete tear down or continue building?

I have a client who purchased a property 10 years ago with two other partners. In the initial year they were gung-ho erecting the building and then stopped, untouched for 10 years. I got invited to look at the property yesterday and where they stopped amazed me. The contractor literally stopped after he completed 95% of the exterior plywood sheathing (there's an exposed hole on the side elevation that spans all three stories. All the windows, the roof with shingles are installed, but no Tyvek membrane to be found anywhere.

In Energy efficiency and durability | Asked By Matthew Fung | Nov 1 15
4 Answers

This question is in reference to my attic fan

I have turned my attic fan on several times and now discovered that my fake suede furniture in the den seems to be holding moisture! It is very wet to the touch - like the attic fan pulled the moisture out and everything is now damp - I have no idea what to do!

In General questions | Asked By Marilyn Buice | Nov 3 15
4 Answers

Are there any affordable single home cogen furnaces available?

Just wondering, they were on the news a few years ago, never to be heard from again.

In Green products and materials | Asked By Alan B | Nov 3 15
1 Answer

Are mini split efficiencies credible?

See http://homeenergy.org/show/article/magazine/145/nav/issues/id/2085?utm_s... .

In Mechanicals | Asked By charles CAMPBELL | Nov 3 15
3 Answers

Roof insulation

The building: 1968 5-plex in Portland, Oregon.
The old roof: tar + gravel, flat.
The new(er) roof: asphalt rolls laid over a slightly built-up frame over the old flat roof. Probably as much as 6-8" between the newer roof sheathing and the old abandoned roof.
The joists: 2x8, 16" O.C., insulated with paper-faced fiberglass (a long time ago, it would appear). Though the walls are to the studs, we have not planned to demo the ceiling, so we're hoping to leave the batts in place.

In Building Code Questions | Asked By jonathan nagar | Oct 26 15
1 Answer

Housewrap and XPS insulation or just XPS on exterior?

Hello,

In General questions | Asked By Joe Roberts | Nov 3 15
6 Answers

Ventilation or no ventilation in spray foam insulated building?

I am planning to use open cell spray foam insulation in my metal building and then build out the interior. I have read two articles by Allision Bailes that seem to contradict one another concerning whether or not a home (or building) that has SPF should be ventilated or not. One article was entitled "Spray Foam Insulated Homes Need Ventilation" Posted on Oct 22 2014 by Allison A. Bailes III, PhD, GBA Advisor on Greenbuldingadvisor.com.

In General questions | Asked By Terry Blackwell | Nov 2 15
3 Answers

Interior foam board vapor barrier help

Trying to use interior foam board between sheetrock and fiberglass batt for bathroom ceiling renovation. Rafters only 3x4, 24+" spacing. Plan on using 2x2 furring strips over 3x4's for sheetrock. Want to use 1.5" foam board between furring strips. Dow recommended to use fiberglass batts WITH vapor barrier, and use unfoiled foam board between fiberglass/vaporbarrier and sheetrock, saying it would not be double vapor barrier as long as foam board is against vapor barrier. I'm not too comfortable with vapor barrier in middle of wall. Bath is high humidity. Any suggestions? Thank you

In Green building techniques | Asked By G J | Nov 3 15
3 Answers

Termites - adding shields to existing house on old stone walls and missing(?) foundation anchors

I'm prepping to dense pack empty cavities on an existing home, and am working from ground up.

Without replacing the sills, how would one go about inserting termite shields on an existing balloon-framed home with a stone foundation?

In Energy efficiency and durability | Asked By Mark Baker | Nov 2 15
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