Q&A: A Forum for Green Building Experts and Beginners

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2 Answers

Looking for siding contractor in western Mass./Connecticut Valley

Our house, built in the early 1970s, has some rot in and under the siding on the north side, a gable end. A contractor recommends removing all the clapboards on that side, then removing and replacing all the plywood sheathing. I asked if we could improve on the insulation when the wall was opened up, but he said no, we can only replace what’s there. (The house has ordinary frame construction and fiberglass insulation – I believe it’s about R-11, but I can’t find a record.)

In General questions | Asked By Patricia Appelbaum | Nov 5 12
2 Answers

Can I justify a hot tub?

40 years of carpentry are catching up: my bones are getting creaky. I never thought I'd want a hot tub until I used a friend's on a few chilly mornings, and now I see how it could become habit-forming.

Is there any way to make an outdoor hot tub acceptably green, without solar power? Could I wrap enough insulation around it to make it efficient?

Climate zone 4, natural gas available.

In Energy efficiency and durability | Asked By David McNeely | Nov 5 12
6 Answers

What cold wall/vapor profile system is practical to use in Whitehorse, Yukon?

Dear Sirs
Would you please guide me in understandingthe design for our new house ?
We live in Whitehorse,Yukon Territory, so our goal is super insulated, because
of our cold climate.

While Yukon is mostly a Subarctic/Arctic region, Whitehorse is much milder than the interior Yukon.
For example:
Average January temperature
Whitehorse -17.7C Old Crow -31.1
(the record daily low was -52.2 in 1947)
Average July temperature
Whitehorse +14.1C Old Crow +14.6C

In GBA Pro help | Asked By D'Arcy Olynyk | Nov 1 12
3 Answers

I love rotten wall sheathing

For an upcoming article, I'm looking for photos of rotten OSB, rotten plywood, and rotten sheathing boards. The topic: all about wall rot.

If you have a photo you are willing to share, post it here or e-mail it directly to me:
martin [at] greenbuildingadvisor [dot] com.

If you think you know the source of the moisture, send that information along with the photo.

Thanks!

In General questions | Asked By Martin Holladay | Nov 5 12
7 Answers

Anyone seen a defective exterior paint finish on Serious fiberglass window frames?

It took me some time to specify Serious Windows, after Serious bought Alpen (note: Alpen has recently "bought back" the fiberglass window line), but in the last few years I've specified them three times. The first were white, the second painted almond and this third time we went with bronze, all standard colors. The bronze windows were delivered last month with a defective paint finish on the exterior; looked like an adhesion problem with a touch-up or second coat.

In GBA Pro help | Asked By Rachel Wagner | Oct 30 12
0 Answers

A lively debate by several bloggers

GBA's news story on the petition asking PHIUS to choose a new name for any standard deviating from the current 15 kwh per square meter Passivhaus standard has generated many comments. In fact, the debate has been picked up by several bloggers in two countries.

Here are links to the latest articles on the topic:

In PassivHaus | Asked By Martin Holladay | Mar 27 12
5 Answers

A fun interview with Joe Lstiburek

Andrew Michler at the Inhabitat website has just published a fun interview with Joe Lstiburek. Read it here: INTERVIEW: Building Science Pioneer Dr. Joe Lstiburek.

Warning to Chris Briley and Phil Kaplan: there's some architect-bashing involved. So, all you architects out there -- if you're feeling squeamish today, don't read the interview.

In General questions | Asked By Martin Holladay | May 17 12
3 Answers

Spiders still in basement 6 months after Ive airsealed and blockfoamed the joist bays

Ok this has me scratching my head where these little ba@#%@ are coming from
I block foamed and sealed each joist bay and sealed along the sill plate
Any ideas as I have all pertrusions sealed so I have no idea where they are coming from, surely they cant live for that long
Any ideas or pointers would be great

In General questions | Asked By Darren Finch | Nov 4 12
0 Answers

Carl Seville is interviewed by Inhabitat.com

Carl's famous! Andrew Michler of Inhabitat.com has just published an interview with GBA's crusty old curmudgeon.

Carl explains his personality to Andrew this way: "I like to complain about things."

Read it here: INTERVIEW: Inhabitat Talks with Carl Seville, the Green Building Curmudgeon.

(The interview may appear short, but that's just because it has been published on four different pages. You'll have to click through to all four pages to read the whole interview.)

In General questions | Asked By Martin Holladay | Nov 5 12
3 Answers

Proper thermostat programming for one room radiant heating?

This question is in regards to a one zone radiant floor and whether I am programming my thermostat correctly.

We have a high efficiency gas fired hot water baseboard system in all rooms save the bath. Here, our plumber installed a radiant system in the ceiling of the basement under a tile floor. We wanted a warm floor in the morning and evening when we take baths/showers.

In Energy efficiency and durability | Asked By Jim Smith | Nov 4 12
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