Recent Articles
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Details for a “High-Performance Garage”
An insulated slab, Larsen truss wall system, careful air-sealing, and dense-packed insulation in deep cavities mitigate heat losses at a garage door
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Urban Rustic: A Passive House Energy Scorecard
Eric Whetzel reviews energy performance and offers some other thoughts about his high-performance home
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Urban Rustic: Evaluating the Success of Passive-Solar-Design Strategies
Tracking the sun around all four sides of our house, inside and out, has proven the value of passive solar design in a cold climate
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Urban Rustic: Basement Paint Splatter
Taking a hint from Jackson Pollock for an unusual floor finish that was fun to apply
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Urban Rustic: Tile Floors
Porcelain tile is durable, and it was available in a pleasing mix of colors and textures
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Urban Rustic: Installing Hardwood Flooring
Choosing, installing, and finishing a hickory floor, on the diagonal
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Urban Rustic: Completing the Wall Assembly
Rockwool insulation and a smart vapor retarder complete the wall assembly
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Urban Rustic: Charred Cedar Siding
Mixing natural and charred cedar gives the house a bold look
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Urban Rustic: Exterior Insulation and a Rainscreen
Despite some complexities, continuous insulation on the exterior seemed like the best option
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Urban Rustic: The Blower Door Test
The painstaking efforts of building an airtight house pay off
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Urban Rustic: Choosing and Installing a Ductless Minisplit
A right-sized system and three indoor heads spells comfort, even when a polar vortex blasts into town