Best Practices
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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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Making Home Energy Upgrades
Guidance for choosing building assemblies and products that will reduce heating/cooling loads and operational costs
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Refrigerants: Ways to Reduce Their Environmental Impact
It’s time to go beyond leak prevention and A2L, toward more aggressive reduction goals
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Rafter Tail Removal for Home Performance Upgrade
A “chainsaw retrofit” was the solution for creating continuous air and thermal barriers from wall to roof on an old timber-frame farmhouse
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Installing an Interior Air Barrier
Interior-only air-sealing strategies can work with the right products and techniques
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Adding Exterior Insulation to Existing Homes
Firsthand experience informs this basic plan for installing rigid insulation on the outside of an older building
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Protecting Heat Pumps from Rain and Snow
Tips and product recommendations for ensuring optimal heat pump performance under wet and potentially damaging conditions
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Home Maintenance Tasks You’re Probably Not Doing (and Should Be)
Six straightforward tasks to perform on a schedule to ensure your equipment and home environment are being optimally maintained for best function
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Planning and Prepping for Basement Flooring
Managing moisture is key, but choosing the appropriate product and creating a suitable surface are also crucial factors in establishing a long-lasting, comfortable basement floor
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A Roadmap for Getting to Net-Zero
An owner-builder shares her method for setting priorities to achieve optimal energy efficiency
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Low-Carbon Foundations
As more building pros look for ways to get carbon out of their projects, foundations are the low-hanging fruit. Here are some viable alternatives to concrete basements and slabs.