The complete source for building, designing, and remodeling green homes
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Does This Roof Need More Foam?
A GBA reader named 88Clayton is insulating the attic in his house with spray foam and has run into a problem: the level of insulation recommended by contractors is at…
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What’s the Best Way to Insulate a Basement Slab?
Dave Feldman is building a new house near Boston, Massachusetts, that will have a walkout basement with a tile floor. His goal is to have the floor comfortably warm in…
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Does This Footing Need a Capillary Break?
As he works out the details for a new house, Jason Huffine has become concerned about the potential for trouble in applying a capillary break between the concrete footing and…
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Let’s Solve This Insulation Puzzle
Writing from Long Island, New York, Joe C describes repairs that he's been making to his house to correct water and insect damage. Two of the four walls of the…
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Does My Vent Hood Need Makeup Air?
Dave B plans on installing a range hood in the kitchen of his new house so any evidence of the blackened redfish or pan-seared scallops he might want to cook…
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My House Won’t Cool Down
Not even the most powerful residential air conditioning unit on the market is enough to keep Ryan Welch's Alabama home cool and comfortable. With the HVAC equipment located in what…
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Choosing an Air Barrier and a Housewrap
In the midst of framing his new house, Joe Norm has switched gears and opted out of Zip System sheathing in favor of CDX plywood. The question he faces now…
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Sanity Check on an Unvented Roof Assembly
Mapping out the roof assembly for a new house in Climate Zone 6B, Steve Mackay has settled on long I-joists insulated with a mix of closed-cell spray polyurethane foam and…
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The Framers Botched Their Job on ZIP Sheathing
The Zip System R-sheathing that 88Clayton has chosen for his house is structural OSB sheathing with a water- and air-resistive coating applied to one side and a continuous layer of…
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Should We Install a Whole-House Fan?
Writing from St. Paul, Minnesota, W Ramsay wants some feedback on his plan to install whole-house ventilation fans in the house he's building. He likes the idea, the building inspector…
