by Tim Snyder | Nov 7, 2013 | Attics
Blotchy stains and winter ice crystals indicate ventilation and air leakage problems that can rot your roof. In the great outdoors, mold is Mother Nature’s way of recycling organic compounds. But indoor mold is a fairly serious problem, even in an unused area like...
by Joseph R. Provey | Nov 2, 2013 | Attics, Building Envelope
Air Krete® cementitious foam insulation has been around for decades, but despite its many advantages it has not become a household name. That may change now that Dr. Energy Saver, a nation-wide network of energy conservation contractors, has acquired exclusive rights...
by Tim Snyder | Oct 30, 2013 | Conditioned Spaces, Featured Posts
Deficiencies in ductwork are surprisingly common. Detecting and correcting these 4 problems will improve comfort and indoor air quality while also reducing your heating and cooling costs. We depend on ductwork to deliver air that’s been heated or cooled by the HVAC...
by Susan Jensen Smith | Oct 29, 2013 | Basements
How to help your home work better in a storm. As we pause to remember the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, we can’t help but consider what actions we as homeowners can take to protect our property from the next big storm. Storms are expensive. Not only in terms...
by Susan Jensen Smith | Oct 25, 2013 | Conditioned Spaces, Energy-Savings Tips
Exterior doors come with weatherstripping that helps seal energy-wasting air leaks around door edges. But over time, the foam or plastic material will wear out, fall out, or lose its resiliency. “A 1/32” gap around the edge of an entry door can let in as much...
by Susan Jensen Smith | Oct 22, 2013 | Attics, Energy-Savings Tips
When it’s time to reshingle your roof, consider ENERGY STAR® rated cool roof shingles. Asphalt shingles that use cool roof technology can cut your summertime cooling expenses by 7% – 15%. The key to a cool roof, says the Cool Roof Rating Council, is to reflect...
by Susan Jensen Smith | Oct 17, 2013 | Attics, Energy-Savings Tips
Bringing all U.S. homes to airtightness levels spelled out in the 2012 International Energy Conservation Code would save as much as $33 billion in energy costs annually ~ GreenBuildingAdvisor.com The attic is the biggest source of energy-wasting air leaks in most...
by Tim Snyder | Oct 10, 2013 | Basements, Crawl Spaces
What’s right, what’s wrong & what will cause problems Builders love crawl space foundations because they’re quick and inexpensive to build. You don’t need heavy equipment to excavate a giant hole for a full basement. Instead, you’re erecting short walls to get the...
by Joseph R. Provey | Sep 28, 2013 | Basements, Crawl Spaces
[aside] 4 Conditions Mold Needs to Thrive Temperatures above 40°F and below 100°F Mold spores Nutrients (most materials contain nutrients) Moisture[/aside] Mold wants to invade your home. It’s not satisfied with living in your basement or crawlspace, or inside your...
by Joseph R. Provey | Sep 26, 2013 | Basements, Crawl Spaces
How to insulate a crawlspace is a trickier question than whether or not to seal it, as discussed in the previous post “The Crawlspace Argument: vented vs encapsulated.” In cold climates, insulating the floor above the crawlspace is often more energy...
by Joseph R. Provey | Sep 19, 2013 | Basements, Crawl Spaces, Foundations
A new way to solve an old problem More than 27 million homes in the U.S. have crawlspaces. That number grows every year, as 15 to 20 percent of new homes continue to be built over crawlspaces. That’s a lot of houses, most of which are probably suffering from a variety...
by Tim Snyder | Sep 11, 2013 | Conditioned Spaces, Heating & Cooling
There’s something very cool about high-efficiency heating equipment. Most of us are smart enough not to put our hands directly over a chimney when a fire is burning below it. We know that enough heat goes up the chimney to cause a painful burn. But this rule...
by Tim Snyder | Sep 7, 2013 | Attics, Building Envelope
Comfort & energy problems are caused by attics with too little insulation and too much air leakage. Autumn’s official arrival has many of us reaching into the back of the closet for coats and sweaters that may soon get put to use. Getting reacquainted with...
by Tim Snyder | Sep 5, 2013 | Basements, Foundations
You’re not alone. But thanks to innovative products, even a “problem” basement can be transformed into dry, comfortable living space. “Of course it’s wet down there. It’s a basement.” You’ve probably heard this kind of response to basement moisture. It’s...
by Joseph R. Provey | Aug 30, 2013 | Basements, Building Envelope, Crawl Spaces
Your floors are cold but the last time you checked, the floor joists above the crawlspace were stuffed with batts of fluffy insulation. What gives? Homeowners whose homes are built over crawlspaces may wonder about this. Or they may simply turn up the thermostat and...
