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Is a Masonry Heater the Right Choice for a Superinsulated House?
1 commentJohn Hess is planning to build a super-insulated house in New England, and is considering a masonry heater. These high-mass heaters require a fire only once or twice a day, but would one be overkill in a super-tight, high efficiency home?
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How to Provide Combustion Air for a Wood Stove
A wood stove in an old, leaky house? No problem. Air consumed by the stove could easily be replaced via the abundant air leaks that most old houses had. In airtight construction, it's a different question.
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DOE's Marketing Push for Aeroseal
3 commentsLawrence Berkeley National Lab touts the technology's track record for sealing leaks in duct systems and improving energy efficiency
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Smart Phone Apps for Builders: Velux Skylight Planner
2 commentsClients love skylights. Now you can show them what one would look like in their living room.
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Design snapshot: Stair with flair
4 commentsArchitect Katie Hutchison shares a House Enthusiast "Design snapshot" of a well-crafted Georgian stair.
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Patrick's Barn: Merry Christmas to Us
2 commentsWhen my mom asked what we wanted for Christmas, we came up with the perfect gift.
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The Self-Taught MBA
8 commentsAbout 30 years ago, I read a Fine Homebuilding article that changed my career. I came upon it while building my second house. By then, I owned a sturdy Ford truck and a garage full of tools, and I...
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A Classic Farmhouse
2 commentsArchitect Marc Sloot defines the Farmhouse style with this Wisconsin home.
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Japan's Emerging Smart-Town Boom
1 commentCorporations partner on development of large communities whose top priorities include energy efficiency, renewables, and energy storage
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Can an Unvented Cathedral Ceiling be Insulated with Dense-Pack Rock Wool?
A homeowner building a house in Massachusetts asks for advice on insulating a cathedral ceiling
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How to Lay Tile Over a Concrete Slab
3 commentsUncoupling membranes used between a tile floor and a concrete slab should prevent any cracks in the concrete from affecting the tile, but will it lower the thermal mass potential of the concrete?
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Tackling PV's Administrative Challenges
The DOE names contestants in a competition intended to make permitting and financing for photovoltaic systems quicker and cheaper
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Design snapshot: Roof riddle
2 commentsArchitect Katie Hutchison shares a House Enthusiast "Design snapshot" of a roof rake and eave intersection.
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Tool-Test Preview: Compact Compressors
18 commentsDo you have a compact compressor and an opinion? Then we want to hear from you!
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Patrick's Barn: Siding Is Just Around the Corner
5 commentsWith the insulation and felt paper in place, we hope to start siding soon.
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Choosing the Best High Performance Wall System
Planning a house for a cold climate, a builder weighs the merits of double 2x4 stud walls vs. 2x6 walls with exterior rigid foam insulation.
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Windows in Historic Homes: Repair or Replace?
Historic preservation rules may prohibit the replacement of single-pane windows that contribute to energy losses. Are these edicts reasonable, or do they represent the triumph of tradition over common sense?
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Researching Retrofit Technology in the Northwest
Using two identical, side-by-side homes as their laboratory, DOE researchers aim to measure the effectiveness of a variety of energy efficiency improvements
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Maintaining & Flushing a Tankless Water Heater
Tankless water heaters need an annual service to get the maximum life out of your unit. This is a simple process of de-scaling using vinegar and cleaning your in-line filter. This video will show you how to do it.
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Taking Aim at California's Low-Carbon Target
As the state prepares to cut greenhouse gas emissions 80% below 1990 levels over the next 38 years, scientists predict a mostly electric future
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Garage Progress
We're making good progress on the garage shop at the project house. Drywall is hung, carriage doors are installed and the new front facade has been painted. read more
