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tag: insulation
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Smart Design Advice for Hot & Humid Climates (i.e. The South)
Architect Peter Pfeiffer talks about how to utilize smart design for a house in a hot climate zone. His green building advice is practical and following his advice will result in a house that's well designed for the rigors of a hot climate. If you want a comfortable, efficient, durable house and you live in the South then this video will give you tons to think about.
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Should vinyl siding be installed over furring strips?
3 commentsAs builders and homeowners get more energy-savvy, they often choose an exterior wall assembly that includes rigid foam insulation over the sheathing, followed by furring strips and then the siding. But is this technique appropriate for vinyl siding?
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The Downside of Using Structural Steel
1 commentA Seattle homeowner worries that steel I-beams used to support cantilevered floors in this modernist design will wick in cold temperatures from the outside
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Project House Weekly Wrap, Episode 8: Sweating the Details - Windows, Doors, and Insulation
2 commentsEditors Justin Fink and Dan Morrison review a smorgasbord of details at the Fine Homebuilding project house shop, including a mock up of how not to install fiberglass insulation, and the...
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A New Roof is an Opportunity to Add More Insulation
A homeowner in Baltimore needs to replace the built-up asphalt roof on his house, and wonders how to insulate it effectively at the same time
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What's the Best Way to Install Rainscreen Siding?
A builder planning a new house plans to include a rainscreen, an exterior detail that separates the sheathing from the finish cladding with furring strips. He'd like to install the furring horizontally instead of in the more typical vertical orientation. Is that a problem?
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Project House Weekly Wrap, Episode 5: Housewrap and Exterior-Foam-Insulation Details
Fine Homebuilding editors Dan Morrison and Justin Fink discuss water-management, energy efficiency, and dealing with tricky wall transitions
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Should Rafters be Encapsulated by Spray-Foam?
1 commentEven experts continue to be confused about the permissible thickness of foam insulation sprayed onto the underside of a roof deck
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Weighing the Merits of Spray-Foam Insulation
A homeowner looking to upgrade the insulation in his 90-year-old Cape is thinking about contracting for spray-in foam. But he's got conflicting advice from installers and wonders whether closed-cell or open-cell foam is the way to go.
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Can a Slab Foundation be Insulated Without Rigid Foam?
3 commentsEnergy efficient buildings typically incorporate insulation beneath their concrete slabs, and the go-to choice is sheets of rigid foam. Are there alternatives?
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Does Super-Insulation Make Sense in New Orleans?
3 commentsA winning design for an energy-efficient house in the Deep South sparks a conversation on whether high R-values can make a house harder to cool.
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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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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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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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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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Russia's First "Active House" Gets a Test Drive
A Danish solar-panel company teams up with a Russian developer to build a home designed to showcase net-zero-energy performance
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How to Build a 'Perfect Wall'
3 commentsAdding rigid foam insulation to the outside of the building reduces thermal bridging. Choosing the right insulation for the wall cavity is another question altogether
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What's the Best Way of Insulating a Crawl Space?
2 commentsA leaky crawl space can lower indoor air quality and make it harder to heat and cool a home. So what's the most effective way of dealing with the problem?
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Attic-Insulation Upgrade Takes a Wrong Step
4 commentsInstalling cellulose insulation into my attic was easy and even fun--until a moment of carelessness changed the job from home improvement to home repair.
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Lawmaker Targets DOE's Weatherization Program
3 commentsIt's all part of Representative Chuck Fleischmann’s campaign to stop "green initiative abuse"
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How to Paint Fiber-Cement Siding
Painter Jim Lacey shares some tips for caulking and painting fiber-cement siding. read more
