tag: insulation

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Project House Weekly Wrap, Episode 5: Housewrap and Exterior-Foam-Insulation Details

FHBdotcom, editor | March 9th, 2012

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?

ScottG, contributing writer | January 30th, 20122 comments

Even 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

ScottG, contributing writer | January 23rd, 20121 comment

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?

ScottG, contributing writer | January 18th, 20124 comments

Energy 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?

ScottG, contributing writer | January 9th, 20123 comments

A 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?

ScottG, contributing writer | December 13th, 2011

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

ScottG, contributing writer | December 6th, 2011

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

FHB_Building_News, contributor | December 4th, 2011

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

FHB_Building_News, contributor | December 2nd, 2011

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

FHB_Building_News, contributor | November 29th, 2011

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'

ScottG, contributing writer | November 28th, 20113 comments

Adding 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?

ScottG, contributing writer | November 22nd, 20112 comments

A 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

DonBurgard, Copy editor | November 22nd, 20114 comments

Installing 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

FHB_Building_News, contributor | November 21st, 20113 comments

It's all part of Representative Chuck Fleischmann’s campaign to stop "green initiative abuse"

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Insulating a Maine Roof with Dense-Pack Cellulose

ScottG, contributing writer | November 8th, 20111 comment

A homeowner is moving ahead with plans for an unvented roof insulated with a combination of dense-pack cellulose and rigid foam board. Will moisture be a problem?

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Best Attic for Hot/Humid Climates

Matt Risinger, Blogger | October 31st, 2011

Most houses in Hot/Humid climates don't have basements so that means that most ductwork in Southern house runs through super hot attic spaces. In this video I'll show you a rather civilized attic space that really makes for a comfortable & efficient house!

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Using Polyethylene as an Air Barrier

ScottG, contributing writer | October 28th, 20112 comments

Although polyethylene sheeting has fallen out of favor as a vapor retarder in most wall and ceiling assemblies, opinion is mixed on whether it can be used as an air barrier

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PODCAST: Five Big Holes in your House That Suck Energy Out

DanMorrison, Executive editor, Fine Homebuilding & Green Building Advisor | October 25th, 20114 comments

An 1/8th inch crack along a window doesn't seem like much to worry about, but a 1/8th in. crack running the length of your house amounts to a hole bigger than a half sheet of plywood. If...

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