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tag: weatherizing
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Home Energy-Efficiency Upgrades for Beginners
Advice for homeowners: Inspect your house for these common energy problems to get a better idea on where your money is best spent
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A Shortcut for Air-Sealing Houses
Researchers who developed a method of sealing leaky air ducts set their sights on a whole-house treatment that should make it easier for builders to make tight houses
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Ventilation Strategies for Houses in the Hot-Humid South: Good/Better/Best
Build tight, ventilate right. I learned that from building science guru Mark LaLiberte. But what is the right way to ventilate a house in Texas (or anywhere in the hot/humid South)? I'll give you my recommendations for three strategies.
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Best Practices: Methods for Installing Brick or Stone Veneer
4 commentsBrick is a wonderful building veneer and is the original "Rain Screen" method of separating your cladding from your building with an air gap. Rock on the other hand is often devoid of that air gap here in the South and can lead to building failures. In this post I'll show you a Best Practice Rock veneer approach with a vented air gap.
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How to Do Everything: The Energy Nerd's Greatest Hits
1 commentIf you plan to design, build, or remodel an energy efficient house, Energy Nerd Martin Holladay's collection of how-to articles is a must-read
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High-Performance Homes Dos & Don'ts: Mark LaLiberte Seminar Notes
2 commentsMark LaLiberte is an amazing building-science teacher. Read my blogging notes from his seminar titled "Building High-Performance Homes Dos & Don'ts," which I attended in Austin, Texas. Remember that this is focused on Texas construction, but there is plenty to learn here for anyone in the U.S.
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Blower Doors Have Become Essential Home-Building Tools
2 commentsUse one to measure a building’s airtightness, to locate leaks, or to comply with a green building program
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Airtight Wall and Roof Sheathing
13 commentsIn the early 1970s, residential builders knew almost nothing about air tightness. Nowadays, there's plenty of data showing why it's so important to air-seal houses.
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Major Thermal Bypasses: Energy-Wasting Holes in Your House
4 commentsDon’t worry about the cracks around your windows until you’ve sealed all of the big holes in your house
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Refurbishing Old Double-Hung Windows - Part Two
1 commentDouble-hung sashes that are swollen, out of square, encrusted with paint, or without weatherstripping need a little extra TLC.
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Refurbishing Old Double-Hung Windows - Part One
4 commentsWindows built 50 to 100 years ago often were constructed from woods that are no longer available. So it makes sense to refurbish them when they get tired.
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Stop Drafts With a Homemade Door Sweep
4 commentsYou don't need fancy, store-bought thresholds to block the air leaking under your old doors. Make your own sweep out of materials you already have lying around the shop.
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Flashing A Recessed Window using Liquid Tyvek
1 commentFlashing a recessed window is tricky, this new product from DuPont Tyvek called Fluid Applied (Liquid Tyvek!) makes the process much simpler. In this jobsite video we will take you through the steps to form a water tight, air tight, and vapor permeable window install.
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"I can't install this" - Poka-Yoke on the job site
5 commentsHow do you prevent job site mistakes? The Japanese Management Technique of Poka-Yoke of course! See how I use this principle on my jobs to ensure we don't cover up a mistake that could cause problems years down the line. -Matt Risinger
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Wood Siding - Best Practice Installation Method
You don't see much real wood siding on houses anymore, but wood can be a durable (and beautiful) option if we take the care to install it correctly. In this video I'll show you the tricks to a wood siding installation that will set you up for decades of beauty for your home.
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Installing Commercial Windows In A Residence - Best Practice
I love the look of Modern Architecture, but these modern details involving no overhangs & commercial windows require a lot of fore thought on the part of the builder. In this video I'll show you the Best Practice Install for Commercial Windows in Residential Construction.
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Weatherization's Home-Stretch Recovery
1 commentEven though the expanded Weatherization Assistance Program struggled out of the gate – and can always be improved – it has produced encouraging, credible results
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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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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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Temporary No-pest Vent Cap
Before closing up our Idaho remodel for the season, I made a final walk-around to check for openings where pests might find their way in over the winter. I noticed an open plumbing air vent pipe...
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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
