Green Homes News

Hi,I'm renovating our basement and looking to chose the most suitable flooring options. Plan is to install mostly carpet with one section of rubber gym flooring for exercise equipment. House is…

I'm in the process of renovating my kneewalls, but I'm facing some challenges regarding the best insulation choice for my region's climate. The east side of my kneewall presents a…

I am renovating an old, post-and-beam house that sits on concrete piers, and has no insulation nor sheathing. Summers are humid and fairly warm with temperatures between 23C/71F and 31C/88F.…

I finally came down with Covid and also, we are having the dryest/warmest winter on record (think forest fires next summer) so I got to thinking about using MERV13 filters…

Hello GBA community, I'm considering installing a high velocity system as part of the HVAC for our new residential home.   This is recommended by our builder's HVAC vendor.  The vendor…

Just curious if anyone has insights on plumbing piping. We are starting our plumbing rough-ins very soon, maybe even this week, so it might be too late to discuss this.Today…

This new Youtube series features Steve dissecting a Passive house that he designed in 2009 and was finished in 2011. In the series he'll go over all aspects of the…

Thanks for your great help with questions re our concrete-free slab and HPWH. Now I am looking for advice on sizing ASHP heating system given widely disparate heat load estimates: …

Any tricks to filling the divot left from the hose and getting the corners filled better? (Other than making more holes of course) Also wondering now if it’s a bad…

Musings of an Energy Nerd What Windows Should I Buy?(2018)The age old question with a subjective answer no one can agree about.  What brand of window should I buy.  I was…

I've been reading up on building science articles and have even hired a building science engineer, but have been frustrated by the lack of practical advice for retrofits. I understand…

I have a two-story home with different forced air furnaces and ductwork for each floor, furnaces in the basement and attic.I've become a zealot about IAQ (particulate and VOC reduction)…

New subscriber here...Looks like lots of great conversations and posts.With vented roof assemblies, it seems that primarily soffit vents leading to a roof or gable vent is common practice.To a…

I have 5-yr old Pella Impervia windows. With the recent Arctic-like weather in the mid-west, I left my window coverings open to maximize passive solar heat. I can feel the…

I was on vacation for 4 weeks and unfortunately while I was gone, the electricity and internet were out for days, so I was not able to keep the heat…

Possibly silly question, but when someone writes a guideline like "the overall U-value of a wall assembly (including insulation, framing, and windows) is about 1 to 2 W/m^2/K," does that…

Good morning,My wife and I have owned a 1840 three story home since 2006.  We moved out due to job relocation back in 2015.  We took this as a sign…

Hello everyone,I have a question about my situation. I live in zone 6 and I am redoing the ceiling in my home because the drywall was failing. The roof is…

How to specify the right U-factor and SHGC for your climate zone

HiI have a low slope roof with a leak. Interior is exposed beams. Built in ‘61. What I have surmised from various roofers and experts…the ceiling files are about 1.25”…