Green Homes News

We recently gut-renovated our 100yo brick home in Cleveland, OH (Zone 6A). We modernized it with two heat pump systems covering 4 distinct zones. The upstairs zone - the original…

We have a interior bathroom that will have a long bath fan exhaust pipe (~30') to an exterior wall through the attic.  It's a small full bath with an 80…

Building a “pretty decent house” lol in BC Canada zone 6. I am wondering if there’s any red flags in my roof system.Layup from inside to outside is as follows:-exposed…

Hi!  This is the first time we've done Rockwool ourselves and we are type A(AAA) personalities so we tend to want everything perfect, which is not great when building a…

Hello. I’ve just about got every detail narrowed down on my future build including all the materials I’d like to use.For reference: Climate Zone 4A, Kentucky Flooring System: TJI are a…

I’m planning to finally finish the basement this winter. We live in zone 5. A section of basement was framed 2x4 walls with r13 between the studs with poly on…

I have been searching on the web for information on vacuum-insulated glass (VIG). I know Pilkington has been offering them for a few years, in the R-5/U-0.2 range, and I…

Question for those familiar with using Drainage Mats along with exterior foam: is it necessary??Working with my local building inspectors on this wall design and they are not familiar with…

Hi All,This project takes place in Zone 6A, Chittenden county, Vermont.The bungalow we are renovating has 2x4 walls, a vaulted ceiling, and doghouse dormers. I need your help in brainstorming…

A photo is worth a thousand words

Hello everyone,Our contractor had to pause work on our project for a little while, and I’m wondering about a couple of things regarding humidity and insulation. We’re hoping the pause…

We are renovating a 100-year-old home in a historic preservation district. The house originally had two chimney stacks serving gas furnaces and gas fireplaces. All gas service and piping have…

Coming home from a short trip we found the house to be a little chilly, so I turned on the one year old Mitsubishi HP around 1AM. At 3am I…

We are considering either stucco (three coat with cement board )or James Hardie planks for the siding. Both are poor insulators. We considering adding a layer of rockwool to boost…

You're the building science expert investigating mold on a bathroom ceiling. What is the cause?

I've been researching floor mounted mini splits for our A Frame and swear I came across a submittal sheet on one of them that showed a 30 degree wall angle…

With the growth of artificial intelligence finding its way into our everyday lives, (if you are using an online search engine, you are probably using AI), I want to know…

An architect's guide to the window selection process

I am renovating a 1960’s 3 season cottage in zone 5.  The cottage is about 1000sq/ft and is built on a shallow crawl space.  I am planing on encapsulating the…

Hello all,Building a house in central MN.  I had come across a good deal of use 1" XPS, and had gotten sign-off to wrap in 1" foam from local building…