soil-gas-homes / Green Building & Sustainable Home Renovation Information & Advice

Mold in homes is a bad sign so how to get rid of it or prevent mold in drywall? Mold and mildew in homes develops in conditions of high humidity, most often in bathrooms, kitchens and basements, unless caused by roof leaks and other building envelope failures. Along with affecting the durability of your home, mold and ...

Radon gas builds up in homes and has serious health effects. Reducing radon gas in homes is cheap and easy with a slab floor barrier with proper sealing at junctions and evacuation stack which can vent naturally, or have a mechanical radon gas extractor fan fitted, depending on the levels of Radon in your home. Radon (...

Why is Radon a Problem in USA & Canada? Radon gas is cancer-causing radioactive, invisible, odourless and tasteless in water and air, and we are surrounded by it without knowing at all times at some level. It is present in every breath you take, hopefully in very, very small quantities, but then how do we know? Rad...

While Ecohome is a firm advocate of decarbonizing homes by the adoption of electricity as the primary power source, we understand that for some of you, using gas may be the only option that fits your situation or location. We have written this guide to help you differentiate between renewable natural gas, fossil gas, a...

Gas stoves - playing with fire? Fossil gas stoves and gas cooktops, greenwashed as using 'natural' gas, are even more of a problem than most people realize - especially if concerned about the keeping everyone in the family in good health! The Asthma Society of Canada says that the number of asthma cases being diagnosed...

So why is natural gas being phased out?   Natural gas is being phased out of new home construction because burning any fossil fuel releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and contributes to the warming of the planet. The carbon dioxide emissions from burning natural gas are lower than with oil or coal, but there ar...

The cleaner burning process (than diesel fuel) and price has made heating and cooking with natural gas quite popular in the last couple of decades. However, popularity put a pretty heavy dent in supply, so much so that alternative sources are being explored to meet demand. There are some potentially greener sources of ...

Before embarking on any structural changes, it is most important to understand that the sound isolation between two homes is not determined only by the common wall or floor. All the other parts of the construction - side walls, ceilings, floors under walls - can transmit sound. Flanking sound transmission (see below), ...

Why cleaning HRV units is so important  When any machine has its normal operation hampered, it will reduce its efficiency and ability to function properly. Many of us are probably guilty of forgetting about basic maintenance of some of the mechanical equipment in our homes; keeping your HRV (heat recovery ventilator) c...

For most of us, purchasing or building a home will be the biggest investment of our lives. This section is about knowing what to look for in new homes to get the best value for your dollar, or what to look for in a building lot for the same reasons. What to look for in a location: Being close to where you work and pla...

Radon Gas in Crawlspaces & Basements - why is it a problem? Radon gas was not high on the radar of builders and home owners over the last few decades, but as it is the second leading cause of lung cancer (after smoking) in the USA & Canada, it is quickly becoming a household term. Many newer homes will have rad...