Cold climate / Discussions

...cold climate like Minnesota requires careful management of the "dew point" to prevent hidden mold (see here to better understand the dew point in homes.) Since you plan to keep the existing vapor barrier against the concrete, the biggest risk is moisture getting trapped between that plastic and your new drywall. Adding...

...cold climates are insulated on the interior and and lack sufficient moisture protection, so you are not alone. If your foundation was built a hundred years ago I may be concerned about the concrete mix as there was no oversight in those days, but a 1976 basement foundation is likely solid and should not be negatively i...

...cold Canadian temperatures, but I'm unsure where to start. Do you have any design specs? To build a sustainable and energy efficient home in a cold climate you will need sufficient insulation and an airtight building envelope. There is not one perfect wall system we would point you towards, but rather give you some tip...

...cold winter night Plumbing solutions can be tricky So it ultimately comes down to lifestyle and cost, hopefully this helps a bit with perspective.   

...cold / hot climate?  How do you recommend we size the HRV or ERV? Which brands do you have experience of/ would you recommend (bearing in mind efficiency and power consumption)? To be clear, we aren't building a "Cabin in the Woods" like back in the day - this will be our 3000 sq.ft. main family home residence. That’s ...

Hi! We moved into a house last winter (it is a 50 year old home) and we notice condensation on the ceilings. The house also had plywood soffits with minimal ventilation. After investigating, we discovered that the attic was completely wet and moisture was getting trapped which lead to mould growth on the plywood at the...