Energy efficiency / Discussions

...efficiency heat pump to provide both heat and air conditioning to supplement our hot well? Go to a system that allows us to heat our home with the hot well when the temperature outside is not to low and then switch to gas heat when it is below say 15-20 degress or lower? Several other homes in our area have abandoned t...

The builder on this 15 year old home ran the heat runs in the exterior joist space, he then insulated against the rim joist and under the heat runs, then wrapped from the mud sill to the underside of the plywood on the interior of the first joist and sealed the poly to the plywood with acoustical caulk, we will now spr...

...efficiency, it appears th market is stalled with applications limited to niches.  I'm not selling anything, but I am looking for insight.   Jon Tirpak, PE Phase change building materials are a fantastic way to regulate heat in a home and save energy, though they are regrettably not common. Here is some background on th...

In our home built in 1995 we have zone heating in 3 areas, each with their own electric baseboard heaters under the windows. The thermostats control 2-3 heaters each. One in the entrance for the hallway heater and reception room. One in the kitchen and family room and one upstairs for the 3 bedrooms. We have two proble...

I'm adding insulation to the stud walls in my baserment with 2.25" of close cell spray foam on the concrete walls.  The stud walls are 3-5" " from the close cell spray foam.  I can either (try to) pack the void between the wall and the uneven surface of the closed cell spray foam, leaving the stud bays empty, or leave ...

I have a house built on piers. Originally it had a plywood skirt down to the ground to help stop the wind. The bottom of the skirt rotted away.  I replaced the skirt with 0.5in. plexiglass 32in. below grade. Using 2X6 PT lumber at the base and 2X4 PT studs stopped the wall from being pushing in.  I installed closable v...

...energy efficiency home renovation grants, tax breaks and financial incentives would be regionally specific. Where are you located, Canada or the US? There are some  2021 green home grants and loans programs in Canada are currently being released, see below to find out more about them and how to apply.  Canada Greener H...

...Energy can also help in choosing which upgrades will offer the greatest return. What is a Net Zero Energy home and how does it work? Essentially, a Net Zero home generates as much energy as it consumes over the course of a year, often through renewable energy systems like solar panels and energy-efficient building tech...

...energy efficiency, but it has to be done with carefully selected materials or it will trap moisture and can cause significant damage to walls, exactly as you mentioned. The suggestion of adding a rigid foam panel to the exterior would likely cause that trapping of moisture you are already aware of as foam will act as a...

I need to insulate my basement walls in between the floor joists of the upper floor. I am thinking some panels sealed in with insulation foam adhesive  For insulating the floor joist cavities in basements, you can use foam panels and you suggested. It can be busy work with a lot of cutting, but it works well and it is ...

I live in Montreal. Do you have any recommendations for which one to buy and where ? For choosing the best brand of ERV for your climate and finding where to buy one, start by looking here in the Ecohome Green Building Product Directory and search by location, but most of the major brands of home ventilation equipment ...

...efficiency and financial benefits in my option do not outweigh the purchase cost and effort.  Hemp insulation is a sustainable and non-toxic building material, and it also manages residual moisture in walls very well as it can absorb a certain amount of moisture without causing harm. So that is a great choice. 

...energy efficiency and durability Efficient lighting – You will probably have a lot of natural light based on your passive solar orientation, but still choose LED lights for energy savings.  LEDs are very affordable now with a lot of options, see our page on LED filament bulbs Efficient appliances – yes, it is worth the...

...efficiency, choosing low-flow fixtures and toilets, water-efficient showerheads and heat pump water heaters. You should also fix dripping faucets (or leaking taps in the UK) using our comprehensive guide. If you are looking to improve your overall home efficiency and you have the budget to do it, our favourite heat pum...

...energy efficiency upgrades and renos are different by region, and they are prone to come and go pretty quickly. You can see what grants are available to you here on this page - Green Building tax credits and grants for 2025 We try to keep that page as updated and accurate as possible but things change very quickly, so ...

...energy efficiency home renovations I hope you are able to find something of value, and if you find any for your region we don’t have listed please let us know so we can update it.   As for energy efficiency upgrades, you are always best to find out where your investment will get the most bang for your buck, so regardle...

I have a 3 foot and 4 foot drop level crawl with a part basement attached. 650 square feet. It has sand floor and below grade concrete walls. the access to the crawl is from the part basement. i have take out old r10 batts that were in the floor joists. the crawl is vented with 2 vents. i live on the east coast of Vanc...

I finished a basement for a contractor and what we did was put tar paper on the concrete walls the left about 3/4 to an inch of air space than a 2x4 wall I think 16 on centre and used pink fibreglass insulation with vapour barrier break under the bottom plate and over the insulation on the interior warm side and then d...