Walls / Discussions

...walls. From all of my reading it says that your basement foundation walls can only dry to the inside. If I put foamboard on the concrete and seal it everywhere, when moisture comes through the concrete it will have nowhere to go. Perhaps I am missing something here but seems to me over time behind the eps will be wet a...

...walls. And you are right, they can be an excellent insulation system for wood-framed houses, and done with 2x4’s as well since you no longer need the depth of the studs to accommodate batts.  The fact that it is a foam product can give it a bad rap in green home building circles, but we think that EPS insulation may be...

Pls. Send me any info on green grants i might be eligible for ? we put on a steel roof and insolated basement but need new window and drywall unfinished basement, also interested in solor panels Thank you for any info you can send  Figuring out where to start with home renovations when you first buy a home is not easy....

...walls made of plywood?  What I’m getting at here is that it really isn’t, or doesn’t *have* to be a crawl space anymore. If the walls (or ‘sides’) are just plywood then it seems to be it may be doing no good but only harm. I will try to elaborate :  Insulating the ground on top of the poly and not having air sealed and...

I have started construction on a 38'x20' passive solar greenhouse. 2x6 framed walls on south side with many windows. Struggling a bit on: 1) Best insulation type to go between studs.  2) If I should have a vapour barrier, or let the wall breath (high humidity inside). Location and type of vapour barrier.  3) best rigid...

...walls, there are many ways to build. The industry is moving towards prefabricated homes because they can often be a higher quality for the same price for a number of reasons, you can read more about prefab kit houses here.  So why don’t you check these pages over and see if anything resonates, and feel free to come bac...

Research has shown vented roof with air tight attic can save 20% energy. Have you done that before? And suggestion for new 2 story build ?   I don’t fully understand sorry, can you give us more details? In the research you mention, where does the 20% energy saving come from, meaning compared to what? Homes should be ai...

...walls had been insulated but not on a portion of the basement walls that were not finished on the interior. I have dug down about a foot on the exterior walls and there is no cracking evident below ground level, on any part of the foundation.  The interior  walls are in good condition with no evidence of moisture or mo...

Hello all, I am an architectural designer who, personally, love slab on grades. However, one big worry I often have is water damage at the base of the wall. Due to the wall being so close to grade, I worry about water pooling inside the sill of the wall. What is the proper way to design a slab on grade to prevent water...

...walls, replacing plumbing lines. Contractor says no insulation is required for building plumbing lines. Only wall insulation. I know many modern buildings (even in third world countries) insulate the plumbing lines to dampen the noise as the water runs through pipes so it's quiet, as well as for heat insulation of hot ...

...walls can dry, also read about the importance of air barriers for energy efficiency and durability. If walls are not built with airtightness and an ability to dry, they are at a far greater risk of developing mold and they will not perform as well.        

Hi I am planning to retrofit our 1960s 3bed semi here in Ireland.  We have a suspended timber floor and I intend to lay electric underfloor heating under laminate flooring.  Can you help me choose the best type of insulation (both underlay and overlay of the electric heating system).  My main concerns and fire and offg...

I have been reading so much on insulation ....and out of the foam boards I think eps might be the best to use,  but not sure if the foil face would be good, may not be breathable...might be better to just do eps board and buy attic foil to put over that .....this might be the cheapest way to get some insulation on the ...

I will be building an Ecohome in the middle of Colorado where it snows for a third of the year, is freezing for about half of it, and has a couple warm summer months. With all the different building and insulation techniques I have come across, I still have no idea which would be best for my specific climate. If it mak...

...walls with no insulation behind them.  I want to insulate the walls but not remove the plaster as it's still in excellent condition.  My house goes right to the property line on two sides and the exterior shell is cedar board/insulbrick covered by vinyl siding.  I would like to stip it to the cedar board, putting a wra...

we are thinking of upgrading our cottage. Currently it is off the ground at various heights, from 6" to 3 ft. Supported by cement blocks at various locations under the cottage and some around its perimeter.  In order to install a master bedroom and ensuing plumbing needs to be installed in this crawl space. Also we are...

...walls of an existing home for more details. What does your local Building code say the minimum R value for walls, roofs and slabs is in the area? 

...walls are installed. So once the concrete walls are poured, moisture can’t pass between the two.