Foundations, Basements & Slab-on-Grade

Most finished basements are moldy or will develop mold in the future because they are usually built poorly. Learn what to look for when home shopping. Basements, downstairs in more ways than one For those wishing to become homeowners, one of the decisions you'll face when buying a new property is whether or not to…

Frost heaving of home foundations, basements, decks & garden walls in cold climates can cause issues - especially in clay soils that hold water - Ecohome built to prevent frost heave recently, here's what we did. Frost protected foundations - essential in cold climates Protecting homes and buildings in cold climates…

As so many searches are done online for Radon Gas Maps, Radon Gas safe levels and Radon Maps by State of USA or Province of Canada - We decided to stress the importance of testing for Radon gas in homes as November is Radon Awareness Month. Radon gas maps - levels by State or Province Radon maps show where the risk…

Basements flood, full stop. As a hole in the ground similar to a swimming pool, once all is done to stop water getting in, we then need to remove any water with a sump pump, a sump pump battery backup & maybe a sump pump alarm to stop basements flooding. Spring flooding of basements is very common and most times can…

One of the first decisions when building a home is what type of foundations to sit your home on - cold-climates, termites, problem expansive clay soils, insulation & vapor & radon barriers all need to be considered. What is the difference between a slab on grade and a crawl space? A slab on grade, or ‘frost…

Basement mold and mildew can easily be avoided with better designed walls. Common building practices trap moisture in wall assemblies preventing them from drying. That musty, moldy basement smell that we have come to accept as unavoidable, is actually quite avoidable. The solution is really quite simple - stop…

Long-term exposure to high levels of radon gas in homes is the second greatest cause of lung cancer after smoking - that's 25000 preventable deaths a year from radon exposure - has your home been tested. Why is radon a problem in USA & Canada? Radon gas is cancer-causing radioactive, invisible, odourless and…

Removing radon gas from existing basements and crawlspaces can be very effective, here are different options for different situations. Radon gas in crawlspaces and 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…

Crawlspaces are becoming rare for new home construction in USA & Canada. If you've got a crawls space with damp, mold, odor & cold issues, here's how to insulate it properly to fix it permanently & have a more comfortable home. Crawlspace insulation - be careful to get it right A crawlspace comes with all the…

High levels of radon gas in the air of your home might be coming from your water and not the floor of your basement. How to stop radon from coming into homes from your well. It is a very wise idea to have the air of your home checked for high levels of radon gas. Health Canada has identified exposure to radon gas as…

Finding a suitable building lot requires a lot of consideration and research when you're hoping to build a Green or Sustainable home - here's our comprehensive guide...; here are some things to look for. It is not illegal to sell an unbuildable lot, so buyers beware. Any number of roadblocks can prevent you from…