Crawlspace / Green Building & Sustainable Home Renovation Information & Advice

A modern prefab home module sat on a helical pile foundation.
Foundation choices

Helical piles & screw piles for sustainable homes & extensions

...crawlspace. The floor above this space must be insulated to a very high level to prevent cold floors and heat loss. All plumbing must be carefully insulated and protected from freezing. Furthermore, as with any crawlspace, it is essential to manage moisture and to learn about radon gas in crawlspaces, as this area can ...

Digging the gravel by excavator for the foundation for a green home build
Excavation

Sustainable excavation: the ultimate guide for digging foundations for new builds & extensions

...Crawlspace Foundation A crawlspace elevates the home off the ground, which can be beneficial on sloped sites or in damp areas. Excavation is more extensive than a slab but less than a a full basement, and a crawlspace has all kinds of potential problems for damp, smells and radon ingress, so we'd have to say choose car...

Top Ten Home Renovation Shows on TV
Real estate

North America's top ten home renovation TV shows

...crawlspace or attic for example). By being well-informed and prepared when buying an older home to renovate, you can avoid common pitfalls and ensure that your green home renovation is a success, rather than a disaster worthy of its own TV show...  And, if you have any personal favorite TV home renovation shows you don...

Why Radon maps by state or province shouldn't replace testing
Radon in Homes - Mitigation

Radon levels by State and Province - why a radon test is essential

...crawlspaces, which radon mitigation system is best depends on how high your levels are, how finished your basement is and whether or not you use it as living space.  The only really easy DIY radon mitigation technique is for crawlspaces or basements with dirt floors, where a passive radon stack can be laid down under a...

Crawl spaces or slab on grade foundations?
Foundations and Basements

Slab on grade or crawlspaces, which is better?

...crawlspace What’s more durable, a slab on grade or a crawlspace? If you read anywhere online that they are comparable in terms of durability or functional life span, then close that window and open another. A properly-insulated slab of concrete resting on high-ground with a frost-protection skirt will outlast a house ...

Crawlspace radon barrier installation for radon mitigation
Radon in Homes - Mitigation

Removing radon gas from basements and crawlspaces

...crawlspace floors that won’t be insulated: A radon barrier needs to be installed to seal off the ground from the air in the crawlspace. A DIY radon mitigation solution for a crawlspace is to use a standard 6 mil polyethylene vapour barrier, which works, but contractors may be required by law to use a fire-rated membran...

Insulating crawlspaces as part of home renovation
Crawl spaces

How to insulate crawlspaces properly as part of renovating an older home

...crawlspaces. Fixing a dirt floor crawlspace: All too often a crawlspace will have nothing but a dirt floor, and probably some un-insulated walls. The result of that is an unending source of humidity as moisture in the ground evaporates into the air and can condense on cold walls and joists where mold can establish its...

Step by step guide for slab-on-grade home construction
Slab on Grade

Slab-on-grade construction: the Ecohome A to Z Slab building guide

Slab on grade foundation, detail design; the basics There are many different soil conditions and corresponding slab designs. This page is about how to build a thickened edge concrete slab on grade FPSF footing on soil with a high water table to prevent frost heave, by first installing drainage below the slab.  Related ...

Crawl Spaces or Slab on Grade Foundations?
Crawl spaces

Should I build on a slab on grade foundation or a crawl space?

...crawlspace. Or wait, maybe spelunking, it's often hard to tell the difference. What’s more durable, a slab on grade or crawlspace? If you read anywhere online that they are comparable in terms of durability or functional life span, then close that window and open another. A properly-insulated slab of concrete resting ...