Slab on grade / Guides

...onal items. Slab-on-grade construction is more affordable, healthier and more durable than basement construction as you have no porous concrete walls to absorb moisture and no rising water-table issues to contend with. Durable basement construction: Water tables can rise from normal spring melting, extreme rain e...

...slab-on-grade foundation can also lead to the increased possibility of exposure to radon gas radiation, another reason where possible to build on an insulated slab foundation. In the USA the EPA recommends that homeowners should take radon mitigation measures if the radon concentration exceeds 150 Bq / m 3 . Health C...

...onto the bay more special. Building Envelope: When first considering how much insulation to put into the house, I looked to the Passive House certification system. To achieve Passive House certification, there is a hard limit on the amount of energy needed to heat and cool a space of 15 kWh/m² per year, which works...

...on have high greenhouse gas emissions. Read here about how to find more environmentally-friendly spray foam with lower emissions . A tiny home built on a slab on grade that isn’t going to have to move is a better idea than one that does move, but the reality is that a lot people are into Tiny House living partly to b...

...onstruction - Ecohome Guide How much insulation does a basement need - EcoHome Guide How to finish the exterior of Insulated basements and slabs - Ecohome Video Guide Why is a Slab-on-grade Foundation more Eco-Friendly than a Basement? - EcoHome Discussions

...onclusion, along with whether or not you have a wood stove as a backup in case of emergencies. Personally, I like thermal mass in a home, but that's my just my preference. So don't sweat it too much either way, it's just another variable worth considering when designing a home.

...on to spray foam. Building codes change and can vary by region, so confirm this locally, but currently The National Building Code in Canada for example allows foam insulation without fire protection on crawlspace walls that are less than 5 feet in height. An additional option, for walls only, that you can do yourself...

...ondensation running down the windows: Condensation won't disappear on its own Condensation is potentially detrimental to health as it allows for mold and mildew growth Condensation can cause damage to homes and lead to costly renovations and repairs So, the question is – what should we do about condensation...

...onstruction here This is the first in a series of videos on passive solar home construction, we begin with passive solar design basics, orienting the future house on the site to take full advantage of the free heat available from the sun while keeping it cool with natural shading in the summer. See more about Solar...

...on the configuration of a specific solarium, it may often be difficult to maintain a comfortable living temperature without a supplementary heat source and a well insulated slab on grade foundation . Winter nights: depending on the amount of thermal mass in the room (stone, masonry, brick, etc.) to act as a thermal b...

...only came about because of our relatively last-minute decision to seek LEED certification. One requirement of the LEED process is to do an evaluation of the energy efficiency of a home, and this includes a fairly complete description of the building's size, orientation, insulation, electrical appliances, etc. Using a...