• Get started
  • Sign In
  • EDUCATION HUB
      • Online courses
        • For homeowners
        • For professionals
        • Special offers
      • INFORMATION
        • Satisfaction policy
        • Frequently asked questions
  • BUILDING GUIDE
      • ASK THE EXPERTS
        • Planning and Design Questions
        • Foundation and Basement Questions
        • Wall and Roof Questions
        • Mechanical Systems Questions
        • Interior Finishing Questions
        • Exterior Finishing Questions
      • LATEST SUSTAINABILITY NEWS
        • Policy and Building Code News
        • Products and Materials News
        • Design News
        • Climate Change News
        • Renewable Energy News
        • Urban Planning News
        • Energy Efficiency News
        • Transportation News
        • Health and Well-being News
        • Architecture News
        • LEED Certification News
      • Planning and Design
        • Lifestyle, location and commuting
        • Grants and incentives
        • Mortgage financing and taxation
        • Building codes
        • Green building certifications
        • Concept and design
        • Off-grid and Net-Zero Housing
        • Materials and resources
        • Architecture and plan design
        • How to Find Qualified Green Building Professionals
        • Healthy indoor air quality
        • Waste management
        • Real estate
      • Foundations and Basements
        • Excavation
        • Radon in Homes - Mitigation
        • New foundations and slab-on-grade
        • Foundation and basement improvements
        • Waterproofing and drainage
      • Walls and Roofs
        • Wall assemblies - new construction
        • Wall assemblies - renovation
        • Air and vapour barriers
        • Insulation and soundproofing
        • Windows and doors
        • Roof assemblies - new construction
        • Roof assemblies - renovation
        • Roof coverings
        • Exterior cladding
        • Pest control
      • Mechanical systems
        • Heating and cooling
        • Ventilation
        • Plumbing and water heaters
        • Electricity
        • Renewable energy
      • Interiors
        • Walls and ceilings - interior surfaces
        • Flooring and stairs
        • Paints, finishes and natural coatings
        • Doors and trim
        • Kitchens
        • Bathrooms
        • Basement finishing
        • Interior design and furnishing
        • Cleaning and maintenance
        • Recycling and composting
      • Exteriors
        • Decks, porches and gazebos
        • Permeable laneways and patios
        • Landscaping
        • Rainwater Collection & Watering
        • Rainwater harvesting
        • Food production
        • Natural swimming pools and ponds
        • Greenhouses and Sunrooms / Solariums
  • FIND INSPIRATION
      • Project photos
        • Find ideas for sustainable & beautiful home renovations & building green homes
      • Green home projects
        • See sustainable homes that Ecohome has showcased over the last few years
      • Prefab kit eco homes
        • Find Net Zero prefab LEED & Passive House ready kit homes for sale
      • Green homes for sale
        • Sustainable homes for sale, green certified to LEED, Passive House or Zero Net Energy (ZNE)
      • Net Zero Energy Homes - Case Study
        • Showcasing a pilot project of 35 Net Zero Energy Ready homes built in 2021 in a cold climate
  • FIND PROFESSIONALS
  • FIND PRODUCTS
Ask a Question
Categories
  • Planning and Design
  • Foundations and Basements
  • Walls and Roofs
  • Wall assemblies - new construction
  • Wall assemblies - renovation
  • Air and vapour barriers
  • Insulation and soundproofing
  • Windows and doors
  • Roof assemblies - new construction
  • Roof assemblies - renovation
  • Roof coverings
  • Exterior cladding
  • Pest control
  • Mechanical systems
  • Interiors
  • Exteriors

Walls and Roofs

The structure and design of a building envelope will determine how much it costs to heat and cool your home, and how long it will last. This section contains information about wall designs that will protect your home against the elements, and create an enjoyable indoor environment that is healthy, comfortable and durable.

  • 1 - 11 of 70 Guides
The embodied carbon of insulation materials & which type of insulation to choose
Insulation and soundproofing

The embodied carbon of insulation materials, which are the best choices for insulating homes

A comprehensive comparison of the most common insulation materials used for home construction, analyzing their embodied carbon impact, performance & suitability for construction applications & construction types, ranking the best of each insulation type. Introduction: Why carbon reduction matters in construction As…

Read more 
Installing Siding Correctly
Exterior cladding

How to install siding

Drainage planes and air spaces: siding installation tips so your walls can dry. Siding installation The walls of your home are an environmental separator. Their job is to keep the inside in and the outside out. Exterior cladding or siding is your first line of defense against weather elements, and its job is to…

Read more 

Related products

See more 
View
PassivCanada Doors
By NZP Fenestration

Exterior Doors

Official partner
View
1528 - Western Door
By Western Door Manufacturing Ltd.
View
CASEMENT WINDOW
By Lorendo
View
SketchNanoGard Thermal
By Sketch Nanotechnologies Inc.
View
European Style Doors
By AluStar WinDoors, Inc.
View
Casement windows
By Dynamic Fenestration
View
Solar Powered "Fresh Air" Skylights
By VELUX Canada Inc.
View
WOOD-ALUMINUM TILT AND TURN WINDOW
By Fenstur Windows and Doors
View
2300 VINYL SLIDER
By Westeck Windows Mfg Inc.
View
Ultimate Corner Narrow Frame
By Marvin Windows of Canada
View
SIG
By Sunoptics
View
LIFT & SLIDE DOORS
By Unison Windows & Doors Inc.
Installing foam panel insulation, which is best?
Insulation and soundproofing

Rigid insulation panels: which ones to use for different applications

When using rigid foam insulation boards, choose carefully between polyiso, EPS & XPS or mineral wool and hemp. The wrong choice can reduce insulation performance and cause mold and rot in building envelopes. Polyisocyanurate (PIR), Extruded Polystyrene (XPS), Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) or Styrofoam? When building or…

Read more 
How to choose Triple pane, high performance windows
Windows and doors

Our top tips for buying high-performance windows

The quality of windows you install will have a big impact on both your comfort and your heating bill. Here is a guide to help you choose the best windows for your high performance home. Which windows are best? Windows are essential to our homes, so getting the choice of window right is important . They give us…

Read more 
Air barriers are essential to a properly functioning wall system
Air and vapour barriers

What is an air barrier?

Approximately 100 times more water vapour is carried into our walls by air leakage than is carried by vapour diffusion. That makes air barriers 100 times more important than vapour barriers, so why is no one talking about them. How important is an air barrier in a home? Approximately 100 times more water vapor is…

Read more 
The difference between air barriers and vapour barriers
Air and vapour barriers

The difference between air barriers and vapor barriers

Can a house be too airtight? No it cannot. The difference between air barriers and vapour barriers is often confused. Also confused, is which one is more important. The difference between air barriers and vapor barriers The job of a vapor barrier is to prevent vapor diffusion, and the job of an air barrier is to…

Read more 
Roxul mineral wool batt insulation in LEED Homes
Insulation and soundproofing

Choosing the right insulation: the pros, cons and applications for walls, slabs and basements

Understanding the performance characteristics & limitations of different types of insulation before you make a purchase & start to build or renovate a high performance home is important. Not all insulation materials are the same, and they are not always interchangeable A basic understanding of how walls work is…

Read more 
Low-E coatings on windows reflect heat and save energy during summer and winter
Windows and doors

The ultimate guide to low-e glass: benefits, drawbacks, and whether it’s right for your home

Low emissivity (low-E) coatings on windows reflect heat in and out of your home that can help to keep it warmer and cooler if they are specified correctly. Read here about why low-E glass can be a good choice for a high performance home. The challenges of specifying glass for windows, what are Low-E coatings? When…

Read more 
Restored stone farm house with efficient heating
Wall assemblies - renovation

How to improve the energy efficiency of an old stone house in a cold climate

Stone farm houses from the 1800s are beautiful heritage homes to restore. But how do you insulate a stone house and keep the interior and exterior appearance as they are? Well, that's tricky, but this guide will give plenty of good advice to follow. Should you insulate an old stone house? Those beautiful old stone…

Read more 
Closed cell spray foam insulation being applied to basement walls
Insulation and soundproofing

How to choose between open cell and closed cell spray foam and which is best?

Open cell and closed cell spray foam have different characteristics, as well as environmental impacts and health implications, which is best? Is either good? Let us guide you on how to choose between open cell and closed cell spray foam. What is the difference between open-cell and closed-cell spray foam? Both open…

Read more 
Choosing a good caulking gun & caulk is important for a successful sealing job
Air and vapour barriers

Top tips for caulking - which caulking gun is best & tips on how to do a clean caulking job

An effective caulking job at air sealing or for water protection in kitchens and bathrooms starts finding the right caulking gun for the job. See here for tips. What is the best caulking tool? The first and most costly mistake made for any first-timers doing a DIY home caulking job is buying the wrong tool. There…

Read more 
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • Next 

Company

  • About Ecohome
  • Membership
  • Contact
  • Terms & Privacy

For professionals

  • Create a free business profile
  • Promote products & services
  • Become a contributor
  • Join discussions as a pro
All rights reserved © 2025 Ecohome NetworkFrançais

An error occurred. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Close