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We ask a panel of building scientists and builders — all keen, experienced observers of wood-frame performance issues — to answer some of the questions that never seem to go away.
The construction industry's leading researcher explains why what we think is true often isn't, and how some of our best hunches, based on observation of field performance, have paid off with problem-free attic assemblies.
Improper flashing, unprimed cedar, and a southern exposure had all contributed to a moldy mess.
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Open-cell foam in unvented attics; code clarification; bees in brick; Alaska energy code
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Q: A house we built about eight years ago here in Tennessee has ductwork running through the space behind the upstairs knee walls. The exterior side of the framing has been developing condensation, but only in extremely cold weather. There are no vents in
A close look at current energy codes - and where they're headed.
Closed-cell polyurethane foam provides the insulation, air barrier, and vapor retarder necessary for an unvented attic assembly.
Strong gable overhang; on site with Durisol
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Q: With a cavity wall assembly consisting of load-bearing 8-inch CMUs (concrete masonry units), 2 inches of rigid foam, a 2-inch air space, and 4-inch concrete bricks covered with cementitious stucco and an acrylic color coat, how important is dampproofin
Contributing R-3 to R-7.5 per inch, sheet foam is a handy way to boost a wall's total R-value without adding too much thickness. Rigid foam sheathing can also function well as a drainage plane to help keep wind-blown water out of walls, and it can act as both an air barrier and as a vapor barrier...
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Q. I'm renovating an uninsulated cape built with concrete-block walls. The plans call for gutting and reframing the interior and installing shingle siding on the exterior. Because the building needs to be insulated to comply with local (Long Island, N.Y.) code, I was considering adding a layer of...
Spray polyurethane foam is durable, has excellent R-value, and can eliminate ponding.
Blown Apart
SIPs produce a tight, well-insulated shell that takes less labor to construct than an equivalent stick-framed building.
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Q: After stripping the original siding from a 30-year-old house, I'm being asked to re-side with 4x8 and 4x9 fiber-cement panels designed to look like stucco. The installation instructions permit caulking at the vertical joints, but call for Z-flashing at
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Q. Are Bubble-Wrap R-Value Claims Accurate? Am I the only one confused by the claims of manufacturers of foil-covered bubble wrap and foil-covered flexible thin plastic foam? Apparently, if one is to believe the advertising, a 3/8-inch-thick roll of foil-
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Q: While building a new home in upstate New York, we installed R-15 kraft-faced insulation in the walls, but the local building inspector then made us install 4-mil poly over the kraft paper facing. We've been told by other builders and inspectors that this is not a good practice. Is this double...
Panels; metal roofing; insulation
Providing an air space behind wood trim and siding is the best way to make them last.
Building scientists Jeff and John Tooley have been a committed father-and-son team diagnosing homes for moisture and energy problems for decades. In their combined experience, they have come to understand that the difference between a home that works and one laden with moisture and energy problems...