Practical Green for Coastal Homes
As green building grabs the attention of otherwise cautious home buyers, so does the potential for "greenwashing" — the efforts of overzealous marketers to label anything and everything "green." Selectively focusing on one feature while ignoring others, or intentionally misleading buyers about the green credentials of a product or process only threatens to diminish the concept of green building as a whole. Custom home builder Mike Guertin and editor Clayton DeKorne compile a "green" checklist to help you understand green building on two levels — the big picture and the more fine-grained details of implementation — so you can avoid the pitfalls and build green right. Read more
Products
Pocket Primer ~ New Trim Styles ~ Synthetic Stone Backer ~ Easy-Nailing Bead Board ~ Rugged Efficiency ~ Wind-Resistant Synthetic ~ Amped-Up Sawzall Read more
Raised Floors for the Low Country
Elevated floors on pier foundations are mandated in V zones and recommended in coastal A zones. But the moisture and energy details can be a head-scratcher. Whether a builder places the floor system on pier supports or on a perimeter stemwall, he has to face interrelated problems of air sealing, insulation, and moisture protection that are neither easy nor cheap to solve. Ted Cushman looks at the issues and latest research and recommendations. Read more
