The MEC provides three ways to comply: simple prescriptive rules, a “tradeoff” approach, and performance design. An energy consultant tells how to decide which method best fits your project. More
Coping with the labor shortage, water heater failures, higher fly ash content in concrete, new home ventilation standard More
Construction dictionaries, layout techniques, practical home automation, air quality basics, and more More
Q: I am reroofing a flat roof framed with 2x10s on a house in Tucson. The foil-faced batt insulation was installed more than 25 years ago and seems very spotty, so I’d like to replace it while the roof is stripped. Winters are mild here, but the summer heat is brutal. I use both a/c and evaporative cooling depending on the outside humidity level, so humidity inside varies. What’s the best way to insulate the ceiling joists to provide ventilation? And how should I handle the vapor barrier? Since I don’t want to remove the drywall ceiling, is there some way to coat the back of the drywall? Or can a synthetic roof coating be used as a spray-on vapor barrier? More
Tariffs on drilled studs may be reinstated, Arizona OSHA found liable in job-site death, becoming an expert witness, tax law on sub vs. employee More
A skylight specialist walks through his procedures for retrofitting skylights in existing homes, including selling the job, layout, and installation. More
