Recent Q&A

• Noise from ERV in Closet

  I am currently doing a self build high performance house 23' x 35' interior in climate zone 6. It is essentially a modern raised ranch as the lower level is…

• 矿棉与纤维素绝缘

  I am building a house in CZ6. I have an r 70 roof system and walls with 4” of recycled polyiso sheets. The sheets are 2” thick with staggered seams…

• Cellulose blown in insulation degradation

  I’ve read where cellulose insulation can degrade much faster as compared to other types of insulation. As early as 15 years and has a life span of 20-30 years. Yet…

• Air-Sealing a Cathedral Ceiling

  I'm in zone 6 and would like some advice on details on a new construction cathedral ceiling. It's a simple roof with no hips or valleys. I've read numerous…

• High density fiberglass batts vs. blown in cellulose for parallel truss.

  I am currently building a house in climate zone 6. My walls are 2x6 24 o.c. with two layers of 2" recycled fiberglass faced polyiso with staggered seams that are spray…

• Unvented roof assembly

  Martin wrote an article in 2016 and gave guidelines for installing rigid foam on the exterior of the roof sheathing and combing that with "fluffy" material under the sheathing. His…

• Creating a Thermal Break With Insulated Slab

  I am attempting to build a high performance house for my son. The style could be considered a simple modern raised ranch. It's a simple 24' x 36'. I'm in…

• Is stone necessary under a basement slab if there is sand?

  With my new construction, I asked my excavator to bring me a load of stone to place under my concrete basement slab. He said it wasn't necessary because there was…

• Recycled Polyiso Foam Board Insulation

  I have read on this site that used polyiso is a viable solution if one is considering foam board insulation. It appears to be in decent shape and the 2"…

• Sheathing Alternatives

  I'm reposting a reply below that I submitted to a conversation posted on 3/17 labelled: "Buying Sheathing in 2021."I'm gathering materials for my son's house, a new build. We have similar sheathing…