Recent Q&A

• The joys of insulating…

  What is the best way to insulate around the corners of rigid round duct using foil-faced blanket type duct insulation? Make a "sock" and coax it around the corners and…

• Frost on distribution duct

  One of my colleagues today was telling me about how, for the last few weeks, the first three feet or so of rigid duct from the distribution port of his…

• Old radios and asbestos

  Last week my wife Jessica brought home a neat old radio and turntable in a cabinet. Her idea is to turn this old cabinet radio into a vanity. During my…

• Vent caps sans duct?

  Does anyone know of a vent cap manufacturer that makes vent caps without a piece of duct already pre-attached? I've got a "Heartland" vent cap for the dryer exhaust which…

• HRV port installation

  Can anyone point me to a detail for passing HRV ports through a thickly insulated envelope? I haven't decided yet whether I will pass the ports through the rim board…

• “Study group” – resilient design.

  I have been thinking about the "pretty good house" (PGH) concept lately and also about "resilient design". I find it helpful to think of resilient design in terms of "risk…

• Clear skies tonight?

  Good night for viewing the aurora even at lower latitudes (peak viewing between 1 and 5am EST): http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/science/giant-solar-storm-headed-for-earth-could-disrupt-power-grid-air-travel/article2361702/ The video embedded is worth watching despite the commercial. It's a bit…

• Calling all “rammed earth” experts…

  I was recently thinking about "rammed earth" construction. I found an episode of "The nature of things" where David Suzuki talks with a rammed earth builder that calls his approach…

• Wikiaccuracy?

  I was nosing around on wikipedia and I came across the statement below regarding radiant barriers in wall assemblies. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiant_barrier I'm skeptical... Can anybody verify that "wrapping a house with…

• air-t博客”ight” sheathing nuts

  For those who are interested, here is a link to a blog that I have started about my building project. Please note that the blog has only just gotten started…