How to Confirm Proper Installation of Attic Spray Foam

October 11, 2010

My previous post talked about the differences between open-cell spray foams, one of those differences being the thickness required to reach air-impermeable status. That brings up the questions: (1) How can one tell if the attic spray foam has been installed to the correct thickness to truly seal the attic; and (2) why is this [...]

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All Open-Cell Spray Foams are NOT Alike

September 30, 2010

Does it matter which open-cell (0.5#) spray foam insulation you select? They’re all alike, right? Most people think so but this is absolutely not true. Two main points of comparison: 1. The thickness needed into order to reach air-impermeable status.   2. The requirement for an ignition barrier in sealed attic situations. Test protocols for these [...]

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Three Cars, Two Car Garage – No Problem

September 13, 2010

One of the products I included in my May, 2010 ezine entitled “Two More Cool Problem-Solving Products” was LiftMaster’s Model 3800 side-mounted door opener, http://ht.ly/1MIeo. With this option, all the space above the garage door becomes available for storage. I received the following wonderful response explaining how the LiftMaster 3800 made it possible for the [...]

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Window Installation Disaster Avoided

August 30, 2010

I thought you’d be interested in a window story relayed by a very conscientious and knowledgeable green residential builder / remodeler. Our tale begins with the homeowner choosing high end windows, to the tune of over 35 thousand dollars, from a supplier not familiar to the builder. When the time came for the windows to go [...]

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Window Flashing Resources

August 23, 2010

Once in awhile I discover missing or incorrectly installed window flashing during the rough-in inspection of a green home. Normally it’s easy to provide the proper method by referring to the manufacturer’s instructions. Unfortunately, in one particular case, the manufacturer’s installation instructions were very limited directing the installer to follow the local building code. The window installation / flashing portion [...]

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Window Flashing Woes

August 20, 2010

Is your window installer up to date with the latest flashing and window installation methods? Has he/she read the manufacturer’s instructions for your selected windows? More often than not, I expect the answer is yes…. but don’t count on it. I’ve seen some poor installations during very recent green certification rough-in inspections. For example, missing sill [...]

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Converting to a Dual Flush Commode

June 28, 2010

Conversion of any commode to dual-flush is possible according to the manufacturer of the HydroRight Dual Flush Converter (and you don’t even need any tools). So far, the word on this product is very good and the cost is around $25.00 dollars at Ace Hardware. The video shows how it works and how to install [...]

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20 Ways to Save Water Without Sacrificing Performance

June 3, 2010

20 Ways to Save Water without Sacrificing Performance. This list includes bath, kitchen, laundry, yard, and infrastructure, http://ht.ly/1OOK4. I’d add a heat pump water heater under the infrastructure category.

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Solid Wall Insulation Through a Window?

June 1, 2010

Windows with the insulating capacity of solid wall…is that possible? It certainly is according to Southwall Technologies Inc. Their Heat Mirror insulating glass picks up where low-e leaves off, offering insulating ranges from R-6 to R-20. Read all about it at http://ht.ly/1IZVQ.

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Kitchen Design Faux Pas

May 18, 2010

What’s wrong with this picture? The wall next to this fridge is too deep preventing the door from opening all the way. How would you like to battle to get anything in or out of the freezer side of this refrigerator on a daily basis? Forget about pulling out or removing the shelves or baskets. [...]

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