by Joseph R. Provey | Sep 28, 2013 | Basements, Crawl Spaces
[aside] 4 Conditions Mold Needs to Thrive Temperatures above 40°F and below 100°F Mold spores Nutrients (most materials contain nutrients) Moisture[/aside] Mold wants to invade your home. It’s not satisfied with living in your basement or crawlspace, or inside your...
by Joseph R. Provey | Sep 26, 2013 | Basements, Crawl Spaces
How to insulate a crawlspace is a trickier question than whether or not to seal it, as discussed in the previous post “The Crawlspace Argument: vented vs encapsulated.” In cold climates, insulating the floor above the crawlspace is often more energy...
by Joseph R. Provey | Sep 19, 2013 | Basements, Crawl Spaces, Foundations
A new way to solve an old problem More than 27 million homes in the U.S. have crawlspaces. That number grows every year, as 15 to 20 percent of new homes continue to be built over crawlspaces. That’s a lot of houses, most of which are probably suffering from a variety...
by Tim Snyder | Sep 11, 2013 | Conditioned Spaces, Heating & Cooling
There’s something very cool about high-efficiency heating equipment. Most of us are smart enough not to put our hands directly over a chimney when a fire is burning below it. We know that enough heat goes up the chimney to cause a painful burn. But this rule...
by Tim Snyder | Sep 7, 2013 | Attics, Building Envelope
Comfort & energy problems are caused by attics with too little insulation and too much air leakage. Autumn’s official arrival has many of us reaching into the back of the closet for coats and sweaters that may soon get put to use. Getting reacquainted with...
by Tim Snyder | Sep 5, 2013 | Basements, Foundations
You’re not alone. But thanks to innovative products, even a “problem” basement can be transformed into dry, comfortable living space. “Of course it’s wet down there. It’s a basement.” You’ve probably heard this kind of response to basement moisture. It’s...
