DIY Green Home Improvement » Green Building

Lstiburek’s Rules for Venting Roofs

JoeLstiburek — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 13:27:04 +0000

Subtitle:

You need an airtight ceiling, lots of air flow, plenty of soffit vents, and deep insulation at the attic perimeter

Building Science Fundamentals: Roof, Part 1: Ventilation

By Dr. Joseph Lstiburek

Dr. Joseph Lstiburek talks about the not-so-controversial ways to maximize the efficiency and airflow of your roof and attic.

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The History Of Insulation

John Straube — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 22:27:10 +0000

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In our last episode, Dr. John talked about How Heat Moves Through Homes and why radiant barriers work better in outer space than on earth.

In this episode, Dr. John talks about the history of insulation, how different materials work, and where they make sense.

TRANSCRIPT
The history of insulation comes about because of the history of structural engineering. Now, I’m a recovering structural engineer, which is probably why I like to think of it that way.

Podcast NID:

History of Insulation

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Vapor Profiles Help Predict Whether a Wall Can Dry

Peterbilt — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 17:39:32 +0000

Subtitle:

To avoid moisture problems in walls, think about the permeability of all the wall’s components — not just the “designated” vapor retarder

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Today’s walls, roofs, and floors are better insulated, tighter, and made with a much greater variety of components than they used to be, making them a lot more susceptible to moisture problems when they get wet. Compared to the old days, today’s walls and ceilings are more complicated and can be very slow to dry.

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Whether Wood Weathers

Peterbilt — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 13:40:05 +0000

Subtitle:

Solar degradation of lignin at wood’s surface is the single most important factor affecting the weathering of wood and subsequent paint adhesion

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The weathering of wood is very different from decay; weathering is breakdown at the surface only. While there are a number of forces that contribute to weathering of wood—moisture, temperature, abrasion by wind-borne particles, air pollution—it’s the narrow band of high-energy ultraviolet light in sunlight that is the dominant force (see Image #1).

What bare wood looks like when cut or milled

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How Heat Moves Though Homes

John Straube — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 20:05:28 +0000

Subtitle:

Space-age radiant barriers, like ceramic paints, work great in the vacuum of outer space, but here on Earth, heat moves by conduction, convection, and radiation, simultaneously, all the time.

Images:

This podcast series is excerpted from a two-day class called “Building Science Fundamentals” taught by Dr. Joe Lstiburek and Dr. John Straube of Building Science Corporation.

Podcast NID:

How Heat Moves Though Homes

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Efflorescence is a Sign of a Foundation With Water Damage

JoeLstiburek — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 17:55:44 +0000

Subtitle:

The white powder on the surface of brick, block, and mortar between rocks is water and salt attacking these porous materials. In new construction you can prevent it — in old houses, you can only control it.

Images:

This podcast series is excerpted from a two-day class called “Building Science Fundamentals” taught by Dr. Joe Lstiburek and Dr. John Straube of Building Science Corporation.

Podcast NID:

Salt and Water Can Crumble Any Masonry

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Air Barrier or Vapor Barrier? – Building Science Podcast

JoeLstiburek — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:23:50 +0000

Subtitle:

Air leaks are a big source of moisture problems that lead to bugs, mold, and rot in homes

Images:

This podcast series is excerpted from a two-day class called “Building Science Fundamentals” taught by Dr. Joe Lstiburek and Dr. John Straube, of Building Science Corporation.

Podcast NID:

Why Homes Need Air Barriers To Stay Dry

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Get Certified as a Master Green Professional

Peterbilt — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 15:13:09 +0000

Subtitle:

GBA is the engine behind the building science half of NAHB's new certification

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As part of a new Master Certified Green Professional designation, NAHB worked with GreenBuildingAdvisor to develop a rigorous training course covering green home building, full of building science and quality construction details. This course premiered at the International Builders Show in Las Vegas just last week.

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Will solar panel mounts cause roof leaks?

Building Science — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:11:23 +0000

Subtitle:

When Monica from New Jersey learned that her solar installer plans to drill 54 holes in her south roof, she wondered whether she should worry about roof leaks

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Our latest Question of the Week comes from a homeowner in New Jersey. Monica is uncertain of the best way to insulate the roof of a new second-story addition on her Cape Cod home. She wonders whether it’s wise to insulate directly under the roof sheathingMaterial, usually plywood or oriented strand board (OSB), but sometimes wooden boards, installed on the exterior of wall studs, rafters, or roof trusses; siding or roofing installed on the sheathing—sometimes over strapping to create a rainscreen.
— especially since the mounting system for her photovoltaic(PV) Generation of electricity directly from sunlight. A photovoltaic cell has no moving parts; electrons are energized by sunlight and result in current flow. array requires 54 holes to be drilled in her asphalt shingle roof.

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Can a Kitchen Downdraft Fan Be Connected To an HRV?

Daniel Morrison — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 17:11:26 +0000

Subtitle:

Heat recovery ventilators bring fresh air into a house while exhausting stale air. Builders pull stale bathroom air through HRVs all the time — but what about greasy kitchen air?

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Powerful kitchen exhaust fans do a good job of removing cooking odors and smoke. They also have the potential to depressurize a house, causing water heaters to backdraft and pulling ashes out of the fireplace and onto the hearth.

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