Freeze Warning! The Admission of Incompetence
It's "Freeze Warning" time of year again. We had our first freeze of the winter here in Atlanta last week, and I saw the sign above. I cringe every time I see one of these signs that says "Let faucets…
building enclosure
5 Steps for Keeping Water Out of the Holes in Your Walls
What you see in the photo above is common at construction sites. Once a house gets framed, the next step is drying it in. For the walls, that means installing a drainage plane. The one they used on this house…
Easy Window Flashing at the Corners
There's a new type of flashing for window sills on the market now. It's the Rissan 430 grey corner from Siga, which is a piece of pre-formed flashing tape that fits perfectly into the corners of door and window rough…
Uncovering the Secrets of an Old House
I've been in a lot of old houses and seen a lot of interesting things. One of the things I love about that is trying to figure out the mysteries I find. Lately, the mysteries I've been encountering are in…
Building Enclosures vs. Mechanical Systems
What?! Building enclosures and mechanical systems are both important in homes. The building enclosure is where the control layers are, those parts of the building that control the flows of heat, air, and moisture. The mechanical systems provide heating, cooling,…
Building Your First House as an Owner-Builder
Building your first house as an owner-builder can be hectic, nerve-wracking, and wildly exhilarating. I experienced all those things and more when I built a house for myself 20 years ago. I've written a bit about it here in the…
Condensation on Storm Windows: A Lesson in Condensing Surfaces
It's been muggy in Atlanta this week. We've had dew point temperatures in the low to mid 70s Fahrenheit. I live in a 60 year old house, so the combination of high humidity and air conditioning can mean condensation. Currently…
An Insulated Sheathing for Building Enclosure Control Freaks
Building enclosure control freaks know that a good exterior sheathing can make a huge difference in performance. Controlling the flows of moisture, air, and heat requires good control layers. A lot of materials and methods will get you there, but…
Fiberglass Is Still the Number One Insulation for Home Builders
The Home Innovation Research Labs (HIRL) does an annual survey of home builders to find out what they're doing. The results of their 2019 survey of the homes built in 2018 are out now, and they recently published an interesting…
New Year, New Opportunities to Make Better Buildings
Well, another year has come and gone. Out with the old, in with the new, and all that. A time for introspection and resolutions. Taking stock of where we are and plotting a course for where we want to be.…