The owner finds this room uncomfortably warm in the summer, uncomfortably cool in the winter, and generally uninspiring year round. It is an important room as it is open to the kitchen, the busiest place in their home. To get a real feel for the existing conditions, I import photos into Sketchup and create and ‘Existing Conditions’ model. Then I […]
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Stuff We Like – Dryers
Here are two products related to dryer venting. 1. We’ve installed a couple of dryer boxes. The dryer box saves you from having your dryer duct turn into a kinked up nightmare. 2. The Heartland dryer vent closure is wicked ugly. But it does an excellent job of sealing against air leaks, not to mention gross critters. The good news […]
Category Construction, News
Tags Dryers, Stuff
Some Guy Goes Green
This one’s a rant. Unfortunately for environmentally conscious builders, the rising publicity surrounding ‘green’ building has coincided with the collapse in building construction across the planet. Usually I don’t think that personal experience can really indicate a trend. Nevertheless, it’s hard to ignore the fact that 2 years ago, ‘Some-Guy Construction’ was throwing up (almost literally) speculative pseudo-home junk with […]
Category Construction, News
Tags Rant
Air-flow Diagnostics for Cavemen
The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation does some pretty fun stuff. Here’s an interesting test to measure airflow at registers and exhaust vents. Seems so obvious once you know the ‘secret’. For those who find the myriad of government-funded energy subsidies confusing, here’s a link to a state-by-state breakdown of the programs.
Category Energy Efficiency, News
Tags Cavemen
Well what about unicorns?
I’ll just give it to you straight. Dry rot is a myth. Excessive dryness doesn’t cause it’s own special kind of rot. While this might seem intuitive for the layperson, it’s a pervasive misconception among those working in the building industry. From Paul Fisette’s article on wood myths, ” Wood needs 4 things to decay: water, oxygen, food (wood) and […]
Category Construction, News
Tags Water
Building Codes Made Free and Easy
Last September the San Francisco Chronicle published this brief but fascinating article about Carl Malamud. Apparently Malamud had been putting building codes on his website, and allowing anyone to download them, entirely free of charge. At the time it seemed like an interesting story. However, I felt pretty certain of two things. First, that Malamud was probably some sort of […]
Category Construction, News
Tags Code
Energy Efficiency and Taxes
With the federal stimulus package there’s been a lot of talk about government money being used for energy improvements. A lot of builders (including Tay River) have been focused on energy efficiency for a long time. As a teenager, my first construction job was for an insulation contractor in eastern Ontario. We’d occasionally work on R-2000 homes, which were part […]
Category Energy Efficiency, News
Tags Efficiency, Performance
Heat-loss Diagnostics for Cavemen: Part 1
Despite my letter to the Journal of Light Construction last year, I think energy audits are tremendously valuable. We’ve recently started using blower door tests and thermal imaging on some of our work, and so far, the results are excellent. Heat loss in buildings is weirdly unpredictable, so if you have access to a company with these tools, I recommend […]
Category Energy Efficiency, News
Tags Cavemen, Efficiency, Performance, Roof
Heat-loss Diagnostics for Cavemen: Part 2
Despite my letter to the Journal of Light Construction last year, I think energy audits are tremendously valuable. We’ve recently started using blower door tests and thermal imaging on some of our work, and so far, the results are excellent. Heat loss in buildings is weirdly unpredictable, so if you have access to a company with these tools, I recommend […]
Category Energy Efficiency, News
Tags Efficiency, Performance, Roof
Why Vinyl Replacement Windows Aren’t For You
So your house is getting on in years, and you’re thinking it could use a face-lift. One of the projects you’re considering is replacing all the windows in your house. Where to start? The purpose of this article is to give you the tools you need to make an informed decision. Ask Yourself Why? What are you hoping to accomplish […]
