Heat Loss Photos - I've Got Plenty Heat loss, and heat gain in the summer, are both responsible for costing you money. It's important to realize that you can't stop heat loss, but you can slow it down. In the photo above the purple areas on the sloped ceiling are caused by air flowing through Read More »
You wake up on a frigid morning or come home from work and your house is cold, yet the heater or furnace is on. You might mumble out loud as you shiver, "Why is house cold with heating on?" This is the column Tim asked in his January 3, 2018 AsktheBuilder Newsletter if you would Read More »
Window Flashing Tape Installation DEAR TIM: I've been a subscriber of your free newsletter for years and am finally building a new home. I decided to follow your advice and stop by the job site as often as possible and take photos. The contractor just installed my windows and has started to install the vinyl Read More »
Using R value guidelines to upgrade your insulation is likely a smart move. R values, established by the U.S. Dept. of Energy for walls, ceilings, floors, and other areas of your home, are really minimum requirements. Check insulation R values recommended for your area on the map and table here. Increased insulation R value in your ceilings and wall insulation will bank extra energy dollars saved in no time!
Attic insulation is accomplished with either fiberglass blankets (batt) or blown in insulation. Batt insulation is available at home centers and lumberyards. Blown in insulation requires a professional. Before choosing blown vs. batt insulation, take time to read this column.
How to insulate an older brick home can be a challenge. If furring strips were nailed to the inner masonry, there is only a narrow 3/4-inch space to add insulation. Very old brick homes often have no space to add insulation as the plaster was applied directly to the brick wall.
DEAR TIM: I’m going to build a new home and want to make sure I seal all air leaks in my new house. The new home is close to where I live and I have the time and inclination to do some work on it myself. My current home leaks air around doors, windows, at Read More »
DEAR TIM: I have a house wrap installed on my house over plywood sheathing. No clapboards are in place yet. I'm getting moisture behind the house wrap that is of concern to me. The product was installed at about 55 F, last October. The moisture appears in varying temperatures and also whether or not exposed Read More »
Garage Door Insulation | Get It Done At The Factory DEAR TIM: I live in a condo with an attached garage. The current garage door insulation is rated at R-4. Even with that it's cold in the winter and hot as Hades in the summer. Local companies have given me estimates to increase the insulation Read More »
Bob Monninger had a shed built at his Antioch, Illinois home. Let him finish the tale. "I had a shed built this summer by a company called Tuff Shed. It's a very good one, 10 X 14, all wood. It sits on a concrete slab. I have installed insulation on all four walls, the ceiling, and the Read More »
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