-
Recent Posts
Archives
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
Categories
- -Chronological Recent Posts
- Air Intrusion/Thermal Envelope
- Appliances
- Bathrooms
- Central Vacuum
- Condensing Modulating Gas Boiler
- Construction
- Deconstruction
- Design Style
- Distractions
- Electrical
- Energy Efficiency
- Family Room
- Finishes
- Fireplace Boiler
- Floating Walls
- Furniture
- Garage
- Green Building Interests
- Green Roof
- House Systems
- Inspections
- Kitchen
- Landscape
- LEED Project
- Living Room
- Local Products
- Maintenance and Repair
- Master Bedroom
- Mini Split Air Conditioner
- Moisture Intrusion/Expansive Soil
- Monitoring
- Moving
- Organization
- Planning
- Plumbing
- Pool
- Project Team
- Radiant Cooling
- Radiant Heat
- Radon Mitigation
- Reduce Reuse Recycle
- Roofing
- RV Camping
- Sideline at son’s house
- Solar
- Spa
- Spencer House
- Tile
- Tools
- Trim
- Trombe Wall
- Ventilation
- Xeriscape
Cloud
-Chronological Recent Posts Air Intrusion/Thermal Envelope Appliances Bathrooms Central Vacuum Condensing Modulating Gas Boiler Construction Deconstruction Design Style Distractions Electrical Energy Efficiency Finishes Fireplace Boiler Floating Walls Furniture Green Building Interests House Systems Inspections Kitchen Landscape LEED Project Living Room Local Products Maintenance and Repair Master Bedroom Moisture Intrusion/Expansive Soil Monitoring Planning Plumbing Pool Project Team Radiant Cooling Radiant Heat Radon Mitigation Reduce Reuse Recycle Roofing Sideline at son’s house Solar Spa Tile Tools Trim Trombe Wall VentilationBy Date
October 2021 S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
Category Archives: Air Intrusion/Thermal Envelope
Hoppe Lock Jam
We first had this problem when one of the doors was new. There is a piece on the three point lock that is called a mishandling device. This is a latch that releases the top and bottom throw bolts that … Continue reading
Posted in -Chronological Recent Posts, Air Intrusion/Thermal Envelope, Maintenance and Repair
Comments Off on Hoppe Lock Jam
Insulating the Bathroom.
About three quarters of the rear wall of the bathroom is poured concrete below ground and insulated on the outside. I added polyiso to the inside of the concrete wall and replaced the Fiberglas with rock wool. The interior walls … Continue reading
Posted in Air Intrusion/Thermal Envelope, Plumbing
Comments Off on Insulating the Bathroom.
Rear Bathroom Gut Job
In order to meet the minimum standard for LEED all the substrate around a tub or shower must be paperless including the ceiling. It’s required even under tiled walls. The existing tiled walls had been waterproof for over 30 years … Continue reading
Posted in Air Intrusion/Thermal Envelope, Deconstruction, LEED Project, Reduce Reuse Recycle
Comments Off on Rear Bathroom Gut Job
Snug as a Bug
Facebook reminded me that it has been seven years since we had our energy audit. Seven years since I retired. A bit over seven years since we purchased the house. The good news is that the property values have escalated, … Continue reading
Posted in Air Intrusion/Thermal Envelope, Energy Efficiency, Fireplace Boiler, Radiant Heat
Comments Off on Snug as a Bug
Storage Closet
Sealing the gap between the walls and the floor in the storage closet has been on the to do list for some time. I emptied the closet and vacuumed the floor to access the gap on the outside walls. The … Continue reading
Posted in Air Intrusion/Thermal Envelope, Maintenance and Repair
Comments Off on Storage Closet
Airlock Entry Interior Door
As the cold weather descends and as I set the thermostats a little lower to cut back our electricity use (I’m studying our use to figure out where we use too much electricity) I decided it was time to isolate … Continue reading
Posted in Air Intrusion/Thermal Envelope, Construction
Comments Off on Airlock Entry Interior Door
Foundation Insulation
We had some warm December weather and Dave thought he could do another outdoor project so he started digging the trench to repair and replace the foundation insulation. Although we thought the white insulation was EPS with its lower insulating … Continue reading
Posted in Air Intrusion/Thermal Envelope
Comments Off on Foundation Insulation
More Tile
Unfortunately the tub drain still leaks but I decided to tile the second half of the bathroom instead of taking it apart again first. The wall near the sink plumbing was not square. Squaring the tile with the brick wall … Continue reading
Posted in Air Intrusion/Thermal Envelope, Bathrooms, Tile
Comments Off on More Tile
A Week’s Worth of Drywalling
Our drywall contractor had a problem with his subcontractors. Basically, they didn’t show on the date he set for the job. They probably would have showed eventually, they did send two guys for a short time at the end of … Continue reading
Posted in Air Intrusion/Thermal Envelope, Construction
Comments Off on A Week’s Worth of Drywalling
Drywall Prep: Membrane Installed
The membrane on the rest of the walls has been installed, the seams taped, and the edges caulked to the studs. The caulk is super rubbery and stays flexible. It is recommended for the edges of the membrane. I put … Continue reading
Posted in Air Intrusion/Thermal Envelope, Construction
Comments Off on Drywall Prep: Membrane Installed
Drywall Prep: Install the nailers for drywall.
These are all finished now. Unless the drywallers find they need another one somewhere. There are some tricky areas where the house orientation changes direction to catch the sun. The rafters come together at an angle and the nailers had … Continue reading
Posted in Air Intrusion/Thermal Envelope, Construction
Comments Off on Drywall Prep: Install the nailers for drywall.
Drywall Prep: Install Membrane Progress
We are making good progress on the membrane installation. The first area was to finish the wiring chase with insulation, polyiso and then the membrane seen installed here. The wiring chase included some tricky areas around the radon pipe where … Continue reading
Posted in Air Intrusion/Thermal Envelope, Construction
Comments Off on Drywall Prep: Install Membrane Progress
Drywall Prep: Decide About and Alter Master Bathroom Wall
Seems like it shouldn’t take two days to complete the wall in the master bathroom and closet but it did. First I put up the membrane in the closet area as the bathroom was done already. The 50 amp wire … Continue reading
Posted in Air Intrusion/Thermal Envelope, Plumbing
Comments Off on Drywall Prep: Decide About and Alter Master Bathroom Wall
Drywall Prep: Insulate with Polyiso around Doors
We are cutting and fitting the polyiso left over from the wiring chase around the door areas to use up smaller pieces. By using the polyiso so sparingly we can keep more of it tacked up as temporary bathroom walls. … Continue reading
Posted in Air Intrusion/Thermal Envelope, Construction
Comments Off on Drywall Prep: Insulate with Polyiso around Doors
Drywall Preparations
We have had two vendors look at the job and each says they can do it. We are awaiting the estimates. But there is a lot to do before the crew can come in and drywall. I’m thinking it is … Continue reading
Posted in Air Intrusion/Thermal Envelope, Construction, Planning
Comments Off on Drywall Preparations
Moved Modem
Ever since we moved in, the modem for our internet connection has been installed right at the garage door. There is a closet built in there now and although the electricians installed an extra outlet for the equipment, it did … Continue reading
Posted in Air Intrusion/Thermal Envelope, Electrical, Maintenance and Repair, Tools
Comments Off on Moved Modem
One Afternoon, One Siding Piece
My brother couldn’t finish the siding on the lower house because we ran out of siding. So we tried to order more, just the unpainted stucco version, but it ended up being backordered so it didn’t arrive until this week. … Continue reading
Posted in Air Intrusion/Thermal Envelope, Construction
Comments Off on One Afternoon, One Siding Piece
Back to the Siding
My brother generously offered to visit and help with the house construction. It is sort of a vacation for him and he likes house building projects almost as much as I do. He is much more of a perfectionist though, … Continue reading
Posted in Air Intrusion/Thermal Envelope, Construction, Trombe Wall
Comments Off on Back to the Siding
Service Chase Rules
We chose to create an expensive air barrier inside the house with Siga Majpell, a breathable membrane that forms an air barrier while allowing for the drying of the interior of the wall or ceiling should they get moisture inside. … Continue reading
Posted in Air Intrusion/Thermal Envelope, Electrical
Comments Off on Service Chase Rules
Siding Arrives
Just before we left for Thanksgiving the siding arrived from Lowes. I had unfortunately chosen the Westminster store that was farther away for the delivery which I found out when I arrived at the closer store. It was about 20 … Continue reading
Posted in Air Intrusion/Thermal Envelope, Construction, Tools
Comments Off on Siding Arrives