The most interesting topic we covered in my first semester of college physics was fluid dynamics. I found it fascinating, especially Bernoulli's principle. It wasn't until I left academia and entered the field of building science, however, that I really…
I visited a new house earlier this year that had a basement wall that looked fine* at first glance. At left you see this wall, with its 2"x4" framing and fiberglass batt insulation. That wall you're looking at, though, has…
When I wrote about my trip to the Southeast Building Conference (SEBC) in July, I mentioned how some products on display there really annoyed me because they're either bad to the bone or overhyped. The main one in the latter…
If you're in the market for a new heating & cooling system and you're looking at heat pumps, make sure you understand how they're rated for efficiency - and which rating is more important for you. If you're in the…
This week I read and commented on Avoiding the Global Warming Impact of Insulation by Alex Wilson" target="_blank">Avoiding the Global Warming Impact of Insulation by Alex Wilson over at Green Building Advisor. I'd avoided the article for a while since…
There's been a lively discussion going on in the RESNET/BPI group on LinkedIn. I posted my article about how infiltration occurs at the surface, not in the volume, and it's generated some good comments. In that article, I said we…
At the gym the other night, I was thinking about a tweet I'd seen the day before: "@EFL_Guy 'Air leaks through surfaces not volume" Joe Lstiburek.'" I'd been meaning to blog about this for a while, so, during my workout,…
Most houses in this part of the world are 'stick-built.' That is, they're framed with 2x4s - sticks. This term came from the timber framers who were used to building with massive posts and beams. When smaller lumber became available…
Spray foam insulation is a great product. Homes insulated with it can be some of the most efficient and comfortable homes built. I've been in plenty of these homes and can tell you that a typical spray foam insulated house…
Yesterday, I heard a law student tell a story about some advice she gave to her friend about a recent break up. Her friend was having trouble letting go, and instead of saying something simple like, "you need to move…