Alternative Building MaterialsconcreteThe Truth About Fly Ash Construction materials made with fly ash offer great sustainable and performance benefits, but are... Feb 6, 2015 7:38:00 PMReading time7 min read
tiny houseHeating a Tiny House: Wood Stoves When choosing wood heat for your tiny house, details such as the output of the stove, the source of... Feb 1, 2015 9:29:00 AMReading time4 min read
plumbingplasticsBuilding SciencepvcFinally, a Recycled PVC Product A major drawback to vinyl building products has been the fact that they contain no recycled... Jan 27, 2015 10:51:00 AMReading time1 min read
outdoor livingeco-landscapingpools and spasNatural Swimming Pools Work Best in Warm Climates It's time to address the overuse of chemicals in our nation's backyard pools. James Robyn likes to... Nov 8, 2014 11:11:00 AMReading time6 min read
outdoor livingdeckingSteel Decking Substructures for Trex Decks Historically, wood has been the go-to material for residential decking substructures. However, with... Oct 20, 2014 12:45:00 PMReading time3 min read
Indoor Air Qualitykitchenventilation fansventilationULRange Hoods: Clearing the Kitchen Air Range hoods dress up a kitchen, but their function is underappreciated. In a tight house, a... Sep 4, 2014 3:54:00 PMReading time6 min read
Green Landscapingoutdoor livingSexy Rainwater Downspouts Add Jewel-Like Detail To Home Exterior Collecting rainwater from your roof doesn't have to be dull, pedestrian work. That's the message... Sep 2, 2014 1:15:00 PMReading time1 min read
Resilient HousingwindfloodFlood Openings in Basement Walls Can Save on Insurance Costs Ideally, you would never want to buy or build a home in a Flood Zone. But it happens. The National... Aug 29, 2014 12:55:00 PMReading time2 min read
InsulationBuilding ScienceExterior Foam Insulation: Best Practices BUILDING AMERICA (BA) has been advocating the use of rigid foam sheathing insulation for years as a... Aug 19, 2014 4:09:00 PMReading time4 min read
Building Sciencewood-burning fireplacesAdd a Fresh Air Intake to Your Wood Stove to Avoid Toxic Air Too often, wood burning boilers and stoves are installed without a dedicated fresh air source.... Jun 23, 2014 7:17:00 PMReading time2 min read
durabilityRoofingHVACflooringfinishesappliancesdoorscabinets and countertopsHow Long Do the Parts of a House Last? A few years back, I wrote an article called "Building Blind," that exposed some major flaws in the... Jun 20, 2014 6:49:00 PMReading time6 min read
housewrapHousewrap: What's the Difference? It's a connundrum: How do you prevent water from entering a building, while also allowing any... Jun 9, 2014 8:46:00 PMReading time8 min read
Road Rage: The 16-Minute Rule For commuting to and from work, 16 minutes is most people's limit. photo by Randy Chiu May 26, 2014 2:15:00 PMReading time1 min read