Keyword Search

Found 203 results for the keyword(s) ‘attic insulation’

• Article

  Outdoor basement stairs -- CAUTION!

  Can I cut in a door where the basement window is presently? Ed and Shirley from Dundas, Ontario want to put a door into the basement right where there is presently a window. Can they do it? If the door is the same width as the window, there will be no structural problems above. If you make the ...
• Article

  Basement walls -- Moisture & Vapour Barriers

  Do I need to place a vapour barrier against the brick wall, then insulation and then another vapour barrier over that?  The wall does not leak and is fully underground.  Barbara THE VAPOUR BARRIER The vapour barrier is more properly called a vapour retarder. It is designed to stop moisture in t...
• Article

  Investigation Techniques

  THE ALMOND MYSTERY Updated-- 20 almonds soaked in water overnight are good for my wife’s and my health.  But when there are only 14 almonds in the bowl in the morning I was getting accused of old age distraction.  Next day 20 in the bowl, next day 20 in the bowl – I guess it was my distractive ...
• Article

  OVERVIEW: Frozen pipes: Tracing, thawing, preventing.

  As weather patterns change we are getting longer colder periods than traditionally in many areas of the country -- and with that, more and more complaints of water pipes freezing. Finding the frozen point can be difficult, thawing it can be problematic but if you have done those two, go one step ...
• Article

  Why is Celotex insulation not seen much in Canada?

  Gordon from Montreal writes asking about the use of Celotex foam insulation (with aluminium foil cladding on both sides- 4 X 8 sheets). He writes: "For your information, the Celotex product is considered by many, to be a premium insulator for residential installations. Ironically it is made in C...
• Article

  Ridge vents for snow country

  Venting a cathedral or low slopped roof is not easy. What you need to accomplish is to have continuous air movement from the soffits up between all the roof joists and somehow out the top. That is what ridge vents were invented to do. But it must be noted that a ridge vent without good open conti...
• Article

  Ventilation hoods -- how to identify quality

    Ventilation Maximum makes some of the best outdoor vent hoods on the market – and makes them to work in cold and snow covered climates.  They often innovate and others copy.  For instance they invented the square cupola that replaced both the troublesome spinning turbines and the rooftop bu...
• Article

  Why do I see the wall studs right through the drywall?

    Tim lives in a 13 year old house and is rather disturbed by the fact that he can see the studs and ceiling joists as if they were coming right through the wall. Don't panic Tim, this is unfortunately very common. It relates to a poor job of insulation in a cold climate.     You see, the ...
• Article

  How to properly duct an exhaust fan through a roof

  This item falls under the heading of 'things that homeowners can teach their contractor'. Unfortunately too many renovators do not know that you can cause serious damage to your roof if you don't duct exhaust fans completely out of an attic. Some know, but just don't care. You cannot just leave ...
• Article

  Detailing a Basement Wine Cellar

  John wants to cerate a wine cellar in his basement.  Here I have answered him throughly enough to perhaps help you detail your own cold room, whether it is under a concrete porch, or just built in the corner of the basement -- trying to deal with the questions of insulation, condensation, vapour ...