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

  • Article

    Re-wiring a lamp.

      Here are a few tips when it comes to re-wiring an old lamp.     Use the existing wire to pull the new wire through. You need to join them in a way that does not create a lump in the wire.           Avoiding a lump On the old pair of wires, cut one wire shorter than the other and s...
  • Article

    Truss Up-Lift -- that changing crack between the wall and the ceiling

      In all too many new houses, there is a seasonal problem where in the winter the ceiling actually lifts itself right off the wall in the centre of the house, and then settles down after the heating season.  Even in some older houses this goes on every year.  What causes this crack? Avoiding...
  • Article

    BBS: Raised Heel Trusses

      How do you get enough space above the wall and below the roof for both massive insulation and ventilation? One way in new construction, or even in the rebuilding of a roof, is what we call a Raised Heel Truss. This design forces the overhang of the house further out from the house, but does gi...
  • Article

    New circuit protection: Arc Fault Interrupters

    Overload protection Fuses and circuit breakers will stop the electricity in a wire when the load is excessive or there is a short circuit. They prevent overheating of wires from too much electricity trying to flow through a wire that is not large enough to handle it. Stray current protection G...
  • Article

    HOW CAN I STOP CONDENSATION ON THE BASEMENT WALL BEHIND INSULATION?

    First ensure that this is not a leak in the basement wall. Click here for details on Waterproofing a basement wall. Second ensure that the wall is well sealed, especially around electrical outlets and floor and wall joints. Click here for details on Air Sealing. Finally, make sure there is no a...
  • Article

    DO I NEED TO MOISTURE PROOF THE BASEMENT WALL BEFORE INSULATING?

    If there is no water leakage problem, but the basement walls are a bit damp, you must cover the walls before insulating. Waterproofing coatings are not really necessary for moisture proofing. Polyethylene plastic sheets or horizontal strips of building paper are sufficient. These should be hung o...
  • Article

    MYTH: AN AIR SPACE BETWEEN THE INSULATION AND THE WALL PREVENTS CONDENSATION.

    Often promoted in southern Ontario, this theory has never, to my knowledge, been proven by any government agency or independent researcher in the insulation field. On the contrary, the unanimous opinion seems to be that it will cause, not prevent, condensation.  Even efforts to drain condensation...
  • Article

    How far down should you insulate on a basement wall?

    As you can see in the first graphic, the soil helps to insulate a basement so there is more heat lost on the top of the basement than on the bottom. That is why the National Building Code requires a minimum level of insulation in a basement that reaches from the floor boards above your head, down...
  • Article

    How do you insulate a basement wall that has a pony wall?

    Ron from Penticton, B.C. has a "stepped" foundation with a pony wall from the concrete to the ceiling above. This upper portion is insulated but not the concrete. He wants to insulate it all. He asks: "Does he have to remove the existing drywall, and does the vapour barrier need to extend over th...
  • Article

    Full height basement insulation? An animation explaining why the answer is YES.

    An animation on a CD that I produced with the Reader's Digest several years ago showed clearly why you should insulate the entire wall all the way down to the floor. No, you won't freeze anything outside, as the important footings are below the frost depth anyway and there is always some heat los...