Mary from Kingston, Ontario writes:I would like to build a small cold room but the space that can be allotted to this is only approximately 42 in. wide by 48 in. deep. Is this feasible? One of the walls will be an outside, north-facing cement block wall, the others will abut on the interior....
Robert from Riverview, N.B. writes:The problem relates to what appears to be mould or mildew on one exterior end of my house, showing up in what appears to be small black spots peeking through the white paint. I have been told that improper ventilation can contribute to such a situation if, i...
Example: GLASCLAD from Fiberglas Canada -- but this product is no longer produced as of the summer of 2000.Colour: Pink with Tyvek house wrap covering.Thermal Resistance: RSI - .031/mm R - 4.4/in. HighCost: HighCapacity to dry out if wet: Excellent.Fire Resistance: GoodFungus / Vermin...
Insulating open walls with glass fiber or mineral wool batts is the most economical. Adding additional strapping to open stud walls (horizontally is best) will give you more wall space that can be economically insulated. Double strapping will provide room for a good air/vapour barrier (poly...
If you want to insulate inside the house but don't want to remove the old wall, here's what you should do:-- Make a couple of exploratory holes in the wall (don't worry about being neat, you're going to cover the wall anyway) to find out how much insulation is in the wall and if there is a good...
Melissa sent in an e-mail worrying about the fact that the paint on the wall behind her wood burning fireplace is so hot that it is bubbling.That is too hot. Check the manufacturer's instructions if you have them -- each appliance has specified distances from combustible surfaces. Yours is ...
This article deals with a block wall above grade. For a below grade block wall see Basement Perimeter Drainage and Leaking Foundations.
Bryan is faced with a totally un-insulated cinder block wall with 1x2 strapping and a plaster covering. He is thinking about stripping it back to the block...
Hello Jon,
I have a cathedral ceiling with a shingled roof. If I insulate the roof air tight, will the shingles lift and curl as they do on poorly ventilated roofs?
The other thought is leaving an 1 1/2 inch space between the roof deck and the insulation and installing a ridge vent, which give...
It is always better to insulate on the outside of basements and crawl spaces, but usually more expensive and more trouble.
Brick or field stone foundations must not be insulated on the inside for much more than one foot below ground level. The poor quality of the mortar in these foundations dete...
I have reproduced below an article from the construction professional publication Solplan Review November 2008 because it was such a good article on this complicated subject. In 2023, Solplan Review is no longer in publication. For an animation on what is a rainscreen, follow this link.
But...
