Yes you can check if your hygrometer or humidistat is giving you the right readings. Mix into a glass, one part water to two parts salt -- like 1/4 cup water to 1/2 cup salt. Mix it thoroughly. Now put this glass and the hygrometer into a sealed plastic bag at 22 degrees C, room temperature. Wait...
Here's an introduction to a special kind of exhaust fan -- an "In-Line" fan. This means that rather than having the motor right at the ceiling, they can be placed anywhere along the line of the ductwork. This makes their installation much more flexible, and quieter. Equipment details can be f...
When condensation shows up inside a thermal pane double window (between the two pieces of glass), you know that the seals around the edge have been compromised, allowing moisture to get inside. These cannot really be re-sealed so the standard response to this problem is to replace the glass ...
Victor from Stoney Creek, Ontario writes: "My house is a 3 level back split and is 3 years old. The furnace is natural gas. I am having problems with condensation and mould on my thermal windows! The window manufacturer said that there is too much humidity and that thermal windows always get cond...
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...
Richard writes in:
Hi, I could not find this second level question on your web site. I am familiar with the humidity levels required in a home to avoid condensation on the inside on a thermal pane window- we are still getting condensation with readings in the center of the room of 20 degree C ...
Hi Jon and Crew... I am in the process of putting down vapour barrier in my crawl space (what a chore). Two questions: 1) Should I bring in sand or similar material to level out the dirt floor? It has heaves due to natural pitch of the land of up to three feet in various areas. I am thinking that...
The whole question of mould started as a simple nuisance in home maintenance but with experience and research has become a major element of creating and maintaining a healthy house. Of course, whenever research develops over time, recommendations change and things can get quite confusing.
IT...
June is building a new home in Kenora and they have decided to make what is often called a double wall structure to have room for lots of insulation. They are intending to build with 2x6 walls and then add another 2x4 on the inside to hold more insulation. They have been told that they could do s...
Because of the seriousness of the issue, I want to take a moment to present my credentials other than that guy that has been on TV and radio for 42 years. In the 1980’s I was one of the primary instructors for the R-2000 energy efficiency program teaching contractors across Québec through the AP...
