"how to install siding"

how to install siding / Green Building & Sustainable Home Renovation Information & Advice

Lifestyle and environment

Fridge organization - how to optimize fridges to reduce food waste (and why it matters)

...to do than having to keep going to the store every few days to stock up. I know it’s definitely not on my top 10 list of things to do! However, doing this isn't always that economical, as it can lead to additional food waste and throwing hard-earned dollars in the garbage. So the next time that you think you’re going t...

Insulation and soundproofing

Soundproofing interior walls-video

...How to soundproof interior walls The key to building smaller homes which don't sacrifice quality of life is ensuring that they are designed to make the best use of their space no matter how limited. However, you must also ensure that there is sufficient privacy by eliminating unwanted sound transmission through walls. ...

Wind power

The Zoetrope: DIY vertical wind turbine design

...to design a small scale wind turbine he could use to provide supplemental water heating. Applied Sciences then decided to make the design widely available to others along with an introduction to wind power, hoping that others might improve the design and functionality. Hence the beauty of open source design. Now y...

Wall assemblies - new construction

Choosing a building envelope - starting with the perfect wall

...To improve the performance you can increase the size of studs (going from 2x6 to 2x8) or add several inches of insulation to the exterior. Mineral wool batts have higher R value than fiberglass, and they are much easier to cut and install properly. To discover the appropriate use of insulation, see our guide to insulat...

Lifestyle and environment

Green buildings are better situated to handle climate extremes

...how to build a durable home All about air and vapor barriers in high-performance homes Rigid foam insulation panels : which to use, and where - polyiso v EPS v styrofoam and alternatives How to install exterior siding so walls can stay dry Why building a sustainable green home is the most affordable option Di...

Heating with gas and oil

Still cooking with gas? How to reduce the risk of asthma and cancer.

...toves emit 2.4 million metric tonnes of methane into the air each year. Around 40 million households still have a gas stove, and experts in North America are urging people to make the switch to an electric appliances such as an induction cooktop and electric stove to reduce the dangerous gases in our homes, and to redu...

Heating and cooling

Fixing noisy baseboard heaters, how to stop that clicking easily!

...How to" Guides are here on Ecohome Some of the most popular questions we get asked about noisy baseboard heaters are… What can I do to stop electric baseboard heaters making clicking and banging noises when they’re turned on? Why do baseboard heaters continue to be noisy when switched off? How to deal with the const...

Concrete and masonry

Gabion walls - what is a gabion cage & how to build with them?

...to lose their advantage because of measures that would need to be taken to ensure stability, which makes it a more complicated construction process. For a free tool to calculate the carbon footprint in building materials see here. How to build a gabion wall The principle is quite simple: stones are dropped into welded ...

Food production

Food & greens can be grown easily indoors - here's how!

...to ready to eat within 5 days. They are something of a ‘gateway crop’ to a full-on gardening addiction because they are tasty and healthy, and once you discover how fast and easy they are to grow, you’re going to want a whole farm. Okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration. But if you’ve never grown anything except green fur ...

Materials and resources

How wood structures compare to steel and concrete for carbon footprint

...tors. Yes, but wood means destroying forests! That point is legitimate. Indeed, a cut tree will no longer produce oxygen. This is where sustainable forest management is very important. Wood is an abundant and renewable resource, especially here in Canada, but it is important to know how to use it intelligently. The FS...

Doors and trim

Interior home finishing - How to create healthy and sustainable homes

...to put caulking if you can live with a more traditional look of trims, but regardless of how much you use it, try to find brands that are VOC-free. VOCs will continue to release toxic fumes for years after application. Water-based sealants and adhesives will be less toxic, and while silicone has a heavy ecological foo...