"how to install siding"

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

Walls and Roofs

The easiest way to insulate walls from the exterior in older homes

...how to build energy efficient and durable walls in the Ecohome Green Building Guide and these pages here : Choosing a house wrap, which is best? How to choose between OSB and plywood sheathing for walls The difference between air barriers and vapor barriers How to install siding so walls can dry How to inst...

Roof assemblies - new construction

Why roofs need to be ventilated and how to ventilate a roof properly

...to install a shiny new ridge vent. And vents on gable ends are really among the poorest performing roof vents as they can leave moisture to collect in the center of the attic, and they are often installed lower than the optimum level leaving a lot of moisture to collect up at the very peak. How to calculate roof venti...

Delivery: radiant, forced-air and decentralized

Design and construction of frost-protected shallow foundations with radiant heat

...to the timelapse video showing how to build frost protected shallow foundation forms, click here. Tie the bottom of the precut foam foundation form elements together by simultaneously installing two courses of expanded high-density polystyrene (EPS) insulation board, tied together and to elements with 6” nails to keep...

Wall assemblies - renovation

How to improve the energy efficiency of an old stone house in a cold climate

...tone houses are beautiful but can be very cold and difficult to insulate, so heat pumps are a great way to heat them Now you know about how to restore an old farm house for energy efficiency, how to insulate stone walls, and the best heating systems for old stone houses. Find more pages about geothermal, air sourc...

Flooring and stairs

Cork flooring installation - the eco-friendly flooring choice, with "how to" video

...installation guide: Now that you know all about cork flooring Installation, check the Ecohome Green Building Guide Pages for other options such as how to choose eco-friendly healthy, durable floors, Marmoleum : A healthy and non-toxic green flooring product, choosing non-toxic floor finishes to protect indoor air qu...

Bathrooms

Faulty toilet flappers are the leading cause of leaking or running toilets, here's how to fix them

...to do something about fixing our leaky toilet by changing the flapper to save us some of this precious rainwater in our recovery system tank for next summer's vacation. What tools are needed to replace a toilet flapper? At a minimum, to replace a leaking toilet flapper you're going to need some basic plumbers tools on ...

Cleaning and maintenance

How to make Eco-friendly DIY laundry soap from Buckeyes / Horse Chestnuts

...How to make DIY laundry detergent from buckeyes - video guide A reminder - Horse Chestnuts are toxic to eat Very important – don’t eat them! They are safe to touch but toxic when consumed by humans. And note, that you are looking for horse chestnuts or buckeyes (Aesculus hippocastanum) which are poisonous to humans...

Wood stove and biomass heat

Wood combustion – How firewood burns & how to get the best heat while being eco-friendly

...to spark them, this leads to raised levels of the kind of emissions we don’t really want to shoot up the chimney and gas passing birds with. We said it before, but we’re going to say it again – first rule of wood burning? Burn Dry Wood! (Oh, and the right wood for maximum heat output too, if you want to get toasty.) On...

How to Find Qualified Green Building Professionals

How to choose a home-building contractor

How to find a certified green builder? First look in the Ecohome Professionals Directory for a green home builder in your area. To find the right builder, here are some tips of what to look for and what to avoid. First, start with an internet search in your local region (the closest town or city) alongside words like...

Insulation and soundproofing

How insulation works

...tors that will determine how comfortable your home is, or more accurately how much you will have to spend to keep your home comfortable. Understanding R values The R value applied to a material refers to its capacity to resist heat transfer. The R value of most commercially available insulations varies in the range of...

Air and vapour barriers

How to install an air barrier for reduced air leakage - video

...top vapour from difusing. Understanding the difference between the two opens up a world of options for material choices and wall designs that can make walls perform much better and last longer, and it doesn't have to add a ton of cost or labour to a project. Read more here about the difference between air barriers and...