Foundations, Basements & Slab-on-Grade

Radon in Homes - Mitigation

Radon gas awareness - Up to 10% of North American homes tested have unsafe radon levels

Long-term exposure to high levels of radon gas in homes is the second greatest cause of lung cancer after smoking - that's 25000 preventable deaths a year from radon exposure - has your home been tested. Why is radon a problem in USA & Canada? Radon gas is cancer-causing radioactive, invisible, odourless and…

Radon in Homes - Mitigation

Removing radon gas from basements and crawlspaces

Removing radon gas from existing basements and crawlspaces can be very effective, here are different options for different situations. Radon gas in crawlspaces and basements - why is it a problem? Radon gas was not high on the radar of builders and home owners over the last few decades , but as it is the second…

Crawl spaces

How to insulate crawlspaces properly as part of renovating an older home

Crawlspaces are becoming rare for new home construction in USA & Canada. If you've got a crawls space with damp, mold, odor & cold issues, here's how to insulate it properly to fix it permanently & have a more comfortable home. Crawlspace insulation - be careful to get it right A crawlspace comes with all the…

Radon in Homes - Mitigation

Removing radon gas from well water

High levels of radon gas in the air of your home might be coming from your water and not the floor of your basement. It is a very wise idea to have the air of your home checked for high levels of radon gas. Health Canada has identified exposure to radon gas as the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking…

Excavation

Things to look for when purchasing land for building a house

Finding a suitable building lot requires a lot of consideration and research; here are some things to look for. It is not illegal to sell an unbuildable lot, so buyers beware. Any number of roadblocks can prevent you from building the house you want, or any house at all, so before you make a purchase make sure you…

Slab on Grade

Raft slabs - How to build Insulated frost protected shallow foundations (FPSF) on problem soils

How to build on sites with expansive soils, high water tables and poor bearing capacity, and to build a frost protected shallow foundation easily in cold climates. A frost protected shallow foundation (FPSF) is an interesting and well-proven alternative to deeper, more-costly foundations in cold regions with…

Waterproofing and drainage

Rainwater management and water-permeable surfaces

The importance and the benefits of creating buildings and landscapes that retain and manage rainwater on site. Stormwater - why it's important to choose permeable surfaces for paths & driveways As cities expand into the green space around them, naturally permeable landscapes are replaced with buildings, roads and…

Radon in Homes - Mitigation

Mitigating radon gas in homes

Radon gas in homes is a growing health concern. Adding a passive radon stack is always a good idea to prepare a home for better indoor air quality. Radon gas builds up in homes and has serious health effects . Reducing radon gas in homes is cheap and easy with a slab floor barrier with proper sealing at junctions…

Slab on Grade

Finishing the exterior of an insulated slab-on-grade floor

Insulating the exteriors of basements and slabs leaves you with needed to finish the exterior. In this video you see an easy fix to have the exterior surface secured by set concrete, while avoiding any thermal bridges in the process. See more videos about passive solar high performance home building here Once a…

Radon in Homes - Mitigation

How to install vapor and radon barriers below slab floors

Installing a 10 mil polyethylene barrier below a concrete slab floor to prevent moisture wicking and create a radon gas barrier. How to install a radon barrier - slab floors If in the kind of area where it's a good idea to install a vapor barrier against radon ingress, (check out the Radon maps by state and province…

Slab on Grade

How to build a slab-on-grade on standard soil

How to build a slab-on-grade with a thickened edge on standard soil. There are many ways to build a slab-on-grade (or frost-protected shallow foundation), the following is a step-by-step walk though of a thickened-edge slab floor we built. XPS or EPS rigid foam is typically used under concrete slab floors, in this…