Walls and Roofs

Insulation and soundproofing

Hemp insulation in Canada & USA - insulating naturally is an eco-friendly alternative

Discover the benefits of hemp insulation for sustainable building solutions. Learn how hemp offers eco-friendly, energy-efficient, and non-toxic alternatives to traditional insulation materials, perfect for reducing your carbon footprint. A comprehensive guide to hemp insulation: a sustainable choice for insulating…

Pest control

Removing insects and rodents from your home, safely & humanely (by preference)

Solutions for preventing and eliminating some common pests and insects safely & humanely (if possible). Insects & rodents - how to keep them out of your home Below is a list of some of the more common rodents and insects that invade homes, and some ideas on how to rid yourself of the offending guests . We would…

Wall assemblies - renovation

Should I be renovating my home or tearing it down & rebuilding?

Whether a house is worth rebuilding or is better torn down depends on a lot of factors, many of them personal, but also financial considerations like grants, sustainability & current condition of the building structure. Should I renovate, remodel or rebuild? This very question comes up a lot for me during site…

Insulation and soundproofing

New HFO blowing agents for spray foam will make it over 1,000 times less harmful to the climate

Foam blowing agents long ago stopped harming ozone, that switch had a huge impact on climate. That problem has now been solved. New blowing agents for spray foam coming by the end of 2017 Foam insulation is a petroleum-based product and nothing will change that. But that was never the biggest problem the 'eco'…

Exterior cladding

Shou sugi ban carbonized wood siding from Japan, what is it & how to make it?

Shou sugi ban burnt wood exterior cladding is naturally made, very durable & originated as a Japanese wood finish for homes revealing the beauty of the natural preserved timber. What is Shou sugi ban siding? © Resawn Timber Co. Shou sugi ban is an ancient Japanese carbonized wood finish created by burning the…

Roof coverings

Living green roofs: the secrets to success

Learn the steps to creating a successful commercial green roof - concept, design and maintenance. Commercial green roof case study AB Canada Nestled in the Oldman River valley in Lethbridge Alberta, the green roof on the Helen Schuler Nature Centre (HSNC) has been attracting local and international attention from…

Exterior cladding

All about painting brick, is it a good idea and what paint to use?

Are you planning on repainting brick finishes on the exterior or interior of your home? Using standard oil or latex paint can trap moisture & at best may cause the paint to chip or peel. Discover more here. Is painting brick a good idea? Bricks will absorb moisture from the interior of a home and they need to be…

Wall assemblies - renovation

Winter preparation for your home - are you ready for the cold?

Tips for preparing your house for winter: how to make your house more efficient to save money on heating, more durable to save disasters & maintenance issues & more comfortable to keep the family toasty through the winter. Top Tips for preparing a home for winter Extremely low temperatures over winter can test your…

Roof assemblies - renovation

What causes ice dams and how to fix them

Learn how to fix Ice dams on your roof before they cause damage - if you look up and see icicles hanging on the gutter then it's probably ok to say "Ice, D@mn!". Ice dams form at the bottom of roofs, letting water penetrate and cause damage to the interior of walls and roofs. When snow melts on a roof it runs down…

Roof assemblies - renovation

Why is there frost in my attic? Is ice in roofs a problem and how do I stop it?

A roof leak isn't really a roof leak if it’s leaking in on a sunny spring day as the snow finally starts to thaw. It's more likely a build up of frost and ice in your roof space - so how to prevent it. Frost in attics: why is there ice in my roof? When a warm sunny day arrives after a long cold stretch and it seems…

Insulation and soundproofing

Does 'insulating paint' work?

No, it doesn't work. Don't buy the hype about insulating paint, this is snake oil in its truest form. Can paint insulate walls of homes? No it cannot. Despite engineers having long ago debunked this nonsense, insulating paint still occasionally finds its way into buildings. So what are the magical claims…