Q&A / 

Spray Foam Pros and Cons - You Better Do the Math! A new home is being built on my street. I have to drive past it anytime I leave the community. I’ve visited the job site countless times to check on the progress and to weigh in on the quality of the workmanship. So far […]

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3D Printed House Cost - It's Not All Unicorns and Rainbows You may wonder if the new belle of the ball, 3D printed house, is really going to cost you less money to build than a normal house. Some publications fawn about new techniques like these and only share the glitter and gleam of the […]

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Basement Foam Board Installation - Inside or Outside QUESTION: I’m 23-years old and just got out of college. I bought my first small house and am about to remodel my basement. The previous owners of the house glued 2-inch-thick foam insulation to the poured concrete walls. It’s got an aluminum foil face on it. Then […]

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Soundproof Condo Ceiling - Not Easy After Construction QUESTION #2: Tim, I live in a condo and wonder what might be done to lessen the noise I hear coming from some of my neighbors. Are there any easy fixes that I might be able to tackle? Linda S., Chicago, IL Soundproofing spaces is a science. […]

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Crawlspace Wall Insulation Podcast: Tim Carter received a great crawlspace wall insulation email from Craig who lives in Ohio. He sent amazing photos you can see below. Craig wrote: "Hi Tim, My crawlspace is about 660 square feet. I've attached pictures of the current condition in the crawl space. The insulation was simply nailed into […]

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 Insulate Basement Ductwork Podcast: Tim Carter received the following email from Mike not too long ago (April 26, 2020 Newsletter): "Tim - I have an unheated basement. The ducts for heating/AC run through the basement. Do you suggest insulating the ducts in the basement to conserve more of the heat before it moves to […]

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Adding Attic Insulation Podcast: Tim Carter helps Christine decide what attic insulation is best and ventilation tips while on the phone. Listen to Tim on his adding attic insulation podcast. The first thing Tim talks about is what insulation retains its insulating properties if it gets wet and then dries out. Tim also discusses turbine […]

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Foam Insulation Above Windows QUESTION #1: Tim, I need your expert opinion. I’m building a new home with 2x6 exterior walls. Beams have to be installed over the top of all windows and doors. What’s a great way to insulate these as the solid wood creating the beam doesn’t have a very high R-value. What […]

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How to Cool My Home - Use Time-Tested Methods You may be one of the tens of millions of people that have been suffering in the blistering heatwave that had a vicious grip on the Eastern USA during July. I happen to live in central New Hampshire and it was a withering 91 F with […]

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"The same exact thing can happen inside a wall cavity in a home in a frigid climate if you don't block and stop the water vapor from getting into the wall cavity." Insulation Installation - Simple If You Read Instructions The inspiration for this column happened just two days ago while I was working on […]

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