The HTRC – Page 26 – The Homeowners & Trades Resource Center

FAQ: Are all air leaks equal?

When it comes to air-sealing a home many people wonder if all air leaks are as important as others. For most the answer is simple – NO. Without any doubt most professionals will say that sealing the leaks up high (i.e. the attic) is the most important. Below is a form used by Maine which shows their […]

FAQ: Dear Abby… Valentines Renovation Edition

Growing up one basically started the day with the newspaper. One guilty pleasure section for some guys (yeah I read one or two… occasionally) was Dear Abby, where one would write in about an issue they were having – personal, financial, how to handle whatever. They would then generally end it with a playful name […]

FAQ: Do I need to change my HVAC filter monthly?

If you follow our Monthly Maintenance Program, the first item we have listed is “Change out your HVAC filter.” This has brought up a few questions, namely: Do I need to change it out every month & if I don’t what will happen? I have a thick specialty filter & the manufacturer says I should […]

Notes from the field: Multi Point Test

In our area, some code jurisdictions are now requiring a “multi-point” blower door test, instead of the more standard & improved “single-point” test for code compliance verifications. For many that have undergone just BPI training or were trained before RESNET adopted (802.6) this as another “verification” protocol many have a deer in the headlight look. While I […]

FAQ: Should I close my crawl space vents during winter?

In short the answer is generally yes, they should be closed up during the winter months. If you follow our Monthly Maintenance Schedule, we recommend the month of October as a good time to do this. There are a couple of reasons for this with the first being you want to prevent frozen water lines &/or […]

Notes from the field: Single Point Test & TecTite

When completing Code Compliance Testing or doing a “Verified” Rating one has two options when it comes to Blower Door Tests. Today we are going to look at the single point test (802.5) using a smartphone app from The Energy Conservatory (EC) called iTec RESNET. We are also going to look at an issue that can dramatically impact […]

AED: Construction Equipment Show

Got to love air travel sometimes – Wednesday @ 0300 in Chicago – 20 with flurries… 2 hours later – well Hello Houston @ a nice 57… The reason I am on a plane & flying to Houston, well it is actually for a conference, but not one of my usual ones. This conference is put […]

Wacky Weds: Building Collapse

This is the full video of the Toll Brothers townhome development located in North Carolina that was taken by Ed Braz of Ed Braz Wildlife Photography who wrote about the experience here. This is a follow up picture taken WRAL which had a few statements from the builder & inspection department. Unfortunately it appears that there will be […]

4 New Advanced Framing Options?

Recently the NAHB Research Center (now known as Home Innovation Research Labs) in conjunction with DOE’s Challenge America Program released a new paper touting three new “Advanced Framing Techniques”. As you may recall I have pointed out multiple issues with OVE / Advanced Framing & actually promote using OFT or Optimized Framing Techniques. With that, I was interested in what […]

Common Sense Building: Stop termites & critters in their tracks

With all the damage that termites are known for, it is amazing how silent many of the green / energy efficient programs are on them. Granted both LEED (points for use of non-toxic pest control) and NGBS (use a shield in conjunction with a low-toxicity spray) mention them, but finding detailed drawings, best practices…. yeah, […]