for Cold Climate Housing and much more

Found 15 results for the keyword ‘Air Leakage’

  • HOW DO I FIND AIR LEAKS?

    First, the fancy way: infrared photography can identify temperature changes on different parts of the house, and thus heat losses. With proper interpretation of the photograph you can know which heat losses are caused by air leaks and which by missing or soaked insulation. This is like an X-ra...
  • Why do I have frost on the inside front door casing of a new door?

    Kevin from frosty Regina, Saskatchewan writes: "I had a new steel door installed this summer. When the temperature outside drops below -15 c, frost develops on the bottom of the interior casing. Is this due to a lack of insulation behind the casing? Also the bottom of the exterior threshold a...
  • Wind protecting houses in Newfoundland.

    Newfoundland is known for its brutal winds, all year round. So I thought there would be no better place in Canada to take a look at what to you do to a house to avoid wind damage, and keep that wind out of the house. I called on my old buddy Gary Reardon, a prominent new home builder in St. Jo...
  • What is the best weather-stripping for a wooden door?

    Dan from Winnipeg, Manitoba writes: "What would be the best weather stripping to use for the wooden storm doors on my house? Front and Back."Wooden storm doors tend to warp a bit with changes in the weather and with any direct sunlight on them, so you will probably find that the south facing doo...
  • WHERE SHOULD I SEAL AND HOW?

    The smoke test described in the previous answer should be used to verify the presence of typical leaks and discover those peculiar to your own house. Before sealing, read the section on Ventilation to avoid any future condensation problems. The leaks high in the house are not necessarily the lar...
  • CONFUSION: SHOULD VENT DUCTS GO THROUGH THE CEILING?

    Many government or crown corporation publications are afraid to ask too much of homeowners both in terms of work and comprehension. They prefer that homeowners do things half-way rather than not at all. When compromises seem to work some of the time, these publications (and many contractors) are ...
  • Pot lights: fire hazards and ice dams

    John in Kleinburg, Ontario asked if he should remove insulation from around his pot lights. Actually it is necessary to take the question much further.   HEAT FROM TRADITIONAL POT LIGHTS Pot lights, or recessed lighting fixtures as they are properly called, do create a lot of heat and it is tr...
  • HOW MUCH MOISTURE DAMAGE CAN A LITTLE CRACK CAUSE?

    Little cracks in the bottom of the house let cold air in, and can raise your heating costs by as much as $600 a year. They also dry out the air in the house, resulting in dry throats and the needless purchase of humidifiers. Nothing too serious -- unless you don't like wasting money! Let's start...
  • A draft free mail slot - a counter top garbage trap - a central vac sweep door:

    Three of the most useful SLOTS you have ever seen.

      Slots are simply small passageways through something. In this segment we looked at three very nifty Slots -- all completely different.   THE INSULATED MAIL SLOT   How about a through the door mail slot that does not give you cold drafts? The Draft Dodger has two gasketed and spring load...
  • Cold window frames and window condensation

    Shawn asked why he always has condensation on his windows. Check "condensation" in the database and you will see a lot about high humidity in the house and the need for one sort of ventilation or another. Here I wanted to look closely at another cause of condensation -- extra cold spots on the wi...