Popular articles
Eliminating cold and dampness in a crawl space
This article was originally published on August 31, 2017 by Marcel Lapierre
A crawl space, which in earlier years took the form of a dirt cellar, is a volume of air between the earth and a house’s main floor whose purpose is to keep the floor of the building raised up off of the ground and away from moisture. Today, builders generally raise a home’s main floor anywhere from a few centimetres (at least 20 cm) to as high as 1.8 metres off of the ground. To comply with the Building Code, a crawl space may not have an access door with stairs (although one without stairs is acceptable), hold any type of combustion appliance or be used as a bedroom or office. Continued
Basement slab insulation: for greater energy efficiency
This article was originally published on June 6, 2016 by Marcel Lapierre
Who hasn’t at some point noticed a damp smell when going downstairs to their basement? While this appears to happen to many homeowners, it is never a good sign! This musty or wet-earth odour is caused by the presence of excessive moisture, which can promote the growth and spread of mould. And with mould comes poor […] Continued
Adding cellulose to a 1970s attic to achieve a maximum R‑value
This article was originally published on August 31, 2017 by Pierre Boucher
Homes built in the 1970s and 80s and insulated to the standards of their time (R‑12 versus today’s R‑41) are energy-hungry beasts. Weak insulation points in houses from that era include the roof (attic), which is responsible for numerous uncontrolled air leaks causing significant heat loss. Continued
Soundproofing: best practices for winning the war against noise
This article was originally published on January 17, 2017 by Marcel Lapierre
Whether you live in a triplex or a single-family home, you may often be bothered by noise coming from upstairs or downstairs or through the walls. From the sound of a chair on a floor to music being played too loudly, annoying noises heard through floors and walls due to poor acoustic insulation can disrupt your peace of mind and, in some cases, become a daily nightmare. Continued
Spray urethane foam: the benefits of high-performance thermal insulation
This article was originally published on August 27, 2017 by Marcel Lapierre
If you’re having a new home built and the time has come to choose insulation, or if you’re considering renovations to improve your home’s thermal insulation, you are most likely looking for an insulation material that offers proven performance as well as excellent value for your money. Continued
Basement renovation: insulation best practices
This article was originally published on August 27, 2017 by Jocelyn St-Pierre
In comparison to today’s standards, the basement insulation in homes built between the 1950s and 1980s was generally inadequate. The practice in those years of insulating using pieces of 1” white styrofoam or fibreglass batts (with a vapour barrier of questionable effectiveness) is known to create moisture problems that can, in turn, lead to air quality issues due to the development of mould. Continued
