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Air Sealing/Insulation

Solution Center Guides

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Air Sealed, Insulated Basements

Guide describing how to insulate a basement to improve the overall thermal performance of the building and provide more dry, usable conditioned space for home occupants and for HVAC equipment.

Air Sealing Multifamily Party Walls

Guide describing how to air seal the gap between the drywall shaft wall (i.e., common wall) and the structural framing between units in multifamily housing.

Attic Eave Minimum Insulation

Guide providing information about constructing a roof with full insulation at the eaves, and insulating eaves in existing homes.

Attic Knee Walls

This guides describes how to insulate and air seal attic knee walls and floor joist cavities under knee walls.

Attic Radiant Barriers

Guide describing application of a radiant barrier layer in the attic to block radiant heat transfer between hot surfaces and heat-absorbing surfaces.

Cantilevered Floor

Guide describing how to air seal and insulate a cantilevered floor.

Continuous Rigid Insulation Sheathing

This guide describes installation procedures for continuous rigid insulation to help provide thermal protection and reduce thermal bridging; depending on the product it may also serve as structural sheathing, or the moisture control layer.

Double Walls

This guide describes air barrier and insulation installation, along with air sealing for double walls - half or full walls included in a home design as an architectural feature that provides a more dimensional appearance.

Enclosure Leakage Test

Guide describing how to use a blower door test to determine building envelope air leakage.

Floor Above Garage

Guide describing how to create an air barrier between the garage and the conditioned space above it to prohibit pollutants from entering a home's interior.

Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs)

Guide describing how to install insulated concrete forms to block excessive heat loss and gain though structural framing.

Insulating Existing Floor Overhang

Guide describing how to upgrade a wall with a floor overhang (or cantilever) on an existing home by adding rigid insulating sheating and or closed-cell spray foam insulation and air sealing.

Insulating Existing Floors over Garage

Guide with information about how to upgrade a garage ceiling when a portion of the interior of the house is located directly above the attached garage by adding insulation and air sealing.

Reduce Pest Intrusion

Guide describing ways builders can block off entry points and otherwise make homes inhospitable to all manner of pests.

Slab Edge Insulation

Guide describing how to insulate slabs on grade in climate zones 4 and higher.

Staircase Walls

Guide describing how to create a fully aligned air barrier behind a staircase.

Sump Pump Cover Gasket

Guide describing the need for covers on sump pumps in the basement or crawlspace of a home.

Unvented, Insulated Crawlspaces

Guide describing methods for insulating an unvented crawlspace or conditioned basement with rigid foam on the interior side of the walls to provide an insulated space for HVAC equipment.

Vented versus Unvented Attic

Guide describing options for designing and locating the thermal boundary at either the attic floor or along the roof line in new and existing homes.

Walls Adjoining Porch Roof

This guide describes how to install a rigid air barrier to separate the porch attic from the conditioned space.

Walls Behind Fireplaces

This guide describes how to install a rigid air barrier to walls behind fireplaces.

Whole-House Fans

Guide describing the types of whole-house fans, installation details to reduce energy loss, and how to operate them for comfort and energy savings based on climate zone.

Wind Washing

Guide describing wind washing and how to prevent it.