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Library

This library contains research reports produced by the Building America program and other building science resources used to support this Solution Center. The materials cover both new construction and existing homes. Use the search box and/or the filters to explore hundreds of residential building resources. Access to some references not produced by Building America may require purchase from the publisher. Documents are listed alphabetically. While we continually update our database, links may have changed since posting. Please contact our webmaster if you find broken links.

Showing results 1 - 13 of 13

De-Icing Ice Dams, BSI-097

Author(s)
Joseph Lstiburek
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation
Publication Date
Article describing the importance of air sealing, insulation, and roof ventilation in reducing the likelihood of ice dam formation on roofs in cold snowy climates.

Home Energy Guide - Techniques, Tactics, & Tips: Ice Dams

Author(s)
Minnesota Department of Commerce Energy Information Center
Organization(s)
Minnesota Department of Commerce
Publication Date
Article describing the causes that form ice dams, as well as solutions for preventing future ice dams on roofs, focusing on air sealing to prevent hot air leakage.

HVAC Sizing Tool

Author(s)
BetterBuilt Northwest
Organization(s)
BetterBuiltNW,
Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance,
NEEA
Publication Date
Software tool available free online that can help calculate heating and cooling requirements to accurately size HVAC equipment in as little as 15 minutes.

Introduction to Buildings Systems Performance: Houses that Work II

Author(s)
Building Science Corporation
Organization(s)
BSC,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Report that describes BSC's Houses That Work II (HTWII) climate-specific technical resource, beginning with an overall HTWII introduction and four sections explaining the four most important hygro-thermal climate regions: Hot-Humid, Mixed-Humid, Cold, and Hot-Dry/Mixed-Dry.

Measure Guideline: Ventilation Cooling

Author(s)
Springer David,
Dakin Bill,
German Alea
Organization(s)
Alliance for Residential Building Innovation,
ARBI,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
Davis Energy Group
Publication Date
Guideline that provides information on properly applying, designing, and installing mechanical ventilation cooling systems for homes located in located in hot-dry and cold-dry climates, as well as a means of understanding the benefits, costs, and tradeoffs of these systems.

Prevent Home Roof Damage from Heavy Snow and Ice.

Author(s)
Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety
Organization(s)
IBHS
Publication Date
Webpage providing guidance for homeowners on how much snow weight a typical roof can handle and when to consider removing snow from the roof.

Preventing Ice Dams

Author(s)
Paul Fisette
Organization(s)
UMass Amherst Department of Environmental Conservation
Publication Date
Article describing how ice dams form on residential roofs, how they damage homes, and solutions to prevent future dams.

Preventing Ice Dams Fact Sheet

Author(s)
Wisconsin Focus on Energy
Organization(s)
Wisconsin Focus on Energy
Publication Date
Ice dam fact sheet from Wisconsin Focus on Energy explaining how to prevent future ice dams on homes by learning about their formation and mitigation of contributing factors.

Protect Your Home from Ice Dams

Author(s)
IBHS DisasterSafety
Organization(s)
IBHS
Publication Date
List of recommendations from IBHS on how to protect homes from ice dam formation.

Reduce Ice Dam and Icicle Damage

Author(s)
Kenneth Hellevang
Organization(s)
NDSU
Publication Date
Webpage explaining how to mitigate heat loss through roofs for ice dam prevention.

When should I worry about snow accumulation on the roof?

Author(s)
Cold Climate Housing Research Center
Organization(s)
CCHRC
Publication Date
Webpage describing how different amounts and types of snow loads affect the structural integrity of roofs and homes.