Library

Fact sheet poster describing how to add exterior, continuous, rigid insulation to the exterior walls when replacing siding on an existing home.

Website reporting efficiencies for dehumidifiers, room air conditioners, and room air cleaners that are tested by independent laboratories and reported by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers.

View the APSP/ANSI Standards and codes below to get information about ANSI specifications for pools, spa and hot tubs.

Document focusing on the design and wall components that contribute to a pressure equalized rain screen wall, including the frequency of the weep holes and other brick masonry rain screen wall requirements.

Web based tool providing decision-making guidance for selecting wall assembly components.

Web report explaining how correct filter sizing is an issue that applies to all new and existing homes that use ducted HVAC systems.

Installation manual for installing metal panel siding.

An article illustrating common errors found in fiber cement siding installations. Many of these errors and poor flashing examples apply to siding materials beyond fiber cement siding.

Article about how mortar droppings during the installation of a brick veneer can clog the weep holes in the wall assembly causing moisture damage. The article also illustrates products that can be installed in the ventilated cavity to mitigate this problem.

Report covering the rainwater performance of building assemblies.

An example of a commercially available thermally expansive fire stopping product for controlling the spread of fires in a rainscreen cavity.

ASHRAE Q&A addressing HVAC filtration and disinfection for reducing the spread of COVID-19.

Report covering the fire performance of combustible cladding over combustible insulation.

A article about the best practice method of installing fiber cement siding, to install flashing at the butt joints of the siding boards, rather than face caulking the butt joints afterwards.

Article describing considerations for choosing a room-level air cleaner to improve indoor air quality.

Factsheet describing re-siding retrofits containing exterior insulation and window upgrades aimed at improved energy savings and comfort.

Guide detailing best practices on how to build wall assemblies with absorptive claddings such as brick, stone that drain and dry well.

Report covering reservoir claddings, back ventilation and vapor throttles.

Information sheet about efficiency and health benefits of MERV filters.

Article providing guidance for installing manufactured stone veneer, including information on rainscreens.

Webpage featuring hundreds of illustrations of masonry construction details for brick, congrete, stone, tile, stucco, etc.

Research study showing that for a relatively small investment, a variable speed pool pump can reduce pool pump energy use by 50% to 75%.

Report providing extensive guidance on controlling moisture in building envelopes through proper selection and installation on air, water, thermal, and vapor barriers.

American Lung Association web page providing information on particulate matter and indoor air quality.

A study on how fires spread through exterior building envelopes with discussion on how fires propagate in a rain screen cavity.

Website with information about radon-resistant construction techniques and other radon resources for builders, contractors and homebuyers.

An example of a form a building codes department created to ensure builders are fully aware and have taken steps to provide drainage so that water doesn’t accumulate behind siding. This example is from the city of Newberg, Oregon.

Technical report describing the Re-Side Right initiative by the New Jersey Institute of Technology's Building America research team that proposes enhancing home efficiency during the re-siding process by incorporating an insulating layer that acts as both an air barrier and water resistive barrier...

A free tool used to calculate the required minimum flow rate of dwelling-unit ventilation.

Report providing guidance on indoor air quality in single-family and multifamily housing for designers, builders, property managers, homeowners, buyers, and renters.

Report describing the testing of various siding materials for their ability to resist bullets from small firearms.

Article from the Institute of Biological Engineering describing reverse osmosis water softeners.

Website providing the pros and cons of different siding materials for home building, including wood, vinyl, fiber cement, stucco, brick, metal, and stone.

Manual describing the installation process for Craneboard insulated vinyl siding; while installation is similar across insulated vinyl siding products, see manufacturers for specific guidance.

Proposed HVAC filter labeling standard and underlying analysis by the California Energy Commission.

Standard that defines the roles of and minimum requirements for mechanical and natural ventilation systems and the building envelope intended to provide acceptable indoor air quality in low-rise residential buildings; published in the year 2019, and is available for preview and purchase at the...

Standard that describes the minimum requirements for residential buildings to achieve acceptable indoor air quality via dwelling-unit ventilation, local mechanical exhaust, and source control. This version of the standard was published in the year 2022, and is available for preview and purchase at...

Standard 680 establishes definitions, classifications, test requirements, data requirements, ratings, operating requirements, marking and nameplate data and conformance conditions for residential air filter equipment.

Specification describing criteria for manufactured polymeric materials used to provide a rainscreen function, a means for the drainage of liquid moisture and the ventilation of vapor moisture that enters an above-grade exterior wall assembly which was published in the year 2019, and is available for...

Report covering coating and back venting wood based claddings and trim.

A story about bees building a hive in the drainage plane behind the brick veneer siding. The bees entered the wall through unprotected drainage holes.

Projectile missile testing of various wall panel configuration to understand how the different wall constructions would perform when struck with wind driven debris from a hurricane.

Brochure describing HVAC filter options for efficiency and IAQ.

NAFA’s user guide for understanding ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 52.2-2012.

Report describing filtration, distillation, and disinfection methods of water treatment.

A presentation about the need for rainscreens including the damage water and moisture ingress into a home’s siding and framing can cause, and ways to design a resilient wall that drains and ventilates well.

Article describing different types of water softeners and how they work.

An article written by Don Jackson of The Journal of Light Construction on how to detail brick veneer siding wall.

EPA coronavirus Q&A discussing the role of HVAC filters in dealing with COVID-19.

Article describing the impacts of wildfire smoke on indoor air quality and some ways ASHRAE is responding.