Guides A-Z

Guide describing how to install continuously operating exhaust fans.

Guide providing information on how cool roofing and wall cladding surfaces work, which climates can most benefit from them, and how to find and select cool roofing and wall cladding products.

Guide describing effective ways to distribute hot water using either a core (compact) plumbing layout or a central homerun manifold piping system.

Guide describing how to create a designated shelter-from-heat space in a home to help occupants successfully weather an extreme heat event.

Guide describing how to properly construct decks and other building attachments to be resistant to ignition in the event of a wildfire.

Guide describing how to effectively create defensible space between a residence and potential wildfire fuels in high-risk fire hazard areas.

Guide describing the use of recirculation pumps to speed the flow of hot water to faucets for reduced wait times and savings in energy and water usage.

Guide describing categories of direct-vent combustion space- and water-heating equipment and combustion safety testing.

Guide describing how to install dishwashers in new and existing homes.

Guide describing strategies for effectively utilizing integrated consumer heat pump water heaters (HPWH) in multifamily buildings.

Guide describing air barrier installation, insulation installation, and air-sealing for double walls (half or full walls included in a home design as an architectural feature that provides a more dimensional appearance).

Guide describing basic steps for designing a drainback solar hot water system.

Guide describing installation of sump pumps in the basement or crawlspace of a home.

Guide describing installation of a fully sealed continuous weather resistant barrier to provide a drainage plane to keep rainwater out of above-grade walls.

Guide describing EPA WaterSense requirements for drinking water treatment systems including water softeners.

Guide describing how to insulate and air-seal dropped ceilings and soffits to prevent air leakage.

Guide describing how to conduct duct leakage tests on all components of the HVAC system (including the air handler, ductwork, register boxes/boots, and all air devices such as diffusers, registers, or grilles).

Guide describing how to install ducted returns in bedroom walls to balance air pressures between rooms and to enable stale air to return to a central heating system's air handler for reconditioning even when room doors are closed.

Guide describing ductless heat pump systems used for single-room or whole-house heating and cooling.

Guide describing buried ducts in loose-fill attic insulation, a method that can only be used in dry climates.

Guide describing approaches to burying and encapsulating ducts in unconditioned attics to increase the overall R-value of duct insulation.

Guide describing method for installing ducts in a duct chase above a dropped ceiling.

Guide for designing and installing interior ducts in an interstitial floor cavity in new and existing homes.