Guides A-Z | Building America Solution Center

Multi-Family Water Metering

Guide describing water metering in multi-family buildings.

Multifamily Boiler Controls

Guide providing information about installing boiler controls in multifamily housing.

No Ducts or Air Handlers Located in Garage

Guide describing how to design HVAC systems to be located within the conditioned space of the home, either in a utility closet or in an air sealed conditioned attic, basement, or crawl space.

No Excessive Coiled or Looped Flex Ducts

Guide outlining how to correctly install flex ducts without excessive coils or loops.

No Kinks or Sharp Bends in Flex Duct Installation

Guide outlining how to correctly install flex ducts without kinks or sharp bends.

No Vapor Retarders on Interior Side of Air-Permeable Foundation Insulation

Vapor retarder plastic should not be installed over fibrous insulation on basement or crawlspace walls unless rigid foam or spray foam is installed directly against the concrete, behind the blanket insulation.

No Visible Signs of Water Damage or Mold on Materials

Guide describing how to correctly choose building materials.

Obvious Ventilation Controls

Guide describing how to install obvious ventilation controls.

Oil-Fired Boilers

Guide describing oil-fired boilers and hot water heat distribution systems used for home heating.

Ornamental Water Features

Information guide describing WaterSense requirements for outdoor ornamental water features.

Outdoor HVAC Equipment Elevated and Secured for Resistance to Floods, Earthquakes, and High Winds

A guide describing how to elevate and secure HVAC equipment for protection against floods, earthquakes, and high winds.

Passive and Low-Energy Cooling

Guide describing various ways of implementing passive and low-energy cooling techniques for a house.

Patio Slabs, Porch Slabs, Walkways, and Driveways Slope Away from House

Guide describing how to correctly slope solid surfaces outside a home so rainwater flows away from the home.

Pest Control Overview Guide

Information guide providing an overview of pest-resistant construction practices and guides in the Building America Solution Center for home builders.

Pest-Resistant Ground Cover at Foundation Perimeter

Guide describing methods for installing pest-resistant ground cover around foundations to resist borrowing rodents and other pests.

Porches, Carports, and Deck Attachments

Guide describing how to provide a continuous load path with appropriate connectors to improve the wind resistance of attached porches, carports, and decks during high-wind events.

Pre-Retrofit Assessment of Attics, Ceilings, and Roofs

Pre-Retrofit Assessment of Combustion Appliances

Pre-Retrofit Assessment of Crawlspaces and Basements

Pre-Retrofit Assessment of Existing HVAC Systems

Pre-Retrofit Assessment of Hazardous Materials

Pre-Retrofit Assessment of Post-Disaster Home and Site Hazards

An information guide on the best practices of ensuring the safety of those returning to a home after a disaster.

Pre-Retrofit Assessment of Ventilation Systems

Guide describing how to evaluate existing ventilations systems before performing home upgrades.

Pre-Retrofit Assessment of Walls, Windows, and Doors

Pressure Balancing Supply and Return Ducts in Existing Homes

Information guide describing how to balance pressure in supply and return ducts.

Proper Clothes Dryer Venting

Guide describing how to correctly vent a clothes dryer.

Proper Installation of Furnace and Air-Handler Filters

This guide describes proper installation of high-MERV furnace and air-handler filters.

PV Battery Storage for Power Outages

This guide describes home stationary battery storage and associated electric panel and equipment needed to safely supply electricity during a blackout. As homes become increasingly reliant on electricity for cooking, water heating, and space conditioning, a blackout becomes more disruptive. These...

Radon Fan

Guide describing how to install a radon mitigation fan with various types of house foundations.

Reduce Pest Intrusion

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

Refrigerators

Guide describing how to install energy efficient refrigerators in new and exisitng homes.

Removing Construction Debris from Ducts

Guide describing removal of construction debris from flex ducts and protection of ducts and HVAC equipment during construction to keep them free of dust and debris.

Retrofit Existing Crawl Space Foundations with Cripple Walls to Increase Seismic Resistance and Thermal Performance

Guide describing different options for providing seismic and thermal resistance for homes with 'cripple' wall crawlspace foundations, which are known for their instability.

Retrofit of Existing Roofs for Hurricane, High Wind, and Seismic Resistance

Guide describing ways to retrofit an existing roof to increase its resistance to damage during hurricanes, high winds, and earthquakes.

Rigid Foam Board Insulation for Existing Band Joists

Guide describing principles of insulating band joists as a stand alone energy upgrade, or as part of creating a closed crawlspace.

Rigid Foam Board Interior Insulation for Existing Foundation Walls

Guide describing how to insulate closed crawlspace walls and band joist areas with rigid foam board insulation.

Rigid Foam Insulation for Existing Exterior Walls

Guide describing how to apply an air control layer directly over existing wall sheathing and cover with two layers of insulating sheathing held in place by vertical furring strips.

Rigid Foam Insulation Installed Between Existing House and Garage Walls

Guide describing how to upgrade walls that separate the garage from the house by providing a continuous air control layer on the garage side of the wall and adding rigid foam insulation.

Rigid Foam Insulation Installed over Existing Foundation Slabs

Guide describing how to insulate an existing slab floor by adding rigid foam insulation over the slab then installing a floating subfloor.

Roof Anchor System for Solar Panels

A guide for choosing, installing, and flashing roof anchoring systems for solar panels.

Roof Deck Sheathing and Sealing for Sloped Roofs

Guide describing requirements for sheathing and sealing the roof decking in accordance with the requirements of the IBHS Fortified Home Program's Hurricane and High Wind Standards, and other roofing considerations to increase the roof's disaster resistance.