BASC Search | Building America Solution Center

The polyethylene ceiling vapor barrier is sealed to form an air barrier around the exhaust fan in this very cold climate location (≥ CZ 6).

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Mass Save Deep Energy Retrofit Builder Guide, GM-1302

Reference

Guidebook providing useful examples of high performance retrofit techniques for the building enclosure of wood frame residential construction in a cold and somewhat wet climate.

Technology Fact Sheet: Weather-Resistive Barriers

Reference

Brochure with information about how to select and install house wrap and other weather-resistive barriers.

Your Northern Home: Attics/Air leakage/Stack effect

Video

Video from Cold Climate Housing Research Center on how warm air typically leaks out of homes through attics via the stack effect and how to mitigate these effects through building practices.

Attic Knee Walls

Guide

Guide describing how to insulate and air-seal attic knee walls and floor joist cavities under knee walls.

Understanding Air Barriers, BSD-104

Reference

Information sheet providing definitions, applications, and techniques for applying air barriers.

Flood-hardy, drainable, dryable wall

Video

Video explaining a design option for homes in the case of a flood that would negate the need for gutting the home post-flood. Recommendations from LSU AgCenter.

Don’t Try Building Hugel Swales

Reference

Article describing the difference between swales and hugels (berms used to create soil from woody debris).

FORTIFIED Home Inside FORTIFIED

Reference

Website providing resources for roofers to construct high-wind, hurricane, and hail-resistant roofs from IBHS Fortified program.

Brick Masonry Rain Screen Walls

Reference

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.

Insulating sheathing is installed on exterior of an existing framed wall with water control between existing sheathing and insulating sheathing

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Air Sealed, Insulated Basements

Guide

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 HVAC equipment.

Air Sealing and Insulating Walls to Reduce Heat Gain

Information Guide

Information guide listing Building America Solution Center guides that describe ways to air-seal and insulate a new or existing home's walls to resist heat gain.