Scripps Howard News Service Dear Dwight: My house was built in 1926 and has cinder-block walls in the basement. I would like to finish the walls with two-by-fours, insulate with a vapor barrier and ...

Q. I’m going to be remodeling my basement and want it to be toasty warm. How would you do insulation for a basement remodel like this? Would you use foam insulation or just the old standby fiberglass?

An insulated basement or crawl space provides many benefits year-round, and the rim joist (or band joist) is often a focal point in energy-saving initiatives. Installing insulation at the rim joists ...

Q: We are finishing off part of the basement into a utility room. The washer, dryer, and laundry tub are already there, with the plumbing anchored to the cement walls. We have framed in the walls with ...

Rigid foam boards are better suited for a finished loft or attic space than fiberglass insulation, which is best reserved for times you can see between the joists. When cold weather rolls in, take a ...

Q: I’m going to be remodeling my basement and want it to be toasty warm. Would you use foam insulation or just the old standby fiberglass? What’s the worst thing that can happen if you do the job ...

Years ago, when few homes had insulation in their outside walls, no one worried about vapor barriers–there was no need for them. But now homes are better insulated, making it necessary to install a ...

FAIRBANKS - The building envelope is defined as those parts of a house that keep the indoor and outdoor environments separate. The building envelope includes the exterior walls, roof, windows, doors ...

Q I have just purchased a home that has a partially finished basement. During the home inspection, it was pointed out that the carpeting was put directly on the slab. There are two dehumidifiers ...

The placement of a water vapor retarder directly below concrete floor slabs on the ground has become common practice for buildings where floor coverings or coatings are to be installed. Such use has ...

Q: I have an older home with a bothersome smell. After maneuvering into the dirt crawl space under the house, a broken pipe was discovered. It had probably been leaking sewage for one or two months.