Maintaining Eaves as Interactive Systems20240326021034

Maintaining Eaves as Interactive Systems

An eave is a collective term for an overhang at the lower edge of a roof, that keeps rainwater away from the walls below. This eave normally projects ...
Air Flow In and Out of Buildings20240318022116

Air Flow In and Out of Buildings

Engineers call the air flowing into buildings infiltration, and that flowing out of them exfitration. These movements have a considerable impact on th...
Attic Vents Provide Natural Protection20240313020132

Attic Vents Provide Natural Protection

An ‘attic’ for our purposes is an open space directly beneath the pitched roof of a building. This ‘loft’ may also go by the name of a ‘garret’ depend...
Board and Batten Back in Fashion20240306020110

Board and Batten Back in Fashion

Our image for today is of a green ‘carpenter gothic house’ dating from 1840 in New Haven, Connecticut. There’s something about this enduri...
Can I Decorate the Exterior in Winter?20240227052218

Can I Decorate the Exterior in Winter?

Most of us prefer to do our home decorating on warm, dry summer days, when the paint dries quickly, and there is less chance of the weather deteriorat...
Are Permanent Wood Foundations Effective?20240220060302

Are Permanent Wood Foundations Effective?

The foundations of most North American houses are poured concrete, onto which the walls rest beneath ground. However, in the case of timber frame home...
All About Tongue and Groove Wall Sheathing20240212014125

All About Tongue and Groove Wall Sheathing

A modern building envelope has several layers of thermal, air, vapor, and water protection. Siding is the first layer of defence, although we wouldn’t...
Blind Nailing Versus Face Nailing Siding20240206011015

Blind Nailing Versus Face Nailing Siding

One of the great joys of siding is the free-flowing lines of the planks. We do our best to stagger the joints, so these don’t create an obvious patter...
Attic Ventilation Must Be Comprehensive20240130013918

Attic Ventilation Must Be Comprehensive

Most buildings in Calgary have insulation in their ceilings, to prevent outside temperature entering the occupied space below. This keeps their interi...
Butt Joint Flashing for Fiber Siding20240123045455

Butt Joint Flashing for Fiber Siding

If you had new siding installed by another contractor, but find spots of damp on your inside walls, it is possible they did not waterproof the butt jo...