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    Save money with easy duct insulation!
    Paul Cummins
    • Jul 14, 2018
    • 1 min

    Save money with easy duct insulation!

    Have been in some cold crawlspaces and utility rooms during these hot days. This double reflective attic insulation is clean, easy to install and very effective. Here is the ideal installation to preserve conditioned air throughout your house. All the outgoing ducts are insulated so no cool or warm air is wasted in the utility room or inside the walls. After construction is complete your only option is to cover the exposed outgoing ducts in the basement or crawlspace. This w
    206 views0 comments
    Take Back Your Crawlspace!
    Paul Cummins
    • Mar 7, 2016
    • 1 min

    Take Back Your Crawlspace!

    Don't give it up to other creatures: mold, termites, vermin! Current science indicates that crawlspaces perform better when treated like indoor spaces: mini-basements, if you like! The old way was to leave vents open and insulate the floor with fiberglass batts (unfaced is best: I often see the vapor barrier on the wrong side). This allows for drastic fluctuation in temperature and moisture and many openings for critters. Today's solution is to insulate the walls with fi
    85 views0 comments
    Is your crawlspace adding too much moisture to the air in your house?
    Paul Cummins
    • Nov 22, 2015
    • 1 min

    Is your crawlspace adding too much moisture to the air in your house?

    If your crawlspace is unvented then it is being treated like an indoor space and may be adding too much moisture to your basement. This inexpensive device will tell you how much humidity it's causing. If the humidity is consistently high (over 40%) consider improving the moisture barrier and ventilation: see other posts with "crawlspace" tag. Of course it will also tell you if there is risk of frozen pipes also! Click on image for link. #crawlspace
    6 views0 comments
    Clear cover on sump helps avoid flooding!
    Paul Cummins
    • Nov 22, 2015
    • 1 min

    Clear cover on sump helps avoid flooding!

    If the sump pump doesn't work then your primary defense against basement flooding is lost. If the sump is sealed tight and the cover is opaque, neither you nor inspectors can easily tell if it's doing the job or not. This lexan cover will let you see clearly now the drain is gone (cue Johnny Nash). Click on image below for link. #drainage #crawlspace #plumbing
    67 views0 comments
    Crawlspace Vent Closes Automatically
    Paul Cummins
    • Nov 12, 2015
    • 1 min

    Crawlspace Vent Closes Automatically

    It responds to temperature based on different expansion rates of two metals fused together and opens automatically in the summer and closes in the winter without motors or electricity! The general rule is to have one square foot of venting for every 150 square feet of floor space. Click on image for link! #crawlspace #ventilation
    27 views0 comments
    Good air means good health!
    Paul Cummins
    • Aug 20, 2015
    • 1 min

    Good air means good health!

    ​Putting that dehumidifier in the basement will use a lot of electricty and only remove the water from the air, not mold spores, dander, dust and dirty sock odors. It makes much more sense to move the bad air out. There are many ways to do this...you can just install a regular bathroom fan and attach it to a humidistat switch as found previously in Quick Tips. There are also fancier options like: http://www.wavehomesolutions.com/ventilation/ : Wave Solutions. But this li
    44 views0 comments
    Protect your crawlspace from flooding!
    Paul Cummins
    • Aug 8, 2015
    • 1 min

    Protect your crawlspace from flooding!

    When the ground near your crawlspace vent is graded toward your house, runoff can go right in your crawlspace vent! One rebuilt house I inspected actually had the whole yard graded so it would dump into the neighbor's crawlspace vents! These crawlspace wells can help. This site also has customizable powered vent fans. Click on image above for link. #crawlspace #ventilation #drainage
    19 views0 comments
    Forget that old plastic for a vapor barrier in a crawl space !
    Paul Cummins
    • Sep 28, 2014
    • 1 min

    Forget that old plastic for a vapor barrier in a crawl space !

    Durable, antimicrobial, white--so you can see down there! Click on image for link. #crawlspace
    7 views0 comments

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