Parrish Construction

Archive for the ‘Insulation’ Category

2/3 Window Wonderland FAQ: I’m selecting new windows for my home, but I’m confused by all the acronyms–for what appear to be rating systems. Can you help me sort out all the ‘E’s and ‘U’s?

Wednesday, September 28th, 2011 Posted in Construction Terms, Energy-Saving Tips, FAQ, Green Building Topics, Heating/Cooling, Insulation, Materials- Construction, Summer, Windows & Doors, Winter | No Comments »

A: Energy Star Acronym Guide for Windows, Doors and Skylights. In the EnergyStar standards set by the DOE and EPA for windows, doors and skylights, requirements change with the latitude. In the northern areas of the U.S., energy concerns are to ...

Your “Winter’s Coming” Checklist

Thursday, September 15th, 2011 Posted in Advice to Clients, Disaster-Fire, DIY Home Improvements, Freezing Temp. Problems, Frozen Pipes, Handyman/Small Jobs, Heating/Cooling, Home maintenance, Insulation, Money-Saving Tips, Plumbing, Safety Hazards, Seasonal Considerations, Timely Home Upgrades, Waterproofing, Windows & Doors, Winter | No Comments »

Conserve and Protect: that’s what winterizing is about.  Homes can take a beating in our cold Colorado winters, and so can your heating bill. After some education and practice, winterizing will become as natural a rhythm to a homeowner as is flying south ...

Q- It’s Fall and will start to freeze soon at night. What can I do to prevent frozen pipes?

Saturday, October 9th, 2010 Posted in Advice to Clients, Basements, DIY Home Improvements, Energy-Saving Tips, Fall, FAQ, Flooding, Freezing Temp. Problems, Frozen Pipes, Heating/Cooling, Insulation, Plumbing, Spring, Timely Home Upgrades, Ventilation, Winter, YouTube Videos/"Larry on the Level" | No Comments »

A--As we all settle in for the upcoming Winter, it is worthwhile to consider one aspect of the new season that is not pleasant—frozen water pipes. Whether you are new to our climate or a “seasoned” veteran, a review of ...

Q—We have hot-water baseboard heat in our home. We’re planning to add a master bathroom addition, and would like to install radiant heat in the floor. Can we use the existing boiler?

Wednesday, February 10th, 2010 Posted in Additions, Bathrooms, Energy-Saving Tips, FAQ, Flooring, Freezing Temp. Problems, Green Building Topics, Insulation, Money-Saving Tips, Plumbing, Remodeling Concerns, Winter | No Comments »

A—Assuming your boiler has the surplus capacity to handle the extra heating load, you should be able to heat your bathroom floors by using a mixing valve to moderate the water temperature. Radiant floor heating requires somewhat cooler water than ...

Q—On the coldest days, some of the rooms in my house are cold, while others are warm. We have a forced-air system. Is there anything we can do?

Sunday, February 7th, 2010 Posted in FAQ, Heating/Cooling, Insulation, Ventilation, Windows & Doors, Winter | No Comments »

A—There are several things you can try. Many older homes have inadequate cold-air returns. A furnace can’t force air into a room unless there is a way for the same amount of air to exit the room. In large, open ...

Q—What is the best method for providing sound insulation between rooms?

Friday, January 29th, 2010 Posted in Bathrooms, FAQ, Heating/Cooling, Insulation, Materials- Construction, Noise Problems | No Comments »

A—There are many effective techniques that can be used individually or together, depending on the level of soundproofing required, the type of sound, and the budget. It is important to assess all avenues of sound transmission and plan a coordinated ...

Q—Our home has a bathroom above our dining room. Every time someone flushes the toilet, it sounds like Archie Bunker’s house from the old television program “All in the Family”. Is there anything we can do to quiet the situation?

Thursday, January 28th, 2010 Posted in Bathrooms, FAQ, Humorous Articles, Insulation, Noise Problems, Plumbing | No Comments »

A—The offending noise is caused by water rushing through PVC (plastic) waste pipe either running over your ceiling, down the wall, or both.Plastic pipe is common, relatively inexpensive, and effective, but is also notoriously noisy under the conditions you describe. ...

Q—Our hot water heat is noisy, and disturbs our sleep. The plumber told us the noise is normal. Is there anything we can do about it?

Saturday, January 23rd, 2010 Posted in Bedrooms, Energy-Saving Tips, FAQ, Green Building Topics, Heating/Cooling, Historic Homes, Insulation, Money-Saving Tips, Noise Problems, Plumbing, Timely Home Upgrades, Winter | No Comments »

A—There are three types of sound that hot water heating makes—hum, gurgle, and pop. Humming is usually caused by vibrations from the circulator pump. I’ve seen this problem with pumps that are larger than necessary, and with pumps that are ...