Foundations, Basements & Slab-on-Grade

One of the first decisions when building a home is what type of foundations to sit your home on - cold-climates, termites, problem expansive clay soils, insulation & vapor & radon barriers all need to be considered. What is the difference between a slab on grade & a crawl space? A slab on grade, or ‘frost protected…

Frost heaving of home foundations, basements, decks & garden walls in cold climates can cause issues - especially in clay soils that hold water - Ecohome built to prevent frost heave recently, here's what we did. Frost protected foundations - essential in cold climates Protecting homes and buildings in cold climates…

Basements flood, full stop. As a hole in the ground similar to a swimming pool, once all is done to stop water getting in, we then need to remove any water with a sump pump, a sump pump battery backup & maybe a sump pump alarm to stop basements flooding. Spring flooding of basements is very common and most times can…

在家中长期暴露于高水平氡气是仅次于吸烟的第二大肺癌诱因——每年因暴露于氡气而导致25000例可预防的死亡——你的家庭是否进行过检测。为什么氡在美国和加拿大是个问题?Radon gas is cancer-causing radioactive, invisible, odourless and…

Removing radon gas from existing basements and crawlspaces can be very effective, here are different options for different situations. Radon Gas in Crawlspaces & Basements - why is it a problem? Radon gas was not high on the radar of builders and home owners over the last few decades, but as it is the second leading…

Crawlspaces are becoming rare for new home construction in USA & Canada. If you've got a crawls space with damp, mold, odor & cold issues, here's how to insulate it properly to fix it permanently & have a more comfortable home. Crawlspace insulation - be careful to get it right A crawlspace comes with all the…

High levels of radon gas in the air of your home might be coming from your water and not the floor of your basement. It is a very wise idea to have the air of your home checked for high levels of radon gas. Health Canada has identified exposure to radon gas as the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking…

Finding a suitable building lot requires a lot of consideration and research; here are some things to look for. It is not illegal to sell an unbuildable lot, so buyers beware. Any number of roadblocks can prevent you from building the house you want, or any house at all, so before you make a purchase make sure you…

How to build on sites with expansive soils, high water tables and poor bearing capacity, and to build a frost protected shallow foundation easily in cold climates. The soil conditions of some building sites are not suitable for a slab-on-grade foundation with a thickened-edge footing without first beginning with…

Radon gas in homes is a growing health concern. Adding a passive radon stack is always a good idea to prepare a home for better indoor air quality. Radon gas builds up in homes and has serious health effects. Reducing radon gas in homes is cheap and easy with a slab floor barrier with proper sealing at junctions…

Insulating the exteriors of basements and slabs leaves you with needed to finish the exterior. In this video you see an easy fix to have the exterior surface secured by set concrete, while avoiding any thermal bridges in the process. WATCH MORE sustainable building VIDEOS Once a decision has been made to choose…