Keeping the relative humidity at 70% indoors is not a good thing. That’s about the threshold where mold can really take off. If your thermostat is set to the fan-on position all summer, it’s possible to have a mold factory in your home. So if you’ve been told to run the fan continuously by someone […]

When you build a new home, local building codes are supposed to ensure that it can handle the hazards of your particular area; however, how rigorous or well enforced the code is, varies widely. Building codes are concerned with basic safety and protecting the people inside the home, said Stacy Williams, public affairs manager for […]

Atop the three-story apartment building, in the heart of downtown Newark, lies a green roof.  With a 2,500-square-foot arrangement of robust plants still thriving after surviving last winter’s harsh conditions, it is the first green roof on a non-university building in Newark. Chris Locke, of Lang Development Group, said the green roof system on the […]

White appears to be the color of the year, when analyzing design trends; not necessarily straight white, but any shade of off-white you can imagine. Entire homes are painted in shell whites and antique whites, with walls, woodwork and ceilings all the same. Any additional color seems used only as an accent, predominantly in multiple […]

The key to surviving the disruption of home remodeling in day-to-day life is to anticipate and plan for innovative solutions from the outset, so these temporary inconveniences can be avoided. Every family member’s comfort during a home remodeling project is important, and that includes your pet! Ask your remodeling manager how to ensure pets will […]

The housing market today is demanding energy-efficient homes that don’t sacrifice comfort for quality. If you’re looking to purchase a new home, green features can save money now and in the future. To get more functionality out of less space, downsizing is a viable option for both young families and empty-nesters. Modular or manufactured homes […]

Today’s new home buyers have requirements for everything from energy savings to light fixtures. Wood usage in the interior is also taking on new importance, as the design community embraces natural materials for its beauty, versatility and sustainability. Sustainability and efficiency are no longer extras. A reduction in energy consumption is not only a consumer […]

Asbestos is still used heavily in some parts of the world, such as India and China. We know enough about the risks now, though, that it’s banned outright in more than 50 countries, and banned for some uses in the U.S. If you live in a home built before 1980, there’s probably some asbestos in […]

Contractors who install spray polyurethane foam insulation put themselves at risk if they do so in homes without a plan for mechanical ventilation. Most spray foam insulation, when properly installed, acts as an air barrier. When you use it instead of the fluffy stuff (fiberglass, cellulose, cotton), a house will be more airtight, and that’s […]

The debate over how much insulation to use is an important one. There’s no clear-cut answer. It’s hard to say "Use this much in Climate Zone 4 and this much in Climate Zone 5" because there are multiple variables involved. Here are the main ones: Climate zone Type of heating and cooling system Fuel used […]