EnergyStar Checklist: Videos, Podcasts, Articles

There are six sections and 22 subsections to the Thermal Bypass Checklist. These 16 videos, animations, articles, and podcasts cover all six sections.
April 3, 2020
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SECTION 2: WALLS ADJOINING EXTERIOR WALLS OR UNCONDITIONED SPACES

Tight makes right behind tubs and showers—because they can be *ruff* to retrofit
April 4, 2016
The biggest hole in the bathroom
March 4, 2016

SECTION 1: OVERALL AIR BARRIER and THERMAL BARRIER ALIGNMENT

EPA.gov, adapted from Building Science Corporation
Advanced Framing
A carpenter's take on less wood in walls
Sept. 14, 2016
A closer look at using moisture-resistant materials for wet locations.
Aug. 11, 2016
Thermal shorts and good design don't mix
March 28, 2016
With blower door tests in the building code, it is up to more than just the insulators or the GC to deliver results: many trades have a stake.
July 30, 2026
The biggest crack in the house, revisited for #ThrowbackThursday
Nov. 10, 2015
Regular walls just won't cut it anymore. Higher-achieving energy codes mean higher-performance walls, airtightness targets, and home energy rating system (HERS) scores. Here are...
April 20, 2015
Dan Morrison
Advance Framed Wall
When using lumber to frame a building, less is more, more or less. Less wood and more thought
March 29, 2021

Size up the Job

Walls that can drain and dry last a lot longer than walls that stay wet.
Feb. 8, 2016
Walls that can drain and dry last a lot longer than walls that stay wet. An air gap between the siding and sheathing lets both dry independently. Furring strips are one way to...
Jan. 18, 2016
Walls that dry are walls that last for a long, long, time.
July 2, 2026

Jobsite Knowhow

Old walls are wavy. Old walls with a lot of foam on them are easy to make flat.
March 8, 2016
Why a rain screen wall is important to the energy and durability detailing on a Passive House.
Dec. 10, 2015
Large flat panels of fiber-cement make a modern-looking siding. Metal track keeps the lines clean
March 29, 2016
Felt, furring strips, and flashing keeps rain out of the walls
Feb. 19, 2016

Details: Scope of Work

For walls with a pre-applied weather barrier, make sure the tape is compatible with the WRB coating—or use a primer
April 25, 2017
A closer look at using moisture-resistant materials for wet locations.
Aug. 11, 2016
Sealing the layers—and overlapping them right—is how high-performance building gets done
Sept. 8, 2016
Weather Barriers done right means weather barriers that go to work on more than just sunny days
March 7, 2016

Background Info

EPA.gov
Capilarity
Rain is the biggest water threat that houses face, but there are some slow and steady mechanisms that can snowball on you, too
May 8, 2015
What you need to know about wood siding, stucco, stone, and brick installations. From one of the top design/build/remodeling companies in the US.
April 15, 2016

SECTION 3: FLOORS BETWEEN CONDITIONED AND EXTERIOR SPACES

Outside insulation is an effective way to keep heat in. The devil is in the details, such as this one
May 3, 2018
Glue the rim joist, caulk the gaps, and overhang the wall sheathing to tighten this leaky building assembly
Sept. 29, 2017

SECTION 4: SHAFTS

A tight path to the outdoors keeps the indoors fresh and you can call it a day because you’re one step closer to the Energy Star
May 2, 2016
The biggest crack in the house, revisited for #ThrowbackThursday
Nov. 10, 2015

SECTION 5: ATTIC/ CEILING INTERFACE

attic-insulation-ventilation-solutions-IMG_0973.jpg
Attic Insulation Ventilation Solutions Img 0973
How to reduce ice dams, improve thermal performance, and boost the durability of homes with vented, insulated attics
April 7, 2022
Keep mechanical equipment within the envelope to improve the quality of houses and homes
April 17, 2017

SECTION 6: COMMON WALLS BETWEEN DWELLING UNITS

Regular walls just won't cut it anymore. Higher-achieving energy codes mean higher-performance walls, airtightness targets, and home energy rating system (HERS) scores. Here are...
April 20, 2015

About the Author

Dan Morrison

Dan Morrison is a founding editor of ProTradeCraft.com, where he is also the editor-in-chief. Fun fact: Dan is also a founding editor of Green Building Advisor and executive editor of Fine Homebuilding.

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