//m.esb-agile.com/rss/ Your trusted resource for building efficient and healthy homes en © 2022 Ecohome Fri, 29 Jul 2022 18:39:33 +0000 //m.esb-agile.com/guides/3699/heat-pump-buying-guide-which-are-the-best-heat-pumps/

Choosing the best heat pump can be difficult. Heat pumps are poorly understood, they have often been over-sold, poorly installed, and placed where they can be a noise nuisance. But the best heat pumps are a really good choice for heating green homes. How do the best heat pumps work? A heat pump works very…

Ecohome Fri, 29 Jul 2022 18:39:33 +0000 //m.esb-agile.com/guides/3699/heat-pump-buying-guide-which-are-the-best-heat-pumps/ Guides Heat pumps, geothermal and AC Heat pumps Performance Reliable Durable Review Best Most efficient Heatpumps Work best Warranty //m.esb-agile.com/guides/3721/how-to-stain-cedar-wood-decking-when-renovating-old-decks/

We recently helped renovate and stain a huge red cedar deck that had been exposed to all weathers, ice, rain and simple living - burgers dripping relish and ketchup - and all the things we enjoy on a backyard deck. How to stain an old cedar deck to make it look new and last longer. Staining an old weathered cedar…

Ecohome Mon, 11 Jul 2022 20:11:42 +0000 //m.esb-agile.com/guides/3721/how-to-stain-cedar-wood-decking-when-renovating-old-decks/ Guides Decks, porches and gazebos Cedar Decking Deck Wood Stain Old Staining Beautiful Planks Painting Planking Restoration Restoring Paint Renovating //m.esb-agile.com/news/1569/a-sustainable-bio-based-zero-carbon-alternative-to-traditional-portland-cement-boulder-co-prometheus-materials/

Using naturally occurring microalgae, Prometheus Materials and a team of scientists and engineers at the University of Colorado Boulder have developed a carbon zero alternative to carbon intensive portland cement based concrete... suitable for ready mix. In a recent press release, Prometheus Materials, a zero-carbon…

Ecohome Sat, 09 Jul 2022 21:52:36 +0000 //m.esb-agile.com/news/1569/a-sustainable-bio-based-zero-carbon-alternative-to-traditional-portland-cement-boulder-co-prometheus-materials/ News Concrete and masonry Carbon footprint Zero Bio-concrete Reduced Ready Mix Concrete Portland Colorado Low Bio concrete Carbon-zero Prometheus Carbon Cement Reduction CO2 Biocement BioConcrete //m.esb-agile.com/guides/3719/how-to-restore-a-cedar-wood-deck-easily/

If you’re looking to learn how to make old deck boards look new, you can easily extend the life of a grey cedar deck by pressure washing and staining. Restoring a weathered cedar deck easily, step by step Cedar decking boards turn gray in a few short years if untreated, and can make your deck look much older and…

Ecohome Tue, 14 Jun 2022 20:51:47 +0000 //m.esb-agile.com/guides/3719/how-to-restore-a-cedar-wood-deck-easily/ Guides Decks, porches and gazebos Cedar Reno Decking Deck How to Cleaning Restoring Renovating Restoration Wooden Wood //m.esb-agile.com/guides/3694/how-to-troubleshoot-a-furnace-that-wont-work/

There is little more unnerving that losing heat in our homes during winter. Having a reliable heating system, and even a backup heating system, can help you rest easier at night so if your furnace isn't working, try this. There are a few things that will cause any furnace to either stop running, or only deliver cold…

Ecohome Sat, 12 Mar 2022 02:58:19 +0000 //m.esb-agile.com/guides/3694/how-to-troubleshoot-a-furnace-that-wont-work/ Guides Heating and cooling Furnace How to Problems Troubleshooting Faulty furnace DIY Electric Furnace not working Fixes //m.esb-agile.com/news/1559/oil-heating-ban-in-new-homes-disadvantages-is-gas-next/ 从2021年12月起，魁北克省禁止在新住宅使用燃油取暖，到2023年，甚至将禁止更换或维修燃油炉。详细看了省部省的新规，可能还会去燃气供暖。Adopted on November 17, 2021 in Quebec, the regulations for banning oil-fired heating… Ecohome Sat, 12 Feb 2022 14:13:21 +0000 //m.esb-agile.com/news/1559/oil-heating-ban-in-new-homes-disadvantages-is-gas-next/ News Heating with gas and oil Oil Quebec Heating Furnace Gas Boiler Ban Canada Cost USA Regulations Fossil fuels //m.esb-agile.com/guides/3691/how-to-repair-drywall-fill-holes-cracks-easily/

One of the easiest DIY home improvement jobs you can do is repair small holes and dents in drywall. Fixing damaged drywall can be done with a few simple tools, see our Building Guide pages to learn how. DIY drywall repairs are an easy home improvement that pretty much anyone can handle. Cracks and dents in drywall…

Ecohome Mon, 20 Dec 2021 14:20:56 +0000 //m.esb-agile.com/guides/3691/how-to-repair-drywall-fill-holes-cracks-easily/ Guides Walls and ceilings - interior surfaces Filling holes in drywall Repairing drywall Drywall DIY How to guide //m.esb-agile.com/guides/3690/toilet-flappers-are-the-leading-cause-of-leaking-or-running-toilets-heres-how-to-fix-them/

Faulty toilet flappers leak a lot of water down the pan – they provide the seal for the flush valve and control the volume of water released to the bowl. The good news is they're a pretty easy DIY fix once you know how... Read on. Why fix a leaky toilet flapper? Another of the jobs that sat on my Honey-Do-List for…

Ecohome Sun, 12 Dec 2021 23:28:00 +0000 //m.esb-agile.com/guides/3690/toilet-flappers-are-the-leading-cause-of-leaking-or-running-toilets-heres-how-to-fix-them/ Guides Bathrooms Toilet Flapper Repairs Leaking Bathroom How to Renovation DIY Toilet Running Replace Replacement //m.esb-agile.com/guides/3692/cop26-and-world-carbon-emissions-by-country-per-capita-which-countries-top-the-charts/

It's a common misconception that Canada & the US are doing ok 'ish' on carbon emissions - as looked at in terms of absolute emissions the usual suspects are there on top. However, looking at per capita CO2 emissions reveals a different story. With the recent COP26 Global Climate Change Conference in Glasgow…

Ecohome Mon, 06 Dec 2021 23:29:38 +0000 //m.esb-agile.com/guides/3692/cop26-and-world-carbon-emissions-by-country-per-capita-which-countries-top-the-charts/ Guides Lifestyle and environment World carbon emissions COP26 Per capita Greta thunberg Country CO2 //m.esb-agile.com/guides/3685/which-is-the-best-caulk-or-sealant/ 填塞物，嵌缝物，硅酮，密封剂——一种胶粘的东西在管子里用来密封窗户，门和填充建筑物的缝隙，有各种各样的类型——其中一些通常会沾到你的衣服上!在这里，我们看看哪种填塞物是最好的。哪一种是最好的填塞或密封胶? Ecohome Fri, 19 Nov 2021 14:07:50 +0000 //m.esb-agile.com/guides/3685/which-is-the-best-caulk-or-sealant/ Guides Air and vapour barriers Sealing Doors Windows Water Waterproofing Rainscreen Caulking Air Caulk Silicone Sealant //m.esb-agile.com/guides/3686/how-to-fix-a-leaky-faucet-for-under-1-dollar-stop-the-drips/

Leaky faucets or dripping taps are a pain, which is why we decided to show a step by step guide of how easy it is to fix a dripping bathroom faucet or kitchen faucet for under a dollar - including if they are leaking from around the tap handles or tops. Why fix leaky faucets? One of the jobs that sat on my…

Ecohome Tue, 09 Nov 2021 03:59:20 +0000 //m.esb-agile.com/guides/3686/how-to-fix-a-leaky-faucet-for-under-1-dollar-stop-the-drips/ Guides Bathrooms Dripping Repair Leaking Kitchen Leak Rubber Bathroom Replace Fix Quarter-turn Washer Washroom Tap washer Taps Drip DIY Faucets Seal //m.esb-agile.com/guides/3683/fridge-organization-reduce-food-waste-live-more-sustainably/

The amount of food wasted in North America is huge - but beyond the social implications of the "haves" and the "have nots," food waste is having a significant impact on climate change. Here's a comprehensive guide to organizing fridges at home. Did you know that there’s actually an ideal order or layout of how to…

Ecohome Sat, 16 Oct 2021 19:38:46 +0000 //m.esb-agile.com/guides/3683/fridge-organization-reduce-food-waste-live-more-sustainably/ Guides Lifestyle and environment Spoil Ethylene Fridge Optimization Waste Methane Prévention Food Landfill Dump //m.esb-agile.com/news/1545/google-maps-update-to-show-most-eco-friendly-route-to-drivers/

Google maps has now been updated to show the most eco friendly route to drivers, as well as adding additional information for bike routes, it's an interesting application of technology. Google just announced that effective immediately, the Google Maps app will feature the most eco-friendly routes for iOS and Android…

Ecohome Thu, 07 Oct 2021 15:13:30 +0000 //m.esb-agile.com/news/1545/google-maps-update-to-show-most-eco-friendly-route-to-drivers/ News Commuting Commuting Maps News Bike Green Eco Scooter Google Friendly //m.esb-agile.com/news/1544/home-foundation-trends-2020-usa-encouraging-for-sustainability-as-slab-on-grade-wins/ 全美房屋建筑商协会刚刚完成了一项关于2020年美国房屋地基趋势的研究，结果既令人惊讶又令人鼓舞!平板基础显然是赢家。这是胜利的基础!The NAHB study showed that 65% of new single-family home… Ecohome Wed, 01 Sep 2021 05:40:19 +0000 //m.esb-agile.com/news/1544/home-foundation-trends-2020-usa-encouraging-for-sustainability-as-slab-on-grade-wins/ News New foundations and slab-on-grade Slab on grade Crawl space Crawlspace Basements 2020 Trends NAHB Frost walls Frost line Foundations Frost Protected Shallow Foundations //m.esb-agile.com/guides/3601/eco-friendly-diy-laundry-soap-buckeye-horse-chestnut-how-to-guide/

See our DIY instructional video of how to make your own chemical-free laundry soap with Buckeyes, Horse nuts, Chestnuts or Conkers! Whatever you like to call them, we won't think you're nuts. DIY laundry soap made from Buckeyes/ Horse Chestnuts - who knew? The mission of Ecohome goes beyond providing sustainable and…

Ecohome Tue, 31 Aug 2021 05:09:30 +0000 //m.esb-agile.com/guides/3601/eco-friendly-diy-laundry-soap-buckeye-horse-chestnut-how-to-guide/ Guides Lifestyle and environment Homemade Reduce Packaging Natural Safe DIY Laundry Non-toxic Soap Horse chestnut Buckeye Fragrance free How to Detergent //m.esb-agile.com/news/1542/formica-corporation-announces-new-sustainability-goals-targets-net-carbon-neutrality-by-2030/

Annual Sustainability Position Paper to detail Formica Corporation’s progress It has been conclusively shown that homebuyers are increasingly looking for green and energy efficient homes, not just for their own benefits but as members of a global community. Homes built with sustainable non-toxic building materials…

Ecohome Tue, 24 Aug 2021 19:23:31 +0000 //m.esb-agile.com/news/1542/formica-corporation-announces-new-sustainability-goals-targets-net-carbon-neutrality-by-2030/ News //m.esb-agile.com/news/1540/help-us-to-help-you-the-ecohome-survey/ Ecohome的访问者正在寻求帮助&对他们可持续建设项目的建议-好吧，现在轮到我们寻求你的帮助了。通过花几分钟时间来分享一些关于您的绿色建筑目标的见解，我们可以为未来做计划。Ecohome is a global pioneer in promoting sustainable housing, and… Ecohome Thu, 29 Jul 2021 15:02:07 +0000 //m.esb-agile.com/news/1540/help-us-to-help-you-the-ecohome-survey/ News Planning and Design Construction Green Homes Building Sustainable Survey Eco Homes Projects //m.esb-agile.com/news/1538/trump-shower-head-rules-reversed-by-biden-water-efficiency-is-back/

Water efficiency is the smart use of our water resources through water-saving technologies and simple steps we can all take to Green up our homes. Using water efficiently will help ensure reliable water supplies today and for future generations. We were pleased to hear this week that the Department of Energy in the…

Ecohome Sat, 17 Jul 2021 18:42:10 +0000 //m.esb-agile.com/news/1538/trump-shower-head-rules-reversed-by-biden-water-efficiency-is-back/ News Bathrooms Bathrooms Water efficiency USA Low Flow Regulations Save Energy Save Water Shower Heads //m.esb-agile.com/guides/3667/when-will-natural-gas-be-phased-out-usa-canada-uk/

Natural gas for heating & cooking in homes is so convenient & relatively affordable - so why have governments & local cities across North America & Europe taken the radical decision to phase it out, & when is natural gas going to be banned. So why is natural gas being phased out? Natural gas is being phased out of…

Ecohome Thu, 08 Jul 2021 14:19:39 +0000 //m.esb-agile.com/guides/3667/when-will-natural-gas-be-phased-out-usa-canada-uk/ Guides Heating with gas and oil Climate change Natural gas Phased out Methane RNG Renewable Natural Gas GWP Banned Biomethane Global Warming CO2 Heating Gas //m.esb-agile.com/news/1536/canada-requires-all-new-light-duty-cars-and-trucks-sold-in-2035-to-produce-no-emissions/

Sustainable transport solutions can significantly contribute towards reduced emissions and improving air quality - especially around cities - so Canada is mandating that all vehicles sold in Canada are to be zero emissions by 2035. To build a cleaner and more prosperous economy that creates good jobs while working…

Ecohome Fri, 02 Jul 2021 14:26:40 +0000 //m.esb-agile.com/news/1536/canada-requires-all-new-light-duty-cars-and-trucks-sold-in-2035-to-produce-no-emissions/ News Lifestyle, location and commuting Vehicles Canada Sales Zero emission Canadian 2035 Tesla EV Electric Rivian //m.esb-agile.com/guides/3664/a-burning-need-to-know-protecting-your-home-from-wildfires/

Home destruction vs. home survival in wildfires point to embers and small flames control as the main thing to help prevent homes igniting in wildfires. Here are some tips for homeowners & builders to prepare homes to withstand wildfires. Let’s start by pointing out that this post is mostly about fire coming from…

Ecohome Mon, 28 Jun 2021 15:10:39 +0000 //m.esb-agile.com/guides/3664/a-burning-need-to-know-protecting-your-home-from-wildfires/ Guides Concept and design Safety House Prévention Wildfire Protection Fire Homeowners Builders //m.esb-agile.com/guides/3661/homes-built-for-climate-disruptions-a-primer-for-home-owners-and-buyers/

As much as we want to see homes that are built sustainably - they must also fulfil their primary function - to provide safe, comfortable, healthy shelter for families to thrive - so durability and good design is key. I’m writing this during a heat wave in June, 2021, as much of the US and Canada seem poised to…

Ecohome Thu, 10 Jun 2021 14:35:38 +0000 //m.esb-agile.com/guides/3661/homes-built-for-climate-disruptions-a-primer-for-home-owners-and-buyers/ Guides Planning and Design Flood protection Future proof Climate change How to Résilient Climate crisis Climate disruption Build for //m.esb-agile.com/guides/3650/is-spray-foam-insulation-good-or-toxic-dangerous-in-homes/

Spray foam insulation has been used primarily for home renovations as a way of sealing and insulating in one step, but spray foam is now even finding a home in new build - but, is it safe? Is spray foam insulation the best idea. There is a plethora of home improvement shows demonstrating how easy it is to buy…

Ecohome Tue, 08 Jun 2021 18:28:08 +0000 //m.esb-agile.com/guides/3650/is-spray-foam-insulation-good-or-toxic-dangerous-in-homes/ Guides Insulation and soundproofing Spray foam House Tiny Homes Dangerous Toxic Insulation Spray foam insulation Shipping containers DIY Good Bad //m.esb-agile.com/guides/3656/best-alternatives-to-drywall-for-finishing-interior-walls/

Drywall is the most common interior finish surface inside homes due to ease and affordability. But there are options! see below for the best natural healthy alternatives to drywall for finishing interior walls. Walls in residential homes are almost exclusively finished using gypsum board (either recycled or…

Ecohome Wed, 02 Jun 2021 15:59:14 +0000 //m.esb-agile.com/guides/3656/best-alternatives-to-drywall-for-finishing-interior-walls/ Guides Walls and Roofs Barn board Rammed earth Walls Interior walls Drywall Plywood Brick Gypsum Gyproc Mud Hemp //m.esb-agile.com/guides/3655/greener-homes-interest-free-loan-scheme-2021-canada-ultimate-guide/

Deep home retrofits through grants and interest-free loans to make your home more energy-efficient were a promise by Trudeau and the Liberals and now in 2021, it looks like they're becoming a reality. The Canada Greener Homes Grant scheme is investing $2.6 billion over 7 years to help up to 700,000 Canadian…

Ecohome Mon, 31 May 2021 17:00:17 +0000 //m.esb-agile.com/guides/3655/greener-homes-interest-free-loan-scheme-2021-canada-ultimate-guide/ Guides Grants and incentives Retrofits Deep energy refits Homes Green Interest free loans How to apply Eligibility Ioans