What are ICFs? Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs) are hollow blocks that consist of two pieces of foam board separated by plastic spacers, often used to build walls, foundations, and roofs. They are stacked like interlocking Lego blocks to build the outline of a wall....
Furring in your exterior walls While a standard 2×6 wall is a good choice in many regions of the country, it doesn’t quite cut it in Interior Alaska, where heating fuel is expensive and winter temperatures dive to 50-below-zero. That’s why many homeowners in...
What’s the proper way to add exterior insulation to my home? One of the common ways to retrofit an older house is to add exterior insulation to the walls. It can make a big difference in heating costs since it cuts down on heat loss through the framing and through air...
Double Wall Construction: the Basics Double wall construction is a good option for an energy efficient wall in a cold climate. Dating back to the early days of super-insulated homes in the 1970s, double walls become more popular whenever energy prices climb. They are...
Cellulose Insulation Cellulose insulation is made primarily of recycled paper and has become more popular in Interior Alaska because it is a locally made product similar in price to fiberglass batt insulation. “Dense-pack” cellulose is blown into a wall to a density...
Arctic Wall is a new energy efficient construction option in the Interior The Arctic Wall is a double-wall system with a thick layer of cellulose insulation that allows water vapor to diffuse through the wall while blocking air. It was designed by Fairbanks builder...
