Rice's Renovation and Restoration

09/04/2026

Zipper spider doing its thing as I was loading up this morning.

07/18/2026

For everyone dealing with wildfire smoke right now, here’s an option for a homemade DIY air scrubber:

 go to your local hardware store and get some 20“ x 20“ filters (the higher the MERV or effectiveness rating, the better), a box fan, and some duct tape (painters tape will work as well…)

 Tape these filters together thentape them to the box fan, with the box fan blowing out of the cube you have created ( so the air gets sucked through the filters, not blown through the filters… Pay attention to the airflow direction on the filters as well when you’re tying them together)

You can do four sides and cover the side opposite of the box fan or below the box fan with cardboard, or you can do all five sides with the box fan being the sixth side of the cube

For step-by-step directions online, search “Corsi-Rosenthal Box” or “Compretto Cube”

05/27/2026

05/14/2026

"I’m considering adding a layer of insulation to the exterior of my roof, then another layer of sheathing, and finally asphalt shingles. Since I only have a single layer of asphalt shingles on my roof, am I able to just apply the foam right over the shingles, or do I need to strip the roof first?"

Here's our expert’s answer: https://www.finehomebuilding.com/2018/06/21/retrofitting-foam-insulation-roof

04/15/2026

Air sealing is so important, and if you follow all the steps properly, you may just find that you’re an “overachiever”—but that’s a good thing for home comfort AND your energy bills/usage.
- just don’t forget your intentional ventilation and make up air

Meet George T, one of many overachievers who are DIY building incredibly high performance home enclosures. Learn everything I know about this topic in this b...