Philly Green Building

Philly Green Building Design Driven Projects + Award Winning Content.

05/16/2026

Why does old s**t work better? It was over built, not over designed. This pocket door was braised, bolted, and demanded a 14” thick assembly. Most modern kits call for 2x4 walls.
Apart from the fact that we just don’t have access to the same materials, we as a society don’t want to trade our space or our money to build something this robust. This 14” assembly is probably taking 20 square feet of living space. At $200 a square foot, this door costs $8000 more than a thinner assembly, without even touching materials. That being said, it’s an amazing door!

05/14/2026

Some of the worst termite damage we’ve ever seen :/
Termites can ravage our buildings if left unchecked. They made light work of these 300+ year old floor joists, and if left untreated, could destroy the building. They are heavily attracted to moisture. Doing everything you can to let building breath isn’t a guarantee against pests, but letting our buildings dry out is a non negotiable. Lime mortar and not painting bricks isn’t just for your masonry…
A quick tip about termite prevention - they’re attracted to moisture and damp wood. Capillary breaks go a long way. Staying on top of maintenance, making sure you address’ leaks and high humidity is paramount, and avoiding mulch and wood piles near your home go a very long way.
We made some temporary repairs and are coming up with a long term strategy to replace the floor system and get the brick walls breathing again. What a day!

04/18/2026

Day 18 of Ask-a Contractor: What’s the biggest plumbing issue we run into? Sorry #
Sorry for the delay - apparently it’s hard to make reels without talking!
By far the biggest plumbing issue we run into is improperly vented systems. Vents and fresh air intakes to a plumbing system might not seem like a big deal, but they play a huge role in keeping everything working properly and safely. Without proper venting, water can’t flow smoothly through the pipes, which can lead to slow drains, weird gurgling sounds, or even backups. More importantly, vents help protect the water seals in traps—the curved sections of pipe under sinks and fixtures that keep sewer gases from coming back into the building. If those seals get sucked dry because of poor airflow, you could end up with some pretty unpleasant (and potentially harmful) odors inside.
Venting and air intake is rigorously called out in building codes - The International Plumbing Code requires that every fixture has a vent/be on a vented line to prevent trap seal loss, and the Uniform Plumbing Code sets limits on how far a fixture can be from its vent so it still works effectively. Codes also require vent pipes to extend outside, usually above the roof, so gases can safely escape.
One of the hardest things for us as builders is to get our clients to bite and understand where some of these expenses are coming from. Not everyone see’s the importance of adding vent stacks into a project, which usually means cutting drywall, repainting walls, etc. It’s even worse when a competing bid doesn’t include these and adds an air admittance valve, or ignores the venting altogether!
I will add - new construction can require some form of MEP work, even at the single family residential level. Renovations almost never do, at least in our market!
construction buildingscience

04/08/2026

Day 16 of Ask A Contractor: what to do if my interior plaster walls have been painted?
Generally, we’re not as worried about permeability on interior plaster walls. Removing paint from plaster can be messy, costly, expose lead dust, etc. if you’re looking for a limewashed finish or a faux plaster, generally, you can prime over solid latex with manufacturer specific primers.
If you’re wall is bubbling, I’d start by addressing groundwater, moisture issues, or permeability. The best place to stop a leak is from the exterior.

04/08/2026

Day 15 of Ask A Contractor: How Do You Make Open Concept Intentional?
I’m home sick today and thought that this was a cool little excerpt about making open concept intentional. Our belief is that you avoid that ‘barren’ feeling by creating different zones. Perhaps an interior designer or architect can jump in and add some actual advice.
If you’re craving some of our construction content. John just finished the “final reveal” of our historic reno. It’s up on our channel. If you’ve been enjoying this series, or our weekly run vlog, please check this drop out. Like it, comment, share it, play it through. It would mean the world to us.

04/06/2026

Day 14 of Ask A Contractor: How do you handle water accumulating along a homes foundation??
Start with the outside. Invest in managing bulk (rain) water. This is the first place to start with a dry foundation, and a dry basement. Oftentimes, what this looks like is addressing the flatwork and grading around your home so that it pitches away from your home and into a drain.
The best way to waterproof a basement or foundation starts from the outside, and the cheapest way to handle most groundwater issues is to direct it away from your home, into a drain, or both.
If there’s groundwater, a spring, or some other reason why you have a wet foundation, you may need to invest in a more specialized moisture management system. This looks like parging and coating the exterior, French drains, and sump pumps. Not Drylok.
If you have any questions, ask away!

04/05/2026

Day 13 of Ask A Contractor: brick home maintenance??
When it comes to brick row homes, your strategy should be “Keep water out, let moisture out.” Repair pointing and caulking as needed, but make sure you’re not trapping moisture in the brick walls. Spot pointing should be done by a qualified mason using lime blends - not the stuff you use a caulk gun to install. Every 20 year or so, you’re probably going to need all of the joints cut and pointed. C’est la vie.

Here’s some other stuff you should probably be doing:
-Check roof for missing shingles, flashing issues, soft spots. Have this done professionally
-Inspect roof membrane seams (have this done professionally)
-Clean gutters and downspouts (flush fully, not just scoop debris)
-Inspect and reseal all exterior penetrations (vents, hose bibs, meters)
-Re-caulk windows and doors where sealant is failing
-Inspect brick/masonry for cracks, spalling, or failing mortar
-Check parapet walls and coping (huge failure point in Philly rowhomes)
-Inspect siding for rot, gaps, or loose sections
-Check foundation for cracks or water intrusion signs
-Confirm downspouts discharge away from foundation
-Test sump pump + backup (pour water into pit)
-Inspect flat roof drains/scuppers (clear + check pitch issues)
-Look for interior water stains (ceilings, top-floor corners)
-Check grading around house (water should slope away)
-Replace HVAC filters (quarterly at the minimum)
-Full HVAC service (combustion check, refrigerant, coils, drains)
-Clean dryer vent (fire risk + efficiency hit)
-Clean bathroom/kitchen exhaust fans
-Flush water heater (sediment kills lifespan)
-Inspect all visible plumbing for slow leaks (under sinks, basements)
-Check water pressure (ideal ~50–70 psi)
-test all shutoff valves (they seize if ignored)
-Inspect hose bibs for freeze damage
-Test smoke + CO detectors (replace batteries or units if needed)
-Test all GFCI/AFCI outlets

04/04/2026

Day 12 of Ask A Contractor: How to keep bugs away from your home 👇👇
Short answer: Try swapping your outdoor bulbs with bug repellent bulbs. There’s certain spectrums that attract bugs, and certain spectrums that are invisible to them. Avoid chemicals.
Longer answer: We have to stop fighting nature and trying to outsmart it. In many parts of the world, insect-borne disease are a real problem. There’s been thousands of years of figuring out how to best control insect populations around the home. In Morocco, chefchaouen, or the blue city, is rumored to have been painted blue to mimic fresh water and deter mosquitoes. In many tropical countries, fish ponds are part of the architecture to lure mosquitos into laying their eggs so that they can be eaten by goldfish. Bat boxes are something that you can buy cheaply and easily.
Moral of the story, don’t fight nature, build with it.

04/03/2026

Day 11 of Ask A Contractor: Do starbolts work??
Short answer: yes, they work.
Longer answer: there’s limitations. Starbolts are a primitive masonry tie - the star is a decorative washer, and they tie masonry to the framing of a home. They are a preventative measure, however, not corrective. You can’t crank a wall straight, you can slow down or halt further movement.
Knowing when they’re a sufficient fix, or something more involved requires a trained eye. We always bring in our structural engineers to make the prescriptions, tell us what kind of supporting carpentry they need, and where to put them. Getting a permit for these requires a lot of inspection, and a lot of paperwork, too.
Something that I never knew was what a red flag they were to firefighters, and rightly so.
We have a full video of us installing these on our YouTube channel, link in bio. If you have any questions, drop em in the comments!

04/02/2026

Day 10 of Ask A Contractor: How to remove paint from brick 👇👇👇
Removing paint from brick is really… annoying. It takes time, is messy, and there’s always some mystery.
Scraping the loose paint off with a scraper is the easiest, safest way. This only works when the paint is ready to fall off. Infrared heaters work really, really well. They take time and may not be suitable for a multistory masonry restoration.
We generally rely on low PH, biodegradable paint st*****rs. Dumond makes some nice ones, as does Cathedral Stone Products. Sometimes painting these on and scraping it off with a stiff scraper is enough, sometimes you need a gentle pressure washer. It’s important not to blast the brick with something that will damage the fire facing. That’s actually a thing. Keep your fan tip wide and your PSI’s below 2,000.
Well prepared masonry outfits will have heated tanks that run in tandem with their pressure washers. The heated water really helps activate the chemicals.
Bottom line, it’s messy, labor intensive work. The best way to get latex paint off of bricks is to make sure it doesn’t go on in the first place.
Links:
1️⃣https://www.cathedralstone.com/IMS/Shop/Cleaners-Strippers-Removers
2️⃣https://www.earthandflax.com/

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