A Homeowner's Guide to a Durable, Efficient, Comfortable Home
with Josh Salinger
FULL COURSE CONTENT AVAILABLE 10/21/25
SIGN UP NOWCourse Introduction
Whether you think your energy bills are too high because your windows are old or that your paint is peeling because the painter didn’t prime the siding first, you may be right. But you also may not. Sometimes the things that make our homes uncomfortable or unhealthy, the things that need repairs, and the reasons for high energy bills are obvious. Other times, they’re more difficult to determine. In this course we’ll introduce homeowners to “building science,” the understanding of how our homes work, and give you the knowledge to better diagnose problems in your home along with practical tips on how to fix them, or how to work with a pro to get the job done. Whether your house is 100 years old or newly built, it can be durable, efficient, comfortable, and healthy to live in.
What You'll Learn In This Course:
- The basics of building science
- How heat, air, and moisture affect our homes
- How to spot problems in basements and crawlspaces and how to fix them
- Why ventilation is so important to your health and the health of your home
- Why peeling paint may be a sign that your walls aren’t working well
- The role of windows and doors and when upgrades are worth the money
- What a thorough home maintenance calendar includes
- Tips for improving the comfort and efficiency, durability and health of your home
MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Joshua Salinger
Joshua Salinger is founder and president of Birdsmouth Design-Build in Portland, OR. Birdsmouth is a residential Design-Build firm focused on addressing climate change through the built environment through zero energy new homes and deep energy retrofits. He is an instructor for both Earth Advantage’s Sustainable Homes Professional program and Phius’ Certified Passive House Builder certification program. He is vice president of Passive House Northwest and sits on the technical committee of Zero Energy Ready Oregon. Additionally, he is an ‘Expert Member’ on Green Building Advisor and contributes content to Fine Homebuilding magazine.
