Mid-Century Modern Design Principles: Overhangs, Orientation and Glass
Deep overhangs, careful siting, closed fronts, open backs and planned landscapes: how Eichler-era houses were designed for the California sun, and how to update them.
Flat Roof Solar on Mid-Century Homes: Placement, Batteries, Billing
Getting a low-slope roof ready for solar, placing panels to suit the architecture, where batteries can go, how PG&E and Palo Alto solar billing work now, and what to ask in a sale.
Insulating an Exposed Beam Ceiling: Above the Deck, Edges and Walls
How to insulate a post-and-beam house with no attic: above-deck and below-deck options, what the 2025 Energy Code requires at a reroof, the roof edge, and walls, glass and air sealing.
Heat Pumps for Mid-Century Homes: Going All-Electric in the Bay Area
What the Bay Area Air District's appliance rules require and when, heat pump options for houses without attics or ducts, heat pump water heaters, and panel planning.
Mid-Century Home Electrical Panel and Wiring: What to Check
How to read an older electrical panel, what federal and city agencies say about older breakers and aluminum wiring, two-slot outlets and GFCIs, and how to plan all-electric upgrades.
Eichler Skylights: Leaks, Replacement Options and Daylight Rules
Why skylights leak on flat and low-slope mid-century roofs, what California's codes require for replacement and new skylights, and how to place them without cutting into the architecture.
Mid-Century Modern Window Replacement: Retrofit, Film and Title 24
How to upgrade original mid-century windows: repair and retrofit options, where window film fits, the 2025 Energy Code rules for replacements, and how to keep slim frames.
Mid-Century Sliding Glass Doors: Repair, Replace and Keep the Look
How to evaluate an older mid-century slider, when glass counts as a repair, what California's 2025 Energy Code requires of replacements, and how to keep thin frames and full-height glass.
Eichler Roof Replacement: Foam, Membranes and Above-Deck Insulation
Roofing systems for flat and low-slope Eichler roofs, the 2025 Energy Code rules that apply when you reroof, how to keep a slim roof edge, and how to care for a foam roof.