“Houses need to BREATHE!” - Shut your filthy mouth
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- Опубліковано 4 жов 2024
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Articles I referenced to make this video:
“Air Leaks - How They Waste Energy and Rot Houses” Dr John Straube buildingscienc...
“How Tight is Too Tight” Alex Wilson www.greenbuild...
“Stop using the Word BREATH for Buildings” Dr Allison Bailes www.energyvang...
“Myth: A House Needs to Breathe” Dr Allison Bailes www.energyvang...
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Excellent summary, Matt. Where common sense meets science.
Those stains below windows could be condensation running off the single glazing. Happened a lot in old UK houses
Got to love a video that doesn't present science pinning a viewer opinion who thinks they heard science presumably to bolster the nonscientific claims. Logical and reasonable...somewhat. But not scientific. If you think otherwise, please provide me with the peer-reviewed journal addressing these topics with data and conclusions. Even if you could provide that, science, in no way, can tell you what you should or shouldn't do, or how that information should be employed, if at all.
Wondering your thoughts on wrap systems that claim to keep moisture out but also let moisture out (breathe)?
@@Pugilistdictatorjust remember that “science” is just a word for “knowledge”. I don’t care much for “peer reviewed”. It’s being shown that’s all a shell game anyway. I’m not saying that Matt may not have a bias because he is arguing for products that often sponsor his channel, but I believe it’s been shown there is a crisis in the engineering world because not enough kids actually played with their hands and built mud houses and various hands on toys and have no instinct as to whether their design is going to work in the real world. “Science” may solve one problem but introduce another because they are zeroed in on the one problem for their thesis or dissertation. Builders actually deal with the fallout of bad science.
@@cindystokes8347 That's not the argument, there is no science presented here period. You are simply arguing the limitations of science, but limitations do not invalidate scientific endeavors. You work within your limitations and do the best you can. You also confuse engineering with science, they aren't the same regardless of their similarities.
The fact that he is paid to say what he says just puts icing on the cake of the idiocy of this channel. He is the closest thing to a legal conman that I have seen in a while. If you can't see that, at least a little bit, then I have a bridge that I would like to sell you.
I've got a '23 California bungalow, and it "breathes"... dirt, pollen, flies, mosquitoes... you name it, it breathes it. Really charming.
step one is move to a free state
You’re home so amazing it’s been built in the future (2023)
I actually plan on moving into a YETI cooler, I'm saving my money for the windows
"Seal tight, ventilate right."
timmmahhhh , keep your Bhole tight 👌
The whole, a house needs to breathe, is a big pet peeve of mine too. I think the push in the past for vapor barriers and the improper use of them caused a lot of this. Great video.
Built my last house so tight my plumber farted and blew out a window...
Yeah baby. That’s tight!
Handy Menagerie that is funny man.
Handy Menagerie Hahahahahaha
He must have "passed" inspection.
Handy Menagerie lmao!
I worked for an insulating company for many years and we often did what's called an r2000 seal. Exactly what you're explaining in this video. After the house passed the test most contractors cut long slits in some of the cavities to allow the house to breath and prevent rot. Great clip.
I am building my own home. I am a 32 year old woman. My dad is a framer and I grew up around job sites. I’ve learned so much from this channel. I am using all the techniques that are best practice and using a lot of the sponsored products, at least the ones I can afford! I have to literally teach some of the stuff I’ve learned to the subs I hire. Thanks for creating such informative content!! And screw the haters, I can’t believe all the nasty comments you get.
This guy is not a good framer,please don't follow his advice
You are just a hater. If you have nothing nice to say don’t say it at all.
I am going to do same thing. I want to build A frame house above grade with three stories aka basements below grade. It'll be off grid, hence why most of the house is below grade to take advantage of stable temperature throughout year. Going to have Special efficient multi floor fire chimney at center of A frame house going straight down through all floors with openings per floor to provide heat. Solar Water Heater on part of A frame roof, special solar panels on each roof side and Rain water Harvesting system that takes advantage of all roof even part that's occupied by the solar panels. Stairs for the floors are personalized as Spiral stairs per my wife's request with Garage below grade connected to first basement ^_^ Kitchen appliances are all efficiently and heavily researched as long lasting AND inexpensive electric appliances. Shipping Container Power Room outside house below grade where the electricity of the panels is stored (In Tesla Car Battery and normal car battery network using charge controller and inverter and trasnformers too), Hardwood Floors throughout all floors. Electric kitchen appliances connected to the power room and all water appliances gravity fed without any pumps by the rain water harvesting system and it's water tanks. No Water bills. No Electric bills. Natural AC stable at 68 Farenheit. With Below Grade Aquaponics Green House connected to 1st floor and 1st basement composed of avocados, tomatoes, pomegranetes, oranges and apples! ^_^ All Under a budget of $100,000! (Laughing). So achieve your dreams Vanessa Oseguera. You got this!!
Go like some more Lounge Underwear Haul vids and piss off.
Gravity feed water system ? If you had solar power, a properly sized efficient pump, pressure tank and check valves a pressure of 40 to 50 psi should not be a problem to maintain. But who knows, maybe you live on the side of a hill. Head pressure is .43 lbs per foot elevation of source.
I’ll be honest, I was one of those skeptics who worried a lot about how air-tight your builds are, “sick building syndrome,” etc. You’ve brought me around, though. Thanks for taking the time to explain all of the reasoning behind it!
I work exclusively on existing homes in New England. Usually these are old homes that have withstood the test of time because of the leakiness Matt described. What I get concerned about when I’m repairing/updating/remodeling is how to properly integrate modern air-tight building technology into a home that functions as a “leaky” building in the other existing portions if the home. I’d love for Matt to make a video on how to effectively implement modern building science while remodeling old homes.
It occurred to me that perhaps the old adage of a house “needing to breath” may have had an association with houses that have open fire places. Air would need to enter the house in order for an open fire to gain an appropriate draft to fire and for the chimney to draw. As a kid growing up every time an outside door was opened it would cause a plume of smoke to come out of the fire place.
If you do go wood stove, the way to do it is to provide a outside air vent that goes straight to the fireplace. This unfortunately is a huge debate with many people against it, but if it's done right, eliminates the cold air drafts you're talking about. If done wrong, it can make smoke spill back into the house. You can use a damper to close off the fresh air intake if that happens though, and if it's well designed that should never happen in the first place.
Houses "needing to breathe" had nothing to do with the 'draftibility' of wood stoves. It was to do with preventing houses from rotting inside the walls. If air could easily pass through a wall, then any moisture that gets trapped inside will evaporate and dry out before any long-term damage can be done. I've seen this in 100+ year old houses in Atlantic Canada. Zero rot under the sheathing. I recently rewired a 110+ year old house here. Absolutely solid. They are constructed well for a long lifespan. Unfortunately, the energy requirements to keep a house warm like this makes it terribly inefficient in larger square footage homes. Thats probably why most of the older homes around here are less then 1000 sqft.
Well said Matt.
I have spoken to a few builders locally about airtightness, and they look at me like I'm crazy until I explain the Ultra-Aire dehu I plan to use in conjunction with HVAC (central AL, super humid): then I can see them starting to consider the logic.
Now to find a builder that understand what I'm planning...that I don't have to attempt to teach.
In Germany we avoid every single leak it is very important. But the house actually need to "breathe", so our solution is we use a membrane under the roofskin which allows to leave wett air to outside but nothing inside it is called "Unterspannbahn". Between roofskin and "Unterspannbahn" is space (200 square cm per meter minimum) for air zirkulation.
Thank you Ive been trying to find more info about this, always a concern when encapsulating crawlspaces. Im surprised how little information there is on this subject in Canada.
And here in northern Europe in the places where radon radiation from the ground is common the foundation has to be breathable, so the radiation can pass right through and not be trapped
If you're watching this years on hang on for the very end! You'll get a laugh. Matt, you have a great attitude, genuine smile, and fast-working brain w. tremendous communication skills. You've cracked the ceiling where independent content producers outshine the TV personalities/programs in content and delivery.
And I'm quite sure the "durability of old houses" is also just a myth. There ARE durable old houses, for sure. But the ones that were not durable just don't exist anymore. It's kind of "natural selection" which causes a bias in perception.
Every house old or new needs to have maintenance done period. If you don't keep up with it, it will not lastl. So that's why older houses existing today.
@@leethibidaux1641 All houses need maintenance, but a lot of the McMansion boxes I see in america are just junk houses and won't last and they aren't meant to either. Old houses are common in Finland, they are timbered houses and if you tried to seal them up they'd rot in short order.
And this video has got such a misleading headline, houses do need to breathe. He just talks about one approach, the seal it up tight and control air exchange through active ventilation. But that's only true for that type of house... If a house needs to breathe or not depends on it's design.
We still build new high efficiency houses in Finland using passive ventilation and organic materials that can absorb and release moisture, that is a house that is designed to breathe and it works. They are nice in that they self-regulate indoor humidity. These houses can survive without power and to the people thinking that's paranoid, just this year we've had storms resulting in some places being without power for over a week. You can have a ground heat exchange heatpump often as the primary powersource. But most houses in Finland for the reasons mentioned above have wood burners can heat the house if the power goes out.
We also build the usual houses with normal insulation and vapor barriers of course, I live in one of those and I am aware of the need to keep an eye on the FTX ventilation unit, it's crucial to keeping such a sealed house in health, I am personally not sure it's the best way to go... If we lost power for a long time I wonder how we would make it. Fortunately we have a fireplace for additional heat but ventilation remains an issue.
This here is a good example of a modern house, built with old fashioned time tested methods and recycled materials to boot. Google translate the article, maybe it will make sense.
Scandinavians basically perfected heat efficient windows a century ago and these old wooden windows are so close in efficiency to modern 3 pane windows that it's not worth replacing old windows. Just maintain them and keep the seals good. Raw materials grow in the forest too so you aren't dependent on some manufacturer that might be gone in 50 years or doesn't intend to keep spares for as long.
svenska.yle.fi/artikel/2018/09/12/cirkular-ekonomi-bra-for-bade-miljon-och-planboken-jonathan-hemming-hoppas-huset
I believe thats called “survivorship bias.”
Excellent point. My father said the same, “Old homes were built right. Look at all the old ones still standing. ” “Yes dad because the ones that didn’t hold up are gone”. I bought a newer more comfortable home with much less upkeep needed.
excellent explanation why building and running a house costs so much these days :)
the oldsters might have been slightly uncomfortable in their old leaky houses but they could afford buying or building a house ... that is true for both US and EU
Growing up along Lake Ontario in the early 60's, I have seen that staining first hand and can tell you exactly what causes it. It is from condensation on the inside of the windows all winter long. In the late 60's or early 70's my grandfather added storm windows to the outside and the condensation moved to the outside of the original windows. BUT, because of the bevel to the outside and a weep hole at the bottom of the storm windows, the condensation ran outside rather than inside... It was pretty strange to see little icicles build up at those weep holes outside!!
Thanks for sharing! I was wondering how a house that leaked that much would have no damage. It wasn't letting water in.
Thanks for giving this topic an even-handed treatment. The takeaway? Houses DO need to breathe, but in the right way.
Precisely 😆
Great vid yet again! Have been subscribed and watching for almost a year. From someone who was trained as a chemical engineer with PE and CEM credentials and done a fair amount of residential remodeling, I really appreciate your insight and perspective. Like some of the past product test as well .. ie frozen pipes and fittings, water through spray foam. Thanks for getting the information out there.
Thanks for watching Jason!
Yes addressing one but not the other is a huge problem. In the UK we have cowboys injecting mineral wool into 1920-1930 cavities and blocking off the cavity vents which decreases the breathability and causes all sort of of problems with condensation and interstitial damp. This is often compounded by 'water proof' paints on the outside which trap the vapour in the walls. Many older houses do require lots of energy to keep warm but messing with one variable without looking at the whole house can have terrible consequences.A study showed that mental and physical health was negatively affected by this governet endorsed intervention (Social and health outcomes following upgrades to a national housing standard: a multilevel analysis of a five-wave repeated cross-sectional survey Poortinga et al)
I'm no expert, but I think submarines have always had to be fairly tight.
All the ones that worked anyway.
hahaha nice...
Right up until they are back at base... Then when the crew disembarks they leave every hatch open and the technicians still won't go in there for a few days. On a Vanguard class there are 135 souls on board, under the water for months... that's a lot of farts released into an airtight room!
Sometimes our Submariners are under for much more than "a month at a time"
@@donkmeister Yep; I wan on a Lafayette class sub in the 80s and I remember fresh air stinking after being down for a while - The change is gradual so you don't notice it until your crack a hatch. Awe, the good old days
When the dryer or bathroom exhaust fan is running air has to enter somewhere. I had a customer that his house sucked snow in through the ridge vent while using the dryer. If you see dirt rings around recessed lights you need to ventilate properly.
Which begs the question where is the air coming in from these tight houses? Windows im installing in apartments are required to have air leak vents on one window per unit. So air still needs to come in from somewhere for you to use the oven exhaust, bathroom vent or dryer.
@@levthelion probably sucked in from drainage pipe. In general, probably it suck in air from Toilet, basement, or cracks in floor or wall, instead of Windows or Doors.
I live in an old timber house in Norway built before 1870. It used to be leaky as F, but the timber is in excellent condition after 150 years. It does require more energy (firewood in my case) to keep warm in the winter than air tight buildings, but by putting in an extra layer of "energy glass" behind the 17th century single glass windows, stopping the worst air leaks by adding Tyvek where needed, and adding "breathing" insulation against the (well ventilated) cellar and loft, it's very comfortable in winter and actually not that expensive to keep warm (the wood in the walls and the insulation stores the heat well). The key here is the thick solid timber walls, heating with firewood (circulates the air and dries the wood), while ensuring adequate supply of fresh air, just like it was done before. It's not code, but it has worked for hundreds of years without causing rot or mold. If lived in and looked after, the house will last another 150 years and more.
Building that way may not be feasible today, not to mention legal in some places. But here in Norway I'm seeing more and more solid wood houses come up, that use new production techniques. Not sure what they're called in English, we call them "massive houses". Laminated massive wood sections, with wood fibre insulation, not air tight but "breathing", heat/moisture buffering. In a way, it's the modern equivalent of my old timber house, and they do follow Norwegian building code. Time will tell if they'll last as long as my old timber house.
Is wood fibre insulation safe? I always find a little sawdust is a great way to get a fire going..
Fun example: They're building a coffee factory near where I live, in massive wood. They're calling it the most high tech coffee factory in the world, so it'll be an interesting mix of old and new.
The world's tallest wooden building is also in Norway, with 18 floors and 85 meters. And now there are plans for 60-80 floor timber buildings in Chicago and Philadelphia. Wood is a remarkable material..
@@nobodydoesithalfasgoodasyou
Insulation comes with a fire retardant and insect/mouse repellant mixed in, supposed to be very good insulation.
ximono
We sometimes describe very thick walls (or fireplaces) with the term "thermal mass" as they absorb and hold warmth to radiate out over time.
believing that wood stores heat well
just lol
I'm so thankful there are no codes and regulations where I live. You can still build your own home affordably.
Same here. I would never build a home like this. The long-term viability is too unproven. Possibly spending hundreds of thousands of dollars into building science thats less then 30 years old sounds stupid to me. I'll stick to the cheap handmade traditional breathable timberframing structures. I can't imagine these modern homes standing for 700 years like they do in Europe; I highly doubt that the houses built out of this junk will last beyond 100 years.
@@codythomas7593 U guys can't be serious? Science that is less than 30yrs old...You have an I-phone or Android...right Cody? That's way under 30 & not only proven very viable, but changed the world. Yeah those homes in Europe are 700yrs old because they're made out of chiseled rock..lol
Why do you care if it doesn't last 100yrs...do u think u will last 100yrs?
Of course an ideal house would last 1000yrs and designed for a human with the most comfort possible...but I'll take a comfortable & healthy environment for less than 100yrs.
@@MrBobbyfulmer My fictitious age is almost as asinine as your analogy of cellphone technological viability to a house lifespan. Cellphones are cheap and disposable. Everyone knows that there is no return on investment on an iPhone. You buy it, you use it, you chuck it for another one with a 1/4" bigger screen the next year. You are not honestly telling me that this is a viable way of treating houses? That is laughable. Houses as a long-term investment is much more serious. Building a house with unproven building science is not only expensive, but it has no way of being a proven investment long-term. If I build a house when I'm thirty, I fully plan on living in it for the next 40 years, and then selling it to pay for my retirement and live out my final days under someone else's care [as most do]. If I build a house with unproven scientific building methods, I risk the chance of having little to no investment if my fancy modern home turns out to be shit. much rather, what you see is older homes that have been well maintained with classical architectural elements selling for profit and being a good investment after 30+ years. Oh and by the way, those 700 year old houses in Europe, they're timber-framed out of wood. Yes, wooden homes that are 700 years old. Not stone, not concrete, not some space-aged material. Wood. So yes, to answer you question, I am dead serious.
Keep it up Matt! Love the content, that's why your channel is growing like it is!
The water marks around the window is most likely due to condensation, not leaks. Single pane windows condensate a lot.
"This is not Chip & Joanna ship lap, this is structural ship lap" :D back when things were done out of function. Probably tight ring old growth to.
I love how all the trendies want things to look "rustic" when that just means worn on purpose. They'll rip out dated fixtures that are legitimately rustic and put in a brand new one that's fake aged.
That was such a savage line. lol
Good vid Matt, this is what we need more in your channel. Solid info and pictures of mold!!!
Outstanding episode, thanks Matt.
I really wish I could watch these videos with my recently late father. He would have really liked it. And I really would have loved to talk about it with him. Unfortunately I only found this channel after his passing.
It's very hard to watch these videos sometimes because I really really want to tell him about it. I sound like a crazy person, but I talk to his grave about some of the concepts here, and say "don't worry I am going to follow that concept when I finish your house and make my own. house " (he left us during a major house addition)
it is a bit lonely knowing most people don't know or don't care about build science. Even his friend's didn't understand it as well as he did . So its very hard when you don't have anyone to talk to about this.
Just me tear up knowing how readily available this content is on the internet. His generation had to do it the old school way, and he had to come up with similar concepts on their own. Believe it or not he did come up with similar ideas such as fluid applied membranes and water mitigation on his own and converged to a similar solution as shown on this channel, but unfortunately the products available to him 30 years ago weren't as good as advertised on this channel.
While he didn't have the best building products, he did built me a grand house with concrete, brick block and steel, so even if the interior gets ruined, the structure will last forever. Between what he taught me and what is on youtube channels such as this I can always do a remodel and address the issues he couldn't.
I understand. I am also sorry about your lose
Your frank honesty prompted me to respond. Sorry to hear of your Great loss! May the LORD bless you and keep you. And make His face to shine upon you and give you Peace! God is Love...Love is God. He is coming soon
I am so sorry to hear that. However, it shows what a good son you are by you honoring him and thinking of him!!!
my dad died in ten...@93.....with a lot of good years left in him....we did multiple projects together...not enough....when its good its always too early......it doesnt ger easier but you get stronger....keep him in your heart and his light in your eye and always keep and hear his laugh...these are sustaining memories that make and keep us real......god bless you and yours
You covered the topic very well. Houses need to be built tight to control convection currents, and a tight house gives you control over the other indoor air quality factors as well. In the end though, a tight house still need to breathe. It just gets to breathe through a clean set of mechanical lungs instead of gaps, cracks and holes in its skin.
great video Matt!
Thanks Kyle!
You could not have created this video at a better time I have been thinking about this subject ever since I started watching your videos
I love this channel. My next home is going to incorporate passive house principles, have a wall system made of Bautex and Rockwool, and TrueSteel Cedar siding. The roof system will be steel shingles, over ComfortBoard and SIPS. And the whole thing will be tight as a drum.
My next home is going to be a monolithic dome. It's simply the most efficient design.
More details! Aircrete? Earth sheltered? Where do you live? What about mechanicals? Why are monolithic domes so efficient? Where can I learn more???
Jack Maher - THANKS! I NEED more input of roof system please. Dealing with POORLY built back room addition and it's collapsing flat 'roof'. i have 90 + yr steel shingles on original house. What 'brand' have you found? Need Flat roof gone - Raised to meet old - have not yet found Shingles. Never heard of Bautex, thanks for ideas ~ peace
This guy is a salesman,not a framer
Not rockwool, hempcrete.
Mycelium mold loves houses with foam. It's about stud cavities being able to breathe wood needs air. 10 years from now they'll be a lot of business demolishing houses with foam insulation.
Long ago, I helped my father tear down a small, old house to reclaim the wood. The interior walls were sheathed with tongue and groove board, but the species were whatever was available LOCALLY when the house was built. It was all hardwoods - some poplar, some cherry, and quite a bit was walnut. The framing was similar to that used in the area until sometime around the mid - 1900's (or even a little later): Rough sawn 2X 4, predominantly oak. Since it was generally rough lumber, it was actually slightly oversize, about 9 quarter by 17. I still remember listening to my grandfather talking about someone who was building a new house, and insisting it would fall down since they were using PINE to frame it. Those old houses were drafty, but quite sturdy.
Think of adding on to these old houses with oak and hickory framing that has seasoned fully over time. I recall making a flush cut using a hand saw on an small addition I helped with on such a house. Two of us took turns sawing until we finally cut through one 2 X 4. Nails usually required a pilot hole to go into the old framing.
This is my favourite video I’ve what have of yours so far. Great technical information. I appreciate it.
I'm a builder in Michigan, northern climate. When I reference "houses need to breathe " really meaning walls need to be able to dissipate moisture created by thermo transfer. Full foam cavity traps moisture and causes rot. I prefer to use a 1" closed cell foam sprayed in the cavity with the remaining space filled will blown cellulose. We are now required to put a 4" fresh air intake connected to our return air duct. This has caused problems with cracked heat exchangers. I spent several years remodeling and still do a bit of it. Prior to building new. I think law makers, lobbyists, and manufacturers should know the repercussions of the techniques they push for.
"I think law makers, lobbyists, and manufacturers....." you left contractors & tradesmen off that list, Pretty significant omission yes?
This video helped me better describe the benefits of building a house tight to a new home build customer who voiced concerns about the house being too tight. Thanks Matt for the awesome channel and resources!
That’s cool! Very welcome
As a degreed HVAC guy, I can back up every thing that Matt said. The trolls who attack the guy who tells us the right way to build and prevent mold and mildew are probably the same ones who love to sue for mold, call the health dept, and go get the asthma machine.. HAHA
OK, but mold, wood rot and severe water damage are vastly more common today because so few builders can actually implement modern standards correctly. Say what you want about drafty old construction, but that stuff was forgiving and didn't require perfect sealing and non-stop conditioned air.
Moreover, 1:07, the 1930's house that Matt displays was renovated/modernized to a level that isn't even remotely possible for most budgets, and that's AFTER finding builders who are actually competent enough to do it. So yeah, unless you're a millionaire and can afford an outfit like Matt Risinger's company to renovate your old house, you probably DO NEED to let the house "breathe".
Great info, wanted to see what people have to say on what may be the cause of or issue in north west. Bought house in September 2018 owner put in new metal roof with local roofing company month before we purchased the home, due to ply wood had mold growthso it was put brand new. Is definitely fixer uper to the point that the top bathroom and ketchen was not used till December 2018. A week ago i check the roof ply and there is mold growth in patches on roof ply wood apears socked and have some water leak to point where there is small leak where there is exposed 2x4 in cealing of bathroom where we have not yet added cover as we wanted to do some changes to electrical. I called the roofing compony and they told that mold has began to grow due to thw exposed 2x4 a have in cealing, and that this is what causing mold, it apears to make some sense but, i noticed that mold not just growing above bathroom but above other areas of the roof plywood which are further away. What are people toughts should less than three months showers in with possible air leak through exposed 2x4 in cealing that has sheet rock butted against woulds that be enough to cause hald plywood in roof to have mold growth and drops of water in comin on one side of exposed 2x4 in cealing? Il add the bathroom has a fan and ketchen has exhaust fan. That were both fixed for proper exhaust doing new roof build. Anyways thanks, thw apears only be a leak when it rains.
Where does the stove, bathroom, exhaust fans get air from??? Where does the fireplace get air from? Where does the gas appliances get air??? If you wrap air tight the house???
I guess from the HVAC system or something? Either that or you're going to have to open a window or something, which makes the super-seal completely pointless.
The HVAC system air exchange
It gets sucked backwards down the chimney and flue pipes. I've seen it.
You are absolutely the BEST. I just happen to be going through this issue and needed guidance and by luck i found you.
I love that your presentations include the experience and intelligence to help me make informed decisions throughout my remodel/repairs.
Thank you so much for this information. I can understand trolls talking stuff all the time but these guys take it way too far. Spent too many years in other countries and know our building code in the USA are built at a very cheap standard and getting worse yearly so they can build a lot of them. I’ve spent time in over 20 countries but looking at construction in these countries, some of the worst were Turkey and a couple of the “Stans”. The truly comical (more scary I guess) were the truly lackadaisical safety concerns like the scaffolding and bracing were literally sticks and branches. The brick or what you might laugh at it as being a brick could literally by hand in many cases and would crumble.
In 1999, I just finished a deployment in Albania and one of my soldiers wanted to go see family in Turkey. It was right after the Fourth of July when we redeployed to Germany. He was in Turkey about three or four days before the huge earthquake- he spent the rest of his four weeks of vacation locating or recovering bodies from ruble. He told me that it looked like a bunch of card houses we’re just stomped on and these buildings ranged from above 10 stories to single-story homes.
I really like your channel because you show reasons, causes and effects, of why things are done to certain codes and standards in the north and the south in on the east and west coast.It’s really refreshing to get an honest point of view from a licensed professional and learn how to make your house a true home. Again, thank you very much. JJ
Wonderful comment
Here in Saskatchewan, Canada, we just adopted the energy code of Canada and now must design/build much tighter houses, from 3.2 air changes per hour to 2.5 air changes per hour (depending on codes followed and how the energy review is done). It forced us to do a ton of research into products, designs, and mechanical systems to meet this new code and everything Matt talks about is right on the money.
The one big thing we have seen though is a reduction in the size of the equipment to heat/cool a house. Suddenly we can spec a system half the size of ones in the 90's/early 2000's, we can use new tech to ensure they are run all the time at volumes (so no major push of air every 10 minutes, the house is always the set temperature) and place wall mount supplies to get the perfect air flow for comfort.
Modern houses with new products can be very well built and probably are the most comfortable place a human could live, probably ever. It just takes time and willingness to do it.
My favorite part of this was the dig at chip and Joanna faux ship-lap. It drives me nuts every time i get asked about it. Your videos are awesome, keep up the great work.
The mechanical fresh air concept is a good one, and is the accepted norm in commercial code. It's more expensive, obviously, since you're employing an active system for fresh air, however, you're absolutely correct in that it is necessary when building an air-tight structure. Great post!
btw anyone who questions air tightness don't really understand the actual hvac system. got to have complete control over ventilation.
Some of us don't want or need to run HVAC 365 days a year.
@@bguen1234 so what months do you go to the breaker box and turn off your HVAC?
@@sparksmcgee6641 that might be the most authoritative action to turn it off, but usually the thermostat works just fine, or using the thermostat to stay on just with extreme cut in points
Chip and Joanna Ship lap🤣 Priceless!
I constantly measure my air quality; including C02, humidity, temperature and chemicals content. The C02 and chemical levels do not go down without opening up a window, but when I open my windows I let in humidity, so theirs no perfect solution. I would love people who write code to measure the air quality of a house not just how tight it is. I would like code to be written in a matter for the correct amount of airflow from ac or heating to clean the chemical and CO2 buildup. Not just energy efficiency, because if you saving money but your body and mind isn't working at peak performance because of lack of clean air then it's not worth the savings.
+1
You can add a fresh air intake directly into your HVAC system. Ultraire makes one that includes a dehumidifier.
www.sylvane.com/ultra-aire-98h-dehumidifier.html
@@tkmair6559Thanks for the information.
Concentrations of carbon dioxide that does not exceed 1,000 ppm is the standard and outside air is generally 350-450 ppm. For each occupant, you would need to take in about 20 cubic feet per hour to dilute CO2 about 50% based on normal respiration rates at 4% CO2 exhaled. You will need 40 times that amount to get under 1000 ppm C02 or 800 cf/h (or 13 cubic feet per minute). A common bathroom fan is 50 to 80 CFM. Some modern designs run a 2 inch vent to the ceiling of each bedroom to reduce the exchange required to dilute air. Thus, common sizes for heat recovery air exchanges are 50 and 70 CFM and their electrical efficiency can vary greatly depending if they use a shaded pole or capacitor run motor unit to run the twin fans. Vent systems vary between force air systems or hydronic heat systems. A small amount of building pressurization is desirable. Dry air will feel 'colder' ; thus relative humidity around 40% provides most comfort, but requires good vapor barriers.
”I wouldn't buy a freaking mailbox made by this guy" love it! Way to go Matt! the problem with making fun of nerds is that they designed the car you drive, the smartphone in your hands, the house you live in, and they probably write you your paycheck
I think the last part of your comment explains the first part.
Still waiting for that weird air blown caulking thing to be around to seal my house without having to do all the work of finding the holes.
Great information Matt! Haters were just ignorant but, now they know the facts, it makes them stupid. Pray they see the wisdom.
Awesome video, Matt! Houses don't need to breath, people do.
Wrong
Correct!! Check with the best experts in the industry!
Another great video Matt! We have a 1966 bungalow with 2x4 walls and an ACH of 1.9. Currently no HRV, but keep humidity under control with a dehumidifier set to 50%. So far so good. Just added a 4.22 kWh grid tied solar setup and love watching the bills drop. Keep up the great work!
Holy crap a 1966 with 1.9 ACH!?! Um, so my only question is, when you say "bungalow", do you really mean "cold war fallout shelter?"
I only ask because you didn't mention anything about it being remodeled.
"Build tight, ventilate right."
Great saying actually
Thanks a lot. I like your explanation.
Matt could not agree more with this video. Building a new house here in NC. It's going to be a very tight house.
this is the issue we have over this side of the world.
old homes that are dry because of excessive air flow. then it came to a head in 90's with leaky home syndrome because they made houses tighter but didn't stop the water leaks (even made more leaks) and it was only really came to light when they switched from treated to non-treated pine. the rot that followed highlighted the issues.
but many still cling onto the "the house must breathe" idea to make up for the poor quality building that still being done.
many new houses here have no ventilation design what so ever.
thanks for the good video.
CANADA R2000. In 1990 i was ahead of the curve installing a a/a exchange, some people thought i was nuts/
What brand? How has it held up?
My house was built the same year I was born (1950). The owners before me put cellulose insulation in the attic and enclosed (and insulated the walls) the carport. They also put insulation between all the floor joists (which neighbors promptly stole). Then I bought the house and my daughter and I replaced all the stolen floor insulation (which same neighbors promptly stole again). I have lived in this house for 22 years with no insulation in the walls except for the one room. That room also has very thick carpeting and underlayment. It is the warmest room in the winter once it heats up, BUT for the rest of the 40 +/- weeks out the year, it is the HOTTEST. It takes forever to cool that room down, but if you go into the uninsulated rooms, they're wonderfully cool. So far this summer, (8/6/19) I have yet to turn on my a/c. Using open windows, ceiling fans and a high velocity floor fan in the hottest room. If I ever move out of the deep South, I'm sure I will worry about my home being properly sealed. Just my personal experience in my house.
Question from a Swede living in the US. One of the most annoying things I've noticed here is that every apartment/house is heated with forced air. I have never understood why this tiny cost savings is used to get a loud really inefficient system instead of using water based radiators under windows or in the floors. How does that affect building air tight? Let's say I want to build a house that is "100%" quiet. ie I don't want any moving system that forces air in any direction. Can I build air tight but with natural ventilation?
Anders Fredriksson excellent question, Anders!
Anders Fredriksson , .. many years ago, I read about a passive heat ventilation system, that had one way venting, as is air warmed, it rises and exits. Fresh air entered via one way vents near the warm floors.. It's was a pretty slick system..
Radiators went out of style when air conditioning became popular. Forced air allows the ductwork to do "double duty." You go with rads; you need a separate cooling system.
I suppose there isn't much need for AC all the way up at 60 North?
P.S. Radiators, in my experience, are about as noisy as forced air. No fan, but lots of clunking noises as they heat and cool.
bcubed72 never head any clunking noises from radiators in my house. Forced air is awful. Its inefficient, costly, swirls dust veywhere making people sick. Air conditioners need to be banned soon for climate change reasons alone. Youre in dark ages with this opinion.
@@PS987654321PS Air conditioners are an absolute necessity for much of the southern US. That's why building for energy efficiency is so important.
Also, forced air is quite efficient for heat provided it rarely gets extremely cold.
Heat pumps can operate very efficiently if the temperate differential isn't extreme, much more efficiently than combustion heating systems.
New subscriber. Makes perfect sense for issues I’ve been having.
So houses do need to breathe..........
There's just better ways to do it in 2018 than previously.
Still not technically true. The people inside the house need to breathe. If the people go away on vacation for two weeks, they turn the ventilation off. Even during the day when everyone is at work or at school, the ventilation is turned off.
@@trevorlambert4226 Why would they turn the ventilation off? User error shouldn't usurp logical construction. Their controller can automatically kick in the system; the air never has to get stale. When I leave for vacation, my system is on. Hec, I never have it off just adjust it for usage and comfort. So easy.
@@Zeppelinlv2007 There's no need to exchange air when there's no activities and no one breathing inside the house. You have the HRV programmed to dial back to next to nothing during the times you expect the house to be empty. When you go on vacation, you do it manually. This is standard practise, which is why there's an "away" setting on most HRV controllers.
but more expensive. If you are not in a cooling climate this makes you have a HVAC system which you wouldnt otherwise, that is a HUGE cost, and constant cost. I live in a heavy heating climate, but the other 6-8 months a year there is effectively 0 climate control cost.
@@trevorlambert4226 They prefer artificial respiration to natural breathing.
Great information Matt, thanks for the video!
WRT the durability of the "old" houses, i think i big part has to do with the wood that was used back then, almost all old growth stuff with rings so tight you need a magnifying glass to see them. Now we see growth rings pushing 1/2"
Excellent point
True...but that does depend heavily on the regional source of the wood. Douglas fir from Montana or Idaho will not have the growth rate of coastal fir. I have on my desk a 3" diameter slice of Idaho fir log....112 years old.
But back to the materials from then and now....I went to a high end builder supply in Seattle, and all they had for studs was western hemlock...they said they could order for me one douglas fir stud..seriously. No wonder new construction is so sensitive to moisture, with that kind of attitude. How anyone could use hemlock for framing in Seattle is beyond me.
@@danstrayer111 I'm building in seattle now. No lumber pack yet but I bet there will be 0 fir studs. Last I spoke with a Dunn lumber guy he said the fir boards he can get are not straight.
Ram-------------Funny....Dunn lumber is where I was told they could order a stud. I wanted to laugh in his face. And what is this about not being straight?? what the hell are they smokin over there?
I am in north Idaho..and I will tell you, there is no hemlock or white woods, I have gone to the local yard here and pulled CLEAR, 2 x 12 x 14' DF select structural, products here are absolutely first rate. If you have a big job there, better shop around. I think Dunn is overpriced and run by prima-donnas . I went to HD on N.Aurora and they had pretty decent lumber there.
Hemlock is structurally rated same as D.FIr, however.... using it in a damp marine climate? I would not build with it under any circumstance...I did too many remodels where that had been done and it can be a disaster.
@@danstrayer111 2700 sq ft house with 3 car garage. They get their stuff from BMC and most of the house is engineered woods. Studs will probably be hemlock. We will see. Footings in next week.
DIY and science combined. What an awesome channel!
Good video. I think people have trouble accepting that advances in standards and technology allow for the types of building you cover on your channel. It's the same with anything, but I see it alot in cars as well. Keep on keeping on!
The stains below the window sills may actually just be from the window being accidentally left open during rain storms. Wind can blow rain right onto the inside sill.
I don´t get why wouldn´t you let all air you can inn when you have fair weather...
Spores and Polen are good for you, perhaps this airtightness is one of the reasons allergies in the US are so high...
For 3 years in the late ‘70s we lived in a home built using a semi-experimental construction method. It was a single story built on a concrete slab. The walls were made from particle board bonded to both sides of a 4” styrofoam panel. The styro had channels molded into it, and used a tongue and groove joint to adjacent panels. The channels were filled with concrete which formed the “studs”. Electrical was in smaller channels in the foam. The roof was panels of Masonite bonded to both sides of 6” foam. There entire “attic” space as used as a plenum for the HVAC. Need a vent? Punch a hole in the ceiling and put a grill over it. As you mentioned, the house was entirely too tight. We had constant problems with mildew. We had to run a large dehumidifier during the winter. Any furniture placed too close to an exterior wall was sure to have mold behind it. Fortunately, we relocated for work before I had to face drastic and expensive solutions to the damp house.
Interesting
Was the concrete slab insulated in any way?
mark ymark I don’t know. The house was a little over a year old when we bought it, but it had been rented out the first year. We never talked to the builders. We lived in it from Jan. 1978 through May 1981.
If choose to build an airtight house(passive house) with a ventilation system always keep in mind
that said ventilation needs to be cleaned regularly by specialists (at least every 5 years)
In my opinion you dont need such a system if you build with the right materials such as brick, concrete or other massive construction which has a very good heat capacitance!(so you have to cool your house only slightly in summer)
Venting your house at least once a day is all you need ! (few minutes cross venting )
We're getting ready to build a house in Western Washington and have to meet an ACH standard of 05 or lower. It was (kind of) our own choosing, from a cafeteria-style selection process to reach 6.0 credits under the now current 2018 energy code. Our goal is to hit the 0.50 threshold on our first test, so I'm anxious to learn different methods for sealing a structure.
We're also going to install passive annual solar heating, so we expect to reduce our overall heat demand by 2/3. Air tightness, insulation and dry earth (to hold heat) are our three concerns.
Thanks, Matt. Keep up the good work!
What cost more, 50K to fix the rot, or paying an extra couple of dollars a month only during the critical temperature seasons, (peak summer, peak winter)?
But these 50k go to the right industry, see sponsor list :) I am from Germany and it is the same thing over here for at least 2 decades. Massive boosting of insulation as "the solution" and preventing problems to become visible barely until the warranty period of the contractor is over.
I'm not arguing, but I feel like it's worth pointing out that mechanical ventilation and filtering means you're hooked on a subscription to the manufacturers of those filters...
Of course, I live in Northern California, where opening a window for fresh air is an option pretty much any time of the year it's not raining.
Seeing as I enjoy smoking cigars in my living room, an air tight house just won't work for me.
As described in the video, tight houses use ERV / HRV ventilation systems - they can handle it.
Another very informative show TY
My concern isn’t fresh air, it’s fire. Air tight means one or 2 sources of air for a fire. Old homes didn’t have back drafts when venting. Today’s definitely do and it has changed the way we fight fires. And with 10” of foam on the roof, a saw on a fire truck is not big enough to get through all of that. It turns to chainsaws with 16-18 bars, and going through shingle those teeth get dull as quick as going into dirt.
@Jordan Rodrigues Yes, throw even more money at it to make it more expensive than all the excessive coding has already made it. That will help...
Honestly, though, at that point, screw making it out of wood. Just go all metal &/or concrete with fireblock foam for your insulation. Or, we could just amend code to be less dangerous rather pushing for absurd energy efficiency levels.
I hear this soo often. Nice video. I'm attempting to build a green cabin, but without the benefit of unlimited electricity. Blending some tried and true methods like orientation, roof overhang, cool roof, and rain screens. Heating is pretty easy, but cooling off grid and on a budget is challenging.
A ductless minisplit does well for cooling, unless you need to have a much lower electrical draw than that. Planting trees is a long term solution, but as long as the roots don't get into mischief that might work. Changing clothing to kinds that breathe well (linen, searsucker) are other options when resources are tight.
build it right. build it tight.
SO GLAD TO SEE YOU ADDRESS THIS! But after thinking about it all night, I have some questions....
1. When you seal up a house envelope to be air tight what happens when you turn on a bathroom exhaust fan?
2. How about opening doors? What does that do to impact the air quality in the house. I'm thinking about foot traffic in and out.
3. Do you need to have a vestibule or mud room at each entrance to create a buffer from having direct contact between outdoor air and indoor air?
4. Do you need to control the humidity indoors now that it is sealed?
5. What happens on a beautiful day when I shut off the AC and open the windows? Does that just defeat the whole purpose of a sealed envelope?
6. What type of filtration system do I need to keep the air inside clean?
7. Is there a danger of CO2 or Radon build up?
8. What about natural earth tech like straw bale homes or rammed earth homes? Is it possible to seal those or is that a bad idea?
9. My house was built in 2000. What's the best way to improve my score without ripping it back to the studs and starting over? What should a goal score be?
10. Former Texan from WET climates (Dallas / Longview / Huntsville / Houston) - Now living in Arizona in a DRY climate. Do you have any AZ projects? What would you do differently about an AZ house vs a TX house. Dry vs Wet?
Thanks in advance!
Matt-Love your stuff. Built my last house myself, foamed and so forth but lacking some of the more refined products I've seen you use on your videos. Sold that house and bought an 8 year old patio home in a over 55 community. So....how about a few videos for people like me that have an existing house and some basic stuff I could do that would help. Also, I'm going to replace my HVAC system....can you provide some advice. Thanks. PS I live in Houston, down the road. Mike
Michel Fortier Commenting so i can come back to this. Got some basics that you might already know, but if not. I want to come back when I'm less busy. Matt would do it better though!
I really appreciate the information you provide through the Build Show. These video are very informative. Thank you!!!
The mistake is trying to heat a whole house instead of just your body.
Just carry a personal AC already.
I wish I had a house like this. It's not fun wearing sweaters in your house during the winter ;(. Not only that but the floors are cold as bone too.
@@holmiumh to bad no one has invented on worth a damn.
Wouldnt be to hard to design an actual working appliace --- if you could convince people to wear a neck collar (maybe a vest thing or special belt that touches skin). Well that parts not that hard, sharper image made a fortune of their scam one
The kicker is youd have to carry around a back pack with a battery and either a small fan unit or fairly large heat sink (or maybe it could fit in a fanny pack type thing).
That's just much for almost anyone to want to deal with.
Love the channel and the videos! Being a builder in Manitoba, I know the importance of an air tight envelope. Mould can grow quickly through the smallest penetrations.
Also, nice car! I had an '85 Riviera in dark brown.
No doubt, from an energy efficiency standpoint, new homes are much better, but so many of the materials that go into new production/tract homes are garbage compared to old homes.
All the sealents, air barriers, and insulation Risinger promotes will chemically decompose in 50 to 100 years maybe less. What will you be left with then? Also consider the effects of off-gassing from all the chemicals in these products.
I hear this all the time. It's the things aren't built like they used to be and it's only partially true and it really just comes down to money. All the cheap goods we have created a massive market of subpar products that became the new standard even though all the old products and materials still exist they just became very expensive because of inflation and the labor to manufacture them. We also have much better products out there and smarter designs than we have ever had in all of history but they either cost a lot of money or require a lot of know-how. Unless you are lucky enough to meet a friendly luxury home builder who understands all the engineering to build high quality homes and is willing to share their secrets they can be hard to put into the building concept. In many cases though if you do find someone they are often open to telling their secrets because they're sick and tired of crappy builds but you still have to break it all down and understand how and why something works. If you are buying a new home it's best to do a lot of research into the engineers that are building it and understand everything they are doing if they don't want to show you and get annoyed by the curiosity they are probably not a good company.
I visited a house that used a mechanical system to bring in and purify outside air - the concept of 'build tight, ventilate right' makes a remarkable difference in how comfortable the house is.
A house that is well sealed is also quiet.
A house that purifies incoming air is also clean.
It was pretty memorable to experience a space where it was 103 and humid outside - but 68 and dry inside with the A/C barely ever running.
That said, I was disheartened by the fact that the owners of the house were completely unaware and largely unappreciative of the symphony of technology that was silently providing such a nice place to live. Kids will take all of these advances for granted. :P
Wow, I don’t know why people are giving you so much crap about this. Where I live, the air quality outside is poor too much of the year. Sometimes it makes you want to live in an air tight metal cube. Given that, a tight house with good quality filters on the HVAC system are prized. I don’t want none of that “fresh” air coming in from outside, cuz it ain’t fresh!
Indoor air quality is almost always worse than outdoor.
I get what you are saying but for what it's worth, I just finished remodeling the only house that survived Katrina"s bulls eye. All the neighbors even city hall and relevant buildings washed away. One explanation that was given me and made sense is that this hundred+ yr old housr didn't float away on 18+ high waves is because it was horrifically drafty. It is now pretty much well insulated and sealed. But I wonder now if it'll survive another huracain.
LMAO ! The house survived a hurricane because it was "drafty" !
@@eugeniustheodidactus8890 that's what I was told and seeing the circumstances it makes sense. If Barry would have been a little more east we could probably test this theory again and revolutionize the building code.
@@ahaaha5559 very interesting!
Could you do a video on the best practice for hood range and dryer vents. Is there a dryer vent cover that you like to use.
Good subject. I never see how to address this properly and it's an important concern.
I have seen a vent from heartland it seems to be the best one I can find. But nothing for a hood range vent.
Actually, I'm referring to makeup air.
@@ThatEEguy2818 for the dryer i added another 4" duct and ran it from the dryer to the outside for makeup air. The dryer is in a tight enclosure
Does that work well? What if it's really cold, or really humid, or lots of pollen?
Hey Matt my concern is poor interior air quality - I just copied this - "We tend to think of air pollution as something outside -- smog, ozone, or haze hanging in the air, especially in summer. But the truth is, the air inside homes can be more polluted than the air outside". The off gassing from furniture, flooring, paint, cleaning supplies and more can make it really necessary to change the inside air frequently IMO. We are all breathing chemicals in if the house is too tight and it can take years for this stuff to stop polluting. Suggestions? I live in sunny CA so my doors are open almost everyday but that is not the case in most states
Vent your home when it doesnt need hvac by opening doors and windows
I have a Question for you Matt, Have you ever used or consider using chilling equipment instead of standard AC? If you have or haven't what are the reasons?
Are you referring to using chilled water in the home instead of DX refrigerant based systems?
No thermal storage systems, That don't create heat or cold but transfer and store in tanks. It can then be used to heat hot water for use or to heat pools and to cool the home.
Hey Matt, my Grandpa Dick loved Rivieras.Gave one(IIRC a '79, do remember one year only iteration) to my Oma and Opa when he upgraded to a '85, so I grew up with them on both sides of the family. The '85 is what I got to learn to drive. Later on, got to use it regularly, it had the largest engine available, non-turbo, but had all the turbo features. Got about 25 MPG and super comfortable, in the seats and the suspension since air ride.
Because Grandpa Dick loved engineering, had a Bose sound system and electronic climate control with these touch buttons (more advanced even today). Think part of why love building engineering and science.
And of course another great presentation.
The most energy efficient house i owned was a 1700 sq foot 2 story house built in 1910. Plaster walls single pane windows with removable storm windows. A furnace from the early 50s. In michigan. My winter heat bill was a whoping $45. Try to get that with a modern house i dare you.
they can build houses that can be heated with a hair dryer. and saying "my heating bill was $45" is like saying "I spent $45 on grocery". pretty much meaningless without more detail about what kind of house it is, what temperature you set it at and how much energy (not money) was used. for one thing, I wouldn't buy that house from you.
Please explain more.
less than $500 US inflation adjusted
super video open my eyes ,probably why so many people have allergy today
Its sad most new home builders never do remodels , that's where you can see these leaky house problems. Not that a lot of tract home builders care, but it is still very beneficial to see the guts of 10 to 80 year old houses. Keep busting these myths with the facts !
Agreed. Maybe remodels should be a curriculum requirement at trade and tech schools.
When I hear old school guy talk about how they built, I interior and say 'like s###' ive remodeled them.
it would've been nice to c the renovation of that house.
To say we need airtight houses because they won't meet code otherwise isn't a good enough answer in my opinion. Maybe, just maybe, the code is (gasp!) wrong. The current energy codes are not for the homeowner or the builder. They are for high minded things like the environment, etc. But like everything in this fallen state there are tradeoffs. Increased up front building costs put new homes out of reach for the people who need it most: young families. Also, radon tests are required now when closing on houses in my area. I'm not a scientist but maybe airtight houses are lowering air quality like some people think. If people want to build 2x10 walls 2' on center with the piss poor new growth lumber we get today stuffed to the gills with insulation they absolutely can do that. It shouldn't be compulsory. Codes should be there for structural integrity, not political considerations. Just my two cents.
Good post
Indeed, all valid points.
The quality of the indoor environment (air quality as well as lack of mold, lack of stray EMF, lack of pollen, lack of VOCs and pollutants, lack of CO2 or human 'fug', insecticidal products, antibacterial soaps, etc) directly correlates to health. Are the few dollars saved per week on heating/cooling costs effectively balanced against higher build costs? Maybe yes over a long period, but the calculus changes if a tight house leads to chronic health issues.
The building energy codes mandate compliance that may loosely benefit the consumer, but in some cases they are short-sighted and harmful. I cringe when I see the vast array of whizbang caulking and plastics used to ensure such airtightness, knowing how much of a chemical risk that poses as they outgas for years, likely with carcinogens in the mix. Many of the insulation products may well have degradation issues over time. The mandated airtightness measured at construction time is not carried forward in the future (say retesting at 5, 10 or 20 years hence), thank goodness, but realistically if such was Truly Important then that follow through would make sense. It is a half-measure. Further absurdity, mandating low-energy bulbs either puts you at risk of mercury exposure (CFLs, when they inevitably crack) and light spectrum maladies and dirty electricty (most LEDs). Even when building my own house, not to sell to anyone else, these mandates apply. Very frustrating and costly!
Our lowest cost solution has been to have a 24/7 whisper-quiet exhaust fan, to pass the required 71.1 cfm exhaust air flow based on the 2017 code and HERS modeling. This will be quiet. A bit galling to lose the heated air in winter, but at least will keep air refreshed. Mold is a real concern I think about often during the build. Inexpensive low end air quality improvements have a market, but the building codes keep raising the bar and make DIY solutions difficult to incorporate. IMHO, a very low cost blower door rig that cost $250 or less would definitely find a market given such mandates.
Please consider that your opinion is wrong
All good points Ken
@@kengartner204 what is dirty electricity from LED lights?
I wish we could afford you. We have mold, air leaks, water leaks and more on a 1983 house. Thanks for sharing.
Too bad homes are fixed structures. "Why no mr. insurance adjuster, it just up and vanished. A real tragedy..."
The tighter the better!
Well MY plans for my build project is a post frame building at minimum of 24x32x22.
My plan WAS 6X6 posts but was told I need bigger posts.
SO, my plans are adjusted. Since I'm not going to pour garage concrete floor right away with a 12ft tall ceiling on ground floor. THEN I decided on 2x8 4ply glulam posts set on permacolumns, a bit more but absolutely rot proof.
2x8 bookshelf girts, spec double trusses sandwiched in the columns. Also using mostly construction screws through out.
Purlins in hangers.
Now my plans currently is to use Huber Zip R 3" panels, tape and flash. Sealing the whole building on the outside. No eaves, one piece gutters with ice and leaf guards. And possible piped to inground storage for use around home and for flushing toilets etc.
My bottom floor garage will be window free at first just two custom garage doors and one or two walk ins.
According to Huber my exterior ideas are sound. I'm just kind of hoping thier testing of the Zip R for roofing finishes up.
I'm planning scissor trusses with 2x6 or 8 top chord,closed cell spray foam from eaves edge to peak to do air seal, then due to local spray foam costs I'm just going for the initial temp break and air seal the. Finish out with Rockwool insulation products. Let lower portion of trusses stay exposed but painted. No attic just conditioned air space.
Upstairs will be 8' to eave, with 16 in floor trusses, all my major water, electrical, and HVAC through the trusses and after closing off garage ceiling my plans are to add 11" of blown in Rockwool which give floor an R49. Plans are at same time I spray foam roof inside I'll have them seal around edges of floor truss to wall to mitigate critter intrusion and air flow and give better separation. Top to bottom.
Plans are to build next to an existing deck to utilize it for exterior steps.
The 16" floor trusses give plenty of good space for utilities and the insulation break I need for warm floors.
I'll have a bedroom and bat on o e end of building with a reused trailer propane furnace feeding down center of building for second floor heat/ac back up with main hvac being MRCOOLDIY minisplit system.
Plans are small mechanical room on bathroom end for furnace reused water heater and an air handling add on I found to supplement the older style furnace.
Romex wiring pretty straight forward as one end will have the 10-12 ft bedroom and similar bath with small intrusion for mechanicals room. Finish out bathroom with Proper water proofing Kurdi products. Maybe even a heated floor panel as well.
With those trusses and glued and screwed plywood floors bounce and squeaks should not be problem just leaving small chase unglued for utilities access.
Upstairs insulation will be PROPERLY sealed trippled pane windows, good door/doors. And with 2x8 glulam posts I will get plenty of insulation space for Rockwool batt insulation (figure R12 exterior for cold break, 5 1/2 Rockwool for R23 then possible some Rockwool comfortboard 80or110 then decide on interior paneling(did find some nice white face material similar to pegboard and comes with nice seal strips between panels.
My bookshelf girts MAY be TStuds for fun of it if they meet structure code I need.
The garage doors I found use a track system that angles door towards a very slick seal and literally JAMBS door edge against those seals as it closes last 4-6 in.
Very wind tight.
Plans before concrete is crape away top soil, and lay down packed heavy gravel base, then sand and double layer of high mil plastic vapor barrier then thermal break with styrofoam and more plastic so no moisture ingress then some strong concrete as I intend to install a two post lift.
Still debating a home grown infloor heating system I saw that uses battle stove wrapped with many many feet of 1/2" copper tubing to absorb heat and a proper reservoir and pump system to heat garage when working in winter.