There are three main types of attic insulation: fiberglass, cellulose, and foam. In new construction we almost always specify open-cell spray foam insulation. It creates an air-tight envelope for the top of your home. So how much should you install? Since it is air tight, R-38 performs really well to achieve a high performance home. According to Ken Wells from Elite Insulation, “R-38 is the code required minimum, but in certain circumstances less open cell foam can still be very effective.”
Cellulose insulation is another option.
The advantage is cellulose offers thermal mass that absorbs heat in the day and releases heat back out at night. Some might see this as a disadvantage in hot months as the house will not cool down overnight as much. However, the insulation does not air seal the attic from the conditioned space. Everywhere you have a “hole” in the drywall (recessed can lights, attic access, electrical wires…) there is a high potential for air leaks. With cellulose you will want more insulation than you would use with foam – R-49 which is the code minimum in most states across the country.
Fiberglass insulation is the last option on the list.
This insulation does not offer the advantages of thermal mass and it is not air-tight. When used in the attic, there should not be any duct work above the insulation. I would recommend R-72 to provide adequate insulation value in the attic. When it is used, you have to make sure to have complete coverage of the attic space.
So when possible, use spray foam insulation. When you have to settle for another type of insulation, look at cellulose.
We get to do a lot of really cool projects and this is one of the coolest. This home, a contemporary design with California influence, located in Charlottesville needed a major overhaul to bring it back to life.
Years of family memories had taken a toll on this once very beautiful home.
A few misguided additions impacted the functionality of the home and lack of maintenance impacted the durability.
The builder, Peter Johnson, is working on building the addition and updating the energy performance of the home. Foam insulation is being added, doors and windows replaced, and HVAC units updated.
The new garage / carport is designed to be light and airy with an open slat wall design to minimize the mass of the addition.
We had the opportunity to update and modify the Charlottesville Albemarle Airport (CHO) airport business center. This small project took a small space and made it more functional and beautiful.
The Charlottesville Albemarle Airport (CHO) is set to unveil their new Business Center as the airport moves to meet the needs of their growing clientele. Roughly 1300 square feet of the existing upper northern concourse will now be home to a new business center that will house individual seating for the solo passenger that needs to “plug in” to small meeting spaces to a private conference room that can be reserved. Design elements such as brick, slate, drywall detailing, and light fixtures draw from the architecture of airport. Ray Gaines and Paul Tassell met with CHO staff to present their design ideas which were met with an overwhelming positive response. After approval, construction started immediately and will be complete early 2016.
There are many options for your kitchen countertop, but all seem to have pros and cons making this a hard decision. So which one should you use in your new kitchen? Which one is right for you? Here are some pros and cons of commonly used kitchen countertops to help you make your decision.
Soapstone
Cost range: $75 – $150 psf
PROS:
-versatile in design/colors, wide range of color from almost pure white with slight marbling to charcoal gray with nearly solid color, very non-porous, doesn’t require sealing, stain resistant, easy to clean with just soap and water, doesn’t harbor bacteria, chips/scratches can be easily sanded/buffed out
CONS:
-soft/easy to scratch, high price
Granite
Cost range: $95 – $150 psf
PROS:
-wide range of color/movement, scratch resistant, high quality, hard surface, heat-resistant,
CONS:
-porous, needs to be resealed often, stains easily when not sealed properly/frequently enough, crack or chip when something heavy is dropped on it, high price
Marble
Cost range: $125 – $250 psf
PROS:
-beauty, wide variety in color and movement, heat-resistant
-wide range of color, won’t chip or crack, non-porous because it is engineered, high quality, very hard substance, heat-resistant
CONS:
-not as natural of a look as natural stone, seams can be noticeable sometimes, not as heat-resistant as granite, high cost
Slate
Cost range: $50 – $65 psf
PROS:
-non-porous, doesn’t harbor bacteria, won’t absorb liquids, very hard and durable, heat-resistant, affordable (can be half the price of granite/marble/soapstone/quartz), won’t easily scratch/chip
CONS:
-corners can be slightly brittle (recommended to round edges to prevent cracks or injuries), less color variation than other natural stones
Wood
Cost range: $35 – $200 psf
PROS:
-appearance, variety in color/grain, warm to touch compared to stones, recycled/recyclable, good work surface
CONS:
-require regular/proper sealing, can be damaged by water if not treated properly/regularly, may need refinishing, scratch and dent fairly easily
Solid Surface
Solid surface countertops are man-made blends of acrylic and polyester. An example is Corian.
Cost range: $75 – $120 psf
PROS:
-very wide variety of colors, non-porous, stain resistant, formed into nearly any shape and size
CONS:
-can be damaged by heat, not as much variety and depth in color/movement as a natural stone
Laminate
Cost range: $20 – $50 psf
PROS:
-inexpensive, very wide variety of color/pattern, easy to clean, quick to install, can be customized into most any shape or design, stain resistant
CONS:
-damaged easily by heat, not very scratch resistant, surface damage is difficult to repair
Progress is being made on the Depot project in downtown Harrisonburg, Va. The electricians and plumbers have started doing rough-in work and the HVAC install is scheduled to start today. The framing is mostly done in the two-story portion of the project. Work still needs to be done repairing the entrance stair and the entrance will need to be framed.
The Daily News Record also ran a story on the project this past week.
