I remember as a kid seeing ads for X-Ray goggles on the back of comic books. The idea of being able to see through a wall was a thing of fantasies for young aspiring spy kids. Now today, as a practicing architect, I find that x-ray goggles are not only possible, but a requirement for doing a home renovation the right way.
Every home has secrets behind the drywall that impact indoor air quality, efficiency, and durability. There are pipes and ducts that may not be found until the renovation work has begun – usually adding to the cost of construction. Water issues can exist for years without being seen on the surface of a wall or roof leaving an even bigger mess once uncovered during construction. Having x-ray vision is the only way to reduce these cost impacts and delays during a renovation project.
OK, so it is not exactly x-ray vision, but rather the use of thermal imaging that we use during a renovation project that allows us to “see through” a wall. On a recent project I invited Ivy Tools to show our clients, the builder, and me the power of using a thermal imaging camera to eliminate some of the guess-work during design.
In this project we are removing some existing walls – which the camera was able to identify had pipes and ducts that we otherwise did not know about. This allowed for proper advanced planning to take place eliminating the need for a costly change order during construction. We found thermal breaks in the envelope of the house so we could include those modifications in the initial scope and budget for the renovation of the home. We also found a surprise vent pipe in the attic which was a major thermal leak from the home which was contributing to comfort issues for years. While we cannot eliminate all the unknowns on a renovation project, this technology can identify some of the concealed conditions allowing for a better design before construction begins.
Permeability is a HUGE topic in our mixed humid climate for anyone involved in the construction industry. The perm rating of a product is the measure of the diffusion of water vapor through a material. This vapor drive through a building material can make or break the durability, efficiency, and indoor air quality of a project.
In our climate, the key is to have a wall and roof assembly that is air tight and vapor permeable. This is an almost impossible task so there are other things that need to be done for the house to be as efficient and durable as possible – but I will not go into that depth with this post.
Vapor permeability (air tight and vapor permeable) is sometimes referred to as the breath-ability of a system or ability to let water vapor pass. This should not be confused with stopping bulk moisture, which is a must for a wall and roof assembly. Bulk water is moisture in liquid form and water vapor is a gas.
So why is vapor permeability so important to the health, efficiency and durability of a building system? Because walls and roofs do get wet. Condensation will occur in some systems. Plumbing leaks do happen on occasion. Most important, we have two seasons here in Virginia and therefore have two different vapor drive directions. So walls and roofs need to be able to dry in both directions. When a wall cannot dry out, it becomes susceptible to moisture damage (rot, mold, insects).
Anything with a perm rating of less than 1 is a semi-vapor barrier. These products should be used sparingly for the thermal envelope in our climate. Anything less than 10 has low permeability and care needs to be taken to dry the assemblies out and not trap vapor inside.
Many products we use traditionally need extra thought due to their permeability:
Open Cell Foam = 15 Perms
Closed Cell Foam = 1 Perms
Concrete = 3.2 Perms
Gypsum wall board = 50 Perms
Plywood Sheathing = 10 Perms
OSB Sheathing = 2 Perms
Oil Paint = 1.6 Perms
15# Felt = 8 Perms
Kraft paper batts = 1 Perms
House wrap = range 5 to 50 Perms
Having an architect that understands building science is a must in our mixed humid climate. A well planned wall and roof assembly will be healthy, durable, and energy-efficient.
Sometimes you show up on a job site and the builders have done a little more than you asked of them. This is a sign that they care about their work. Sometimes it is a job site with all the trash picked up, including extra nails, scraps of wood, and pieces of house wrap. This sets a certain standard for those coming to the site the next day to work. It also allows the homeowners / developers to visit the site and not have to worry about stepping on something. It shows that the builders care as much about their project as they do their own home. It could also be something that the homeowner would never notice like insulated headers above the doors and windows. This will reduce energy usage in the home for years to come.
Having a builder that does the little extras is crucial to creating the best possible end result. I certainly take note of the builders that deliver the extras through the construction process when deciding who to suggest to a client on the next project. Read our blog post on how to know if you’re choosing the best contractor.
What have you seen done on a job site that set a builder apart from the others?
If you plan on renovating a home or building a new home, the SVBA Home and Garden Show is the place to find the needed information. While you can find endless information online about designing and building a home – you cannot look the person in the eye. This direct connection, trust, and opportunity to ask open questions is priceless.
Attend the Home Show and….
Shop and compare in one place
Save time by meeting a wide range of companies under one roof
Discover new ideas and interesting products for your home
Find the best resource in home improvement, landscaping, and design services
Meet face to face and build trust before you hire
Get expert advice and learn from the pros
Get inspired and excited about your home and the countless possibilities
The show opens April 12-13 at the Rockingham County Fair Grounds. This event includes kid’s activities, car show, food trucks, in addition to the leading experts in the residential building industry.
The dark-sky movement is an effort to reduce light pollution. This is a problem not only in large cities, but it impacts us here in the valley as well. There are many advantages to reducing light pollution from increased stars visible at night, improving public health and safety, to cutting energy use. James Madison University professors Shanil Virani and Dr. Paul Bogard are leading the charge here in the valley this week along with many dedicated students and community members with their events called Starry Nights Harrisonburg. They are starting the conversation, asking questions, and offering insights. Last night the first event was held at the Court Square Theater. The screening of “The City Dark”, an award-winning documentary, highlighted the increased light pollution in cities on the east coast and the impacts on environmental health, human health, and energy usage.
As one of the panel members, I was honored to be part of the conversation. This is an interesting topic for me as I started my career in 1999 in Charlottesville. Albemarle County had already put a dark sky ordinance in place and Charlottesville soon followed with their own. For the last 15 years I have been working to meet those standards on the majority of our projects. The selections were slim 15 years ago for compliant fixtures and we did not have many options. Since that time, full cut off light fixtures (dark sky compliant) have become readily available in any aesthetic and at almost any price range. We just completed a project using cutting edge LED bollards and pole lights in a historic neighborhood. Using motion sensors and these very efficient light fixtures the energy usage is near zero, and the light pollution is non-existent. Some will tell you they need more light to create a safe neighborhood, but the reality is, to build a healthy and SAFE neighborhood, you need well designed and intentional lighting.
Design matters in every aspect of our lives. The decisions we make impact the environment, health, and welfare of our community. We can be better by taking time to design the best solutions, plan for the future, and think through the impacts of our design decisions prior to implementation. If you have time, I encourage you to get involved in this conversation to stop light pollution and to improve our community. Events are scheduled all this week and are free to the public.
I got the question last week, can we make a particular style energy-efficient. There is a common misconception that energy-efficient design dictates a particular style. When the reality is there is no style that cannot be created in a healthy, energy-efficient, and durable manner. It just takes design.
This New England Farmhouse is LEED Certified, extremely efficient and durable.
This home was based which is a net-zero home is a more contemporary solution.
This prairie style home was built using a high performance approach to insulation, HVAC, and windows.
This Energy Star Certified home is very energy-efficient, but uses many traditional details.
Every home has secrets behind the drywall that impact indoor air quality, efficiency, and durability. There are pipes and ducts that may not be found until the renovation work has begun – usually adding to the cost of construction. Water issues can exist for years without being seen on the surface of a wall or roof leaving an even bigger mess once uncovered during construction. Having x-ray vision is the only way to reduce these cost impacts and delays during a renovation project.
OK, so it is not exactly x-ray vision, but rather the use of thermal imaging that we use during a renovation project that allows us to “see through” a wall. On a recent project I invited Ivy Tools to show our clients, the builder, and me the power of using a thermal imaging camera to eliminate some of the guess-work during design.
Sometimes you show up on a job site and the builders have done a little more than you asked of them. This is a sign that they care about their work. Sometimes it is a job site with all the trash picked up, including extra nails, scraps of wood, and pieces of house wrap. This sets a certain standard for those coming to the site the next day to work. It also allows the homeowners / developers to visit the site and not have to worry about stepping on something. It shows that the builders care as much about their project as they do their own home. It could also be something that the homeowner would never notice like insulated headers above the doors and windows. This will reduce energy usage in the home for years to come.
