by Audrey | Apr 16, 2025 | Charlottesville, Green Building, Harrisonburg Architect, Interior Design
Contractor: Herr and Company
The Perfect Car Garage
By Jarod Sankar
Anyone who knows me outside of work knows that aside from design & architecture, I have a passion for cars. As a former car salesman, I have been able to experience some really fun and unique vehicles. Out of the hundreds of cars that I have driven, my all-time favorite is my car – I may be a little bias. Check out my Acura TLX. This was my first brand-new car, and I enjoy every mile with this car. I don’t take living in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains for granted, and most weekends, you can find me up on the Blue Ridge Parkway, driving aimlessly for sometimes hours. I can’t call myself a car guy and not know how to design a good home for my baby – I mean my car. Here are some tips on how to make your garage more than just walls and a door.
Storage
First, any car lover, or organization lover will tell you that good storage in a garage is imperative. Having a place for everything, and everything in its place, makes things so much easier, whether it’s storing copious amounts of detailing supplies such as myself, or keeping all your tools and equipment safe and sound.
You don’t always have to go the pre-built storage systems or open shelving route. Sometimes, it makes the most sense to just install typical cabinets with a wood or metal work top. This can sometimes be cheaper and looks way more custom.
If you aren’t sure yet how to lay out your storage, you can start by planning ahead by doing counter height outlets along the wall to leave space for future storage systems or cabinetry.
Flooring
Secondly, you may consider adding a floor drain to your garage design. Incorporating this has many benefits, and makes washing your car so much easier. This also can be helpful in preventing any water damage from snow or ice that melts off your vehicle onto the floor. Along with the addition of a floor drain, dyed and polished concrete or an epoxy covering can make your garage more attractive and functional.
Lighting
Third, good garage lighting makes all the difference. If you’re a tad bit obsessive like me, you want to see every molecule of dirt that may be left on your vehicle after a hand wash. More importantly, a well-lit garage is safer to maneuver around. Incorporate LED lighting into the ceiling, under cabinet lighting for your work top, and step lighting if applicable.
Garage Doors
No garage is complete without a garage door. No matter what the configuration, garage doors serve a purpose. Garage doors can be installed with or without insulation. Insulated garage doors help keep your garage warm during the winter, which in turn also will have your HVAC system working less hard. For the style of door, try to avoid real wood garage doors. Like all wood, it requires regular maintenance. Instead, look for faux wood finishes, or go with a painted metal option. Along with the door itself, you may consider installing a wall mounted opener rather than a traditional overhead opener. Wall mounted openers are typically much quieter and usually are much more attractive. Lastly, if your design allows for it, it’s always good to incorporate a person-door to access the exterior from your garage. Having to open and close your overhead door can become cumbersome, so for quick access, a regular entry door is much more convenient.
For more ideas on how to design your dream garage, contact us. We would love to give you the perfect home for you and your family’s needs…and a perfect home for your car’s needs!
Click here to learn more about detached garage design solutions
by Audrey | Apr 14, 2025 | architecture, Building Science, Charlottesville, Green Building, Harrisonburg Architect, Indoor Air Quality
How can vegetation be beneficial to a site?
By: Emily Scognamillo
Every spring, people eagerly anticipate the flowers and plants coming to life. It is a well-known fact that humans enjoy being closer to nature, as it provides a sense of relief and well-being. Vegetation, such as flowers, trees, and grass can benefit a building site. Not only does it help the user by improving mental health while increasing productivity, but it also provides ample advantages to the site and the surrounding community.
For example, vegetation plays a crucial role in soil erosion and stormwater management. Trees and plants help stabilize the soil to prevent erosion and flooding, and filter harmful sediments to prevent pollution. While the roots control the soil, the plants themselves can improve the air quality from pollution as well. By absorbing carbon dioxide from surrounding cars and releasing oxygen, this creates a healthier community. Additionally, trees provide natural cooling by offering shade, which lowers the surrounding temperature. Providing vegetation can result in a building using less air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter. Bushes, plants, and trees provide a barrier against harsh winter temperatures, allowing the building to stay warmer.
Overall, incorporating vegetation into your site not only supports the community but also increases your comfort and the sustainability of your structure. Starting a garden, no matter how small, is a simple way to make a difference in your community.
Celebrate National Gardening Day today!
by Charles Hendricks | Jan 5, 2025 | architecture, Building Science, Green Building, green term defined
Over the next 10 days the temperature in the area is going to be a high of freezing most days. It is time to hunker down and enjoy the warmth of your home when possible. So fire up those logs and pull out the extra blanket – winter is here. I have written a lot of blogs over the last 14 years about saving energy, making your home more comfortable, and reducing your monthly electric bills. However, 10 days of cold will test any system and all levels of protection. So here are a few home updates to get you through the freezing weather.
Take advantage of the sun and protect against heat loss through windows. Close your insulated curtains on the north side of your house over the next few days and on the south side when you are not getting heat gain from the sun. If you have storm windows make sure they are closed up tight. If you feel air coming through the windows, a temporary fix is to put plastic over the windows. This is not attractive and should not be a long term solution, but it works in a pinch.
Make sure your exterior heating unit is cleared of any snow so it can breathe and make sure the inside filter is clean so it can work efficiently. Most heating units can work 10 degrees and better outside temperature but might struggle on these really cold nights to keep up. If you have gas or electric back up heat your bill could grow quickly. So reduce the set temperature inside when you can and add a blanket to your bed.
Frozen Pipes are a huge problem when temperatures stay below freezing for multiple days in our area. This can happen at an exterior hose connection or just pipes in an outside wall. Read more about what to do to prevent frozen pipes and what to do if you have frozen pipes in this blog “Freezing Pipes: Should I be worried?” Open up the kitchen and bathroom cabinets if they are on an outside wall and keep the door open to those rooms if possible. If you have exposed pipes in your crawl space and it is not insulated (which is should be) then make sure the vents are closed. You need to protect the crawl space in this weather.
Make sure your attic access has insulation over it. In so many houses the attic access insulation was never installed or moved and never put back in place. This is a huge hole in your thermal envelope and should be corrected immediately. Don’t let this one go without checking. If you want to take it an extra step, the attic access is a door and should be weatherstrip sealed to prevent air leakage.
Make sure your attic has the right amount of insulation and is completely insulated. Code minimum has moved to an R60 minimum. I honestly think R30 is economically and functionally all you need – so that is your minimum if you are adding it yourself. However, you want to make sure you don’t block any soffit ventilation if you have a vented attic – this could lead to more problems. If you have ductwork in the attic you really should insulate the entire attic.
Air leakage is a huge concern for comfort on cold days. Leaks around light fixtures, electrical outlets, doors, windows, and even at the top and bottom of walls cause heat loss and energy waste. Make sure your storm door is closed tight and the garage door is down.
Finally, as you start melting away any snow tomorrow, be sure to protect your concrete. Here is a guest post by Phyllis Friesen on the topic.
As they say, this too shall pass – it will be spring soon and there is a whole new list of household tasks that will need attention. I hope you have done the prep needed to be warm this winter but if you have not, make a list so you can get it done before next winter!
by Charles Hendricks | Nov 28, 2024 | architecture, Charlottesville, Green Building, Harrisonburg Architect
Do you need an architect for your custom home project?
I encourage you to call us if you are thinking about building a new custom home. It doesn’t matter what your budget is or how big of a house you hope to build. We can help answer questions to get you started on the right track. As an architect, it is our job to know if you need our services or if there is an alternative path to achieve your dream home. We can be very helpful in delivering a higher value solution than most of the other options.
Building a custom home is a significant investment, and it’s crucial to ensure that the process is smooth and the end result meets your expectations. One of the best ways to achieve this is by hiring an architect. While it may seem like an additional expense, the benefits of working with a professional far outweigh the costs. The largest advantage is our training to visualize the right solution for your stated goals, land, and budget. Architects have the skills and knowledge to translate your ideas and dreams into tangible designs. We listen to your overall goals and through an understanding of building materials, building science, construction best practices, material availability, and builders available we can deliver the highest value solutions for your dream custom home. We can also streamline the construction process by drawing the details needed for the builder to execute the plan, reduce building material waste, and schedule the work efficiently.
There is a difference in a custom home and a new home and that is often where we provide the most value. A custom home will facilitate the life you want to live in the place you want to call home. We will think through how life might evolve to plan for the future. We will ask questions about how you want to live and think about how the house design can enhance those goals. We will also make sure that the entire house flows, is aesthetically pleasing, and can be built economically. Doing the work in the design phase to make sure that the house is your dream house will save time and money during construction.
By hiring an architect, you’re investing in the success of your custom home project. Our expertise, creativity, and problem-solving skills will ensure that your dream home becomes a reality.
by Charles Hendricks | Jan 21, 2024 | architecture, Building Science, Green Building, green term defined, Indoor Air Quality
Do you have a cold house? This cold snap has been a great reminder of all the things you can do to your home to stay warm and comfortable. From air leaks to missing insulation to old windows, there are many things that can be improved in most homes.
Even if you are not ready to call in the contractors, there are simple things that you can fix on your own to make your home more resilient.
Stop the air leaks around every electrical outlet and light switch.
That’s right, air leaks exist around every electrical outlet and light switch in your home! Yes, your windows are also a source of air leakage, but first you need to stop these points. You probably have a lot more linear leak potential around outlets than you have window problems.
Seal around light fixtures and window trim.
Sealing around your light fixtures and window trim is also an easy way to help your home, and you can do this yourself. Caulk those joints where two materials come together. Here is more on how to pick the right caulk.
Think through other air leak areas.
Basically, you’re doing it right now because you’re reading this blog. Think about where the air leaks could occur – think about all the places drywall was cut to install a vent, outlet, access panel, window, or light.
Good insulation is key!
- Adding the right insulation in the right place is critical. Start in the attic, that “extra blanket you put over the house to keep the warm air inside“.
- Add insulating curtains and open them when the sun is warm and close them when you want to trap the warm air in your home.Utilizing natural light is a great way to save you money.
- Once the attic insulation is right, you should have someone conduct an energy audit to determine where else you need insulation corrections.
What is an energy audit?
Indoor Air Quality
Thinking about your indoor air quality will help you stay well during these cold months when you’re spending more time indoors.
More Winter Considerations
Other winter considerations to cut your electric bill while staying warm are your fireplace, outside mechanical systems, windows, and duct leakage. All of these things impact your comfort and energy usage. If you have single pane windows you can add plexi inside of them or cover them in plastic for now – replacement is a longer term solution. If you have air leaks and missing weatherstripping, replace it. If you have insulation falling down in your crawl space put it back into place until you can encapsulate your crawl. If you have pipes coming through walls with air space around them, seal it up.
On cold days like this, I am very happy that we choose to focus on building science solutions that are proven and tested for our client’s custom homes. I know that they are comfortable in their dream homes.
by Charles Hendricks | Jul 31, 2023 | aging in place, Building Science, Green Building, Indoor Air Quality
VOCs
There are many considerations when it comes to indoor air quality, and one is VOCs, which are present in all of our homes and potentially hazardous to our health.
VOC stands for Volatile Organic Compound. Many products used in home construction have these chemicals that are released into the air post-installation, called off-gassing. You might be surprised to know that VOCs are in every house and can be found in many common products including paints, lacquers, paint strippers, cleaning supplies, pesticides, building materials, printers, correction fluid, and glues. This is something to be taken seriously. VOCs can trigger asthma, eye irritation, cough, dizziness, and other adverse long-term health effects, and they are known to cause certain cancers.
Envelopes and Energy-Efficiency
Concentrations of VOCs are often found to be higher indoors than outdoors (an obvious conclusion looking at air circulation and volume of space). To compound the problem, the level of these chemicals could even be higher in an ‘energy-efficient’ home that does not have a dedicated fresh air system.
This is because the more air-tight a building envelope is, the more likely it is energy-efficient. (A building envelope refers to the walls and other materials separating the indoor air from the outdoor air). Creating an airtight home reduces energy leaks at all the gaps and cracks in your home’s walls (around windows and doors, where materials meet, plumbing penetrations, and more). This traps the air inside the home and doesn’t allow in outdoor air. While this prevents energy loss (or gain depending on the season) it also prevents the house from “airing out.” Air pressure around the home and in the home also plays a part in that, but that is for another blog on another day.
What should you do?
So what should you do if you want to save money with an energy-efficient home and you want to decrease VOCs and their harmful effects? Is this a catch-22? As scary as this may sound, it is not all doom and gloom, and there are ways to mitigate the amount of VOCs you will come into contact with in your home.
- In the construction stage, carefully select products. VOCs can be found in many products including paints, lacquers, paint strippers, cleaning supplies, pesticides, building materials, and glues. We typically select products that have low to No VOCs in them for our clients when possible.
- Include a dedicated fresh air system integrated with the heating and cooling system. This will draw in conditioned and filtered air into your home rather than relying on leaks in your home for “fresh” air.
- Open your windows occasionally (if your allergies are not too triggered by the pollen levels).
Until products are no longer made with VOCs, these strategies will not eliminate 100% of VOCs, but they will diminish a known health risk to your family.
