Superinsulation Can't Work if the Windows Leak

Some of the hardest parts of a house to seal are the windows, which are really just big holes in a wall filled with glass, wood, and plastic. The reason it's so difficult to seal around windows is that the hole spans many layers of different materials—drywall, framing, exterior sheathing, house-wrap, and siding. In a superinsulated house, there are even more—the house featured in this video has an extra two layers of rigid foam on the outside...

Read the full article at: http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/superinsulation-cant-work-if-windows-leak

Read more about the importance of air-sealing for energy efficiency and durability: http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/air-leaks-waste-energy-and-rot-houses

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Insulation
• airsealing
• air barrier
• building science
• massachusetts
• home
• energy efficient

[HomeEnergyNow]

He proves my point so vividly! He has so little time on a job site he can't speak due to lack of knowing the names for everything. Its a 2x6 header joe, and a drip edge. Yet he wants to go around and tell people how it should be done! LOLOLOLLOL. Worse than people that have engineering degrees are the owns with P.h.d's. They are on higher levels, because their bouyant heads float way up there, while the rest of us perfect the art, he reads and writes. So glad so few new homes mimic mr derelict

[SpoofBowl]

It is funny how emphatic so many novice builders are about making a connection between the window and the other materials through extremely close tolerances and caulking materials. I can tell you that doing what many who aren’t familiar with new construction insist upon, will lead to seized windows after the house settles and shrinks. In a year the owner will wonder why his windows are so dammed hard to open!

[HomeEnergyNow]

@yakrafter Brakes have built in alarms, a device that squeels, some are electronic and flash a light. There is no reliable system to date that sounds an alarm if a fresh air system gets tainted or stops working properly. Cars are more and more becoming dummy proof for safety, more dummies have dwellings than cars. Passive hause is far superior than these hacks, but still, no reliable ERV has been implemented in either design, and you shouldn't sacrifice safety for efficiency.

[HomeEnergyNow]

@yakrafter Any a/c guy will tell you, dampers don't last. And that type of system doesn't bring fresh air 24/7 like it should while providing zero energy savings, .35 ach without and HRV ERV is .35ach, no gain. People dont use windows like they used to. The people at GBA or green building corporation aren't D.R. Horton or K.B. home, those places build tens of thousands/year and they have real world proof of designs and savings, places like GBA use custom builders as test dummies.

[HomeEnergyNow]

@yakrafterThat is the thing, they created their own "field" and they are using the govt. to grow and not demand. Building has improved with builders, especially production builders, not "green building advisors" or anybody that spent 10 years getting a phd and not building homes. Homes are different than cars in that they are a luxury, not everybody can drive, most have shelter, many are fools, therefore shelters wisely built are fool-proof. Cars are becoming that way for "safety"

[HomeEnergyNow]

@yakrafter It is the poorest of the top three insulations for sound isolation. But timber is a difficult construction style, I scratch my had at people building large homes in cold climates concerned about energy efficiency. New homes heat and cool using less than half of the energy pie, all of the useage is up to the occupant, not the home. I don't like the idea of popularizing petroleum products, wood and glass are solid products that have proven themselves to really last, not foam

[yakrafter]

@HomeEnergyNow

I assume you drive vehicle on the roads. Once you are going 65 on the highway and see a KS deer ahead, what is your solution for stopping? Will it last as long as the car?

[yakrafter]

@HomeEnergyNow

As you know fans are used or designed air entry and exit points can be used. Often intake is part of the heating system, so if your heating system fails in the winter you will know, if it fails in the fall or spring, you likely have windows open, if it fails in the summer, again windows open or if your AC is same ducting, fresh air will still come in as it blows. It's a Y off the return duct to the extorior/one way damper/Tuned (mechanically).

[yakrafter]

@HomeEnergyNow

1. These guys are at the top of their field and have been for decades.

2. They do have real world experience, though I am sure there are employees that have other strengths with minimal thumb hammering experience.

3. I personally agree that there is less risk in not tighting up the home so much, if a homeowner decides to have a electric system to provide their air, they need to check it, like your brakes. Alarms can be installed. Etc. But I agree on ACH, medium.

[yakrafter]

@HomeEnergyNow

As a custom builder these details are not difficult to pull off. I usually add more wood at the window bump out but if it works, it works. A production builder may have trouble properly communicating, convincing and enforcing such techniques. It depends on their crews. Remember, this is a above average home for above average energy consumers. It is t show off what you can do. Energy is not always about $, for many it is about conservation/health/environmen­t.