Why does indoor air quality matter?

 Having a four-year-old son that is allergic to everything and I do mean everything, your paradigm changes.  Things that once had little relevance now capture your immediate attention. Anything I can do for him, I do.  In spending countless hours researching construction practices and technologies to make his life easier, we at CDB made a commitment to educate those that are increasingly concerned about mold, radon, carbon monoxide, and toxic chemicals commonly found in homes and provide homes with improved air quality. In fact, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) studies show that levels of air pollution inside the home are often two to five times higher than outdoor levels. And poor indoor air quality is associated with a host of health problems, including eye irritation, allergies, headaches, and respiratory problems such as asthma.

How do homes earn the Indoor EPA airPLUS label you ask?

Start with ENERGY STAR. A home must first be designed and built to earn the ENERGY STAR—the government-backed symbol for energy efficiency. The result is a home that is significantly more energy efficient than a home built to minimum code, helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Qualified homes are at least 15% more energy efficient than homes built to the 2004 IRC and include additional energy-saving features that typically make them 20-30% more efficient than standard homes.

Add indoor air improvements. More than 30 additional home design and construction features are included in the Indoor airPLUS label to help protect qualified homes from moisture and mold, pests, combustion gases, and other airborne pollutants.

We complete the package with independent testing and verification. Your home’s energy performance and key features of the Indoor airPLUS label are inspected by an independent third-party to ensure compliance with EPA’s rigorous guidelines and specifications.

Feel free to contact us with any additional questions about this program or any other of your building questions. Additional information can also be found by clicking  www.epa.gov

Breathe Safe, Team CDB

What is ENERGY STAR?

ENERGY STAR is the government-backed symbol for energy efficiency.The mark identifies new homes, buildings, and more than 50 types of products that are energy efficient and offer the features, quality, and performance today’s consumers expect.

Homes that earn the ENERGY STAR are significantly more energy efficient than standard homes. By purchasing an ENERGY STAR qualified home, your customers can have all the features they desire in their new homes,plus better performance and lower utility bills—all while helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

ENERGY STAR was introduced by EPA in 1992 as a voluntary partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through increased energy efficiency.

Today, ENERGY STAR offers energy-efficient solutions to save energy, money, and help protect the environment for future generations.

Yes, we are a participating builder in this program.

Glass Treads Anyone?

We received a phone call from a prospective client asking if we have built a custom staircase with glass treads?  The answer, no; however, we have built several custom homes with glass rails and have worked thru the idea of incorporating the tread with several local metal fabricators, but the final cost has always been the contributing factor to not moving forward.  To this end, if anyone is looking to build a custom home with an entire glass stair and rail, we would love to assist in making it a reality.

For those of you outside the Washington Metropolitan Area, but require additional information on whom and how, email us or our local rep Ann Kerstetter at amkincmd@verizon.net  or click www.amkinc.com. She represents Joel Berman Glass Studios located in Canada. The studio creates and manufactures a wide array of textured cast glass, tempered and annealed of varying thickness.  It can be transparent, translucent, sfumato and opaque and in almost any color.

Bar Trivia

What is sfumato? It’s a glass-blowing technique, creating faint gradation of color from transparent to opaque. As light spills through tiny air bubbles in the glass, sparkling, textured patterns are cast on adjacent surfaces.

Win a drink on us.

Cheers, Team CDB

We received an e-mail asking for any ideas for a light transmitting counter-top for a basement bar?

While several come to mind, there is one we are currently using we think is cutting edge cool. Not to mention, their local rep has wowed us with their customer service, which is extremely helpful when it comes to working through a complicated custom “S” curved counter-top that glows. As they say, “The Devil is in the details” and their shop hasn’t missed a beat.

Oh, did we mention it was COOL? If you scratch it, simply take a Scotchbright pad and buff it out! The surface can handle commercial paint remover and harsh chemical cleaners, so bring on the kids. And on a side note, they can even make it bullet resistant. Yes, we have received this request before, but for an office window, not counter-top; however, this product has unlimited potential.

Click on www.lightblocks.com; they will fabricate to your specifications in any thickness, color, opacity, size and resin. Their process uses no solvents; no VOC's are created, and from what we understand, all of their scrap is recycled.  They have an average of 98% utilization of raw materials and the product qualifies for LEED points.  

So, if you’re in the market for something out of the norm, send Jacqueline Downie an e-mail at (jacqueline@lightblocks.com) for additional information.

We are also interested in hearing about new and unique building materials, feel free to e-mail us at info@cdbmd.com with such information.

Best, Team CDB

Today my neighbor asked me...

Today my neighbor asked me over to look at his concrete stoop. As I got closer to the steps, I noticed that the concrete surface was scaling.  Thinking it was builder error, I asked him if he had been using rock salt as his ice melt?  He said yes! Well, that’s the culprit and here’s why:

While concrete can be one of the longest lasting surfaces you can use, its useful life will be reduced if its weaknesses are exposed. When subjected to tension, concrete is at its most vulnerable. In colder climates, freezing causes the water in the capillaries of the concrete to expand, creating pressure. Yes, while concrete appears very dense, it acts like a dry sponge; it loves to absorb water. The use of rock salt accelerates the melting process. The water enters the concrete and begins to freeze; growing ice crystals create pressure and BAM! Break away the top surface, leaving pit marks exposing the coarse aggregate. We call it scaling or spalling. Also be aware that this can happen on concrete drives as well. Salt and deicing chemicals are picked up from the road and dripped onto the surface.

What can you do to prevent this? Use deicing products that don’t have rock salt or sand.  You can also treat your concrete with a clear coat, but be careful to avoid products that use silicone. It creates a seal trapping water, preventing it to evaporate. Yep, you guessed it, the top surface will scale. So, always contact a reliable contractor to assure the job is done right.

Cheers, Team CDB

Today I received a call asking our standard vanity height? 

Since everything is normally custom, it’s driven by our client’s personal program, but I would have to say it’s usually 29” to 31” high.  There was an occasion we built to 40”, but he was 6’5” and I built my personal ones to 36" high.  Remember to take the following into consideration:

Most vanity tops are ¾” or 3cm thick

In secondary bathrooms, I would set them lower because the area is shared with children and should wash their hands, too.

Another factor will be the type of sink you select, the ones that are installed on top of the counter-top, you should use a lower height vanity or you’ll wind up with the top of the bowl about 40" to 42" if used with a 36" high vanity.

Now, notes on building 36” high, if this is what you select, make sure to take into account the location of your bathroom door and swing. Most door knobs are set at 36” which makes for an interesting situation when you want to open a drawer. I know, because I thought I would build my own to the same height as our kitchen cabinets, which are 36” and well, we have a cased opening into our bathroom. 

"Good judgment comes from experience.  Experience comes from bad judgment." -Bob Packwood

Cheers!