Our Insulation thoughts; what is the best financial investment to achieve the end goal of good insulation, good indoor air quality and sound control?

 After you’ve completed sealing the thermal envelope, what goes behind the drywall is a big decision. Let’s start with basics.

 INSULATION / R-VALUE

R-Value is a measurement of thermal efficiency or measurement to the resistance to heat flow. The higher the R-Value numbers the greater resistance the insulation has to the movement of heat.

A large percentage of heat escapes through the attic and walls of a home. In order to build a better thermal envelope, we accept that heat flows in one direction, from warm space to cold. Example, warm inside air will flow to the outside during winter months. The most common insulation method is fiberglass insulation batts, which are placed between the studs and stapled into place. The drywall is then nailed over, creating a wall. Although this is an acceptable method, it can be done better. The fundamental problem with the batt is you need to ensure there aren’t any gaps and you can’t because those insulating products are manufactured true and square. In a real-world environment, cavities between the studs are irregular and additional trades cause other obstructions like plumbing stacks or HVAC trunk lines.  You also have to work around supplementary roof and wall penetrations associated with utility and/or local communication companies that create hard-to-reach places creating pathways for conditioned air to leak in or out, sacrificing comfort.

Why Spray?

Because this delivers a continuous thermal and air barrier that seals around plumbing, vents and electrical openings as well as other cracks and voids that allow unwanted air leakage. Leaving no gaps or seams, it minimizes airborne irritants such as allergens, drafts, or humidity.

The following are spray-in custom insulation materials that provide superior performance in relationship to the above acceptable building method.  

Icynene insulation delivers advanced moisture management by forming an air seal to minimize air movement. By minimizing air transported moisture through the building envelope, Icynene helps to prevent condensation and reduces the potential for mold growth within walls and ceilings. Icynene products feature 100% water-blown technology. Using Icynene insulation in place of an air-permeable option can dramatically reduce a building’s carbon footprint by as much as 50% since less energy is required to heat and cool the building.

http://www.icynene.com/

Johns Manville Spider® custom fiber glass insulation is available in variable thickness levels. It  can fill 2x4 cavities up to an R-15 thermal rating, 2x6 cavities up to R-23, JM Spider® insulation also reduces sound transmission, achieving a Sound Transmission Class of 43 in a standard 2x4 wood-framed wall. JM Spider® insulation resists mold because it sprays in almost dry (less moisture content than wood framing), and is treated with a U.S. EPA-registered mold inhibitor to protect the insulation against mold. JM Spider® insulation can be used for both wall and ceiling applications. In addition, only fiber glass insulation made without formaldehyde—such as JM Spider® Custom Insulation—can pass Environmental Specification 1350, the toughest indoor air quality test in North America, with a non-detect for formaldehyde.

http://www.specjm.com/products/sprayin2/spider.asp

If you have additional questions on insulation, please contact us  @ info(at)cdbmd.com 

Cheers!!

Having been extremely busy bringing one of our most spectacular homes to life over the past few weeks, we are back on-line and are going to BLOG your socks off with innovative products and technology we have been coming across recently, so click back often.

Today, above, is a sneak peek to internationally-recognized Architect, David Jameson’s latest work of art, “NcCI Residence” that we are currently building in downtown, Bethesda MD.  It’s a show stopper!

From an energy efficiency design program, DJ’s light drenched concept, cuts down on the consumption of electricity necessary for lighting and HVAC usage, coupled with our site built custom windows, utilizing the latest in window spacer technology with Solarban^® 70XL glass, by PPG Industries, Inc.; a revolutionary new Solar Control, Low-E glass, these windows surpass any other Solar Control glass on the market today.

On the roof, other innovative building materials were used, such as: Firestone’s “UltraWhite” roofing granules, a cool roofing solution that provides greater light reflectivity and heat emissivity, again, reducing energy consumption, electrical demand and labor costs. It is UL- and FM-code approved, meets requirements for California’s Title 24 regulations and can help achieve points in the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED rating system, in which we are an active member. Its reflectivity is also consistent with Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC) programs. More info on UltraWhite can be found at http://www.firestonebpco.com/roofing/accessories/ultrawhite/.

This ecohome approach was carried thru to the exterior cladding or skin of the house as well.  Our team used Sto Powerwall Stucco System, which is simply that, a system based approach, applied to a conventional building application. This systems compressive strength is nearly twice that of conventional stucco, by way of a more controlled mix, with added fibers. It’s also lighter per square foot, the benefit translation, this material does not absorb as much moisture and when used with its elastomeric coating; yeah I know, elastomeric, often used interchangeably with the term rubber, reduces the risk of cracking and eliminates pin holing.  To find out more on Sto’s product line, check them out at www.stocorp.com.

And if you think that’s cool, wait to see what was designed for the inside.

If you have any questions on the above mentioned materials or general construction related questions, e-mail us at info(at)cdbmd.com

Enjoy the weekend.

Best, Team Congressional Design/Build