Radon is a naturally occurring soil gas that is present in many locations throughout North America. The gas can’t be seen, smelled, or tasted but it is known to cause lung cancer. Continue reading “Construction Design-Radon”
Construction Design-Building Code Minimum
Not every new home built has the budget to be high performance. That doesn’t mean some energy efficiency measures and decisions based on sound building science can’t be added to a design to build a better house. Continue reading “Construction Design-Building Code Minimum”
Construction Design-Continuous Exterior Insulation
You would think that in my very cold climate of Northern Minnesota, we would be putting as much insulation in our walls and roofs as possible. Not the case. The majority of new homes I blower door test have the code minimum R-21 of wall cavity insulation Continue reading “Construction Design-Continuous Exterior Insulation”
Construction Design-Code Minimum House-Mechanicals
At the time of this writing, construction on the code minimum house is coming to an end. This has been a fun and rewarding project for me because not only was I able to design much of the home, I was also directly involved in the construction. Continue reading “Construction Design-Code Minimum House-Mechanicals”
Construction Design-Randy’s Dream Design
Guess what? I just won the lottery! (Not really, but for the purpose of this blog, let’s pretend.) I’m looking to build myself a new home. I have choices. I could build a McMansion with plenty of space I don’t need and will never use. I could concentrate only on the interior finishes and how the house looks. If you’ve ever read my blog, you already know what direction I’ll take. The house won’t be big, a couple thousand square feet is plenty for me, maybe a rambler with a second story over part of it built on a slab, no basement or crawlspace. Being a BS* guy, I would make an invest in the stuff that is hidden, those pesky control layers I often talk about. It would be based on the Pretty Good House concept. Continue reading “Construction Design-Randy’s Dream Design”
Construction Design-Floor Covering and In-floor Heat
In-floor heat has been a very popular choice for heating systems in my area for the past couple decades. One of my first jobs as an apprentice electrician 25 years ago was plowing electrical heating cable for a basement slab heating system. (I was the mule pulling the plow.) Continue reading “Construction Design-Floor Covering and In-floor Heat”
Construction Design-Code Minimum House-Framing
In my last posting about the Code Minimum House, I talked about how the foundation was constructed. Next up, the framing. This home is being built with a small budget. To keep costs in line, Continue reading “Construction Design-Code Minimum House-Framing”
Construction Design-Code Minimum House-Foundation
The design at the Code Minimum House calls for a frost protected shallow foundation. I have built several homes using this type of foundation and found it works well for a budget friendly build. Continue reading “Construction Design-Code Minimum House-Foundation”
Construction Design-The Code-Minimum House-An Introduction
I am currently involved in a new home build working with my friend and general contractor, Strommer Home Improvements. My involvement in the build is that of the designer, tester, and laborer. Yep, I’m back swinging a hammer Continue reading “Construction Design-The Code-Minimum House-An Introduction”
Construction Design-Simple Air Sealing Strategies
I built my first home for a customer back in 2000, I’ve learned a lot since then. One of the areas I’ve learned the most is in building tightness. These days I’m working more as an energy auditor. Conducting code compliance blower door testing on new homes and conducting energy audits, some with blower door testing on older homes. I get to see where homes leak. Continue reading “Construction Design-Simple Air Sealing Strategies”