Recently the NAHB Research Center (now known as Home Innovation Research Labs) in conjunction with DOE’s Challenge America Program released a new paper touting three new “Advanced Framing Techniques”. As you may recall I have pointed out multiple issues with OVE / Advanced Framing & actually promote using OFT or Optimized Framing Techniques. With that, I was interested in what […]
Getting the details right: Bathroom Exhaust Venting
For numerous years the codes have required that all bathrooms either had a window OR a light & mechanical exhaust system be installed (see legal section below). The thought process was the homeowner could either open the window to remove certain obnoxious gasses &/or the excessive moisture or turn at least turn on a fan […]
Common Sense Building: Exterior Wall Sheathing 101
For most builders & crews the biggest question when it comes to sheathing a wall is “should we do it while the wall is being framed on the ground, or after we have stood it up?” For others that have to add foam on the exterior, some start to wonder, “if I need to add […]
Common Sense Building: OFT – Optimized Framing Techniques
OFT or Optimized Framing Techniques is taking the best framing techniques that fit the house you are building & utilizing them to not only save resources but to also have a strong, durable structure that uses a minimal amount of connectors. Ah, but isn’t that what one might call OVE or Advanced Framing? Well before […]
Common Sense Building: Making Sense of Radiant Heat (FAQ)
We originally started this series on Radiant Heat with an article entitled “Don’t just jump on the bandwagon” & followed it up by a guest post from Todd Vendituoli on his installation of an under the slab system & the benefits of a Radiant Hydronic System. As promised we are into our third article on […]
Common Sense Building: Designing for Everyone (Interior Checklist)
Last week we focused on this simple question; do we keep with the status quo of basically designing houses with a 30 year shelf life, or design them to last & be used for generations? While the question might appear “simple,” just how do you design for multi-generations where everyone is comfortable, and one is […]
Common Sense Building: Designing for Everyone (Exterior Checklist)
When you design something, you look at its intended purpose, ease of use, durability, and who will be using it (target market). When you start dealing with houses the purpose is simple; to provide a healthy, safe, and comfortable place to live so that people will be glad to get home. While the purpose might […]
Common Sense Building: Radiant Hydronic Heating
Heating ones house via radiant heat has been around for over 5000 years & is generally credited to the Koreans with their “ondol” system and is still in use today. The genius of this system & the later “hypocaust” systems developed by the Romans is that one heated one’s whole house from under the floor […]
Common Sense Building: Don’t just jump on the bandwagon
Contractors rightfully get a bad rap sometimes for not wanting to change or embrace new technologies. “I have been doing it this way for years & never had an issue.” Some that do embrace change have learned the hard way that it is best to tread carefully after being bitten by some new product that […]
Common Sense Building: The Cool Roof Concept
When one starts talking about roofs you will quickly run into a whole bunch of jargon; hot roof’s, cool roof’s, vented, unvented, green, flat, hybrid & the list goes on & on & on. Needless to say this can & does cause quite a bit of confusion especially when regional differences in naming conventions pop […]