In a typical stick-frame house, lumber occupies 27% of the wall area, leaving little room for insulation. Since the insulating value of softwood lumber (R-1.25 per in.) is less than that of fiberglass or cellulose insulation (R-3.6 per in.), each stick of wood lowers the wall’s overall R-value. Each piece of framing lumber acts as …read more
Thermal Imaging
The following article was posted in Energy.gov. Thermographic Inspections How Thermographic Inspections Work Thermography measures surface temperatures by using infrared video and still cameras. These tools see light that is in the heat spectrum. Images on the video or film record the temperature variations of the building’s skin, ranging from white for warm regions to …read more
Blower Door Tests
The following article was posted in Energy.gov. Professional energy auditors use blower door tests to help determine a home’s airtightness. Our Energy Saver 101 infographic explains the importance of a blower door test during a home energy audit. These are some reasons for establishing the proper building tightness: Reducing energy consumption due to air leakage …read more
Other: The Perfect Wall
The following article was posted in Buildingscience.com By Joseph Lstiburek. The perfect wall is an environmental separator—it has to keep the outside out and the inside in. In order to do this the wall assembly has to control rain, air, vapor and heat. In the old days we had one material to do this: rocks. We …read more