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MerrickProperties
Bob Hastings, Northampton, MA, USmember
Currently a student at UMass, Amherst in Building and Construction Technology while running a small remodeling business.
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restaurant bar-back
This is the area behind the bar at a Northampton restaurant. I used 3/4" oak plywood for its strength and dimensional stability. I made all the cuts in my shop at home and assembled...
Laundry Room
This is a basement laundry room that I renovated with porcelain tiles and removable wall panels for plumbing access.
Kitchen remodel on a budget
My cousin gave me his old oak cabinets that were in mint condition. Timing was perfect because I had just finished remodeling the bathroom and doing all the floors over in this apartment that...
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Recent comments
Re: Kitchen / Dining Room Remodel
beautiful work.
posted: 8:03 am on January 31stRe: Why I Don't Use Cellulose or Blue-Jean Insulation
Riversong, I agree with the first paragraph, when planning new construction, the holistic approach is key. However, the bigger fish to fry here is in renovations these days. (about 550,000 new homes built in the U.S. in 2009, compared to over 2,000,000 in 2005).
posted: 7:11 pm on October 24thWhat you are wrong about is the "diminishing returns" and linear relationship. It is you that has it backwards. The heat loss/R-value relationship is not linear, there is a strong curve with drastically decreasing slope after R-20.
The convective heat loss/air change rate relationship IS linear. Air sealing beyond 0.3 ACH requires mechanical ventilation to ensure health safety, yes. But well worth the energy savings and added home comfort. HRVs are affordable when considering all the benefits.
Re: Why I Don't Use Cellulose or Blue-Jean Insulation
I'd like to point out that "green" building is about conserving energy, not just in the construction, but more importantly, in the use of a building. There are two major factors of energy use... 1. R-Values (wall thickness, insulating materials, and frequency of thermal bridges) and 2. Convection!! I know this isn't the point of this article at all, but the debate went way too far without mention of air sealing (which you get with spray-foam products).
posted: 7:18 pm on October 11thThe energy savings from R-1 to R-20 is incredibly significant. However, the savings level off as you increase insulation beyond standard amounts.
Energy savings from air sealing does not have a leveling-point. The more you seal, the more you save, so long as you either provide mechanical ventilation to remove humidity and CO2 from the home, or don't seal the home to below 0.3 ACH (air changes per hour).
I'm a big fan of cellulose fiber, but in conjunction with sealing (either with 1G foam or simply caulking).