Does anyone have experience with unvented crawl spaces. Does the crawl space need: concrete slab or is plastic and gravel ok?; air conditioning/heat? I read the article in the FHB issue, but the lengths they went to seemed cost prohibitive for the house I’m building. Thanks for your help.
Joel Barto
Asheville, NC
Replies
but the lengths they went to seemed cost prohibitive for the house I'm building.
Too expensive to do it right?
This a house you're building for yourself? That you intend to live in for awhile?
Ideally the crawl is conditioned space, not a damp moldy home for spiders and toads.
Joe H
See the earlier thread on house moisture problem.
A conditioned crawl only works if it's conditioed. Summer and winter.
R2,
Yea, I have a little. Am building one right now. But only have foundation poured. No lumber installed yet.
Here goes:
1. My guide was IRC 2003 Section R-408.
a. "Exceptions" #5 Sub ref N1102.1.7
2. Taunton's, "Build like a Pro" Insulate and Weatherize. By Bruce Harley.
a. Should be available through FHB books.
3. FHB Issue 162 Page 52. (May 2004)
4. Journal of Light Construction, October 2003, page 83. This is a real good article.
Now, all that being said. Your inspector may be your biggest hurdle. Mine is not keen on it and is/has tried to toss all sorts of hurdles in my way. I have cleared them so far but it has cost me and I am not "CO"'ed. So it "ain't" over yet. I had/have an energy architect that helps me out a bit and he recommended just vent it to keep the BI off my back and the return after I get "CO"ed and fill'em in. Maybe I am stubborn but I don't think that is the right way to do it so I am going with the brute force method. One day this will be the norm but it not here not yet. So good luck, you are doing what I think to be the right thing. It is a very energy efficient way to do business if you do it right.
KD
>>he recommended just vent it to keep the BI off my back and the return after I get "CO"ed and fill'em in. Maybe I am stubborn but I don't think that is the right way to do it so I am going with the brute force method.
IMO, the "right" way to do it is what gets the house built with the bestdetails and as little "discussion" ith the AHJ as posible.