show me the power, child
Tom is talking energy efficiency:
So this weekend, I was looking for information on how to replace the thermostat on my attic fan. My googling took me to this energy efficiency website, which says that attic fans actually do more harm than good. The site seemed quite credible, and I started looking around at other sections, and learning about all kinds of stuff I was doing wrong.
He has some good info. I commented:
My tips: Ceiling fan in the garage; insulate your garage (and garage door); It’s amazing how much heat from the garage comes in the house.
Vinyl windows.
The spray on insulation (like a foam) and not the pink kind.
Use 2X6s instead of 2X4s for exterior walls in the house. An extra 2 inches of insulation makes a big difference.
But then, I’m building so i make these choices as I go. kinda tough if you’re house already exists.
Yeah, I know. I change houses more than I change cars.
Also, on the super nifty scale, is I’m getting perpetual hot water. Basically, the piping is heated so when you turn hot water on anywhere it is instantly hot. No waiting on it to travel from the hot water heater to the kitchen.
August 1st, 2006 at 2:46 pm
Another of our commenters questions the wisdom of the 2×6 construction, saying that the heat bridging effect of the wood negates the advantage of the extra insulation.
Meanwhile, if you haven’t seen it, DIY has been running a “best-built home” show, where they show the construction of a home they gave as a prize. They claim that by using the best available building techniques, the house is 40% more energy efficient than a typical new home. I had efficient home envy, especially since my house is a sieve and was built in 1960, making it an older sieve.
From the energy-efficiency web site I cited, my favorite quote: “A house built to code is the worst house allowed by law.”
August 1st, 2006 at 3:04 pm
seems to imply to me that wherever he lives, they go down to 2x6s from something else. Here (2X4s are standard) and 2X6s cost more. And just because something else is more effective it doesn’t mean 2x6s aren’t effective at all.
August 1st, 2006 at 4:28 pm
Using 2x6s + insulation is worse for your energy efficiency than using 2x4s + insulation. The insulation insulates. The wood, relatively speaking, conducts. So I’d say it’s both cheaper and more effective to use 2x4s.
August 1st, 2006 at 5:13 pm
BH:
According to that commenter at my site, 2×6’s + insulation is more efficient than 2×4’s + standard insulation, but 2×4’s + modern insulation + best-practice construction techniques is both more cost effective and more efficient than 2×6 construction.
August 2nd, 2006 at 1:33 am
I’d like to say
That I’m down on my knees today.
Gives me the butterflies
gives me away
til I’m up on my feet again
August 2nd, 2006 at 8:59 am
2×4, air gap, 2×4.
Of course, I’m looking at cast-in-place and SIP (structural insulation panels) for my coming house expansion, but I figure if you’re using cheap 2×4’s and want the best insulation, cutting off the worst of the heat conduits would do it. No idea what code says about a 7″ thick exterior wall done with 2×4’s though…
August 2nd, 2006 at 10:49 am
drstrangegun, that would certainly work if the 2×4’s are staggered (not opposite each other) and the “air gap” is filled with insulation. It would be a little expensive. Of course, so are concrete walls (I assume that’s what you mean by “cast-in-place”), which don’t have much R-value by themselves (therefore the insulation panels), but have a lot of thermal mass.