Does OSB emit Volatile Organic Compounds?
We recently received a message from one of our readers, and the Ol Sage thought he would pass it along as it is important to be concerned about Volatile Organic Compounds.
Builder Insights / Blog
Tag / TallWall
Blower Door Testing 101
Building enveloped that perform poorly reduce energy efficiency, increase ROI times, and increase carbon footprints and utility bills for building owners. A blower door test can help to establish the airtightness of small to medium buildings, measure the flow of air between different areas in a building and test the airtightness of ductwork.
Understanding R-value and U-value
Knowing what R-value and U-values mean is key to following energy issues and to selecting products that best suit the climate zone you are building in. R-value is essentially a product’s resistance to heat flow. Adversely, U-value measures the rate of heat transfer. This means that products with a lower U-value will be more energy efficient. It is tempting to think that these two values are direct opposites of each other, but there are some important differences to note.
9-Foot Trims Increased Popularity
The trend toward more 9-foot ceilings in both single-family and multifamily housing starts is really gaining traction. Surveys shows increased production output in 2011 and 2012 of 9-foot and longer trims with no end in sight to this trend. Read on for more details…
Five most Time-Consuming Call-backs: Wall Systems
The dreaded call-back from an unhappy customer often takes up time and money that eats into your profit margins. However, successfully dealing with these issues can boost your customer service and improve word-of-mouth business. Turn your clients into raving fans with these call-back fixes.
Plenum Truss: Get Your Ducting into a Conditioned Space
Placing notoriously leaky HVAC ductwork into an unconditioned space will not make for an energy efficient heating or cooling system.There are a few options which locate the ductwork within the thermal enclosure of the home. Options include moving the ceiling plane to the underside of the roof with an unvented attic or placing the ductwork in a conditioned basement. A third option is the installation of plenum trusses which allow for a compact ducting system to be placed in a conditioned bulkhead.
Stronger Walls in One Easy Step
Increased incidence of strong weather systems and the tragedies that follow high wind events have encouraged engineers and designers to rethink the way we build to improve wall strength. Stronger walls will keep home occupants safer during weather events and will increase the lifespan of the home. One of the problems is that the roof, wall and flooring systems are installed as separate entities. Connecting the OSB wall sheathing and the flooring system can create a continuous load path which can improve wall strength by up to 38%.
Are all air leaks the same?
In an effort to create an airtight building envelope, you may want to know which gaps to focus your energy on. When considering air leaks, there are some that will give you more bang for your energy efficient buck.
Building for Hurricane Season
Now building to protect against loss of life and property damage is easier than you think.
Prevent Buckling with Proper Spacing
The APA (the Engineered Woo Association) recommends that construction professionals leave a 1/8-inch gap between each panel edge and end joint. As ambient moisture changes, your OSB or plywood panels will expand and contract. When you butt the panels together tightly, there is no room for expansion and this can cause buckling in the panels. …
