Page 33 - November 2015 Green Builder Magazine
P. 33
Exteriors / Roofing / Structure / Insulation / IAQ / Windows / Heating / Lighting / Appliances / Faucets & Fixtures / Finishes / Cabinets & Tops / Alternative Energy
Spray Foam Cellulose
Insulation Insulation
Interior Control 31
Many new homes include interior wall
insulation—in part because it makes walls
more soundproof. But it also has energy
advantages. It allows you to “zone” different
parts of the home so that only the areas of the
home being used are fully heated or cooled.
Rim Armor Virtues Virtues
The point were the
first floor of a home ■■ Fills gaps and ■■ High percent of
meets the second cavities completely recycled content
has historically been
tough to insulate. New ■■ Provides its own air barrier ■■ Little or no toxic offgassing
products and systems
include this part of the ■■ High R-value per inch ■■ Relatively easy to install
house in the insulated
envelope, greatly Caveats Caveats
reducing energy loss.
■■ More expensive than ■■ Must be installed carefully
IMAGE COURTESY OF OWENS CORNING competing products to fill all gaps
(WWW.OWENSCORNING.COM). THE COLOR
PINK IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF OWENS ■■ Requires special ■■ Wet products can be
CORNING: TEXT BY GREEN BUILDER STAFF equipment/skills to install problematic if not allowed
to dry properly
Owens Corning
Comfort Tracker As a result, offgassing emissions tend to be low. Mineral wool www.greenbuildermag.com 11.2015
Mobile App includes high levels of post-industrial recycled content waste
(up to 90 percent), reducing the environmental impact of its
Just launched, this free, production. Rigid exterior insulation made from mineral wool is
user-friendly app can now becoming available, as well.
be combined with FLIR
ONE thermal imaging RIGID FOAM
camera technology to Water Resistive
detect places where air
and heat are leaking from You may have seen contractors in your area putting green or blue
the home. The Comfort insulation right over the wood siding of an old house. Chances
Tracker app enables are, they’re applying extruded expanded polystyrene (XEPS) or
contractors and DIY polyisocyanurate closed-cell foam. Both products are dense and
homeowners to turn their durable. Some building experts suggest that foam used this way
smartphones into tools can an act as water resistive barriers (WRBs), negating the need
that can help improve a home’s energy performance. for housewrap, but we recommend playing it safe and using
www.owenscorning.com housewrap as well. Rigid foam also is a good choice for insulating
basement walls. GB
VISION HOUSE® AT MARIPOSA MEADOWS SPONSOR
DuPont Tyvek ThermaWrap R5.0
DuPont Tyvek ThermaWrap R5.0 offers
the air and water management benefits
of DuPont Tyvek HomeWrap and also adds
R-5 to the wall assembly. Unlike other
exterior insulation products, ThermaWrap is
breathable, allowing any moisture that finds
its way into the wall cavity to escape.
http://bit.ly/1XQDW7W
