Wanting to build a new house, been living in an old drafty house. Wondering what your opinions are on the exterior wall thickness over the standard. I am wanting to built the most effecient house possible.
Wanting to build a new house, been living in an old drafty house. Wondering what your opinions are on the exterior wall thickness over the standard. I am wanting to built the most effecient house possible.
I consider 2x6 studs standard nowadays, you talking about more than that?
Yes, wondering if it would be worth going thicker than the 6"
Wanting to build a new house, been living in an old drafty house. Wondering what your opinions are on the exterior wall thickness over the standard. I am wanting to built the most effecient house possible.
been living in an old drafty house.
Arkansas is not exactly the North Pole.
You nailed it with the word "drafty." Air infiltration is what makes a house feel cold. Wrap the walls with tyvak and use modern windows and doors. If you do that, even 2x4 walls will be comfy.
I'm with catfish,Hello,
2 X 6 should be more than enough, if properly insulated. In my opinion, insulation is the most important factor towards an efficient home. One thing to consider when building, for efficiency, is orientation of the house. If you can, build so that the majority of the larger windows face towards the south-east, or which ever direction is exposed to the most sun. Passive solar heat can make a huge difference in the amount of energy required to heat your home. Thanks.
Your right, but there are stints where we may stay in the lower teens atleast for the lows for a month or more. If I am building the one and only house that I will ever build. I want it done right. These structural panels look interesting. I will have to see if there is anyone in arkansas that handles these. I have found some places in other states.
Try 20-45 below zero non wild chill....teens..we call that a heat wave in the winter.
Your heading in the right direction...SIP are great but where you live...2x6 construction with tyvek outside and properlly insulted will handle that heat load easily.
Heck...heating a well built 2x6 constructed home is easy to do up here .
I built my 2,200 square foot house and 1,900 square foot garage using Sips Panels. My garage walls are 4" of foam insulation with a 12" thick foam roof because of the long span - the house has 6" thick walls with a 10" thick roof. The floor has 1.5 inch thick foam under the slab and the concrete floor is seperated from the footing and foundation walls by 1/2 inch thick foam. The seams in the SIPS panels are all caulked during installation and the house is very tight and well insulated. If the outside temp is 90 degrees and the inside is 70 degrees and we shut all the windows.....we will only gain 4 degrees all day. In the winter our utilities run about $ 70 a month. We have an OWB and to heat heat the garage and house and provide domestic hot water it requires about a single wheelbarrow load of wood a day - that increases to about 2 wheelbarrow loads when the temperature drops into the teens.
The cost of SIPS panels is supposed to be about 20% more than conventional construction but you are supposed to make it up in labor savings as the panels to up very quick. We didn't experience the labor savings as our framers had never worked with the panels before - but I suppose the next one they do will go quicker. Our garage was a complete shell in 2 days and it took about a week for the house. There are some quirks with the SIPS panels as wiring and plumbing are done a bit different and similar to what a log cabin requires. I love my house - it is my retirement house (I plan on retiring in this house in about 15 years) and I never intend to let the utility company hold me hostage with high fuel prices.
Insulating 2x6 construction. Is the spray foam, that much better than cellulose?
Insulating 2x6 construction. Is the spray foam, that much better than cellulose?
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