Exterior Walls Advice: 2x4 or 2x6
16 years ago
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- 16 years ago
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2x4 Interior Walls with 8' Ducts & 4' Plumbing Stacks - HELP!
Comments (1)If you live in a cold climate, venting anything but a stink pipe through the roof is a slippery slope...literally....picture a snow covered roof in the winter...now add warm air exiting the roof from a bathroom or dryer or kitchen exhaust fan...the warm air thaws the snow around the vent, then when you turn the fan off, the snow re-freezes, becoming ice, causing ice damming, resulting in excessive moisture and/or a leaky roof. You are much better exhausting warm air out the side of the house or out a gable. Regarding the PVC drain pipes, they're almost exactly the same dimension as a 2x4, so they fit, but just barely. You need to make sure your cut-outs are centered, but even if they're not, you can fur out the wall in question with strapping or "one-by". As for venting the range hood, a 6" duct should be sufficient, and instead of running it up, you can run it along the top of your cabinets, and out an exterior wall. You can also lower the profile by using 10"x3" rigid ducting which will fit inside the wall...If you have to run it up, you can either box it in and paint it the same color as the wall, or you can get a chimney hood....See More2x4 or 2x6 for insulation
Comments (14)I have to jump in just to agree some other things that have been said. I finished my house up a few months ago, helping with the entire project. Insulation is not hard or terribly mysterious. I am solidly with 2x6 construction. It makes for a solid house, and gives the room for the extra and affordable fiberglass. I also used ZipWall sheathing, which may not add much R factor, but sure is a good product. I have a little bit of spray foam in a vaulted ceiling, which I'm very satisfied with, but the stuff is so expensive and much harder to install, which has to add to the cost. Caulk is huge. Get out there yourself if you have to and caulk everything imaginable. Its easy, but other people will not care as much as you do. The cans of spray foam come in handy for big gaps. Caulk, stuff insulation, lay down insulation anywhere you can. We're in the midst of this blizzard in Oklahoma, and the house is warm and draft free....See More2x6 walls question
Comments (7)Energy rater...I know...seems silly. I really am concerned about the other things too. But those things I feel pretty confident about...I think. I really do have a reason for asking such a silly question. We have found a plan that's pretty reasonable. I've had a Kohler Tea for Two tub picked out for years. It's 6 ft. In this plan (see pic) the tub almost looks wedged in as it is. The space is 6' 8 1/2". My brain is thinking that if this space shrinks by 4 " the tub I want will not fit. The plan has 2x4 walls and we want 2x6 walls. So trying to figure out if we should have our local architect change this along with any other changes we are making. Does losing those few inches here and there affect things like this or trim and doors not fitting right in tight places where every inch might count? JDS..so, if the GC has the basement contractor pour all walls 4" bigger the plan or blueprint doesn't need to be changed. Am I getting this right? ichabod...thank you. Love your phrasing..walls "coming in"...See More2x4 vs 2x6 exterior studs with spray foam insulation. Better Option?
Comments (49)Michigan occupies building climate zones 5 - 7. Zone 5 is the warmest zone that can still comply with the R20 cavity-only requirement. It looks like Ontario has adopted similar IRC mandatory exterior insulative sheathing. We use the performance compliance path on every home, one of the many advantages to including a third party energy rater. Most raters are not keen on getting too far away from code prescriptions. For some of the prescriptions, like blower door minimums, it's cost-effective to exceed code. Most high performance builders are exceeding code with exterior insulation as code encourages risky wall strategies, hence the recommended minimum table I first posted about. Even leaky, all natural homes can have poor indoor air quality. Outdoor air ventilation is now required by current IRC codes and a smart idea for any inhabited enclosed space. It's a life-safety requirement and long overdue measure for modern homes....See MoreRelated Professionals
Euless Architects & Building Designers · Franklin Architects & Building Designers · Centralia Home Builders · Highland Village Home Builders · Kingsburg Home Builders · Bellingham General Contractors · Buena Park General Contractors · ‘Ewa Beach General Contractors · Jamestown General Contractors · Linton Hall General Contractors · Muskogee General Contractors · New Milford General Contractors · Parkville General Contractors · Port Washington General Contractors · Red Wing General Contractors- 16 years ago
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