It's a polymer and characteristic component of exoskeletons, radulae, beaks, shells and various other physical structures in organisms throughout history. Gregory, He acquired a counseling psychology primary’s degree but, as it turned out, he really loved the theory and the study and definitely not the actual practice. It’s not that you can’t make fiberglass in higher performance levels; in fact it is made and sold in Canada at higher R-values. Mineral wool will stand up to temperatures that will reduce fiberglass to a puddle of molten glass. Mineral wool is different. They just do not have the time to ask the builder to do any rework at this stage and the builders may have already had the drywall stocked. Should this increase really be counted as an additional thermal break? ;-) But still... There are two major fungi in wood, dry or brown rot, that only needs 28-30% relative humidity to initiate an attack. I will not use paper faced batts, but rather, rely on a separate vapor barrier. Chlorine and Bromine fire retardants (C or BFR’s) produce dioxins, are highly carcinogenic human health hazards when exposed to fire. When the wood falls in temperature it takes on moisture as adsorb (not liquid)and liquid water never form as on either the fiber or the wood until the wood is saturated, which takes more than just a few weeks of abnormally cold weather if the house is built with the IRC prescriptive minimums for exterior R for the climate zone. With foam at the exterior this would allow the OSB to dry faster, and in assemblies with interior vapor control it would make more drying potential from the wall cavity. You may not agree that these conditions will come about, but it is the simply physics of the matter is that this is true. Sell, search, bid, and win on Antiques, Collectibles, Coins, Estate & Personal Property, Cars & Trucks, Toys and more. This promotes water draining and drying if the wall cavity becomes wet, rather than holding water like a sponge. That’s why this industry designs with such high safety margins that fight themselves in weight and dead loads. As you say the interesting variations look endless! Strange as it may seem to you I don't employ a Materials Technology Engineer. Why the confusion over this simple concept? I also wonder what the effects of 100 years of paint maintenance will have on the drying to the interior for moisture loading in the winter. My structural engineer concurs. I have never used it, but I will certainly consider it going forward. The problem with moving moisture or a dew point out to rigid foam insulation sheathing (eg: REMOTE WALL) is it was not designed for that service condition unless it has an anti-fungi or anti micro-phobia additive which most do not, nor is OSB, plywood, etc. One of the most recognizable Japanese paintings is The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife.It was executed in 1814 by famous artist Hokusai. This will reduce the chance of rot in the sheathing but to the best of my knowledge it will not inhibit the growth of mold. In the real world the converse of "Most fiberglass batt jobs are sloppy" is not: "Most mineral wool batt jobs are awesome. 25 Things You Didn’t Know About Restoration Hardware, About the Homestratosphere Editorial Staff & Writers. Fair enough? An 8" serrated bread knife works pretty well A mineral wool batt has a shape and keeps its shape. (And I didn't always cut a perfect line width wise either, but you may be more skilled at DIYing than I am..). In the US it is not in the least bit uncommon for a remodeling contractor to apply 1-2" of foam over an existing wall assembly with kraft faced batts. Keith Detail the drainage plane to get bulk water out fast- short runs to dump moisture. I'll be brief but if you contact me directly I'm happy to discuss it more. It looks like I'm in the same boat as Dana (on a different issue). The consequences of poor installs with those material are much more severe too. Second: bad installations. However, if your build the two wall types properly, the non-REMOTE wall will have an effective air barrier on the warm side that will prevent vapor from reaching the cold sheathing. Keeping it in place without horizontal z-girts (thermal bridge) can be tricky and stick pins are unreliable at best. (Even when the bullshit is mine. Aside from the difference in reaction to water, I would think that the two types of insulation could compete with each other on an even basis. Mineral wool, on the other hand, will not become wet. Anything in the way of air barrier, etc to include? It could actually rival the Boston store in amenities, which include a 50-foot infinity pool. The material is limp and fluffy, and because of this the handling, cutting, and placement requires more care to install well. Fine. Share. Here we pull a 2×4 out of the dumpster, and use a razor blade holder to cut it on the floor deck. So let’s talk about insulation value first. Find communities you're interested in, and become part of an online community! One of my concerns with exterior rigid foam is that it raises the sheathing temperature to mold growth temperatures for more time. The data supports my assertion that there is a point at which these Remote walls will fail to perform. Then, in 2013, the company also released their new tableware line. Takes some forethought and coordination, but its not difficult. So we agree on that point. If I make a coffee table out of OSB and sit it in the middle of my living room it doesn't grow fungi, rot out or need to transpire moisture. Jessie you wrote: The OSB and stud wall on the interior of a REMOTE wall is essentially the same as that OSB coffee table. "You don't know what you are doing" The store also has a massive well-appointed library that features archives of newspapers and design magazines from all over the world. Mineral wool is dense and firm, and it friction fits into the stud space. The good news in this story is that mineral wool comes in configurations that can be used as exterior insulation in place of foam. The additional cost is off-set easily by the better performance, and for the installer it is off-set by faster better quality installs. He is now focusing on creating energy-efficient prototypes for production building based on Swedish precedents, as well as posting blog entries on his website. 2) Insulation companies generally do not have a supervisor in the field checking quality. Comfortboard FS or IS is not available here. @ Debra The leading online auction platform. I like working with mineral wool because, unlike fiberglass, it doesn't leave me itchy and scratchy. Exterior insulation makes sheathing warmer and dryer, and makes a wall assembly less risky. Wonderful subdivision just minutes off of hwy 54 with great neighbors, community pool, and a community boat dock. I'm not sold on batts between conventional framing w/o supplementary insulation. We have lots of data on actual temperatures and moisture levels in wall sheathing with exterior insulation. - Using two plates in conventional construction is at best a regional practice and not integral to the framing. Good luck. Therefore, I conclude that if REMOTE walls and non-REMOTE walls are built properly, there is no difference in riskiness. osb Plywood generally can take moisture better and is stronger due it’s large lap shear and tension bond lines, it is also manufactured more consistently. It's simple statics, Pressure = Force/Area. Cutting batts in half (thickness) Response to Gregory La Vardera Some of you I see pushing foam when you do not fully understand fungi as evidence by a lack of acknowledgment in your post. There is a strong enemy in the area, so be careful. Google has many special features to help you find exactly what you're looking for. His work has included the development of several off-site building methods and progressive design in catalog house plan publishing. [Photo credit: Smålandsvillan], A mineral wool knife is a large serrated knife like a giant bread knife. Batt insulation, whether it is derived from glass, rock, cotton, or carbon fibers is only as good as the installation. You can imagine the variations in quality based on the manufactures quality control and understanding of material integration. The longer answer is that the relationship between the temperature of sheathing and its moisture content is a matter of physics, and that researchers have confirmed that sheathing that is protected with exterior insulation (a) stays warmer than sheathing without any exterior insulation and (b) stays dryer than sheathing without any exterior insulation. Gregory, every contractor in my area is making the same "too little foam" mistake over glass filled walls of old. To those who find it 'shreds', you are doing it wrong. We had a good conversation since we both do the same thing but mine is metal and composites. Using utility knifes to cut fiberglass (especially HD fiberglass) is a bit of a hack, only to be done in a pinch, though still a commonly used method for low-density goods. We go there in the evening. The Swedish have obviously established a good relationship between mineral wool and their frame configuration. Second spot is due East from the boat, near the shoreline (53, 65) where there's a basilisk or two. You can pack it into the end of a ceiling joist bay to insulate the rim joist, for example, or around HVAC ducts. Ignoring this requirement is the main reason why fiberglass batts are often considered to be poorly installed. The grand opening was so outrageous that police had to shut it down. Is mineral wool an acceptable insulation to pack around the roof penetration for a woodstove pipe? Martin - I am not making unwarranted aspersions - I am expressing my opinion in the comment section. It's ironic (and clearly untrue) that you wrote, "The Canadians never had a good solution for the rim joist space," in light of the fact that the Canadians invented PERSIST, and that exterior rigid foam is an excellent way to insulate rim joists. His idea of home furnishings is an updated New England classic style that is comfortable, spare, and symmetrical. I have remodeled homes where rigid foam thoughtfully employed over OSB on the exterior caused the worst rot possible. The workers in the photographs have sound protection equipment, but where are the safety glasses and mask to prevent inhalation of particles. Second, installations. Worth may be subjective, but what’s ... it’d be specifically designed to thrive there. From what I read the average home has a 40 year life cycle, less than half pre-industrial revolution. Do American framers and insulation contractors know how to put that wall together? You correct that fungi concept is very simple and proven, there is no debate. Now, if you wish to increase the likelihood that you won’t need to make any punctures in this airtight layer, then you should plan on a wall with an interior wiring chase, such as the U.S.A. New Wall that we’ve elaborated on here. Atlanta Magazine dubbed it a full-line design gallery for the next-generation. The insulation is blown into the wall or attic one layer (1”) at a time. Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) is fungi and fire resistant : http://asia.kynar.com/export/sites/kynar-asia/.content/medias/downloads/literature/fungal-chemical-fire-resistant-pvdf-foams-and-polymers.pdf. There is no comparing mineral wool to foam and fiberglass, it wins hands down by material properties not opinion. 02. Perhaps that wasn't the case 2 years ago when you wrote the initial blog, but sure is now. The wall keys into the sill plate and its in the right position. The reality is that this is just not so. Period. : Class 1, Exterior) these manufacture’s give to their ‘engineered wood’ products they still contain wood that is unpredictable and does not do well when exposed to high humidity and heat. "The foam must be thick enough to keep the dew point within the depth of the foam in order to prevent condensation within the wall cavity". Gregory, [Photo credit: Smålandsvillan], Blocks of mineral wool insulation are stiff, so they need to be shoved into stud bays. I don't dispute the tone of this piece - it was written as a rant on my own blog 2 years ago. There may be some blustering, but mis-statment of fact is not true. It sounds like the perfect choice for the exterior, I've seen both the Insulated sheathing board and the comfortbatts for sale here. In addition, RH is the country’s largest importer of Italian bedding and Belgian linen. Stephen- you realize this blog piece is more than 5 years old, right? TJIs can be stabilized with 1/2" of sheathing rather than a the thickness of a rim joist. Your best chance for an airtight wall is if you don’t puncture your air barrier with electrical work, outlet boxes, and switches. I'll try to find some points of agreement. Good article! Roxol's Comfortboard can be left in fairly exposed situations without any damage. Shop by department, purchase cars, fashion apparel, collectibles, sporting goods, cameras, baby items, and everything else on eBay, the world's online marketplace I'm shocked and dismayed when people put R30+ closed cell foam in a 2x6 16" o.c. Martin Clearing things up There are other mineral wool manufacturers out there, but they are not proactively pursuing the residential market. I see it as poor practice, and its discouraging to see it so highly recommended by such a popular source. It does not burn and we have a chance of building a fire safe ventilated rain-screen using Roxul comfort board. Obtained: Found in any trinket spawn. Having the deck continuous from the joists to the wall is what will tie the assembly together and allow the deck to brace the house. However, the REMOTE wall’s performance will be better that the alternative wall because the sheathing will be warmer in the REMOTE wall. They said that the 992 pages were simply a waste of paper. Despite the increased risk of photochemical damage, no organic artefacts were moved from their positions in the artefact scatter. No electrical penetrations, continuous sheet from floor to floor, less taping. As Greg pointed out there is no way to assure and inspect the dew point location in the REMOTE design. Simply said, this is the best way to create an airtight envelope for the house. Your comments should help to clear the air of several obfuscations that are piling up on this page. Floating very high up in the sky. The wreck of the RMS Titanic lies at a depth of about 12,500 feet (3.8 km; 2.37 mi), about 370 miles (600 km) south-southeast off the coast of Newfoundland.It lies in two main pieces about a third of a mile (600 m) apart. When it comes to ‘data’ this industry really has limited: lab test funding, collecting, storage, and a shortage of empirical data that can be used in all climates and configurations to design with. You know this to be true. News, email and search are just the beginning. Fiberglass batts are limp, soft blankets. Boron you mentioned is concentrated on Earth by the water-solubility of its more common naturally occurring compounds, the borate minerals. ". Discover more every day. This feature has been temporarily disabled during the beta site preview. Whether fiberglass can shed its unhealthy reputation, or if it will be overtaken by mineral wool with its higher performance levels, has yet to be determined. Find your yodel. Looks like a great tool - I only wish I'd known about it sooner. We know some other facts about manufactured foam, they are Halogenated Flame Retardants (HFRs) - Chlorine and bromine fire retardants(C or BFRs) base produce dioxins, are highly carcinogenic human health hazards when exposed to fire. President Joe Biden signed the $1.9 trillion stimulus package Thursday. The Swedes solved this, without adopting the counter intuitive move of vapor control to the outside. So I would say the Swedish techniques and performance advantages are well tied to the material. - Much less irritating than fb on the lungs But it's still significant, while the thermal performance improvement isn't, which is why that uptick in R value isn't a good selling point. The air seal in this case wants to be on the warm side of the wall, to prevent interior moisture from entering the wall cavity and condensing during the winter heating season. Currently fiberglass is classified similarly to mineral wool, which is considered what is called “biosoluble.” This means that these mineral fibers dissolve in contact with tissues, leaving no fibers to trigger disease. ... (58, 61). You wrote, "Also the performance of REMOTE-style walls in Canada, where very cold temperature ranges are common, and the thickness of foam has to be sized to anticipate this, is a different situation than introducing it in the US where the temperatures are higher.". They opened a new one in Canada and the transaction did not include Sears Holding but instead included Catterton Partners. The problem I see with the second floor is that I work in a high seismic area where more restraint of the floor system is probably necessary than is provided by the ledger connection. I’ve read A LOT of opinions here but little ‘fact’. We furred out our rafters (which were mostly 2 X 6) just to be able to accomodate R-23. I know the A/V soundproofing geeks poo poo MW for fancy stuff like resilient channel and double 5/8" with decoupling glue, but the difference in sound absorption is easily detected by the human ear. There is no required labeling or legislation for quantity of HFRs. It is a waste of my time. It has an insulation factor of 240. Bahco is distributed in the US by Snap-On Tools. Well, because some issues with that elevator stalled the planned opening of the store. The Swedish design allows the insulation to diffuse moisture drive to exterior air reducing the risk of growing fungi and rot, not trap it to a material such as foam that is not fungi resistant or proven to be, or, have any manufactured recommended applications as such, as a place to collect dew point as I show in my last response, or where the material property absorption rate (approx. I agree. Martin, let’s not mistaken a lack of understanding of rot and fungi damage and empirical evidence with “opinion”. The problem here is that only the most general recommendations for these configurations can be made in the building code. If you follow Martin Holliday's excellent advice and run foam board along your basement wall, for example, you will need to include a firebreak that runs from the floor to the ceiling, every 10 feet. If they are doing fine and growing someone please point to the data that shows a life cycle, mean time to failure? Response to Terry Lee Hold batt one side in the bay, make a small incision mid-way through the next stud, place on the floor and 'saw', inset. Just about everything you’ll need for an enjoyable day on the water – in a box! The 2 x 2 outer non-structural strap they fasten it to needs a rain and pest screen so, it is not that effective either but, takes shear load out and stabilizes the studs from buckling. You wrote, "There is nowhere near the installed base of REMOTE-based wall assemblies in the US. > Unlike fiberglass, mineral wool acts like clay when you pack it into gaps and holes. If you are worried that the spread of the REMOTE system from cold climates (Alaska and Canada) to the lower 48 states will leak to an increase in problems, then you have the situation backwards. Insulation knives are available at box stores in my neighborhood. I would consider cellulose, but hesitate because of probably needing to hire that work. So, Gordon started honing his merchandising skills over the next ten years. I have to agree with Greg something is wrong in this country and it is up to many of you experienced senior professionals that this generation listens to straighten it out. OSB has multi-directional structural properties based on chip size and orientation, plywood extruded grain direction. Debra, good points, you may Criticism of the sheer length of it came from Time magazine. I have NEVER had any insulator bring up any issues that prevent them from doing a quality job. Fiberglass can not stand in for mineral wool in this case, nor can cellulose. Don't try to tear and wrap like you do with fb. Answer to John Hansen #12 Bad craftsman and good craftsman aside, it is easier to do a good job with mineral wool. foam on the outside Roxul batts suffer from the same challenges as fiberglass batts when installed in non-uniform spaces and around plumbing and wiring. There are hacks and pros installing all types of goods, which says little about the nature of the goods.". He’s the man who has literally been responsible for illuminating numerous historic monuments that include San Francisco’s Palace of Fine Arts. No spray, no blown-in product, no blanket can fill a wall void as well as a proper installation of mineral wool insulation. The most interesting aspect here to me is going back to nature and getting away from manufacturing processes with material selections causing the least problems (eg: mineral wool, cellulose, borate, pure foam, etc). Charles, It's too bad that, from your and others comments, it appears fiberglass installation in some areas is very poor. That fact is that Canadian building science went one way, Swedish building science went the other. Gregory is making some valid points' Building Errors: If Remote style walls become widespread contractors will make mistakes when they build these walls. I don't get fooled again. This vapor retarder membrane has a low permeability level in dry conditions, but if the humidity level within the wall gets high, the material will open up to allow the moisture to dry to the other side. "Attached to the wall is a plywood plate, with the rest of the sill plate. I would like to pack the box with mineral insulation, does that comply with code and common sense safety? The garage on Cloudbreak can house two large tenders plus several water toys The tank deck is an example of beautiful engineering and space planning in support of a yacht’s mission — she needs to be self-reliant in remote areas. Gregory, the video and pics don’t really detail the lower sill installation well so I will try and get a hold of you. [gallery ids="16781,16776,16777,16779,16780,16778"] This review was a long time coming. Now shoppers have access to literally an endless supply of crazy features, decorative flourishes, and architectural details. BTW the "hand saw" in the picture at the top of the article is not a saw, but rather has a serrated blade like a bread knife, just in a large format like a hand saw. This was no strict application of the Remote Wall premise. - Mice seem to be just fine with nesting in FB. :-) ) , but if I had to guess I would assume he won' t be reading this in a timely fashion, if ever. You are expected to compress the fiberglass enough to cut through it with the short blade of the razor knife. The need for speed that is created by paying piece rate results in batts simply being TORN rather than cut. For more information on this topic, see Where Does the Housewrap Go? - A bread knife works fine ". So in general Swedish Platform Framing can be and is as diverse as Western Platform Framing. by Surur. Either wall can fail, of course. If your wall assembly allows enough moisture to accumulate on the exterior sheathing that it can cause the OSB to rot, the assembly needs modifying, not the sheathing material. There are countless problems with walls insulated with batts because they were built with kraft faced fiberglass which provides neither an air barrier or vapor control, or barely if installed well.