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House: 330 NE 193rd St

house energy sustainability deep-energy-retrofit insulation zero-energy

330-ne-193rd-st's Introduction

330 NE 193rd St

The Story

On April 29th, 2016 we took possession of 330 NE 193rd St. The house was built in 1958 and extended in the late 70's. The house is vintage in many ways, including the original aluminum frame single-pane windows (#8) and an enormous three stall garage made from 3" reclaimed lumber from pier 91. We're in the midst of a Deep Energy Retrofit aiming at transforming the house into a Net Zero Energy Building.

Major Goals

50 year durability. Build systems to require minimal maintenance to gracefully support the structure and occupants for 50 years. This goal affects choices like:
- steel roofing
- super-insulating, aiming for where code is likely to be in a few decades
- fiberglass and/or high quality vinyl framed windows
Net Zero. Achieving Net Zero would mean our home produces as much energy as we consume (electric bill = $0). The shortest path to achieving Net Zero is reducing consumption. The challenge is to do so without burdening the occupants. Then add energy production. Steps we've taking on our path to Net Zero are:
- all LED lighting (incandescent, gu24 bulbs)
- high-efficiency appliances
- super-insulating the building (walls, garage, floor, foundation walls, crawl space)
- replace single pane windows
- air seal & ventilate the house
- solar panels
Sustainability. Sustainability is focused on the long term impacts of material and design choices.
- Steel roofing costs 20-50% more than composite but lasts 3 times longer. Steel is 100% recycleable, doesn't burn (lower insurance), reflects sunlight (lower cooling), and weights half as much as shingle/composite roofs.
- Fiberglass windows cost more than high-quality vinyl but last 40% longer. Fiberglass expands and contracts at roughly the same rate as glass, delaying seal failures and increasing longevity. Fiberglass is 60% glass, a recycleable material.
- Replacing gas appliances (furnace & water heater) with electric versions has reduced our fossil fuel consumption.
- Our fast car charger enables us to drive the Nissan Leaf more, reducing our fossil fuel consumption.

More details on these and other issues are found in the Issue Tracker.

reference documents

Name	Purpose
TODO	a running list of "open" projects
ROOFING	Research and notes related to replacing the roof (see #18)
INSULATION	Research notes regarding insulation types and prices

External Information

redfin
Zillow
GH Pages (not used, yet)

330-ne-193rd-st's People

Contributors

Stargazers

Watchers

Forkers

linhn

330-ne-193rd-st's Issues

insulate and pour concrete crawl space floor

info

dirt floor covered with black plastic (moisture & radon control)
- seams not taped
there are two dirt levels (~30" variance)
partially insulated duct work
no insulation on ceiling (effectively "conditioned" space)
concrete pad in center supporting chimney (see also #19)
unvented
mechanical equipment is already located here (necessitating that it remain conditioned)
plumbing is located here, mandating that it be kept warm.
23' x 26'

materials

6 yards of pea gravel
- sky nursery: $47/yard @ 10 yards
- pacific topsoil: $44/yard @ 10, $51.75 @ 6 (total w/tax: $340)
20 sheets of 2" XPS foam board insulation ($32 ea)
74 feet of perforated drain pipe
7 sheets of 3/4 plywood to build concrete forms ($23/ea)
6-mil polyethylene

TODO

thoughts

Mold, mildew, and dust mites don't colonize dry areas
Warm dry basements:
- attract fewer pests and insects.
- are great for storage
Insulating the floor above the space is a bad idea.
Heating this space will provide a warm floor above it.
the walls need at least R-15 (Marine Zone 4)

references

garage attic needs cleaning

info

coated in a thick layer of dust
has old cabinets stored there
has piles of scrap wood (cut ends of various lumber)
spare shingles

todo

clear out scrap lumber
remove cabinets
vacuum dust off floor and walls
move shingles to garage crawl space
paint floor and walls white (interior latex)
wire in another light bulb (or two) #65

need a composter

This house doesn't have one. It's got a beautiful sunny lot. A well placed composter could consume all our food scraps and most of our yard waste.

todo

order new composter (YIMBY RM6000)
set it up

get an Energy Star Rebate

from PSE

depends on #10 (Home Energy Evaluation)
depends on #8 (replace single pane windows)
depends on #16 (insulate the walls)

GU24 light fixtures

cons

require non-standard ($$$) bulbs
are currently loaded with non-dimmable CFLs
new fixtures cost less than LED bulb replacements

TODO

two South roofs are aged

description

torchdown roof is older and springy
roof is nearing its end-of-life

todo

get professional assessment of torchdown membrane's useful life remaining
get structural assessment of roof (sufficient for solar panel weight?)
depends on #19 (remove chimney)

Goals

Ceiling insulation: R-60. Eventually.
Solar panels (#13). Roof should outlast solar panels (30+ years)
To outlive the solar panels, all options (below) share a common above-the-water-control-layer plan: lay 5 inches of poly iso foam (R-30), taped with staggered seams, and covered with standing seam steel roofing.
- steel roof is stronger, lighter, 100% recyclable, and will last much longer.

new roofing options

Embrace and Extend. Leave the decking and torchdown in place. Overframe the existing roof putting it within the thermal envelope. Add R-30 (fiberglass / rock wool / whatever) batts between rafters. Install new decking, water control layer, poly iso insulation board, and metal roofing.
Marshmallow Wedgie - Tear off decking & torchdown. Spray the ceiling with 1-2" of closed cell foam insulation (air seal). Lay down thicker 5/8" decking (partially). Climb into the cavity and spray foam the underside of the new decking (and framing) with 2" of ccSPF. Fill the cavity with (open cell foam, cellulose, mineral wool, fiberglass, etc..), lay the last of the decking, spray foam the underside of it and add the water control layer, insulation boards and metal roof.
- the spray foam would add rigidity
Same as #2 but don't tear off. Open a gable end, shimmy in there with a spray foam hose and fill it up.
- Depends on length of useful life remaining.
- can be done incrementally (insulate this year, replace decking & roof later)
Pop Top. Tear off existing roofs and demolish ceiling. Add attic trusses and a new steel roof as above. Insulate with 2" of ccSPF under decking. Install wiring, drywall the new ceiling, and finish off new attic rooms as time and budget permits.
- adds up to 600 sf of living space in attic (est. value: $75,000)
  - attic room built-in idea
- aligning the roof slopes improves home appearance (see #2)

Options 1-3 do not disrupt the existing living space.

solar considerations

use PVWatts to choose optimal title and orientation
- South @ 35°
- West @ 10°
~~optimum tilt angle is 39.4° (latitude x 0.76 + 3.1°)~~
8:12 pitch = 34°, 9:12 pitch = 37° and 10:12 pitch = 40°
- choosing an 8:12 vs 10:12 pitch reduces solar collection by 2%

door locks need upgrading

issues

old and sticky (could lubricate)
have keys (annoying to keep track of)
strike plates are weak
do not integrate with home automation
- features like "automatically lock when both parents have left the house" are hard to give up
some keys are missing
there are other keys in existence

Solution

skylight seals in great room are broken

status

seals on both skylights are broken
replace before they get surrounded by solar panels

TODO

measure skylights (2' x 4') rough
buy new skylights
install them

Bikes need an organized storage location

considerations

water/mud/dirt control beneath
efficient storage above
- maybe these storage racks
near the doors (less tracking of debris into garage)

get a Home Energy Evaluation

from PSE

HomePrint Assessment
- schedule assessment
- receive assessment (May 18th)
- implement suggestions (work-in-progress)
incentive matrix

contractors

Do It Yourself

Do It Yourself via Seattle City Light
Retrofit Best Practices Guide via Department of Energy

replace the fridge

status

GE Fridge/Freezer
Model TFX24RMA
23.6 ft/cu
Mfd. 06/91
uses 1,555 KWH/yr
newer equiv models use 1/3 the energy

General rule of thumb: if the fridge is more than 10 years old, it costs money not to replace it.

Dimensions: 67.75 H x 36 W x 29+ D.

todo

candidates

Whirlpool WRF535SMBM, 25.2 cu. ft., 449 KWH/yr (@ Home Depot)
LG LTCS24223S (@ Home Depot)

thoughts

built-in water cooler and ice maker is nice, but not nice when it breaks. A standalone water cooler / heater combo is far more reliable, easy to repair/replace, and cheaper.

Replace screening with solar screening

issues

we keep walking in to the screen because we don't see it
sun through it contributes to the overheating of the family room (also #32)
existing screening is torn

todo

~~find existing solar screening~~
buy more solar screening
~~install screening in door frame~~

get utilities connected

Shoreline Utilities

Electricity from Seattle City Light (scheduled)
Natural Gas from Puget Sound Energy (scheduled)
Water from North City Water District (automatic, from county records)
Sewer from Ronald Wastewater District (automatic, from deed)
Trash from Recology
Internet from Comcast (welcome kit mailed, Fri or Sat delivery)

west windows overheat the family room

todo

unpack window film
find and unpack spray bottle
apply window film
install solar screening #42

Great room floor has no insulation

reasons to fix

cold floors are uncomfortable
increased air leakage (uncomfortable drafts)
increased heating costs

proposed solution

depth in.	type	R value	$ / sf
1	ccSPF	7	$1.20
10	fiberglass	30	$1.10
3	XPS	15	$0.00
	total	52	$1.30

spray 1" foam directly to underside of floor decking and rim joists (air seal) (Nov 23)
install unfaced R-30 fiberglass batts (Dec 6)
- (12) 15" x 25' batts: $257.14
- (2) Dec 7: 15" x 25' batts: $42,66
install 3" poly iso board below floor joists (thermal break)
- 3" insulation plates: $98.34
- 4" screws: $108.08

alternative solution

cover the ground with a new plastic membrane
- sealed to the perimeter walls (mastic + tape)
- seal the crawl space doors
- install dehumidifier
insulate the crawl space perimeter walls with polyiso
spray foam insulate the rim joists (Nov 30)

Cost Estimate

$2.90 / sqft. x 483 sq/ft = $1,401

see INSULATION

replace toilets with high-efficiency

For toilets older than 2004, there's a $100 rebate to upgrade them with this rebate form. After the rebate, the Niagara is only $50.

toilet ages

Upstairs: Kohler Wellworth K-4436-BB, 1.2gpf, (2014)
Downstairs: Kohler, 1.6gpf, ????

good options

Niagara 2-piece 0.8 GPF Ultra-High-Efficiency Single Flush Elongated Toilet Featuring Stealth Technology in White at Home Depot ($150) and amazon ($247)
Toto Ultramax II at amazon ($418)
Toto Drake at amazon ($326)

TODO

Refinish basement as master suite

info

22.5' long x 10.6' wide
has downstairs bath already
adjacent room can be large walk-in closet & home office

done

electrical system upgrades & capacity planning

present electrical system

SFR built in 1952. Addition & garage added in 197_.
200 amp main service panel located in front of house.
- Upgraded to 200 amp with 1970s addition
- 12 open breaker slots
100 amp subpanel in the garage, on the wall adjoining the house
- ~65' from service panel
- 7 open breakers
- 2? gage braided aluminum wire in plastic conduit.
125 amp subpanel in the crawl space #48
- 4 tandem breakers (4x 15a, 4x 20a)
- 4 open breaker slots
Branch circuits are copper. Both feeders are braided aluminum. Yes, they have antioxidant paste.

near term electrical forecast

anticipated future changes

car charger 2 in garage (40A)
attic rooms, light circuit (15A)
attic rooms, outlets (20A)

anticipated peak garage loads

32A car charger (usually evenings)
30A car charger (random usage)
40A solar panels (generating during daylight)

anticipated peak main panel loads

15 amp heat pump water heater
30 amp - (2) mini-split heat pumps in mid-winter
30 amp - oven
30 amp - clothes dryer
100 amp - garage

misc todo

#49 grounding wire not attached to water main
loose ground strap near water heater

shopping list

A running "to buy" list

now

lap siding for window sills ( feet)

soon

#24 seismic upgrades
- Simpson L70 reinforcing L-angles, 20 @ $1.78 @ H.D.

eventually

#87 Imazapyr (herbicide)
#52 garage door insulation
- styrofoam insulation, 1.5" x 4' x 8', 7 @ $16.25 @ HD

completed

Front facade lacks style

garage is not insulated

reasons to fix

it overheats in the spring & summer
electric resistance heater is highly inefficient
higher fire risk due to exposed wood

todo

Incandescent lightbulbs

Replace them all with LED

TODO

downstairs bath has no fan

info

a bath, shower, and laundry room.
an exhaust fan with manual (toilet) and humidistat controls (shower) would be best
dimensions: 8' x 10.5' x 7' 9" H

Todo

design this (and other) fans to be part of a whole-house ventilation system
choose a fan
- Panasonic WhisperGreen Select FV-11-15VK1
buy it
install it

references

Panasonic WhisperGreen fans at HomeDepot
Broan MD8TU 8" Make-Up Air Damper
~~Panasonic 40CFM ERV~~
Aldes Make-Up Air Solutions

install ductless heat pumps

ductless heat pump todo

get quotes from installers
- integrity (55 dB outdoor unit)
- Energywise Ductless Heat Pumps $7,873
- Washington Energy Services 4/2 Diakon $12k
- Evergreen 4/4 Mitsu $13k
select & contract with an installer
get installed

References

Pioneer 12k BTU Mini-split Heat Pump Inverter, SEER 23.5, HSPF 10
Pioneer Air Conditioner WYS012GMFI22RL Ductless Inverter++, SEER 22.5, HSPF 9.8
Pioneer Air Conditioner WYS012GMFI17RL Ductless Inverter+, SEER 17.5, HSPF 9
Pioneer 38k BTU Multi Split SEER 22.5, HSPF 10.3

buy foam board insulation

wall sheathing (foam board) options

thick	description	layers	R val	cost	vendor
2"	XPS	3	30	$9,253	Home Depot
2"	poly iso	2	24	$6,437	Home Depot
2"	poly iso	2	24	$5,771	IDI
3"	poly iso	3	36	$8,556	IDI
3"	poly iso	3	54	$7,000	reclaimed

reclaimed insulation todo

buy 3" polyiso foam board insulation ($5,349 + $1,650 delivery)
unload semi-trailer full of insulation
- rent yard forklift ($329)
- hire 3 day laborers ($260)

replace the dishwasher

status

it's really old
it's really loud
it's miserable to load/unload

todo

select one
- Kitchenaid KDTM354DSS @ Sears, HomeDepot
buy
wire a 20-amp dedicated circuit
remove old rotten and moldy particle board flooring
replace flooring with 3/4 plywood
install new supply line from tee under sink
install dishwasher

insulate the garage doors

issue

west facing doors radiate heat into the garage, overheating it in the afternoon

options

spray foam
- how to contain overspray and make it look good?
- additional weight?
fiberglass insulation kit $76
- lightweight
- easy to install
foam board kit $55
- panels still need to be cut down to size
styrofoam panels $33
- lightweight
- won't be bulgy like fiberglass
  *panels are cheaper than kit
- slightly thicker insulation than kit (1.5 vs 1.25")
reflective/radiant foil barriers
- very limited efficacy. Without insulation, they are mostly snake oil.

todo

buy insulation & attachment stuff (tape, caulk, etc.)
install

garbage disposal is broken

status

doesn't work
motor hums, no spin

todo

buy new one
install it
wire in new outlet (old one was hard wired)

no microwave

details

existing over-the-range height is 30" (too short for an over-the-range micro)
existing range hood is an unusually large 42" wide
limited counter space
over-the-range would be quieter than the existing jet-engine

Questions

range hood or countertop?
finish: stainless

TODO

choose a microwave, Panasonic NN-SN973S
buy a microwave (May 12)
install it.
- run a 12-gage dedicated circuit to it (from #48 subpanel)
  - (I can't find any solid evidence for this but the Home Depot appliance guy (Ernie) tells that most microwaves are "good enough" today. Many that fail (especially if it's the magnetron) are from older homes where the microwave doesn't have sufficient current. A typical 1200 watt microwave draws 11 amps, so putting it on it's own 15A circuit where it won't have to share with a toaster oven or other kitchen appliances seems prudent.
- 15 amp breaker (can be upgraded to 20A if a future microwave requires it)
set up an under-counter stand/mount for it

has a brick chimney

A brick chimney is another way to describe a hole in a roof that sucks warm air out of the house.

issue

chimneys are holes in a roof. Holes in roofs always leak, eventually.
roof protrusions cost real money when re-roofing
brick is a poor insulator
chimneys are fantastic carcinogen collectors
chimneys are anachronisms

used by

gas furnace (#3)
gas fireplace
gas water heater (#46)

todo

remove chimney
- depends on replacement of gas furnace (#3)
- depends on water heater change (#46)
remove fireplace
temporarily patch hole in roof

history

In the old days, brick chimneys were a great idea. You could burn wood or coal in them, they'd heat up the house as well as the brick. The high thermal mass of the brick would absorb much of the heat and continue radiating the heat into the home long after the fire went out.

The problem with chimneys is that the vast majority of the heat get sucked up the chimney. That didn't matter when the continent was covered with old growth timber and houses were few and far between. Today it matters. Adding glass doors helps, but a traditional fireplace is still horrifically inefficient.

New high-efficiency natural gas burning fireplace inserts are highly efficient and no longer require a chimney. Newer heat pumps are even more efficient and require no fossil fuels.

has unused wiring for hot tub

todo

remove wiring from panel
remove wiring
remove shutoff switch
patch hole in wall
- foam or caulk?

missing bracket on roof support post

An explanation for why two post cap brackets should be used:

todo

buy post bracket
install post bracket

before

after

walls have no insulation

information

walls have 3.5" cavities
INSULATION

procure materials

buy 3" polyiso foam board insulation (#37)
- wrap foam board in Tyvek to protect it ($160)
buy furring strips for nailers
- (314) 8' long 1x3 or 1x4
- (20) 3/4" 4x8' plywood
buy screws, qty estimate: 1548
- ~~9" Wind Lock SIP Screws, $0.81 ea.~~
- 9" Dekfast SIP screws, $0.35 ea.
- ~~Trufast~~
- ~~9" Headlok Panel screws, $0.56 ea.~~
buy new windows (#8)
buy house wrap: (2) 9'x150' rolls, $217 @ Lowes
have z-channel fabricated (300')
buy insect screening

insulate cavity

choose type (see options) (choice: dense-pack cellulose)
~~hire contractor to dense pack the walls~~
- get 3 bids
  - Arrow Insulation
  - Classic Pest Control & Insulation
- select contractor
- schedule job
inspect & verify

walls todo

wall cavity options

type	R-value	Material	Installed
dense-packed cellulose	13	$950	$2,500
closed cell spray foam	24	$7,000

References

Department of Energy recommends:
- "Uninsulated wood-frame wall: Drill holes in the sheathing and blow insulation into the empty wall cavity before installing the new siding, and add R5 or R6 insulative wall sheathing beneath the new siding"
How to Install Rigid Foam Sheeting
How to Install Rigid Foam Insulation Outside a House
no siding is waterproof
- provide paths for water to drain down and out
Avoid reverse laps - higher layers always overlap lower layers

Gravel driveway is unsightly

Explore alternatives such as grass filled pavers

products

references

Permeable Paving

crawl space #2 seismic upgrades

status

sill plate to foundation wall attachment
- foundation bolts present but insufficient: too few, washers too small, visible rust
rim joist is not attached to top of the wall (above cripple walls) with metal connectors
posts lack metal caps attaching them to floor beams
posts lack post bases attaching them to their foundations

todo for crawl space 2

attach cripple walls to rim joist with A35 framing angles (__pcs @ $0.90 = $)
- every 16 inches
attach interior columns to the floor beams with 24 x AC4 metal post caps
attach sill to rim joist with L70 L-angle clips (20 pcs @ $2)
reinforce cripple walls bracing (1-2 places on each wall)
- double studs
- holddowns
- mudsill blocking
- plywood with vent holes

references

current code

foundation bolts
- 5/8" or 3/4" bolts every 6 feet
- 2 or 3" square galvanized plate washers above sill plate
- min 9" max 12" from ends of plates

upgrade fluorescent fixtures to LED

status

old fluorescent bulbs are at end of life (flickering, low lumen output)
T12 bulbs are getting harder to find (older ones fall short of the bulb efficiency requirements)
LED tubes use 1/2 the electricity

todo

a faster (level 2) car charger would be nice

background

we just signed our second Nissan Leaf 3-year lease
2013 Leaf had 85-mile range, 2016 model has 107 miles
bigger battery takes longer to fill up

options

todo

select a level 2 car charger
buy the car charger (June 2)
- file sales tax exemption form with amazon
- receive sales tax credit (June 3)
wire a 2-gage circuit to car charging area
- 115 amp rating will support any future charging needs w/o needing new wire
- conduit is supported every 10'
- conduit is supported within _' of terminations
install a NEMA 6-50 connector
hook up car charger (June 6)

dispose of old fridge & freezer in garage

issues

they are old
they are inefficient
SCL will haul them away and give me $30

todo

schedule pickup (May 17th)
plugin in a day before to prove they are working
Kenmore Upright Freezer, 253.29401990, serial WB01721702, 13.8 cf., Mfd 4-00, 811 KWH/yr
White Westinghouse Fridge/Freezer, Model MRT15CSCW4, 15.4 cf., Mfd 02-96, 702 KWH/yr
collect & deposit rebate (Jun 11)

gas furnace is 80% efficient

Which means it's wasting 20% of the gas paid for.

options

replace with high efficiency (95%) gas furnace
- pros
  - ductwork already in place
  - highly efficient (wastes 15% less)
  - natural gas is (currently) a cheap fuel
  - 95% efficient Trane at Second Use is only $600
  - PSE rebates
- cons
  - fossil fuel
  - natural gas price is more volatile than electricity
  - requires connection fees, even in summer months when no gas is used
  - leaks are far too common, resulting in poisonings and explosions
    - much higher risk in seismically active areas
replace with mini-split heat pumps (#53)
- pros
  - new models are super-efficient (HSPF 10+) and heat well, even in winter
  - we don't use A/C much in Seattle, but 20+ SEER is a nice perk.
  - Seattle has cheap green electricity
  - uses no fossil fuels (Seattle's grid power is mostly hydro plus some wind, solar, and other)
  - pairs well with solar panels (#13)
  - zoned heating
- cons
  - requires 220v wiring
  - higher install cost than a replacement furnace

todo

remove ducts from crawl space
remove furnace from crawl space
install heat pumps (#53)

building ground strap not attached to water main

background

ground strap is attached to legacy steel water main
- which has long since been decommissioned

issues

it's still a sufficient building ground
it's no longer tied to water main
ground wire must be contiguous from main, or permanently spliced/extended

todo

extend ground wire to copper main
- spliced with permanent copper lug

Install electrical subpanel in crawl space

background

main panel is difficult to access
- resulting in lots of spaghetti wiring
installing a subpanel
- makes future wiring projects much easier
- allows mutilated corner studs to be repaired

specs

125 amp panel
8 breakers (supports 16 tandem breakers)

todo

East roof water is piped along foundation

Direct it 4' away from the structure

Build a Gabion wall there to provide a flat walking path along the house, raise up the lower edge of the yard to form a rain garden, and give the water a path away from the footings.

Vendors

Co-Op Supply Everett, 5' x 16' galvanized horse fencing
NKS Stones / NKS Oasis, 36" gabion spiral ties

How To

Materials

For each gabion cage: (3) pieces of fencing and (9) spirals.
For every two cages that are joined: (3-4) spirals.

Assembly

Take one piece of fencing and bend it 90° lengthwise at the 3' mark, creating an ell shape.
- I used a 2x4. By standing on the 2x4, I was able to bend the fencing by pulling up on it
Take a second piece of fencing and bend it 30° lengthwise at the 3' mark.
- only 30° because we want the top to stay mostly open while we fill the cage with rocks
Mate the two ell shapes to form a 2'x3' rectangle.
Using (3) spirals, join the two pieces along the 16' mating edge.
Stand the cage up, admire your rock tunnel, and ponder what will keep your rocks from spilling out the ends.
create cage ends and dividers
a. Cut another piece of fencing into (4) 2' sections. Make the cuts halfway between the vertical bars
b. Insert one end of one 2' section through another piece of fencing and bend all the arms 90°
c. Flip the section over, insert the unbent arms on the other side and bend them 90° in the same direction as the other side
d. repeat 3x
Take a 2' section with 90° bent arms and set it into one end of the gabion cage
bend the tabs another 90° to lock them around the cage end frame
repeat steps 7 & 8 at the other end of the cage
take the last two 2' sections and install them as dividers within the cage
Fill with rocks
Bend the top of the cage down and fasten with (3) spirals along the long axis, (1) at each end, and maybe another along the top of the dividers if they don't want to lay flat without some persuasion.

insulate and moisture manage foundation walls

Code

2012 International Residential Code: R-15

which side of foundation walls?

exterior
interior

interior

issues with Interior Foundation Wall Insulation

The foundation wall gets cold. Foundation walls must have perfect moisture management (footings, exterior walls, rim joists) to prevent moisture in the concrete walls from impacting other systems.
Most interior foam board (except foil faced polyiso) insulation requires a fire barrier inside the insulation
It's really hard to:
- dry wet basement walls that are insulated
- install capillary breaks in existing systems
- manage moisture in foundation walls
  - is there a capillary break between rim joists?
    - to prevent moisture in exterior walls from migrating to rim joists
  - is there a capillary break between footings?
    - to prevent ground moisture from wicking up the foundation walls?
  - is there proper drainage for foundation / footings?
    - so water can drain away
It's impractical to retrofit capillary breaks in existing foundation walls

Interior insulation options

Three inches of unfaced XPS (R-15)
Four inches of unfaced expanded polystyrene (R-15)
Three inches of ccSPF (R-18)
Three inches of polyiso (R-18)
- this option satisfies the fire barrier requirement

interior process

dig a drainage channel along footings
- install drain pipe and gravel in channel
adhere 3" polyiso foam board to walls
- caulk and seal the bottom edges
- seal the insulation at the top with spray foam
  - all the way up the rim joists (to at least 2" depth)
optionally cover polyiso with drywall (fire barrier)

exterior process

dig trench around the house, down to the footings
- prepare the concrete surface
waterproof the building (keep water away)
- assure footings have proper drainage
  - to french drain, sump or daylight
- add impermeable layer sloped away (3" in 4') from the building
  - option: clay layer on top
  - option: buried plastic, coarse gravel (for drainage), then fabric, soil
  - mulch 2+ feet from building for insect control
dampproof the exterior foundation walls (capillary break)
- option: liquid applied
- option: membranes
- down to the footings
Insulate exterior surface of foundation walls to at least R-15
- 4" mineral wool board (Roxul Comfortboard, etc..)
  - a green building material
  - repels water and insects
- 2.5" high-density ccSPF foam
- Foamglas, Thermacork, etc..
cover insulation with protection layer from siding to 8" below soil
insulate rim joists
- 1 inch of ccSPF (enough to air seal, minimal to provide drying potential to interior)
- only after exterior surface of rim joists are insulated

References

appliances are old and inefficient

consider replacing each with EnergyStar or CEE tier 2 or 3 rated equivalents.

appliance	fuel source	age	efficiency	issue
range oven	electric	2000
furnace	gas	2006	80%	#3
water heater	gas	2000	R 6.7	#46
washer	electric		50%	#39
dryer	electric	2000
fridge	electric	1991	1,555 KWH	#40
dishwasher	electric	1996		#44
microwave	electric	n/a		#38
toilet - up	n/a	2014	1.2 gpf	#29
toilet - down	n/a	2004	1.6 gpf	#29

info

dryer: Kenmore 110.60922990, serial: MK4978411
- has moisture sensor. No significant advantage to upgrading.
range: Whirlpool GR395LXGQ 2, serial: RK4011682
- newer electric ranges have flat burners
- to get high efficiency, go with induction. Induction ranges are really hard to find in USA.
dishwasher: Kenmore 665.15822, serial: FK4817362
- newer ones use less water and electricity

maybe?

chest freezer: Frigidaire FFC13C3AW0, 12.9 cf., mfd 2001, 362 KWH

not so old

chest freezer: Kenmore 253.16922102, WB93436059, 8.8 cf., mfd 2009, 294 KWH

water heater uses chimney

info

blocks the removal of the chimney (#19)
existing water heater is 16 years old.
water heater had 6 year warranty
it's well past a water heaters typical (8-12 years) service life
pilot light always burning gas
eligible for $300 federal tax credit (GE certification statement, IRS Residential Energy Credits)
no drain pan

options

add power venting to this gas heater
replace with
- power vented gas heater
- heat pump water heater ($817.65)
  - ~~$500 rebate from Seattle City Light~~ (only if replacing electric water heater)
  - bigger tanks, to compensate for longer recovery time
  - 3.25 Energy Factor for GE GeoSpring 50 gallon
- tankless water heater
  - gas is fast, but would be the only gas appliance.
  - electric uses lots (3 x 40A circuits) of juice

todo

references

Excerpt from King County

Expansion tanks

If your water is on a closed system (the water can flow into your building but not out), an expansion tank or other approved thermal expansion device must be installed on your water system. The expansion tank is to hold water that can't be held in the water heater after it expands when it gets hot. If there were no expansion tank, the hot water would be released through the pressure relief valve.

windows are single pane aluminum framed

window info

issues

lots of heat leakage (u-factor 1.3, R-1)
Condensation on the interior glass wets and deteriorates the wood sills.
aluminum is a great conductor of heat / horrible insulator (reduces to R-0.5)
glazing needs replacement

todo

measure every window needing replacement
- consider how windows are used, adjust type
- adjust measurements for new sizes
get quotes for new windows #74
order windows
wait for delivery (July 13)
install windows (#76)
apply for rebate (#101)

References

mailbox needs replacing

Problem

Existing mailbox is ancient, rusty, and insecure.
Mail theft is still an issue in the metro area
Having mail (especially checks) stolen is not good customer service

Solution

Replace with a MailBoss mailbox.

TODO

order new mailbox
mount on existing spreader bar

kitchen remodel

current issues

no cookbook storage
fridge blocks doorway
scattered work centers (food prep, cooking, baking)
kitchen located between indoor & outdoor eating areas
kitchen located in primary foot path

ideas

relocate kitchen onto West wall
- puts both eating areas on the same side (normalized traffic to/from eating areas)
- puts fridge/pantry next to side door (easier grocery hauling)
- moves kitchen away from primary traffic areas
- depends on #19 remove chimney

msimerson / 330-ne-193rd-st Goto Github PK

330-ne-193rd-st's Introduction

330 NE 193rd St

The Story

Major Goals

reference documents

External Information

330-ne-193rd-st's People

Contributors

Stargazers

Watchers

Forkers

330-ne-193rd-st's Issues

info

materials

TODO

thoughts

references

info

todo

todo

cons

TODO

description

todo

Goals

new roofing options

solar considerations

see also

issues

Solution

status

TODO

considerations

from PSE

contractors

Do It Yourself

status

todo

candidates

thoughts

issues

todo

todo

reasons to fix

proposed solution

alternative solution

Cost Estimate

toilet ages

good options

TODO

info

done

present electrical system

near term electrical forecast

anticipated future changes

anticipated peak garage loads

anticipated peak main panel loads

misc todo

now

soon

eventually

completed

reasons to fix

todo

see also

TODO

info

Todo

references

ductless heat pump todo

References

wall sheathing (foam board) options

reclaimed insulation todo

status

todo

issue

options

todo

status