Homes that survived to be called“historic”did so because they worked;that is,they delivered a level of performance that met the owner’s expectations and tolerance level without catastrophic damage to the home,pocke...Homes that survived to be called“historic”did so because they worked;that is,they delivered a level of performance that met the owner’s expectations and tolerance level without catastrophic damage to the home,pocketbook,or surrounding environment.Home performance expectations have changed and now include a desire to use less energy while at the same time realizing a level of comfort that includes air conditioning and constant temperatures in all rooms.In order to meet these performance expectations,old homes often require some“re-engineering.”Increasing insulation will advance energy efficiency goals,reduce costs,and make a home more sustainable but by itself is insufficient,and,often,it can also upset the moisture balance resulting in unexpected mold and sick building syndrome.Improvement in moisture management design is a critically important consideration whenever energy efficiency is increased;however,many projects fail to address moisture adequately.This article will walk through the process of insulating and air sealing a house(two very different activities,sometimes combined,sometimes not),and shed particular light on how different approaches encourage or discourage moisture problems.展开更多
文摘Homes that survived to be called“historic”did so because they worked;that is,they delivered a level of performance that met the owner’s expectations and tolerance level without catastrophic damage to the home,pocketbook,or surrounding environment.Home performance expectations have changed and now include a desire to use less energy while at the same time realizing a level of comfort that includes air conditioning and constant temperatures in all rooms.In order to meet these performance expectations,old homes often require some“re-engineering.”Increasing insulation will advance energy efficiency goals,reduce costs,and make a home more sustainable but by itself is insufficient,and,often,it can also upset the moisture balance resulting in unexpected mold and sick building syndrome.Improvement in moisture management design is a critically important consideration whenever energy efficiency is increased;however,many projects fail to address moisture adequately.This article will walk through the process of insulating and air sealing a house(two very different activities,sometimes combined,sometimes not),and shed particular light on how different approaches encourage or discourage moisture problems.
