Air & Water Infiltrtation
In the past couple of years my staff and I have been through a couple of interesting courses. Just like Architects and doctors we need to go to these to get our continuing education credits to remain certified in our perspective fields. For us it is Certified Remodeler CR and Certified Lead Carpenter CLC.
The two courses were Certified Green Remodeler, CGR given by The National Association of the Remodeling Industry. This is an all-encompassing green course designed to bring awareness to Green Remodeling. The second was Installation Masters designed originally by the American Architectural Manufacturers Association and administered by Architectural Testing. This course was designed specifically to teach the newest techniques in window and door installation.
What I found interesting was even though these courses were different they both had a strong focus on eliminating air & water infiltration into peoples homes. Air infiltration is the biggest drain on our heating and cooling systems costing us $$$, and also makes certain parts of the house uncomfortable by having cold spots. Water is without a doubt the biggest source for decay in our homes and is usually hard to detect since it is in the walls, so we usually don’t know the extent of the damage until it is too late. More $$$. So how do we stop them?
First we need to know where the source is. Windows and doors are the most likely candidate, but there are other areas to look, such as fireplaces, basements, and box sills (the area between the floors on the outside wall) just to name a few.
Once you know where the source is you can plan on remedying the problem. My recommendation is hire a professional to help you look.
Second, don’t make problems worse then they already are. I can’t tell you how many projects we have worked on that were made worse by the previous company trying to fix them or possibly the original builder just doing it wrong. Additionally there probably are new techniques in installation today that may not have been there before. Like the new flashing detail around windows. Companies that are progressive send their people to educational courses all the time. Hire the right company. This may take a little research, and a list of questions that you can ask in the initial interview. IE: Does the company know the difference between Air sealing and Insulation. Do they know what a membrane drainage system as apposed to a surface barrier system? This may take a little work on your part but in the end you will have a project done right the first time and maybe have a better remodeling experience because of it.
For more info on hiring a contractor go to http://narichicago.org/select.html
For more information on flashing go to www.graceathome.com.
Maurice Forde (http://fordewindows.com)