DIY Network

Weather Management: Gone with the Wind From "Blueprint for Home Building" episode DBHB-212

In this second segment of "Weather Management," host Jeff Wilson discusses how to strengthen the building envelope of your new home as you learn about the use of insulated concrete forms, or ICFs. The exterior coating of your home and wise window options are explored.

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Strengthening the Building Envelope

The building envelope is the area of construction that's between the inside and outside of the house -- typically the exterior walls, roof and attic (figure A). The strength of your building envelope depends on the frame. The most common framing option used today is the wood stud frame, but for reinforcement against extreme conditions, consider an alternative framing option -- metal studs (figure B).

Note: Metal studs put together properly with 5/8 x 5 x drywall yields a good fire-resistant assembly. Metal is an extremely durable product that doesn't deteriorate as soon as you put it on the house, and it should last 60 to 70 years.

A lot of houses are using aluminum for studs instead of wood, and consider using stucco boards instead of wood as well because they are also more fire resistant.

Figure A

Figure B

Walls

Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs -- figure C) are a smart consideration for wall materials -- and protection from wind and fire. Some of the advantage of using ICFs for your wall structure is the insulation value. It effectively gives an "R" value anywhere between R40 and R50 and have been rated wind resistance to 200 miles per hour. The roof will blow off before the walls will ever go anywhere. And because it's concrete it acts as a "natural" fire barrier.

Another way of protecting your home from the elements is in the choice of exterior paint. Depending upon your level of comfort, painting your home may be a project you take on yourself. One option is to apply a lime coat wash, which has a limestone base. It's like coating your house in stone (figure D) and can last for many years. Because of its natural properties, it allow the house to breathe, unlike with acrylic paint because of its plastic nature, which can make your house sweat.

Figure C

Figure D

	Figure E
	Figure F
	Figure G

Windows

Choosing the right windows will help with fire protection, sun damage and keeping out a storm. Each city and state has a code that describes how big a window you must have for each room.

You'll have added protection from fire with the use of aluminum window frames (figure E) instead of wood and fire-resistant caulk. While the window can be a useful fire exit, you don't want air and moisture coming in. A window is nothing but a hole in a wall with flashing, but it's vital that the window is flashed properly (figure F). In order to keep any weather condition from penetrating your house, make sure the windows are weather proof.

The exterior windows should be double-pane, low-e with a double-lip seal so they'll be efficient as far as keeping any weather conditions from rain to ice out. You can even go a step further and purchase windows that have an additional type of low-e film over the interior part of the window (figure G) as well, which will protect your furniture from fading due to exposure to the sun.

For more information about the roof over your head, click here for our Home IQ (episode DHIQ-106) content.

In the next segment Jeff takes a look at how the land around your home can protect your home from the elements.

GUESTS :

John Holton
Senior Architect
Ibacos
Website: www.ibacos.com

Dana Bres
Research Engineer
US Department of Housing and Urban Development
451 7th St., SW
Washington, DC 20910
Phone: 202-708-4370
E-mail: dana_b._bres@hud.gov

Robert Osborn Jr.
2517 w 237th St., Suite D
Torrance, CA 90505
Phone: 310-326-5678
E-mail: ozzyrobert@netscape.net

Elizabeth Shanahan
President
FC Construction, Inc.
PO Box TT
Newport Beach, CA 92662
Phone: 714-412-6180
E-mail: FCConstruction@earthlink.net

Rod Hans
General Contractor
2052 Newport Blvd.
Suite 6 PMB 135
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
Phone: 949-701-1942
E-mail: hansco@surfside.net

Skip Weahunt
Homeowner
E-mail: skip@ownerbuildercenter.com

Andy Beasly
PO Box 214
Hillside, CO 81232

Mills Pierre
Urban Planner
E-mail: mills@millspierre.com

Kenneth R. Quick
Fire Prevention Specialist
E-mail: Kenneth.quick@culvercity.org

Thomas Black
Executive Director
Metal Roofing Alliance
3309 56th St. NW
Suite 105
Gig Harbor, WA 98335
E-mail: tlblack@ix.netcom.com

Lou Volpe
Building Contractor
1735 Fisk Ct.
Thousand Oaks, CA 91362
Phone: 805-449-1627