Matt Risinger and the Green Building Blog

Comfort = Controlling: Temperature & Humidity

2011-11-15T13:09:00.000-06:00

Austin Texas is in a climate zone called Hot/Humid and this past summer is was HOT! It's Fall now and it's frankly still pretty hot and very humid. I've been thinking a lot about comfort of my houses of late, and comfort is really more than just temperature. When you read a thermometer the reading you see is called the "dry bulb" temperature. In my house I generally set the furnace to 76 degrees fahrenheit when it's in cooling mode. That keeps me pretty comfortable most of the time, but what do you do when it's 80%+ humidity 68 degrees F outside? Well, that means my AC isn't kicking on because the thermostat isn't calling for cooling. It was "muggy" outside. Not particularly hot, but very humid is not comfortable to me. Here's what my Humidity/Temp pen read on Sunday when I was outside:

So, what do you do about this? I could kick on my AC unit by dropping the temp inside by 4 or 5 degrees but I really didn't need it colder, just less humid inside. This is where a Dehumidifer comes to the rescue. I've really become a solid believer in having a whole house dehumidifier for the houses I build. There are quite a few months in Austin where the temperature isn't too hot but it's still humid out. This dedicated dehumidifier's sole job is to bring down the humidity level inside the house. The AC still does the heavy lifting of bringing temperature down, but this stand alone dehum can make a world of difference in terms of comfort. My favorite unit is the Therama-Stor Ultra Air XT 150. But, since I've only become more educated on these units in the last 1-2 years (and don't have one installed in my house yet) here's what I've done in my house during these "tail" days of the fall & spring.

This is my inexpensive solution that will get me through till I install a whole house unit in my attic. It's a $300 LG Dehumidifier that I keep in my hall bathroom near the return air vent. I typically dump the water 2-3 times per 24 hour period and it works fairly well. However, it's not pretty, it's a pain to empty, it's loud, and it's not particularly energy efficient.
Check out this video I shot of a recent whole house dehumidifier install to really see how to do it right when you are building/remodeling. -Matt Risinger

Pier & Beam vs. Slab Foundations with Mark LaLiberte

2011-10-31T09:05:00.000-05:00

Last week one of my building science Heros was in Austin speaking about High Performance Homes. If you've never seen Mark LaLiberte speak you are really missing out. I first heard him speak about Building Science in 2002 when I was working in Portland, OR. The mold scare was just breaking into the national news scene and I was working for a luxury production builder as their Production Manager. I was building 150 homes a year with 7 Project Managers and 3 Service guys and the mold scare hit us hard. Our company actually bought back a home from someone who had mold in their walls and several other houses had major re-construction to deal with mold. We were building houses like we always had, but weren't really thinking about long term durability or the science behind moisture flows. One thing I learned from Mark back in 2002 was that 80% of building failures are due to water issues so you'd better become an expert as a builder at controlling water and it's forms/movements.
Anyhow, the point of this post is that I talked Mark into visiting one of my job sites on his way to the Airport and I made this quick video as we talked on site about foundations.

So, now that you've seen the video here my pro/con list for Slab & Pier/Beam.
CONCRETE SLAB FOUNDATIONS:
Pro's
1. No water issues under your house
2. No bugs/rodents under your house
3. No floor framing costs - Option to do stained/polished concrete at your finished floor
4. No frozen pipe issues

Con's
1. Hard to correct plumbing issues & hard to remodel plumbing in the future
2. Hard to re-level the house if there are movement issues
3. No insulation at the floor line and concrete is a huge thermal sink
4. I think concrete floors are hard on your knees & joints

PEIR & BEAM FOUNDATIONS:
1. Easy to remodel & move plumbing
2. Easy to add wiring or phone/cable lines under the house
3. Insulation under the floor is really good. (Spray foam please)
4. Wood framing provides some "give" when you walk
5. Relatively easy to re-level the house if movement occurs

Con's.
1. Can have water issues in the crawls space depending on your grades.
2. Need to be vigilant about keeping bugs & rodents out of your crawlspace
3. Possibly more expensive flooring costs with framing & hardwoods
4. Possible pipe freeze issues

Ok, so do we have a clear winner? No not really. It really depends on your site conditions to determine what type of foundation is best for your lot. All things being equal I lean towards pier/beam foundations but that is certainly not a one-foundation-fits-all recommendation. Talk with your engineer and your builder, see if you can determine how older houses in your area have performed. -Matt Risinger

House Talk Today Radio Show interview on High Performance Remodeling

2011-10-18T08:17:00.000-05:00

This past weekend I was on the radio being interviewed for House Talk Today. It's a Dallas based show that also broadcasts in Austin & Houston. Chris Miles the host is a green builder who has done some nice work and recently completed a Net Zero Energy house. Our show was mainly focused on remodeling in Austin and my recomendations to clients in three construction goals: Healthy, Durable, and Efficient/Comfortable. Our interview starts at our 14 minutes in if you want to skip to me. Here's the embed player or you can goto their podcast archives and pull up Oct 17, 2011. -Matt Risinger

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Preventing Termite Damage

2011-10-14T22:53:00.000-05:00

My company does about 50% of our business in whole house renovations/additions and 50% in new construction. I believe that taking apart Austin's 25-75 year old houses teaches lessons than can be applied to new builds. This is one of those lessons. We hear that termites can do damage to a home but unless you see this happening first hand you are unlikely to take the threat seriously.
Here's a 40's house my company is working on with Architect Nick Deaver.

It had an addition added in the 80's and we uncovered some serious rot & termite damage doing the selective demolition stage.

When I started in the building industry in 1995 the production builder I worked for used a chemical pre-treatment of the soil around the foundation. I am sad to say I have no idea what chemicals I ordered to be dumped on the soil but it was probably 50-100 gallons used per house and supposedly kept termites at bay for 10-15 years. Here's what I'm recommending for all the homes I build or remodel now:

Here's the link to the borate treatment in the video ( Timbor ) and our local applicator ABC Pest & sister company Termimesh.
-Matt

New Super Efficient Skylight using Nanogel

2011-10-12T17:19:00.001-05:00

I was reading my current month's issue of the Journal of Light Construction and saw this super cool new product. It's an incredibly efficient skylight that's insulated with Aerogel (used to be called Nanogel). It's a product made by Cabot and it's a translucent gel that has super insulating properties. It's not a traditional clear skylight as the light is diffused but with much better insulating properties this could be a very valuable tool. In our hot/humid Texas climate skylights can really add to the heat load of an AC system AND I'm seeing more and more skylights used for Daylighting and not necessarily for "sky views". Here is an example on a FAB Architecture job my company just completed of a diffused skylight.

This master vanity is lit from a skylight above that can't be viewed directly. This seems like a perfect choice for an AeroGel insulated skylight (we used a Cardinal Low E 366 double pane Argon fixed skylight for this one). It looks like only Wasco is making these skylights. I will definitely want to use one in a future project so look for a future post on this. -Matt Risinger

Come visit us on the AIA Homes Tour this weekend.

2011-10-01T10:23:00.000-05:00

Visit the www.aiahomestour.com website for details and directions. Hope to meet you this weekend. Matt

Central Vac Review Video

2011-09-30T16:28:00.000-05:00

When I started my building career right after college in the DC Metro area it was extremely rare to see a central vacuum system installed. But, when I moved from DC to Portland, OR I was amazed that more than half all all new homes being built (even inexpensive $200k Production Builder Homes) had a central vac either installed or pre-plumbed. I've been in Austin, TX almost 7 years and this market is somewhere in between, I'll bet that less than 5% of the custom homes built in this town have a central vac system.

I try to offer the option to all my clients and about half of the homes I've built or remodeled here have a central vac system. Here's a video that will show you how it works and why I think this is an excellent addition to the indoor air quality strategy of my homes. I've mainly used the Vacuflo brand and have never had a problem in the 10+ years that I've used them. -Matt Risinger

By the way, that beautiful house in the video was designed by Hugh Jefferson Randolph, AIA. Still looks great 4 years after I completed construction.

Attic Best Practice Interview with John Umphress of Austin Energy Green Building

2011-09-19T20:55:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, I was doing a final inspection on a house I built for it's 5 Star Austin Energy Green Building rating. I just happened to have my flip video camera in my pocket, so here's some good unscripted talk about how to best build/insulate/cool a house in our climate. I'm in this attic with John Umphress of Austin Energy Green Building. John is an amazing resource for our building community and really knows his stuff about AC's and green building in general. It's taken me years to learn and implement these concepts into my building practices so if you've got questions feel free to post a comment and I'll respond as soon as I can.
-Matt Risinger

AO Smith Vertex Water Heater Review

2011-09-02T07:37:00.000-05:00

In some past posts (here and here) I've mentioned this AO Smith Vertex unit and how I planned to install one in a new home I'm building in West Lake. Well, we finished that home and the clients moved into the house in July. This water heater has performed just as I had hoped! I highly recommend the AO Smith Vertex water heater and here's my video review:

-Matt Risinger

Supplemental Stand-alone Dehumidification Install & Review Video

2011-08-16T08:19:00.000-05:00

I've been talking about this need for a stand-alone dehumidifier for our Hot/Humid climate and I've finally installed my first one in a very high performance home I just completed in West Lake. This house was built to the 5 Star standard of the Austin Energy Green Building Program and we achieved major milestone of over 900 sq feet of house per ton of A/C. This is a very tight, efficient home that should perform at very high levels of efficiency for many decades. In this video I'll show you what the install of the Dehumidifier looks like in the attic. The equipment we used is a Therma-Stor Ultra-Aire XT150H rated at 150 pints of water removed using only 6.9 amps of power. This is an amazing unit and I'm excited to show it off.
-Matt Risinger

Washington Post Article: Smaller is Greener

2011-08-11T08:01:00.000-05:00

I stumbled across this article published last year in the Washington Post and thought it was worth reading. The main idea in the article is that smaller houses consumer fewer resources and are inherently more "green" than a larger home. I'm not sure where this fact comes from but it says that a 2200 sq foot home uses 1 acre of forest to produce the lumber needed to build that home. That seems high to me, but I don't know why. I also liked the comments from my Architect friend Peter Pfeiffer who says that a smaller infill urban house is greenest of all due to existing infrastructure, shorter commute times to work, ability to bike to stores, and less lawn maintenance than a 4 acre homestead in the country. This is a timely article as I've recently found out my wife is pregnant with our 4th child and we're deciding if our 2200 sf house is enough for the 6 of us. It's an individual decision for sure, but it's a good reminder to think along the "Not so big house" lines as you plan your remodel or new home. -Matt Risinger

This is an urban infill house designed by Barley & Pfeiffer Architects that I built a few years ago.

Passivhaus in Austin's Climate?

2011-07-28T07:47:00.001-05:00

I've been learning and hearing more about Passivhaus standards alot these days. The quick definition of Passivhaus is a building that uses little or no energy to heat/cool itself. This is generally achieved through maximum insulation and tight air sealing. This movement started in Germany, but it's gaining traction in the US. However, most of the buildings built to this standard are built in heating dominated climates. I can't stress enough how building a house in hot/humid Austin, TX differs from building in a Northern climate. I ran across this article on Greenbuildingadvisor.com and thought I'd share the link. I'm not convinced that this method works well in our climate but once you read the article I'd love to hear your thoughts. -Matt Risinger

Sleeping with your BMW?

2011-07-14T22:02:00.000-05:00

Have you ever heard someone say, "I'm going out to the garage for a bit of fresh air"? Carbon Monoxide, Paint Fumes, Trash Cans; all these are housed in your garage and this is why we need to fully seal the house from the garage. In this video I'll show you how this is usually done, and how it SHOULD be done. Best practice methods for insulating & air sealing a garage in a Webber+ Studio Architecture remodel of a 60's Austin home. -Matt Risinger

Preventing Rot on Exterior Door Jambs - Endura FrameSaver

2011-06-15T16:26:00.000-05:00

My company does about 50% of our business in whole house remodeling & 50% in new construction. I really like doing both and I think that my experience in remodeling makes me a better new construction builder & vice-versa. Here's one example of lessons from remodeling affecting new construction techniques.

When we do demo work on remodels we nearly always find rot around exterior doors. Exterior doors can take a beating from the weather around the sill/jamb area and we often find the jambs completely rotted out. Here's a photo of a door pulled from a lakehouse remodel last year:

Pretty standard flush door with a small overhang overhead, the sill got wet every time it rained and the jamb was totally rotted after only 15 years. This door was set on a concrete slab so there wasn't subfloor damage but had it been on framing we would have seen even more adjacent damage from this water damage. So, when I see this type of rot happening it really makes me think about using rot-proof materials & correct installation techniques.

On a current remodel project we have a side "man" door exiting from an attached garage. The architect specified a flush painted door and the usual product you'll see most often is a metal smooth panel door. These do well in terms of rot but they dent pretty easily. The first time you get hung up pushing the mower out the door it'll dent that smooth metal surface. I really prefer fiberglass doors and that's what is in this video. Also, check out the rot proof jamb. Endura makes a wonderful product called FrameSaver that I tell my door supplier (BMC West in this case) to use and it comes to my job site ready to take the weather for the next 75+ years! -Matt Risinger

Supplemental Dehumidification for Custom Homes in Austin, TX

2011-05-17T22:04:00.000-05:00

I attended a great seminar on this topic today presented by Austin Energy's Green Building Program and I thought I'd share the highlights. First of all, don't read this post if you live outside of Austin's Hot/Humid climate zone. I have a few folks who are regular followers from all over the US and this topic is not for you!

So, when we talk about a HVAC system in Austin, TX we know that our main issue here is cooling. In this cooling dominated climate our AC systems deal with two types of cooling loads.

#1 Sensible Load which means the dry bulb temperature of the air. Pull out your standard thermometer and take a reading, this is the dry bulb temperature.

#2 Latent Load which means the wet bulb temperature. In layman's terms this is the cooling energy needed to pull moisture out of the air by condensing it on the AC coil and sending it down the condensate drain.

The main premise of the discussion today was that most houses do a good job of controlling the temperature of the house (sensible load), but only do a fair job of dealing with the humidity issues (latent load). Remember that we are most comfortable at 72-78 degrees F, AND a Relative Humidity of 40-60% RH. I've experienced this at my own house where I'm usually comfortable at 77 degrees at night but sometimes I'm hot at 77. I'll go turn down the thermostat to 74-75 and I'm closer to comfortable again. This lack of comfort stems from higher humidity in the house. My AC will only run when the thermostat tells it that the temperature is too hot. The AC kicks on for a short time, cools the house, but never controls the humidity thus I'm still hot at 77 degrees even though 2 nights ago that was perfectly comfortable.

3 Ways to Deal with Latent Load in Austin

1- Build a very tight envelope & use good exhaust for humidity generating activities (showers/ cooking)

2- Run your AC (not always effective, more on this later)

3- Add a stand-alone Dehumidifier to your HVAC system

Why is the AC system not always good at controlling humidity?

-Oversized tonnage of the AC system leads to short run times. If you think about this like cars it's like using a V12 engine to power your compact car. The engine barely has to work to get you up to speed then shuts off quickly. These short run times will remove the sensible heat (temperature) but don't run long enough to remove the latent load (humidity). Remember that the compressor outside moves the sensible heat to the outside and the condensate drain removes the latent heat as water exits your house through condensation on the AC coil.

-Many times of the year the temperature only needs to go down a few degrees so even a correctly sized AC isn't able to dehumidify.

-Runtime of AC equipment is vitally important because it takes 4-12 minutes before moisture will condense on the AC coil inside your house so no moisture is actually removed from your house till that moisture starts to accumulate and flow down the condensate drain. To really remove maximum latent heat (moisture) an AC system should run for 35-40 minutes before shutting off. This is a major reason that it's better to slightly undersize an AC than oversize.

PHEW! So we've spelled out why a traditional HVAC system might leave us uncomfortable. Next post we'll talk about some solutions to this Latent load. -Matt Risinger

I do not like Home Depot, but if you must....

2011-04-20T07:51:00.000-05:00

I will admit that I shop at the big box stores, I generally avoid them (in favor of hardware stores) but they are convenient. If you live in Austin TX I highly recommend Breed & Co a local hardware store that is fantastic!
The point of my post today is that I saw a great article in Builder Magazine about shopping at Home Depot from an Architect's perspective. Here's the LINK to the article. Be sure to click on the slideshow for his Top 10 list of things he likes. My advice is to be VERY selective when you shop there and if there is a local store that sells comparable items go local!
-Matt Risinger

Soundproofing a Master Bedroom wall with Green Glue

2011-04-19T12:57:00.000-05:00

I think that the issues of noise as it relates to our homes is a topic of vital interest and nearly every project I've worked on in the last few years has done some type of special sound proofing. Every time I talk about soundproofing in my video blog it always generates interest so I think we'll be hearing alot about building quiet homes in the coming few years (not just media rooms either). I've had great success with Quietrock in past projects because it's an off the shelf project that makes soundproofing relatively simple. Just swap regular 1/2" or 5/8" sheetrock for Quietrock and you will make a huge difference in the STC rating of your wall. However, I hear two concerns about their product. #1 availability: Until recently it had to be purchased from specific drywall supply houses. #2 Cost: It's roughly $40-50 per 4x8 sheet (just materials) so a large wall of soundproofing can be expensive. Regarding availability, I recently saw it stocked at my local Lowes! The price was competitive to the supply houses and they carried the accessories. They had the putty pads for covering outlets (QuietPutty) and tubes of the soundproofing compound (QuietSeal) on the shelf.
Regarding the cost factor, I wanted to find some alternatives to Quietrock and I found a product called Green Glue. I ordered a case online and it came to my office in a week. It's basically a viscous material that goes between two layers of sheetrock to help minimize sound transmission through the wall cavity. It's about 1/2 the installed cost of Quietrock and if installed correctly should yield a similar result. Here's a video I took of our soundproofing we did in a new home my company is building in Westlake. -Matt Risinger

Combo Insulation System - Closed Cell Foam & Cellulose

2011-04-07T21:01:00.000-05:00

My company is building a very exciting new house in Westlake with Barley & Pfeiffer Architects. B&F is well known for their top notch building science and this house is no exception. In this video I'll show you a combination of three types of insulation. First, this house has a 3/4" foam sheathing applied on top of Tyvek Commercial D (and 1/2" continuous OSB), then inside the house the 2x4 walls are getting a 1-2" coating of Demilic Heatlok Soy based closed cell foam. This rigid spray foam is super stiff and provides a ton of lateral strength to the house, is a very high R-value per inch, and perfectly air seals the stud bay it's sprayed into. Lastly, we're blowing cellulose into the remaining stud cavity space. It's a top notch system. Have a look at this video. Matt Risinger

Air Sealing With Owens Corning Energy Complete

2011-03-24T10:31:00.000-05:00

Build Tight, Ventilate Right. That's a motto I took from my favorite building science teacher Mark LaLiberte. This motto is important for energy efficiency & indoor air quality goals. In my houses I'm striving to build the tightest air envelope possible. Then, I'll bring in the fresh air when it's needed and through our HVAC system so it can be filtered and distributed on a regular basis. I've heard people say that modern houses are too tight. I say this argument is boloney. Why would we want our homes to be intentionally leaky? Do we want pollen-filled humid air to just leak in under walls/doors/windows/outlets any time the wind blows? No, we want a super-tight house that resists the forces of nature so we can let our HVAC system and our insulation systems work properly.
In most of my homes over the last few years I've been using 100% spray foam for insulation which does a fantastic job of air sealing the stud cavities & attics. However, one area that can use improvement is the wood to wood connections & wood to concrete connections. In the past I've had my framing carpenters use Sill Sealer under bottom framing plates for air sealing along with a bead of construction adhesive but it's not 100% foolproof. In this video you'll see where Owens Corning's new Energy Complete system has a leg up on just using spray foam. -Matt Risinger

Venting a Metal Roof with Rigid Foam Underneith

2011-03-14T07:34:00.000-05:00

In our hot Texas climate nothing beats a metal roof for longevity and energy efficiency. I'm a huge fan of the silvery Galvalume color because it has a radiant barrier built in and that silver color helps keeps our houses cool. In this video I'll show you the best practice method for installing a metal roof on a vented lath system. Plus, we used a layer of 3/4" rigid foam on the roof deck to help keep the heat out of our sealed/foamed attic underneath. Architecture by Heimsath Architects, construction by Risinger Homes. -Matt Risinger

Floor Joist utilizing 2x4 Truss System

2011-03-03T10:48:00.000-06:00

When I first started building homes 16 years ago we used all solid 2x10's and 2x12's. I though that nothing could beat a SOLID 2x joist. However, I vividly remember running my 6' level across the floors during a frame check and hoping I'd find a flat floor. At the time I was building production homes and I'll bet that 1 in 4 houses we built had a humped floor that needed corrected. A few years later I moved to engineered TJI joists and these were fantastic for making flat floors, but they still had the issues with trades drilling or sawing holes that were too big in the middle of the joist. The last 6 years I've used 2x4 floor trusses almost exclusively and I'll never go back. In this video I'll show you why they make the flattest, strongest, least bouncy, and most trade friendly floor. -Matt Risinger

Insulating Knee Walls Correctly with Spray Foam

2011-02-07T11:34:00.000-06:00

I'd be willing to wager that 90% of all houses built in the last 20 years with knee walls aren't insulated properly. Batt insulation that's commonly used does a terrible job of insulating these spaces. I have seen it falling down and flopped over on just about every house I've inspected. In this video I'll show you how to insulate these tricky spaces correctly. Matt Risinger

Quiet Duct Work and Planning Your HVAC System

2011-01-28T15:39:00.000-06:00

I love talking about HVAC systems so when you see me in a video discussing duct work you might see an extra big smile on my face! This video is for all the other building science geeks out there...

-Matt Risinger

Radiant Barrier Walls for a Hot & Humid climate

2011-01-21T08:34:00.000-06:00

If you google "radiant barrier" you'll get a zillion hits about how you should use radiant barrier decking in your roof/attic assembly. But, you don't hear much talk about using radiant barriers on unshaded exterior walls. One reason you don't hear much about walls and radiant barriers is that it's harder to build in the air gap needed to make a radiant barrier actually work. If you embed a radiant barrier in a wall assembly (say behind siding up against the sheathing) it won't function. But, if you're cladding your house in rock or brick you have that air gap behind the masonry and it's a great place to use a radiant barrier. This is especially true for our hot/humid climate when a house has unshaded south & west facing walls. In this video you'll see how we are using this technique in a very efficient Barley & Pfeiffer Architects home my company is building near downtown Austin, TX. -Matt Risinger

The Future of Pier & Beam Foundations

2010-12-21T21:23:00.000-06:00

I've been working on a very green and very well designed new home in Westlake designed by Heimsath Architects. We are in framing now but I finally compiled the multiple videos I shot of the pier & beam foundation we built for this house. This is the pinnacle of building science for foundations in our climate and it's really an amazing system. My building science hero Joe Lstiburek would be proud! It was engineered by Richard Luevano, PE of Steinman Luevano Structures. Here's the footage... Matt Risinger

VYCORners PreFabricated Window Sill Corners Review

2010-11-24T06:35:00.000-06:00

If you've read my blog very long you know that I'm a huge believer in the DuPont Tyvek family of weatherization products. I've used Tyvek exclusively for about 10 years now and I've never been let down by performance. My philosophy is that we only have one chance to weatherproof our houses correctly so we should take as much time selecting materials for weatherproofing as we do for selecting cabinets or countertops. Water is the #1 enemy of your house's durability and the small premium I pay for Tyvek branded products is very worth it in my mind. I my 15 years as a builder/remodeler, I've seen way too many failures of windows & doors that lead to rot & mold.

These photo's above were taken on a very expensive house under construction in Central Austin. Even the most amateur builder would see that the bottom corners of this window are super vulnerable to leakage. (that generic flashing tape is terrible too but that's another post). The Grace VYCORner preformed plastic sill corner is a perfect application for this incomplete sill flashing you see above.

The photo above is one of the VYCORners. I've done a ton of video's about my Best Practice methods for installing Tyvek and the Tyvek window flashing products. This VYCORner is an acceptable alternative to an all Tyvek branded installation. It's not my personal best practice but it's very close and is better than how 99% of the windows are installed in Texas. Here's my video from a jobsite the other day showing how the Marvin windows were installed using this product. -Matt Risinger

Super Flat Walls Using Recycled LSL Studs

2010-11-17T17:10:00.000-06:00

Have you ever visited a house and noticed wavy walls? It's especially apparent when raking light comes in from a high window and it's usually due to 2x4 studs that have twisted or warped. Studs are a natural product and they do tend to move either prior to installation and even sometimes post installation. The frame carpenters will cull the bad ones from the batch but sometimes they get installed by accident.
I'm a big fan of this relatively new product from the good folks at Weyerhaueser. It's an iLevel LSL Stud and they come to the job site perfectly straight and flat (and they stay that way). We're using them on a Barley & Pfeiffer Architects new home we're building. They're being used in the kitchen, baths, and home office areas. Those are areas of the house that typically have cabinets & countertops adjoining walls and small waves can be very apparent. He's my video from the job site. -Matt Risinger

Toilet Review - Gerber Dual Flush Pressure Assisted

2010-10-18T15:39:00.000-05:00

My in-laws recently remodeled their lake house and when they were looking at toilets I steered them towards dual flush models. They wanted a "standard" looking toilet rather than the more modern Toto dual flush toilets I used on my remodel a few years ago. I have a good relationship with the Gerber rep and he's told me really good things about their relatively new Gerber pressure assisted dual flush toilet. That's the toilet you'll see me reviewing in the video. The executive summary is that it's been a fantastic toilet. The handle looks like an old school handle rather than the two buttons on top of my Toto toilets. Pressing down like you've always done produces a pressure assisted 1.1 gallon flush that works for 99% of what you'll need to flush. If you lift up on the handle it'll go a full 1.6 gallons. I really think this would have worked perfectly as a single flush 1.1 gallon tank but I'm betting they include the higher flush as mental insurance for people unsure about buying a dual flush toilet. This is a really powerful flush at 1.1 gallons. I highly recommend this for anyone wanting a more traditional toilet but wanting to save water overall. Great product. -Matt Risinger

Conditioned Crawl Space In A Pier & Beam Home

2010-10-08T16:39:00.000-05:00

I'm really excited about this video. This is my first true conditioned crawl space house. This video was shot at a new construction home my company is building in Westlake a close-in neighborhood near Austin, TX. The clients have lived on this lot for 12 years and their slab foundation had experienced alot of movement due to expansive clay soils. We demolished their old house and the new house is a hybrid foundation with massive (some 40' deep) piers to solid rock. We then poured a perimeter beam on top of those piers with carton forms under them to shield the new house from soil movement. This created the perfect opportunity for a conditioned crawl space. This is basically a short basement. In this video you'll see my spray foam contractor laying down a nice thick blanket of closed cell foam on the perimeter of the crawl space walls. Very exciting! -Matt Risinger

Sherwin Williams Radiant Barrier Paint

2010-10-06T13:50:00.003-05:00

My company is doing a whole house remodel on a 10 year old Tuscan house. I call this my de-tuscan job as the house was built with an uber-tuscan style and the architects I'm working with have planned a very modern makeover. I think one of my main strengths as a builder is finding ways to greatly increase the efficiency of all the homes I work on. In this case, the house was constructed very traditionally for 1999. It's a slab on grade 4200 sf single story with a 3 car garage, two by six stick framed, fiberglass batts in the walls, 10" of blown fiberglass in the attic, two 75 gallon standard gas water heaters, three 80% efficient gas furnaces. All the mechanical equipment is located in the attic with a 6/12 pitch trussed roof. Two of the HVAC systems are original to the house, one was replaced two years ago. With our Hot/Humid Texas climate and with huge amounts of duct work in the attic my first suggestion is always to goto a conditioned attic by bringing the insulation to the roofline with spray foam. On a typical summer day at 99 outside our attics in Austin can easily reach 130+. The problem with spray foaming this house's attic is that all the mechanicals are atmospherically vented. They draw in attic air, burn it, then it vents naturally through the B-vent. If we would spray foam the attic without changing the equipment it would be very dangerous for the occupants. The water heaters were switched to tankless since 10 years is about right to switch out a tank style water heater, but it would have been too costly to replace all the HVAC equipment with 90+ gas units that are sealed combustion. This is the only type of gas unit that can be safely used in a sealed attic system. So, the least cost for the dollar spent was to retrofit a radiant barrier on the roof deck with Sherwin Williams E-Barrier paint. We used 20 gallons to spray this roof and it took two painters 1.5 days to complete the job. Total bill was about $2250. I'm hoping that it will bring out attic temp down 15-20 degrees on those hot summer days which should translate to a savings in our clients AC bills.

-Matt Risinger

Nick Deaver Architect 2010 AIA Austin Homes Tour House

2010-10-04T15:13:00.000-05:00

If you missed the tour this past weekend you really missed out! The 2010 AIA Homes tour was the best attended ever in their 24 year history. I heard from several people that it was their favorite tour of the recent past. I shot some video of the house I remodeled with Nick Deaver Architect in the NW Hills of Austin. This 1968 house was totally remodeled inside while still retaining all the original roofline, walls, and floor structure. Enjoy.
-Matt Risinger

AIA Austin Homes Tour THIS WEEKEND

2010-10-01T10:53:00.001-05:00

The weather is looking perfect, so be sure to come out this weekend and visit our two homes on the 2010 AIA Austin Homes Tour. The Architects on our two homes were Hugh Jefferson Randolph Architects & Nick Deaver Architect. You'll be amazed at their vision for renovating these two homes. Tour info can be found at the AIA Austin Tour Website. Hope to see you there. - Matt Risinger

Roof Top Rigid Foam -Taking Efficiency Through The Roof!

2010-09-23T17:02:00.000-05:00

Over the last year I've really been working on how to get my houses to the next level of greater energy efficiency and this video will show you my latest secret. We're laying down a thick layer of rigid ISO foam boards on top of the roof here that we sourced from Hunter Panels in Houston, TX. We are using their H-Shield NP product that is 1.5" of foam bonded to 1/2" OSB decking. This will make a continuous blanket of R9.6 insulation on top of the roof plus the 5.5" of open cell spray foam inside on the underside of the roof for a total foam R value of R28.6. I really like that this foam on the roof will span over our 2x6 roof rafters and eliminate thermal bridging at the wood rafters. I also want to mention that our roof is a silver "Galvalume" metal roof that acts as a radiant barrier. I foresee very low cooling bills for this little farmhouse! -Matt Risinger

Durable Siding Details on a new Farmhouse

2010-09-21T16:57:00.002-05:00

-Matt Risinger

Green Building Program Updates Ratings Oct 1, 2010

2010-09-04T09:10:00.000-05:00

The Austin Energy Green Building Program is one of the nation’s oldest and best green building programs. The program rates homes from one to five stars with a five star rated home being their top category. In the 6 years I’ve been building in Austin every home that I’ve built (or remodeled) has gotten enough points for the 5 Star rating. I’m a big believer in their program because I feel the building science behind the rating system is very solid. I also like that the program is very specific to our cooling dominated Hot & Humid climate. In my opinion, some of the national programs are more geared to a heating climate and aren’t a great fit for building in Austin.

So with that background, here’s the executive summary of what’s changing...

Reason for the new ratings: Changes due to the adoption of the 2009 International Energy Code being adopted Oct 1, 2010. Advances in Building Science have driven some changes. Wanting to move the program to the next level!

New basic requirements: (For a Minimum One Star)

Texas Climate Vision Score of 0
≥ 550sf/ton of AC (formerly 500sf/ton)
AC Equipment ≥ 14.5 SEER, 12.0 EER (up .5 each)
Curved Blade HVAC Ceiling Registers (flat stamped registers are common)
Fireplaces must be sealed with an outside combustion air input and glass doors.
Min 4 Energy Star appliances or fixtures installed
Kitchen exhaust hoods >400 CFM must have make-up air.

Two Star Requirements:

Construction Waste Management Plan (Min 50% recycled by weight)
Bath Exhaust fans on timer or humidistat

Three Star Requirements

≥ 600 sf/ton of AC

Four Star Requirements

Cooling equipment and duct work must be within thermal envelope
Any skylight must meet Energy Star requirement
Water Heater must be high efficiency.

Tank Units: Sealed Combustion Direct Vent ≥.8EF
Tankless Units ≥.82EF
Electric Heat Pump Tanks ≥.2EF

Five Star Requirements

150 Points Minimum (formerly 125 points needed total)
Glazing protection or maximum glazing (i.e. window restrictions)

Overhang projection factor of .5 met for all windows facing SW to NW
Glazing on E + W walls combined doesn’t exceed 25% of all glazing
Glazing on West wall doesn’t exceed 10% of wall
Total Glazing area doesn’t exceed 18% of conditioned floor area

Irrigation must meet water efficiency criteria
Any non-durable flooring is rapidly renewable or CRI Green Label

Cork, Wool, Sisal, Bamboo, Linoleum

AEGBP Rating System going online Oct 1st (requires $50 fee for all houses). This online system will have a record of all communications w/ AEGBP staff. It also allows upload of all project documents (Plans, Manual J, Documents), and creates researchable database of past projects.

-Matt Risinger

Newest Glass Technology

2010-08-26T13:39:00.000-05:00

When it comes to window efficiency there's really two factors that matter:

#1 Window Frame Material (wood, vinyl, fiberglass, fibrex, aluminum)

#2 Glass

The gold standard of glass for our hot/humid Austin TX climate has been Cardinal Low-E 366 glass. (This is the glass I have been specifying in my Marvin, Andersen, Gerkin, Fleetwood, and Eagle windows.) Most window manufacturers buy their glass from Cardinal but they might call this Low-E 366 by their own trade name. For instance, Andersen calls it their "Smart Sun" glass but it's really Cardinal Low-E 366 in their windows.

Here's the big news, Cardinal Glass has just introduced a new glass that gives triple pane performance using only two panes of glass! Their new Low-E i81 glass boasts a U-Factor of .20. Most Double Pane Low E 366 windows I've been installing have had U Factors of .24-.30 so these are potentially 50% better! I'm looking forward to getting this glass into my future houses. -Matt Risinger

Here's a chart off the Cardinal Website showing different glass configurations and their U-Factors.

IG UNITU-FACTORDouble-Pane, Clear, Air0.48Double-Pane w/LoĒ³-366, Argon0.24Double-Pane w/LoĒ³-366 and LoĒ-i81, Air0.23Double-Pane w/LoĒ³-366 and LoĒ-i81, Argon0.201" IG UNITU-FACTORTriple-Pane, Clear0.35Triple-Pane w/LoĒ³-366, Argon0.22Triple-Pane w/LoĒ³-366, LoĒ-179, Argon0.17Triple-Pane w/LoĒ³-366, LoĒ-179, LoĒ-i81, Argon0.15

5 Major Changes To Buildings In The Last 50 Years

2010-08-20T16:15:00.000-05:00

I saw this video of Joe Lstiburek (who is well regarded as one of the nation's top Building Science experts) and wanted to pass it along. He's discussing the five fundamental changes that have occurred in the way we build buildings from 50 years ago to today.
Here's my quick executive summary:

1. Increase Thermal Resistance - Need to increase thermal resistance through the roof, walls, building slabs, etc. We can do so by using better materials, clever design, and by understanding the physics behind it and dealing with it.

2. Changing of the permeability of the linings that we put on the inside/outside of the building enclosure - Over the years, we have gone from plywood to OSB, which doesn't breathe. We also started using insulating sheathing made of plastics, vinyl wall paper, and foil face fiberglass batts, which also don't breathe. We can't put vapor barrier on both sides of the building assembly. The solution is to control the permeability of the linings that we use.

3. Water & mold sensitivity of out building materials have been going up - Mold is a water problem. No water, no mold. Over the years, we have gone from trees to lumber to plywood to OSB to hardboard to particle board to drywall. When you go from timber to engineered materials, the processing makes the materials more mold and water sensitive.

4. Ability of the building enclosure to store and redistribute moisture has been going down - A 1950's house has a hydric buffer capacity of 50 gallons, which consists of wood framing and plywood sheathing. The same size house with steel studs and gypsum sheathing will have a HBC of around 3-5 gallons. In the last century, the HBC has decreased significantly due to our choices of materials.

5. Now have complex three-dimensional airflow networks that inadvertently couple the building enclosure to the breathing zone of the occupied space -

Engineers/Architects/Contractors have essentially turned the building enclosure into the contaminant and turned the mechanical system into the contaminant interstate that couples the enclosure to the breathing zone of the occupied space.

-Matt Risinger

Austin TX Energy Code Changes Effective Oct 1,2010

2010-08-19T13:35:00.000-05:00

  I recently attended a seminar at my Austin Home Builders Association regarding the changes to the International Energy Conservation Code. We're currently building under the 2006 IECC codes and the 2009 updates have been adopted by the City of Austin effective Oct 1, 2010. Overall this new code will increase efficiency by about 15% compared to the 2006 code, but Austin has adopted some even stricter amendments to the 2009 codes so I'm guessing we're closer to 17-18% for Austin homes built under this new code.
  (Keep in mind this article is based on building in Austin TX (zone 2) so if you're reading this in Pennsylvania some of these will be different for your climate zone.)

  Here's the Executive Summary of what I learned:

Window Glazing (glass) Solar Heat Gain Coeffecient goes from .4 down to .3
Window U-Factor Now: .65 NEW: .51 (Note: Aluminum Non-Thermally Broken windows will still meet code but need performance upgrades like Argon Gas and better spacers. Likely low-end aluminum will not be seen anymore)
Duct Testing: MANDATORY TEST EVERY HOUSE
Manual J HVAC DESIGN is now a code requirement. Installed Equipment must reasonably match Manual J
Envelope Testing Code is 7ACH50 slightly more stringent than Austin’s current .5ACHnatural. 7ACH50 is close to .42ACHnatural.
Wall Insulation Now R-13 meets code NEW: R-15 batts or R-13 Batts with R-2 exterior foam sheathing NOTE: Total Fill BIBS, Open Cell Spray Foam, & Blown Cellulose will all meet code
Attic Access required to meet insulation requirement of attic. IE: R-30 attic needs R-30 on the attic door
Maintain attic insulation depth over conditioned space.
Unvented Attic- Must use air-impermeable foam. Can be R21 if mechanical system is in the thermal envelope.
High Efficacy Lighting 25% now NEW: 50% (lamps/bulbs) Austin Amendment takes this to 90% (this is a BIG CHANGE)
Option of using a calculated lighting allowance of .6 watts/sqft to allow a mix of lighting.

Improved Hot Water Distribution Efficiency Austin Amendments (Not in the 2009 IECC)

Automation and Insulation of Circulation Systems
Insulation of ¾” or larger hot water piping and runout serving kitchen sink
Restriction on Electric Resistance Water Heating – Can be used as secondary to solar thermal or Heat Pump Note: Ok to do electric water heating with De-super heat recovery system and with Geothermal systems.

John Umphress from Austin Energy Green Building Program was the presenter of this code updates seminar and he gave the following tips for building under the new code.

Manual J is now required. Including room airflows (Manual D)
Use factory sealed air handlers
Test your duct system at rough.
Install returns or pressure relief in all bedrooms.
Make sure your return area is adequate (1sq foot per ton net)
R21 Insulation when cooling is the point of diminishing return (IE Greater than R21 isn't money well spent)
R38 Insulation when heating is the point of diminishing return

Be sure to talk to your Architect or Builder about how these new codes will affect your construction project. -Matt Risinger

Reclaimed Pine Boards Milled Onsite Into Flooring

2010-08-12T16:20:00.000-05:00

We just completed a 1950's whole house remodel in the South Austin neighborhood of Barton Hills. The clients sourced some 100+ year old pine shiplap boards that were originally used for sheathing in a home near San Antonio. In this video you'll see how we milled this into a beautiful hardwood floor. It's tough to tell in the video but we used a black epoxy fill for the random holes. Also, if you're planning a job like this be sure to buy a good router bit set for the tongue/grooves. The router bit set in the video is by Amana Tool Company and can be found HERE on their website. We found it to be an excellent value and produced great cuts. -Matt Risinger

Great Article On "Sexy vs Practical" - Green Building Practices & Products

2010-08-04T13:41:00.001-05:00

I found this article in one of the trade journals I receive and wanted to pass this along. Basically this article talks about how much product manfacturers want to tout new and green products but the best benefit to our clients is really sticking to the basics. Here's a quote from the article but the link below takes you to the entire piece.

I am often asked, “What’s the greenest thing I can do to a structure?” I invariably point to three guiding principles: 1) Condition your structure so it burns 30 to 60 percent less fuel to heat and cool itself over its lifetime than it does now (e.g., tighten up and properly vent the thermal envelope); 2) Use third-party-certified, nontoxic/low-emitting products that protect the environment and air quality at every link in the value chain; and 3) Don’t buy products whose source materials have been harvested or extracted at rates that are unsustainable or nonregenerative.

LINK TO ARTICLE

-Matt Risinger

Make Up Air for a Commercial Range in a remodeled house

2010-07-29T10:35:00.000-05:00

My company mantra is "Build Tight, Ventilate Right". We strive to air seal our homes as tightly as possible. The idea being that we want to bring fresh air into the house on our terms & when we want it. The alternative is a leaky house that brings in hot/humid pollen filled air 24/7 from any where. If you've read my blog we have a fresh air system that regularly brings filtered fresh air into the HVAC system and distributes it throughout the house. Well, this build tight motto works great until you have a commercial gas range that has a high CFM exhaust fan trying to suck out 900 CFM's of air/smoke when you're cooking. Remember your science classes air in = air out. Without some sort of make up air these exhaust fans just can't pull out as much air as they are trying to. The house goes under huge negative air pressure but the minimal air infiltration can't keep up. The solution is to tie a duct with a damper into the range exhaust hood. In this video we'll show you how we've set up a make up air system for his 36" DCS Gas Range. -Matt Risinger

Vertex 100 High Efficiency Tank Water Heater

2010-07-19T09:18:00.000-05:00

In my last post I debated the merits of tankless vs a high efficiency tank style water heater. Well, after talking it through with the client we decided to specify the AO Smith Vertex 100 for a new home we're building to the highest 5 Star Austin Energy Green Building standards. This is a pretty amazing machine wrapped in an old-school body. It's a typical looking 50 gallon tank but achieves 96% thermal efficiency.

It has a 100k BTU gas input (most tank units are 40k) so it's about 50% as much gas input as the 200k BTU Rinnai tankless I usually install. They claim it can run 4 gallons per minute of hot water indefinitely. That makes sense because the tankless units can usually handle 8 gallons per minute endlessly. But, with 50 gallons of standing hot it would be really hard to run out of hot water. As a side benefit with a tank style heater you'll still have hot water even if the power goes out. With the tankless unit at my house when power goes out I don't have hot water as it needs electricity to spark the gas burner and run the electronics. This unit won't fire if power is off but it will have 50 gallons standing at the ready. In a bigger emergency like a tornado or earthquake where city water is interrupted this could also be beneficial to have 50 gallons of water to drink if the tank was drained.
Lastly, compared to the cost of two tankless units this Vertex 100 is about 2/3rds the cost. It's a great choice for my clients family of 4. I'll be sure to review it post-install. -Matt Risinger

Tankless Water Heaters are not always the best solution

2010-07-14T09:32:00.000-05:00

One of my current clients is an Architect with Heimsath Architects and we've been working on bidding/estimating a new house for his family in Westlake. He has a family of four with two children that are pre-teens and he's designed a very efficient home that will rate a 5 Star in Austin Energy's Green Building Program. The Manual J calculations came back and the design shows 900 square feet per ton of cooling! Most new homes in Austin are around 500 square feet per ton so his house is almost 2x as efficient! Anyhow, he originally specified two exterior mounted tankless water heaters. One to service the master bath and one child's bath and one to service the kitchen, laundry, powder, and the other child's bathroom. It's a great system for sure as those two units can be placed close to the point of use. The tankless unit servicing the master would be on the stone wall right outside the master bed, the other unit would on the outside wall of the kitchen. Great plan, but you pay a premium for two of these powerful (and expensive) machines. We've been doing some "value engineering" on his house (read: cutting costs) and one item up for evaluation is the dual tankless hot water idea. We don't want to sacrifice efficiency and we don't want cold showers. Here's my proposed solution: One AO Smith Vertex 50 Gallon High Performance Gas water heater. This is a pretty amazing product that's been on the market a few years. It's like a standard gas water heater that's been engineered for maximum performance and efficiency. They make two models the Vertex 76 and the Vertex 100. Here's what I like about them:

90% & 96% Efficiency compared to 60% efficiency of a standard gas tank water heater
76,000 & 100,000 BTU input compared to 40,000 BTU input of standard unit
Power Vented with PVC piping (sidewall) compared to metal atmospheric roof venting of standard unit
Reduced maintenance schedule compared to annual flush routine of tankless water heaters
Capacity to run 3+ fixtures at once compared to tankless units that max out at 3 fixtures
Price: One Vertex 76 is the price of one tankless unit. So not doing two tankless units is a big savings.

Pretty amazing specs for a rather standard looking tank! But there are some downsides:

Takes up house or garage space compared to an exterior mounted tankless unit
Some limits to output compared to tankless. Very long showering families with lots of demand at the same hour could drain this unit. One person showering could be limitless output.
Some standby loss compared to a tankless unit. Minimal but some nonetheless

So, in summary these Vertex units really fill a need when you've got a large family with more hot water demands. I think this is a great upgrade from a standard gas unit and a potential money saver from using two tankless units. I still like tankless units especially for smaller families. When there are two people in the house it's hard to beat a tankless unit but for bigger families or more complicated houses this Vertex model is a great solution.
-Matt Risinger

Tar Paper is not a Durable Product

2010-07-01T14:08:00.000-05:00

My company is doing a remodeling project on a pretty young (11 year old) home in the Westlake area of Austin, TX. This house was built by a design-build firm locally and my clients are dramatically changing the looks of the house. I like to call this my "De-Tuscan" job. It's moving from a Tuscan style to a more modern aesthetic. The good folks at FAB Architecture (not the original Architects BTW)have a killer design that re-uses the footprint of the house but makes major interior changes. Anyhow, most of my remodeling jobs have been 20-30 year old Austin houses that were in rough shape. I didn't exactly know what to expect behind the walls but I figured the house would be pretty sound. Well, that assumption was generally correct but I did find some failures. In this video I'll show you the partially demolished front entry area where the 11 year old wall waterproofing is in terrible shape. I really think this house was saved by having gutters on it since it was built. Had the gutters not been installed the walls would really have seen some mold/decay. Anyhow, here's a shot of the house pre-demo:

And here's the video of what's behind that rock wainscot and stucco entry:

-Matt Risinger

Best Roofing Choices for our Hot/Humid Texas Climate

2010-06-23T14:01:00.003-05:00

I just saw this free article from the Journal of Light Construction archives that's free to download about Cool Roofs. As you may know, I'm a big fan of Galvalume metal roofs and this article has some great research to backup my favorite roofing choice. It also has some good info on Radiant Barriers, Tile Roofs, and Insulation/Venting issues. Perfect article for our hot/humid climate! You can find it here or here.
The photo is a Barley & Pfeiffer Architects designed home I built a few years ago. You can see the Galvalume roof really shedding the sun on a hot summer day. Also notice the deep overhangs and awnings over windows to shade the interior and the side walls of the house. Their team really does an amazing job of designing for our climate.
-Matt Risinger

Batt Insulation Is Less Than Ideal

2010-06-21T16:18:00.000-05:00

My company has just started a remodeling project on a fairly young home and I was curious to see how well this was insulated once we removed some sheetrock from the walls. As you'll see in this video the fiberglass batts that were used weren't exactly perfectly installed. Batt insulation is really tough to install 100% perfect and this lack of forgiveness is one reason why I never recommend this insulation type to my clients. -Matt Risinger

Blower Door Testing Video

2010-06-17T14:58:00.000-05:00

Blower Door testing is a way to measure how "tightly" your house was built. You're heard me preach about Build Tight, Ventilate Right. Well, this is the way we ensure that we've Built Tight. This essential test is required if you rate your house through the Austin Energy Green Building Program. In this video, my tester Tim Brown of Pioneer Designs will walk you through how the test is performed and what you'll learn from doing the test in your house. -Matt Risinger

Duct Blast Testing Prior To Remodeling

2010-06-16T16:18:00.000-05:00

I'm just starting the demo phase on a new remodel project I'm doing with FAB Architecture tomorrow and I wanted to establish a benchmark of how efficient this house was prior to construction. The Duct Blaster test is used to determine the loss from leaks in the HVAC system. In this video Tim Brown, AIA from Pioneer Designs who does energy modeling & testing will show you what's involved with this test. -Matt Risinger

Bona Traffic Satin Hardwood Floor Finish Review

2010-06-15T08:29:00.000-05:00

I am a huge fan of site finished true hardwood floors. These floors are the crowning glory of my custom homes (or remodels) and I think they are the model of sustainability. Hardwood floors are durable, healthy, pretty, and can last literally 100+ years! That's a pretty "green" product in my book. Anyhow, the purpose of this post is to give my thoughts on a hardwood floor finish product called Bona Traffic. This is a water-based floor finish as opposed to an oil based finish. I like the water based finishes (and specifically Bona Traffic) more many reasons:
1. Water based means low VOC's. Bona Traffic is Green Guard Certified for Indoor Air Quality.
2. Water based is usually tougher than oil based. Bona Traffic has been great for clients with dogs. Very scratch resistant.
3. Offered in Satin (my favorite) or Gloss (looks awesome but tougher to keep clean).
4. Dries quickly, great for construction because it can be two coated in one day and construction people can walk on it the next day in sock feet.
5. Water clean up. No Mineral Spirits to contend with. No issues of spontaneous combustion from rag piles.
OK so let's talk about the down sides of Bona Traffic. This finish imparts no color to the wood as opposed to an oil finish that imparts an amber color to the wood. Maybe a downside, maybe not depending on the look you're trying to achieve. It's also a bit more expensive than an oil finish but I think the slight cost up charge is well worth it.
Here's two projects I did recently with Bona Traffic Satin. My hardwood contractor Kristynik Hardwood Flooring did a great job on these two homes. The first three are a Pecan floor with a Nutmeg Stain, the other three are a natural Maple floor. -Matt Risinger

Kitchen Before/After Video with Architect Cindy Black

2010-06-14T13:37:00.000-05:00

We have just finished a smallish kitchen remodel of a 20 year old Paul Lamb designed house with a killer Lake Austin view. Architect Cindy Black has a practice dedicated to killer kitchen design (called Hello Kitchen) and she did a great job working within the frame work of a well designed house with a lacking kitchen. Here's our before and after video of the project. -Matt Risinger

Efficient Under Counter Lighting - Best Light for the Money "Priori T2"

2010-06-02T16:49:00.000-05:00

I was talking to an Architect a few days ago about under counter lighting for a project we're doing together. She had specified a rope light for this particular project but the topic got me thinking about which under counter lights would provide the best lighting for the money. In general I want under counter lights to be:

#1 BRIGHT - Lots of task lighting is good when you're cooking and ceiling mounted recessed lights are usually shadowy at the counter level.

#2 EFFICIENT - In my house these lights are on for many hours at a time. Maybe LED or Florescent? Xenon?

#3 LOW PROFILE - I hate seeing lights stick down from under the cabinets so whatever I use it needs to be slim.

I posed this question to Brian Johnson a lighting expert at Lighting Inc on Burnet Road in Austin where I buy most of my lighting packages. Here's Brian's response:

"My favorite under counter light these days is a very thin fixture called "Prior T2" by American Lighting. This is a fluorescent fixture but it uses a tiny T2 bulb (these bulbs have a diameter like a pencil). This fixture has the best color rendering of any fluorescent fixture on the market. T2 lamps have an extremely high color rendering index of 90, and if you were to put this next to a xenon or halogen light, you would be hard pressed to tell the difference. The T2 lamp is also much more efficient than regular fluorescents and has a lamplife of 10,000 hours. They also come in white, satin nickel and bronze, and will match whatever decor you have in your kitchen or utility room. The one drawback with this fixture is that it is not dimmable. However, if you are looking for an economical UCL that gives you a nice warm light, then the Priori T2 is an excellent choice (much more affordable than LED products). These are on par price wise with most xenon (about $100 for a 30") Photo below is the Priori T2...

LEDS are here, but they are expensive. I still prefer the T2 due to the price range. Maxim has one that we have on display, and I have used the new tape light in several jobs, but I am only using LED when people really want to be cutting edge or require dimming due to its price. In all honesty, I think fluorescent is still the way to for the next year or so. Don't get me wrong, the LEDS are super clean looking and cool, but you are looking to closer to $200 for a 30" section. Photo below is Maxim Lighting CounterMax LED."

Thanks Brian for you insight. I've had florescent T5 Hera SlimLine under counter lights at my house for 2 years now and they see almost constant use. So far I've loved them and it looks like this Priori T2 is a nice newer technology florescent than mine. It addresses my three criteria above and comes in at a good price point. -Matt Risinger

Can remodeling be inherently "green"?

2010-05-26T17:18:00.000-05:00

If you read my blog much you'll know that my firm does both new construction and remodeling work. I love new construction because I get the opportunity to "do it right" from the start. But, I also love remodeling work where I can make a dramatic difference in a tired old house. I've remodeled three of my personal homes now but never built a new home for my family. Maybe someday? Anyhow, the point of this post is to say that I think remodeling is a great way to transform older houses that are structurally sound but really are "sad" otherwise. Check out these before/after shots of my 1978 (not a prime year for good building practices in my book) house in North Austin I remodeled a few years ago.

Kitchen (Why did they fir down ceilings for those junk strip fluorescent lights?)

Kitchen After

Peninsula is relatively in the same place. Dog was bathed too.

Living Room Before

Living Room After (Use FP as your reference)

Master Bath (Love that gold sliding shower door!)

Tough to tell but we re-arranged the layout of the master bathroom to eliminate the tub and all the wasted floor space in favor of a compact bathroom with stand-up shower (no tub) and a larger walk in closet.

In my book remodeling with a good Architect is a great way to re-use a tired building that still has plenty of life. -Matt Risinger

Austin Changes the Rules on Spray Foamed Attics

2010-05-19T20:38:00.000-05:00

If you've been reading my blog you'll know that I'm a big believer in sealed spray foamed conditioned attics for our hot & humid Austin climate. (See this video of one of my fully foamed attics here) I believe this is THE best way to build a house in Austin TX. I've used spray foam to build or remodel every house I've touched since 2005. Well, the rules have changed in regards to foam so if you're currently building or thinking of building in Austin jurisdiction please read on...

I attended a meeting at the HBA today (Wed May 19, 2010) with the City of Austin Building Dept officials regarding the changes to how COA is enforcing 2006 IRC codes in relation to Spray Foam. Here’s a link to the Presentation and the codes sections referenced.

http://risingerhomes.com/uploads/Spray-Foam-COA-Mtg-at-HBA-051910.pdf

Basically, if your attic is spray foamed you are likely going to need to either paint on an intumescent (reduces flame spread & smoke index) paint or drywall these attics from this point forward. This is a rolling change so even if you’ve passed insulation inspections you will be made to comply with this at your final building inspection. You must get the ICCES report from your foam contractor and read it carefully to know what you’ll need to do to pass inspections. My house that passed insulation inspections three weeks ago was a 2000 sq foot remodel with a 4/12 roof and a fully foamed attic. The intumescent paint on top of the foam was $1500. Here’s an ICCES report on Demilec Sealection 500 so you’ll know what they look like:

http://risingerhomes.com/uploads/ICCES-Demilec-Sealection-500-Report.pdf

I made a quick video after the presentation with John Umphress of Austin Energy's Green Building Program discussing how this change came about and what you’ll need to do to comply. If you’re using foam this WILL affect you.

Lastly, ICC-ES reports for the different foam manufacturer’s are here:

http://www.icc-es.org/reports/index.cfm?csi_num=07210&view_details=yes

Call or email me if I can help you. Hope this “heads up” helps, Matt Risinger

Propane vs. All Electric: Propane is getting tougher to justify...

2010-05-12T22:15:00.000-05:00

My company just finished a whole house remodel/addition project on Lake Travis that only had electric service and not natural gas. My clients considered adding a propane tank so they could use a propane powered tankless water heater, possibly a propane furnace, and a propane cooktop but we had some space issues in placing a tank since their lot was so sloped to the water. Most people in surrounding Austin areas who are building and want to use Propane as fuel bury a tank near the house. Like this one:

Over the past two years some electric appliances have come to market that are really a game changer for people who are in all electric areas. The propane option is not a foregone conclusion like it used to be for a well built new home in an all electric area. Let's look at the Propane vs All Electric issue for people who don't have Natural Gas as an option. There's three major appliance decisions:
1. HVAC - For our Texas climate a high efficiency heat pump is a wonderfully efficient way to cool AND HEAT your home. Our mild winters make heat pumps very efficient to operate. For you Yankee's moving down South remember that a heat pump is like a turtle heating your house (slow & steady) unlike the gas furnace that's fast and hot. Heat pumps heat the air a few degrees hotter than the house air temp so if your furnace is set at 70 the air might be blowing out of your registers at 78 which feels cool compared to your body at 98.6 degrees. Your gas furnace might be blowing air out at 110 degrees. I've also found that Heat Pumps are less expensive to install (no gas line, no plumber, simpler mechanicals, less cost). Round 1 Electric Wins
2. Water Heating - I've put in alot of tankless water heaters and they are indeed sexy. Nearly limitless output, good efficiency rating, no standby loss. Standard electric water heating tanks are inefficient and I think alot of people opt for propane to get a "gas" tank or tankless water heater. But, with the advent of the Heat Pump water heaters like the Rheem HP50 and GE GeoSpring that are twice as efficient as standard electric units it's tough to justify propane for water heating as a cost savings anymore. See my video review of the Rheem HP50 we installed this spring. The only way I see Propane winning this round is for large households that need tons of supply that a tankless unit can give. For most US households of 4 people or less the Electric Heat pumps will be perfect. Round 2 Electric Wins
3. Cooking - Not that many years ago the luxury appliance that every wanted was a gigantic 6 or 8 burner Wolf gas professional cooktop. I think that appliance is probably still high on wish lists, but I've now put electric induction cooktops in three houses and clients (who are active foodies mind you) LOVE THEM! They boil water super fast (probably three times faster than gas), have precise heat adjustments, the cooktop itself doesn't get hot so food spills are easy to clean, and they are pretty energy efficient! See this NY Times article about NYC chef's going to Induction cooktops. The big boys like Wolf and Viking are coming out with new Induction models to keep up with the demand. Below is a shot of a KitchenAid 36" Induction cooktop in a house designed by Nick Deaver Architect. They make for a sleek modern & clean look. Round 3 Electric Wins again.

In conclusion, it's my opinion that electric appliances have really stepped up the efficiency and propane is less of a necessity in high performance custom homes. -Matt Risinger

Supplimental Dehumidification for High Performance Houses in Hot & Humid Climates (Austin, TX)

2010-05-11T17:12:00.003-05:00

This is majorly geeky, but I've been thinking about this humidification issue for a few months now. I want to talk about the next wave of building science thought about HVAC systems for our climate.
For most houses in American their Air Conditioner unit does an OK job of controlling the humidity of their house. But, what about our Austin, TX climate where we're considered a Hot & Humid climate zone? Then, what happens to our houses when we make them incredibly air tight and efficient? How well do we keep the humidity of these homes in control? Have you ever been comfortable with a temperature but felt hot because of the high humidity. And the reverse: Have you ever felt cold in your house but it felt clammy (think meat locker)? Those were all issues where your AC unit was cooling but not necessarily bringing down the humidity level (latent heat load).
Well, I've come to the realization that the super high efficiency houses I'm building here in Austin really need some supplemental dehumidification. Dr. Joe Lstiburek a well regarded building science expert says this about Austin's climate: "All homes in this climate call for supplemental dehumidification; the reduced sensible load of high performance homes reduces the dehumidification the AC unit provides, extends shoulder seasons, and raises the impact of occupant-generated moisture." Our HVAC systems need to remove Latent heat and Sensible heat. I'm simplifying this, but the latent load means humidity, sensible load means temperature on the thermometer. Our high performing houses are able to hold their temperature better but sometimes need some help removing the moisture (humidity). Thus the need for a separate dehumidifier with it's own humidity stat.
Here's what I'm now recommending to all my clients:

This is a stand-alone dehumidifier made by ThermaStor. The unit in the photo above is an Ultra Aire 90H that can very efficiently remove 90 pints of moisture per day. This is a fantastic unit because it can be mounted in the attic near the HVAC equipment and give excellent supplemental dehumidification to a high performance house. It includes a MERV 11 filter (very high quality), has a port to bring in ducted fresh air that can be dehumidified and then the dry/filtered/fresh air is ducted to the supply side of the furnace to distribute throughout your house. Eric Rauser in my office drew up this sketch of how to mount this unit in a conditioned attic of one of our homes.

In my opinion this is a vital component of a high performance home built in Austin, TX. -Matt Risinger
PS> For more reading on this topic see the DOE website for their take on this issue in our Hot/Humid Climate.
Also, read this great Building America sponsored study of homes with different Dehumidifier methods with Building Science Corporation.

Dual Flush Toilets No Longer on my Reccomend List

2010-05-10T09:15:00.000-05:00

Toilets are a hot topic on my blog, I always seem to get questions about what toilets I recommend. You may have seen my review of the Toto Aquia that I did in 2007 after I first moved into my remodeled 1970's house. The photo above is my kids bathroom with a Toto Aquia tucked under the countertop. I love how this toilet only uses .9 gallons in the low flush. This works amazingly well, even takes 90% of the solids without needing to got the higher 1.6 gallon flush. However, since I did that review I've had a change of heart towards dual flushing toilets in general. As of May 2010 I no longer recommend any dual flushing toilets to any of my clients. Here's why:
- Dual Flush Toilets have a Low water spot (meaning a small puddle) = Streaking the bowl
- Streaking leads to double flushing = no longer saving water
This is not an issue of clogging, my Toto's have never once clogged. It's really a cleanliness issue. It's also not a Toto issue. My clients who just moved into a remodel we completed in Dec 2009 have dual flush Kohler toilets with the same issue. So, what DO I Recommend? I put a Toto Eco Drake (see my review from last year here) and this "low flow" toilet has been a champion. It uses 1.28 gallons of water on every flush and has a higher more standard water spot. This toilet can streak, but not nearly as often as the dual flush models in my other bathroom. As a result, I only flush the 1.28 gallon toilet once but my .9 gallon dual flush models regularly get double flushed for cleanliness purposes.
I love the Toto brand but I'd look for toilets that are high efficiency but with a larger water spot. Just my two cents. -Matt Risinger

It's getting HOT: via Convection, Conduction, & Radation

2010-05-03T14:49:00.001-05:00

One of my friends who is a salesman for a roofing company called me today to ask me a question about Radiant Barriers. He wanted my opinion of whether it was worthwhile to use a Radiant Barrier (ie Plywood that's coated with aluminum foil on one side) on a house where the silver side would be on top of a previous plywood deck. In order for a Radiant Barrrier to work properly it needs an air space so this application he was talking about wouldn't do a thing for the house in terms of stopping heat transfer.
About an hour after I got his message I read this awesome blog post from John Straube about "How Heat Moves Through Buildings". If don't remember the science of heat transfer from your High School science classes this is an excellent article! As a builder it's my duty to educate my clients and sub-contractors on the how & why of what we're doing in the field. Gone are the days of picking up parts off the shelf of the lumber yard and building a house. Our homes today are very complicated and builders must be experts on the science behind home building. John Straube the author of this article and his colleague Joe Lstiburek (of Building Science Corp) have an upcoming class called "Building Science Experts Session" I hope to attend this winter. -Matt Risinger

Owens Corning EnergyComplete Spray Foam Hybrid System

2010-04-26T12:55:00.000-05:00

I'm just coming off a week's vacation so I'm a bit behind on my blog. My wife gave birth to my third child last week and I had a week at home with the family. I did however spend a few hours at the ACI Home Performance Conference that was held in Austin last week. This is my third time attending this conference and they've really stepped it up.
While at the trade show floor I saw the booth from Owens Corning for their new EnergyComplete insulation system and I shot this video. They've been advertising this new system alot in my trade journals and I was excited to see the wall section and talk to their reps. Basically this is a two step insulation system; Step one is a latex based "foam" they spray on all the potential air leak areas of the walls. This foam is the key to their system and I think really makes this product exciting. The foam is kind of like a spray-able caulking and is really unique. In the video you'll see they sprayed the double top plates, the inside wall cavities, penetrations, and the bottom sill of the wall. In some respects this probably make more of an airtight house than spray foam. In the past I've relied on glue or caulking in those areas and this system makes a much better seal. Step two of the system is old school blown in fiberglass insulation. It's a great system for a total fill of the wall cavity and insulates well around pipes and wires. I would guess that this system would come in a bit less than a spray foam job but might give as good or better results in a blower door test.
My only issue would be how to make a conditioned attic with this system. I'm moving towards rigid foam on my roof decks then spray foaming in the attic at the roof line for all my houses. Not sure how I'd do attics with this since I'm not insulating them traditionally (on the flat ceiling plane).
Very cool system/products. I'd definitely check this system out for your next insulation project as it has some advantages not seen with other systems. -Matt Risinger

Marvin Ultimate Lift & Slide Door - Sweet!

2010-04-14T09:14:00.000-05:00

When I remodeled my 1970's house a few years ago I took out this clunky terrible aluminum sliding glass door that was a junky even when it was first installed 30 years ago. Well, door technology has come a long way since then. I was touring a house with Patrick Ousey from FAB Architecture and he introduced me to the "lift & slide" style door. He had used Lift & Slide style doors in a killer house he designed in West Lake that had an amazing downtown Austin view. Once you see one of these in action trust me you'll want one. An expensive door but like no other sliding door you've ever operated. Marvin just came out with their Ultimate Lift and Slide Door and it's a thing of beauty. Flush (read: no tripping) sills, up to 12' tall and up to 60' wide openings! Check out this YouTube video of their new door at the 2010 International Builders Show. Fast forward to 3:30 in the video to get to the door. Be sure to notice the flush sill in the video. Awesome. I can't wait to install one of these beauties in one of my houses. -Matt Risinger

Sugatsune 3Way Adjustable Concealed Hinges Review

2010-04-13T13:20:00.001-05:00

Have you ever picked up a piece of nice hardware and smiled? If so, then you're an official hardware geek like me! It seems like Germany and Japan have some really nice hardware manufacturers and Sugatsune is one of my favorites. Check out their Model # HES3D-190 hinge.

This beefy hinge screams high quality. It can be found online for about $150 per hinge which isn't cheap but is so worth the money when you're doing a hidden door installation. In this video you'll see some fantastic work from my finish carpenters utilizing this hardware for an amazing "James Bond" hidden door installation. -Matt Risinger

Rheem HP-50 Heat Pump Water Heater Post Install Review

2010-04-12T21:22:00.000-05:00

This Rheem HP-50 Heat Pump water heater is a real game changer. It used to be well understood that electric water heaters were about 2x the annual cost of a gas water heater. The energy guide on this unit says it uses about $250 in electricity annually for a family of four. The typical 50 gallon tank gas water heater uses about the same ammount of gas annually. That's big news for anyone who doesn't have access to gas and doesn't want to install a propane tank. Check out my video of a Rheem HP-50 unit installed in the crawlspace of a Lakehouse remodel we just completed. -Matt Risinger

Lutron Maestro Wireless Controls at a Remodeling Project

2010-04-08T13:33:00.000-05:00

See more information about these at the Lutron Website. Very cool product! -Matt Risinger

Exterior Materials for durability: Hardie Artisan, Azek, & Marvin Windows

2010-04-06T22:27:00.001-05:00

This was a really fun project that we recently wrapped up and I thought I'd show you how it turned out. This 1940's house was totally renovated under the guidance of local Architect Hugh Jefferson Randolph. Here is a great before shot of this house right before construction began. The original wood siding was covered about 20 years ago in vinyl siding and a hail storm pummeled the front of the house. Those boarded windows were due to golf ball sized hail. If you zoom in on the before photo you'll see the vinyl siding had holes from where the brittle siding caved to the hail.
In this video I'll give you a tour of the finished exterior and discuss how we used durable products to ensure the longest service life for this 70 year old house (old for Austin's standards). You'll see James Hardie Artisan siding, Azek PVC trim around the front door, and some really nice Marvin windows. -Matt Risinger

Natural Termite Protection during Remodeling

2010-03-31T14:17:00.001-05:00

Termites are a huge problem here in Austin TX and the wood we use to build our homes is perfect food for them. I've used physical barriers (no chemicals) for termite protection and posted a few blog articles about Termimesh, but what do you do in a remodel situation where you can't use Termimesh? We're doing a remodel on a 1950's house in South Austin right now that has seen some termite damage inside the house where they went undetected for a long time. Look what we found on the backside of this bathroom wall.

We pulled this baseboard off the wall and termites had found their way up the pipes through the concrete slab and were chewing on the baseboards. This is the exact reason why I use Termimesh in all my new slabs. The pathway for the termites was totally undetected since they were coming into the house through a pipe penetration.
In this house we've removed about 50% of the sheet rock so it'll be easy for us to dump a bunch of harsh chemicals inside the walls so the termites will die if they get into the house again... HOLD UP, did you say chemicals? No, no, no. There is a better way. Borate treatment is the way. Remember the box of Borax your grandmother used in her Laundry room? Yep, that natural mineral from the earth is a natural termite (and roach) killer. Here's a blurb from the Borax website about Borate powder:
"As one of the 109 elements that make up the planet, it's not surprising that boron is everywhere - in soil and water, plants and animals - in trace amounts. Although scientists refer to levels of "boron," it is important to note that the element boron does not exist by itself in nature. Rather, boron combines with oxygen and other elements to form boric acid, or inorganic salts called borates."

Termimesh's Austin office (owned by ABC Pest) sprayed a Boric acid based product on the first 3' of the wood above the concrete in our remodel. The product they use is Bora-Care and it soaks into the wood to provide a permanent solution to termites inside our house. (Cheezy stock photo of application, sorry I wasn't onsite to take photos of our house being treated that day)

As an extra measure of security I dusted the stud bays near the pipes with a $5 bottle of Boric Acid powder I bought at the Big Orange store (called Roach Killing Powder).

I feel confident that this house will be much less likely to have a termite problem again, but it's still a good idea to do an annual inspection to look for termite tunnel tracks on the outside of the foundation.
In conclusion: Chemical Treatments Bad - Boric Acid based products Good. -Matt Risinger

Retrofitting A Conditioned Attic - Fiberglass goes to Spray Foam

2010-03-29T21:11:00.000-05:00

As I've showed off my new construction homes on various homes tours in the past the air conditioned attic space is always a hot topic for tour goers. One question that comes up a lot is whether an old home can be retrofitted with foam insulation. The answer is a resounding YES. As long as the roof is water-tight and can be sealed up with foam it's relatively easy to move the insulation from the flat ceiling to the underside of the roof. In our hot and humid Austin climate this makes alot of sense because most homes here are build on slab foundations and 99% of Austin's HVAC ductwork runs through the attic. On a typical summer day that attic (even vented attics) can easily reach 120 degrees F, 130, or hotter. Think about your poor AC unit that's pushing 50 or 60 degree air through an attic that's 130 and all that's separating the two extremes is a thin layer of duct insulation. UGH. Most homes have had larger than required AC units installed to compensate for this massive temperate extreme. Not good. When you are remodeling this is the perfect time to update your home by spray foaming the attic.
In this video you'll see how we're brought this very typical 1950's ranch house up to 2010 standards (and beyond). The spray foam we used on this house is open cell CertainTeed brand and it was roughly 3-4% of the total remodel budget. -Matt Risinger

Rheem HP-50 Hybrid Heat Pump Water Heater Jobsite Review

2010-03-23T07:57:00.000-05:00

I did a post about this new Rheem HP-50 electric hybrid heat pump water heater a few months ago and I'm excited to finally install one! If you are using electricity to heat your water heater this is a great high performance product that's twice as efficient as a standard electric heater. You need to be aware of a few issues before you specify this for your new home or remodel however. First, they're really tall. Be sure to download the cut sheet from the website and ensure it'll fit in your space. It's 75.5" tall which is alot taller than a standard tank. Plus, you need good air flow around the unit because it's blowing the ambient temp air across the heat pump coils (think of an A/C working in reverse) and it needs air circulation to work properly. Next, remember that it's putting off cooled air and water as a result of the compressor working. Rheem says you need a min 10'x10'x10' room to locate your unit. You also need a drain or a condensation line to take the condensation water away. I'm not certain how much cool air it's going to give off but I would think that would be a benefit in a hot TX garage or crawlspace where this unit might be located.
In terms of economics it's really easy to show how they will save money in the long run. I paid just under $1800 for mine (including tax) and a standard electric 50 gallon tank would be closer to $500. (These are unit prices not including delivery or install). So this unit is $1300ish more than a standard tank. Using the energy guide from the government on the unit it shows a saving for a typical household of $250 per year. That gives a 5 year payback but when you hit year 6 it starts paying you! Total no-brainer in my book.
I'll do a follow up post in the future to show you this unit in action. -Matt Risinger

Soundproofing Suggestions Library

2010-03-16T16:48:00.000-05:00

Almost every project we build or remodel has some degree of soundproofing involved. To that end, I found this great website that has sound (pun intended) advice for construction techniques that reduce sound transmission. Check out this link to the Soundproofing Company website and see their library of suggestions for multiple sound applications. Good details on there. -Matt Risinger

EcoHome Article on Texas Near Zero Energy House

2010-03-10T12:56:00.000-06:00

I ran across this article in this month's issue of EcoHome. It's a Texas house that scored a 1 on the HERS rating. A zero rating would be a zero energy house and a 100 score would be building the house to the current building codes related to energy. So, a ONE is a great score. My personal best is a 45 and most of my projects are in the 50's or 60's. Good to see a fellow Texas builder doing top notch work. I especially like the Texas appropriate architecture. I my mind, green building is as much good architecture as it is the products we use in our homes. It's not very "green" if the clients think it's ugly and want to do a major remodel in 10 years. Anyhow, here's the link to the article. The builder also has a nice photo gallery of the construction photo's at this link. -Matt Risinger

Austin Training Session April 8th IAQ and Ventilation

2010-03-10T06:19:00.000-06:00

I'm a big fan of EEBA (Energy & Environmental Building Alliance) and they have an advanced training sessions coming to Austin next month on IAQ and Ventilation strategies. I've found their classes to be top notch and I highly recommend this class to anyone. Here's the link to the sign up page.

This is their bullet points for what you'll learn:

Indoor Air Quality

Learn the basics about the full range of potential pollutants and their impact on indoor air quality
Identify four important strategies for controlling and improving indoor air quality.
Discover practical and affordable tools and strategies to make better decisions and to incorporate healthy indoor initiatives into their building projects.
Understand Energy Starâ€™s new air quality home-labeling program Indoor airPLUS â€“ a practical tool that helps builders sort through a wide range of construction elements and techniques that can impact indoor air quality.

Ventilation Strategies

Learn how ventilation fits into the systems approach of building science and how to properly size ventilation and identify cost effective ventilation system options
Understand the key design and installation requirements of cost-effective ventilation systems
Identify the benefits of ventilation to the builder and homebuyers and demonstrate the cost effectiveness of ventilation options.

I'll see you there! -Matt Risinger

Trex Decking Review

2010-03-09T08:55:00.000-06:00

It's been a few years since I've put down a Trex deck so I thought I'd do a review and share my thoughts. There are a ton of options for exterior decking boards, I won't go into all the options but if you need a good article on the options check out this issue of Fine Homebuilding.
I've had some first hand experience with Trex decking as I built my rear porch & stairs a few years ago in Trex when I lived in a 1920's house in Portland, OR. I had a great experience overall with the product. The big plus is that you never need to stain or seal this product. It's recycled wood & plastic and is totally impervious to the weather. I used to powerwash mine annually just to clean it up and it would be good as new. However, the UV rays from the sun will fade the color if it's in direct sunlight.
In this video you'll see us putting down Trex Brasilia which is meant to look a bit like a tropical hardwood. It's not really fooling anyone but I do like how the color varies so it doesn't look like a uniform plastic color. We're also using the Trex Hideaway hidden fastener system so we'll only see screw heads in the starter coarses of decking. I really like the recycled content of Trex, they claim that zero tree's were cut down to go into Trex. Here's another cool fact: 7 out of 10 grocery bags that are recycled in the US end up in a Trex product. Check out their "Green" page for a list of some pretty cool Trex facts. Overall, I give this product a big thumbs up. -Matt Risinger

Humble OSB turns into Killer Countertops - TorZo Orient - New Product

2010-03-05T07:38:00.000-06:00

I found this killer new countertop material in the latest issue of Popular Mechanics I was reading last night. It's by a company called TorZo and they call it "Orient". It looks like a petrified OSB plywood and the photos I saw on their website look great. I'm always on the hunt for a more sustainable and frankly less expensive options for counter tops.

According to the manufacturer it's about 75% wood chips (osb) and 25% acrylic resins. OSB has a good reputation for being mainly recycled content to begin with so this product really hits a home run for sustainability. I'll do some digging for pricing and see if I can persuade a client to use these for counter tops sometime in 2010. If anyone has any experience firsthand, let me know. -Matt Risinger

Local Architect Nick Deaver gets some great press for his "Three Stones" House

2010-03-01T11:13:00.002-06:00

We love working with Nick Deaver and his team. They are amazing Architects and really do stunning work. There's a great photo gallery about the house at the bottom of the link. Check out this great article on him here...

Marvin Integrity Windows Blog Features a Risinger Homes Profile

2010-02-25T14:17:00.000-06:00

I've talked before in this blog about how much I like both Marvin Windows and their little fiberglass brother Integrity by Marvin. This was pretty cool, check out this interview I did with the Marvin Integrity Windows Blog... -Matt Risinger

Virtual Show Home Tour - Builder Concept Home 2010

2010-02-23T15:20:00.000-06:00

As a National Association of Home Builders member I get the publication "Builder" magazine which seems to mainly be focused on production builders. Well, as the national economy has slumped over the past two years it's interesting to see how the magazine has overall shifted towards stories about smaller homes and smarter designs. A few years ago it was all about the glitzy "big box" homes but that tide nationally is changing. I came across this link to a virtual home tour that was pretty cool. It's called the Builder Concept Home 2010 and here's the teaser from the site...

The Most Innovative Home Never Built - Take The Tour!

The Builder Concept Home 2010: A Home for the New Economy, exemplifies a dramatic shift in how homes are designed, built, maintained, and lived in. Inexpensive to build, yet classically detailed, It is a model of adaptability, sustainability, and livability for the current housing economy and its future. And, it's entirely virtual. So what are you waiting for? Go on In!

I love hearing building science expert Mark LaLiberte speak and there's a video on the site where he carries the "Not so big house" mantle. This virtual house is under 2000 square feet and reminds me of the 1920's Sears & Roebuck house I remodeled in Portland OR a few years ago. It's worth a few minutes of internet browsing time. -Matt Risinger

Architect Peter Pfeiffer talks about Green products at the 2010 International Builders Show

2010-02-20T15:54:00.002-06:00

If you've never heard local Architect Peter Pfeiffer speak you really need to attend a seminar where he's presenting. I first heard him 6 years ago when I was still living in Portland, OR and was about to move to Austin, TX. When I heard him talk about building in the Hot/Humid Texas climate I immediately recognized his mastery of building in this climate. He is a fantastic building science speaker who focuses on the practical side of Green Building and has a unique ability to translate the science of building into practical language. I ran across these two videos of him speaking to a Builder Magazine editor at the 2010 International Builders Show. The videos were made to highlight "green" products but I love how Peter couches the conversation in terms of Practicality, Durability, and Designing Intelligently first; then buying "green" products. Peter will help you think more holistically (and practically) about designing & building to a green standard. Here's the link to th e first video and the second video is here... -Matt Risinger

Andersen Windows Factory Tour Video

2010-02-19T20:27:00.000-06:00

A few months ago I blogged on my visit to the Andersen Windows factory tour. I really enjoyed my time at their factory but I was disappointed that they wouldn't let me video or photograph inside their plant. I was really impressed by their in-house recycling program and so wished I could have pulled out my flip video camera for a blog post. Well, I just saw that Andersen has started their own blog and guess what video they posted? Yep, the very one I wanted to take there. They make an impressive window and the factory focus on sustainability is pretty impressive too... -Matt Risinger

Extolling the virtues of Metal Roofs

2010-02-11T17:46:00.000-06:00

Concrete Countertops 2 Years Later

2010-02-10T17:30:00.000-06:00

I just had the 2nd Year Anniversary of my remodel and thought I might post some thoughts about my concrete countertops for anyone considering them for your home. Let me separate my thoughts into three categories: Style, Green Building, Maintance...
Style: Check out this kitchen I did on a modern home in Central Austin. Everyone raves about the killer concrete countertops! Killer bar stools too in this shot!

That 2" thick concrete is really unique and you can do some really cool in-lays like the stainless steel pins that are embedded by the Wolf range. Concrete gets an A in my book here.

Green Building: In this category I also think Concrete gets an A. These are made by local artisans with materials that didn't get shipped from 1/2 way around the world. Concrete is recyclable (just like your driveway) and it's certaintly durable and long lasting. I like that the material costs are low and that local people are keeping most of the dollars I'm spending on countertops.

Maintance: This is the one category that you really need to know what you're getting into with Concrete countertops. My wife is a very tidy/organized woman and when she cleans the countertops she wants them to look "clean". Concrete is very porous and even the best sealers can be damaged by acidic things like lemon juice that splashes on the countertops. My kitchen has gotten some "patina" over the last two years which I don't mind but really bugs my wife. My last remodeled kitchen had quartz counters and those were bulletproof when it came to cleanup. So, I had my fabricator come back over Christmas when we were out of the house for 3 days and strip the sealer off my concrete tops and totally re-seal with the best 2010 sealer money can buy. Two months later they're still looking pretty new but I'm sure I'll be doing this again in another 2-4 years. Concrete gets a C- for Maintenance in my book.

In conclusion, I'd overall recommend concrete counters but you need to know the pitfalls and your (or your spouses) personality. Quartz is pretty hot these days for kitchens and I totally see why. Concrete is high style, very green, but you need to be up for the maintenance. Just my two cents... -Matt Risinger

1910's Remodel Pre-Engineering Investigation Work

2010-02-05T14:54:00.000-06:00

I'm working with one of my favorite Architects Nick Deaver on a 1910's remodel in central Austin. Nick has drawn some plans for interior remodeling including building out the basement of this home. There is a partly finished basement that was added in the 60's but it was not done very well and it's experienced some structural issues over the years. Here in Austin we have major issues with expansive clay soils which push & pull on our houses depending on the soil's moisture content and this house is seeing movement. So, in order to give some good budget numbers to the Architect/Client we are meeting a Structural Engineer onsite next week. This video will show you what we need to uncover so when the engineer visits he'll get all the information he needs. After the Structural Engineer visits this house we'll have a good understanding of what work will be necessary to proceed with the Architect's plans. Enjoy! -Matt Risinger

RainEscape Deck Drainage System Post Install Review Video

2010-02-04T14:15:00.000-06:00

Killer Custom Front Entry Door in Walnut by Grand Door Company

2010-02-03T10:38:00.001-06:00

I am a huge fan of custom entry doors and this is one of my all time favorites. Nick Deaver the architect on this project designed the entry system and it is stunning! Grand Door company out of College Station TX fabricated in all Walnut. They are true craftsman and I highly recommend them if you are considering a custom door. I love the dimensions too. This is a remodeled 1970's house with 8' ceilings and Nick did a great job in his design to make the house fantastic without increasing ceiling height. The front door is 3'6" wide and 6'8" tall. The clear glass panel is super fun because the client's two Boston Terriers always greet me at the front door. I just took these photos last week when I was doing their 1st anniversary service call and thought I'd share this exceptional work. -Matt Risinger

QuietRock Soundproofing Post-Install Performance Testing

2010-02-01T13:37:00.000-06:00

A few months ago I posted a video on how we were soundproofing a Master Bedroom that abutted a Kids Bathroom. This first video is the "Under Construction" part 1. In this video I'm attempting to show how well our sound-reducing efforts turned out. Here's the final results in Part 2: -Matt Risinger

Marvin Integrity "Wood-Ultrex Series" Windows Review

2010-01-26T21:20:00.000-06:00

I've used these Marvin Integrity windows in a few projects now and they are one of my favorite windows. Over the years, Marvin has done a good job reaching out to Architects who are a main source of referrals for them. They have some great colors on the exterior, good options for hardware, and generally make an appealing product. Their Integrity line of windows is a bit less expensive than their "full line" Marvin windows which are wood windows with an aluminum cladding on the exterior. The Integrity family has two styles Wood-Ultrex and All Ultrex. These Integrity windows have a super-strong fiberglass frame they call "Ultrex" and the Wood-Ultrex windows have a cladding of wood inside to make them look more like an old school wood window. I also like that they will custom size them now for use in remodeling. You can also order then without the nailing flange which is another remodel plus. For this review, let's talk about Durability, Price, and Overall looks.
Durability: Ultrex (fiberglass) is pretty indestructable. Way stronger than a vinyl window. I fully expect this window to be in place for 75+ years. If you are in the market for a vinyl window I'd highly recommend you price out Marvin Integrity windows.
Price: Less than a wood clad window, just a bit more than a vinyl window. The Wood-Ultrex are really similar to a true wood window. A few less options than Marvin Full Line wood windows but a very nice product. If you're considering a lower-end Aluminum or any Vinyl window definitely upgrade to Marvin Integrity. If you're hoping for a wood window but the budget is tight this is also a great fit.
Overall Looks: One huge advantage this Ultrex window has over other competitors is their dark colors. They offer Bronze & Black exteriors which are very popular here in Texas.
In this video you'll see a home that I renovated in collaboration with Architect Nick Deaver. You can see more photo's of this fantastic remodel on Nick's website under the "open house" tab under "work".

Wood Counterops - Local Austin Woodworker featured in Fine Homebuilding

2010-01-25T10:11:00.006-06:00

I'm a longtime reader of Fine Homebuilding and in this month's issue there is a great article about wood counter tops from a local Austin fabricator. I was reading the article and suddenly realized I had been in one of the kitchens featured in the article. My friend built a home in Central Austin with Barley & Pfeiffer Architects and his awesome teak counter top is in the photos above. I love the grooved drainboard and the hanging teak drying rack above the sink. It makes for a very warm look and my buddy tells me the teak is looking fabulous two years later. If you're in the market for a wood counter contact Dan Vos of DeVos Woodworking. As a side note if you are a builder reading this blog and you don't subscribe to Fine Homebuilding, stop what you are doing and SUBSCRIBE IMMEDIATELY. Fine Homebuilding is very well written magazine and I highly recommend you read every issue cover to cover. -Matt Risinger

New Years Thoughts on 15 Years in Construction

2010-01-21T13:25:00.006-06:00

2010 marks my 15th year as a professional builder and this is my company's 5th Anniversary! I got my start in the building industry fresh out of Grove City College in Pennsylvania with a degree in Industrial Management and started in 1995 with a national public home building company in Washington DC that was the nation's 7th largest builder at the time. My company was building 10,000 homes per year and we were Wall Street's darling builder. Our stock shot from $12/share in 1995 when I joined them to almost $1000/share when I left them in 2002. The stock is back to the $700's today, and still doing quite well financially. I learned some great lessons from them about time management, project management, and of course budget management. What I didn't learn from them was how to build a great home. I came across this blog post from a Home Building industry recruiter I know in Dallas and I think this really sums up my experiences with large volume home builders:

The New Year is a landmark for Talon as we begin our 25th year in the search business. During that time our industry has taken quite a ride: the meltdown of the '80's, followed by boom times in the '90's and now the current state of affairs. Here are some of the changes we've observed during that time:

The Career Track to Division President. In the 1980's, most Division Presidents were promoted through the construction ranks. By the mid-90's, the shift was on to promote finance and accounting professionals to profit center roles. Today, you would be hard pressed to find a DP with an early career in construction. This brings to mind something Paul Volcker said in his speech at the Spring ULI meeting: "Over the last 30 years our colleges have graduated far more financial engineers than civil engineers. Perhaps that is one of our problems." No question that home building has become BIG business, but somewhere along the way, the drive for volume and revenue seems to have replaced the central theme of our industry. Perhaps that is why we often define volume in terms of closings or units, rather than houses.

Reading that post really made me thankful that I'm away from the corporate building world! I used to read memos from corporate that basically said "if we remove 10 nails from each home we build that's 75 cents savings times 10,000 units (houses) so let's get some ideas for cost cutting." I'm probably slanting this too far to the side here, the homes I built were OK. They were built to "Code." Building codes are good, but they are only a minimum level of performance.
I love what I do here at Risinger Homes and I'm so thankful to be a custom builder. I never have to compromise how I build in order to satisfy wall street's desire for ever expanding profit margins. I get to confer daily with incredible Architects and wonderful clients and decide how we can build the best home their budget allows. I'm accountable to a team and we all have the same goal. Who could ask for a better job than I have? Love it! -Matt Risinger

Aprilaire Model 2200 Air Cleaner Annual Filter Change

2010-01-18T12:48:00.004-06:00

If you've not heard me rave about this Aprilaire Media Air Cleaner then you're obviously new to reading my blog. These units are a few hundred dollars to install, are nearly HEPA quality, and only need a filter change once per year. They have 30x the filtering capacity of your standard 1" furnace filter and capture 97% of airborne pollen sized particles. I've installed one on every house I've built or remodeled in the last 5 years. You can have your HVAC contractor change them when they are doing annual maintenance, but it's a pretty simple procedure and the replacement media runs $30-40. Check out my video of the annual change out from a remodeled home we completed about 14 months ago. -Matt Risinger

Tankless Water Heater Annual Flush Routine

2010-01-14T09:03:00.003-06:00

I would venture to guess that 90% of the people who own a tankless water heater have no idea that they need a regular maintenance program to ensure that the unit lasts it's intended life span. When I spoke to the Rinnai representative at a conference two years ago he told me their units (all tankless brands for that matter) need a de-scaling flush every 12-24 months depending on your water's hardness and usage. Tankless Water Heaters are said to last beyond 20 years and if they are regularly maintained they should give trouble free service that whole time.
The unit in this video is a one year old Noritz (brand that my plumber favors). I've been mainly installing Rinnai units over the last 5 years but I'm not too brand specific. Just be sure to get one with the capacity that your family needs. Although, I am a bit biased towards the made in Japan models.
To get started you need these items:
1. A clean 5 gallon bucket
2. Small sump pump (mine is a 1/8 HP model I got at the Orange Box store for $90)
3. Two hoses to connect to the pump and your water heater. Mine are a washer connection set that was about $8
4. Two gallons of pure white vinegar
It takes about an hour and 15 minutes start to finish to do the job properly. Pretty simple for someone with a minimal handyman/woman level. -Matt Risinger

How much to rely on tape?

2010-01-11T09:18:00.004-06:00

We've all had some experiences with "Duct" tape haven't we? You can buy it for $5 a roll or $20 a roll but in all cases it eventually seems to fail on me. Now let's say we use that tape to seal up a window on the outside of your house, how long would you expect that tape to last? 1 year? 20 years?

I don't like to do posts about poor construction techniques but this one in particular has been bugging me for a long time. I won't name any names here but this product I think is an accident (read: problem) waiting to happen. This product is a OSB 4x8 sheet with a weather barrier adhered to the outside. The framers install it just like the traditional plywood sheathing except there's no need to add a second layer of Tyvek on top. The frame carpenters tape the seams with a special tape and voila the house is weatherproof! I have several problems with this system.
#1 Gravity is relentless. Think about this, there is no way to overlap any of the joints with this system. If water gets behind the cladding (brick, stucco, siding, whatever) then runs down the wall it'll hit a tape joint and the tenacity of the tape is the only thing keeping the water out of the building. I'm sure this is awesome tape but the "shingling" system where you lap the piece above over the piece below has worked since the beginning of time. I think that gravity and water will eventually find a way past that tape.
#2 Perfect Install. Any system that relies on a perfect install is going to have problems. If you get one wrinkle in this tape you've let water in. This system is too dependent on a perfect install. Sunny weather, good tape adhesion, no wrinkles, etc.
#3 What about penetrations? Windows, Plumbing stub outs, wires, HVAC lines, all these things coming out of the building poke holes in this fragile system and require a killer caulking job. Look at these photo's below, all these pentrations need caulked on the outside to ensure no water gets in. Plus, if any water gets in above it has an easy path into the house.
In my opinion this is a set up for failure. Last comment, I'm sure someone will say "Don't you rely on tape in a Tyvek system too". Yes and No. A housewrap system invariably relies on tape to some degree but it's a belt & suspenders approach. All your Tyvek seams overlap in a shingle fashion so even if the tape fails gravity will still keep the building dry. All penetrations need a way to shingle into the housewrap too. I'm a big fan of QuickFlash blue flashing boots for all the different types of penetrations (plumbing pipes, HVAC pipes, Electrical boxes, etc). Lastly, all windows NEED a head flashing that can slip under the housewrap and direct water out from the top of the window and MUST have a sill pan to direct water out of the building. From now on only positive posts! -Matt Risinger

How do you seal these up?

Ipe Deck Drainage System - Rain Escape

2010-01-08T15:41:00.003-06:00

My clients are remodeling a 1980's built home with a fantastic Lake Travis view. The house is fairly high above the lake and takes advantage of the view with a huge screen porch and deck area. Below the deck/porch is a wonderful new pool with outdoor kitchen, fireplace, and great outdoor living space. When I first got involved in the project the clients/architect wanted to do lightweight concrete on the decks so they could be waterproof below. After so pricing we realized that it would actually save money & get a warmer look by doing this rain escape system with an Ipe deck. I looked into quite a few deck drainage systems but this seems to be the best combination of price/performance out there. I also like that this system will extend greatly the life of the deck joists because they aren't getting wet and shouldn't be prone to long term rot anymore. If the Ipe decking lasts 40 years why wouldn't we want the deck joists to have the same service life? Check out the Rain Escape website for more information. -Matt Risinger

Alno Cabinet Showroom Tour

2010-01-05T21:21:00.004-06:00

I'm working on some preliminary pricing for a FAB Architecture remodeling project and the Architect Patrick Ousey is thinking of specifying ALNO cabinets for the client's kitchen. Patrick is an amazing Architect who really thinks holistically for his clients, be sure to talk to him if you are considering a remodel or new custom build this year!
It has been over a year since I visited the ALNO showroom at Penn Field so I thought I'd give you a video tour of their latest offerings. They have a recently redesigned showroom with some killer appliances too. You'll see some new & very energy efficient offerings from Miele & Liebherr. -Matt Risinger

Lutron Maestro Countdown Bath Fan Timer Switch

2009-12-29T16:15:00.005-06:00

Moisture is your home's #1 enemy for long term durability. Most people general huge amounts of steam from their daily shower and don't properly exhaust that moisture to the outside. This timer switch from Lutron will ensure you get rid of that moisture properly. This is such an important piece of a high performance home that the Austin Energy Green Building Program gives one point for using these on your bath exhaust fans. Of course, mine are connected to a sweet Panasonic exhaust fan! -Matt Risinger

Door Jamb Switch and Protection Products

2009-12-28T13:18:00.002-06:00

Part 2 of the Christmas Party Tour of a Remodeled 70's house with Nick Deaver Architect

2009-12-24T11:18:00.001-06:00

Christmas Party Tour of a Remodeled 70's House with Nick Deaver Architect

2009-12-20T19:43:00.002-06:00

Not So Big Infill Modern Design & Daylighting Strategy - Architect Interview

2009-12-16T12:35:00.002-06:00

Pier & Beam Foundation vs. Slab Foundation

2009-12-11T14:26:00.003-06:00

If you have a relatively flat lot in Central Texas I'm generally a big fan of concrete slab foundations. Concrete slabs have lots of advantages vs a pier & beam foundation. I like that slabs don't have water or critter issues underneath them. However, they aren't easy to remodel as you need a jackhammer to move any plumbing around. Slabs generally aren't insulated so they can be less efficient than a spray foamed floor on a pier & beam house. This video will explain why Pier & Beam was such a good choice for this sloping waterfront house on Lake Travis. As an example of what we might have done, here's a photo of a new house under construction a few doors away. That tall concrete slab is going to really absorb the Texas Sun and radiate that heat into the house all day and into the night. Their AC is really going to work overtime to keep the house cool with that extra heat. Plus, think about how much concrete it took to pour that slab! From a Green building and a $$$$Green$$$$ Building perspective that tall slab might not have been the best choice. Talk to your Engineer and Builder about what foundation design is best for your new custom home or remodel. -Matt Risinger

Outdoor Living Space Design with Jim LaRue

2009-12-06T15:54:00.002-06:00

Designing Within the McMansion Ordinance

2009-12-04T13:33:00.001-06:00

Joy of Building & The James Bond Door in Action

2009-12-03T14:25:00.002-06:00

The Not So Big Contemporary Bath Design

2009-12-02T21:53:00.003-06:00

Have you ever gone on a homes tour and seen a house with a gigantic master bath? They seem like an amazing waste of space to me sometimes. Jim LaRue is filling in for me on this video blog post to talk about the design of a smallish master bath that I thought was extremely well planned. -Matt Risinger