Insulation, ventilation, and interior

There should be a minimum ______ inch space provided between the insulation and the roof deck sheathing and at the location of the vent

1 inch

You should find out the following for the homeowner:

1. Where the home is, isn't, and/or should be insulated; 2. What type of insulation does the home have; and 3. The R-value and the thickness or depth (inches) of the insulation that is observed

At wood shingle/shake roofs, a vented air space of ______ inch should separate the shingles/shakes from the roofing underlayment above the roof deck for unvented attic T/F

1/4 inch

Attic ventilation openings should measure a minimum of ______inch and a maximum of ______ inch and be protected with corrosion-resistant wire mesh

1/8 inch, 1/4 inch

Each enclosed rafter space must be ventilated. The openings should be at least ______ inch and no more than ______ inch. Must also be protected with corrosion-resistent wire mesh

1/8 inch, 1/4 inch

Shrinkage or curing cracks generally occur in any continuous length of concrete longer than about _____ feet

12 feet

Wall access to crawl space should be at least _________

16x24 inches

Floor access to crawl space should be at least __________

18x24 inches

The attic access should be at least _____ in by _____ in

22, 30

The flooring of the attic passage way should be _____ inches wide

24 inches

Some houses use 2x6 studs instead of 2x4 because of the benefits

2x6 studs allow more space in the wall for insulation for house, pipes, wiring, and ductwork. It also reduces thermal bridging

For under-floor spaces, one ventilation opening must be installed within _____ feet of each corner of the building

3 feet

there should be at least _____ inches of headroom in the attic space above the access opening

30 inches

The passageway beyond the opening should be at least _____ inches high, at least _____ inches wide, and not more than 20 feet

30 inches, 22, inches

A service area is required in front of the mechanical equipment. The dimensions should be at least _____ inches by _____ inches

30 inches, 30 inches

There should be an access opening to all attic spaces that exceed _____ square feet and have a vertical height of _____ inches or more

30, 30

If a vapor barrier is installed, multiply the area by 1:______. If no vapor barrier is installed and the vents are installed only in the lower portion of the space to be ventilated (below 3 feet of the vertical height of the space), then multiply the area by 1:______; OR if 50% to 80% of the vents are in the upper portion of the space to be ventilated and the balance of the ventilation is provided by the eave vents, multiply the area by 1:______

300, 150, 300

Grade/floor openings shall have a minimum net-clear opening of _____ square feet

5 square feet

Ductwork should be wrapped with insulation that has a minimum R-value of ____

6

What kind of moisture vapor diffusion retarder should be used for underneath slabs?

6 mil polyethylene (6 mil poly)

All exposed ground areas in crawlspaces should be covered with a minimum...

6-mil layer of polyethylene sheeting. The edges of this sheeting should be overlapped at least 6 inches

The elevation of a slab-on-grade foundation (thickened-edge slab, and independent slab and stem-wall foundation) should be a minimum of _____ inches above the exterior finish grade

8 inches

Habitable rooms must have an aggregate glazing area of not less than _____ percent of the floor area

8 percent

A mud slab is...

A 2-inch concrete slab. It is placed on top of a plastic ground cover at an angle to drain water to a sump pit.

Most effective kind of roof ventilation?

A combination of continuous ridge vents along the peak of the roof and continuous soffit vents at the eaves provides the most effective ventilation

What is a dessicant?

A desiccant is an absorptive material designed to maintain dryness within its vicinity

If insulation in attic is near the top of the joist then?

A good practice is to install new batts perpendicular to the existing ones. That will help to cover the tops of the joists and reduce thermal bridging through the framing members

What is a gasket?

A shaped piece or ring of rubber or other material sealing the junction between two surfaces in an engine or other device

What is a thermal barrier?

A thermal barrier is a material that is applied between spray foam insulation and the interior living space. The thermal barrier is used mostly as a fire resistance measure

Turbine vent

A turbine is installed directly on the top of a roof and uses wind power to suck hot and humid air out of the attic

Difference between a vapor barrier and retarder?

A vapor barrier is a class I vapor retarder

How does a vapor retarder work?

A vapor retarder stops water movement with

If ductwork joint is going to be opened up in the near future then it is okay to seal it with _____________________________

Aluminum foil tape

A signed and dated statement describing the insulation installed, its thickness, the coverage area, its R-value, and the number of bags installed is called an _______________

Attic card

What is the difference between batt and roll insulation?

Batt insulation is installed in pieces while roll insulation is rolled out between wall and ceiling framing

If the crawlspace's elevation is below the exterior finish grade, foundation drainage and foundation wall damp-proofing using a...

Bituminous coating (Bitumen is also known as asphalt which is sticky, black, and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid form of petroleum. ... A bituminous coating is used to build a vapour-proof and protective coat in accordance with its formulation and polymerization grade. The bituminous coating is also known as asphalt coating.)

Blanket insulation

Blankets come in the form of batts and rolls. They can come with or without vapor-retarder faces. A batt insulation, when installed in the ceiling of a basement with the insulation exposed, may have a flame-resistant face

CFM?

CFM stands for cubic feet per minute, which is a standard measurement of air flow

Check under floors that are over unconditioned spaces

Check insulation there and measure thickness

Lesson on vapor retarders and zones

Class I retarders should not be used in hot humid climates. II and III should be used on the exterior side in those hot nasty places. In very cold climates, then I should be used on the interior side.

Vapor retarder classes (Typical building codes consider a material to be a vapor retarder if it has a perm rating of 1 or less)

Class I: 0.1 perm or less (sheet polyethylene, non-perforated aluminum foil) Class II: 0.1 < perm ≤ 1.0 perm (kraft-faced fiberglass batts) Class III: 1.0 < perm ≤ 10.0 perm (latex or enamel paint)

Exhaust ventilation systems are most effective in ________ climates.

Cold (In climates with warm, humid summers, depressurization can draw moist air into building wall cavities, where it may condense and cause moisture damage)

What is glazing?

Construction term for glass (this is dumb af)

Cross-ventilation

Cross ventilation (also called Wind Effect Ventilation) is a natural method of cooling. The system relies on wind to force cool exterior air into the building through an inlet (like a wall louver, a gable, or an open window) while outlet forces warm interior air outside (through a roof vent or higher window opening)

How ductwork should be protected... explain

Ductwork should be covered with insulation that overlaps and sealed with fiberglass tape. The insulation should be covered with a vapor diffusion retarder

There are four types of whole-house ventilation systems:

Exhaust ventilation systems force inside air out of a home. Spot ventilation is a form of exhaust ventilation. Supply ventilation systems force outside air into the home. Balanced ventilation systems force equal quantities of air into and out of the home. Energy-recovery ventilation systems transfer heat from incoming or outgoing air to minimize energy loss. (This type of ventilation system is covered in the next slide.)

What is thermal pumping?

Expansion and contraction of double paned windows. The changing air pressure inside of them.

What is fenestration?

Fenestration refers to the openings in the building envelope, including the installation of windows, doors, and skylights. The process of including these openings in the building envelope is known as fenestration

Foam insulation must be covered with a...

Fire-resistant material like drywall gypsum (Drywall, also known as plasterboard or wallboard, consists of two paperboards that sandwich gypsum, a powdery white or gray sulfate mineral. Gypsum is noncombustible, and compared to other wall materials, like solid wood and plaster, gypsum boards are much lighter and cheaper)

Insulation in the attic should cover the _________________

Floor joists

Foam insulation

Foam insulation can be installed by a professional using special equipment that meters, mixes and sprays the foam insulation. Closed-cell foams are better at keeping water out than open-cell foams.

What kind of insulation is usually found with basement foundation walls?

Foam/spray foam insulation

When inspecting an unvented crawlspace, the inspector should check the following factors:

Functional exterior grading and site drainage; air leakage between the exterior and the crawlspace area, mainly at the top of the foundation wall and the floor's perimeter; insulation on the crawlspace's perimeter walls, and not the floor above, such as the use of 2-inch rigid-foam insulation on the interior side of the crawlspace's perimeter wall; the use of 6-mil polyethylene groundcover in the crawlspace, with joints lapped 6 inches and sealed or taped (this is the standard recommendation); damp-proofing of the foundation walls and the installation of an exterior drainage system if the crawlspace's ground elevation is lower than the exterior finish grade; and some ventilation of the crawlspace with conditioned air

What happens if crawlspaces are ventilated in humid climates?

Humid air could accumulate in the crawlspace and condense on the cool surfaces

Only _____________ recessed lights should be installed because they are airtight and can be covered with insulation

IC-Rated (Light will have IC label inside or the fixture will be silver)

How are ice dams formed?

If warm air gets into the attic then it could melt snow. The water will form ice at the eaves of the roof.

Desiccant used in windows

In a window, a tightly packed assortment of silica pellets is contained inside the aluminum perimeter strip to dehumidify incoming household air that is not stopped by the window's seal. If not for this substance, incoming air could condense on the glass.

What is an ICF?

Insulating concrete forms (Insulating concrete form or insulated concrete form is a system of formwork for reinforced concrete usually made with rigid thermal insulation that stays in place as a permanent interior and exterior substrate for walls, floors, and roofs)

The net-free ventilation area is the...

Is the actual unobstructed, open area of a vent with the louvers, grates or screens deducted from the overall ventilation area

What is unfaced insulation?

It doesn't have a paper side

What is laminated safety glass?

It is produced by bonding a resin or a thin, transparent plastic film, known as PVB, between multiple sheets of ordinary glass. The effect of this process is that, when shattered, the glass will adhere to the plastic sheet and be held in place. Laminated safety glass blocks most ultraviolet radiation, as well as sound, and is used in cutting boards, thermometers, and bullet-resistant windows in banks.

What does insulation do?

It provides heat resistance to heat flow.

What is a rafter vent (baffle)?

It's a component that is installed in the attic to provide a channel for air passing through the soffit vent and out the ridge

Foam insulation characteristics

Its use could be a good strategy for a moisture-resistant finished basement. However, fire and smoke characteristics of this type of insulation require that it be covered with a fire-resistant layer, such as 1/2 inch gypsum wallboard (drywall)

If foam insulation panels are used on the exterior foundation walls, be sure to...

Make sure that the sill plate over laps the insulation

ne of the following should be provided for an non-vented (unvented) crawlspace:

Mechanical exhaust ventilation operating continuously at a rate of 1 cubic foot per minute for each 50 square feet of crawlspace floor area; or conditioned air supply duct sized at a rate equal to 1 cubic foot per minute for each 50 square feet of crawlspace floor area, including a duct or grille providing a return pathway to the common area, and insulation installed at the perimeter walls.

For vented wood-framed pitched-roof systems, the primary concern is the potential for...

Moisture to build up at the sloped underside of the roof deck during cold weather

Mullions

Mullions are structural components of windows adjoined together. They can be engineered to resist high wind speeds

What is plaster?

Plaster, a pasty composition (as of lime or gypsum, water, and sand) that hardens on drying and is used for coating walls, ceilings, and partitions. Plastering is one of the most ancient building techniques

Plywood

Plywood is an engineered wood from the manufactured boards family, which also includes particle board and oriented strand board (OSB). It is made from thin sheets of veneer peeled from debarked wood. These thin layers, also called plies, are glued together in alternating right angles to create a cross-grain pattern

Insulation's resistance to heat flow is measured or rated in terms of its thermal resistance, better known as its ______________

R-value (The higher the R-value, the greater the insulating effectiveness)

What is radon?

Radon is a radioactive gas that occurs naturally when the uranium in soil and rock breaks down. It is invisible, odourless and tasteless. When radon is released from the ground into the outdoor air, it is diluted and is not a concern. However, in enclosed spaces like homes, it can accumulate to high levels.

An electrical _________________ should be installed at or near the mechanical appliance to allow for safe and convenient maintenance and servicing of the appliance

Receptacle

Reflective insulation

Reflective insulation is made up of aluminum foil with a variety of different backings, including kraft paper, plastic film, polyethylene bubbles, and cardboard. Reflective insulation is most effective in reducing downward heat flow. You often find them located between roof rafter boards, floor joists and wall studs. If a single reflective surface is installed and it faces an open air space, then it is called a radiant barrier

Rigid insulation

Rigid insulation is made from fibrous materials and plastic foams. They are made into boards and molded-pipe coverings. Rigid insulation boards may be faced with a reflective foil that reduces heat flow when installed next to an air space. You'll often find rigid insulation installed up against foundation walls and used as an insulated wall sheathing

Window condensation will inevitably lead to irreversible physical damage to the window. This damage can appear in the following two ways:

Riverbedding and silica haze

What is roof decking (sheathing)?

Roof decking (or sheathing) is the layer of the roof that is used as the base for nailing roof coverings. Decking acts as a layer of protection for the roof and usually consists of a wood material such as plywood

What is mastic?

Roof mastic is a roofing product used to seal a roof so water cannot penetrate. Several different kinds of products are referred to as mastic; generally speaking, roof mastics are sticky, drying to a flexible, rubbery finish after they are applied and allowed to cure. Caulk is an example bruh.

What is sloped glazing?

Sloped glazing refers to glass or other transparent or translucent glazing material installed at a slope of 15 degrees or more from vertical

In addition to an adequately sized access opening, a passageway should be provided. In an attic, the passageway should be made of

Solid flooring

The enclosed rafter space is the...

Space formed between the roof-deck sheathing (on top of the rafter boards), the sides of the roof-framing rafter boards, and the wallboard or ceiling finish on the bottom of the rafter boards

What is an SIP?

Structurally insulated panel

Insulation sheathing should be installed on _______________

Stud walls

What is tempered saftey glass?

Tempered safety glass fractures parallel to its edge, rather than perpendicular, and when it shatters, it breaks into small, rounded, generally safe pieces. It is made by heating up the glass and then cooling it rapidly.

The insulation to use when finishing a basement is...

The insulation to use when finishing a basement is a rigid foam insulation board. That type of insulation will allow the foundation wall assembly to dry inward, away from the foundation wall and toward the interior of the finished basement space. The foam insulation should be vapor-permeable (greater than 1 perm). The greater the perm, the easier it is for the wall to dry inward. The operative principle has been to keep the liquid, vapor, and capillary water out of the structure and locate vapor barriers on the outside - and allow inward drying to the basement space where moisture can be removed by ventilation or dehumidification.

How does insulation stop heat?

The still air pockets inside the insulation is an effective insulator because it eliminates convection. Still air also has low conduction, so heat doesn't flow very well via conduction through insulation.

Studs can transfer heat through wall assemblies through the process of _________________________

Thermal bridging (Thermal bridging is the movement of heat across an object that is more conductive than the materials around it. The conductive material creates a path of least resistance for heat. Thermal bridging can be a major source of energy loss in homes and buildings, leading to higher utility bills)

Furring strips

Thin strips of wood used to evenly put insulation on

Gypsum wallboard

This fire-resistant material is used in the construction of walls and it's also known as drywall

Blown-in/loose-fill insulation

This insulation may be made of cellulose, fiberglass, rock wool, or fiber pellets. The insulation material is mixed with an adhesive or foam to make the insulation resistant to settling and stick to walls

Repair method for fogged windows?

This repair method proceeds in the following order: A hole is drilled into the window, usually from the outside, and a cleaning solution is sprayed into the air chamber. The solution and any other moisture are sucked out through a vacuum. A de-fogger device is permanently inserted into the hole that will allow the release of moisture during thermal pumping.

Band joist

This should be insulated

The insulation should be blown all the way to the _____________ of the exterior wall

Top plate

T/F Balanced ventilation systems can be used in all climates

True

T/F Inlet and outlet vent areas shall be considered balanced provided that at least 50% and not more than 80% of the required ventilating area is provided by ventilators located in the upper portion of the space to be ventilated

True

T/F The attic access hatch or door should be insulated?

True

T/F When insulation is compressed then it will not provide its full R-value

True

T/F All under floor spaces (except under basements) should be ventilated

True (The ventilation openings should be at least 1 square foot for every 150 square feet of under-floor space area unless the earth/ground surface is covered by a vapor retarder. One such ventilation opening must be installed in each corner of the space)

T/F Vapor barriers should not be installed behind finished basement foundation walls

True: The most important point to remember is that there should not be an interior vapor barrier installed. This would not permit inward drying.

What is truss uplift?

Truss uplift may be discovered when inspecting the ceiling. It occurs when the roof's structural system is made up of trusses. The bottom chord of the truss arches up and cracks the drywall ceiling below. If the bottom of the chord is securely attached to the top of the interior wall, the entire wall might lift up with the truss

The following are some terms used to describe permeability:

Vapor impermeable: ≤0.1 perm Vapor semi-impermeable: >0.1 perm and ≤1.0 perm Vapor semi-permeable: >1.0 perm and ≤10 perms Vapor permeable: >10 perms

Climate zones

Vapor retarders should be installed on the interior side of framed walls (between the insulation and the drywall) in Climate Zones 5, 6, 7, 8, and Marine 4

How to identify safety glass types

Wear polarized glasses to see black lines on tempered Laminated glass will show you two reflections but don't confuse it with regular glass

Types of insulation usually found in attics and their measurements

What you see: What it probably is: Total R-value: loose fibers light-weight yellow, pink or white fiberglass 2.5 x depth dense gray or near-white, may have black specks rock wool 2.8 x depth small gray flat pieces or fibers (from news print) cellulose 3.7 x depth granules light-weight vermiculite or perlite 2.7 x depth batts light-weight yellow, pink, or white fiberglass 3.2 x depth

What is sealed combustion equipment?

When the equipment is only drawing in combustion air from the outside

Insulation table for map guide

You have to get your phone out for this :(

Class III vapor retarders (greater than 1 perm and less than or equal to 10 perms) include:

gypsum board; fiberglass insulation (unfaced); cellulose insulation; board lumber; concrete block; brick; 15-pound asphalt-coated paper; housewrap; and latex or enamel paint.

The lower vents act as the __________ vents while the upper vents act as the __________ vents

intake, outake

Common materials that make up the walls of a home include:

plaster; drywall; wood boards; wood paneling; and plywood