Today started at the four degree mark. That is so cold the Pettibone fork truck didn’t start this morning. The pictures have more trees visible today. Most of todays pictures were taken while I was sitting in the car.
The men completed the roof venting system today.
Click on the picture below to see more photos.
Steve and Kate Whitcomb are a father and daughter Plumbing team. They have come to install the plumbing for the house.
John Fiery explained how the roof vent system works. On the top of the roof panels that are already in place, a series of one by three inch boards are nailed to the roof. A sheet of Oriented Strand Board (OSB) is then placed on top of the boards.
Even with a well insulated roof, sometimes little bits of hot air find a path to escape. When the hot air reaches the roofing shingles, it turns to condensation. If there is enough condensation, mold can set in over time. The John Fiery roof venting system prevents condensation from happening.
Thom Roy, Fremont building inspector, stopped by and watched for a while. He said the roof venting system is over and above what is required for roofing. We are so happy that John Fiery is our builder.
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The wall framing is going up rapidly. Today we got to view the size of the rooms for real - not just on paper. We got to look out the windows and see the winter view. It’s a wonderful thing.
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Today is a milestone in the building of Brogan House. The roof will be complete. John Fiery and his team can work inside and be shielded from the elements. The timing is perfect because tomorrow snow, rain and sleet will hit the area. Our project manager, Bob Tortorice, of Building Alternatives (BuildingAlternatives.com) links to WinterPanel.com for more information on the “R” factor of the Structural Insulated Panels.
Watching John Fiery Construction in action gives us an appreciation of the team. We enjoy watching them use machines for the heavy lifting. One could say they use both brains and brawn.
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Yesterday wasn’t too exciting, but today made up for it. Watching John Fiery and his team put the roof panels in place was interesting and educational. They work so well together, they must have rehearsed. Click on the picture below to see more photos.
We were there at 8 AM to see the roof delivered. We were so excited. The big LaFleche truck arrived loaded with roof panels. After all was said and done, the event was appreciated, but not exactly exciting. Click on the picture below to see more photos.
The video clip below shows John Fiery unloading a pallet of roof panels. He must have spent a lot of time learning how to accomplish this task so gracefully.
Adam and Dick Mazur are great people. They do amazing work. They installed the whole septic system from start to finish. We don’t talk much about septic systems until something goes wrong. The whole process is interesting. The septic system pipe is not connected to the house until after everything is in place. Drilling though concrete is difficult. By waiting until everything is in place, they only make one entrance pipe hole. Click on the picture below to see more photos.
After the concrete patch dries, the connection is covered with water proof tar.
We are getting more excited as the house takes shape! This sequence shows the second floor decking being installed. The next major step is to add the roof - and then the real work begins. Click on the picture below to see more photos.
We are so excited. The walls are going up and the house is starting to take shape. John Fiery and his team of experts orchestrate the difficult job. Every thing is perfectly placed and fitted.
Our home is constructed using SIPS or Structural Insulated Panels.
The following article is from “Going Green†September 20, 2007.
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These high performance building panels, used in floors, walls, and roofs for residential and light commercial buildings, are typically made by sandwiching a core of rigid foam plastic insulation between two structural skins of oriented strand board (OSB). Manufactured under factory controlled conditions, they can be custom designed for each home, resulting in a building system that is extremely strong, energy efficient and cost effective.
The OSB used in SIP skins is made from small, plantation grown trees that can be sustainably harvested. Because engineered wood products use wood more efficiently than sawn lumber, it requires less forest acreage to build a SIP home than a conventional wood framed house.
SIPs have a high R-Value foam core but make no mistake, this is very different than the products that produced dangerous molds. The solid core insulation of SIPs is free of the voids, compressions, or thermal bypasses often associated with mold growth in wood frame, fiberglass insulated construction. Because SIP structures can be erected and dried more quickly than wood frame construction, there is less time for building materials to be exposed to the elements and therefore less moisture that must be removed from the completed building. Structural insulated panels are inert and stable, and do not release gas chemicals.
The degree of building tightness capable with SIPs enables better control over indoor environmental quality. SIP homes typically require mechanical ventilation. Mechanical ventilation allows all incoming air to be filtered for allergens. Air conditioning units can more effectively dehumidify indoor environments in a building with low levels of air infiltration. Neither mold nor dust mites can survive in low humidity environments. This results in the possibility that the sore eyes, throat and nose, headaches, increased susceptibility to viruses, and asthma-like symptoms may be a thing of the past.
With the planet’s resources depleting and the cost of energy rising, being “green†has gained an increased importance in the way we live. The environmental benefits of a green lifestyle can be incorporated into the design of our homes through the use of structural insulated panels (SIPs).
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Click on the picture above to see more photos of the panels and explanations of the process.
Click on the movie below to see a panel being installed.
Our surveying engineer, Peter Landry, helped us choose an Enviro-Septic system design for our house.
The video below shows the tank being placed.
We never really thought much about a septic system and how they are constructed and work. Click on the picture below to see more pictures of the installation of our Enviro-Septic System.
For more information about the Enviro-Septic System, click on the link below.
http://www.presbyenvironmental.com/prod_enviro.html
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