17 Dec 2009, Posted by Shawn in Build it Small, Highlights, Sustainability, 2 Comments, Short-URL:http://portlandbuilt.com/2nzjv
Vent Pipes Never Looked So Sexy
On my last trip to the Harpoon House I observed a cool strategy for getting plumbing out of the walls. Why would you want to do this? For one, insulation improvement. The more stuff in the walls, the less insulation can fit in the cavity. More insulation = more efficiency = lower heating/cooling bills.
Here’s an example of a simple yet brilliant way to deal with one of the most common pieces of plumbing: a vent pipe. By running the pipe outside the house and behind the siding, the homeowners have effectively increased their wall’s R-value without adding significant additional costs. Since the home’s design already included a rain screen, bumping the siding out another 2″ meant they could run the pipe up the side of the house.
Harpoon House makes use of SIP panels, so this makes even more sense (SIPs are pre-fabricated, preinsulated panels). The fewer holes and tunnels you put in the panel and insulation, the fewer opportunites for air intrusion and heat loss. Kudos to the Harpooners!
2 Comments
December 23, 2009 10:53 pm
GreenbuildinginDenver
My first thought was that they want to minimize roof penetrations. Always a good strategy with low slope roofs.
December 23 2009 23:22 pm
Shawn
Yet another reason this is a good solution, especially since their roof has a 0:12 slope ;)
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