Hot to Retrofit a Building Envelope
A "building envelope" is the barrier between the occupied space in a building and the outside. Depending on the building's design, the envelope might not enclose attic and porch space. With those exceptions, "building envelope" is a recently coined phrase that means "inside." Building envelopes are retrofitted to prevent heat from leaking outside. These retrofits don't necessarily involve installing a new roof, but they might. Usually the siding comes off, new insulation and a new vapor barrier are installed and the doors and windows are replaced. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Hot air blower
- Infrared camera
- Building permits
- Caulking, expanding foam sealant or foam panels
- Fiberglass, foam or cellulose insulation
- 6-millimeter-thick polyethylene sheets
- Energy-efficient replacement windows and doors
- New siding or stucco
- Paint
Instructions
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Conduct an energy audit and evaluate the condition of the roof before beginning. Energy audits use hot air blowers and infrared cameras to find air and heat leaks.
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Apply for and obtain all necessary building permits before beginning construction.
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Seal all interior air leaks around chimney, plumbing and electrical penetrations of the envelope, around electrical outlets and behind moldings with caulking, expanding foam sealant or foam panels.
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Remove all windows and doors and remove the building's siding.
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Reinsulate all exterior walls and unheated attics with fiberglass, foam or cellulose insulation. Insulate unheated attics.
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Rewrap the structure and seal the exterior walls with 6-millimeter-thick polyethylene sheets.
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Reframe door and window openings where necessary and install energy-efficient windows and doors.
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Install new siding or stucco and repaint the structure.
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References
- Photo Credit BananaStock/BananaStock/Getty Images
