Vapor barries and various forms of insulation should be a the top of your list of items to determine when designing a project.  Anyone planning a project with an exterior wall or roof needs to consider the best way to keep moisture out and conditioned air in.

RCS has listed below two products from the DuPont website that you may want to consider.

Wrapping a home or building in a weather-resistant barrier is not just good sense, it’s good building practice. Because it helps combat water, moisture and air infiltration that are any structure’s worst enemies. Allowed to penetrate behind siding, wind-driven rain and moisture can saturate walls, creating a breeding ground for mold, mildew and wood rot. The properties of DuPont™ Tyvek® do not support the growth of mold or mildew. Air infiltrating from outside can create comfort-robbing cold or warm spots while increasing heating and cooling costs.

DuPont™ Tyvek® acts like a windbreaker and wrapped over the sheathing and under the exterior siding—cut out around windows and doors and taped securely at the seams—resists air infiltration and water intrusion and makes for a more comfortable, energy-efficient home or building.

Here are two products that can increase the performance of your home or project against the elements:
DuPont™ RoofLiner with Elvaloy®:

“Trusted for its excellent durability, DuPont™ Elvaloy® has been incorporated into a new premium roofing underlayment that provides superior durability and protection against leaks compared to roofing felt.”

Here are some advantages over roofing felt.

DuPont™ Tyvek® ThermaWrap™:

“… helps to regulate the radiant energy of wall systems for increased comfort and reduced energy costs. In winter, DuPont™ Tyvek® ThermaWrap™ helps keep radiant energy that’s accumulated in the wall sheathing from releasing to the exterior. In summer, the metalized surface reflects radiant heat out of the wall, helping to keep the interior cooler. Reducing radiant heat flow through the wall system is particularly important at the studs, plate lines, joists and headers where conductive heat flow through the wall is the greatest. This not only saves energy and reduces heating and cooling costs, it also changes the dew point in the wall to help reduce the risk of condensation which can lead to mildew, mold and wood rot in wall cavities.”

For more information about remodeling or new construction and incorporating DuPont™ Tyvek® elements into your new space, CONTACT REDBUD Construction Services at 865-250-9172.

Also from the article:

Rheem summarizes some of the differences:

* Product Cost: Tank water heaters typically range in cost from $350 to $550, while tankless water heaters are roughly double that amount.
* Operating Cost: Average annual operating costs for tank water heaters are in the $230 to $285 range. Average annual operating costs for tankless water heaters are about half of that, at $165 to $170.
* Installation Cost: In new construction, installing any type of water heater includes running fuel lines or electrical connections and allowing for adequate venting, so there is little difference in costs between a tankless water and a tank water heater. In remodeling, however, it will cost more to replace a tank water heater with a tankless unit. Installed costs to replace a tank water heater with a tankless unit are typically between $1,200 and $3,000, compared with a range of $500 to $800 to replace a tank with another tank.
* Size: Tank water heaters are typically four to six feet in height, and up to two and a half feet in diameter. Because of their size, tank water heaters are usually located in the garage or basement, which sometimes places the hot water far from the point of use. Tankless water heaters, about the size of a medicine cabinet, can be wall-mounted indoors or even outdoors.
* Experience: Tankless water heaters never run out of hot water. A properly sized unit allows for use of multiple fixtures and appliances at the same time. Tankless is especially ideal for luxury spa bathrooms, where one large whirlpool tub can empty a 40-gallon tank-type water heater before the tub is even filled.

While the site is open for all, including homeowners, Rheem offers a white paper and bi-monthly newsletter that is strictly limited to professionals. For more information, visit www.smarterhotwater.com.

Is a tankless water heater right for your project?  Contact REDBUD CONSTRCUTION SERVICES at 865.250.9172 and we would be happy to discuss the possibilities for your project.

Are you looking for that unique surface top for your kitchen or bath, or do you want to have a stylish and durable ‘GREEN’ product…then look no further than IceStone.  This product has appeared in This Old House, The New York Post, and Building Design + Construction.

From their website:

IceStone durable surfaces are made from 100% recycled glass and concrete.  IceStone® products are the ideal choice for green kitchen countertops. They’re also a great option for backsplashes, bathrooms, vanities, bathroom dividers, tabletops, interior walls, and commercial flooring applications. Beautiful shower surrounds and bathtubs could be made with IceStone durable surface material. It can be shaped, cut water jet, inlaid, mounted vertically or horizontally. While there are 27 standard colors available, the color palette is infinite….IceStone durable surfaces are strong like granite, not as porous as marble and heat-resistant like stone. The chemical composition is benign and 99.5% inorganic making it a very safe material from the standpoint of toxicity and fire resistance.  The fabrication, installation and maintenance of IceStone surfaces follow essentially the same process as used with natural stone.  Due to its high recycled content and Cradle to Cradle Certification, IceStone materials can be used towards LEED points.

The cost of IceStone surfaces is dependent on the color selection, size and scope of project and it is available only to distributors and fabricators.  You can find showrooms for this product at their website.

If in the Knoxville area: G & L Marble carries the IceStone product line.

Call REDBUD Construction Services and speak with our designers about how to incorporate these and other GREEN products into your project…865-250-9172.