Starting Close to Home

As we begin this series of observations/opinions about the role energy plays in normal American living, I should confess to our own struggles. Our house, 900 square feet of Civil War post-and-beam farmhouse mated with a 16x30 sunroom addition, is a study in how existing architecture resists radical energy techniques. The oak and chestnut frame cannnot be easily cut without weakening the structure; the roofline was set thirty years ago in a previous remodel. The addition is 2x6 framing insulated with fiberglass batts and glazed with double pane windows and fixed double pane skylights. The existing footprint and room layout are not very flexible. What's a (recently freed from tuition, mortgage less than a year to payoff) couple to do? Honest answer: a modest envelope-enhancing exterior remodel. The pictures tell the best story.

The first photo shows the existing old siding (cedar shingles over older cedar clapboards) stripped off, showing original chestnut sheathing applied to the post-and-beam frame with 19th century cut nails. We secretly enjoyed the look of the exposed boards, but this detail reveals how open the old building envelope really was: the batts shown at left were added thirty years ago. The condition and coverage were acceptable, showing very little settling and few gaps. The gapped boards at center are typical; the lath and plaster shown at right are the original interior finish, applied directly to the sheathing surface. Imagine the original R factor!

Surprisingly little rot appeared in the sheathing, except near the sills at the bottom. We sparingly cut out rotted or bug-damaged planks, replacing them with pressure treated wood of similar thickness (one inch, give or take an eighth).

As grueling as demolition can be, working out the next steps was harder. Our options boiled down to three. We could side directly over the existing sheathing, filling gaps with sprayed foam. Or, apply furring strips over the severely gapped sheathing, install sheet foam between strips, and overlay siding. We chose a third option for a balance of reasons. The post-and-beam frame was in good shape, but we hoped to add structural rigidity as we tightened the envelope. The existing frame supported R19 walls in most places, and the fiberglass batts were holding up well. And the existing plank sheathing, gapped as you see it in the photo, made us nervous; simple as that. We discussed the matter for a week, my lovely wife and I, and tried not to look back as we proceeded.

Into the sheathing gaps went urethane foam, through the lovely old chestnut went treated deck screws, pinning the planks to the frame, across the exterior wall went beads of exterior construction cement, and over the whole affair went exterior plywood sheathing, screwed, glued and nailed directly into the frame wherever possible (the placement of the sheets as you see them in the photo was intended to lock the frame and planking to full sheets of plywood for maximum strength). The bad news was that we found ourselves working with an exterior very much like a modern frame house, short on romance and long on flat, smooth surfaces. The good news was, same answer: flat, smooth surface, sealed as tightly as foam can seal it, ready to hold siding and fasteners as well as a new house or better. We, as we have so many times in our 33 years here, told ourselves to grow up and remodel for our own century. A charming colonial farmhouse like ours is a natural disaster when it comes to energy. Some balance of charm and efficiency has to be figured out.


Another round of soul-searching ensued. Housewrap moisture barrier, of course; a no-brainer. And then: vinyl siding (http://www.certainteed.com/products/vinyl-siding)? Fiber cement boards, emulating clapboard siding or shingles (http://www.gaf-weatherside.com/?gclid=COSDx6-v5JcCFQETGgodQyDgCg)? Cedar shingles, pre-finished (http://www.maibec.com/en/cedar-shingles.html) or natural (http://www.cedarbureau.org/certi-label/shingles/certigrade.htm)? Other options were rapidly crossed off the list: vertical planks, stucco, cement or wood panel.


And in the end, charm won this skirmish. The cost per square foot for the above treatments was close enough. The durability of fiber cement and vinyl, along with low maintenance, were strong arguments for those more modern finishes. The traditional cedar sidings, clapboard and shingle, spoke more truly of the house's age and country setting. Since we planned to do the project ourselves, the labor calculation was a category separate from cost. How much time did we want to spend putting up cedar, when either vinyl or fiber cement would go up faster?


The next photo reveals the winner: cedar clapboards, medium grade, pre-primed by us, pre-painted by us, installed with hot-dipped galvanized fasteners whose heads were sealed with caulk. The new windows and doors will be part of a future discussion, but we essentially splurged
only on the door, a mahogany panel model with a nice Andersen storm door (not pictured). We paid for Low Emissivity and wood interior trim on the windows, and the job was done by Christmas. The feel of the house is noticeably warmer, and drafts have been almost eliminated around window and door openings. We're very happy with the result, and the whole thing was done within a modest budget.
In future posts, and in the upcoming website, we will discuss other aspects of home energy consciousness, including appliances, maintenance issues, and renewable retrofits. Let's keep talking. It changes things, eventually.