Four season insulation to control interior temperatures and humidity is a big challenge for the hot and cold weather experienced in central Ontario and beyond.
In this project, a heated enclosed garage with a second floor living space, Lakeview North employed the some of the newest and time-tested materials available on the market.
This article discusses how the objective of maximizing energy efficiency was met. Let’s face it… when you open the garage door in winter there is no hope of keeping the air in this area ambient and warm. Separating the insulation for lower and upper levels is essential. Additional complications arise when trying to create and insulate a separately climate controlled year-round living space above a garage or work space.
While not seen in the following photographs, the interior portion of all exterior walls were first covered using Amvic High-Density SilveRboard for improved insulation. SilveRboard has exceptional long-term R-value retention as well as increased thermal resistance in lower temperatures.
Lakeview North often recommends Amvic materials in the construction process. For example high-density SilveRboard offers the following features:
- reflective insulation
- superior thermal insulator
- built-in water & vapor barriers
When the joints are taped and sealed SilveRboard can function as a vapor barrier thereby improving indoor air quality and helps the prevention of mold and mildew growth. SilveRboard does not contain CFCs or HCFCs so there is no off-gassing. It acts as continuous insulation in the building envelope, reducing thermal bridging and energy consumption while improving comfort.
Improved comfort is achieved through the combination of increased air tightness and continuous insulation, creating a superior building envelope which has no drafts and maintains the interior spaces of the home within the optimal thermal comfort range. The non-organic nature of Amvic products allow for better moisture control which also reduces the chance for mold and mildew to form.
The long term advantage is energy efficiency. The choice of building materials contributes to the resulting energy efficient and environmentally responsible design. Retaining thermal resistance over the lifespan of the building ensures a consistent performance, energy savings and greatly reduced utilities costs.
To comply with height restrictions of local area building codes, the second storey/floor could not extend to the full dimensions of the garage below. Triple joists extend along the entire length of the floor/ wall line above, gaining valuable additional building area below. For the exterior portion of the insulation Rockwool COMFORTBATT R24 was used.
More commonly recognized is the use of pink insulation. Rockwool COMFORTBATT R24 was used for this project. Rockwool COMFORTBATT is a semi-rigid stone wool batt insulation for exterior wood and steel stud applications in both new construction and renovations. It features a unique flexible edge designed to compress as the batt is inserted then spring back, expanding the batt against the frame studs to give a complete fill. This flexibility ensures the expected R-value is achieved and maintained.
Why did Lakeview North chose this product?
- non-combustible and fire resistant, COMFORTBATT will not develop toxic smoke or promote flame spread, even when exposed directly to a fire
- it also offers water and moisture resistance and excellent sound absorbency
- COMFORTBATT is an effective way to improve a home’s energy efficiency. It is GREENGUARD Gold Certified and contributes to a healthier indoor environment
- does not rot or promote growth of fungi or mildew
- better R insulation factor than fibreglass
A newer product on the market that is often overlooked are the Owens Corning Raft-R-Mate rigid extruded polystyrene attic rafter vents. When insulating your attic it is important that you have unrestricted flow of fresh air from the soffit to the attic. Simply installing raft-R-mate Attic Rafter Vents offers year-round performance and helps to prevent ice dams in winter. Raft-R-mate Attic rafter vents have a high resistance to moisture, which means they will not deteriorate over time.
Why did Lakeview North chose this product?
- increased attic ventilation from soffit to attic through thickest part of the insulation
- break-resistant durability and ease of installation
- year-round performance
- helps prevent winter ice dams
- high resistance to moisture
- meets all building codes
Owens Corning R-40 pink Next Gen Fiberglas was mainly used to insulate the walls and ceiling. The advanced technology of this material creates a tightly woven network of soft, fine fibres to form a super-resilient blanket of insulating micro-pockets that deliver exceptional performance.
If you’re interested to learn more about Lakeview North’s interest in energy efficient buildings, please drop us a line.
