3 Non-Negotiables For A Well Built House

[@matth366]

I'm building my house by myself in northern Michigan. Just had my blower test and scored a 0.48Ach50. Thanks to your videos

[@AF-O6]

…and you no doubt care more than most any contractor, and I’m betting it takes longer but you’re getting a far superior job than you could pay for.

[@erickessler6094]

OUTSTANDING & CONGRATULATIONS! That's outstanding!

[@itech301]

Wow that is amazing! Great for you!

[@hansangb]

Jealous. My dream come true! Well done!

[@weldon9254]

I could build it tighter.

[@unprofessional-laser]

It's fun to be picky about how my future home I'll never be able to afford will be built :)

[@Spobbles69420]

Kek same bro same

[@AngryAsian69]

Why can’t you afford it? It’s easy out there if you are a disciplined killer, the competition is such a joke if you’re even half competent you look like a rockstar. Take that from a half competent millennial who’s retired already

[@mikebrennan7331]

yeah, my future is a 30 yr old singlewide on acreage in rural TN.

[@MikeNoce]

With this attitude that is probably true but tons of others will do this

[@Spobbles69420]

@@MikeNoce you’re right, I should be more positive. Have bigger dreams. I hope one day I’ll be able to take 100 acres by force like the good old days.

[@durangodave]

Here is a bit of trivia some might enjoy (as i understand it). The lower part of straw is called thresh. In the days of dirt floors they used thresh to cover the floor. They needed a way to keep it from traveling outside the home so a small lipped border was installed on every exit floor. Thats why its called a threshhold. 😁

[@3nertia]

🤯

[@j10001]

Threshing is the act of beating the stalks of grain to knock grain loose from the harvested wheat/barley/etc. If you visit old farm sites from the 1800s or earlier, you’ll see they have a shed or small barn oriented so doors at both ends open and wind can blow through during threshing. The wind picks up the light straw material and blows it outside, while the heavier grain falls to the “threshing floor” or “threshing room floor”. At the base of the downwind door, a board was fitted vertically across the base of the opening to stop any grain from blowing out. The board that’s inserted to hold the grain back during threshing is called a threshold.

[@durangodave]

@@j10001 great thanks for info 😁

[@GlueTubber]

'today I learned'! Thanks!

[@bennybodash855]

Well thank you! I like to know little tidbits of our history.

[@zeeveener]

This channel should talk about cost-effective retrofits to existing (old) houses more frequently. New builds meeting these standards are great, but what can we do to improve the inventory of homes that already exist and don't meet _any_ of these standards?

[@Natedoc808]

If you're refinishing the inside of an older home, hopefully taking it down to the studs, install the new windows and siding, then use the aerobarrier system. No cheaper way to seal up your old leaky home, 4-6K$

[@Noam-w1l]

@@zeeveener Unless you are taking the old house down to studs and effectively building a whole new house from the inside out, I'd recommend trying your hardest to air seal the ceiling plane at the attic, try reasonably hard to seal the walls and baseboards (because stud bays usually end up exchanging air with the attic, and outside air coming in at floor level is annoying), weatherstripping the doors and windows, sealing any obvious utility penetrations (e.g.where the gas line comes in, or where wires go out for exterior lights) and getting your attic insulation above R-15. Many people will say blow as much loose insulation into your attic as you can manage and aim for R-30 or R-50 or whatever. But I don't particularly like covering the ceiling joists too much in older houses because it makes navigating and servicing stuff in the attic too difficult, and an old house was usually built assuming that kind of accessibility. Still, a 2x6 cavity can easily hit R-19 and a 2x8 cavity can easily hit R-26 so aim for that at least. I also like spending more on fiberglass batts (instead of loose fill) because it is easier to handle and produces a lot less dust, which improves future serviceability. I'd steer away from trying to fill the exterior wall study bays with new insulation. There are people who will poke small holes in the existing plaster or drywall and blow stuff into those bays, but in most mixed to cold climates that does wonky things to the condensing temperature of the wall cavity and you can end up with moisture and mold problems. If you have ancient single pane windows, install storm sashes to create an extra layer. You can splurge on whole new window assemblies with double glazing, but that's a waste of money relative to storm sashes over existing windows. Basically, old houses are insanely drafty, and if you can cut air infiltration from "catastrophic" down to merely "bad" you'll improve comfort and save money and the house will still breathe well enough to clear moisture and provide make-up air for combustion appliances (which are just fine - don't let anyone take away your gas stove and furnace if you live in an old house). If you have an old house with a ceiling R value of say 1.5 (yes, we really did used to build that way), going to R-15 improves things 10x. Going from there to R-30 only improves things another 2x. So you hit diminishing returns pretty quickly.

[@zeeveener]

@ wow that’s a very comprehensive response, thank you!

[@chandler3992]

His niche is newer homes on KZbin

[@gclayt1054]

@@Noam-w1lunderrated comment, you know what you’re talking about.

[@acreguy3156]

Thanks Matt! I built my house (2,000 sq. ft. bungalow) in 1982. First, I studied the R2000 specs, which were the cutting edge technology of the day. I used a double stud wall, offset configuration around the perimeter. The outer envelope is R20, completely air sealed. The inner wall is R12 unsealed. The studs are offset 50%. The attic has blown in fiberglass, R50. Most of the electrical was run in the basement and up through the sill plates to avoid in-wall runs on the main level. There is no plumbing in the outside walls. All wire and pipe exit points are sealed with spray foam or caulking. The floor truss pockets are now spray foamed with 2 pound foam. I had a contractor do them. Those pockets were the weak point. Before they were sprayed my house measured 1.49 ACH-50. The measurement indicated a total square area of leakage= 9.5 x 9.5 sq. inches. Not bad for a 40 year old house with leaky truss pockets! I imagine the value must be down around 1.0 after the spray foam. I had to install an under slab radon fan. We heat with natural gas and it costs us about the same to heat our house as a 1,200 sq. ft. "30 day wonder" subdivision house and that's with a 60,000 BTU furnace and two gas fireplaces, which only run occasionally. Thanks again for the great info 👍!

[@AlexanderTye]

Any and every type of building contractor, trades person, or handyman should watch this.…better yet, all homeowners should watch this.👏

[@syl20bou]

Thanks!

[@gveresUW]

Completely agree. But man, that crooked brick at the entrance way (minute 7:08) around shoulder height would drive me nuts every time I came in the front door.

[@MuzixMaker]

Yeah no shit.

[@steveperreira5850]

It is crooked more so than the average. Pretty bad one, right at eye level

[@ralphl7643]

My carpenters did a great job shoring up my old, decrepit house, but it was uncanny how often they put a flaw in the finish wood were it would be most noticeable.

[@ssrrocks22]

Matt, I have been watching you for a few years, and i can say if i was picking a builder, you would be my first choice.

[@RuneToennesen]

Repairable/maintainable is the key to longevity for a house

[@KYoss68]

I wish you had included 1 more item in your list: a range hood that absolutely vents outside and a companion make-up-air system to condition incoming air replacing what the hood exhausts.

[@erickessler6094]

Yes, that makeup air is key! We used our Ultra-Aire XT155 feature for the makeup air. The air is filtered & dehumidifed in the process.

[@ewicky]

​@@erickessler6094 make up air is not "key". Crack a window.

[@corpsie-diytools38]

Yes! There's nothing like cooking a house that suddenly feels like its freezing due to the exhaust fan pulling the pressure way down.

[@rangerdoc1029]

I installed a hopper window right behind the range for a make-up air curtain.

[@weldon9254]

Not non-negotiable

[@paperburn]

Short, concise, well spoken and brilliant.

[@lizzieb6311]

Fantastic video! I especially love that you also show the garage being insulated and with a mini split. In addition to all the no no’s you discussed, here in Florida you NEVER get an insulated garage. Thank you for all you do for us!

[@daddio449]

Matt, as a building optimizer and retrofitter I would like to add. #4 Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) - All HVAC systems are closed they only recycle indoor air with the problem of the build up of unwanted air degradation from cooking, cleaning, washing machines, dishwashers and stoves. Outgassing of VOC's from crafts, paints, carpets, furniture, etc. Adding an ERV (energy recovery ventilator) will balance the homes air lost with conditioned makeup air that has been dehumidified, and tempered with conditioned air. All homes should have them by code. Any one with children or adults with respiratory issues need these as a standard. IAQ is as important as the first 3 maybe more. The cost may seem high, $10,000+ but when installed in the first build is much cheaper in the long run to retrofitting which can cost upwards of $20,000. PS blower door testing should be done at rough in when your IR camera can pick up on envelope air leaks before insulation, dry wall, and carpets are installed.

[@Noam-w1l]

@@daddio449 An ERV isn't just a $10,000 toy. It's a $10,000 toy that needs it's own maintenance cycle, electric hookup and consumables (filters, etc.), and needs to be replaced by a new $10,000 toy every 20-30 years after the old one reaches end-of-life. For the money, you could just install a small trickle vent in or next to a window (so your make-up air is reasonably fresh outside air and doesn't have to travel through your attic insulation to get to you), which will set you back $20, invest the rest in government bonds, and more than pay for the extra HVAC fuel every year. And get your money back at the end. A trickle vent is one piece of exotic European jim-crackery that I can get behind. It costs $20, lasts decades, and requires zero consumables to operate and maintain.

[@NorWis744]

$10,000 is excessive cost for an ERV. Should cost less than $5,000 for a 2,500 sq ft house.

[@daddio449]

@@NorWis744 I had a client in Boulder CO install an ERV Final cost $8500. Prices vary depending on company Zinder is high Panasonic is lower.. I try not to low ball people. If it comes in lower clients smile if it's higher not so much.

[@Noam-w1l]

@NorWis744 A nice model like a Zehnder with ducted supply and returns to multiple zones quickly adds up when you include install costs. You can get a cheaper unit and go for a cheaper and simpler install, but then, if cost is important, you're probably better off with a simple $20 trickle vent like they use in Europe. Or go fancy and get a $100 trickle vent! Still 50x to 100x more cost effective.

[@GUITARTIME2024]

That's code for new build in some Euro countries.

[@iamblaineful]

A ton of great building science has been released on this channel where all builders should be able to reach a 2 or better ACH50 and avoid critical mistakes in air and water management. Thanks for making this public, Matt.

[@JamesJessenfedden]

Until this changes in 10 years.

[@markbrowning4334]

Meanwhile, there is no insulation in my exterior walls, you can sometimes see daylight throught my door seals, and I have a giant picture window which houses what I think might be the first pane ever created. I hate to tell Matt, but most houses out there aren't built the way he's saying they should be.

[@coherentpanda7115]

Majority of the builders will ignore all of this and keep building their cheaply subcontracted McMansions

[@markbrowning4334]

@coherentpanda7115 What do you do for a living, again? I didn't catch that.

[@JamesJessenfedden]

@@markbrowning4334 Where do you get the impression he thinks most homes are built the way in which he’s advocating?

[@williamclark6466]

ON THE BUILD SHOW!!!!!!!!! Great video, Matt! Thank you!

[@clarkescustomcreations]

I completely agree with these 3 things I recently renovated an old farm house built in 1940 completely by myself for a house that had 0 insulation or air sealing or was never really intended to getting down to a 3.5 that's pretty rare for most houses here in nova scotia 😅 not as good as your suggested 2.0 but starting at %100 air loss an doing it alone I was pretty impressed with 3.5 lol

[@lerodman]

Great video as always Matt

[@Edward-tp5nc]

I definitely agree. I’ve seen too many carpenters and builders cut corners or they don’t even flash!

[@ponga782]

Great content, Matt. I love your videos! I am wondering if you have ever done a video on remodeling older houses from the 20's to 40's.. specifically tightening them up and using spray foam insulation in the roof and possibly in the floors. In the south of course along the I-10 corridor. thank you for all the fantastic videos, and keep up the good work.

[@SommerBros]

Non negotiables to live by. Nailed it Matt!

[@markbrowning4334]

Non- negotiables, yet almost every home out there, not built last week, suffers from the lack of all three of these.

[@bille.334]

That window shake when the front door closes in the first couple seconds of the video is impressive.

[@kevinstenger4334]

I love all of your stuff Matt and I hope someday the building industry gets to where you are or better. However the reality is that probably 90% of builders suck, their houses suck, and 99.5% of hvac contractors suck so most people have to live in something those guys built. I wish it wasn’t true but even the code doesn’t require well built homes and most building departments don’t even fully enforce the codes.

[@markbrowning4334]

I'm not sure where the hostility is coming from. Builders are businessmen too. I hate to tell you, but in all businesses the goal is to make as much profit with as little cost as possible. Yeah, this invites some cheap operations and labor. Its an unfortunate byproduct. The other thing, as it applies to construction, is that all of these products, systems, and code requirements weren't always present. Matt is showing us only the absolute latest and greatest. And all of this stuff further drives up the cost of a build that is already ridiculous to most buyers. There are many many homes out there around the globe, and almost none of them are built with the considerations that Matt is telling us about. Sad but true. Are you saying every one of those builders are bums? If so, then you're saying that all builders, except Matt, are bums. However, if Matt built your home, you wouldn't have a structure, electric, or plumbing. I never hear him talk about those things. Give me the structure and the utilities, and I'll deal with some drafts.

[@cdwoods365]

Awesome Matt! As always I learn so much from you over the past 5 years. Truly appreciate you sharing your knowledge with all of us.

[@virgil3241]

Agree with all of this. But as well, you need to trust the home builder to do it right and above code. But unless you are there all the time, you get what you get. As well, as many home owners, we dont know whats supposed to be right and have to trust their word that they didnt hide something before its covered up. Which as we all know, many home builders dont beleive in that word, trust. Garbage builds for maximum profit is rampant, and that 100% on dirty home builders

[@dirtyglove08]

I would love to work with Matt. Super knowledgeable and thorough!

[@cliffthatcher4574]

We install vents in our attics up here in MN... attic spaces won't get nearly so hot AND stale air gets vented. Healthy home.

[@BC-vv3ot]

You build some nice high end homes. Looking in the background I see a lot of high efficiency improvements. I don’t think most people can afford homes designed to this level.

[@whitediver45]

Happy Thanksgiving, Matt ! I really appreciate all the wisdom and technologies you have shared with us. You've made me a much better builder.

[@russcrawford3310]

WOW ... I was thinking "bolting the house to the foundation" and "nailing the roof to the walls" ... here in the Pacific Northwest, shedding water is top priority ... and more people here own boats than air conditioners (thanx Jeff Foxworthy for that lil' gem) ... and hydro-electricity is so cheap we keep our windows open a bit in winter ... it rarely freezes at the lower elevations ...

[@shaggydayshorseshow9567]

I _think_ the seismic (or hurricane) reinforcements are now code-required on new builds, and I'd guess that Matt's list assumes that the building passes inspection for code compliance. Those things are still a consideration on older houses that may need retrofit.

[@PIPEStheVOICE]

Thanks for the detailed information. Very much appreciated.

[@HankArtie]

You somehow missed AFFORDABLE. I was just quoted $800k to build a 2000 sq ft home built to MINIMAL standards. No ZIp, just cheap Tyvek, , no ERV, no de-humidification, 7/16" OSB, 2x4 and pink insulation. And I already own the land. Needless to say, I walked away. Building a new home shouldn't cost $400/square.

[@artyclafidooo8851]

Yeah that house he’s showing is probably 5-600 a square foot

[@coreyalfredson7986]

Yes. This is becoming the normal. In my area it's 275-290 for basic construction sqft finished. Honestly if you stop and look at price and labor it's on point. They aren't out to screw you.

[@humantwist-offcap9514]

Weirdly, the sheer economics of things are shifting people back toward self-sufficiency and encouraging people to learn the skills to build their own stuff. My grandfather did it, my dad did too, both while working full time jobs. We’re gonna have to do the same if we want a house that’s built competently on a reasonable budget. I have 0 faith in home builders now

[@artyclafidooo8851]

@ cheap won’t be good, good won’t be cheap

[@MarkCharlton-h3x]

@@humantwist-offcap9514 Well you have localities which will not allow you to do the wiring, the plumbing, heck places won't even let you do structural or your roof on your own. We've gotta get those hurdles under control as well.

[@raytinsman7815]

Impressive as usual !

[@user-cr3fz8lz2i]

I totally agree with water management! We had issues with the front door not flashed. I guess the subcontractors thought since there would be an overhang it didn’t need it. Well, that’s not how it works! Fortunately, the contractor figured out the water intrusion and fixed the issue. But, how can you tell when you buy an existing house? You don’t know what’s in your walls and around the openings.

[@scottcureton6055]

Like a tight house but, also like the idea of fresh air for radon, oxygen and in a new home, the materials/paint/sealants gassing off chemicals.

[@JohnPrepuce]

People lived for thousands of years just fine without "tight" houses. Homes should breathe, contrary to what was said in this video. I would rather live in a shed than a drywall dwelling.

[@scottcureton6055]

@@JohnPrepuce Yeah also, if someone farts in your house, where does it go? lol

[@sx300pilot5]

⁠Not true. We’ve been sealing homes in the north tight since the 80’s. No one wants a cold drafty house in the winter. From a vapor barrier put under the concrete in the basement continually sealed all the way up to the vapor barrier on the ceiling. Then a proper are exchange system is used to exchange conditioned air at a controlled rate.

[@markbrowning4334]

Radon...... I've been remodeling for 25 plus years and been in many homes. I've never understood why one house has a radon system but their neighbor doesn't. Obviously I don't deal with radon and have never looked into it, but I'm just not sure what's really going on there.🤔

[@scottcureton6055]

Seriously, love the thought this guy puts into his videos .Always learn something. Just think at some point mega tight houses still need fresh air flow to live in. Like the idea of a separate system for garage, and building out crawlspace bigger for hvac. Sounds like it is best to avoid anything in attic.

[@davidfluty7213]

Great video all true. I wish I had this knowledge prior to building my current house. We are remediating 2 of the 3 you talk about and it’s expensive 😟!

[@chuckdoucet4510]

Always a great day when a new Risinger video drops, especially while I’m visiting Rome and can’t sleep! Ciao!

[@buildshow]

I visited Rome once and loved seeing the history! We think of a 100 year old house as old… then you visit the Colosseum! Enjoy

[@Crusader1815]

@@buildshow Maybe you should do a show featuring Roman formula concrete.

[@rjincontro]

I appreciate how to the point this video is. Very easy to share with others.

[@soundman1402]

I live in a 1930s-built log house... "Tight" is not a word that can describe really any aspect of this house. LOL! I'd sure love to build tight, though.

[@TheGreatFury]

1915 here. Yep keeps air like a screen door, I guess they didn't believe in insulation, and I can tell if it's raining by the color of the rocks in the basement wall. But i hear that that kind of stuff builds or is character, I can't remember.

[@CMCraftsman]

I’m replacing all of the original ELECTRIC heat elements in my mom’s 1970’s log cabin while I’m home for Thanksgiving. It won’t air seal the house although when I lived here as a teenager I did use a brown caulk in the places I could see outside between the logs, at least it should be a little more efficient than the old elements. It’s 48° in the house right now.

[@caffeinetremors]

I'm currently doing a major renovation to my 1926 house and trying to carry over as many of Matt's lessons on building science as I can afford. The studs and foundation will probably be the only original components left by the time I'm done. You can hit many of the air and water sealing goals depending on how many layers of the original building you're willing to tear open.

[@lentztu]

Ditto, insulated like a cardboard box is my description of ours.

[@sparksmcgee6641]

​@CMCraftsman Please use clinking not caulk this time. Do a wood heater.

[@PeterLawton]

With government regulation of refrigerants, COP, etc., for energy efficiency, your reason #2 (HVAC *inside* the conditioned space) ought to be part of the building code, and not just county by county. I owned a home in South Carolina and it had the HVAC in the "attic" space. The electric bills got huge in the summer -- it really makes a difference.

[@LumenCache]

Fantastic list Matt! Mention ERVs to go along with that tight house and we can talk about LumenCache RH% sensors in the switches. Plus partner products solving the ventilation controls without the complexity of wireless.

[@kenweeks9028]

Great video. That's a lot of information in 6 minutes

[@GenX-Memories]

You know who's not watching this video? Modern American builders. They'd rather be "rich" than actually build something with pride.

[@markbrowning4334]

My house was built in 1962 and there isn't a stitch of insulation in my exterior walls. It isn't just the new builders.

[@thereasoner9454]

Hey Matt, another great video. I have been watching for a long time, but I have an opportunity to build my vacation/retirement home. The problem is we live in California. Do you have a video(s) that show how to build more traditional, but with cost effective upgrades. Of course, we would want to build a monopoly home with all your best build practices, we just can't afford it. Therefore, we are looking to do an upgraded traditional built home with energy efficiency. Thanks, if you have time to point it out.

[@DouglasRosser]

I see sprayed expanding foam insulation in the roof beams around 3:47 mark. Isn't that a big NO for insurance and financing?

[@descai10]

Depends on the climate, the thickness of the foam, and whether it's open or closed cell foam. He made a video on it recently.

[@bhough410]

@@descai10 The team replacing the bad parts of the roof sheathing a few decades down the road is going to have one heck of a time.

[@Hawaiishelldiver]

I live in Hawaii. Its great to drive around and see the old, single wall plantation era houses. Built on post and pier with metal roofs, no insulation, heating or A/C. I would100% live in a yurt before I'd live in a house built to today's building codes in America.

[@fuzzychest]

When you showed the attic that reminded me of an article, I read that said insurers are starting to not cover or reject spray on foam homes. Particularly when spread on the rafters because they say they cannot assess them or the roof properly. Is that a growing concern?

[@markthomasson5077]

Same in UK

[@zachis4wheeling]

Spray foam is an overall horrible practice all around. It makes doing any future repairs / renovations / remodels more difficult, it makes running new future outlets and wires extremely difficult, and some of the chemicals in some of the spray foam are absolutely horrible to encapsulate your home in. And hopefully Matt has some sort of ventilation from eaves to ridge on that roof. You most definitely do need air circulation there. I like Matt and 95% of the time I agree, but definitely not on that.

[@kenbrown2808]

@@zachis4wheeling just finished a project where the engineer required an inch of sprayfoam on the underside of the roof. sounds like it's considered an alternative to venting -

[@cowanthegreat8966]

7:20 Tell that to people in British Columbia who've had to remove siding and replace thieving behind and inside due to moisture damage from over tight building code.

[@MD.ImNoScientician]

@BuildShow Matt, Thank you for all of your builder tips. So much has changed in the last 10 years, let alone in the last 40-50 years. Is it okay to have your HVAC exhaust into your garage (if it's well ventilated) instead of your attic?

[@Joaquin-n2i]

Something even better than zip is a rain screen.. I didn't go zip in our house we are building, but plywood with rain drop 3d wrap and foil foam over that with 1x3 furring over assures ventilation.

[@Boomer848848]

0:45 Water Management 3:23 HVAC Inside Envelope of House 6:32 Blower Door Testing

[@TheLakeJake3]

Something so satisfying about this stuff

[@Daynja1]

Coming from the north, where HVAC systems are ALWAYS in conditioned basements, I thought it was weird how many houses in the south have the equipment and much of the ducts outside the conditioned space. Interesting to finally hear that it's as bad as I thought it was.

[@elisabethkolling6697]

I've lived in such houses in south and southeast Texas for the past 45 years and never had a problem. But those houses were built between 1955-1984, if that matters.

[@user-od9iz9cv1w]

All good stuff. I think you missed #1. Foundation. I am in the North. Every house I see has a leaky basement and many have footings that will not last years let alone generations.

[@turboflush]

I think most companies don't understand.. construction has changed. Old breathing houses vs new sealed controlled house. The trades often don't understand the differences and effects of changing aspects of a design.

[@DB57RB]

I'll never understand how cardboard sheeting meets code?!? That should not be allowed.

[@TeddyRumble]

I haven't seen that in years. I do still see tarpaper used as a vapor barrier. That good for maybe 20 years.

[@steelyspielbergo]

sheeting isn't required at all.

[@Noam-w1l]

​@@TeddyRumbleMy 70+ year old house with a tarpaper water control layer begs to differ.

[@isaiahanderson7237]

I don’t see cardboard sheathing in my state. Almost all new construction is OSB and weather resistant barrier/Zip system.

[@dlg5485]

The major production builders lobby for less stringent building codes so they can keep selling overpriced trash homes to people. The only way to get a well built home these days is to either build it yourself or to spend a fortune on a custom builder.

[@carbidetooth]

Matt, I wholeheartedly agree with your assessment of how we should approach residential building. How do you deal with clothes dryer venting? Seems like it would be problematic to employ the concept of air tightness and conditioning of interior air because of sheer quantity of moisture that a dryer contends with. Do tell.

[@Noam-w1l]

@@carbidetooth Just wait until Matt discovers Euro-style condensing washer-dryers that require no venting. I owned one in Europe and another one back here stateside. They have plenty of advantages (no exterior venting, moisture is condesned to liquid and drains with the wash water, plenty of 110v options that don't require a heavy duty circuit, pretty energy efficient per pound of laundry washed and dried, etc.) But they are painfully slow to complete a load, and the towels don't come out hot dry and fluffy like a regular American dryer. They're good for small households, or if you are rich and want a secondary laundry facility somewhere in your mansion apart from the main laundry room. But they are horribly annoying for families with more than one kid. Would recommend for in-unit use in an apartment up to 2br. Would not recommend for use in a larger home.

[@carbidetooth]

@@Noam-w1l I have some experience with condensing dryers in motor homes here in USA. I agree, they're an alternative, but not really a good one.

[@Noam-w1l]

@@carbidetooth If you are contemplating building a super duper air-tight house and worried about bringing in fresh air in general and about makeup air for dryers or vent fans (e.g. bathroom fans or kitchen range hoods pushing air out of the house), the extravagant geeky way to deal with it is with an Energy Recovery Ventilator. The commercially reasonable way to do it is with a fresh air intake that dumps some raw outside air into your HVAC return plenum to be filtered and conditioned and returned to the structure with the rest of the recycled supply air (virtually all commercial rooftop package units have a fresh air damper to allow for this - super important in restaurants with big kitchen ventilation requirements). The cheap-and-cheerful residential way to do it is to install a trickle vent in a window where the draft won't be too annoying to the inhabitants to let raw outside air into the living space (super popular solution in Europe). An ERV will cost $10,000+. An extra run of ductwork to a reverse dryer vent on an outside wall will cost a few hundred bucks. A trickle vent in your window will cost $20. You be the judge.

[@andrewdeen6319]

Great information!

[@andrewfisher8749]

We are up to $.50 per kilowatt here in Commiefornia. No extra electric consumption that has an alternative.

[@videozoom12]

I agree with almost everything Matt says. My only gripe is about bringing air in. When if we like to open our windows instead of having something man made that can break down so it for us? Defeats the whole purpose of that section of what matters stated I feel.

[@BenKlassen1]

Good, succinct video! Thanks!

[@patrickk8133]

Thanks for this great video. How to handle a furnace which is installed in the garage in a house built in the 1970's? It's not easy to move an existing furnace into the house. What is the possible fix please? Thanks.

[@rayRay-pw6gz]

He was just talking about a force air system . If you live in a state that allowed forced hot air furnace in the garage, you are truly screwed. Move !

[@Lousybarber]

Water management affects the land around the home also. Many years ago I visited the site of a house under construction. The builder installed footing tiles for the basement and ran a line out into the back yard with no discharge point. Some heavy rain hit the area and the footing drains did not function. Hydrostatic pressure on foundation was so great that it cracked a portion of the wall and tilted it into the basement. The entire structure of the house was messed up to the point where it was scary inspecting the damage.

[@co-know-proconstructiontips]

Was that return air next to a register vent 😢

[@allaboutroofing2]

Where is this home? Mine looks to be the same floor plan and elevations. Crazy. Mine was build in 2000 to energy star standards. Has been a great home with full basement and 3 car tandem garage.

[@mfinite689]

It may cost extra to do these best practices, but it's cheaper to do it when you're in construction than a homeowner trying to renovate a house you built 65 years later trying to mitigate these issues.

[@PrograError]

*Expensive upfront, Cheaper upkeep.* Not many things these days follow this theory tho...

[@xxcurtisx21x]

A house that doesn't shake when the front door is closed for starters.

[@clint7-1]

Right on about AC in envelope!

[@buildshow]

Seriously. We have to stop doing this.

[@RM_Garage]

What were you using in the opening clips to seal the concrete foundation to the sheathing of that exterior wall? 1:13

[@OPiguy35]

Would love a checklist (preferably with QR codes next to each item that links to a YT tutorial video and/or your website ) that homeowners can use as a way to talk to their builders about specifics. I’d pay cash money for it Section 1) Essentials (like what was covered in this video) Section 2) Great items for those not at the end of their budget (who’s the great builder in Texas that you work with that builds effectively high performance spec homes???) Section 3) the extras Section 4) Region specifics (ie making tornado rooms in Tornado alley)

[@PrograError]

>Great items for those not at the end of their budget (who’s the great builder in Texas that you work with that builds effectively high performance spec homes???) Wouldn't that be a promo if they named the places/ who that do… (tho IIRC they did have a series where he went around looking at client houses built by those builders)

[@markmeridian3360]

Depending on your building materials, a too-tight house can have radon buildup. That's very bad for health. Consider an air-to-air heat exchanger to properly ventilate your tight home.

[@Noam-w1l]

4:02 - Diagram shows a temperature of 130°F in the attic with 70% relative humidity. Those are impossible, made-up attic conditions. That corresponds to a dew point of 117°F, which means that a north-facing uninsulated roof gable in an Austin summer would see rivers of condensation on the interior sheathing as the relatively cool 95°F outside air constantly chilled the gable wall surface far below condensing temperature. Which is absurd and never happens. Sure, the sun bakes the roof and raises attic air temps in southern summers to 130°F+. But nobody is building a secret steam pipe to the local power plant to dump in all that extra water vapor into your attic to get you to those conditions. I put sensors up in my old vented mid-Atlantic attic and in the summer the relative humidity becomes pretty low, because the quantum of moisture in a parcel of 95°F outside air at a muggy 65% RH doesn't much change when it enters my attic, so when the air heats to 120°F+ thanks to solar gain, the RH becomes a dry ~30%. It's the same 24 to 25 g of water per m^3 of air. "Building science" using completely inrealistic made-up numbers! Results guaranteed!

[@ronwest7930]

I figured he was going to point out that block used to build that house.

[@EarthisnotforSale]

I have watched numerous videos from your channel to learn how houses are built. How would a person in Ohio find a solid builder like you Matt? Here in my area Dr Horton is the big fish and a few other well known companies. And, there are folks like Wayne Homes. Thanks for the great videos

[@johnjackson9235]

I am in Columbus and I am currently building a home with JYS Homes

[@michaelpowell9413]

Lol. Dr horton is not a " builder" they sell crap

[@EarthisnotforSale]

@@michaelpowell9413 I agree they are $hit boxes

[@raymondbunkofske4702]

I used to own a DR Horton home and it was very well done because the town inspectors were extremely knowledgeable and thorough. The even checked the thickness of the exterior paint and made the painter re-do it twice because it didn’t meet the requirements listed by the paint manufacturer. Now, I have a background in building science so it was easy for me to put requirements in the contract to build the house. I was able to do that because houses weren’t selling at the time and the builder was hungry.

[@stevelinder7975]

Great advice as always!

[@rvrnt196]

When you said cardboard, sheathing , you showed a picture of Drywall and OSB. What are you referring to as cardboard sheathing? Thank you.

[@steveperreira5850]

I had to look twice… he meant the OSB. Not a good visual presentation.

[@crabkilla]

Matt - regarding 0:59. Can you do a video on the details of the insulation on the slab details? Specifically the front door threshold and where the insulation butts about against the studs. How do the dry wall guys screw into the baseplate of walls with that floor insulation at the same height? Inquiring minds want to know!

[@mancewicz]

Hi Thanks a lot! very informative! Could you explain in one of your videos if I should or should not use plywood/osb3 on the outside in a colder zones? since osb3 or plywood are not vapour open, I should use something else, right?

[@KitYeeScott]

Cardboard sheathing is also just termite food if they put the soil up against it.

[@PhilipZurcher]

The problem is now that I know this and everything else I've learned from Matt and his team and Steven. I have an ADU in my backyard (built in 2016), shell is complete but bare framing inside and I can't move forward because of everything I've learned and none of the steps were done. What am I to do? Start over? I've learned too much for the past couple of years and I know I should start over so I can have a monopoly house too with a low blower score. I bet it would be +5 now.

[@scottturnquist9478]

My house was built in 1985. I had an energy audit done 15 years ago and had the recommended blown in loose glass fiber insulation added to the attic space. This year we replaced our two airsource hear pumps with a geothermal system. A new energy audit after this now recomends blowing in foam insulation to the attic space to make it a heated and not vented space. However they say now they would have to remove the floor space blown in insulation first. Is that really a requirement? It adds about $4,000 to the foam insulation cost.

[@andydupont4786]

If your crawlspace and attic are sealed tight, how do you combat mold growth if the house is empty for a long period with no power to the air conditioning units? Asking for a friend 😅

[@ronwest7930]

You better come up with something to move air. I came home from a three-month vacation and couldn't believe the mold that happened.

[@nq2847]

I like your standards, do you build in GA? Website? EDIT: Saw you were in TX. Do you have a solid referral for someone in GA? Thx.

[@stevenkilian5085]

Great job! My wife said you have a good voice 😊

[@TheDjcarter1966]

Speaking of garages, a two garage that well fit a half ton truck and a Suburban/Minivan with room on on wall for tools

[@rickychang3112]

Hey I hope Matt sees this. I think there might actually be a legitimate use for the "cardboard" sheathing. Sometimes architectural designs will have glass curtain walls at the exterior, and the structural engineer will move the shear wall to the interior. If we run into situations where we need shear rated walls, and are dimensionally constrained where build-up thickness is important, I can see the cardboard sheathing coming in handy and see no issue since its protected from the elements. You'd have to "give" a half inch to go with plywood here, which could be all the difference in achiving some reveal/alignment details, without extensive shimming/furring. Just a thought.

[@olgajoachimosmundsen4647]

Hey Matt. In retrospect as you went to Norway; what is your thought about spacing out cladding from the house and water-management as a practice in the US?

[@filanfyretracker]

In some places its against code for the inside ductwork to connect to the garage, Because of CO issues should someone run a car even with the garage door open.

[@bt5029]

How does one go about finding a local builder that has knowledge and experience in building to the standards you do? Is there an organization of builders that build to the standards you do? Most people i speak to in a rural north Texas area who have built homes have no clue when I ask if their builder addressed moisture, ventilation, insulation etc. Basically they got what the builder would give them.

[@VarroTigurius-u1f]

Question... for the mini split in the garage... would it not make more sense to put the external portion into the conditioned attic space? It would add load to the internal unit since its still conditioning the attic but it would make the minisplit work easier. Just a thought.

[@kenbrown2808]

the word you're looking for is "bootstrap" there's a reason it's called an "outdoor unit"

[@bsnofire]

Man, I need you to come up to Oklahoma and build me a house. lol.

[@BenjaminAllott]

Hi Mat, From Sydney Australia, love your stuff, What is your opinion on multi head HVAC vs ducted, and how do you handle the bathroom exhaust in a tight house, very common in AUS the roof space is open to the air (even on new builds) and the bathroom is usually either vented into the roof space with a wirly bird or out a dedicated vent

[@Gcanno]

I do not want to nit pick ,but if your describing the trade lingo , Freon is a refrigerant brand , Refrigerant is a universal term . That is what was told to me at a IHACI seminar describing how to use the proper terms ,Thanks for the Video .

[@Natedoc808]

Good call. I feel the same way when it comes to “brand name R12”.... when they're talking R134a etc. It's the equivalent of calling all guns a Glock.

[@michaellautermilch9185]

But we all knew what he meant clearly.

[@Natedoc808]

@@michaellautermilch9185 It's just poor form for a professional.

[@anonym3017]

@@Natedoc808 R12 is not a brand name. Is dichlorodifluoromethane. Banned by the Montreal protocol cause it's an ozone depletant.

[@Natedoc808]

@ I didn’t say it was, Freon is brand name R12, and my post is clear on that if you read it as a reply to the original poster.

[@snowpaw360]

How would you go about renovating a typical cinderblock Florida home for better insulation? I'm thinking of adding some more blown-in into the attic (it's only like 6 inches thick right now!)

[@homeauthorityllc]

#4 - test and Aeroseal ductwork!

[@jobond3317]

So interested you are using sips sheeting. That's what I'm going to use. Are you pleased with the product? My reason is that it is cheaper than timber frame but gives me a higher-end home

[@ronm6585]

Thanks Matt.

[@BrandonDoyleMN]

Great advice!

[@BlessingsBeGod]

What is the material used for siding next to that exterior door? It looks like a shiplap

[@DannyK426]

Water is everything. Blower door scores tend to follow as you put more effort into water management. Our builds are now all sub 1.8 ach/50, this is standard for even clients that have never even heard of what a blower door score is.