How Siga Majrex works at our NS Builders Newton renovation

[@kylefogle6022]

I always enjoy your videos! I'm a plumber in the SF Bay area and I've installed many drains for curbless showers. 2 things here; 1: I'm not a big fan of the schluter drain system due to the interface between strip drain outlet and trap fouling chamber because of the no hub coupling required at the time of drain setting in what is typically an inaccessible area in the floor. 2: We use the UPC and or California plumbing code and a 2" elevation difference is required between finished floor ( interchangeable with threshold in a curbless install) and finished drain elevation. At a very steep 1/2" per ft you still need a 4' pan, I see a lot of 8' pans which terminate near vanities and toilets in some spaces. Curious if you're required to adhere to this code. Inspectors are sticklers for it around here.

[@jamesmathis3332]

Keep posting guys! - I learn a ton from your videos. I work in a production setting and respect your attention to details.

[@milanroets9697]

Great video Nick. How are you able to leave the vapor barrier in the shower walls? On the Kerdi instructions it specifically says not to have any vapor barrier behind the Kerdi because it is water and vapor proof and any other barrier would trap moisture behind it.

[@NSBuilders]

Milan Roets good information. Will look into this!

[@AdamCarbone1]

In MA when do you need to use an interior vapor barrier, vs just an exterior air tight envelop?

[@DesignBuildDoug]

Awesome vid y’all!

[@Ssp2105]

You had mentioned better options than spray foam. What are they and what don't you like about spray foam?

[@NSBuilders]

Something that doesn’t offer gas as much. Spray foam has its place but it’s still a chemical reaction

[@macrapidito1]

Can an interior framed brick wall be insulated and treated as a normal studs interior wall?

[@NathanielTHughes]

Great video. I'm actually going to be using the siga on my small house build. The info missing even on the siga website and what I see as a possible problem with the product is the cladding install penetrations. Won't the dry wall screws penetrate and this product is not self healing. Only way would be to installed ensuring screws hit the self healing tape? Perhaps I'm missing something. Would be great to follow up with this info as it's lacking in the siga install docs as well

[@joesparks825]

drywall screws hitting the stud will seal well enough that its a non issue. the problem i see is people hanging art work, or toilet roll holders and penetrating it not on a stud. In this case a service cavity framed between your internal vapor barrier and drywall will prevent this, also it gives the sparky somewhere to run wires and avoid flushbox air sealing issues

[@appoljuce]

Informative videos. Do you usually insulate the interior walls? I noticed the mineral wool. Also, did you tile around that window in the shower?

[@bluearcherx]

been 5 years... is Majrex still the way?

[@Real_Tech_Skills]

Interesting shower floor build detail. I have to ask: Why install such a low mounted window in any shower ... let alone a steam shower? I'm guessing it was done to balance the look of the house's exterior.

[@serge_mann]

Great video, Nick! I'm working on a townhouse in Philly now and was planning to sprayfoam front and back brickwall. After your episode i'm having a second thought - in my case no joists attached to the wall, but freeze/thaw makes me think twice before i do it. But again, how do you leave brickwall uninsulated? Can you share where did you get your info about leaving brickwall uninsulated from? Thanks

[@macrapidito1]

Serge Maslennikov I’m also in Pa, norristown to be exact, I been researching and damn, I can’t make my mind. I’m curious to know what is or was your final decision as far of been insulated or non insulated?

[@andreycham4797]

@@macrapidito1 one episode Holms on homes shows just that. There is no wood , no worries. Spray foam sticks to bricks, water from outside will not get between foam and bricks , vapor from inside will not penetrate closed cell foam

[@jpabmx]

I'm confused about the double wydth brick wall. Did you guys leave it uninsulated and exposed on the inside or did you frame out then use mineral wool and majrex to air seal? Could you clarify a bit?

[@NSBuilders]

The brick wall was existing in the original part of the house. In the addition we used mineral wool and majrex. Aero barrier throughout the entire house.

[@jpabmx]

@@NSBuilders Ok, so basically you guys didn't touch the brick wall? Only reason I'm asking is because I've been researching this for a long time for my own project and info is so hard to find. I have a double wydth solid brick Philadelphia home (a twin) built in the 1930s that I've slowly been renovating in my spare time. I'm excited to be in the interior framing stage but have been having tons of trouble finding solid info on what to do about insulating. Probably the best chance I have is to get my brick tested and do and energy audit (or so I've heard) but for now I'm researching best practices for insulation on brick. So far I have already lime plastered the interior face of the outside walls with NHL lime and my game plan is to use a Mineralwool bat insulation between the studs then do an Intello plus "smart" vapor barrier to encapsulate the living spaces. It's similar to the Marjex stuff you guys use. I also plan on spray foaming the wooden roof rafters on my (currently vented) flat roof (and even there I'm not sure if I need open or closed cell or if it even matters) Thank you for your original reply, you guys rock! Keep doing what you do and keep spreading knowledge!

[@bluecollarcrypto69]

Using this product today

[@jeffdeluca1153]

You're singing my song w a dbl brick wall. How do I add insulation to my exterior wall? An I stud out the interior, add rockwool and vapor barrier then new drywall? HELP Thx Jeff

[@gerardolugo8036]

Like how you marked the studs

[@NSBuilders]

gerardo lugo and we try to use blue for water lines.

[@albertgerard4639]

What’s the modified dry pack that can be screed down to 0”

[@ghshomeimprovements]

Sharon Massachusetts plumbing inspector told us to spray foam the bathroom especially where Stand shower or tub is going it’s the code. How did you get away from that?

[@NSBuilders]

O A were hitting the thermal r value requirements and proper vapor retarder. Type of insulation cannot be mandated.

[@ghshomeimprovements]

Very good and thank you for responding.

[@johnjacobjinglehimerschmid3555]

As I've watched building shows, and I see interior vapor barrier I always wonder. Why on the inside. Soon as the home owner puts a nail in the wall to hang a picture, or drive a screw through a cabinet etc .... doesn't that just defeat the whole purpose of the vapor barrier?

[@bahopik]

In cold climate, which they are in, it stops warm vapor traveling toward cold exterior sheathing and condensing on it, which would cause rot and provide grounds for mold, also when fiberglass insulation gets wet it looses insulation value. A gap around a screw isn't enough to make it pointless, unsealed electrical outlets or absence of barrier behind the tub would cause troubles

[@ArthurDentZaphodBeeb]

Nice to see sane builders moving away from sprsy foam as much as possible. Nothing worse than tight homes encased in off-gassing foam

[@wjthehomebuilder]

I think it is absolutely achievable to get under 1.0 ACH. I was talking to my local AeroBarrier guys where they did a retrofit, starting at 17 ACH and proceeded to take it below 1.0. The longer the AeroBarrier runs, the tighter it gets! The only problem is the cost associated with it! Looks like you are starting WAY below 17 in the first place.

[@jonesconrad1]

7/16th basically 12mm right?

[@fredjohnson4772]

beautiful workmanship. window in any steam shower is beyond reasonable. i understand that wasnt your idea. sometimes homeowners are their own worst enemy

[@kevinh3979]

Unless you build in a custom window with appropriate materials, coatings and high temperature water compatible glazing adhesives/sealants. So a $500 window turns into a $5,000 window.

[@vhostovich]

It has been a long time since anything from N&S

[@jonesconrad1]

I'd hardly call that framing rough.

[@FixthisCD]

should use a recovery system for that hot water going down the drain

[@nc3826]

Great info especially on new products like the Siga. And I see it advantages using it. But doesn't it just move the moisture problem from the interior of the wall. To the inside surface of the Siga membrane? Such as where the back of it would normally come in contact with drywall or plaster (unless a drip plane air gap is added). So please recommend a paper-free, moisture and mold resistant drywall or breathable plaster to cover it (or did I miss that recommendation?). And lets hope, a Siga like membrane is added to drywall and joint tape, is developed to keep the moisture from being an issue with the drywall at all. And if I may suggest, you check out Just Bio-Fiber(Justbiofiber.ca) that is an engineered self supporting hempcrete block that addresses many of moisture and insulation issues in more sustainable manner. Hempcrete and the plasters that usually are used to cover it, tend to be highly permeable. And the high alkalinity of hempcrete blocks that don't need wood framing. Makes it highly mold resistant while still being able to absorb moisture from the room and then release it. While insulating the structure and being even more sustainable than even using wood. Also they are certifying the blocks to help pass code inspections.while decreasing the high labor costs normally associated with using alternative materials. Just Bio-Fiber and hempcrete is work in progress with the growing of hemp just becoming legal again in the west. High tech materials like Siga make sense to try to overcome the moisture issues of building becoming more air tight and insulated when using conventional materials like OSB that will riot and mold when wet. But inherently more compatible properly designed and engineered natural materials, will increasingly make more sense in construction.

[@macrapidito1]

N C I was also thinking about using paperless drywall, it will be like if you where using Plastering. correct me if I’m wrong but I think paperless drywall for the exterior walls and paper drywall for the interior walls and ceilings will be Ok. As far as I’m understanding, Nick is not insulting the exterior walls and he is using the vapor barrier as his insulation/ vapor barrier layer but he is insulating interior walls ? 🤷🏻‍♂️🤔 Edit: As far as the drywall screws issue it came to my mind... why not use some kind of self adhesive membrane like a window flashing over the vapor barrier membrane on every stud in that way when the drywall is installed it will go through the self adhesive membrane and will be sealed 🤔

[@capncrunchwhistle5553]

Well done and nicely edited. I normally skip the intro. of any video; too much yelling and unnecessary cut-ins. This is different, it's presented in a low-key, calm manner.

[@kylemacht]

Nice video, Nick! I’m enjoying watching your growth in terms of performance and a little in carbon footprint. Keep up the great work. Just curious why wait until after the blue board for aerobarrier. The Majrex should be your air control layer, correct? Also, why did you choose the rissan tape over the wigluv, wigluv is vapor open?

[@NSBuilders]

Kyle Macht recommend that approach. We didn’t use Majrex over the existing structural brick so we wanted to make sure

[@kylemacht]

@@NSBuilders I forgot you didn't have Majrex on the ceiling, so the blue board up there makes sense. Nice work!! I am looking forward to seeing what numbers you hit for the blower door score.

[@NSBuilders]

@@kylemacht stay tuned for the next episode, really good for a home built in the 1930s and definitely well below code.

[@kylemacht]

@@NSBuilders Awesome!

[@klundin]

As a Swede I am offended!! 😂

[@skiprope536]

I have been renovating/building for over 30 years. What a crock of dog poop these new systems are.