What about Green and Cost Effective Decks?

Here’s my thoughts Answering : What about Green and Cost Effective Decks?  Asked by: BentonPark West

 When I build anything my goals are that the Project will be:

• Low Maintenance
• User Friendly
• Meet any Must Have conditions for the Client
• Green, Eco Friendly, and Sustainable

As far as Lumber and materials used in Deck Building here are my thoughts in re:

• I do not feel that the Pressure Treated Lumber is as good as it once was- by Toby Keith and fails to stand up to weather conditions and the test of time. 

• Plastic Lumber: All though it will not: Rot, Decay, and is Impervious to Insects.  The costs for building a Deck from this materials is very very expensive.
  • I recently posted this ”I have used #PlasticLumber It has its place.”  on a twitter post: @stljv Landfill Waste into #EcoFriendly #PlasticLumber http://shar.es/dxYVi 
  • This would be my 2nd recommendation of type of material used in building a deck.

• Redwood: I would never build anything out of this kind of wood.  It takes too long for these trees to develop and what is still growing has its own ecosystem of hundreds of various species all living in and around the tree.

• Cedar Lumber-Would be my top choice of Lumber Used-When Building a New Deck

• Cedar trees grow locally and could be sourced from local sawmills.  Keeping $Money$ in our Local Communities! Some of the benefits of this type of wood is the natural pest fighting aspects of the Cedar Oil:
• It is used as an insect repellent. (which is why Cedar Chests are still being made and still used when building closets)

• a)   It is resistant to decay and hence is suitable to build outdoor furniture.
  b)   In ancient times, it was used to preserve dead bodies.
  c)   It is used as incense in temples.
  d)   It is used as aromatic oil, because its woody odor works as a sedative and effectively treats stress and anxiety in people.
  e)   Due to its aroma, it is used as an ingredient in perfumes.
  f)   It is used for preservation of spices.
  g)   It is used as an antibacterial.
  h)   Its health benefits include effectively treating respiratory infections.
  i)    It is beneficial to hair, as it helps eliminate dandruff and protects the hair against hair fall and graying.
  j)    It also effectively treats skin infections such as acne.
  k)   It is also used in treating arthritis, especially rheumatoid.
  l)    It is also used for its antiseptic property.

• Uses Of Cedar Wood

  The cedar wood is lightweight and used for construction of homes and furniture. It is eco-friendly. The wood from various kinds of cedar trees is used for different purposes.

  a)   It is resistant to decay and hence is suitable to build outdoor furniture.
  b)   It produces aesthetically beautiful furniture.
  c)   It is easy to work with as it is lightweight and doesn’t crack or split easily.
  d)   It is highly durable.
  e)   It can absorb sound effectively, so are used in building roof shingles.
  f)   It is a good insulator; hence, when a home is built using cedar wood, it helps keep the home warm in winter and cool in summer.
  g)   Though its color fades after a while, it can easily be restored.
  h)   It doesn’t spread fire easily hence it is suited for building purposes.
  i)    It is a natural anti-termite, which is it prevents furniture from rotting.
  j)    Due to its lightweight and strength, western red cedar is used to make guitars.

  • Source: http://cedartrees.net/uses-of-cedar

Lumber is not the only product used in building a deck.  There is also Concrete used when support poles are set in or on the ground.  See Example: Porch Footing and Foundation CADD Drawings by Scotts Contracting …stlouisrenewableenergy.blogspot.com

Metal Bracing and Fasteners- (as required by:St Louis Building Codes) is used in places where the different building components are connected.   One of the benefits of this type of metal is that the metal is recyclable when the project has reached its lifetime usefulness.

• My Top Choice for Metal Bracing is Simpson Strong Tie.  This type of bracing is Specifically mentioned on St Louis Building Codes.  YouTube Video: Saving a Deck from the Landfill at this link.

  • 

    Simpson Strong Tie Stair Bracing- Required by St Louis Building Codes

  • 

    Simpson Strong Tie- Post Beam Connection also required by St Louis Building Codes

  • 

    CAD Deck Design by Scotts Contracting-annotating crucial areas for bring the deck to current building codes

  • 

    Proper CAD Footing Detail for Deck Building-with Post Beam Connection

Care and Maintenance of Decks:

• Paints, Stains, and Varnishes are normally used in Deck Building.  Each has its own benefits. I suggest High Quality Paints for Low Care Situations such as Behr Paints which were used in this project: Saving a Deck from the Landfill.  

The property in the photos is an investment property Clifton Heights Neighborhood.  This building had some great features with: 2 Sun Porches-one for each apartment, Hardwood Floors throughout the 2-3 Bedroom Apartments, Garages for Each Apartment, Basement and Fenced in Yard with Plenty of Space.  For rental Information contact: Tempel Appraisals, Inc

www.tempelappraisalsinc.com/

Scotts Contracting is available for all your Buildings needs and offers- Cost Effective: Maintenance, Repairs, and Building Improvement Projects.  For a full list of services offered in the St Louis MO area see the website at: http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.com/services

or use the following contact form to schedule your next building project

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DIY Flat Screen TV Mount

Rather than spend $200 for 2 TV Mounting Brackets.  I fashioned these  Flat Screen TV Mounts for the New Bar Design.

Every Design Build Project has a Must Have.  The Must Have for this part of the New Bar Design were:

1. Adjustable Mounting to accommodate future TVs

2. Forward Tilt of TV Screen to accommodate people viewing the tv from a seated position 10-12 ft away sitting at a lower position.  We didn’t want people to get a kink in their necks while watching the TVs!

3. Sturdy Construction that will not fail.  If the TVs fall it could also danger the Bartenders and Customers who are sitting at the Bar.

    Failure is not an option when dealing with an expensive flat panel TV.

4. 

   Re-positionable Forward Tilting Flat Panel TV Mount Designed and Built by Scotty, Scotts Contracting St Louis Renewable Energy, Shady Jacks New Bar Design

   

   Additional Close Up View of Adjust Flat Screen TV Stand for Shady Jacks Saloon New Bar Design

   Since the final position of the TV was to be determined after placement on the Shelves.

5. I knew there was going to be Downward and Outward tension on the Bracket that was included with the TV.

6. 

   Front View CAD Design of Flat TV Mount for Shady Jacks Saloon New Bar Design- Designed and Built by: Scotts Contracting St Louis MO

     To Relieve this Downward/Outward Pressure I designed the strap that is in this CAD Design.

7. Total cost for the Design and Installation of this Flat TV Screen Stand for both the TV in the Center of the New Bar Design was less than the costs for New Flat Panel TV Hangers $200.00

8. 

   Note the Bracing Added to Relieve the Pressure that will be created when the TV are placed on the Shelf. CAD Rear View Design for Adjustable Forward Mount LED Flat Screen TV Display for Shady Jacks Saloon New Bar Design- Designed and Built by Scotts Contracting St Louis MO

   These Forward Mount Flat Panel TV Stands were also designed to be adapted for Future TV upgrades.

9. The materials used for this project were leftover materials used in the New Bar Design at Shady Jacks Saloon in Downtown St Louis MO

CAD Kitchen Drawings by Scotty-ScottsContracting

CADD Kitchen Design 2 Island Cook Top and Exhaust Hood

 

SCOTTS CONTRACTING LATEST KITCHEN DESIGN CAD DRAWINGS

by clicking on this Web Link or Following Photo you will be redirect to Google Picasa Web Albums for Scotts Contracting

Existing Kitchen Floor Plan

Overhead View of Design #1

Design #1

View of Wine Cooler from Family Room

Kitchen Design #2 Island Cooktop and Island Exhaust Hood

CAD Deck Design

Features: Pergola, Bench Seat, Topiary, and Hot Tub

CAD Deck with Hot Tub, Pergola, Bench Seat

Computer Aided Drawing- Deck design by Scotty-Scotts Contracting, St Louis Renewable Energy

Frost or Snow on Roof or Lack Snow is a sure sign…

Snow on Roof or Lack Snow is a sure sign….

On the Frosty Mornings when you are outside your house scraping your cars windshield to prepare for your drive to work. Take a look at the Roof of your Home. -Lack of Frost or Snow on your Roof is a sure indication that it was melted by the Heat as it rises from the Interior of your House into the Attic Area-

Snow on Roof or Lack Snow is a sure sign…

• Does the Frost or Snow cover the whole roof?
• Are there places where the snow and frost melt first? (not caused by the Suns Rays)
• Is there Frost and Snow on the Garage Roof but not on the House Roof?
• Does your Neighbors House have Frost and Snow on their Roof- but-Your Roof Doesn’t?

Any or All the above may mean that:

1. Lack of Insulation In the Attic
2. Air Infiltration from the Interior of the House into the Attic Area
3. Uninsulated Heating Ducts inside the Attic

Scotts Contracting can Inspect your Attic for Proper:

1. Insulation Levels
2. Adequate Ventilation
3. Uninsulated Heating Ducts
4. Air Infiltration

Email scottscontracting@gmail.com and Scotty will provide a Free Estimate to Fix any of the Above Issues on your Home. I will also provide a Cost Saving Analysis that will provide a ROI on your Investment. 

Weatherization doesn’t cost it Saves! - Rule of Thumb: For Every $1 Spent on weatherization You will Save $2-$3 on your Home’s Energy Bills

• Example: By adding the suggested Inches of Insulation you will save 10-30% amount on the Energy needed to heat your Home= Lower Heating Bills and Greater Comfort Levels for you and your family

Additional Green Blog Posts:Energy Star Home Improvement Tips ,Insulation and Thermal Performance ,Which Kind Of Insulation Is Best? ,Radiant Barriersfor your Attic,Insulating Roofs, Walls, and Floors, Roof and Attic Ventilation ,

Email scottscontracting@gmail.com or use the contact form below and Scotty will provide a Free Estimate to Fix any of the Above Issues on your Home. – Scotty, Scott’s Contracting

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Air Sealing a Ceiling Electrical Junction Box

CAD Design-Weatherize-Insulate-Fire Block-Electrical Junction Box

CAD Diagram explains how to Build and Air Tight Electrical Junction Box located in most Attics

Sealing Air Leaks

Warm air leaking into your home during the summer and out of your home during the winter and can waste a lot of your energy dollars. One of the quickest dollar-saving tasks you can do is caulk, seal, and weatherstrip all seams, cracks, and openings to the outside. You can save on your heating and cooling bill by reducing the air leaks in your home.

Hint: Use Fire Rated: 5/8″Fire Rated Drywall or Sheetrock with Fire Proof Caulking to Create the Air Tight Seal

Fire Proof /Air Tight Electrical Junction Box Cover used in Attics

Tips for Sealing Air Leaks

re-posted from:http://www.energysavers.gov/tips/insulation_sealing.cfm

How Does the Air Escape?
Air infiltrates into and out of your home through every hole and crack. About one-third of this air infiltrates through openings in your ceilings, walls, and floors.

• First, test your home for air tightness. On a windy day, carefully hold a lit incense stick or a smoke pen next to your windows, doors, electrical boxes, plumbing fixtures, electrical outlets, ceiling fixtures, attic hatches, and other locations where there is a possible air path to the outside. If the smoke stream travels horizontally, you have located an air leak that may need caulking, sealing, or weatherstripping.
• Caulk and weatherstrip doors and windows that leak air.
• Caulk and seal air leaks where plumbing, ducting, or electrical wiring penetrates through walls, floors, ceilings, and soffits over cabinets.
• Install foam gaskets behind outlet and switch plates on walls.
• Look for dirty spots in your insulation, which often indicate holes where air leaks into and out of your house. You can seal the holes with low-expansion spray foam made for this purpose.
• Look for dirty spots on your ceiling paint and carpet, which may indicate air leaks at interior wall/ceiling joints and wall/floor joists. These joints can be caulked.
• Install storm windows over single-pane windows or replace them with more efficient windows, such as double-pane. See Windows on page 18 for more information.
• When the fireplace is not in use, keep the flue damper tightly closed. A chimney is designed specifically for smoke to escape, so until you close it, warm air escapes—24 hours a day!
• For new construction, reduce exterior wall leaks by installing house wrap, taping the joints of exterior sheathing, and comprehensively caulking and sealing the exterior walls.
• Use foam sealant around larger gaps around windows, baseboards, and other places where warm air may be leaking out.
• Kitchen exhaust fan covers can keep air from leaking in when the exhaust fan is not in use. The covers typically attach via magnets for ease of replacement.
• Replacing existing door bottoms and thresholds with ones that have pliable sealing gaskets is a great way to eliminate conditioned air leaking out from underneath the doors.
• Fireplace flues are made from metal, and over time repeated heating and cooling can cause the metal to warp or break, creating a channel for hot or cold air loss. Inflatable chimney balloons are designed to fit beneath your fireplace flue during periods of non-use. They are made from several layers of durable plastic and can be removed easily and reused hundreds of times. Should you forget to remove the balloon before making a fire, the balloon will automatically deflate within seconds of coming into contact with heat.

Sources of Air Leaks in Your Home
Areas that leak air into and out of your home cost you lots of money. Check the areas listed below.

Dropped ceiling Recessed light Attic entrance Sill plates

Water and furnace flues All ducts Door frames Chimney flashing

Window frames Electrical outlets and switches Plumbing and utility access

Scotts Contracting is available to assist you in improving your Home or Business Energy Demands.  Please use this form to Contact Scotty, Scotts Contracting to schedule a FREE Energy Analysis for your Property.

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How Insulation Works-Typical-St Louis Brick Home used in Examples

CAD Drawing-Insulation-St Louis Brick Home-Examples

How Insulation Works

Top View: Brick Home with Zero Insulation

Brick Home Wall Detail with Zero Insulation

Brick Home with Insulation in Wall Cavity

Why Insulate Your House?

Heating and cooling account for 50 to 70% of the energy used in the average American home. Inadequate insulation and air leakage are leading causes of energy waste in most homes. Insulation:

• saves money and our nation’s limited energy resources
• makes your house more comfortable by helping to maintain a uniform temperature throughout the house, and
• makes walls, ceilings, and floors warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.

The amount of energy you conserve will depend on several factors: your local climate; the size, shape, and construction of your house; the living habits of your family; the type and efficiency of the heating and cooling systems; and the fuel you use.

Once the energy savings have paid for the installation cost, energy conserved is money saved -saving energy will be even more important as utility rates go up.

This fact sheet will help you to understand how insulation works, what different types of insulation are available, and how much insulation makes sense for your climate. There are many other things you can do to conserve energy in your home as well. The Department of Energy offers many web sites(http://ornl.gov/sci/roofs+walls/insulation/ins_07.html) to help you save energy by sealing air leaks, selecting more energy-efficient appliances, etc.

How Insulation Works

How Insulation Works

Heat flows naturally from a warmer to a cooler space. In winter, the heat moves directly from all heated living spaces to the outdoors and to adjacent unheated attics, garages, and basements – wherever there is a difference in temperature. During the summer, heat moves from outdoors to the house interior. To maintain comfort, the heat lost in winter must be replaced by your heating system and the heat gained in summer must be removed by your air conditioner. Insulating ceilings, walls, and floors decreases the heating or cooling needed by providing an effective resistance to the flow of heat.

Batts, blankets, loose fill, and low-density foams all work by limiting air movement. (These products may be more familiarly called fiberglass, cellulose, polyicynene, and expanded polystyrene.) The still air is an effective insulator because it eliminates convection and has low conduction. Some foams, such as polyisocyanurate, polyurethane, and extruded polystyrene, are filled with special gases that provide additional resistance to heat flow. Reflective insulation or Radiant Barriers works by reducing the amount of energy that travels in the form of radiation. Some forms of reflective insulation also divide a space up into small regions to reduce air movement, or convection, but not to the same extent as batts, blankets, loose-fill, and foam.

Reference> http://ornl.gov/sci/roofs+walls/insulation/ins_01.html

Energy Efficiency / Weatherization Series Upcoming Post: Why Sealing Air Leaks Saves Money

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CAD Detail Heat and Cold Loss-2×4 Wall

Rock Wool Insulation (Fire Resistant) Image via Wikipedia

If you have the question: Why is my house so Cold? Why are the walls so cold? Why are the outer rooms of my house so cold?  Where are these cold air drafts coming from? Why is it costing me so much to heat my house? Why is my Heating Bill so high? How do I lower my heating bills? What are the recommended ways to lower my heating bills?

Answer: I’ve designed this CAD Diagram to explain how hot & cold temperature seeps into a building and vice-versa

Example: a home with 2×4 walls with 0 (zero) insulation.

You can see by the blue areas how solid materials transfer the hot/cold temperature.

• Standard Minimum Code Wall Framing consisting of

• Siding on Exterior of Building
• 1/2 in Plywood or OSB Particle Board
• 2×4 Framing Member Wall Stud
• 1/2 in Drywall or Sheet Rock

The hot/cold temperature (Blue Areas in Diagram) on the Exterior of the Building is transferred to the Interior of the Building by Conduction. This works both

Ways as Interior Temperature in transferred out-wards.

The simplest explanation I can use to demonstrate and explain this is too use this example: when you are using a Metal Cooking Utensil to stir a pot of chili. If the utensil is left in the pot of chilli for any length of time. The heat will eventually transfer up the utensil handle and will usually burn your hand or fingers. Heat and Cold enter a Building in the same way; unless, there is some form of Insulation or Thermal Break to prevent the conduction of energy.

See Part 3 How to Build and Remodel to reduce Energy Loss / Gain in Todays Modern Buildings

Now that your understand how Energy is transferred thru building materials

I’ll explain the various ways that Insulation:

Slows down and Reduces this form of Energy Loss in an upcoming post.

If you have any questions or comments about this article or schedule an appointment use this link to schedule a

Free Proposal on Weatherizing your Building to save money and reduce your Winter-Time Energy Bills

and Scotty, Scotts Contracting will return your Weatherization request asap. scottscontracting@gmail.com

CAD Diagram courtesy of Scotty, Scotts Contracting explaining how cold temperature is transferred

thru building materials into your home.

Part 4 in Weatherization Series http://stlouisrenewableenergy.blogspot.com/2011/10/part-4-in-weatherization-series.html

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Bay Window Detail Drawing

Custom Bay Window Detail by Scotty Scotts Contracting

• Dual Pane with Blinds in the Glass
• Energy Star Rated Windows for St Louis Area
• Advanced Framing Techniques
• All Exterior Joints Sealed with Caulk and Dow Window and Door Sealer
• 2×4 and 2×6 Framing Members
• 1/2 ” plywood sheeting
• Prefinished Oak Flooring for Floor and Ceiling
• Energy Star Lighting and Dimmer
• Flooring Utilizes Staggered Floor Joists for Energy Efficiency

Build Photos posting soon, Stay Tuned

Custom Bay Window, Dual Pane Louvred Windows, Energy Star Rated

CAD Drafting Details-Structural Porch Frame

The following Diagrams were used in the beginning stages of the Wrap Around Porch Roof Build for added:

Curb Appeal and Energy Efficiency 

used in the construction of the Project.  To view the Power Point Presentation of Start to Finish Photos use the Following Link http://stlouisrenewableenergy.blogspot.com/2012/01/how-to-add-curb-appeal-and-save-on-home.html or view the presentation in my Google Documents at: https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=ddxmvr37_10hc8mq6ch&autoStart=true

How To Add Curb Appeal and Save on Home Energy Needs!

Power Point Presentation of how Incorporating Green Building Practices can

Add Curb Appeal and Save on Home Energy Use

Both of which will Add Value to your Home in Comfort and Appraisal Value

This Wrap Around Porch was

Designed and Built by Scotty, Scotts Contracting

Misc CADD Details for Adding a Porch to an Existing Home.

Existing House Framing CADD Detail 1/306

Option 1 Porch Framing CADD Detail 1/307

Exterior Finish CADD Detail 1/308

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