House demolition reveals early use of insulated sheathing

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House demolition reveals early use of insulated sheathing

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HOUSE DEMOLITION REVEALS

EARLY

USE OF INSULATED SHEATHING

by

D.L. Scott*

The demolition of a sixty y e a r old wood frame residential building in Halifax revealed t h e use of "Cabot's Q u i l t " behind t h e c l a d d i n g . This note r e c o r d s the use of t h i s e a r l y insulated sheathing t o g e t h e r w i t h other d e s i g n and construction d e t a i l s t h a t reduced t h e space heating requirements to moderate levels.

INTRODUCTION

The

c u r r e n t e m p h a s i s on new approaches to conserving energy in wood-

frame b u i l d i n g s has l e d to a careful re-evaluation of s m e existing

b u i l d i n g s in o r d e r t o understand w h e t h e r t h e y are performing adequately and t h e b a s i s f o r t h i s performance. One such opportunity came up when a

r e s i d e n t i a l b u i l d i n g near t h e A t l a n t i c Regional Station in Halifax was

demolished in p r e p a r a t i o n f o r a new c o m p l e x .

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The b u i l d i n g was originally constructed in 1923 as a s i n g l e f a m i l y house far W . J . MacInnes (Fig. I ) . It w a s later s o l d to Dalhousie University and served a s a r e s i d e n c e f o r women until i t was demolished in 1983. The three-

storey platform frame s t r u c t u r e c o n t a i n e d approximately 463 m 2 (5000 f t m 2 ) of heated s p a c e over a concrete foundation that was about 12 x 13 m ₍₄₀_{x 44 ft.1}

( F i g . 2).

F i g u r e 1 . V i e w of X. J. ElacInnes h o u s e from east

*

A t l a n t i c Regional Station, D i v i s i o n of B u i l d i n g Research, National Research

Council

Canada, H a l i f a x , Nova S c o t i a .

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GROUND FLOOR

THIRD

_FLOOR

SECOND FLOOR

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In the winter of 1980-81 the house used 15,955

L

( 3 , 5 1 0 g a l . ) of f u e l

oil to fire the hydronic heating system and to supply domestic hot water.

Considering that t h e stud spaces w e r e not insulated a n d the h o u s e

accommodated sixteen residents u s i n g three f u l l bathrooms and a shower, t h e consumption o f

fuel

oil looked very reasonable.

In

fact the f u e l consumption p e r square m e t e r p e r degree day w a s significantly lower than a

number of o t h e r residential b u i l d i n g s w i t h

full

wall and c e i l i n g insulation. A s demolition proceeded it became apparent t h a t good d e s i g n , careful s e l e c t i o n

of materials and q u a l i t y workmanship had contributed to the airtightness o f

the envelope resulting in l o w energy u s e .

The basement walls were constructed of 300 mm (12 in.) t h i c k concrete

w i t h between 760 and 1200 mm ( 3 0 to 48

in.)

exposed above grade. No i n s u l a t i o n had been applied to the walls. Temperatures were maintained h i g h enough to permit the use of l a u n d r y f a c i l i t i e s i n t h e basement.

EXTERIOR WALLS

Of special interest

in

t h e exterior walls is t h e use of Cabot's single

ply quilt b e h i n d t h e cedar s h i n g l e s and t h e careful workmanship at the

junction of the

wall

and foundation (Fig. 3 ) .

LATH AND PLASTER

ArR SPACE

25 mm (1 in.) M A R D SHEATHING SINGLE PLY 'CABOTS' QUILT-

CEDAR SHINGLES "ROOFING CAPS"

BRICK AND MORTAR lNF!LL

AWHALTIC SEAL

LATH AND PLASTER CElLlMG COMCR E f E FOUNDfiTION

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cabat's Quilt was composed o f a t h i n layer of eel-grass (seaweed) b e t w e e n two layers of'kraft paper that were stitched t o g e t h e r to farm 915 mm

(1

yd.) wide rolls (Fig. 4 ) .

Figure 4 . R o l l o f s i n g l e ply cabor's Quilt

Patented in 1915 and 1916, the materfal was a p p l i e d horizontally using

l?

roofing caps" which are large washers stamped o u t of reclaimed sheet metal. The sheathing b o a r d s and studs backing up the Cabot's quilt were found to

be d r y and sound. Despite some water s t a i n i n g on b a t h the s h e a t h i n g and Cabot's Quilt the system appears to have been a b l e t o cope with t h e moisture

cycles imposed on it ( F i g . 5 ) .

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The

wall-foundatian'junctisn w a s also c a r e f u l l y sealed. From the

inside, b r i c k s w e r e layed between t h e top of t h e f o u n d a t i o n and the s u b f l a o r

and parged (Fig. 6 ) . This remained in remarkably good c o n d i t i o n over t h e

60-year l i f e of the b u i l d i n g

and could

p o s s i b l y b e a t t r i b u t e d t o the d r y

condition of the f l o o r j o i s t s a t t h e t i m e of installation. Outside, the

header j o - i s t was covered with a layer of cabot's Q u i l t and sealed to t h e f o u n d a t i o n with a material similar to p l a s t i c cement (Fig. 7).

F i g u r e 6 . Brick i n f i l l between f l o o r j o i s t s

Figure 7. Wall foundation connection

These features, combined with a

full

plaster ceiling in t h e basement,

would l i m i t a i r i n f i l t r a t i o n i n t o t h e basement and

from

t h e basement to the

f i r s t floor. A t t h e second f l o o r line t h e CabotTs Quilt extended across t h e bottom of a decorative canopy and returned under t h e asphalt shingles to t h e

w a l l above (Fig. 8). Where t h i s d e t a i l w a s not used t h e Cabot's Quilt

extended across the joist l i n e backed rap by a 25 x 250 tmn (1 x 10 in.)

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Figure

8.

Cabot's Quilt at second f l o o r canopy

Double ply Cabot's Quilt was also a p p l i e d perpendicular to the second

and third floor joists. This material was carefully lapped 25 nan

( I

in.)

under the s t r a p p i n g and formed a continuous barrier at t h e floor line except

where it w a s interrupted for services and at t w o main load b e a r i n g partitions (Figs. 9 and 10).

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DOORS AND

WINDOWS

Zinc f l a s h i n g at door and

window

jambs was c a r e f u l l y d e t a i l e d to

maintain a w i n d barrier in l i n e with t h e ~abot's Q u i l t in t h e

wall

( F i g . 1 1 ) .

S t e e l framed storm

windaws

w e r e added at a l a t e r date.

Figure

Il.

Zinc flashtng maintalns air b a r r f e r at w i n d o w s

INTERIOR DETAILS

I n t e r i o r p a r t i t i o n s on t h e t h i r d f l o o r had continuous top p l a t e s l i m i t i n g t h e amount of a i r exfiltration into the a t t i c (Fig. 12).

Electrical outlets were located m a i n l y on interior walls. Since t h e interior f i n i s h was l a t h and plaster, a i r leakage around any exterior

electrical boxes and plumbing supply or d r a i n pTpes w a s minimized (Fig. 13). The three fireplaces had been closed o f f w i t h masonry and parged over.

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ATTIC

The third f l o o r C e i l i n g w a s covered w i t h a layer of d o u b l e p l y Cabot's

Q u i l t : running p e r p e n d i c u l a r t o the c e i l i n g j o i s t s . This material extended

into the kneewall spaces maintaining the air b a r r i e r down to the exterior

wall

(Ffg. 1 4 ) . In t h e attic, a second layer of quilt was lapped over the

c e i l i n g j o i s t s ,

Figure 1 4 . Double p l y Cabot's Quilt on rafters

CONCLUS

EON

Careful site i n s p e c t i o n during b u i l d i n g demolition can lead to an

understanding of why some b u i l d i n g s have modest space h e a t i n g costs. F a r t h e b u i l d i n g r e p o r t e d in t h i s N o t e , it i s apparent that the selection

of q u a l i t y materials and careful workrnanship at the t i m e of construction

both

c o n t r i b u t e d to i t s overall performance.

The author expresses h i s appreciation to M r . Reuben Marriott

and

t h e work crew of Manhattan Demolition for their a s s i s t a n c e on s i t e and to Walter

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