Comments on: I-Joists, Attached Garages, and the Air Leaks That Poison

By: Ross Elliott

Ross Elliott — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 16:40:05 +0000

Several years ago I did an
Several years ago I did an energy evaluation on a recently purchased older home, and found this same open connection to the basement-level garage. When I told the homeowner how hazardous this was, they told me they had bought the house on an estate sale. The previous homeowner had started her car, went back inside and answered a phone call and died of carbon monoxide poisoning.

By: Colin Genge

Colin Genge — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 06:25:19 +0000

I worry as much about NOx and
I worry as much about NOx and unburned hydrocarbons which will affect you long term. CO either kills you or doesn't.

By: Carrie J

Carrie J — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 03:47:44 +0000

Ken – why no laundry room in
Ken – why no laundry room in the garage?

By: David Butler

David Butler — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 23:50:00 +0000

I thought joist spaces
I thought joist spaces between conditioned space and attached garage had to be firestopped, regardless of CO and infiltration concerns?

Good idea about using a metal collar to pass flex duct through joist blocking. Better would be to install a metal supply trunk and only use flex for short run-outs to the diffusers. The important thing is to install the blocking before the trades, and make sure they all understand that their holes should be small as possible.

In my previous home, I had a plumber just knock out one of the OSB blocking panels. The next day, I asked him to replace the blocking. He said that wasn't his problem. The next day he was unemployed (his boss, who had been away the previous two days, had previous told him to route his pipes through the blocking).

Once builders start paying attention to blower door results, they are usually pretty good at figuring out how solve problems like these. I always provide clients with a link to the ES thermal bypass guidebook, to save them from having to reinvent the wheel.

By: Clinton Heyn

Clinton Heyn — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 06:16:00 +0000

Allison,

Allison,
In my experience traveling around the country doing field monitoring, I have seen that this is one of the consistently challenging areas in new construction, especially considering the many penetrations that are often necessary due to design and sequencing. Raters know this but architects, builders, tradespeople, and home buyers also need to be aware. Builders are leaps and bounds ahead of where they were in mitigating difficult to address leakage pathways that in many cases were not really necessary day one in the design process. Good design can reduce the need for call backs or training trades on how to deal with myriad possible difficult details. Make it beautiful and make it work. Of course. Good work.

By: ken_bailes@yahoo.com

ken_bailes@yahoo.com — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 02:48:12 +0000
Allison just a thought, If
Allison just a thought, If any of your followers/bloggers come across a job done right in these areas could they provide EV a picture. Also some architectural computer programs have the ability to design an exploded view or completed view if anyone would have something recent. My program is for XP or below and is useless now. But I understood exactly what you were meaning. The best is a detached garage even if it has a short enclosed hallway only making the connection to the house/garage. Real easy to seal that at both ends and even vent the hallway roof for extra efficientcy. Energy Star Rated exterior doors on both house and Garage of course. Also if possible do not put a laundry area in the Garage. I'm not sure but most builders/contractors have done away with this practice.