Did you watch the “blower door test” on Shea Today this week? Even with an installed doggie door, the model home here in Gilbert, Arizona was only letting out one square inch of air as shown in the test. Now that’s a tightly sealed home! In case you’re wondering how that’s possible, here are just a few of the details we tend to when building each home.
- Windows – Weep Holes: See the small holes in the photo to the right? They are called weep holes. Every window has holes like these on the inside and the outside of the frame to keep it from collecting moisture between the panes. However, most windows’ weep holes are lined up so you can actually see straight through one end and out the other. In many of our Shea homes, we use Paramount Windows which install weep holes that are offset from one another and prevent air and dust particles from blowing directly through to the inside of your home.
- Cathedralized Insulation: At Shea Homes we build many homes with a Cathedralized Attic, also known as a conditioned attic space, which is an unvented attic with the insulation installed between the upper wood members of the roof trusses instead of at the lower wood members above the drywall ceiling (Click here to see a diagram). This insulation technique helps your heating and cooling system work more efficiently.
- Doggie Doors: If there is any home feature that’s infamous for letting hot and cold air into the home—it’s the doggie door. That’s why when we began offering pet options in new homes, we were careful to select the most energy efficient doggie doors available. Our doors are as deep as your exterior wall and have two flaps with magnetic stripping at the bottom that keep the door closed after your pet goes through it. Plus, they are installed as the home is built rather than being retrofitted like many pet doors, so it’s truly a part of the house.
- Recessed can lighting: Recessed can lighting is another feature known for letting air escape in and out of the home. Knowing this, we are careful to seal each lighting fixture fully. Additionally, homes with cathedralized attics are doubly protected from air leaks due to recessed can lighting.
Have a question about a part of our construction process? Comment on our Facebook Page and we’ll answer it there, here in our blog or in an episode of Shea Today.