A Greener Home - BALTIMORE

Home

Home

Our Newsletter

USGBC's LEED for Homes

Energy Star

Featured Product

Featured Project

Commonly Used Terms

Products For Your Home

Cleaning

Detergents

Appliances

Furniture

Miscellaneous

Home Building and Renovations

Home Energy Audits

LEED Pre-Build Meeting

Site Preparation

Foundations

Framing

Roofing

Windows & Doors

Insulation

Plumbing

Lighting & Electrical

Your HERS Score

HVAC Ductwork

HVAC Systems

Energy Recovery (ERV)

Drywall

Flooring

Bathrooms

Kitchens

Exterior Finishes

Decks

Garages

Solar Electric

Solar Hot Water

Landscaping

Erosion Control

Water Saving & Reuse

LEED Final Inspection

Framing

Whether framing a 1,000 or 10,000 square foot home, there are some simple rules that never change. You will definitely need a good set of drawings with as much detail as possible, high quality material to work with, and a capable professional framer equipped with experience, manpower, and a willingness to deliver his very best. Good professional framing is essential to the quality and consistency of a well built home. All processes and applications will depend upon this as the house is built from the rough-in stage through drywall, interior trim, and cabinetry. Anything short of straight, level, and plumb will negatively affect your finished product.

When building LEED or Energy Star, standard framing strategy can be significantly altered. Use of tropical woods, while not banned, is strictly monitored by the regulations of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). For LEED certification, additional points are gained by utilizing pre-fabricated building panels. Other new technologies such as “SIP (Structural Insulated) panels” can greatly increase the overall thermal barrier and help as an insulating factor as well. There are many new product choices available when building a new home today. Whether building LEED, Energy Star, or just to enhance an already well designed project, these new technologies and innovations can significantly increase the energy efficiency and durability of your home.

Many framing techniques and technologies developed over the past decade have become standard good building practices. For instance, the “Two Stud Corner” framing technique allows for wall insulation to continue to the absolute end of a wall corner intersection, significantly increasing the efficiency of your wall insulation. The practice of sheeting both sides of any wall containing insulation, specifically ones in cathedral ceilings or attics, also significantly increases the efficiency of your insulation. In the past, those areas were covered with unfaced insulation, a building practice that should no longer be utilized today. When hiring you builder or Home Improvement contractor, make sure they are well versed and experienced in applying these technologies and techniques.

More on the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) -->

More on SIP Panel installation -->

Major Sponsor in Top Banner

Advertising from here down