4 ms·
In the United States, masons and concrete (including aerated) are quite common; rarity doesn't factor into it. DIY is not necessary. You misunderstand buildi
by CapitalistCartr 5y ago
In the United States, masons and concrete (including aerated) are quite common; rarity doesn't factor into it. DIY is not necessary.
You misunderstand building construction. American insulation is, indeed, rated by R value, its resistance to the conductive flow of heat. *Any* draft will bypass insulation of any material. A leaky window will leak air, regardless of the construction material of the wall. American wooden buildings are sealed with sheet plastic, Tyvek, etc. to prevent drafts; all part of the insulation.
Tyvek: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyvek https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyvek
- jiofih 5y agoLooks like you did not understand that comment. Concrete will not let a draft through no matter where the wind hits. For fiberglass and others, one bad fitting means a current can form through the material. This is why you need tyvek to begin with.
- rootusrootus 5y agoHow does concrete stop a draft that is going between a window frame and the wall itself? I've never had a draft through a fibercement/wood/fiberglass/drywall wall, in any case.
- zdragnar 5y agoA poor fit, minor damage, or any defect allows convection within the fiberglass. R-value assumes zero air movement, which is why it is far less useful comparing fiberglass to foam or aerated cement. In real world settings, aerated cement will outperform fiberglass.
- Retric 5y agoThe same thing can happen when concrete cracks, which is quite common. All of this a question of basic building maintenance rather than the building materials chosen. Cracking is why single family homes generally avoid concrete walls in the permafrost.
- CapitalistCartr 5y agoYou are misunderstanding the American building system. We don't use fiberglass insulation by itself. You're picking a small part of a greater system and complaining it doesn't work in isolation. There are multiple layers to our construction and it's effective. As for the wall material stopping drafts in a window frame, that makes no sense at all.
- jiofih 5y agoExactly, the critique is that you need multiple layers, and if one fails, the R values you thought you had go out of the window. Whereas a concrete, wattle and daub etc wall will tolerate less-than-perfect fitting and maintenance. Of course if you assume construction is flawless, there will be no issues, and that’s the usual case.