Green Remodeling and the Importance of Evaluating the Entire House

When remodeling, it is important to consider the existing house and its systems and how the improvements will affect them. The remodeled areas can impose new loads on the existing systems and they should be properly evaluated during the design phase. This is an excellent opportunity to incorporate green building practices not only into the remodeled space, but also in other places in the house. Here are some of the main systems that need to be evaluated:

Mechanical System - This may be the most obvious system affected when adding new heated space to a home. Can the heating and air conditioning equipment handle the additional square footage? How old and efficient is it? Have the ducts tested for leakage especially if they are in unconditioned space.

Electrical System - Can the existing electrical system handle the new loads imposed on it? Is there room in the panel for additional circuits? Many older homes have outdated wiring that needs to be identified and addressed.

Plumbing System - If a remodeling project includes a bathroom the plumbing system will be affected. The water heater may not be able to handle the needs of the new bathroom or the waste water system may need a larger diameter pipe exiting the house. If a septic system is used it may need to be updated to handle the additional load. Check with local codes.

Structural System - The existing structural components need to be evaluated if the remodeled area adds new loads to it. An addition to the second story or exterior of a house can impose new loads on girders and footings and they need to be properly sized to handle the additional load.

Insulation System - Remodeling is an excellent opportunity to upgrade the existing insulation in the home. Combined with air sealing, adding insulation could eliminate the need for additional heating and cooling needs. A blower door test can measure how leaky the house is.

As you can tell from this article the house is a group of systems all working together. A change to one system can affect another one and it is important to evaluate them all during the design phase. This helps ensure that there are no surprises during construction and that you are getting the best performance from your home.

As an owner of a renovation company in Charlotte NC, Roger Ketchum has become very passionate about Green Building. Visit his website at http://completegreenbuilding.com. Not only is he a GCP (Green Certified Professional) but also a CR (Certified Remodelor). Visit his companies website at http://advancedrenovations.com.

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