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Built a home in 1980 with 6" walls, 1800 sq ft on long island. It heats with a 32,000 BTU ground water heat pump. Well worth the extra cost. Only down side is we are now replacing original windows and doors, none of the home centers stock extension jambs for 6" walls so we have been making them.
Just to compaire, my parents home built in the 50's has a 120,000 BTU oil hot water system that has a hard time keeping up on a 0 degree day.
Just to compaire, my parents home built in the 50's has a 120,000 BTU oil hot water system that has a hard time keeping up on a 0 degree day.
120K should be able to keep up with most homes that size with 2*4 walls. Have the walls been retrofitted with insulation? New windows? Insulation in the attic? All that stuff adds up.
There could be other issues related to that like not enough radiation if it's a boiler, not enough pumping capacity etc.
When you consider that a majority of heat loss is through the ceiling it makes this discussion a moot point. However, the current code body has outlined a minimum insulation standard based on geographic regions, so some will require a 2x6, or alternative methods to achieve an equal standard.
When you consider that a majority of heat loss is through the ceiling it makes this discussion a moot point. However, the current code body has outlined a minimum insulation standard based on geographic regions, so some will require a 2x6, or alternative methods to achieve an equal standard.
the majority of heat loss is not necessarily through the ceiling. Yes warm air is less dense thus the density-driven stratification happens, but that doesn't necessarily mean the majority of the heat is lost directly through the ceiling.
2x6 stud construction will certainly benefit roof support, but will not add much to torsion or lateral strength. Your roof should shed snow before it becomes an issue for the wall strenght anyway, so I dont see much benefit for the cost on the strength argument.
The 2x6 will absolutely provide more opportunity for insulation than a 2x4 stud wall. A SIP wall will provide much more insulation value than either size stud wall and probably wont cost as much as the 2x6 option.
The 2x6 wall will LOOK much heftier, so maybe that will give more of a warm fuzzy feeling. Can't argue with peace of mind.
the majority of heat loss is not necessarily through the ceiling. Yes warm air is less dense thus the density-driven stratification happens, but that doesn't necessarily mean the majority of the heat is lost directly through the ceiling.
OK; you're stretching the boundries!
"Density-driven stratification" usually refers to WATER- more specifically, ocean currents. If there's any common parameters, it's slight at best. Besides, considering that most homes today haved forced air systems- it "blows"(pun intended) that theory.
When you consider that a majority of heat loss is through the ceiling it makes this discussion a moot point.
My real world experience has been that 2*6 construction uses 2/3 to 1/2 the energy as 2*4 construction and that's not just handful of people but from hundreds of homes. Overall the the construction and insulation in the 2*4 homes ceilings may not be as good as the 2*6 but you can't discount heat loss through the walls. If you had a room that no air can escape from and brought the temperature up 70 degrees with an electric heater that heat is going to rise with the air through convection. Once you turn the heater off the heat at the ceiling level is going to equilibriate throughout the room floor to ceiling. Assuming the same amount of insulation for the walls, ceiling and floor you're going to have an equal amount of heat loss for all of them.
OK; you're stretching the boundries!
"Density-driven stratification" usually refers to WATER- more specifically, ocean currents. If there's any common parameters, it's slight at best. Besides, considering that most homes today haved forced air systems- it "blows"(pun intended) that theory.
A better explanation would be "Fluid Dynamics".
Sorry. Density-driven stratification exactly defines how I would describe warm and cold air behaving in a building.
This is one area I won't back down . My degree is in Mechanical Engineering with a focus on Thermo & Fluid Dynamics and I do industrial and commercial HVAC Engineering.
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. My degree is in Mechanical Engineering with a focus on Thermo & Fluid Dynamics and I do industrial and commercial HVAC Engineering.
