In HVAC, the conversation about energy efficiency never ends. For installers, the challenge is to meet the highest efficiency standards within their customers’ budgets. This means ensuring that every installation includes outdoor components like roof vents and wall caps that protect the building envelope, and, determining whether your customer needs new equipment or a system […]
Does your customer’s building suffer from dampness and drafts? Could it be a faulty furnace or do the wall caps and roof vents need to be replaced with new watertight ones? As their HVAC installer, you should be able to identify possible causes, even those indirectly related to HVAC. One possible cause could be moisture […]
Your customers probably don’t worry about the integrity of their building envelope, but they might about their energy bills. When you’re installing a new HVAC system or performing maintenance tasks, consider the need for efficient wall vents or windows. How do windows and wall systems support a healthy building envelope and an energy-efficient home? The […]
When your customers choose siding for their homes, they balance aesthetics, cost and maintenance with energy efficiency and ease of installation. From an HVAC point of view, your primary concern is how their decision impacts the heating and cooling properties of a building. A major factor in the siding impact is whether there is a […]
Many homeowners are looking for ways to upgrade and improve their homes. One of the most useful and feasible retrofits to existing houses is the addition of insulation. This can reduce energy costs not only by keeping the home warmer in winter but cooler in the summer as well. Conduct an insulation inventory First thing […]
Venting through walls is often the easiest way to intake fresh air or exhaust fumes from a house. But making any hole in the exterior can compromise the integrity of the building envelope. To prevent the entry of water and stop air leaks, use a strong and watertight wall cap. Wall caps can be manufactured […]
When looking at ventilation covers and grilles, the number one question to ask is what is the best material. In the past, metal presented a good option, as cheap plastic often didn’t stand up to the task. Nowadays, thanks to advances in technology, plastic resin is the clear choice for a number of reasons. […]
In the past, cold drafty houses were the norm. We cranked up the heat to force all that chilly air out. There was also a greater tolerance for uncomfortably warm homes in summer months. But now, whole house air conditioning is so prevalent they can affect entire electric power grids during heat waves. Over the […]
Arguably the most important part of a building is the roof. It must protect the residential or commercial structure from precipitation and temperature extremes. This makes most installers a little nervous – if not reluctant – to mess with the integrity of a building’s top surface by adding vents. Not only does every new hole […]
PrimexVents is proud to be exhibiting at the Ontario Building Council (OBEC) Buildings for Tomorrow Conference in Toronto, October 28-30. Visit PrimexVents at booth 57/58 to learn more about how PrimexVents rainscreen vents protect a building envelope. Canadian Conference on Building Science and Technology provides a forum for the presentation, discussion and sharing of practical […]
As Ontario builders prepare for the opportunity to create wood-frame six-storey mid-rises, building envelopes should be carefully considered and protected.Starting next year, the province will join B.C. by allowing taller wood structures in its building code. Wood has proven to be a safe and reliable material in these applications, but protecting that wood framing will prove vital […]
For many North American construction companies, rainscreens still represent a bit of a mystery. Finding experts in the field can be a challenge, but they do exist. In places like coastal Oregon and British Columbia, thousands of sealed building envelopes have been created with a breathable, capillary gap beneath the siding to allow water to drain […]
Coastal areas of British Columbia and Oregon remain among the few places in North America where building codes require the installation of rainscreens. Their designs are often left up to the engineers or construction professionals installing them. Still, it’s important to keep in mind the lessons learned in jurisdictions like B.C. over the past 15 to […]
Rainscreens are a great way to protect homes from the elements, but even the best engineered systems can be compromised when you start cutting holes in walls. Things like windows and vent caps create spots where water can seep behind the membrane inside a rainscreened wall. Careful installation is vital to keeping moisture on the […]
On British Columbia’s west coast, rainscreened buildings have become the norm over the past 20 years. Builders have installed thousands of them, after they became mandatory in the building code in the late 1990s. In other parts of North America, this type of sealed building envelope may still seem new and unproven, but if you […]
The 1980’s and 90’s were a dark era for B.C. homebuilders. Business was strong as condos were popping up all over the south coast. It should have been nothing but good news for the construction industry. Unfortunately, changes in the province’s building code allowed condos to be built using designs better suited to the desert […]
When it comes to choosing HVAC intake/exhaust vents for your next construction project, you will likely be comparing the options in metal and plastic. So, which material is the better choice? In recent years, new plastic technologies have created some significant advantages. Here are six of them: Weather resistance and durability Outdoor vent covers […]
At its most basic level, a home provides shelter. It helps keep a family dry in the rain, warm in the winter and shaded from the summer sun. A home’s ability to offer a healthy and controlled living space is in many ways its most important task. So just what is it that protects a […]