Is vent skin different than what is common in brick homes? If not, what modifications are typically necessary?
Don
Listen to Tom’s answer:
Tom: It still an air space. It actually lends itself very well to a full vent skin system or skin vent system. You put brick vents in the brick, about three rows from the bottom, about every 36 inches. You can buy them, they’re the size of a brick, they have a screen on them, they have a tilt down so water doesn’t get in it and it lets a lot of air in there.
Then when the brick goes up to the soffit board, the soffit board behind the brick, you never see it once the brick is up. It’s cut back about 3/4 of an inch to allow the air to escape into the attic and then eventually out the ridge vents. It works very well if you pay attention to those to little minor details.
Charlie: You recommend it still today?
Tom: I do because it doesn’t cost anything except the cost of the vents which is very little, several hundred dollars is about it for the whole cost of the house.
Charlie: This going to make the house more efficient?
Tom: It makes it healthier.
Charlie: Does it?
Tom: It keeps it drier and yes it could be more efficient but you have to combine it with radiant barriers on the walls where the sun hits, of course, you’ve got to get windows. You do the whole package of the building envelope, it makes for a great building envelope at very little cost. Most importantly, it keeps the building envelope dry. When the building envelope’s dry, no mold or mildew and it makes a healthier environment.
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