5 Things to Consider for Your New Spokane Home

1. Continuous exterior insulation

Continuous exterior insulation is a construction technique utilized by home builders in Spokane to enhance energy efficiency and thermal performance of residential buildings.

It involves installing insulation material continuously across the exterior surfaces of a building, typically on the walls, roof, and foundation, to create a seamless thermal barrier. This insulation layer helps to minimize heat transfer through the building envelope, reducing energy consumption for heating and cooling purposes.

This is important for people living in Eastern Washington and Idaho because as you know, we have a varying climate and without this there is potential for much higher utility costs. Common insulation materials used for continuous exterior insulation include rigid foam boards, spray foam, and mineral wool.

Additionally, this technique requires careful integration with other building components such as windows, doors, and cladding systems to ensure proper air sealing and moisture management, ultimately contributing to a more durable and energy-efficient home in the Spokane climate.

2. Upgrade your WRB (weather resistant barrier) to ZIP sheathing

Enhance the weather resistance and moisture management of residential buildings by upgrading your WRB. This is a crucial component of the building envelope designed to protect the structure from water infiltration, air leaks, and other weather-related issues. ZIP sheathing is a specific brand of structural sheathing that combines both structural support and weather-resistant properties into a single product.

ZIP sheathing offers several benefits for home builders in Washington, including improved air and water tightness, reduced risk of moisture damage and mold growth, and enhanced structural integrity. It provides a continuous barrier against moisture intrusion while also serving as a structural component, simplifying construction and potentially reducing labor and material costs.

This upgrade is particularly important in the Pacific Northwest region, where heavy rainfall and high humidity levels pose significant challenges to the longevity and performance of buildings.

3. Triple pane windows

There are 6 main benefits to triple pane windows: they are more energy efficient, they improve your comfort as a homeowner, they have better sound insulation compared to single or double pane windows, UV protection, using them will increase the property value of your Spokane home, and by reducing the energy consumption needed for heating and cooling, triple pane windows contribute to lower greenhouse gas emissions associated with home energy use.

4. HRV or ERV for an airtight house

In the context of a new airtight home, both Heat Recovery Ventilators (HRVs) and Energy Recovery Ventilators (ERVs) play crucial roles in maintaining indoor air quality while minimizing energy loss. Here are the distinctions and benefits of each:

HRVs are designed to exchange stale indoor air with fresh outdoor air while recovering the heat from the outgoing air stream and transferring it to the incoming air stream.

ERVs operate similarly to HRVs but also transfer moisture between the incoming and outgoing air streams, helping to balance indoor humidity levels.

For an airtight home in Washington, where both heating and humidity control are important considerations, choosing between an HRV and an ERV depends on factors such as climate, homeowner preferences, and budget. HRVs are great for our colder Spokane winters.

5. Rainscreen for your siding

In Spokane, WA, incorporating a rainscreen system into the siding of a home offers several key benefits including moisture management, improved durability, prevention of mold and mildew (necessary for Spokane’s wide range of weather conditions), and protects against weather extremes.