Over the summer we lost 10 weeks to the metaphorical red tape, but now we’re dealing with the more tangible stuff.  Lately we’ve been installing the exterior insulation panels, and flashing the windows.  So there’s red flashing tape on the housewrap, and then on every insulation seam, and a bit on every window to boot.  Just how much red tape you ask?  Almost half a mile of it by my calculations.

 

First we had to install EPDM rubber roofing membrane on the lowest 12″ of the house because its being built to zero clearance entryways.  Since the final grade will come up over the foundation wall and lay up against our brick, there is concern for moisture infiltration and possible termite entry points.  Given the last house was eaten up by termites, we’re taking no chances.  12″ or more of rubber membrane down the rim joist, over the top of the foundation (where the brick will go) and down onto the side of the basement wall.  We also had the ground by the footings and the foundation walls treated for termites to further discourage their interest.

Next we installed 2″ foil-faced polyisocyanurate panels over the walls and dutifully taped all those seams.  Its a lot of cutting and fitting and taping, but the panels are light and they go up pretty quickly.  Carefully flashing around each of our 29 windows is a lot more time consuming, but critically important.  I haven’t counted up the total distance of window flashing tape (wide, stretchy asphalt tape covered in foil), but I think we have about $300 worth of it stuck on the house now.  (You can see some of it on the window in the upper right in the picture above.)

With all that insulation up we’re just waiting for our special-order brick ties so our mason can get started.  The POS-I-TIE is designed to go through your insulation and screw into a stud behind.  They are thermally broken (so they don’t transfer as much heat through the screw) and provide a rubber seal against the insulation once installed.  Then the mason just loops his wire tie through the end as he goes along.  Very cool product, but not cheap, and apparently not quick to source.  They were supposed to be in two weeks ago.  Sigh.

Next time we post pictures it may show brick going up!  We’ve also started in on the roof, so that may also feature in a future post.  The last of the exterior doors came in last week and we installed it today so now we can lock it up.

We’re in a race against the weather to get it fully sealed up, as there’s still a fair bit of water coming in when it rains and the temperatures are falling.