After making a decision to build a custom home or remodel your existing home, you are met with a seemingly endless barrage of options and questions. What floor plan will best accommodate your family’s needs? How many total square feet is appropriate? Which direction on the lot will the home face? Would you like a traditional look or something more modern? What type of siding will you use? What type of finishes do you prefer? What color cabinets? What style and what color light and plumbing fixtures?
Take note during those discussions with your architect and builder. Almost always, the questions are focused on aesthetics and not on the performance of your home. There are building codes that dictate how a structure should be built, but those building codes represent the minimum requirements. We founded Midsouth AeroBarrier because we are not happy with today’s construction practices. Believe it or not, many people in the home building industry still believe that “homes need to breathe” even though numerous autopsies have shown that houses have no lungs! Okay, we realize that is a bad joke, but it makes a truthful point – there is still a misconception in the industry about airflow through a home.
Science has proven that structures built tight and ventilated right offer greater energy efficiency, improved comfort, and healthier living. When we properly control the flow of air through a structure, we can filter it and condition it. Why let the cool air you just paid to condition or heat escape out of your home through a hole in your wall that carries a plumbing or electrical connection? Why let dust or pollen enter your home through tiny cracks around your windows when you can bring air through your HVAC system and filter it properly? Why give pests a way into your home by leaving tiny holes in the structure?
These are questions we think every homeowner should ask his/her builder or architect. Yes, the quartz vs. granite discussion is important because you want your house to look good. However, isn’t it also important that the single largest purchase of your life be sealed properly so it performs well, providing a healthy, comfortable space for you and your family? Do you want your largest investment to barely meet minimum standards? We suspect not…
If air sealing is so important to the structural integrity, comfort, efficiency, and health of your home, why is it not discussed during the pre-construction process? While we do not have a good answer, we strongly encourage anyone contemplating a new build or renovation to research air sealing before beginning the construction process. Contact us at Midsouth AeroBarrier to learn about our patented sealing process. We use computerized systems to detect and seal leaks as small as a human hair in your home’s structure. Using a water-based solvent that gives no off-gassing, we seal holes, leaks, and penetrations in your home that others cannot even see! At the end of the sealing process, we hand you a certificate showing exactly how much air leakage we removed. Some mid-south homes have seen a 90%+ reduction in air leakage using our services. 90% more efficient, 90% more comfortable, 90% healthier air – for the LIFE of the home. You might get tired of the quartz counter tops we talked about earlier, but you will not grow tired of the benefits gained through proper air sealing.
We look forward to discussing how to properly air seal your new home. Best wishes on the construction process!
Check out this video by This Old House related to our AeroBarrier product.