Thermal properties of structural details in wood frame homes : analysis and recommendations

Abstract

The wood platform frame home is the dominant design in the United States when it comes to single family housing. Introduced during the mid-nineteenth century, the scheme is a cheap, fast, and proven design that takes advantage of the large and abundant American wood supply. However, while building technology in other sectors has advanced, we continue today to build single family homes in essentially the same manner that was done 150 years ago. This study centers around the analysis of the thermal properties of structural details in light wood frame homes, focusing on wall construction details for both retrofit and new construction. A two dimensional analysis software, THERM 5.2, is used to perform finite element heat transfer analysis on various wall lay up configurations. Based upon the analysis, two recommendations are made. The first is that when retrofitting, the standard methodology can be improved by additionally insulating exterior wall cavities formed by additional studs used in older partition details. The second is that the effectiveness of Advanced Framing Techniques should make it the primary method of new construction.The wood platform frame home is the dominant design in the United States when it comes to single family housing. Introduced during the mid-nineteenth century, the scheme is a cheap, fast, and proven design that takes advantage of the large and abundant American wood supply. However, while building technology in other sectors has advanced, we continue today to build single family homes in essentially the same manner that was done 150 years ago. This study centers around the analysis of the thermal properties of structural details in light wood frame homes, focusing on wall construction details for both retrofit and new construction. A two dimensional analysis software, THERM 5.2, is used to perform finite element heat transfer analysis on various wall lay up configurations. Based upon the analysis, two recommendations are made. The first is that when retrofitting, the standard methodology can be improved by additionally insulating exterior wall cavities formed by additional studs used in older partition details. The second is that the effectiveness of Advanced Framing Techniques should make it the primary method of new construction.