Renovation 4th Edition

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Renovation 4th Edition Page 89

by Michael Litchfield


  and many kitchen outlets. See chapter 11 for

  causing claustrophobia. To block the view of

  more information.

  380 chapter 13

   Choose easy-to-clean details. Counter-

  makers show their wares and offer design and

  tops with integral bowls are much easier to

  installation downloads. One of the most elegant

  keep clean because there’s no seam for crud to

  and informative sites is www.kohler.com.

  collect in. For the same reason, undermount

  Lavatories (bathroom sinks) are available in a

  sinks are preferable to sink rims or mounting

  blizzard of colors, materials, and styles. Styles

  clips that sit atop the counter. Nonporous

  include pedestal sinks, wall-hung units (including

  baseboards or backsplashes allow you to swab

  corner sinks), and cabinet-mounted lavatories.

  corners with a mop or sponge without

  Wall-hung lavs use space and budgets economi-

  worrying about dousing walls or wood trim.

  cally, but their pipes are exposed, and there’s no

  Finally, you can mop bathroom floors in a

  place to store supplies underneath. Pedestal sinks

  flash if you have wall-hung toilets.

  are typically screwed to wall framing and sup-

  ported by a pedestal that hides the drainpipes.

  an overvieW oF

  Counter-mounted lavatories are the most diverse,

  bathrooM Fixtures

  and they use many of the mounting devices dis-

  cussed earlier in this chapter for kitchen sinks.

  This short section provides an overview of what’s Less common are vanity top (vessel) basins,

  available and a few buzzwords to use when you

  which sit wholly on top of the counter, as shown

  visit a fixture showroom. Start your search on

  in the photo on p. 382.

  the Internet, where most major fixture and faucet

  The tile on the tub surround and floors is Solnhofen

  limestone, which was formed 150 million years ago in

  the Mesozoic Era, when warm seas covered present-day

  germany. close up, you can see fossilized sea snails in

  the stone.

  The understated beauty of nature continues in this cabinet’s soft, beveled edges and muted

  finishes. Slip-matched “ropey” cherry doors and drawers are edged with solid wood. Note

  the fine-grained “absolute black” granite countertop and matte black metal pulls.

  kitchens and baths

  381

  Lavatory materials should be easy to clean,

  tured. Finally, solid-surface lavatories are typically

  stain-resistant, and tough enough to withstand

  bonded to the underside of a countertop of a

  daily use and the occasional dropped brush or

  similar material (see “Countertops for Kitchens

  blow dryer. The most durable lavs are enameled

  and Baths” on p. 371).

  cast iron. Although lighter stainless-steel lavs are

  Important: Make sure lavs and lav faucets are

  tough and stain-resistant, their sleek, polished

  compatible. Most lavatories are predrilled, with

  look is distinctively modern, so they may not look faucet holes spaced 4 in. (centerset) apart, or

  good when matched with traditional porcelain

  8 in. to 12 in. (widespread) apart. There are single

  fixtures. Vitreous china (porcelain) lavs have a

  lavs for single-hole faucets. And undermounted

  hard, glossy finish that’s easy to clean and dura-

  lavs may have no faucet holes at all; you need to

  ble, but it’s not as durable as enameled cast iron.

  drill the holes in the counter itself.

  Hard use can chip and crack vitreous fixtures.

  toilets and bidets are almost always vitreous

  Spun-glass lavatories are made from soda lime

  china and are distinguished primarily by their

  glass, often vividly colored and irregularly tex-

  types and their flushing mechanisms. Close to

  99% of toilets sold are of these three types: tradi-

  tional two-piece units, with a separate tank and

  bowl; one-piece toilets; and wall-hung toilets. The

  other 1% includes composting toilets, reproduc-

  32 in.

  zzzzzz bath-Fixture clearances

  tions of Victorian-era toilets with pull-chain

  flushing mechanisms, and so on. As noted in

  chapter 12, toilet-base lengths vary from 10 in. to

  14 in. (12 in. is standard), which can come in

  handy in a renovation when the wall behind the

  toilet is too close or too far.

  Choosing a toilet is a tradeoff among factors

  Shower stall

  such as water consumption, loudness, resistance

  to clogging, ease of cleaning, and cost. Wash-

  down toilets are cheap, inclined to clog, and

  Lavatory

  6 in.

  15 in.

  banned by some codes. Reverse-trap toilets are

  minimum

  quieter and less likely to clog than wash-downs.

  30 in. to wall

  6 in.

  36 in. to wall

  16 in.

  minimum

  Toilet

  30 in. to wall

  Tub

  6 in.

  Fixture

  Fetching as the rough granite lavatory bowl is, the

  Bathrooms with minimal clearances are a tight fit.

  showstopper in this Japanese-inspired bathroom is

  If you’ve got room to spare, by all means space fixtures

  the band of loose river stones at the base of the

  farther than the prescribed minimums.

  cabinet. Barefoot, you can give your feet quite a

  massage with them.

  382 chapter 13

  The quietest and most expensive models are typi-

  faucet finishes are applied over faucet bodies to

  P R O T I P

  cally siphon-jet or siphon-vortex (rim jet) toilets.

  make them harder, more attractive, and easier to

  Siphon toilets shoot jets of water from beneath

  clean. The most popular finish by far is polished

  a well-made faucet has some

  the rim to accelerate water flow. Kohler® also

  chrome, which is electrochemically bonded to a

  heft to it, and when you turn its

  offers a Power Lite® model with an integral

  nickel substrate; it doesn’t corrode and won’t

  handle or handles on and off,

  pump that accelerates wastes to save water and

  scratch when you scrub it with cleanser.

  they feel solid—like the thunk

  a Peacekeeper® toilet that “solves the age-old

  Manufacturers can apply chrome plating to

  of a well-made car door when

  dispute over leaving the seat up or down. . . . To

  brass, zinc, steel, and even plastic. But although

  you close it. to compare faucet

  flush the toilet, the user simply closes the lid.”

  chrome plating protects faucet surfaces, their

  quality, play with the most

  A Nobel Prize for that one!

  inner workings will still corrode and leak, if

  expensive faucets in the show-

  they’re inclined to.

  room. then, if you find a less

  Bathtubs and shower units are manufactured

  By the way, brass-finish fauce
ts consist of brass

  expensive model with some of

  from a number of durable materials. And site-

  plating over chrome (over a solid-brass base). Brass

  that satisfying solidness and

  built tub/shower walls can be assembled from

  finishes oxidize, so they should be protected with

  in a style you like, it might serve

  just about any water-resistant material. Bathtubs a clear epoxy coating. Alternatively, faucets fin-

  well enough.

  are typically enameled steel, enameled cast iron,

  ished with physical vapor deposition (PVD) coat-

  acrylic, or fiberglass; preformed shower units are ings gleam like brass but won’t dull or corrode.

  most often acrylic or fiberglass. Steel tubs are

  economical and fairly lightweight; set in a mortar faucet handles are an easy choice: one handle

  bed, they retain heat better and aren’t as noisy if

  or two. Hot on the left, cold on the right—who’d

  you knock against them. Cast iron has a satisfy-

  have thought you could improve on that? But

  ing heft, retains heat, and is intermediate in

  there’s no denying that single-lever faucets are

  price, but it’s brutally heavy to move. For that

  much easier to use. Also consider the valves

  reason, many remodelers choose enameled steel,

  inside the faucets. Ceramic-disk and brass ball

  acrylic, or fiberglass to replace an old cast-iron

  valves will outlast plastic and steel.

  tub. Acrylic and fiberglass are relatively light-

  Spouts should have a little flare and be long and

  weight and are available in the greatest range of

  high enough to get your hands under them to

  shapes and colors; their prices range widely, from lather up properly. If you’re a hand scrubber, look

  moderate to expensive.

  for a spout at least 6 in. to 8 in. long that rises a

  Standard tub sizes are 2 ft. 6 in. to 3 ft. wide;

  similar amount above the sink.

  lengths are 4 ft. 6 in. to 5 ft. However, if space is

  tight, you can opt for a compact tub or replace a

  tub with a shower stall. Shower stalls come as com-

  pact as 32 in. sq., but that’s a real elbow knocker.

  Stalls 36 in. sq. or 36 in. by 42 in. are more realis-

  tic. One-piece molded tub/shower units don’t win

  beauty prizes, but if properly detailed and sup-

  ported, they are virtually leakproof.

  choosing a lavatory Faucet

  If you’re buying a new lav and new faucets, make

  sure they’re compatible. As noted earlier, lavato-

  ries often have predrilled faucet holes spaced

  4 in., 8 in., or 12 in. apart. Most inexpensive to

  moderately priced faucets with two handles have

  valve stems 4 in. on center. Beyond that, the big-

  gest considerations are faucet bodies, finishes,

  handle configurations, and spout lengths.

  faucet bodies will last longest if they’re brass,

  rather than zinc, steel, or plastic. Brass is less

  likely to leak because it resists corrosion and can

  be machined to close tolerances. Forged brass

  A classic: chrome over a solid-brass

  parts are smoother and less likely to leak than

  lavatory faucet.

  cast brass, which is more porous. If you spend

  five minutes operating a nonbrass faucet, it will

  likely feel looser than it did when you started.

  kitchens and baths

  383

  Energy

  Conservation

  14 and Air Quality

  In the good old days, houses were often

  drafty and cold, but because energy was cheap

  homeowners could make do by cranking up the

  thermostat. All that changed in the 1970s, when

  energy costs went through the roof—literally, in

  houses with uninsulated attics. In response,

  builders yanked fuel-guzzling furnaces and

  replaced tired windows and doors. They caulked

  air leaks and installed weatherstripping to block

  air infiltration and slow the escape of condi-

  tioned air, and fervently insulated walls, floors,

  and ceilings. The insulated layer between inside

  and outside was reborn as the thermal envelope.

  Although tightening the thermal envelope saved

  energy, it created a whole new set of problems,

  including excessive interior moisture, peeling paint,

  moldy walls, punky studs, and a buildup of pollut-

  ants that were never a problem when windows rat-

  tled and the wind blew free. Today, some houses are

  so tight that furnaces lack enough incoming air to

  burn fuel or vent exhausts efficiently. And in others,

  turning on a bathroom fan or a range hood can cre-

  ate enough negative pressure to pull exhaust gases

  back down the chimney ( back–drafting) or suck

  mold spores up from crawlspaces.

  Fortunately, there’s help. The rise of resource-

  efficient and environmentally responsible build-

  ing— green building—has spawned a number

  of excellent websites that address energy con-

  servation, air quality and related issues. Among

  my favorites are www.GreenBuildingAdvisor.com

  (GBA), www.BuildingGreen.com, www.USGBC.

  Air-sealing is a crucial first step before insulating. Here,

  org (US Green Building Council), www.

  polyurethane foam is used in the attic floor to seal gaps

  BuildItGreen.org, and www.BuildingScience.

  along the top plate of a partition. Penetrations for

  plumbing pipes and electrical cables may be small but they

  com. The last site is the home of Joe Lstiburek,

  can add up to big heat loss.

  whose Builder’s Guide series on climate-specific

  building is unrivalled. The JLC Guide to Energy

  384

  How Heat Moves

  zzzzzz How Air Moves through a House

  Kitchens and bath fans

  Heat is transferred in three ways: radiation, conduc-

  Ridge vent

  expel air and create

  negative pressure in the

  tion, or convection. Radiation is the movement of heat

  house, which draws cold

  air in.

  through space, in the form of infrared waves; heat and

  light waves radiate in all directions from a central source,

  Ceiling

  light cans

  such as the sun or a hot stove. Conduction is the passing

  Soffit vent

  of energy from particle to particle, usually between

  Trap door

  objects touching each other, as when a stovetop burner

  touches a tea kettle. Convection is the transfer of heat or

  cold by the movement of air, with warmer air rising and

  cooler air descending.

  Windows:

  Gaps around

  Heat transfer in houses is usually a combination of all

  big heat

  chimney and

  three mechanisms. For example, sunlight radiates into a

  losers

  pipes

  room and heats a dark tile floor. A cat lying on the floor

  receives radiant heat from the sun and conductive heat

  from the floor. And even in a room where the air seems

  still, there will be convective
loops as warmed air rises

  from warmed floors and heat vents, and falls near cold

  windows. As likely, there will also be convective heat

  Cold spots

  loss—that is, air moving through walls can account for

  behind

  outlets

  20% to 30% of the total heat loss of an insulated house.

  Building materials conduct heat at different rates. The

  more resistant a material is to heat transference by con-

  duction, the higher its resistivity value, or R-value. In gen-

  Sill and

  Crawlspaces are

  eral, the less dense the material, the better insulator it is

  rim

  a source of cool,

  joists

  damp air.

  and the higher its R-value. And the denser the material,

  leak air.

  the better it conducts heat or cold and the poorer it is as

  an insulator. Thus, masonry materials tend to be poor

  insulators, while fluffy cellulose fibers are excellent.

  Glass, being very dense, is an excellent conductor but a

  poor insulator, so enormous sums have been spent to cre-

  By insulating living spaces, you create a boundary—a thermal

  ate triple-pane windows with respectable R-values.

  envelope—between inside and outside air. Leaky walls and windows

  are obvious energy losers, but so are holes and gaps inside the

  Recently, heat loss through wood framing— thermal bridg-

  envelope, which al ow warm air to flow into unheated attics, creating

  ing—has received a lot of attention and is generally reme-

  negative pressure in living areas that draws in cold replacement air.

  died by covering framing with rigid insulation panels.

  It’s important to note that insulation is a thermal bar-

  rier—it resists the transfer of heat—because of trapped

  Efficiency (Hanley Wood, 2011) is very helpful.

  air pockets within it. Most insulation* does not stop

  Lastly, Martin Holladay’s GBA blogs are often

  airflow, however, and if air flows through insulation, its

  witty and always well informed.

  R-values plummet. (Air leaks can also carry a tremendous

  A Nine-Step Energy Retrofit

  amount of moisture into wall cavities.) Thus, to be an

  effective thermal barrier, most insulation must be used

  In the last decade or two, the importance of sav-

  with an air barrier that is continuous and contiguous.

  ing energy has hit home. For many homeowners,

  Exterior air barriers are usually assemblies of sheathing,

  however, this awareness has come with a price:

 

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