Arkansas HVACR NewsMagazine March 2026

HVACR NewsMagazine March 2026

Tech News

topic. Many ideas presented as mechanical enhancements for saving energy for homeowners via the oil embargo era proved detrimental to overall performance.

foam application cuts off the circulation and any portion below the application could suffer from moisture migration. Crawl spaces where floor joist was sprayed with foam resulted in supporting members between the joist and the ground deteriorating. We are not picking out foam specifically. We have witnessed vapor barriers stapled to the bottom side of floor joist giving the same support structure destruction.

Vapor barriers, air barriers, and insulation

Identifying when, where, and how to use air barriers, vapor barriers and aligning insulation has been some of the most difficult pieces of the building science puzzle. To set aside one prime point, true vapor barriers are not recommended in wall construction with the exception in extreme cold climates. Vapor barriers most popular use is being placed on the ground to keep moisture on one side or the other. The most common use of vapor barriers is being placed beneath slab construction to slow curing of concrete. The slower the cure (chemical reaction), the stronger the slab. Encapsulation of crawl space is the next popular use with heavy weight materials in contact with the ground and ballast (gravel) keeping it in place. Not understanding the impact of material used early on during first attempts at saving energy in the construction industry put many structures at risk during the oil embargo (1970s) and improper use impacting construction continues to this current year of 2026. Updating older homes has proven to be a significant challenge. A failure to understand the impact of upgrading portions of the dwelling without assessing the home in its entirety is risky. An earlier widespread practice of insulating the attic with foam proved to be detrimental to cutting off intended air flow through the structure. Since most structures were designed to breathe with air currents dependent upon temperature,

Addressing window leakage As early as the 1950’s, engineers knew double-hung wood framed windows and glass panes performed poorly against even the most basic wall structure. After the effort to electrify the lower 48 states, it became apparent builders would have to improve fenestration. Casement window was the first attempt at addressing the issue. Mechanical hinges, crank mechanism, and framing stresses made these improvements short lived. The mass adoption of electricity itself put strain on original generation loads and even in the 1950’s there was a noticeable push to conserve energy. Building something transparent, allowing natural light while being energy efficient proved difficult. The first “efficient” window treatment was a gold film behind the glass available only in commercial application to