Phinney Ridge Second-Story Addition and Remodel

This project is a complete renovation and addition to a 1920 house. In general, the extensive updating to the house systems and structure has renewed the life of this house. A second-story addition makes this house more usable in the future to larger families as well as suitable for couples or an individual resident. The work includes a variety of energy-saving and water-saving features, as well as the use of sustainable materials and practices.

ENERGY-SAVINGS:

• A major energy-efficiency modification to the house was the installation of a heat-recovery ventilator. This unit strips out heat from return air that would be lost to the outside when it is vented out. This heat is then used to pre-heat supply air entering the house from the exterior.
• Another energy saving feature is the radiant heat in the upper bathroom floor. This low-voltage system allows the owners to keep the heat lower than normal in the cooler seasons and delay turning the heat up in the mornings.
• The new hot water heater is an energy-saving tankless unit.
• New high-efficiency gas-furnace installed.
• Crawl space is a conditioned space. No heat ducts in an unheated space.
• Used a soy-based spray foam insulation. Expanding foam insulation seals gaps and cracks, resulting in a more airtight house.

WATER AND ENERGY SAVINGS: A major water-saving modification to the house was the installation of a motion sensor triggered re-circulating pump. The sensors are in both bathrooms and the kitchen. This system saves energy as well because the pump and the hot-water heater do not operate until someone has actually entered the room, unlike the typical set-up where the pump is constantly operating.

RECYCLING: Fir flooring was removed, saved and then reinstalled on the main floor. Similarly, the oak floor was re-used on the upper floor.

JOB SITE RECYCLING: Separated the waste material. Recycled wood waste, dry wall scraps, and metal. All excavated dirt sent to Pacific Topsoil to be reused.

SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS:

• Shingles from a local mill on Olympic Peninsula. The mill uses logs that don't have other lumber value.
• Kitchen counter: durable stone (Pietra del Cardosa).
• Upper Bathroom counter: IceStone, a recycled glass and concrete product. Also, the slabs were partial slabs left over from someone else's project, which prevented the slabs from going to waste.
• Shower and tub surround: long-lasting tile.
• New flooring consists of cork, and all-natural linoleum.

INDOOR AIR QUALITY:

• No carpeting was used anywhere in the house.
• No MDF or particle board was used in the construction, including the cabinets, trim, etc.
• Used a soy-based spray foam insulation that is formaldehyde-free.