Energy Envelope System
Yes, your dream log home can be energy efficient! Katahdin Cedar Log Homes has taken your quest for reduced energy consumption to heart and has developed the new R-23 Energy Envelope System, which increases the R-value of your exterior cedar log walls by 156%.
How does it work?
We started with Northern White Cedar, which naturally resists heat flow through its wood, referred to as the “R-value.” The higher the R-value number, the more resistant the material is to letting heat transfer through. For many years, Katahdin has offered an insulation package that increased the R-value of our log walls by 56%, without losing the natural look and feel of a log wall. The new R-23 Energy Envelope increases the log wall R-value by 156%, providing immediate energy savings.
The R-23 Energy Envelope is constructed from the log wall exterior toward the interior. A 1-1/2 inch layer of foil-faced rigid insulation is applied to the interior of the log wall. Then, an insulating 3/4–inch layer of sealed air space is created by applying thin strips of strapping to the inside surface of the rigid insulation. Then the interior tongue and groove cedar, shaped to either a flat or round profile, is applied. The R-23 Energy Envelope has the extra benefit of allowing for easy electrical wiring.
components of a KCLH energy envelope system
Superior Continuous Insulation
The R-23 Energy Envelope System outperforms conventional framed construction with two-by-sixes and fiberglass insulation, because it offers continuous insulation. A conventionally constructed wall conducts heat in and out through the two-by-sixes that become “thermal bridges” between the interior and exterior of a house. The two-by-sixes have a much lower R-value than the fiberglass insulation inserted into the spaces between the framing. With the Energy Envelope System, the entire log wall is covered by rigid insulation and thus provides an unbroken barrier in your exterior wall insulation.
Combine the R-23 Energy Envelope with high R-value, vented “double roofs,” efficient Anderson Windows and Therma-Tru Doors, and you’ll be ahead of whatever energy curve ball gets thrown your way.
For more information on how the R-23 Energy Envelope can work in your log home, contact your local Katahdin Dealer or Representative, or call us at 800-845-4533. Click here to receive more information.