Green Remodeling is a Hot Trend now, but don’t forget the basics!

Water pipes unprotected from drywall screw

The hot trend today is “Green” or “Sustainable” building. This can include a wide variety of things like tight building envelopes to low emission finishes and cabinets (which incidentley should go hand in hand) to higher efficient heating and cooling systems. All great things to do. But why do builders and remodelers spend so much time focusing on these and miss the basics?

The photo on the left is a recent repair I worked on. The black stuff is mold, not burn damage, although they both are black and both are destructive. While busy charging for upgraded heating systems and more sustainable flooring, the builder forgot (as did the plumbing inspector) to look at the basics. No nail plates on these pipes, that were strategically placed within a 1/2″ of the edge of the stud. Bam! Drywall screw through the pipe, and the destruction begin.

I caught this damage recently when a customer of mine asked me to come back to do more work on their home. I had finished the basement last year and thought I should do a quick walk through of that project to make sure everything was in good order. The basement project was fine, but I had noticed a rust spot and bubbled paint on my way down the basement stairs. When I asked how long that had been there the homeowner responded, “I think I noticed it just after you left last summer.” Coincidentally, the screw rusted through around the time we had finished the basement last year.

OK, fair enough. But she had thought it was a paint issue, not a leak issue. I knew nothing about either. Note to self, “Do follow up walk-thru or call on all projects.” Another one of the basics I forgot…(sad emoticon).

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2 Responses to Green Remodeling is a Hot Trend now, but don’t forget the basics!

  1. Great post.Thanks for sharing such a useful information with us.

  2. It is a nice article about green remodeling.I like the way you have mentioned certain points about it.

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