Although Moore is also a proponent of stainless steel, he says that many people aren’t crazy about the look, particularly the screw’s shiny head. Consequently, this is where hidden fasteners come into play.
Delivering a clean deck surface, the fasteners ease the installation process due to their compatibility with prefabbed, grooved planks.
In addition, with some products, it’s possible to secure a floor joist with just one fastener—as opposed to two traditional face screws—thereby saving on both labor and materials.
Another benefit is the fact that the fasteners do not come in direct contact with the elements, so the risk of nails popping up from the deck surface is eliminated.
At the same time, one concern about these systems is their ability to remain secure if the deck boards begin to warp or twist. As such, it’s important to use the fasteners with premium decking products, which are known for their dimensional stability.
Another fastening option, and an affordable one, is adhesives, which both rot-proof the joints and permanently weld the wood together. “Adhesives have the beauty of being an invisible fastener method, which is cheaper for material costs and actually saves on construction labor by more than 60%,” says Wilder.
AWNING SYSTEMS=ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Solar radiation through glass accounts for approximately 20% of a home’s air conditioning load. An outdoor fabric awning can reduce this heat gain by 55% to 65% when the sun’s rays are at their peak, according to a recent American Society of Heating and Air Conditioning Engineers study.
Similarly, another study conducted by the University of Minnesota’s Center for Sustainable Building Research (CSBR) and sponsored by the Professional Awning Manufacturers Association, reported a direct correlation between the installation of outdoor awnings, and the indoor cooling load and peak electrical demand.
Backing this up with his real-world experience, Keith E. Moore, vice president and director of construction, Northland Residential, Burlington, Mass., explains, “Depending on the location of the awning and southern exposure of the home, this can greatly affect the heat/ cool loss index.”
To maximize a deck awning’s shading properties, Moore likes the automatic awning products, which open and close based on a programmed thermostat. “This way you do not have to be home and the awning can be opened to block the solar glare during the day,” he says.
The energy savings reported by CSBR in its study varied based on window orientation, the number of windows, and the type of glazing.
Below is a sample of energy savings for south-facing windows in seven U.S. cities. To view the study’s full results, see:
www.sunsetter.com/reduce_energy.asp
AWESOME AWNINGS
CITY
PERCENT OF COOLING ENERGY SAVED
PERCENT OF PEAK COOLING ENERGY SAVED
Minneapolis, Minn.
28–34%
5–22%
Boston
24–33%
22–36%
Seattle
71–80%
44–53%
Albuquerque, N. M.
28–33%
9–19%
Phoenix
15–22%
3–11%
St. Louis
8–19%
17–30%
Sacramento, Calif.
40–45%
10–26%
According to a study, “Awnings in Residential Buildings: The Impact on Energy Use and Peak Demand” from the Center for Sustainable Building Research, awnings—particularly on south-facing windows—can make a big impact on the energy efficiency of a house.
Source: SunSetter Awnings
21
03.2011
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