Blog Post

Starr Homes is known for energy-efficient custom home designs and methods that have a number of benefits: cutting utility costs,  improving air quality, and creating a more comfortable and consistent environment throughout the home. There are many steps that make energy-efficient designs possible. It all starts with ensuring that the structure is as sealed as possible and built for high-performance insulation.

Framing: A Step Above

Energy-efficient walls start with the "skeleton" of the home, the wooden frame. Framing consists of forming the home structure and shape which will eventually support the insulation within the wall cavities. Most builders and code-built homes use 2x4 wood boards for exterior and interior walls. However, Starr Homes builds custom homes differently. 

Exterior walls in a Starr Home are made with 2x6's, increasing both the strength of the home as well as the thickness of the exterior walls, allowing for more insulation. The more insulation, the more protection between the inside of the home and undesirable conditions outside. In addition to the 2x6 construction, there are a number of enhanced framing methods that allow Starr Homes to maximize the impact of the insulation. 

A Tight Seal
In addition to an increased capacity for insulation on exterior walls, Starr Homes is also unique in the way it seals exterior walls. The connecting pieces of lumber are sealed with caulk to reduce air leakage. This step is not required by code, but taking the time to do this extra step will boost the seal on the envelope (exterior walls) of the home. Great care is taken to ensure that the 2x6 construction is properly secured, reducing air infiltration and the passing of moisture through the walls.

Better insulation and sealing systems from Starr Homes offer 30-50% energy savings than a traditional code-built home. Starr Homes ensures that each home is as energy efficient as possible, so these extra steps come standard. Taking the time to protect the envelope is crucial to the Starr Homes building process because it can help you save thousands each year on energy costs!