1405 - Electrical Work & Navy Yard Tour
October 6-12, 2003 | April 5-11, 2004
HI, I'M BOB VILA.
WELCOME HOME AGAIN
TO OUR URBAN PROJECT
HERE IN THE SHADOW
OF THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE.
WE'RE WORKING INSIDE TODAY
WITH OUR ELECTRICIAN,
PUTTING IN ALL SORTS
OF WIRING IN OUR STEEL STUDS.
AND MOST EXCITING,
WE'RE TAKING YOU ON A TOUR
OF THE BROOKLYN NAVY YARD,
LOOKING AT ONE OF THE OLDEST
DRY DOCKS IN AMERICA.
STICK AROUND. IT'S GOOD TO
HAVE YOU HOME AGAIN.
CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE
BY SEARS
WELL, WE'RE STARTING OFF TODAY
IN THE PENTHOUSE.
IT'S ABOUT THE SAME SIZE
OF THE OTHER APARTMENTS,
BUT IT WILL HAVE
SOME SPECIAL FEATURES,
INCLUDING THE CEILING
HEIGHT UP HERE.
NOW, IT'S THE ROOF ABOVE US,
SO IT'S KIND OF SLANTED.
WE'VE GOT ALMOST ALL OF
THE ROUGH WORK HAPPENING HERE.
RIGHT NOW I WANT
TO INTERRUPT EDDIE FISHER,
OUR ELECTRICIAN.
HI, EDDIE.
HOW ARE YOU?
HOW ARE YOU
DOING, BOB?
GOOD, GOOD, GOOD.
YOU'VE GOT ABOUT
5 OR 6 GUYS ON YOUR CREW
WORKING ON THIS BUILDING,
SO YOU'RE REALLY
TEARING THROUGH IT.
WE WANT TO FINISH
AS SOON AS WE CAN.
I WANT TO TALK TO YOU
ABOUT NEW YORK CITY
BUILDING CODES
IN TERMS OF
THE ELECTRICAL ROUGH.
IT'S PRETTY
SOPHISTICATED HERE,
RIGHT?
YES. OVER HERE,
WE USE BX.
ARMORED CABLE.
EVERYWHERE, RIGHT?
AND SO,
EVERYTHING WE'RE
LOOKING AT UP HERE
IS OLD-FASHIONED
ARMORED CABLE.
YES, AND THE WAY
WE DO IT IS
AFTER IT COMES IN,
WE CUT IT,
WE INSERT A BUSHING
INSIDE THE ARMORED
CABLE.
SO WHAT'S THE BUSHING FOR?
THAT'S THE LITTLE
RED THING THAT'S THERE?
IT DOESN'T CUT
INTO THE CABLE.
THE WIRE DOESN'T
CUT INTO THE CABLE.
AND WE HAVE
A SECONDARY GROUND
WHICH WE--
PUT THIS
AROUND THE CABLE.
SO IN CASE
ANYTHING HAPPENS
TO THE GROUND,
IF THERE'S NOT
A GOOD CONNECTION,
THE SECONDARY GROUND
PULLS IT THROUGH.
NOW WHY IS THIS BETTER
THAN JUST A VINYL-CLAD
CABLE?
BECAUSE IT LASTS LONGER
AND THE VINYL-CLAD
CABLE,
IT'S EASIER TO PENETRATE
IF YOU'RE DOING WORK
WITH SHEET ROCK,
WITH THE NAILS
OR ANYTHING ELSE
COMES IN.
IT GROUNDS FROM
METAL TO METAL.
SO YOU NEVER HAVE
A DISRUPTION OF
GROUNDING WIRE
ANYWHERE AROUND.
WHEREAS IN
THE PLASTIC CABLE,
YOU NEED
THE GROUNDING WIRE.
AND SOMETIMES IT BREAKS
OR IT DOESN'T MAKE
A GOOD CONNECTION.
IN HERE, TELL ME
WHAT WE'VE GOT
GOING SO FAR.
THIS IS FOR
THE SWITCHING
SYSTEM.
AND WE HAVE
THE ARMORED CABLE
COMING IN.
AND AS YOU NOTICE,
THEY HAVE CONNECTIONS
RIGHT INSIDE THE BOX.
SO ALL YOU HAVE TO DO
IS JUST CUT THEIR ARMOR
AND THEN YOU
INSTALL IT INSIDE.
AND THEN YOU JUST
SCREW IT IN WITH
YOUR SCREWDRIVER.
AND THAT LOCKS IT IN
SO IT DOESN'T MOVE
SO YOU ALWAYS HAVE
A GOOD GROUND.
NOW, ARE YOU ALSO WIRING
FOR CABLE AND COMPUTER
AND ALL THAT?
YES. THIS IS FOR
OUR CABLE TVs.
AND FOR OUR TELEPHONES
AND COMPUTERS WE HAVE
CATEGORY 5.
YOU'LL BE PUTTING
ALL OF THAT THROUGH.
AND WHAT ABOUT
THE MAIN RISER?
THE MAIN RISER IS
GOING TO BE COMING DOWN
FROM DOWNSTAIRS.
WE HAVE 100 AMP,
220, COMING TO
EACH PANEL BOX.
NOW DO THEY LET YOU
USE ALUMINUM?
NO ALUMINUM.
COPPER ONLY.
EVERYTHING IS
TOP FLIGHT.
TOP FLIGHT COPPER.
YOU DON'T WANT TO
MIX ALUMINUM AND COPPER
IF YOU CAN AVOID IT.
THEY DON'T MIX.
ALL RIGHT, SO,
HERE WE'VE GOT
METAL STUDS EVERYWHERE.
SO HOW DO YOU GO
ABOUT ATTACHING
YOUR WORK BOXES?
DAVID IS GOING TO BE
INSTALLING A GFI
IN THE BATHROOM.
SO HE'LL BE
INSTALLING THE BOX IN.
SO THIS'LL BE
A GROUND FAULT
INTERRUPTER,
WHICH OF COURSE,
IS ALSO REQUIRED...
IN ALL THE BATHROOMS.
...IN ANY WET AREAS.
AND PLUS, HE'S GOING
TO BE BRINGING A DIRECT LINE
FROM THE PANEL BOX
STRAIGHT TO THE GROUND
FAULT OUTLETS.
DIRECT LINE
TO EACH ONE?
YEAH. ONLY TO
THE GROUND FAULT.
SO YOU'LL--
AS OF THE FIRST OF JULY,
YOU'LL REQUIRE
A SEPARATE LINE
FROM THE PANEL BOX
TO THE GROUND FAULT OUTLET
IN THE BATHROOM.
WHY IS THAT?
THEY WANT TO KEEP IT
IN THE SAME CIRCUIT.
SO THEY DECIDED TO HAVE
A DIRECT LINE FROM
THE PANEL BOX
STRAIGHT TO
THE GROUND FAULT OUTLET.
OK, SO SELF-TAPPING
SCREWS
AND YOU'VE GOT
YOURSELF YOUR
BOX IN PLACE.
HOW DO YOU
CUT THIS STUFF?
DAVID HAS
A ROTO CUTTER.
DAVID, CAN I SEE THAT
BEFORE YOU USE IT?
WHAT'S IT CALLED?
A ROTO-SPLIT.
AND THE MONEY END
IS RIGHT THERE.
THERE'S A CIRCULAR
BLADE, RIGHT?
SHOW US
HOW YOU DO IT.
I DETERMINE HOW LONG
IT NEEDS TO BE
AND I MAKE A CUT.
AND THEN YOU CUT IT.
AND YOU DETERMINE
THE LENGTH.
THAT'S ONE
CLEAN CUT.
AND THEN, EDDIE,
FROM THE POINT OF VIEW
OF MAKING
THE CONNECTION THERE,
CAN YOU EXPLAIN?
YEAH, YOU INSERT AGAIN,
THE PLASTIC BUSHING
AND YOU PUT
THE SECONDARY GROUND
AROUND THE ARMORED CABLE.
YEAH?
AND THEN HE'S GOING TO
MAKE A HOLE IN THE BOX,
IN THE TOP OF THE BOX...
WHERE HE'S GOING TO...
INSERT
THE CABLE INSIDE.
AND THEN YOU HAVE
THE SCREW ON
THE OTHER SIDE
WHERE YOU JUST
TIGHTEN UP
THE ARMORED CABLE
TO THE BOX.
SO IT MAKES QUICK
WORK OUT OF IT.
QUICK WORK.
HOW MANY MEN
HAVE YOU GOT
WORKING ON THIS?
FIVE MEN.
THAT'S THE WAY
TO GO.
WE'LL GET OUT OF
YOUR HAIR.
TAKE CARE.
NEXT WE'LL VISIT
THE BROOKLYN NAVY YARD,
ONE OF THE OLDEST
IN AMERICA.
STICK AROUND.
WE'RE GONNA SPEND A FEW MINUTES
AWAY FROM OUR BUILDING SITE
VISITING ONE OF THE MOST
INTERESTING ATTRACTIONS
IN THE BOROUGH OF BROOKLYN.
WE COULD GO TO CONEY ISLAND
OR WE COULD WALK
ACROSS THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE,
BUT THIS IS
THE BROOKLYN NAVY YARD
ON THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE WATER HERE.
WE'RE ON THE EAST RIVER,
AND THE HISTORY
OF THE NAVY YARD
REALLY GOES BACK
ALMOST MORE THAN TWO CENTURIES.
BACK IN THE LATE 1700s,
THERE WERE A COUPLE OF
PRIVATE BOAT-BUILDING FACILITIES
THAT EXISTED HERE.
AND BY 1801,
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
HAD BASICALLY BOUGHT THEM
AND TURNED THIS INTO
THE FIRST SERIOUS
FEDERAL BOAT-BUILDING FACILITY.
THE JOHN ADAMS,
THE NATION'S FIRST FRIGATE,
WAS BUILT HERE.
LATER ON IN THE 19th CENTURY,
ROBERT FULTON,
THE MAN WHO INVENTED STEAMSHIPS,
BASICALLY BUILT THE FIRST
OCEAN-GOING ONE HERE.
IT WAS CALLED THE CLAREMONT.
AND I SUPPOSE TO ME,
THE MOST INTERESTING PART
IN THE LIFE OF
THE BROOKLYN NAVY YARD
IS DURING WORLD WAR II
WHEN THOUSANDS OF LIBERTY SHIPS
WERE BUILT RIGHT IN THIS AREA.
TODAY, THE CITY OF NEW YORK
OWNS THE WHOLE NAVY YARD
AND LEASES IT OUT TO A
PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
WE'RE GONNA GO ACROSS
THE WATER HERE
AND MEET UP WITH ERIC DEUTSCH
WHO IS THE PRESIDENT
OF BROOKLYN NAVY YARD
DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
ERIC, I KNOW
THIS WHOLE FACILITY
IS RUN BASICALLY
AS AN INDUSTRIAL
PARK NOW,
BUT I WANT TO TALK
ABOUT THE HISTORIC
ASPECTS OF IT.
WE'RE LOOKING AT
A DRY DOCK HERE
THAT'S A COUPLE OF
CENTURIES OLD, RIGHT?
THIS IS DRY DOCK
NUMBER ONE.
IT WAS COMPLETED
IN 1850.
AND WHAT EVENTS
HAVE TRANSPIRED HERE?
WHO'S BEEN BUILT HERE?
ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS
SHIPS OF THE NATION'S HISTORY,
THE MONITOR, WAS CLAD HERE.
THE FIRST IRON-CLAD
WAS COMPLETED HERE
IN DRY DOCK NUMBER ONE.
THAT WAS THE FAMOUS
SHIP IN THE CIVIL WAR.
AND WHAT ABOUT
THE LIBERTY SHIPS
IN WORLD WAR II?
COULD THEY HAVE BEEN BUILT
IN A FACILITY LIKE THIS?
THEY CERTAINLY COULD
HAVE BEEN BUILT IN
THIS DRY DOCK,
AS WELL AS,
THERE ARE FIVE
OTHER DRY DOCKS
HERE.
THE ENTIRE THING
IS BUILT OUT OF
GRANITE BLOCKS.
THIS IS GRANITE BLOCKS
AND IS IN VERY GOOD
CONDITION,
AND IN BETTER CONDITION
THAN THE MORE RECENT
DRY DOCKS.
IT LOOKS A LITTLE BIT
LIKE A ROMAN AMPHITHEATER.
THE BASIC PRINCIPAL HERE
IS THAT YOU FLOOD IT,
BRING IN A BOAT,
AND THEN PUMP OUT THE WATER
SO THAT IT'S DRY
AND YOU CAN WORK ON IT.
BUT HOW DO YOU
MECHANICALLY DO THAT?
THERE'S A PUMP ROOM
IN THE FRONT
AND THEY'LL LET
THE WATER IN
AND MOVE THE
CAISSON OUT.
SO THAT THING AT THE END
THAT HAS KIND OF
THE ANTI-FOULING PAINT
AND ALL THE HOLES IN IT,
WHAT DO YOU CALL IT?
A CAISSON.
THAT WILL BE LIKE
ALMOST THE SHIP ITSELF
IS JUST MOVED OUT.
THE SHIP IS BROUGHT IN.
THE CONCRETE BLOCKS
ARE PUT IN CORRECT
PLACE
FOR THE SHIP
TO SIT ON.
AND THEN
THE CAISSON IS
CLOSED
AND THE WATER
IS PUMPED OUT.
AND THE CRANES,
WHAT VINTAGE ARE THEY?
THESE ARE WORLD WAR II
VINTAGE CRANES.
ALL THE CRANES
AND ALL THE DRY DOCKS
IN THE NAVY YARD
ARE WORLD WAR II
VINTAGE AND STILL
WORKING TODAY.
OK. NOW SOME OF
THE BUILDINGS IN
THE BACKGROUND HERE
WHICH LOOK LIKE
EARLY 19th CENTURY
BUILDINGS,
ARE BEING USED FOR
DIFFERENT COMMERCIAL
USES, RIGHT?
CURRENTLY,
THAT BUILDING
WHICH IS
EARLIER 19th CENTURY
AND THIS ONE,
I BELIEVE,
LATER 19th CENTURY,
ARE BEING USED
BY A SET MANUFACTURER
FOR THE MANUFACTURE
OF SETS FOR
TELEVISION SHOWS.
CAN WE TAKE
A QUICK PEEK IN THERE?
I BELIEVE SO.
ERIC, JUST HOW BIG
IS THIS PLACE?
IT'S ABOUT
300 ACRES.
IT IS ABOUT
45 BUILDINGS
WITH 3 1/2 MILLION
SQUARE FEET
UNDER ROOF.
WOW.
AND ABOUT 200 BUSINESSES,
98% OCCUPANCY.
AND HERE WE'VE GOT--
STIEGELBAUER
ASSOCIATES,
THE LARGEST SET
MANUFACTURER
IN NEW YORK CITY.
REALLY?
WOW, THIS IS ONE OF
THE MOST COMPLICATED
TRUSS SYSTEMS
I'VE EVER LOOKED AT.
PROBABLY 1870s or 80s.
WHAT ARE THEY
DOING HERE NOW?
THIS IS TELEVISION SETS
FOR SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE.
THIS BUILDING DATES,
AS YOU SAID, TO THE
LATE 19th CENTURY.
IT'S HAD MANY USES,
AND IS NOW FOR
SET PRODUCTION.
WEEKEND UPDATE.
WEEKEND UPDATE.
SURE. NOW I UNDERSTAND
THERE'S AN HISTORIC
HOSPITAL ON THE SITE.
YES, THE OLD
NAVAL ANNEX.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK.
THIS IS THE OLD
NAVAL ANNEX.
THE OLD NAVAL
HOSPITAL,
AND WAS ADJACENT TO
WHAT WAS PREVIOUSLY,
BEFORE WORLD WAR II,
A RESIDENTIAL
AND COMMERCIAL AREA
THAT WAS ANNEXED
FOR THE WAR EFFORT.
AND THESE LARGE
INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS
AND LARGE DRY DOCKS
WERE BUILT
FOR WORLD WAR II.
Bob: BUT THEY PRESERVED
THIS UP HERE.
THEY PRESERVED
THE OLD NAVAL ANNEX.
SO YOU'VE GOT
AN AMAZINGLY
LARGE BUILDING.
THIS DATES
TO WHAT YEAR?
1834.
NAVAL HOSPITAL.
AND SERVED PATIENTS
FROM THE CIVIL WAR
TO WORLD WAR II.
IT'S INTERESTING
BECAUSE THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT
IN THE EARLY PART
OF THE 19th CENTURY
DID BUILD SOME
MONUMENTAL BUILDINGS.
AND THIS REMINDS ME
A LITTLE BIT
OF THE FIRST
U.S. POST OFFICE
IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
THE COLONNADE
ACROSS THE FRONT.
SOME PEOPLE
WILL PROBABLY ALSO
BE REMINDED OF
MUSSOLINI'S
ARCHITECTURE.
WHAT'S THE USE
OF A STRUCTURE
LIKE THIS?
WE ARE RESEARCHING
THE POTENTIAL
FUTURE USES.
WE HAVE A MOVIE STUDIO
COMING ADJACENT TO US
AND HOPE THERE ARE
OPPORTUNITIES
FOR EXPANSION.
HAS THIS BEEN
BOARDED UP AND
CLOSED DOWN FOR LONG?
THE PREVIOUS USE
WAS THE NAVY.
THEY'VE BEEN GONE
FOR ABOUT 15 YEARS.
THE NAVY LEFT
PRETTY MUCH
EVERYTHING AS IS.
BASICALLY LEFT
15 YEARS AGO
WITH PENCILS
ON THE TABLE
AND DIDN'T DO MUCH
TO HOLD IT UP.
THE BUILDING'S JUST
BEEN EMPTY FOR
THE LAST 15 YEARS.
AND UNHEATED
AND UNOCCUPIED.
ALL THE BUILDINGS
ON THE 23 ACRES.
WOW.
WELL, THERE'S
DEFINITELY SOME
POTENTIAL HERE.
THANKS FOR
GIVING US THE TOUR.
THANK YOU.
WHEN WE COME BACK,
WE'LL TALK ABOUT INSULATION
IN A BUILDING
WITH BRICK WALLS
AND STEEL STUDS.
NEXT TIME ON...
WORK CONTINUES
AT OUR PROJECT IN DUMBO,
"DOWN UNDER THE MANHATTAN
BRIDGE OVERPASS"
WE'LL BE WORKING INSIDE
WITH THE ELECTRICIAN
PUTTING IN ALL THE WIRING
FOR OUR BUILDING.
AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT
THE INSULATION
AND THE UNIQUE
APPLICATIONS NEEDED
FOR BRICK WALLS
AND STEEL STUDS.
ALSO, WE'LL VISIT THE HISTORIC
BROOKLYN NAVY YARD
WITH ONE OF THE OLDEST
DRY DOCKS IN AMERICA.
THIS PRIME REAL ESTATE
HAS A NEW LIFE
AS AN INDUSTRIAL PARK.
DON'T MISS IT.
THAT'S NEXT TIME ON
HOME AGAIN.
NEXT TIME ON...
IT'S ROUGH ELECTRIC,
INSULATION WITH STEEL STUDS
AND A VISIT TO
THE BROOKLYN NAVY YARD.
DON'T MISS IT.
GEORGE SAYLOR
IS HERE WITH US,
AND WE'RE GONNA
GET STARTED TALKING ABOUT
INSULATING TECHNIQUES.
WHAT BEST PRODUCTS
TO USE AND--
GEORGE, I'M GONNA
INTERRUPT YOU HERE,
IF I MAY,
AND ASK YOU TO TAKE OFF
SOME OF YOUR PROTECTIVE GARB
SO WE CAN SEE YOU.
OK.
THERE HE IS.
BUT IT IS A GOOD IDEA
WHEN YOU'RE PUTTING IN
ANY KIND OF INSULATION
TO WEAR A PARTICLE MASK,
GLOVES, LONG SLEEVE SHIRTS,
A HAT AND EYE PROTECTION.
BECAUSE THERE ARE
LITTLE PART--HANDSOME MAN.
WE HAD HIM
HIDDEN IN THERE.
NOW WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE
IS WE WANT TO GET AN IDEA
OF WHAT THE BEST APPROACH IS
TO INSULATING
THIS PARTICULAR TYPE
OF A BUILDING.
IT'S A BRICK URBAN
BUILDING
WITH AN OLD ROOF
SITUATION LIKE THIS.
AND YOU ARE PUTTING IN
WHAT LOOKS LIKE
PRETTY TRADITIONAL
PINK FIBERGLASS, RIGHT?
WELL, YES, I AM, BOB.
BUT THIS IS SPECIALLY
MADE INSULATION.
IT'S AN R15.
AND IT'S STILL
3 1/2 INCHES THICK.
I THOUGHT IT WAS
ONLY R11 IF YOU
HAD 3 INCHES.
WE HAVE R11 3 1/2 INCHES
R13 AND R15.
THE DIFFERENCE BEING
THAT WE PUT MORE
FIBERGLASS IN THE R15
THAN THE R11,
CONSIDERABLY MORE.
BECAUSE THE INSULATION
IS USING TRAPPED AIR
FOR ITS INSULATION
VALUE.
THE SMALLER THE CELL
OF TRAPPED AIR AND
THE MORE UNIFORM,
THE MORE EFFICIENT
IT IS THERMALLY.
SO THE R15 IN 3 1/2
INCHES IS A HIGH
DENSITY PRODUCT
AND IT'S MAXIMUM
THERMAL PERFORMANCE.
YOU CAN SEE
BY SQUEEZING IT,
IT'S A VERY
DENSE BAT.
NOW IS THIS USED
MORE IN COMMERCIAL
APPLICATIONS
THAN IN REGULAR
RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION?
TYPICALLY,
WHAT YOU'RE DOING
IS YOU'RE TRYING
TO OPTIMIZE THE THERMAL
VALUE OF THE WALL.
IN THIS
PARTICULAR CASE,
BECAUSE WE'RE DEALING
WITH AN OLD BUILDING
AND WE HAVE
METAL STUDDING,
METAL CONDUCTS
TEMPERATURE.
AND THEREFORE,
SOME TEMPERATURE IS
GOING TO TRANSMIT
THROUGH
THE METAL STUD.
BOB, WHAT WE'RE DOING
IS WE'RE SPLITTING
THIS BAT
SO AS TO FIT INTO
THE NOTCH OF
THE METAL STUD
WE'RE SLIDING THE BAT
INTO THAT C CHANNEL
MAKING SURE WE HAVE
A NICE FIT AT THE BOTTOM
AND A TIGHT FIT
BETWEEN THE TWO BATS.
WE'LL SLIDE IT IN
TO THE SMOOTH PART
OF THE METAL STUD.
THAT WAY WE HAVE
A GOOD BOND HERE.
AND IN THAT WAY,
I HAVE A NICE
TIGHT FIT, BAT TO BAT,
AND I COMPLETELY
FILL THE CAVITY.
WHAT YOU WANT
TO MAKE SURE IS
THAT YOU'RE FACING,
THE INSULATION,
IS TIGHT AGAINST
THE INTERIOR FINISH.
YES, AND YOU DON'T
WANT TO COMPRESS
THE MATERIAL, THOUGH.
THAT IS CORRECT.
LET'S WATCH
AS YOU FIT
THIS ONE IN.
'CAUSE HERE
YOU'VE GOTTA DO
THE SAME THING
TO FIT IT UP AGAINST
THAT EDGE OF THE
METAL STUD.
AND YOU'VE ALSO
GOT TO CUT AROUND
A BOX, RIGHT?
NOW WHAT I WOULD DO
IS I WOULD PROVIDE
A GUIDELINE
FOR WHERE
MY CUTS SHOULD BE.
AND THEN,
USING A STRAIGHT EDGE...
A PIECE OF WOOD
IS FINE.
YOU NOTCH OUT FOR
YOUR ELECTRICAL BOX.
I'M GOING TO
SPLIT THIS BAT.
AH, SO YOU'LL GET
SOME OF IT BEHIND
THE BOX.
SOME OF IT BEHIND
THE ARMORED CABLE.
ANY WIRES OR PLUMBING
IN THERE,
YOU WANT TO JUST
SPLIT THE BAT
SO IT GOES
ON BOTH SIDES.
THAT'S A GOOD TIP.
GET IN THERE.
THEN...
WHAT I'LL DO IS...
OPEN IT UP
ALONG THE EDGE...
SO THAT IT FITS IN
THE BACK LIP OF
THE METAL STUD.
SO NOW,
MY NEXT QUESTION
IS JUST THAT.
THE METAL STUDS,
METAL CONDUCTS THE COLD--
AND WHEN YOU ADD UP
ALL THE SURFACE
INVOLVED IN
A WHOLE BIG WALL
LIKE THIS,
THERE'S A LOT OF
UNINSULATED SPACE
EVEN THOUGH YOU'VE GONE
TO ALL THIS TROUBLE.
HOW DO YOU ADDRESS
THAT ISSUE?
THE UNINSULATED SPACE
UM...
YEAH,
THE METAL SURFACES.
ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT WE'RE DOING,
BOB,
ON THIS PARTICULAR JOB
BECAUSE OF THE METAL
FRAMING,
IS WE'RE GOING WITH
A HIGH-DENSITY
EXTRUDED POLYSTYRENE
SHEATHING BOARD.
AND THIS CARRIES
AN R VALUE OF 5
FOR ONE INCH THICKNESS.
SO BY THE TIME
WE'RE DONE HERE,
WE'LL HAVE A TOTAL
OF ABOUT R20.
THAT'S WHAT
WE'RE INSTALLING.
WHAT THE FOAM DOES
IS IT PROVIDES
A THERMAL BREAK
FOR THE METAL STUD
WHICH INCREASES
THE EFFECTIVENESS
OF THE INSULATION.
SO THIS CAN JUST BE
TACKED ON TO THE STUDS
IN A COUPLE OF PLACES
UNTIL THE WALLBOARD
COMES UP.
JUST TO HOLD IT.
IT'S THE WALLBOARD
THAT WILL REALLY KEEP IT--
RIGHT.
WITH THE METAL STUD
WHAT YOU HAVE IS
YOU'RE GONNA SCREW
THE DRYWALL DIRECTLY
THROUGH THE FOAM
INTO THE METAL STUD.
AND THAT GIVES YOU
THAT EXTRA THERMAL
PROTECTION.
WHAT'S THE STATUS
OF FIBERGLASS AND
POLYSTYRENE PRODUCTS
LIKE THIS
IN TERMS OF
OUT-GASSING.
WHAT INSULATION
MANUFACTURERS
ARE DOING
IS SUBJECTING
THEIR PRODUCTS TO
THIRD PARTY TESTING.
INDEPENDENT
LAB TESTING.
THERE IS ONE SUCH
ORGANIZATION.
IT'S THE GREEN GUARD
ENVIRONMENTAL
INSTITUTE.
GREEN GUARD, YEAH.
THAT TESTS DIFFERENT
BUILDING MATERIALS
FROM A RIGOROUS
TESTING STANDPOINT
IN TERMS OF OUT-GASSING.
THESE PRODUCTS HERE,
THE PINK PRODUCTS,
HAVE THE GREEN GUARD
CERTIFICATION.
THAT'S GREAT.
SO THEREFORE,
NOT JUST ONE OR TWO,
BUT ALL CHEMICALS
THAT MIGHT PROVIDE
A HAZARD
WITHIN THE INDOOR
AIR ENVIRONMENT
HAVE BEEN TESTED
AS LOW-EMISSION
PRODUCTS.
GOOD.
WHAT ARE WE DOING
IN THE ROOF SITUATION?
I NOTICE YOU'VE GOT
ONE BAT UP THERE.
IS THAT
A 12 INCH BAT?
THAT'S A 12 INCH
R38.
TYPICALLY IN A CEILING,
YOU GO WITH A LOW
DENSITY BAT.
ANYTIME YOU ARE
INSULATING,
YOU WANT THE INSULATION
TO TOUCH THE INTERIOR
FINISH,
IN THE WALLS
AS WELL AS THE CEILING.
BECAUSE YOU DON'T
WANT COLD AIR TO GO
BETWEEN THE INSULATION
AND THE INTERIOR
FINISH.
THAT WOULD THEN
SHORT CIRCUIT
THE EFFECTIVENESS
OF THE INSULATION.
GREAT, GEORGE.
AND ONE LAST QUESTION.
I KNOW WE'VE GOT CONCERNS,
ESPECIALLY IN TIGHT
APARTMENT SITUATIONS,
ABOUT SOUND ATTENUATION.
WHAT DO WE DO?
IF YOU WANT TO TRY
TO INSULATE, SAY,
THE BATHROOM CAVITY
SO THAT THE NOISES
OF THE PLUMBING
ARE NOT HEARD
IN THE BEDROOMS
OR IN THE LIVING SPACE.
WHAT'S THE BEST
PRODUCT TO USE.
WELL, A FIBERGLASS
BAT ABSORBS SOUND.
SOUND IS VIBRATION.
AND WHEN THE SOUND
GETS INTO THAT FIBERGLASS,
IT'S CONVERTED FROM
SOUND ENERGY TO HEAT ENERGY
AND IT ABSORBS IT.
SO IF YOU INSULATE
INTERIOR PARTITION WALLS,
YOU REDUCE THE LEVEL
OF NOISE WITHIN THE HOUSE.
SO THAT'S
A LIVABILITY ISSUE,
THE QUIET ENJOYMENT
OF A HOUSE...
TERRIFIC.
AS OPPOSED TO
A THERMAL CONSIDERATION.
OK. THANKS, GEORGE.
THANK YOU.
WE'LL BE BACK IN A MOMENT
WITH A PREVIEW
OF OUR NEXT SHOW.
THAT'S A WRAP FOR TODAY.
COME HOME AGAIN NEXT TIME.
WE'LL BE IN DRYWALL
AND SKYLIGHTS.
UNTIL THEN,
I'M BOB VILA.
IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU
HOME AGAIN.
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