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Log Cabin Insulation

gerryc123

Registered User
Joined
Jan 18, 2022
Messages
3
Location
green wood lake new york
Hello,
I am new to the forum so please forgive me if I am in the wrong place.
I am purchasing a log cabin in greenwood lake new about an hour north of the city. I am planning on gutting out the entire cabin and restructuring so I would need a building permit. Now I hear that once I do this the town will require that I enclose all cabin wall in insulation and either sheetrock or some other wall covering. I was intending on using the cabin whenever I wanted, winter or summer. I have a new heating system being put in. I am putting on a new roof with R30 insulation, and insulating most of the walls but there a two walls I just want to keep bare as log walls. Now I heard the town will not approve this for a year round residence. Is there a code somewhere that explains this better. I didn't buy a log cabin just so the interior ends up looking like a co-op in Manhattan. Any suggestions where to find this info out. The town recommended I speak with a town architect.
Thank
G
 
ICC 400 maybe able to help you with an answer that will satisfy the jurisdiction. You could also see if they will accept an ASHRE or the Mass Wall portion of the energy code


R402.1 General (Prescriptive).
The building thermal envelope shall comply with the requirements of Sections R402.1.1 through R402.1.5.

Exceptions:

1. The following low-energy buildings, or portions thereof, separated from the remainder of the building by building thermal envelope assemblies complying with this section shall be exempt from the building thermal envelope provisions of Section R402.

1.1. Those with a peak design rate of energy usage less than 3.4 Btu/h • ft2 (10.7 W/m2) or 1.0 watt/ft2 of floor area for space-conditioning purposes.

1.2. Those that do not contain conditioned space.

2. Log homes designed in accordance with ICC 400.

R402.1.5 Total UA alternative.
Where the total building thermal envelope UA, the sum of U-factor times assembly area, is less than or equal to the total UA resulting from multiplying the U-factors in Table R402.1.4 by the same assembly area as in the proposed building, the building shall be considered to be in compliance with Table R402.1.2. The UA calculation shall be performed using a method consistent with the ASHRAE Handbook of Fundamentals and shall include the thermal bridging effects of framing materials. In addition to UA compliance, the SHGC requirements shall be met.

R402.2.5 Mass walls.
Mass walls where used as a component of the building thermal envelope shall be one of the following:

1. Above-ground walls of concrete block, concrete, insulated concrete form, masonry cavity, brick but not brick veneer, adobe, compressed earth block, rammed earth, solid timber or solid logs.

2. Any wall having a heat capacity greater than or equal to 6 Btu/ft2 • º;F (123 kJ/m2 • K).
 
Thank you so much for replying. I will start educating myself on this. The town is very strict but that doesn't mean they are always right, so it is important that I arm myself with knowledge here. This is a large lakefront community and I would say 25% of the houses are seasonal. So they told me today that if the log walls are not completely insulated (and by that they mean, framed out and boarded up.) the home may just be approved for a seasonal residence. And this does not sit well with me AT ALL. There are other traditional log houses there that I know are exactly like mine, some with no interior insulation whatsoever but they are safe because they haven't needed to pull a building permit in 60 years.

It seems from what I have read from the info you provided is that compliance is based on sum of the thermal value of the entire house when all the wall materials, wall insulation, roof, roof insulation etc. etc. are factored together. So if 75% of the house is way above compliant and 25% is "dodgy" or below minimum, it may still be acceptable as a permanent, year round dwelling.

There is a brand new heating system with baseboard heating going being installed and a new fireplace as well.

Does this sound like I am on the right track here? I know this is the architects job but I haven't closed on the house yet and need to know what I am getting myself into. And I wasn't planning on hiring an architect until I decided to close on the purchase in the first place.
Thank you again,
G
 
I am curious as to how the community defines seasonal use? Assuming that it is a set time frame, how is that enforced?
 
You or your DP can run the calcs. on RESCHECK. It is on line and if you can get it green most AHJ's will accept this as a complaint means.
 
The state of regulation has become laughable. Here’s a person with the wherewithal to purchase a cabin by a lake. Esoteric regulations get in the way of enjoying the cabin by the lake. Improving the construction of a cabin by the lake should be off limits to the energy crowd. Let the person live the life that they secured for themselves.

I know that a great number of people are behind the global warming scare….I know that there are a great number of people that say bullshlt to that.

A recent volcano eruption is reported to influence global cooling. Feature that. Global cooling? The issue is miles from settled and a guy with a cabin by a lake has to dick with his dreams. Why do you have be that way?
 
Last edited:
This is from the 2015 IRC. NY has it's own codes but it is based on the IRC


SECTION N1101
GENERAL
N1101.1 Scope. This chapter regulates the energy efficiency
for the design and construction of buildings regulated by this
code.
SECTION N1107 (R501)
EXISTING BUILDINGS—GENERAL
N1107.1 (R501.1) Scope. The provisions of Sections N1107
through N1111 shall control the alteration, repair, addition
and change of occupancy of existing buildings and structures.
N1107.1.1 (R501.1.1) Additions, alterations, or repairs:
General. Additions, alterations, or repairs to an existing
building, building system or portion thereof shall comply
with Section N1108, N1109 or N1110. Unaltered portions
of the existing building or building supply system shall not
be required to comply with this chapter.

N1107.2 (R501.2) Existing buildings. Except as specified in
this chapter, this code shall not be used to require the
removal, alteration or abandonment of, nor prevent the continued
use and maintenance of, an existing building or build-
ing system lawfully in existence at the time of adoption of
this code.
N1107.3 (R501.3) Maintenance. Buildings and structures,
and parts thereof, shall be maintained in a safe and sanitary
condition. Devices and systems that are required by this code
shall be maintained in conformance with the code edition
under which installed. The owner or the owner’s authorized
agent shall be responsible for the maintenance of buildings
and structures. The requirements of this chapter shall not provide
the basis for removal or abrogation of energy conservation,
fire protection and safety systems and devices in existing
structures.
SECTION N1109 (R503)
ALTERATIONS
N1109.1 (R503.1) General. Alterations to any building or
structure shall comply with the requirements of the code for
new construction. Alterations shall be such that the existing
building or structure is no less conforming with the provisions
of this chapter than the existing building or structure
was prior to the alteration.
Alterations to an existing building, building system or portion
thereof shall conform to the provisions of this chapter as
they relate to new construction without requiring the unaltered
portions of the existing building or building system to
comply with this chapter.
Alterations shall not create an
unsafe or hazardous condition or overload existing building
systems. Alterations shall be such that the existing building or
structure uses no more energy than the existing building or
structure prior to the alteration.
Alterations to existing buildings
shall comply with Sections N1109.1.1 through N1109.2.
N1109.1.1 (R503.1.1) Building envelope. Building envelope
assemblies that are part of the alteration shall comply
with Section N1102.1.2 or N1102.1.4, Sections N1102.2.1
through N1102.2.12, N1102.3.1, N1102.3.2, N1102.4.3
and N1102.4.4.
Exception: The following alterations need not comply
with the requirements for new construction provided
the energy use of the building is not increased:
1. Storm windows installed over existing fenestration.
2. Existing ceiling, wall or floor cavities exposed
during construction provided that these cavities
are filled with insulation.

3. Construction where the existing roof, wall or
floor cavity is not exposed.

4. Roof recover.
5. Roofs without insulation in the cavity and where
the sheathing or insulation is exposed during
reroofing shall be insulated either above or below
the sheathing.
6. Surface applied window film installed on existing
single pane fenestration assemblies to reduce
solar heat gain provided the code does not require
the glazing or fenestration assembly to be
replaced.
N1109.1.1.1 (R503.1.1.1) Replacement fenestration.
Where some or all of an existing fenestration unit is
replaced with a new fenestration product, including
sash and glazing, the replacement fenestration unit shall
meet the applicable requirements for U-factor and
SHGC as provided in Table N1102.1.4.
N1109.1.2 (R503.1.2) Heating and cooling systems.
New heating, cooling and duct systems that are part of the
alteration shall comply with Sections N1103.1, N1103.2,
N1103.3 and N1103.6.
Exception: Where ducts from an existing heating and
cooling system are extended, duct systems with less
than 40 linear feet (12.19 m) in unconditioned spaces
shall not be required to be tested in accordance with
Section N1103.3.3.
N1109.1.3 (R503.1.3) Service hot water systems. New
service hot water systems that are part of the alteration
shall comply with Section N1103.5.
N1109.1.4 (R503.1.4) Lighting. New lighting systems
that are part of the alteration shall comply with Section
N1104.1.
Exception: Alterations that replace less than 50 percent
of the luminaires in a space, provided that such alterations
do not increase the installed interior lighting
power.
N1109.2 (R503.2) Change in space conditioning. Any nonconditioned
or low energy space that is altered to become
conditioned space shall be required to be brought into full
compliance with this chapter.
Exception: Where the simulated performance option in
Section N1105 is used to comply with this section, the
annual energy cost of the proposed design is permitted to
be 110 percent of the annual energy cost otherwise
allowed by Section N1105.3.
 
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