Since the beginning of time, bodies of water soothe the soul and restore the body, which is why we continually harness the power of water for personal improvement and healing. We long for swimming and lap pools for exercise and relaxation. Hot tubs and Jacuzzis provide relaxation and therapy for sore and tired muscles. Waterfalls, gazing ponds and fish ponds encourage quiet contemplation.

From ancient Rome to modern day, we have the desire to bring pools and water features indoors so they can be used and enjoyed year-round in complete privacy and security. And with the increased understanding of the therapeutic advantages of aquatic exercise and rehabilitation, bringing pools indoors can increase the length and quality of life at your convenience.

The St. Louis metropolitan region enjoys a good 4-5 months of warm weather, which makes outdoor pools a tempting and viable option. If splashing under the summer sun is what you desire, click to learn all about outdoor swimming pools.

If you want the powerful benefits of water features all year long, indoors is the way to go. As you contemplate adding an indoor pool or spa to your home, there are several guidelines to follow to ensure that this is a successful and healthy endeavor.

An indoor spa room addition project by Mosby Building Arts.

Humidity

Having a large body of water in an enclosed space rapidly escalates the humidity levels in your home. Improperly managed humidity leads to mold, mildew, rot  and health issues, which is why proper climate control is crucial. Dehumidifiers must be installed to keep the air dry, clean and odorless. To reduce evaporation and condensation, cover the pool or tub when it’s not in use.

Vapor Barriers & Insulation

The moisture from indoor pools and water features continually seeks a way to drier air outside, and the paths of least resistance are the structure of the framing enclosure and anything attached to it. A properly installed, continuous vapor barrier around the container will keep the water where it should be.  Most indoor pools and tubs require some form of heating and cooling, so proper insulation will ensure uniform heating and keep energy costs down.

Heating & Cooling

The room with the water feature needs to be heated and cooled just as the rest of the home is, and regulating water temperature works in concert with maintaining a consistent room temperature. Keeping the room temperature 2 degrees above the water temperature will control excessive evaporation and humidity.  Indoor pools and whirlpools have little chance to gain solar heat, so must be heated year round. The energy required to run this heater – as well as the dehumidifier – should be factored into the long-term cost.

Construction by Mosby Building Arts on the underside of a whirpool.

Construction

Whether you have an existing room in mind or will build an addition for a lap pool or Jacuzzi, insure that the area can withstand the additional weight. A full hot tub can weigh thousands of pounds, and the number and weight of occupants and bystanders who will be in the area also factor in to how much support is needed. Ventilation and climate control will be a part of the room surrounding the water feature, and electrical fixtures and conduit should be rated to perform properly and safely in moist areas.

An indoor pool house project repaired by Mosby Building Arts.

Interior Finishes

A moist, warm room requires special attention to wall and floor finishes. Avoid wallpaper, as the humidity and moisture will too soon loosen the paper from the wall. Semi-gloss paint or ceramic and stone tiles work best on the walls. As to floors, ceramic or stone beautifully withstand direct contact with water while carpeting breeds mold and mildew when it gets wet. Indoor plants thrive on moisture, so consider adding them to the room to improve indoor air quality.

With proper construction, ventilation and water management, an indoor water feature can add measurable value to your home and quality of life. Because there is so much to consider with an indoor pool or water feature remodeling project, it is wise to team with Mosby Building Arts water managers, designers and carpenters to assure you have a safe, healthy and long-lasting indoor pool.

For an example of the care and experience Mosby brings to designing and building indoor water features, browse this St. Louis County spa addition. And if you would like to explore your options for an indoor pool or hot tub, call the Mosby office at 314.909.1800 or contact them here.

Time for a new roof?

When is it time for a new roof? New gutters? More insulation? You may think of them as individual home improvements, but they are really one system, one protection, one comfort… or can be one nightmare.

Did you know that the roof is a system that not only keeps the inside dry by deflecting water away from your house but it should also allow your house to “breathe?” The roofing system is only as good as its weakest link, and if it has any flaws, water seems to find it.

When thinking of a roof, most people visualize roof shingles. The Roof System is made up of many parts, and the finished roofing material comes in many shapes, sizes, colors and materials. Other parts of the roofing system are:

• Flashing
• Soffit, Fascia & Gutters
• Attic Ventilation
• Air Infiltration
• Insulation

Each component works together to protect your home… or not.

TYPES OF ROOFING MATERIALS

Asphalt Shingles Also known as composition shingles. Wide variety of styles, colors and textures an affordable price. Installation adapts to most roof configurations. Low maintenance. Can last 12-30 years, with shorter life expectancy in Greater St. Louis due to extreme weather conditions, and poor – or no – roof system design.

Wood Shake Has a natural look with lots of character and helps insulate the attic. Durability depends on proper installation (which can be complicated) and quality of wood used. Requires constant maintenance.

Slate Made of sliver-like rock. Colors are limited to those found in nature, but can be laid in a variety of patterns. Very expensive, but can last 100 years, is resistant to rot, insects and fire. It is a very heavy and fragile material so can complicate accessing the roof.

Clay Tile Natural clay is resilient and withstands harsh weather. Lends historic charm to a home. Costly, but can last up to 50 years, is extremely durable and easy to maintain. Installation and repairs of this heavy and fragile material can be tricky.

Metal Choices include steel, aluminum or copper, in a wide variety of styles and appearances. Reflects heat from the sun and good in high wind and wet areas. Costs more than asphalt shingles but can last up to 50 years with very little maintenance.

A ROOF IS ONLY AS GOOD AS ITS FLASHING

It takes more than a roof to keep the water out. At the intersection of planes and wherever opposing materials meet is where water will try to get in. Strips of a rust-resistant metal are formed into these areas to move water away from the roof. When flashing is applied the wrong way, it will actually help water invade the interior of your home.

Mosby Home Consultants keep a file of photos of bad flashing they have seen while driving around Metropolitan St. Louis. Once you know what to look for, it’s easy to spot it from a moving car. It’s also cause for concern because bad flashing means water damage is in that homeowner’s future.

GUTTERS ARE PART OF THE ROOF SYSTEM

The duty of gutters is to move water away from your roof and onto the ground. Many foundation problems can be alleviated by diverting the water collected in the gutters away from the house.

At the roof level, gutter placement and maintenance is important. If the gutter is placed a little too high on the roof line, water and ice damming can damage the underlayment. If you allow the gutters to get clogged, the overflow water backs up, jumps the gutter trough and can rot both wood and aluminum soffit and fascia.

THE ATTIC IS THE INTERIOR OF YOUR ROOF

The flow and temperature of air in your attic has a direct impact on the performance and endurance of your roof. Improper ventilation causes the roof to overheat which then shortens the life span of roof shingles. When attic air flow is tampered with (by, for example, sealing intake vents) it reduces the effectiveness of your insulation.

A common problem we encounter during a Mosby Home Consultation is homeowners covering attic vents and air stacks in the winter to keep the attic warm, mistakenly believing a warm attic will keep the whole house warmer.

Covering the wind turbines, attic vents or any other air portal prevents moisture from escaping, which can cause wood rot, mold and other moisture-related problems. Improper attic ventilation will cause your HVAC system to work harder to heat or cool the house. The attic must maintain a delicate balance, and adequate air ventilation prevents condensation and moisture from accumulating.

Since the roof is one of the most important external elements of a house, it should not only be durable, but also have an aesthetic appeal. Schedule a Mosby Home Consultation for a full Roof System evaluation. Not only can we replace your roof, we can make sure the entire system is working correctly to give you maximum comfort and peace of mind.

A home that is built right lasts a lifetime and remodeling your home for green efficiency is the smartest way for you to be earth friendly. Many features of green and sustainable remodeling are simply building it right and making it tight.

Mosby continually seeks education on the smartest building practices that bring the greatest return on investment while keeping you comfortable and worry-free. We have built projects this way for over 60 years. We continuously learn the best practices in order to give you the added value of our earth friendly knowledge and utility cost optimization without any additional costs to you.

In pursuit of higher education that brings you beautiful and green results, we now have five Certified Green Professionals (CGP) on the Mosby team, in addition to our LEED Certified Accredited Professional.

Our CGP designations solidify our commitment to practical methods of sustainability that deliver long-lasting value and quality to our clients. Methods we practice include improving energy efficiency and indoor air quality, proper insulation, shading and temperature control techniques and reducing water usage.

The Mosby roll call of Certified Green Professionals is:
Scott Mosby – President
Tim – Estimator & Construction Sales
Brian – Licensed Architect & Planner
Susie – Project Planner
Eric – Drafter & Scope Writer and Certified Energy Auditor

Congratulations to them for the achievement, and we look forward to the benefits they will bring to Greater St. Louis homeowners.

A South St. Louis City homeowner recently had us out for an energy audit, and was kind enough to let us photograph the process so we could share the details of some of the testing that can happen during an audit.

The home was built in 1939, and is in great shape for its age, but the owners had a few concerns when it came to energy efficiency. A partial list of their issues included:

● Vinyl replacement windows were installed in the early 1990s, and they seem to work fine, but cold drafts pour in during the winter
● Are there other air leaks in the house?
● Is the water heater still working right or is it time for a new one?
● The gas oven is old but still does a good job; can it stay or should it be upgraded?

A blower door test measures air tightness, calculating how much air is lost based on square footage of the house.

Eric, a Mosby energy technician, came to their house, and after measuring the house and reviewing utility bills with them, set up the blower door test in the front entry door. This tool measures air tightness and calculates how much air leaks out based on the home’s square footage. This test confirmed what the owner suspected: the windows themselves are still good, but cold air is coming in through leaks around the frame. The blower door also showed major leaks around the back and basement door frames, as well.

An infrared thermal camera takes images that show surface temperature differences. This helps pinpoint exactly where air leaks compromise efficiency.

An infrared thermal camera, which takes snapshots showing temperatures as colors, is used to pinpoint exactly where air leaks. Turns out the dining room and living room window frames are compromised, and the basement door frame, according to the homeowner looking at the thermal images, “leaks like a sieve!” In all cases, the windows and doors themselves are good. It is a case of sealing up and weatherproofing the frames around them, and the client put that on the list of items for Mosby to repair for them.

In the kitchen, the gas oven was turned on and tested for carbon monoxide. When the carbon monoxide levels leveled off, Eric indicated that it was producing unsafe levels, and should be checked out by a service technician or replaced with a new Energy Star model.

A Mosby energy auditor checks a gas water heater for carbon monoxide levels. The heater is safe, but working past its life expectancy.

In the basement, there were no carbon monoxide problems at all, and all tests confirmed the water heater was perfectly safe, but it is working several years past its normal life expectancy. Now would be the time to consider replacing it with a new sealed combustion or tankless version to increase energy efficiency.

A combustible gas leak detector is used to check the safety of a home's gas lines.

Using a combustible gas leak detector, Eric found 5 areas around connector joints leaking minor levels of gas. These leaks aren’t large or dangerous, but they are wasteful, and that adds up on the gas bill!

With the testing done, Eric gave the homeowners a brief written summary of the energy audit. Within two weeks, they will get a detailed report on the findings and, most importantly, a list of recommendations on how to improve the safety and efficiency of their home.

This energy audit confirmed a few things the owners already suspected, highlighted what they do right, and revealed a lot that was unknown. The follow-up report and recommendations will give a clearer understanding of which repairs should be done immediately and what to plan for in the near future. For instance, they will begin shopping for new Energy Star appliances, and asked us to take care of sealing air and gas leaks. They told Eric that one of the reasons they chose Mosby Building Arts for their energy audit was because they like dealing with only one company that they trust to take care of it all, from research to repair.

Click here to see more pictures of a Mosby Energy Audit.