inspecting Enertia homes - InspectionNews

Peter Ottowitz · #1 (**permalink**) 06-11-2008, 10:06 AM

Has anyone had experience with inspecting an energy sufficient kit house Enertia?

In Enertia homes (Enertia Building system) an air flow runs from the basement to the roof around the building, just inside the walls - creating a miniature biosphere. It's a house inside a house.

Would this air flow create a potential fire hazard?

Fritz Kelly · #2 (**permalink**) 06-11-2008, 04:24 PM

Sounds like the older "envelope house" idea. (google "double envelope house") The ones I have inspected had a crawl space open to the frame walls and attic. The walls were double with about 12 inches of space between the interior and exterior wall. In my opinion they are a fire trap.
They "always" (at least the 2 I have seen) have homemade passive solar crap that leaks, hence the "miniature biosphere" between the walls.

Jerry Peck · #3 (**permalink**) 06-11-2008, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Ottowitz

Would this air flow create a potential fire hazard?

Yes.

That's a quick way to burn a house down ... create a contained *and intended* "chimney effect" between two walls ... and that is just what you will get.

That area would need to be fully sprinklered with smoke and heat detectors placed strategically with that space and which would automatically activate the sprinkler system to have any chance of survival for the occupants.