Why Do Tiny Houses Develop Mold, Air Quality, and Moisture Issues?
03/05/21 • 58 min
Chad Deschenes is a building inspector who is usually called in when issues like air quality, mold, and moisture have gotten out of control. Chad is here to blow the whistle on some of the standard tiny house building methods, and share some common problems he sees in buildings, large and small. Plus, Chad will share the one system that EVERY tiny house must have. Chad has kindly shared lots of photos to go along with this interview, and you can find them on the show notes page at thetinyhouse.net/152
In This Episode:
- Every home, even brand new construction, should have an inspection
- Symptoms of a mold issue and the lasting effects
- The one system you must have in your home (tiny or not)
- Workmanship matters: this is where people consistently get it wrong
- SIPs, insulation, vapor barriers, and your roof
- How to detect mold in your house and is it fixable?
This Week's Sponsor: Tiny House Decisions
Tiny House Decisions is the guide that I wish I had when I was building my tiny house. And it comes in three different packages to help you on your unique tiny house journey. If you're struggling to figure out the systems for your tiny house, how you're going to heat it, how you're going to plumb it, what you're going to build it out, then tiny house decisions will take you through the process systematically and help you come up with a design that works for you. Right now I'm offering 20% off any package of Tiny House Decisions for podcast listeners. Head over to https://www.thetinyhouse.net/thd and use the coupon code tiny at checkout!
Listen. Subscribe. Rate. Review.
Follow Ethan.
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Chad Deschenes is a building inspector who is usually called in when issues like air quality, mold, and moisture have gotten out of control. Chad is here to blow the whistle on some of the standard tiny house building methods, and share some common problems he sees in buildings, large and small. Plus, Chad will share the one system that EVERY tiny house must have. Chad has kindly shared lots of photos to go along with this interview, and you can find them on the show notes page at thetinyhouse.net/152
In This Episode:
- Every home, even brand new construction, should have an inspection
- Symptoms of a mold issue and the lasting effects
- The one system you must have in your home (tiny or not)
- Workmanship matters: this is where people consistently get it wrong
- SIPs, insulation, vapor barriers, and your roof
- How to detect mold in your house and is it fixable?
This Week's Sponsor: Tiny House Decisions
Tiny House Decisions is the guide that I wish I had when I was building my tiny house. And it comes in three different packages to help you on your unique tiny house journey. If you're struggling to figure out the systems for your tiny house, how you're going to heat it, how you're going to plumb it, what you're going to build it out, then tiny house decisions will take you through the process systematically and help you come up with a design that works for you. Right now I'm offering 20% off any package of Tiny House Decisions for podcast listeners. Head over to https://www.thetinyhouse.net/thd and use the coupon code tiny at checkout!
Listen. Subscribe. Rate. Review.
Follow Ethan.
Want to say 'thank you' for the show? Buy me a coffee!
Previous Episode
Learning from a Failed Tiny House: Moisture, Mold, and Rot with Chris Murphy
It’s every homeowner’s nightmare to discover a small patch of mold, and then learn that their floor, subfloor, and insulation have all become a soft, rotten waste. But that’s exactly what happened to my guest today, Chris Murphy. Chris and his wife Bri had to move out of their tiny house unexpectedly when it was discovered that there was a terrible moisture issue in both the floor and walls. In this interview, Chris tells his story so we can all learn from the critical mistakes that were made in Chris and Bri’s tiny home.
Full Show Notes and Images: https://www.thetinyhouse.net/151
In This Episode:
- From tiny house dweller to houseguest in 3 days
- How Chris's subfloor was built and how it should have been built
- Ask which spray foam your builder is using
- The builder's response
- How do you even fix a mold-ridden subfloor?
- Vapor barriers and insulation to get rid of extra water
- Why you should engage with others in the tiny house movement
- Where do you park in a town where tiny houses are illegal?
This Week's Sponsor: Tiny House Decisions
Tiny House Decisions is the guide that I wish I had when I was building my tiny house. And it comes in three different packages to help you on your unique tiny house journey. If you're struggling to figure out the systems for your tiny house, how you're going to heat it, how you're going to plumb it, what you're going to build it out, then tiny house decisions will take you through the process systematically and help you come up with a design that works for you. Right now I'm offering 20% off any package of Tiny House Decisions for podcast listeners. Head over to https://www.thetinyhouse.net/thd and use the coupon code tiny at checkout!
Listen. Subscribe. Rate. Review.
Follow Ethan.
Want to say 'thank you' for the show? Buy me a coffee!
Next Episode
How to Pick a Great Contractor
The home you build or buy may be the single biggest purchase you’ll ever make. That’s why choosing the right builder is such a consequential decision. But since we’ll only ever need to do this once or twice in our lives, it’s very easy to be taken advantage of, or miss red-flags before we plunk down our life savings on a tiny home. My guests this week, Paul Dashevsky and Jon Grishpul started the company GreatBuildz to connect homeowners with reliable, pre-vetted contractors. In the interview, I’ll ask them the tough questions about what to look for in a contractor, and they share so many gems! Don't miss it! Also, Paul and Jon created a downloadable checklist "How To Choose A Contractor" and they're making it available to listeners of the show. You'll be able to download that at thetinyhouse.net/153.
Full show notes and images at thetinyhouse.net/153
In This Episode:
- You have homework: the steps you should take before you call a contractor
- The basic things your contractor must have and why
- Can licensed contractors legally build you a tiny house?
- How to determine whether a contractor is right for you
- Types of contracts and what to look for when comparing bids
- Why you should read the contract or have an attorney help you out
- Should your builder provide a warranty?
- Payment schedules and reasonable expectations
- You hired an out-of-state builder. How do you check in?
This Week's Sponsor: Tiny House Engage
Is this the year that you're finally going to embark on your dream of living tiny? If you're serious about building or buying a tiny house, then I'd like to personally invite you to my online community where you can connect with other tiny housers, get your questions specific questions answered, and get support on your journey. If you need some encouragement or just need to know how someone else solved a problem, you’ll get those answers in Tiny House Engage. I’m also very active in the community, answering questions and keeping an eye on things, so if you want to interact with me, this is a great way to do it.
Listen. Subscribe. Rate. Review.
Follow Ethan.
Want to say 'thank you' for the show? Buy me a coffee!
Tiny House Lifestyle Podcast - Why Do Tiny Houses Develop Mold, Air Quality, and Moisture Issues?
Transcript
I've been doing this nine years. And I used to I started out the company as our slogan was educating the homeowner. But the sad thing is, is nobody wants to know what's going on in the home. They don't want to know. They think it's going to go away on its own.
Ethan WaldmanWelcome to the Tiny House Lifestyle Podcast, the show where you learn how to plan, build and live the tiny lifestyle. I'm your
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