What is the best exterior product for a home out of brick,stucco,logs for energy efficiency.
by 
njmn51
ANSWERS: 3
-
My observation after 28 years in home construction: Log homes have air leaks all over, and require a boatload of maintenance on a nearly weekly basis. Brick tends to transfer heat and cold from out side, directly to the inside. Stucco can be applied over extremely well insulated frame walls. Using modern, plasticized stucco products, gives you the advantage of a low maintenance exterior with all the advantages of conventional framing and finish techqniques on the inside.
-
Hands down, overall, its brick. if your home is properly insulated, brick is the way to go. the resale value of a brick home, is much better than stucco, shingle or even a log home. My house was built in 1957 and is 100% brick. fire insurace is cheaper. electric bill is cheaper and maintenance is just about a zero. No offense to the other answer, but until you lived in a brick home, you cannot compare to the other choices. ever wonder why a 100% brick home costs more? its worth it for the savings in electricity, alone. buy brick!
-
Stucco. Energy efficiency is all about insulating the INSIDE from the outside... so good insulation *between* inner wall and outer wall ( not the exterior) is the key. Bricks have the problem of HIGH THERMAL MASS, meaning when they DO heat up (eg in summer), they will radiate more energy to the interior, making it harder to cool down at night (summer) / stay warm at night (winter). Stucco has a much lower thermal mass.
RELATED QUESTIONS
Copyright 2023, Wired Ivy, LLC