Exterior Areas
| Feature | What It Does | Partner Link |
|---|---|---|
| Balcony Sitting Area | An easy access area to sit and see scenery. | |
| Balcony Emergency Escape | In the situation of a fire, time is of the essence to get out of the smoke as that will kill someone faster than fire, and going down the stairs or elevator may not be appropriate. The balcony is immediately off the Primary Bedroom and can be easily reached for first responders. | |
| Covered Rear Patio | The covering helps prevent direct sunlight from making people uncomfortable during the afternoon and early evening. | |
| Balcony Decking | The material used on the balcony is a Class A Fire Resistant material. | |
| Concrete Textures | A trowel finish on the driveway, sidewalks leading to the home and to the side of the garage, along with the front and rear decks was chosen as it has the highest traction, especially if there is water or snow of these surfaces. | |
| Rear Porch Surface | This is made out of concrete and has been stained to reduce the possibility of it being discolored due to spills of wine, etc. | |
| Grading | All concrete approaches to the home have areas where the grading is no steeper than 2%, or 1 inch of rise for every 50 inches of run, or an angle of 1.1 degrees. ADA standards call out a 1 inch of rise for every 12 inches of run, or 4.7 degrees, which is much steeper. | |
| Mailbox | Mailbox placed at the side of the driveway that is key locked for security, and the bottom of the unit is at ~36 inches off the ground for easy access for everyone. | |
| Hose Bibs Height | Both hose bibs are about 36 inches off the ground to make it easy to connect a hose, especially ones that have a stiff neck adjacent to the threaded fixture. | |
| Elevated Outlets | All outlets are at least 24 inches above the ground to make it easy to insert a plug | |
| Smart GFCI Outlet | Outdoor GFIC outlets are smart to alert us if they have been tripped. | |
| Future Proofing | Outlets for retractable screens | |
| Ceiling Fans | The covered rear deck has ceiling fans that not only help cool people off, but they also help prevent mosquitoes from biting. | |
| Elevated Garden Beds | To limit the amount one would need to bend over to garden, along with minimizing animals from getting into our flowers and vegetables. | |
| Lighting Switches and Dimmers | All exterior lights are LEDs and are on dimmers and some can be turned off after a pre-programmed amount of time after being turned on. | |
| Natural Gas Connections on Rear Porch | Propane gas tanks are heavy and difficult to install. Instead, barbeque is heated using natural gas, and there is a tap available for a natural gas firepit. The gas line can be extended to power a backup generator, as necessary. | |
| Security Cameras | There are video cameras around the home to monitor for security. Videos are stored on the device using SD Micro cards. These cameras can pivot and pan when it sense something in its view. The cameras also have nighttime infrared capabilities. | |
| Exterior Ethernet & Antenna Connections |
Covered rear porch is pre-wired for ethernet, antenna television along with power as it is protected from the elements. . | |
| Non-Combustible Gates | The gates on east and west sides of the home are made out of powder-coated steel to prevent them from starting a fire and extends at least 10 feet from the side of the home | |
| Vegetation Separation | All trees and larger plants are kept at least 5 feet away from the home to prevent a fire from igniting the home. | |
| Stucco | Stucco is a very fire resistant material. | |
| Foam Insulation | At least 3 inches of closed cell insulation is sprayed under the roof sheathing, and then followed by at least 10 inches of open cell insulation and then fire-resistant paint. The combined insulation results in an R-value of greater than 66. By doing this, we also do not have to have vents in the soffits and on the roof, which can allow for burning embers to get into the home during a fire. | |
| All-In-One Vapor Barrier, Insulation, and Stucco Lath Panels | Instead of having three layers put down on the outside of the home in preparation for the installation of stucco (vapor barrier, continuous air barrier, 2 inch thick non-combustible rigid foam exterior insulation, and integrated structural sheathing with integral lathe, there are 4 foot (~1.2 m) X 8 foot (~2.4 m) panels that are installed with screws, not only making the installation of the preparation materials faster.. | StoneCoat Fusion |
| Wall Insulation | Fiberglass insulation is sprayed into the 2X6 exterior framing. This coupled with the 2 inch thick rigid foam, but the Idea Home also got an additional R-10 insulation, making the walls be about R-31. | |
| Overall Insulation | The combined roof and wall insulation, along with other energy savings, the home has a HERS rating of 10, just above a net-zero home. | |
| Cement-board Soffits and Fascia | Cement board is also very fire resistant | |
| Exhaust and Intake vents | All vents (e.g., energy recovery ventilators (ERVs), bathroom, laundry, and kitchen) have a self-shutting baffle and metal piping, both better for resisting a fire due to flying embers. | Panasonic HVAC |
| Roofing | Roofing to meet or exceed the following standards: ASTM E108 Class A Fire Resistance ASTM D3161 Class F Wind Resistance ASTM D7158 Class H Wind Resistance UL 790 Class A Fire Resistance CSA Standard A123.5 Meets TDI Windstorm Requirements UL 2218 Class 4 Impact Resistance |
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| Smart Doorbell | To visually see who is at the door and to communicate with them remotely | |
| Extra-wide Front Door | The decorative front French door can open up to 6 foot wide and has a threshold of less than 1/2 inch making it easy for everyone to get into the home, as well as deliveries. | |
| Security Lights | To be able to better see something that may be present in the back yard. | |
| Decorative Lighting | To illuminate the home, there are decorative lights around three sides, all controlled either by smart dimmers or smart switches. | |
| Pathway Lighting | To make it safer to navigate to the home. | |
| Railing Along Steps In Front of Home | There will be railings along the steps from the street up to the front porch for safety. | |
| Solar Panels | To make the home more energy self-sufficient, there are 22 solar panels mounted on the room. | REC Group Alpha Pure-R |