Construction Guide

This chapter includes techniques for heating, cooling and ventilation specific to a Yankee Barn post and beam home.
As with any construction, the goal is concealing and/or camouflaging the pipes and ducts. For hot water heat, this is done using standard building practices in the interior walls, partitions and floor systems. For forced hot air and air conditioning, homes with vaulted ceiling areas and large open areas have less area to conceal ducts. This chapter offers suggestions for running duct work in a Yankee Barn.

Homeowners in cold climates boast of tremendous heat retention in winter, while those in Sunbelt areas have to show their neighbors their power bills to prove to them the remarkably low cooling bills they experience. Because of the energy efficiency of the Yankee Barn system, Yankee Barn Homes has been awarded the EPA Energy Star for both of the Yankee Barn show homes.
Energy efficiency is achieved through a combination of superior insulating materials, passive solar design features, and aggressive air infiltration control. To achieve optimal energy efficiency, it is essential to assemble the shell package carefully in accordance with the instructions provided. This is especially true of the air infiltration control measures involving caulking, air infiltration barrier/building wrap, and insulating foam.

You can install any type of heating and cooling system in a Yankee Barn. Your personal choice will depend on local climatic considerations and energy costs. For forced hot air and air conditioning, hiding the air handler ducts require some planning and creativity. Whenever possible the interior partitions should be used to conceal duct work. Several techniques are discussed in this guide. Once the “pathways” for the system are designed, installation of the system follows standard practice.
It is important to do a heat loss calculation for your particular design to avoid anoversized (or less common, undersized) heating and cooling system. Generally your heating contractor will do this calculation as a part of their service.
It has been Yankee Barn’s experience that formal plans for heating/ cooling are unnecessary for most residential construction. HVAC contractors have a number of code and technical issues as well as their own preferences which guide how they install their systems.
Should you need a plan, Yankee Barn will send you a print of your floor plans that your local contractor can use to draw the HVAC plan.
Usually, some chases are necessary with air conditioning. You should discuss with your Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning (HVAC) contractor where he intends to use chases. Some planning and ingenuity can make a much more attractive job, and the Yankee Barn technical staff is ready to assist with ideas.

11.3.1 Hot Water Heat
This is the most popular and simplest heating system to install. It is installed conventionally with feeds and returns running in partitions and between floor joists. Baseboard units are installed flush against the walls. At corner posts, baseboard feeds drop down into the floor and bypass the posts and solid blocking. Second floor feeds and returns for hot water are run through first floor partition walls or closets.
Additional zones can be added for radiant heat under the floor or radiant panels. Under floor heat works best under tile. We don’t recommend under floor heat with wood floors.

11.3.2 Forced Hot Air/Air Conditioning
This is a popular choice when a home is air conditioned. It requires a bit more pre-planning to conceal the large air handling stacks. Review your floor plan with your HVAC contractor since adjustments in your plan may greatly simplify installation of the system.  Keep in mind that after the heating system is designed, you may need to modify the plans to accommodate drop ceilings or vertical chases to box ducts. You may also need to enlarge or move partitions to accommodate duct work.

11.3.3 Duct Work Layout
Forced hot air and air conditioning systems require one duct system to feed air, and another to return air back to the furnace or air handler. The problem with any air system is that the ducts can take up living space such as headroom in the basement. Basements usually have a large boxed-in main trunk running along the ceiling in the center and the length of the building. Design the main trunks in the basement to run in unfinished spaces or utility spaces such as furnace rooms, baths, and
storage rooms. Air conditioning ducts often need returns placed high in the walls to pull warm air off of the ceiling area.

Methods of laying out the duct work system:

1. All ducts feed from basement.
   This system works best when there are enough partitions at various locations to access the second floor. Two main trunks run in the basement. Feeds and returns for the second floor run vertically through partitions or chases in closets.
2. Separate trunks below first and second floor.
   This system is used when there are not many partitions on the first floor or individual zones for each floor are required. The first floor ducts are designed as in step #1. The second floor will have a separate set of main ducts located above the second floor concealed above closets, baths, and in dropped ceilings. The second floor system can be connected to the basement by two vertical main ducts in partitions, closets or chases. The vertical feeds can be eliminated with a second floor air handler. See Section 11.3.5.

11.3.4 Concealing Duct Work
Ducts can be concealed in partition walls, closets or behind built-ins. Small stacks feeding the second floor can often be run through the first floor partition walls or closets and through the second floor joists. For second floor returns, you may want to make slight adjustments in aligning partitions so stacks can run straight. Larger stacks will have to be boxed in and covered with sheetrock. Often an extra beam can be added at one side of a stack to help camouflage it, or Yankee Barn can supply boards to match the frame of the house. Ducts that are run horizontally to second floor bedrooms can often be hidden in flat ceilings above halls, closets, and bathrooms. Or a chase can be built at the top of the cathedral ceiling area in a bath or bedroom.
Most of the time, plumbers and heating contractors can conceal plumbing and duct work between the floor joist.  Many times, changing the joist direction for a small area will simplify running plumbing or duct work.  On jobs with openfloor plans that prevent concealing ducts in partition, or on jobs requiring more ductwork, Yankee Barn offers wood I-beam joist.  These joist are deeper than the standard and allow cutting larger holes to run ductwork (see plans or call for maximum hole size allowed).  After your heating layout is complete have your builder or contractor call Yankee Barn to discuss how best to conceal your ductwork.
If your Yankee Barn has an attic, a bench style box raceway can be run along the two outside walls of the attic, concealing the duct work and providing access into the rooms adjacent to and below the attic.
In hot climates it may be necessary to have air conditioning lines that feed or draw air high in the house. Usually this can be done with ducts in interior partitions. If your Yankee Barn has few interior partitions or in a large open room like a Great Room you can request that your Yankee barn be built with an open wall so ducts can be run in the exterior wall. Yankee Barn builds the wall with 2x8 framing and 3" of insulation leaving the inside skin off to allow ducts to be installed.

11.3.5 Air Handlers
Many Yankee Barn home-owners have found that the second floor of the barn can be served by installing an air handler. An air handler is fed by pipes from a heating or cooling unit rather than duct work. This eliminates the need for bringing large ducts from the basement to the second floor, and allows for better zoning. The best method is to have a separate zone for the second floor with an air handler and ducts located in the attic (of the Prairie Barn and the Hampton frame) or in a flat ceiling over a closet or bathroom on the second floor.

New houses and in particular Yankee Barns are very airtight. Unlike older homes where drafts supply plenty of fresh air (and heat loss), in a new home it may be good to have planned ventilation and an outside air supply for appliances. Ventilation choices include upgraded bath/kitchen fans, larger capacity fans on a timer, and air exchangers. Combustion appliances (e.g. furnaces, woodstoves, gas water heaters) should be installed with their own air supplies.

11.4.1 Air Exchangers

Energy efficient air exchangers are made up of duct work and a special low speed fan unit that exhausts interior air and replaces it with fresh outside air that has been preheated/cooled by the exhaust air. Typically the stale air is exhausted from kitchens and bathrooms and a slow, steady supply of fresh air is supplied to bedrooms. The movement of the air can be controlled by a timer, humidistat or conventional bathroom switch. Duct work and electrical are run conventionally.

11.4.2 Outside Air Supply
We recommend outside air supply for all combustion appliances (furnace, boiler, fireplace, water heater). In a tight house, the appliance may not be able to draw enough air to burn properly, which can cause unhealthy or dangerous backdrafting. All combustion appliances should be vented.
The fireplace outside air supply consists of galvanized pipe running from a vent in the outside wall to a grate with a damper in the fireplace. With this in place, the fireplace will now use unheated outside air to feed the fire and improve draw.

Types of Systems Available:

1. Forced hot water boilers use oil or gas to heat water and distribute to:
   1. Baseboard and/or radiant units (no air conditioning)
   2. Air handlers and duct systems with or without air conditioning
   3. Baseboard units with a separate air conditioning system
2. Heat pumps with ducts or air handlers provide heat and air conditioning from below ground or outside air (may not be cost effective in colder climates).
3. Hot air furnace heats air and distributes to ducts.
4. Hot air furnace with ducts and air conditioning.

Boilers generally include a domestic hot water option, many furnaces require a separate hot water system.

Types of Distribution Systems:

1. Hot water baseboard or radiant: Use small 3/4" pipes which are easy to conceal, but require a separate duct system to provide air conditioning.
2. Duct systems: Use large metal or fiberglass duct systems, which are difficult to conceal but offer the advantage of providing heat and air conditioning to the rooms. Most systems require boxing in of some ceilings. Air conditioning, humidification, air cleaners and sometimes air exchangers can be included in the system or added at a later date.
3. Air Handlers: Used to provide hot air and/or air conditioning. Air handler coils are fed from the boilers, heat pumps, or air conditioning units by small 3/4" pipes rather than duct work. This eliminates the need for bringing large ducts from the basement to the unit or second floor. The air handler provides hot or cool air to the rooms by a conventional duct system. The air handler can be located in basements, above closets, baths, or in dropped ceilings. Air handlers are ideal for multiple zones and when used to supply air conditioning to the second floor, ells, or other wings.

Ready for the “Housewarming.”

In most locales, after your house has passed all inspections, you will be issued a certificate of occupancy. That means that you have all the necessary permits and approvals to move into your new home, which is certainly an occasion for celebration. But there are a few last things we hope you will do. We will be sending you a questionnaire to find out how your building project went and what we could do better. Now that you can be more reflective, please take the time to answer the questionnaire, and also give a critique of your builder. Let us know whether you would recommend him to another Yankee Barn homeowner. We hope you will let us visit and see how your Yankee Barn turned out. We certainly hope you will send us some photos of your completed house. Also, please let us know your new address so we can keep in touch with our homeowners newsletter. And with your permission we may send people to see your Yankee Barn.
It’s finally time for some well-earned relaxation and enjoyment of your Yankee Barn. Welcome home! Stay in touch.