It also slightly increases the roof assembly’s R-value due to the air film on the top of the foam board and the underside of the plywood, not to mention the air gap itself.

A High-Performance Home

Considering the incredible detail put into the roof assembly, anyone can see why the Goodrich house was destined to be a high-performance home. Donovan put the brakes on the drywall and said he needed to understand why the snow melted in the two spots.

The day before the scheduled drywall installation, I showed up with my Energy Conservatory blower door, a case of caulk, and another case of spray foam. I made sure to find every leakage point that could have a connection to the roof.

A coworker and I spent nine hours air-sealing the home’s second floor. We ran the blower door at 75 Pascals to make identifying air leaks easier. We worked until we found no more air leaks using a smoke pen and an infrared camera.

The finishing details are going into the second floor. In the 11th hour, we decided to right-size and replace the first-floor heat pump and air handler to match the new load of the structure (since we finished the first floor and basement). The zone systems are being removed from both systems to increase overall runtime and gain a slight efficiency boost.

Mark Donovan has made his “mark” on this irreplaceable historic home, taking a house that boasts its original high-performance details, such as the large shade overhangs, and Frank Lloyd Wright’s vision to the next level. Mark and his wife, Mary Ludgin, will go down in history for graciously making this home their life’s work.

Future generations can now enjoy their beautiful home. Being part of the 534 N. East Ave. historical renovation was an honor.

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Adam Mufich is an instructor for National Comfort Institute (NCI) and an HVAC contractor who recently sold his business, A-Team Services Heating and Cooling, Glen Ellyn, IL. He is a third-generation HVAC contractor who shares his time as a co-host for the HVAC Overtime and Cooler Heads podcasts. Adam also works with the social media team at HVAC School. You can contact him at ncilink.com/ContactMe with any questions.