REI and Columbia Sportswear got it right – they know how to keep a person temperate and dry while wicking away moisture to maintain comfort.
Your house is not unlike your body – a home needs to stay at a consistent temperature no matter what the outside temperature is with a furnace/AC and insulation. A structure needs to keep out the elements with a roof and siding. Lastly, moisture production inside the house from showers, laundry, cooking, etc. needs to be ventilated to keep it healthy.
The designers at REI and Columbia Sportswear have borrowed principles from building scientists to create high performing, comfortable clothing. The key is in layering – most high performance sportswear is built out of multiple layers with unique functions, much like a high performing house:
Layer 1: Shell
The outermost layer takes the most beating from rain, snow, wind, and sun. The critical functions are waterproofing and blocking air movement. In your home, the roof, windows, and siding all act as waterproofing. Air sealing a home blocks air movement and prevents conditioned air from escaping to the outside. Just like leaving your jacket zipper open, heat escaping from gaps and cracks in a home adds up to big energy losses.
Layer 2: Fleece or Down Warming Layer
The middle layer’s critical function is to retain heat. In a home, your insulation acts as a buffer for both warm or cool air indoors that you are trying to keep that way. Many materials can be used to insulate a home; from shredded blue jeans, to ground up paper, to fiberglass and spray-foam. The important thing is to choose a material that will perform well in your specific application and climate – beyond that, any of the materials listed above can be used add R-Value (resistance to heat passing through).
Layer 3: Base Layer
This last layer is the one right next to your skin. Its critical function is to be breathable to allow moisture from your body to escape. Without this function your clothes become wet, your body drops in temperature, and you get very uncomfortable! Your home also produces a lot of moisture from showers, laundry, cooking, and just from occupants breathing and perspiring. It is critical to exhaust this moisture to outside, or else the building materials will eventually become damp, causing rot and mold! Properly vented bath and kitchen fans, appropriate levels of whole house ventilation, and proper attic and crawlspace ventilation will keep your home comfortable and healthy.
