ᐅ Is it practical to have a utility room located beneath the house?
Created on: 28 Jan 2020 11:01
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Pinkiponk
Please don’t be upset, this question isn’t of practical importance; I’m just curious and hope this forum allows room for such questions.
I’ve heard in passing and have been thinking about it that "in the USA," houses often have a small crawl space (not a basement) beneath them where flexible pipes for water, sewage, etc., are located. If you want to change the layout of the rooms above, it’s apparently very easy because the pipes under the house are freely accessible and can be routed into any room as needed. It seems a bit more complicated here in Germany. Do you know why that is or what disadvantages this American-style construction might have? I saw this on the TV channel HGTV, which features many home renovations.
I’ve heard in passing and have been thinking about it that "in the USA," houses often have a small crawl space (not a basement) beneath them where flexible pipes for water, sewage, etc., are located. If you want to change the layout of the rooms above, it’s apparently very easy because the pipes under the house are freely accessible and can be routed into any room as needed. It seems a bit more complicated here in Germany. Do you know why that is or what disadvantages this American-style construction might have? I saw this on the TV channel HGTV, which features many home renovations.
Nordlys schrieb:
How are these corrugated pipes protected against frost? Or did you see something on TV that people do in Georgia but would never build like that in Wisconsin?What you see on HGTV is not insulated
rick2018 schrieb:
Permafrost soils are special. But stilts are seen almost everywhere in the USA.I once heard that protection against flooding and various animals was the reason for using stilts.
H
hampshire28 Jan 2020 23:00We talk about the USA as if it were a homogeneous country and laugh when an American can’t tell the difference between the Netherlands and Belgium…
I’m not up to date. In New Mexico, I experienced several common house types, and I lived in each of them for a while:
1. Adobe brick – ecologically and energetically brilliant, with enormous thermal mass made from natural materials. In summer, it can be 45°C (113°F) in the shade outside, but inside it stays comfortable without air conditioning – in winter, it gets down to about 10°C (50°F) outside, almost never needing heating, maintaining a pleasant indoor temperature. Rarely featuring large windows. No flexibility with connections from below.
2. Wood frame construction on a concrete slab – we are familiar with this. Ours was majestic in size and delicate in wall thickness. I would say sound insulation is achieved through spacing.
3. Wood frame construction on a wooden platform – very inexpensive and not designed for a long life. These houses were periodically demolished and rebuilt, reusing the platform whenever possible. Connections underneath can be easily routed. This saves costs even if after 25 years the kids move out and something new is placed on the platform.
4. Mobile home parks – connections are beneath an accessible platform. The homes are simply placed on top and can be moved. I often saw two semi-trailers carrying each half of a home. The flexibility here makes special sense. I found it very basic and not far from camping.
I’m not up to date. In New Mexico, I experienced several common house types, and I lived in each of them for a while:
1. Adobe brick – ecologically and energetically brilliant, with enormous thermal mass made from natural materials. In summer, it can be 45°C (113°F) in the shade outside, but inside it stays comfortable without air conditioning – in winter, it gets down to about 10°C (50°F) outside, almost never needing heating, maintaining a pleasant indoor temperature. Rarely featuring large windows. No flexibility with connections from below.
2. Wood frame construction on a concrete slab – we are familiar with this. Ours was majestic in size and delicate in wall thickness. I would say sound insulation is achieved through spacing.
3. Wood frame construction on a wooden platform – very inexpensive and not designed for a long life. These houses were periodically demolished and rebuilt, reusing the platform whenever possible. Connections underneath can be easily routed. This saves costs even if after 25 years the kids move out and something new is placed on the platform.
4. Mobile home parks – connections are beneath an accessible platform. The homes are simply placed on top and can be moved. I often saw two semi-trailers carrying each half of a home. The flexibility here makes special sense. I found it very basic and not far from camping.
A specific construction method was requested here. Of course, there are many other, including advanced, types of buildings. Every region is also different. My good friend lives near Minneapolis and has a stone house. It is quite unusual. However, the house is rather old (by American standards).
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hampshire28 Jan 2020 23:15I always find it funny when Europeans say, "In America, it's like this..." I couldn’t help myself. I’ve traveled to nearly half of the US states. Enormous diversity (even in the variations of simplicity...).
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