#703: Heat Pump Water Heaters, Wiring behind Baseboard, and Off-Grid without Propane

·45 min·4 clips

How do you add a third-floor dormer when city code forbids a full-width design and forces a tricky structural solution?

The episode opens with host Patrick McComb introducing panelists Ian Schwandt, Randy Williams, and Carrie Delahanty. Ian describes a current project adding a third-floor attic dormer in Madison, Wisconsin, where city code prohibits a full-width 'greedy dormer,' requiring a site-built truss solution to handle structural loads. The discussion touches on challenges like weather protection during roof removal and rising home values driving such remodels. Listener Will shares his experience installing a heat pump water heater, reporting a 20% decrease in his electric bill, but the panel notes potential hurdles like electrical panel upgrades. Randy mentions his 35-year-old resistance water heater, while Ian prefers an on-demand system. Another listener, Evan Bachwig, questions the safety and code compliance of running wires behind baseboard, leading to a debate on practical wiring methods versus air sealing. Randy recalls finding vermiculite insulation during a wiring job, highlighting unexpected remodeling issues. Listener Jim critiques the panel's previous recommendation of propane for off-grid builds, citing environmental concerns, prompting a discussion on balancing client wishes, practicality, and green values. The panel acknowledges the limitations of solar and wind in remote areas and the need for load reduction in off-grid design. They also discuss a Washington Post article on social media attracting young people to trades, profiling Dylan Healy's lineman training channel. Throughout, the episode emphasizes listener-driven content, with recurring themes of code constraints, energy efficiency, and the trade-offs in sustainable building.

As heard by us

A practical water-heater discussion about an aging tank, household preferences, and the cost of choosing what comes next.

The Fine Homebuilding Podcast turns a routine household problem into a useful building conversation: what should replace a 1989 resistance water heater when it gives out?

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Why you'd press play

Replacing a 1989 resistance-tank water heater? Hear the crew weigh air-source heat-pump and wall-hung on-demand options before the leak decides for you.

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