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LaHouse is a display of high-performance building practices to create more sustainable, resilient and healthy homes in the gulf region. The research-based facility is located on LSU's Baton Rouge campus and displays home-building techniques and solutions for Louisiana's unique climate. LaHouse is open weekdays from 10 am to 4:30 p.m. for self-guided tours or can be toured completely virtually.
Experience the Lahouse via virtual tour
When building or restoring a home where flooding could rise above the foundation, a drainable, dryable wall assembly is designed to survive with little or no damage and save you the cost and ordeal of gutting and replacing most materials. After a flood, it can be washed out and quickly dried to avoid decay and reduce mold growth.
A Drainable, Dryable Wall uses durable materials assembled in a special configuration to allow the wall cavity to drain and dry out after a flood event. From the outside to the inside of the Wall, it contains:
1) Siding made from fiber-cement, vinyl or aluminum, or brick veneer (resilient to water),
2) Furring strips (makes a space between the siding and the sheathing for good drainage) or brick weep holes.
3) Rigid foam sheathing (closed cell insulation is nonabsorbent, thus flood damage resistant). Note: Home restoration alternative is rigid foam boards cut to fit inside stud cavity space or closed cell spray foam insulation installed to fill 60% of the cavity depth (i.e., 2 inches of foam in 2x4 framing).
4) Weather barrier or house wrap (to reduce water penetration during normal, non-flood conditions).
5) Plywood sheathing (provides racking resistance, impact resistance, and nail holding ability and is better able to withstand wetting than OSB or fiberboard sheathing panels).
6) Solid wood framing (for best results, use pressure treated wood to resist termites, decay, and mold).
7) Paperless, moisture-resistant gypsum drywall (made with a fiberglass mat instead of paper and a moisture-resistant core to minimize absorption and eliminate the food source for mold and termites).
Paperless drywall is used for its mold and water resistance.
In closed cell foam is like tiny air pockets piled together while very compact. Due to its compact configuration, the cells are more rigid and vapor semi-impermeable. Additionally, it can withstand greater pressure and is about four times denser than open cell insulation.
Closed cell foam performs better thermal applications in moist and humid environments than open cell foam. This is because water is a poor insulator compared to air. Open cell foam can absorb water more easily than closed cell foam.
Although it costs more than fiberglass, it is highly effective for the interior sheathing of basement walls, attic hatches, and exterior wall sheathing.
The Wall consists of solid wood framing, plywood sheathing, and fiber cement or hardy board siding.
The flood hardy wall makes cleanup after a flood much easier
The flood hardy wall technique protects a building from moisture damage
Complete layers of the flood hardy wall
