Many homes are built conventionally with inefficient and toxic materials that off-gas chemicals during installation and surely for much longer. A Tiny Good Thing was originally based in the tiny house movement, but has also branched out to consult and offer materials on accessory dwelling units (ADUs), van and bus conversions, and small intentionally built homes on foundations.
In recent years, most alternative homes are not being built with proper ventilation or moisture control. Stories of mold growth on window sills, under mattresses, in subfloors, and in the walls of small dwellings are beginning to show up, no matter the climate they are in. Walls are built thin (2×4) to save on interior space, and by doing so condensation within the wall systems and subfloor (trailer) is inevitable, and mold growth is pervasive.
Additionally, these small homes are built super tight. Without open windows in the winter or summer with AC, one average sized person will consume the air in an average sized tiny house in 8 hours. If multiple people and animals live in a tiny house then that time decreases considerably, making each inhabitant recycle each others’ exhale. Not only is this less than ideal, but it also creates massive amounts of moisture that settle within the ceiling and wall systems. It’s possible to build differently and in a way that takes these issues into consideration. It’s important to build a high performing home that functions efficiently and lasts as it’s intended to.
A Tiny Good Thing has partnered with various companies to offer materials that allow moisture to escape the wall systems, while simultaneously keeping moisture out. Life in a larger house is condensed into a tiny home. Propane appliances, cooking, bathing, and breathing all create significant amounts of moisture, and the current conventional building standard for small homes doesn’t address the moisture load.
