Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Rising Energy Costs Make Attic Insulation Upgrades More Attractive For Ohio Residents
As energy costs continue to rise, homeowners are beginning to pay more attention to their home's energy efficiency. And as stories of homeowners who have saved money through energy efficient upgrades multiply, more and more is being said about how these upgrades are improving their quality of life by making the home a more comfortable place to live.
The Benefits Of Insulating Your Attic
When a home energy analyst inspects a home for possible energy-saving upgrades, he or she will often begin with a visit to the attic. Generally speaking, a homeowner can expect to save up to 20% on heating and cooling bills simply through energy efficiency upgrades in the attic.
In especially snowy regions such as occur in the northern half of Ohio, a second benefit of attic insulation is evident. As heat escapes through a poorly insulated attic, the roof surface warms, causing snow on the roof to melt. But the melt water tends to re-freeze at the colder eaves of the house, forming a tell-tale ridge of accumulated ice known as an ice dam. When the ice dam grows high enough, it can force melt water back underneath the roof shingles, causing water to leak into the house. Ice dams can cause thousands of dollars of damage in a home, forcing homeowners to replace drywall, flooring and other materials.
By properly air-sealing and insulating the attic, ice dams can be minimized or even eliminated, protecting the home from the water damage.
Bringing Attic Insulation D.O.E.-Recommended Levels
While the attic is one of the major points of energy loss in Ohio homes, it is still very common to find attics within the state that have as little as an R-19 layer of insulation in the space, generally in the form fiberglass batts no more than 6 in. to 8 in. thick.
The US Department of Energy recommends that, in the Ohio area, attic insulation should be between R-49 and R-60. That’s equivalent to about a 16-in.-thick blanket of fiberglass insulation, to get close to the DOE’s R-49 recommendation.
Air-sealing Must Accompany Any Attic Insulation Upgrade
An experienced insulation contractor understands that any attic insulation upgrade should be preceded by air-sealing work to prevent heated air from the living space from leaking into the attic. Fibrous insulation like fiberglass batts, cellulose and blow-in. fiberglass will not stop air leakage. So the contractor needs to do this leak sealing before any new attic insulation is installed.
Air-sealing an attic is a challenging job. Special covers often need to be installed around “can” lights that extend into the attic. Existing insulation must be temporarily pulled out of the way to reveal air leaks such as holes for wires and plumbing vents, gaps between framing and drywall, and cracks around bathroom vent fans. Expanding spray foam, applied from disposable cans or larger, two-part application kits, is used for most air-sealing work.
Rigid Foam Insulation Offers an Alternative Attic Insulation Option
In recent years, many contractors in Ohio have begun to sidestep the challenges of standard attic air sealing and blow-in insulation upgrades. Instead of attempting to insulate the attic and air seal from the attic floor, many experts have decided to move the home’s thermal boundary up beneath the roof rafters. They do this by securing thick rigid foam insulation to the undersides of the rafters, and by applying rigid foam to the gable end framing. This technique offers the following advantages:
• When properly installed, the foam insulation boards provide a continuous layer of insulation that includes an air-vapor barrier and a radiant barrier. A separate air-sealing step is not required.
• The continuous vapor barrier provided by foam insulation boards offers a more complete air sea than attempting to seal the attic floor.
• With foam boards secured to the undersides of rafters, there’s no need the mess of blown-in fiberglass insulation that would otherwise litter the attic floor and eliminate the use of the attic for storage.
• Foam insulation is waterproof, inorganic, and not vulnerable to compression the way that blown fiberglass is.
• Some foam insulation products for attics now include a radiant heat barrier on the visible surface, providing the homeowner with even more energy savings.
We predict that in the coming years, this new method of attic insulation will become the industry standard, replacing blown fiberglass attic insulation methods entirely.
Dr. Energy Saver Cleveland is your trusted insulation contractor in Parma, and all surrounding areas including Akron and Canton, OH! Contact them by phone or e-mail today for a free estimate for attic insulation!
by: Jacques Bouchard
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Green Remodeling Case Study: The Cobb’s Mill Inn in Weston, CT
The Cobb’s Mill Inn, in Weston, CT was for many years called ‘the most romantic restaurant’ in the state by Connecticut Magazine. The historic building is one of the oldest structures in the U.S. built before the revolutionary wars.
In 1936, Alice DeLamar, one of the most prominent New York, Palm Beach and Weston socialites of her time opened the Cobb’s Mill Inn restaurant, which has hosted several presidents and thousands of weddings over the years.
Unfortunately, as time went by and fuel and energy costs began to increase, heating and cooling the place became too expensive, and in 2010 the restaurant closed its doors.
Thanks to Dr. Energy Saver of Connecticut’s help, this historic and important building is now comfortable and energy efficient! See in this video how they did it!
Monday, December 19, 2011
Saving Energy and Money this Winter in Delaware
Are you looking for a simple yet extremely effective way to lower your energy bills and reduce your carbon footprint? If so, look no further than home insulation. Insulation limits a home's heat transfer year-round. This means that during Delaware's cold winter months, sufficient insulation will keep a home's indoor heated air where it belongs: inside! It does so by preventing indoor heated air from seeping outside or to unlivable, cold areas of a home (i.e. attic). And during Delaware's warm summer months, sufficient insulation will prevent outdoor air from coming indoors and making your home hot and uncomfortable.
How to Know When Enough is Enough
For a home to be properly protected from the effects of Mother Nature, it needs to have sufficient insulation. But how do you know how much insulation your home needs? Insulation is measured in terms of R-values. The thicker or more dense the insulation, the greater the R-value and the better it will resist heat transfer.
The U.S. Department of Energy recommends the following insulation R-values for Delaware residents: R38 - R60 for an uninsulated attic; R38 for attics with three to four inches of existing insulation; R25 - R30 for floors. If you have any questions about your home's recommended level of insulation, contact a certified Delaware insulation contractor today.
Where to Install Insulation
To significantly lower your energy bills and reduce your carbon footprint, it's important that your home be comprehensively insulated by a certified insulation contractor. This may include insulation in your attic, floors, walls, garage, basement, and crawl space. If only one area of your home remains uninsulated or insufficiently insulated, your home will not be as comfortable as it could be during the winter or summer months. It'll also mean that your heating and cooling system(s) will have to work harder than necessary just to keep up with the preset temperature on your thermostat.
Types of Insulation
There are numerous types of insulation, including rigid foam insulation, spray foam insulation, and fiberglass insulation. Some types of insulation make a great base, while others -- like spray foam insulation -- are perfect for protecting hard-to-reach corners or uncommonly-shaped spaces. How do you know which insulation is suitable for your home? Simply speak with a certified Delaware insulation contractor to find out. He or she can help you determine how much insulation R-value you home needs, where new or additional insulation is necessary, and which type of insulation best suits your home, budget, and climate.
The Benefits of Air Sealing
While insulation and air sealing are different aspects of home energy-efficiency, the two go hand-in-hand. Even the most expensive type of insulation will be ineffective if the home has numerous sources of air leaks. So before a certified Delaware insulation contractor installs the proper insulation R-value in your home, be sure he or she fully seals all sources of air leaks, particularly in the attic. This may include using a "blower door test" to uncover where outdoor air is seeping inside.
To create a more comfortable home year-round, lower energy bills, and reduce your carbon footprint, make sure that your home is sufficiently insulated and sealed. Dr. Energy Saver Delaware specializes in air sealing in Dover, Wilmington, Newark, Bear, New Castle, Salisbury, Middletown, Berlin, Easton, Seaford and other surrounding areas. To get started simply contact a certified Delaware insulation contractor today!
by: Jacques Bouchard
How Insulation Can Lower your Energy Bills
How Insulation Can Lower your Cleveland Energy Bills
Does your HVAC system continuously run just to keep up with the moderate temperature setting on your thermostat? Do you feel drafts of chilly air enter your home during cold months? Are different rooms in your house uncomfortably hot in the summer and frigid in the winter? If so, your home probably isn’t adequately insulated. Don’t worry: Many homes waste energy (and homeowners’ money) because of insufficient insulation.
Inadequate insulation causes too much heat to leak out of a house during winter months, and too much heat to leak in on hot summer days. With the heating and air conditioning systems struggling to overcome this inefficiency, too many Cleveland homeowners are spending excessive amounts of money on utilities. Fortunately, this wasteful situation can be remedied quickly and affordably. By combining air-sealing improvements with insulation upgrades, it’s often possible to reduce overall energy usage up to 40%. That means that $4 out of every $10 you used to spend on electricity, fuel oil and/or natural gas can go back into your pocket. As a bonus, you can feel good about reducing carbon emissions that are harmful to the environment
Continue reading to learn how a certified Cleveland insulation contractor can quickly and affordably transform your inefficient home into an showcase for improved energy performance. -
How Heat Moves
Heat naturally moves from warmer to colder areas. The purpose of insulation is to resist the transfer of heat. The “R” in R-value stands for resistance to heat movement. Contrary to popular belief, insulation isn't just important to have during the winter when frigid outdoor air wants to make its way inside. Insulation is also vital during summer months when outdoor heat naturally wants to move into your air-conditioned home. The importance of insulation makes sense when you consider that during most times of the year, we’re spending money to condition the interior of the house because outdoor temperatures aren’t comfortable enough.
How Much Insulation Do I Need?
One of the first things a certified Cleveland insulation contractor will determine during a free home insulation inspection is how well your home is insulated. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends the following insulation R-values for Cleveland homes: R49-R60 total R-value for attic insulation, and R25-R30 for floors.
A Cleveland insulation contractor can determine the current insulation R-values in your home and recommend ways to beef-up areas needing additional protection. This may include using spray foam insulation to fill in hard-to-reach gaps or tight spaces that other types of insulation (e.g. fiberglass) cannot reach or protect.
Ensuring Proper Installation
Like many building materials, insulation will only be effective if it is properly installed by a knowledgeable and experienced specialist. That's why it's important to hire a certified and reputable Cleveland insulation contractor for all your insulation needs. If insulation is compacted, wet, or installed with what's known as "voids" (gaps in protection), its overall effectiveness drops while your energy bills continue to rise.
Air Sealing is Equally Important
Just as brownies and ice cream go together, so do insulation and air sealing. Having one is good, but having both is far better! The truth is that insulation will not be nearly as effective if there are unsealed areas through which outdoor air can easily pass. By having a Cleveland insulation contractor seal air leaks in the attic, basement, walls, and floors, a home will become energy-efficient and the homeowner's energy bills will be significantly reduced.
Studies show that more than 65 million U.S. homes lack proper insulation. Don't let your Ohio home fall into that category. Whether you live in Cleveland, Akron, Canton, Marion, Strongsville, Brunswick, or other nearby town, save money and reduce energy usage by contacting a certified Cleveland insulation contractor today!
Looking for an insulation contractor in Parma, Akron, Canton or nearby? Dr. Energy Saver Cleveland is the local trusted energy experts who specialize in home insulation!
Posted on: December 6th 2011 by: Jacques Bouchard
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Heating Contractors Help Washington Homeowners Save Energy and Money
There are many effective ways to save money on monthly home heating bills. Some Washington homeowners choose to lower the temperature on their thermostat and snuggle up with blankets to stay warm. Others use space heaters to heat only the rooms they're using at a particular time. While these methods are somewhat effective at lowering heating bills, they certainly don't result in a comfortable and cozy home. If you want both comfort and significant savings, contact a certified Washington heating contractor today!
How a Washington Heating Contractor Can Help
Certified Washington heating contractors understand the importance of efficiency when it comes to heating a home. There are many factors that determine home heating efficiency, including insulation, ductwork, the type of heating system, air leaks and the home design features like cathedral ceilings. Although all these factors can be addressed individually, an experienced home heating contractor understands the importance of understanding how different features interact with and influence others.
A brand new, energy-efficient HVAC system, for example, will not be able to heat a home very well if the air ducts are leaking or clogged, or if the home lacks adequate insulation. That's why it's important to take a whole-house approach to home heating. Continue reading to learn how Washington heating contractors can help!
1. Seal Air Leaks: The first step in making a home more energy-efficient is to properly seal all sources of air leaks. After all, no one wants to allow frigid winter air to easily enter their home. Washington heating contractors know that air sealing is a top priority when it comes to lowering energy bills. This energy upgrade should be completed prior to installing new or additional insulation.
2. Ensure Adequate Insulation: Many Washington homeowners pay hundreds -- sometimes thousands -- of dollars to heat their home during the winter. Doesn't it make sense to enjoy the air you paid to heat, rather than have it escape into the attic and outside the house? Without adequate attic, basement, wall, and floor insulation, indoor heat can easily escape from your home. This not only decreases the comfort level of the home; it also makes your HVAC system work much harder just to keep up with the temperature setting on your thermostat.
A certified Washington heating contractor can visit your home to determine its existing insulation R-value (resistance to heat flow). If your home is lacking in this area, he or she can recommend where you need new or additional insulation, how much you need, and the type of insulation that best suits the area and your budget.
3. Repair Ductwork: The next step in home heating efficiency is to repair leaking air ducts, so that all the heated air coming from your HVAC system can reach its target destination. Did you know that leaky ductwork can diminish the efficiency of your heating system by 35%? Instead of receiving all (100%) of the warm air that your furnace supplies, you’re only receiving 65% of it. That's a lot of heat to lose, and a lot of wasted money on warm air that you and your family will never even feel!
4. Inspect the HVAC System: Although it's no surprise that replacing an outdated HVAC system -- such as a furnace -- can be expensive, it's often a very wise investment that can pay for itself in a matter of years through reduced heating bills. Old furnaces and HVAC systems have proven themselves to be inefficient and quite costly when compared to new, energy-efficient models. A Washington heating contractor can thoroughly examine your current heating system to determine its BTU output, overall efficiency, and weaknesses. He or she can then recommend an HVAC solution that fits within your budget.
Heating and cooling accounts for nearly half of the average WA homeowner's energy expenses. Rather than continue to spend hundreds to heat an inefficient home, let a Washington heating contractor help make your home more comfortable, more energy-efficient, and less costly during those cold winter months!
Dr. Energy Saver Central Washington is a certified and fully trained home energy expert. They specialize in services such as HVAC, insulation, air sealing, and more! Contact them today, as they are the trusted heating contractor in Yakima, Ellensburg, Sunnyside, and more!
Donate to Toys for Tots with Dr. Energy Saver Cleveland
Donate to Toys for Tots with Dr. Energy Saver Cleveland
They are collecting donations for Toys for Tots between December 5 and December 16, 2011. The team asks all customers and neighbors to bring donations to help support this endeavor to give to those in need. Their address is: 8287 Darrow Road, Twinsburg, OH 44087.
This is the second holiday program that Dr. Energy Saver Cleveland will be participating this year. The first ending just a few days ago, where they had donated food items on a grocery list to the City Mission to distribute to those in need of Thanksgiving dinner.
The Dr. Energy Saver team agrees that the holidays are a time of giving, while throughout the year they receive so much. These are their opportunities to help those in their local communities in need of food, toys, and resources.
Toys for Tots is a national program that has been run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve since its founding in 1947. It purposes to provide toys to families who cannot manage to give toys to their children during the Christmas season.
Dr. Energy Saver Cleveland specializes in improving home energy efficiency and comfort using their unique and comprehensive home energy audit in Akron, Parma, Canton, and nearby. They also provide many services including window and door replacement, energy conservation, home insulation, and more!
Visit Toys for Tots online to make a donation.
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