Remodeling? While You're At It,
Seal Up and Save!
Considering an exterior remodel or a whole house renovation? Taking an energy-efficient approach can make your home more comfortable – and according to the Environmental Protection Agency save you up to 20% on heating and air conditioning costs. How much is that? According to the US Department of Energy, “Heating and cooling account for 50 to 70% of the energy used in the average American home.” Your 20% savings would be on that 50 to 70% of your total household energy costs.
To cut your energy bills and make your home more comfortable, start by taking a look at whether your windows, doors, siding, insulation and walls are energy-efficient. Home remodeling contractors call these elements the “envelope.” Ideally, they work together to seal the weather out while keeping heat and air conditioning in. In reality, however, many envelopes aren't energy-efficient – especially if your home was built before 1980.
The good news is that it’s easy to make improvements (from inside or outside) as part of the home remodeling project you’re already planning. How? By including these steps in preparing the project:
1. Home energy leak detection: A “blower door test” pinpoints sources of air leaks and drafts so they can be sealed.
2. Moisture barrier: If your home is more than 30 years old, it probably doesn’t have a proper moisture barrier under the exterior cladding. A moisture barrier keeps wind (air infiltration) and rain out of your home and away from your insulation. It does let water “vapor” escape, so you don’t get a build-up of moisture inside your walls. So if remodeling involves re-surfacing or building new exterior walls, it’s easy to add a moisture barrier.
3. Vapor barrier: Not to be confused with a moisture barrier, a vapor barrier prevents water vapor from entering into your walls. It is installed on the side of your wall where the most water vapor is. For example, in northern areas, the vapor barrier is on the inside of the insulation; in the south it is on the outside of the insulation.
4. Proper window & door installation: Unless those new energy-efficient windows and doors are properly installed to work with the rest of your home’s envelope, you won’t see as much energy savings or feel more comfortable inside. Installing them correctly takes knowledge, experience, skill and more time than many price-driven replacement window companies allow for.
5. Insulation: If remodeling includes exposing the studs, it’s easy to re-insulate walls.
Improving your home’s envelope isn't very exciting compared to the new space, functionality and “wow” of the rest of your remodeling project. But it can make a huge difference in your comfort in the new space – and in your energy bills.
You can layer on even more savings with energy-efficient appliances plus heating and cooling systems that are expertly right-sized for your newly remodeled spaces. We’d be happy to share “as long as you're at it” ideas for boosting your home’s energy efficiency while you remodel. Just give us a call.
Sky-High Energy Bills? Check Your Attic!
Unless you’ve converted your attic into living space, there’s no reason to pay good money to keep it warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Sounds obvious! But all too often, when we take a look at our clients’ attics, we find that’s exactly what has been happening. Without their knowing it, the furnace and air conditioner have been working overtime. That’s hard on the equipment and it’s costly in terms of energy bills and natural resources. The good news is that it’s easy enough to fix!
Arrest the Two Biggest Attic Energy Robbers
One of the most common problems is poor insulation. There is often too little insulation for our climate, it’s spread unevenly, or the particular type of insulation used offers far less efficiency than other choices.
A second energy robber is ductwork that is improperly sealed or has become broken, crushed or disconnected due to age or other work that has been done in your home. Also, poorly sealed ductwork can let particles of attic insulation and dust vent into your living space. With what insulation is made of, you certainly don’t want to be breathing it in!
Tally Up the Savings
It is not unusual for attic energy robbers to steal 20-30% of your heating and air conditioning output. If you knew that 20-30% of the water in your home’s pipes was leaking, you’d call a plumber right away knowing the cost of the repair would quickly be offset by savings on the water bill month after month after month. It’s the same with energy leaks in your attic. Plugging those leaks could lower your energy bill by about a third every month. That could make a huge difference to your finances and to your carbon footprint.
Best of all, fixing home energy leaks can qualify for Federal Energy Tax Credits, so you save even more, perhaps as much as 30% of the repair costs up to $1,500. You may even be able to qualify for other credits. The Federal Energy Tax Credit program ends this year so now is a great time to make your home more energy efficient.
Thanks for the Referrals!
Most of our business comes from recommendations from those who know us best – our past clients, friends and suppliers. We greatly value and appreciate each referral not just for the business it brings the company but for the jobs it helps us provide our staff and suppliers. If you or someone you know is considering remodeling their home, please suggest they contact us for a complimentary consultation.
  See you next month!
Terry
Terry Streich, President
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