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Showing posts with label Adding Insulation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Adding Insulation. Show all posts

5.20.2011

Rapture

If for some reason I'm not wisked away in the upcoming Rapture on May 21st 2011.  I'll be available for your Green Building Needs in St Louis.  email: scottscontracting@gmail.com about your project.

With Cooling season is approaching- Proper Insulation Levels in your Attic coupled with Ventilation will save you $ on your Summer Time Cooling Bills.

Certified Insulation Installer for: Batt Type, Spray Foam, Loose Fill-

Green and Eco Friendly options are always available.

US Department of Energy and the Green Building Initiative quote that by having:
  "Proper Attic Insulation will save 40% on 
your Summer Time Cooling Costs".
  • Example:  5 months of Cooling Bills= $750 - 40%= $450
  • Savings of $300 
  • When added to winter time savings your Insulation will pay for itself in under 2 years for a standard size home.
There are additional benefits to adding insulation to your home.  If you would like to know more feel free to email: scottscontracting@gmail.com for additional information and to schedule a Green Site Evaluation.

3.24.2011

Free Green Denim Insulation

Grant Applications for Free Denim Insulation Being Accepted

Last year, Cotton Incorporated and Bonded Logic Inc. teamed up to launch the Cotton. From Blue to Green.® UltraTouch Denim Insulation Grant Program. Grants are still available and the grant application was recently revised to make it easier for projects to apply.

The grant program helps community projects go green by providing grants of R-13, R-19, R-21and R-30 UltraTouch Denim Insulation. Applications are being accepted through Sept. 30, 2011.

Requests for insulation can be made by filling out the grant application on the www.cottonfrombluetogreen.org website. The request must be made directly by an architect, builder or licensed contractor working on the project or a company with one on staff, and meet the eligibility requirements as outlined on the website.

In 2006, Cotton Incorporated and Bonded Logic partnered for the launch of the Cotton. From Blue to Green.® denim drive program. Donated denim is given new life by converting it to UltraTouch Denim Insulation and provided free to communities in need to assist with building efforts, including Habitat for Humanity and Hurricane Katrina rebuild efforts.

Since the program launched, requests are received daily from groups looking to obtain the insulation for their community building project. The grant program is meant to address the needs of these groups and to help build green communities across America.

1.30.2011

Old Man Winter Loose in the USA

It's that time of year when Old Man Winter is knocking at our doors in the USA. Reduce your Energy Imprint, Carbon Foot Print, UN-Needed and Wasteful Energy Consumption by Winterizing your Home and Business.

The Money You Spend on Weatherization will come back to you in real time savings on your Heating Bills
!!!

Step 1: Check for Wind and Drafts in your Buildings Structure:

a) I check for air drafts entering your Buildings Interior by: Looking for air gaps by sight, feel or you can use a candle, Smudge Sticks, Incense Sticks (be care full of any open flame in your home/business; especially when testing by windows with Curtains).
b) Places to check: Windows, Doors, Visually Inspect Exterior of your Structure for signs of disrepair, Base Boards and Electrical Outlets around the exterior walls of your home, Electrical Outlets

Step 2: Stop the Cold Air from entering your Structure: Seal all Cracks, Air Gaps, Add Vapor Barriers and or Insulation Where Needed

a) Seal Cracks around Window Frames with Caulking/Expandable Foam.
+Caulking / Expandable Foam can be purchased at Home Improvement Stores, Hardware Stores, Lumber Yards;
+Cost $3-$5 / Tube or Can
+Foam Strips of Self Adhesive Strips can be added to the Window Frames
Costs: $5-$25 / Door

b) Doors:
+Self Adhesive Strips can be added to the Door Stops around the Door Frame
+Costs: $5-$25 / Door
Bottom of the Door is the Threshold and will create the largest air Gap, Stop Air Infiltration by Installing a New Threshold
+Costs: $10-$35 / Door
+ Seal Door Trim with Caulking (around Edges) Expandable Foam Insulation (behind the trim)
Costs: Cost $3-$5 / Tube or Can

c) Base Boards
+ Seal with Caulking or Remove and add Insulation in the Gap between wall material and Flooring
Costs: Caulking $3-$5 / Tube; Insulation $20-$45 / Roll

d) Exterior Electrical Outlets
+ Seal with Caulking or add Insulation in the Gap between wall material and Electric Box Remove Electric Box and Seal with Vapor Barrier / Insulation, then Re-Install Electrical Box and Components $20-$45 each by Qualified Handy Man or Electrician)
Costs: Caulking $3-$5 / Tube; Insulation $20-$45 / Roll

Step 3 Attic Insulation-Suggested Insulation Levels [R-Value] For the St Louis Region (suggestions by the US Dept of Energy)
  1. Attic Insulation Level Should be a Minimum Level R-49
  2. Wall Insulation Level Minimum Level R-13
  3. Flooring Insulation Minimum Level R-30
  4. Basement Interior Wall Minimum Level R-11
Additional Information on Insulation can be found:Insulating Roofs, Walls, and Floors , Attic Insulation and Attic Energy Solutions , Roof and Attic Ventilation , Fall Home Check Up Guide with Photos

Scotts Contracting is available to assist you in Lowering your Buildings Energy Needs- Click here to email: scottscontracting@gmail.com for any additional questions or to request a Free Green Site Evaluation. 

NOTE: For Every $1-Dollar Spent on Weatherization will Return a $2 Savings on your Energy Bills


Scotts Contracting Guarantees that with proper insulation levels and
stopping the Cold Air Drafts in your Building you will save money on your Heating Bills.Scotty

1.21.2011

CertainTeed Insulation Product Index

Information Provided by:Scotty,Scott's Contracting GREEN BUILDER, St Louis Renewable Energy Missouri contact scottscontracting@gmail.com for additional information or to Schedule a "Green Site Evaluations" Home Repair and Green Building Specialist!!!

CertainTeed Insulation Product Info:

1.09.2011

Spray Foam: Open Cell VS Closed Cell

Scotty writes: In response to a prior questions:

Q:Which Spray Foam Insulation is Best, Open Cell or Closed Cell?

Open-Cell Vs. Closed-Cell

The real distinction between types of foam insulation focuses on whether they are open- or closed-cell. In general, both are made from the same materials and work in the same way, trapping air or gas in a plastic matrix. The differences start with the "blowing agents" used to create bubbles and end with both varied performance and cost.

Open-cell foam costs slightly less for the same thickness, but offers lower per-inch R-values than closed-cell products. In some instances, this is a disadvantage, but where thickness is less relevant, or where higher R-values are not needed, then open-cell can provide the better choice. It also has some green advantages over closed-cell: The blowing agent used to install open-cell insulation is water, which reacts with air to become CO2—while closed-cell products use HFCs.

Because CO2 expands quickly, the bubbles tend to burst before the plastic sets, and hence the "open cells," which produce a spongy, lightweight foam. The industry describes the foam as "half-pound" material, which simply means the foam has a mass that weighs 0.5 pounds per cubic foot. This density yields an R-value of approximately 3.6 per inch, equivalent to most traditional insulations. Because of the open cell structure, open-cell foam allows some vapor to pass through, making it a good choice in hot, humid climates, and under roof sheathing, such as in conditioned attics, where water vapor caught between insulation and sheathing could promote wood rot.

In short, open-cell foam, tested in accordance with ASTM E 283, provides an air barrier with vapor breathability. Water-blown solutions have less environmental impact than the current HFCs used for most closed-cell spray-foam insulation. And open-cell has about twice the noise reduction coefficient in normal frequency ranges as closed-cell foam. Because the blowing agent in open-cell insulation dissipates as it sets, instead of slowly over time, there is no degeneration of the R-value—a minor point given aged closed-cell R-values still trump open-cell R-values by a magnitude of nearly 100%.

Unlike open-cell foam, closed-cell foam uses chemical blowing agents that come in liquid form and become gasses as they are applied. These gasses expand, but not as quickly as CO2, allowing the polyurethane plastic to set before the bubbles burst. This yields dense foam weighing nearly 2 pounds per cubic foot, and without the capillary characteristics of open-cell, it remains impermeable. The blowing agents used perform like the inert gasses between the panes of high-performance windows, adding to the insulating qualities of the foam. Unlike open-cell foam, closed-cell foam rarely requires any trimming, with little or no jobsite waste.

Closed-cell has more obvious advantages over open-cell, and a slightly higher price tag (20% to 30% for the same thickness). It provides both a vapor and air barrier and offers an aged R-value of a whopping 6.5 per inch. Because of its density and glue-like consistency, it remains very strong, providing both compressive and tensile strength to structure comparable to added sheathing, increasing the racking strength of walls by as much as 300%, according to the NAHB Research Center. Because water does not penetrate or degrade the product, FEMA recommends closed-cell foam as a suitable insulation material for flood regions.

The principle disadvantage of closed-cell foam comes with overkill. If you do not require the extra vapor barrier, structural strength, and R-value per inch, then you may be wasting money. As for the added wall strength, while real and substantial, it's not acknowledged by building codes currently, so you can't reduce the structural bracing as a tradeoff.
---------------
Information found at: http://www.ecohomemagazine.com

Spray Foam: Toxic Blowing Agents and Fire Proofing ecohomemagazine.com/green-products/expanding-options.aspx

--
Scott's Contracting
scottscontracting@gmail.com
http://stlouisrenewableenergy.blogspot.com
http://scottscontracting.wordpress.com

 

11.27.2010

Snow on Roof or Lack Snow is a sure sign...

On the Frosty Mornings when you are outside your house scraping your cars windshield to prepare for your drive to work. Take a look at the Roof of your Home. -Lack of Frost or Snow on your Roof is a sure indication that it was melted by the Heat as it rises from the Interior of your House into the Attic Area-

Snow on Roof or Lack Snow is a sure sign...



    • Does the Frost or Snow cover the whole roof?
    • Are there places where the snow and frost melt first? (not caused by the Suns Rays)
    • Is there Frost and Snow on the Garage Roof but not on the House Roof?
    • Does your Neighbors House have Frost and Snow on their Roof- but-Your Roof Doesn't?
Any or All the above may mean that:
    1. Lack of Insulation In the Attic
    2. Air Infiltration from the Interior of the House into the Attic Area
    3. Uninsulated Heating Ducts inside the Attic
Scotts Contracting can Inspect your Attic for Proper:
  1. Insulation Levels
  2. Adequate Ventilation
  3. Uninsulated Heating Ducts
  4. Air Infiltration
Email scottscontracting@gmail.com and Scotty will provide a Free Estimate to Fix any of the Above Issues on your Home. I will also provide a Cost Saving Analysis that will provide a ROI on your Investment.
Weatherization doesn't cost it Saves! - Rule of Thumb: For Every $1 Spent on Weatherization- You will Save $2 on your Home's Energy Bills
  • Example: By adding ___ Inches of Insulation you will save $__ amount on the Energy needed to heat your Home= Lower Heating Bills and Greater Comfort Levels
Additional Green Blog Posts:Energy Star Home Improvement Tips ,Insulation and Thermal Performance ,Which Kind Of Insulation Is Best? ,Radiant Barriers for your Attic,Insulating Roofs, Walls, and Floors, Roof and Attic Ventilation ,
Email scottscontracting@gmail.com and Scotty will provide a Free Estimate to Fix any of the Above Issues on your Home.


--
Scott's Contracting
scottscontracting@gmail.com
http://stlouisrenewableenergy.blogspot.com

11.26.2010

RE:How to Save Money on Your Winter Heating Bills



            • Did the first Snow of the Year catch you unprepared for winter?
            • Is there enough insulation in your attic, walls, or floor?
            • Do you feel cold air drafts around your windows and doors?
            • Are your Heating bills higher this year than past years?
            • Have you chosen to become an active participant to Reduce the Earth's Climate Change?
If you answered YES to any of the above questions its not too late to make your Building more Energy Efficient
      • Insulation Levels [R-Value] For the St Louis Region (suggestions by the US Dept of Energy)
  1. Attic Insulation Level Should be a Minimum Level R-49
  2. Wall Insulation Level Minimum Level R-13
  3. Flooring Insulation Minimum Level R-30
  4. Basement Interior Wall Minimum Level R-11
Stop Cold Air Drafts in the Exterior Walls of Your Building by
  1. Installing Weather Stripping around your Doors and Windows
  2. Seal all Exterior Wall Electrical Boxes with Electrical Box Sealer
  3. Seal Exterior Obtrusion's in Exterior Walls with Caulk or Spray Foam
Additional Insulation Information can be found:Insulating Roofs, Walls, and Floors , Attic Insulation and Attic Energy Solutions , Roof and Attic Ventilation , Fall Home Check Up Guide with Photos

Scotts Contracting is available to assist you in Lowering your Buildings Energy Needs- Click here to email: scottscontracting@gmail.com for any additional questions or to request a Free Green Site Evaluation.
NOTE: For Every $1-Dollar Spent on Weatherization will Return a $2 Savings on your Energy Bills

Scotts Contracting Guarantees that with proper insulation levels and
stopping the Cold Air Drafts in your Building you will save money on your Heating Bills.Scotty

Email scottscontracting@gmail.com and Scotty will provide a Free Estimate to Fix any of the Above Issues on your Home. I can also provide a Cost Saving Analysis using: eQUEST® Building Performance Software, that will provide a ROI on your Investment.

(NOTE: I use the eQUEST® Building Performance Software for determining Cost Effective Solutions for: a detailed comparative analysis of building designs and technologies by applying sophisticated building energy use simulation techniques ...accomplished by combining schematic and design development building creation wizards, an energy efficiency measure (EEM) wizard and a graphical results display module with a complete up-to-date DOE-2 (version 2.2) building energy use simulation program.  You can read the eQUEST Overview to get a more complete summary of the features and capabilities of this excellent program.) 

Weatherization doesn't cost it Saves! - Rule of Thumb: For Every $1 Spent on Weatherization- You will Save $2 on your Home's Energy Bills
  • Example: By adding ___ Inches of Insulation you will save $__ amount on the Energy needed to heat your Home= Lower Heating Bills and Greater Comfort Levels
Additional Green Blog Posts:Energy Star Home Improvement Tips ,Insulation and Thermal Performance ,Which Kind Of Insulation Is Best? ,Radiant Barriers for your Attic,Insulating Roofs, Walls, and Floors, Roof and Attic Ventilation

Email scottscontracting@gmail.com and Scotty will provide a Free Estimate to Fix any of the Above Issues on your Home.

--
Scott's Contracting
scottscontracting@gmail.com

How to Save Money on Your Winter Heating Bills

            • Did the first Snow of the Year catch you unprepared for winter?
            • Is there enough insulation in your attic, walls, or floor?
            • Do you feel cold air drafts around your windows and doors?
            • Are your Heating bills higher this year than past years?
            • Have you chosen to become an active participant to Reduce the Earth's Climate Change?
If you answered YES to any of the above questions its not too late to make your Building more Energy Efficient
      • Insulation Levels [R-Value] For the St Louis Region (suggestions by the US Dept of Energy)
  1. Attic Insulation Level Should be a Minimum Level R-49
  2. Wall Insulation Level Minimum Level R-13
  3. Flooring Insulation Minimum Level R-30
  4. Basement Interior Wall Minimum Level R-11
Stop Cold Air Drafts in the Exterior Walls of Your Building by
  1. Installing Weather Stripping around your Doors and Windows
  2. Seal all Exterior Wall Electrical Boxes with Electrical Box Sealer
  3. Seal Exterior Obtrusion's in Exterior Walls with Caulk or Spray Foam
Additional Insulation Information can be found:Insulating Roofs, Walls, and Floors , Attic Insulation and Attic Energy Solutions , Roof and Attic Ventilation , Fall Home Check Up Guide with Photos

Scotts Contracting is available to assist you in Lowering your Buildings Energy Needs- Click here to email: scottscontracting@gmail.com for any additional questions or to request a Free Green Site Evaluation. 

NOTE: For Every $1-Dollar Spent on Weatherization will Return a $2 Savings on your Energy Bills

Scotts Contracting Guarantees that with proper insulation levels and
stopping the Cold Air Drafts in your Building you will save money on your Heating Bills.Scotty


--
Scott's Contracting
scottscontracting@gmail.com

10.29.2010

Which Kind Of Insulation Is Best?

Email: Scotts Contracting to Schedule a Green Proposal

for Your Next Project 

Scotts Contracting Offers Green Insulation Installs for the St Louis Area




Contents:

Introduction
  • Why Insulate Your House?
  • How Insulation Works
Which Kind of Insulation is Best?
  • What Is an R-Value?
  • Reading the Label
  • Insulation Product Types
Insulating a New House
  • Where and How Much
  • Air Sealing
  • Moisture Control and Ventilation
  • Installation Issues
    • Precautions
    • Attics
    • Walls
  • Design Options
    • Crawlspaces and Slabs
    • Advanced Wall Framing
    • Metal Framing
    • Insulating Concrete Forms
    • Massive Walls
    • Structural Insulated Panels
    • External Insulation Finish System
    • Attic Ventilation or a Cathedralized Attic
Adding Insulation to an Existing House
  • Where and How Much
  • How Much Insulation Do I Already Have?
  • Air Sealing
  • Moisture Control and Ventilation
  • Insulation Installation, the Retrofit Challenge
    • Precautions
    • Attics
    • Walls
    • Basement Walls
    • Floors and Crawlspaces
Resources and Links
About This Fact Sheet



Which Kind Of Insulation Is Best?


Based on our email, this is one of the most popular questions homeowners ask before buying insulation. The answer is that the 'best' type of insulation depends on:
  • how much insulation is needed,
  • the accessibility of the insulation location,
  • the space available for the insulation,
  • local availability and price of insulation, and
  • other considerations unique to each purchaser.
Whenever you compare insulation products, it is critical that you base your comparison on equal R-values.

What Is an R-Value?
Insulation is rated in terms of thermal resistance, called R-value, which indicates the resistance to heat flow. The higher the R-value, the greater the insulating effectiveness. The R-value of thermal insulation depends on the type of material, its thickness, and its density. In calculating the R-value of a multi-layered installation, the R-values of the individual layers are added.


The effectiveness of an insulated ceiling, wall or floor depends on how and where the insulation is installed.
  • Insulation which is compressed will not give you its full rated R-value. This can happen if you add denser insulation on top of lighter insulation in an attic. It also happens if you place batts rated for one thickness into a thinner cavity, such as placing R-19 insulation rated for 6 1/4 inches into a 5 1/2 inch wall cavity.
  • Insulation placed between joists, rafters, and studs does not retard heat flow through those joists or studs. This heat flow is called thermal bridging. So, the overall R-value of a wall or ceiling will be somewhat different from the R-value of the insulation itself. That is why it is important that attic insulation cover the tops of the joists and that is also why we often recommend the use of insulative sheathing on walls. The short-circuiting through metal framing is much greater than that through wood-framed walls; sometimes the insulated metal wall's overall R-value can be as low as half the insulation's R-value.
Reading the Label
No matter what kind of insulation you buy, check the information on the product label to make sure that the product is suitable for the intended application. To protect consumers, the Federal Trade Commission has very clear rules about the R-value label that must be placed on all residential insulation products, whether they are installed by professionals, or whether they are purchased at a local supply store. These labels include a clearly stated R-value and information about health, safety, and fire-hazard issues. Take time to read the label BEFORE installing the insulation. Insist that any contractor installing insulation provide the product labels from EACH package (which will also tell you how many packages were used). Many special products have been developed to give higher R-values with less thickness. On the other hand, some materials require a greater initial thickness to offset eventual settling or to ensure that you get the rated R-value under a range of temperature conditions.

Insulation Product Types
Some types of insulation require professional installation, and others you can install yourself. You should consider the several forms of insulation available, their R-values, and the thickness needed. The type of insulation you use will be determined by the nature of the spaces in the house that you plan to insulate. For example, since you cannot conveniently "pour" insulation into an overhead space, blankets, spray-foam, board products, or reflective systems are used between the joists of an unfinished basement ceiling. The most economical way to fill closed cavities in finished walls is with blown-in insulation applied with pneumatic equipment or with sprayed-in-place foam insulation.
The different forms of insulation can be used together. For example, you can add batt or roll insulation over loose-fill insulation, or vice-versa. Usually, material of higher density (weight per unit volume) should not be placed on top of lower density insulation that is easily compressed. Doing so will reduce the thickness of the material underneath and thereby lower its R-value. There is one exception to this general rule: When attic temperatures drop below 0°F, some low-density, fiberglass, loose-fill insulation installations may allow air to circulate between the top of your ceiling and the attic, decreasing the effectiveness of the insulation. You can eliminate this air circulation by covering the low-density, loose-fill insulation with a blanket insulation product or with a higher density loose-fill insulation.
Blankets, in the form of batts or rolls, are flexible products made from mineral fibers, including fiberglass or rock wool. They are available in widths suited to standard spacings of wall studs and attic or floor joists. They must be hand-cut and trimmed to fit wherever the joist spacing is non-standard (such as near windows, doors, or corners), or where there are obstructions in the walls (such as wires, electrical outlet boxes, or pipes). Batts can be installed by homeowners or professionals. They are available with or without vapor-retarder facings. Batts with a special flame-resistant facing are available in various widths for basement walls where the insulation will be left exposed.
Blown-in loose-fill insulation includes cellulose, fiberglass, or rock wool in the form of loose fibers or fiber pellets that are blown using pneumatic equipment, usually by professional installers. This form of insulation can be used in wall cavities. It is also appropriate for unfinished attic floors, for irregularly shaped areas, and for filling in around obstructions.
In the open wall cavities of a new house, cellulose and fiberglass fibers can also be sprayed after mixing the fibers with an adhesive or foam to make them resistant to settling.
Foam insulation can be applied by a professional using special equipment to meter, mix, and spray the foam into place. Polyisocyanurate and polyurethane foam insulation can be produced in two forms: open-cell and closed-cell. In general, open-celled foam allows water vapor to move through the material more easily than closed-cell foam. However, open-celled foams usually have a lower R-value for a given thickness compared to closed-cell foams. So, some of the closed-cell foams are able to provide a greater R-value where space is limited.
Rigid insulation is made from fibrous materials or plastic foams and is produced in board-like forms and molded pipe coverings. These provide full coverage with few heat loss paths and are often able to provide a greater R-value where space is limited. Such boards may be faced with a reflective foil that reduces heat flow when next to an air space. Rigid insulation is often used for foundations and as an insulative wall sheathing.
Reflective insulation systems are fabricated from aluminum foils with a variety of backings such as kraft paper, plastic film, polyethylene bubbles, or cardboard. The resistance to heat flow depends on the heat flow direction, and this type of insulation is most effective in reducing downward heat flow. Reflective systems are typically located between roof rafters, floor joists, or wall studs. If a single reflective surface is used alone and faces an open space, such as an attic, it is called a radiant barrier.
Radiant barriers are installed in buildings to reduce summer heat gain and winter heat loss. In new buildings, you can select foil-faced wood products for your roof sheathing (installed with the foil facing down into the attic) or other locations to provide the radiant barrier as an integral part of the structure. For existing buildings, the radiant barrier is typically fastened across the bottom of joists, as shown in this drawing. All radiant barriers must have a low emittance (0.1 or less) and high reflectance (0.9 or more).

Adding Insulation to an Existing House (Smart Approaches)

[Where and How Much] [How Much Insulation Do I Already Have?] [Air Sealing] [Moisture Control and Ventilation] [Insulation Installation, the Retrofit Challenge]

Does your home need more insulation? Unless your home was constructed with special attention to energy efficiency, adding insulation will probably reduce your utility bills. Much of the existing housing stock in the United States was not insulated to the levels used today. Older homes are likely to use more energy than newer homes, leading to higher heating and air-conditioning bills.

Where and How Much
Adding more insulation where you already have some, such as in an attic, will save energy. You can save even greater amounts of energy if you install insulation into places in your home that have never been insulated. Figure 1 shows which building spaces should be insulated. These might include an uninsulated floor over a garage or crawlspace, or a wall that separates a room from the attic. Figure 3 can give you general guidance regarding the appropriate amount of insulation you should add to your home, and the rest of this page will provide more specific information.
A qualified home energy auditor will include an insulation check as a routine part of an energy audit. For information about home energy audits, call your local utility company. State energy offices are another valuable resource for information. An energy audit of your house will identify the amount of insulation you have and need, and will likely recommend other improvements as well. If you don't have someone inspect your home, you'll need to find out how much insulation you already have.

After you find out how much you have, you can use the ZipCode tool to find out how much you should add. This recommendation balances future utility bill savings against the current cost of installing insulation. So the amount of insulation you need depends on your climate and heating fuel(gas, oil, electricity), and whether or not you have an air conditioner. The program is called the ZipCode because it includes weather and cost information for local regions defined by the first three digits of each postal service zip code. The program also allows you to define your own local costs and to input certain facts about your house to improve the accuracy of the recommendations. However, some personal computer security systems won't allow Java programs to run properly. The recommended R-values table can be helpful in those cases, because it will provide recommendations based on insulation and energy costs for your local area.

 
Look into your attic. We start with the attic because it is usually easy to add insulation to an attic. This table will help you figure out what kind of insulation you have and what its R-value is.

Look into your walls. It is difficult to add insulation to existing walls unless:
  • You are planning to add new siding to your house, or
  • You plan to finish unfinished space (like a basement or bonus room).
If so, you need to know whether the exterior walls are already insulated or not. One method is to use an electrical outlet on the wall, but first be sure to turn off the power to the outlet. Then remove the cover plate and shine a flashlight into the crack around the outlet box. You should be able to see whether or not insulation is in the wall. Also, you should check separate outlets on the first and second floor, and in old and new parts of the house, because wall insulation in one wall doesn't necessarily mean that it's everywhere in the house. An alternative to checking through electrical outlets is to remove and then replace a small section of the exterior siding.

Look under your floors. Look at the underside of any floor over an unheated space like a garage, basement, or crawlspace. Inspect and measure the thickness of any insulation you find there. It will most likely be a fiberglass batt, so multiply the thickness in inches by 3.2 to find out the R-value (or the R-value might be visible on a product label). If the insulation is a foam board or sprayed-on foam, use any visible label information or multiply the thickness in inches by 5 to estimate the R-value.

Look at your ductwork. Don't overlook another area in your home where energy can be saved - the ductwork of the heating and air- conditioning system. If the ducts of your heating or air-conditioning system run through unheated or uncooled spaces in your home, such as attic or crawlspaces, then the ducts should be insulated. First check the ductwork for air leaks. Repair leaking joints first with mechanical fasteners, then seal any remaining leaks with water-soluble mastic and embedded fiber glass mesh. Never use gray cloth duct tape because it degrades, cracks, and loses its bond with age. If a joint has to be accessible for future maintenance, use pressure- or heat-sensitive aluminum foil tape. Then wrap the ducts with duct wrap insulation of R-6 with a vapor retarder facing on the outer side. All joints where sections of insulation meet should have overlapped facings and be tightly sealed with fiber glass tape; but avoid compressing the insulation, thus reducing its thickness and R-value.

Return air ducts are often located inside the heated portion of the house where they don't need to be insulated, but they should still be sealed off from air passageways that connect to unheated areas. Drywall- to-ductwork connections should be inspected because they are often poor (or nonexistent) and lead to unwanted air flows through wall cavities. If the return air ducts are located in an unconditioned part of the building, they should be insulated.

Look at your pipes. If water pipes run through unheated or uncooled spaces in your home, such as attic or crawlspaces, then the pipes should be insulated.

 
Air sealing is important, not only because drafts are uncomfortable, but also because air leaks carry both moisture and energy, usually in the direction you don't want. For example, air leaks can carry hot humid outdoor air into your house in the summer, or can carry warm moist air from a bathroom into the attic in the winter.

Most homeowners are aware that air leaks into and out of their houses through small openings around doors and window frames and through fireplaces and chimneys. Air also enters the living space from other unheated parts of the house, such as attics, basements, or crawlspaces. The air travels through:
  • any openings or cracks where two walls meet, where the wall meets the ceiling, or near interior door frames;
  • gaps around electrical outlets, switch boxes, and recessed fixtures;
  • gaps behind recessed cabinets, and furred or false ceilings such as kitchen or bathroom soffits;
  • gaps around attic access hatches and pull-down stairs;
  • behind bath tubs and shower stall units;
  • through floor cavities of finished attics adjacent to unconditioned attic spaces;
  • utiltity chaseways for ducts, etc., and
  • plumbing and electrical wiring penetrations.
These leaks between the living space and other parts of the house are often much greater than the obvious leaks around windows and doors. Since many of these leakage paths are driven by the tendency for warm air to rise and cool air to fall, the attic is often the best place to stop them. It's important to stop these leaks before adding attic insulation because the insulation may hide them and make them less accessible. Usually, the attic insulation itself will not stop these leaks and you won't save as much as you expect because of the air flowing through or around the insulation. There are many fact sheets that will help you stop these air leaks:
Moisture Control and Ventilation
We talk about moisture control in an insulation fact sheet because wet insulation doesn't work well. Also, insulation is an important part of your building envelope system, and all parts of that system must work together to keep moisture from causing damage to the structure or being health hazards to the occupants. For example, mold and mildew grow in moist areas, causing allergic reactions and damaging buildings.
When Is Moisture a Problem?


When moist air touches a cold surface, some of the moisture may leave the air and condense, or become liquid. If moisture condenses inside a wall, or in your attic, you will not be able to see the water, but it can cause a number of problems. Adding insulation can either cause or cure a moisture problem. When you insulate a wall, you change the temperature inside the wall. That can mean that a surface inside the wall, such as the sheathing behind your siding, will be much colder in the winter than it was before you insulated. This cold surface could become a place where water vapor traveling through the wall condenses and leads to trouble. The same thing can happen within your attic or under your house. On the other hand, the new temperature profile could prevent condensation and help keep your walls or attic drier than they would have been.
Four Things You Can Do to Avoid Moisture Problems:

1. Control liquid water. Rain coming through a wall, especially a basement or crawlspace wall, may be less apparent than a roof leak, especially if it is a relatively small leak and the water remains inside the wall cavity. Stop all rain-water paths into your home by:
  • making sure your roof is in good condition,
  • caulking around all your windows and doors, and
  • keeping your gutters clean - and be sure the gutter drainage flows away from your house.
  • If you replace your gutters, choose larger gutters and gutter guards to help keep rain from dripping onto the ground near the house.
Be sure that the condensate from your air conditioner is properly drained away from your house. You should also be careful that watering systems for your lawn or flower beds do not spray water on the side of your house or saturate the ground near the house. It is also a good idea to check the caulking around your tub or shower to make sure that water is not leaking into your walls or floors. You can place thick plastic sheets on the floor of your crawlspace to keep any moisture in the ground from getting into the crawlspace air, and then into your house.

2. Ventilate. You need to ventilate your home because you and your family generate moisture when you cook, shower, do laundry, and even when you breathe. More than 99% of the water used to water plants eventually enters the air. If you use an unvented natural gas, propane, or kerosene space heater, all the products of combustion, including water vapor, are exhausted directly into your living space. This water vapor can add 5 to 15 gallons of water per day to the air inside your home. If your clothes dryer is not vented to the outside, or if the outdoor vent is closed off or clogged, all that moisture will enter your living space. Just by breathing and perspiring, a typical family adds about 3 gallons of water per day to their indoor air. You especially need to vent your kitchen and bathrooms. Be sure that these vents go directly outside, and not to your attic, where the moisture can cause problems. Remember that a vent does not work unless you turn it on; so if you have a vent you are not using because it is too noisy, replace it with a quieter model. If your attic is ventilated, it is important that you never cover or block attic vents with insulation. Take care to prevent loose-fill insulation from clogging attic vents by using baffles or rafter vents. When you think about venting to remove moisture, you should also think about where the replacement air will come from, and how it will get into your house. When natural ventilation has been sharply reduced with extra air-sealing efforts, it may be necessary to provide fresh air ventilation to avoid build-up of stale air and indoor air pollutants. Special air-to-air heat exchangers, or heat- recovery ventilators, are available for this purpose. For more information about controlled ventilation, see the Whole-House Ventilation Systems Technology Fact Sheet.

3. Stop Air Leaks. It is very important to seal up all air-leakage paths between your living spaces and other parts of your building structure. Measurements have shown that air leaking into walls and attics carries significant amounts of moisture. Remember that if any air is leaking through electrical outlets or around plumbing connections into your wall cavities, moisture is carried along the same path. The same holds true for air moving through any leaks between your home and the attic, crawlspace, or garage. Even very small leaks in duct work can carry large amounts of moisture, because the airflow in your ducts is much greater than other airflows in your home. This is especially a problem if your ducts travel through a crawlspace or attic, so be sure to seal these ducts properly (and keep them sealed!). Return ducts are even more likely to be leaky, because they often involve joints between drywall and ductwork that may be poorly sealed, or even not sealed at all.

4. Plan a moisture escape path. Typical attic ventilation arrangements are one example of a planned escape path for moisture that has traveled from your home's interior into the attic space. Cold air almost always contains less water than hot air, so diffusion usually carries moisture from a warm place to a cold place. You can let moisture escape from a wall cavity to the dry outdoors during the winter, or to the dry indoors during the summer, by avoiding the use of vinyl wall coverings or low-perm paint. You can also use a dehumidifier to reduce moisture levels in your home, but it will increase your energy use and you must be sure to keep it clean to avoid mold growth. If you use a humidifier for comfort during the winter months, be sure that there are no closed-off rooms where the humidity level is too high.
Insulation Installation, the Retrofit Challenges


Whether you install the insulation yourself or have it done by a contractor, it is a good idea to educate yourself about proper installation methods because an improper installation can reduce your energy savings.
Also, if your house is very old, you may want to have an electrician check to see if:
  • the electrical insulation on your wiring is degraded,
  • the wires are overloaded, or
  • knob and tube wiring was used (often found in homes built before 1940).
If any of these wiring situations exists in your house, it may be hazardous to add thermal insulation within a closed cavity around the wires because that could cause the wires to overheat. THIS IS FOR FIRE SAFETY. The National Electric Code forbids the installation of loose, rolled, or foam-in-place insulation around knob and tube wiring. Adding thermal insulation to the ceiling or walls of a mobile home is complex and usually requires installation by specialists.

If adding insulation over existing insulation, do NOT use a vapor barrier between the two layers!


Attics
On unfinished attic floors, work from the perimeter toward the attic door. Be careful about where you step in the attic. Walk only on the joists so that you won't fall through the drywall ceiling. You may need to place walking boards across the tops of the joists to make the job easier. Remember that it is important to seal up air leaks between your living space and the attic before adding insulation in your attic.
Installing batts and rolls in attics is fairly easy, but doing it right is very important. Use unfaced batts, especially if reinsulating over existing insulation. If there is not any insulation in your attic, fit the insulation between the joists. If the existing insulation is near or above the top of the joists, it is a good idea to place the new batts perpendicular to the old ones because that will help to cover the tops of the joists themselves and reduce thermal bridging through the frame. Also, be sure to insulate the trap or access door. Although the area of the door is small, an uninsulated attic door will reduce energy savings substantially.

In some houses, it is easier to get complete coverage of the attic floor with blown-in loose-fill insulation. It is best to hire an insulation contractor for this job. Loose-fill insulation must be prevented from shifting into vents or from contacting heat-producing equipment (such as recessed lighting fixtures). Block off those areas with baffles or retainers to hold the loose-fill insulation in place.
When you stack new insulation on top of existing attic insulation, the existing insulation is compressed a small amount. This will slightly decrease the R-value of the existing insulation. This effect is most important if the new insulation is more dense than the old insulation. You can compensate for this stacking effect and achieve the desired total R-value by adding about one extra inch of insulation if the old insulation is fiber glass, or about 1/2 inch if the old insulation is rock wool or cellulose.
Reflective Systems are installed in a manner similar to placing batts and blankets. Proper installation is very important if the insulation is to be effective. Study and follow the manufacturer's instructions. Often, reflective insulation materials have flanges that are to be stapled to joists. Since reflective foil will conduct electricity, avoid making contact with any bare electrical wiring.

Radiant barriers may be installed in attics in several configurations. The radiant barrier is most often attached near the roof, to the bottom surface of the attic truss chords or to the rafter framing. Do not lay a radiant barrier on top of your insulation or on the attic floor because it will soon be covered with dust and will not work. A separate DOE fact sheet is available for radiant barriers to show which parts of the country are most likely to benefit from this type of system.

If your attic has NO insulation, you may decide to insulate the underside of the roof instead of the attic floor. (This option is more often used in new houses and is described in Design Option: ATTIC VENTILATION OR A CATHEDRALIZED ATTIC). If you choose the cathedralized attic approach, all attic vents must be sealed. Spray-foam is then often used to insulate the underside of the roof sheathing. If batts are used for this purpose, they must be secured in a manner similar to that described below for insulating under floors. It is best to hire an insulation contractor with experience in this type of installation for this job.

Walls
Installing insulation in the cavity of exterior walls is difficult. However, when new siding is to be installed, it is a good idea to consider adding thermal insulation under the new siding. The Retrofit Best Practices Guide provides useful information about adding insulation when you remodel the outside of your house. It usually requires the services of a contractor who has special equipment for blowing loose-fill insulation into the cavity through small holes cut through the sidewall, which later are closed. It is sometimes feasible to install rigid insulation on the outdoor side of masonry sidewalls such as concrete block or poured concrete. However, if that is not an option, you can use rigid insulation boards or batts to insulate the interior of masonry walls. To install boards, wood furring strips should be fastened to the wall first. These strips provide a nailing base for attaching interior finishes over the insulation. Fire safety codes require that a gypsum board finish, at least 1/2 inch thick, be placed over plastic foam insulation. The gypsum board must be attached to the wood furring strips or underlying masonry using nails or screws.
The first-floor band joist may be accessible from the basement or crawlspace. Make sure it is properly insulated as shown in Figure 1. More detailed drawings and insulation techniques for the band joist are shown in the Wall Insulation Technology Fact Sheet.
Basement Walls
When using batt or rigid insulation to insulate the inside of concrete basement walls, it is necessary to attach wood furring strips to the walls by nailing or bonding, or to build an interior stud-wall assembly on which the interior finish can be attached after the insulation is installed. The cavity created by the added framing should be thick enough for the desired insulation R-value.

The kraft paper or standard foil vapor retarder facings on many blanket insulation products must be covered with gypsum or interior paneling because of fire considerations. Some blanket products are available without these facings or with a special flame resistant facing (labeled FS25 - or flame spread index 25) for places where the facing would not be covered. Sometimes the flame-resistant cover can be purchased separately from the insulation. Also, there are special fiber glass blanket products available for basement walls that require less framing and can be left exposed. These blankets have a flame-resistant facing and are labeled to show that they comply with ASTM C 665, Type II, Class A.



Floors and Crawlspaces
If you have a floor over a crawlspace, you can EITHER:
  • Insulate the underside of the floor and ventilate the crawlspace, OR
  • Leave the floor uninsulated and insulate the walls of an unventilated crawlspace.
When batts or rolls are used on the underside of a floor above an unheated crawlspace or basement, fit the insulation between the beams or joists and push it up against the floor overhead as securely as possible without excessive compaction of the insulation. The insulation can be held in place, either by tacking chicken wire (poultry netting) to the edges of the joist, or with snap-in wire holders. Batts and rolls must be cut and fit around cross-bracing between floor joists or any other obstructions. Strips of insulation may be cut off and stuffed into tight spaces by hand. Don't forget to place insulation against the perimeter that rests on the sill plate. If you insulate above an unheated crawlspace or basement, you will also need to insulate any ducts or pipes running through this space. Otherwise, pipes could freeze and burst during cold weather.

Reflective Systems are installed in a manner similar to placing batts. Proper installation is very important if the insulation is to be effective. Study and follow the manufacturer's instructions. Often, reflective insulation materials have flanges that are to be stapled to floor joists. Since reflective foil will conduct electricity, one must avoid making contact with any bare electrical wiring.

Spray-foam can be used to insulate the underside of a floor. The spray foam can do a good job of filling in the space around wires and other obstructions and in filling any oddly-shaped areas. It is best to hire an insulation contractor with experience in this type of installation.

When a fiberglass blanket is used to insulate the walls of an unventilated crawlspace, it is sometimes necessary to attach wood furring strips to the walls by nailing or bonding. The insulation can then be stapled or tacked into place. Alternatively, the insulation can be fastened to the sill plate and draped down the wall. You should continue the insulation over the floor of the crawl space for about two feet on top of the required ground vapor retarder. Because the insulation will be exposed, be sure to use either an unfaced product or one with the appropriate flame spread rating. When rigid foam insulation boards are used to insulate the walls of an unventilated crawlspace, they can be bonded to the wall using recommended adhesives. Because the insulation will be exposed, be sure to check the local fire codes and the flame-spread rating of the insulation product. If you live in an area prone to termite damage, check with a pest control professional to see if you need to provide for termite inspections.

 Article Provided by: http://www.ornl.gov/sci/roofs+walls/insulation/ins_06.html
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