Weatherization is the practice of using cost-effective strategies to modify a building to decrease energy usage and increase comfort. The broad approach of weatherization includes building envelope improvements, heating and cooling system strategies, electrical systems modification, and appliance upgrades.
The benefits of weatherization start with reducing monthly energy bills. From air sealing to insulation, strategies used in weatherization will benefit energy usage and comfort in the building for many years.
Spring is a great time to do an assessment of your home. This will provide you with a priority list of things to get done before next winter to help create the most healthy, energy-efficient, and durable home possible.
1. Water Management
Check your roofing for damage – repair or replace as needed
Check your gutter for proper slope and drainage
verify your rain tanks or splash blocks are still in place and functional
Spring is a great time to do an assessment of your home. This will provide you with a priority list of things to get done before next winter to help create the most healthy, energy-efficient, and durable home possible.
1. Water Management
Check your roofing for damage – repair or replace as needed
Check your gutter for proper slope and drainage
verify your rain tanks or splash blocks are still in place and functional
The snow is melting, the birds are chirping, and Spring is coming – it must be SVBA Home and Garden Show time! This year’s show in Harrisonburg has some great new additions including a plant sale, Canstruction, Education Sessions, and the Home Show Food Fest! Plan to attend this great event on April 11-12 at the Rockingham County Fair Grounds. All the fun activities from the past will return including a kid zone, Beer Garden, Classic Car Show, SPCA Adoption Event, and of course all the industry leading experts in the Home Construction industry.
Attend The Home Show And…
• Shop, compare and save. Ask exhibitors for show specials
• Save time by meeting a wide range of companies under one roof
• Discover new ideas and interesting products for your home
• Find the best resources in home improvement, landscaping, and design services
• Meet face to face and get a “feel” before you hire
• Get expert advice and learn from the pros
• Get inspired and excited about your home and the countless possibilities
The Education sessions include topics such as gardening, canning, herb gardening, soap making, native plants, purchasing a home, reverse mortgages, vegetable gardening, soapbox derby car construction, and beer making.
Green Terms Defined: Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV)
An ERV or Energy Recovery Ventilator is part of a balanced ventilation system that transfers water vapor and heat from one airstream to another. In a mixed humid climate, it works differently in the hot season and the cold season. In hot months, the ERV works to maintain the interior relative humidity of a structure as outside air is conditioned by the ERV entering the fresh air ventilation system. In cold months water vapor is captured from the outgoing air to humidify the incoming air.
An ERV or HRV (heat recovery ventilator) provides fresh air and improved climate control while reducing the energy requirement for heating and cooling a building.
Need a little more space? Finish your basement, but have a solid plan in place first. Here are 10 things to consider:
Figure out the code requirements that might impact your home. You have to meet egress, ventilation, heating and cooling, electrical, and permit requirements.
One of the biggest mistakes people make when finishing a basement is not taking measures to keep it dry. If your basement walls have any signs of moisture at all (and even if they dont) you should leave an air cavity behind the finished walls. This will allow space for the wall to dry out if water gets into the wall system.
When building a wall in the basement you need to install a seal sealer under the pressure treated wood plate in order to reduce the chance of mold growth or water issues.
The rim board is a huge air leak in most homes. Seal it with open cell spray foam. You should also insulate the walls to R-19 in the basement. This will make the space more comfortable and probably cut your energy usage.
Pick your ceiling type with thoughts of future renovations. If you will need to get to plumbing that is above head, leave an access. If there are a lot of access point, perhaps you want to consider an acoustic ceiling (I really don’t like this option).
A basement can be a dark spot in the house without proper lighting. Spend the money to get the appropriate number of lights installed with a nice color spectrum. After all you want to use the space don’t you. If at all possible, get natural light into the space through windows or if it is a walk out basement doors. If there is a bedroom, this is a code requirement.
If your house was not originally designed to have a finished basement, you need to get a qualified HVAC technician to look at your system. It is important to make sure the system can handle the additional finished space, remove unwanted humidity, and provide the appropriate amount of ventilation.
Test materials that might contain asbestos or lead. Removing these items can have serious health consequences to your family. You need to take specific cautions when working with these materials.
There is nothing worse than finishing a basement for your home theater space / sports hangout / man cave / gym to find out you cannot turn the television or music up after 9pm because it is below your kid’s bedroom. Make sure you add sound insulation measures into the design to create the kind of space you want and don’t create problems with the existing spaces in your home.
If you are adding a bathroom in the basement – first make sure your septic system will allow for it (gravity and size), next make sure you can provide the needed ventilation, and then figure out how to connect it to the existing plumbing system. It is not complicated to get it right, but it does take some planning.
