by Charles Hendricks | Oct 15, 2016 | Building Science
The cold weather is coming! But you might already feel it if your house is cold every morning. Do you have to add a blanket on your bed this time of year because your house is always uncomfortable? Are you dreading the winter heating bills?
Making your home energy-efficient also improves comfort on these cold mornings. Your home is the most complicated machine you own. So where do you start? How do you fix it? As you can imagine, this is a topic I have written about a lot over the years. I found some blog posts in particular that touch on making your home more comfortable in the cool months and listed them below.
The summary is call me for a free energy audit. There are no strings attached. I come and test your home for air leakage and give you a list of things you can fix yourself and some names of people who you can call to help you fix them. I don’t get paid to do this service – I just want you to have the most energy-efficient and comfortable home as possible. If all architects and builders would design homes with building science in mind, this would not be a needed service, but they don’t. My payment for this service is showing you the value of building science knowledge and you telling your friends that need something designed about it. Consider it a marketing expense. I save you money and build my brand. Call to schedule your audit if you want to be more comfortable this winter. Read the blog posts below for more ideas on how to fix your home.
Typical home energy problems
8 steps to an energy-efficient home
Vented Attic Space
How much insulation do you need in your attic?
Add attic insulation to make your home more comfortable and energy-efficient
Proper insulation provides comfort and energy-efficiency in your basement renovation
Should you use spray foam insulation?
Find the air leaks by looking at the fiberglass insulation
Comfort issues caused by poor insulation
Thinking of building a custom energy-efficient home, where do you start?
Why does building science matter and why is if left out so often?
by Charles Hendricks | Oct 10, 2016 | Building Science, Green Building, green term defined, Indoor Air Quality
Is your crawl space working properly? In our area a crawl space is a popular feature in a home due to the sloping land. It is also a popular place for problems. From critters to wet insulation these spaces almost never perform as planned on paper. The idea that they will dry out when the air moves through them when our air is often includes over 50% humidity just doesn’t work. Here are some posts that might help you get your crawl space in order.
Your crawl space is impacting your home comfort.
Frozen pipes in your crawl space is a problem, but pipes that did not freeze might be a bigger problem.
Keep the critters out of your crawl space by encapsulating it.
Green term defined: Encapsulated Crawl Space.
Should you vent your crawl space?
Crawl Space moisture problems
by Charles Hendricks | Sep 22, 2016 | Building Science, Indoor Air Quality
It keeps coming back to me time and time again – the best value is found in higher quality solutions and not in low price. It seems to be true in every aspect of life – the best quality solution is almost never the lowest price. I am certainly not advocating for the highest price solution, as there is a balance to everything. Sometimes things cost more simply because they are new inventions, have more features, or because they have a particular brand name. That is not higher quality. Higher quality comes from long-term sustainability, durability, and functionality. Higher quality in the built environment is something that is energy-efficient, healthy, and durable. Higher quality reduces long-term costs and provides better solutions that are durable and comfortable.
The problems that occur with low price and low quality is often not evident on the surface. It might literally be below the floor surface. For instance, a floor vent’s supply run should be sealed to the sub-floor for the best quality solution, much like how a low-cost door handle will not be durable: It will need repeated maintenance and adjustment to allow it to function properly. A low-cost HVAC (heating, ventilation, and cooling system) solution is likely to impact indoor air quality, short cycle, and not keep the humidity at a comfortable level. A low-cost insulation strategy will increase energy usage. A low-cost flooring will not last and will require regular maintenance and probably replacement.The low-cost solution in almost every case increases long-term costs through maintenance and replacement costs.
So how do you determine the best value? It takes careful evaluation of the products used in buildings. An architect does continuous research to evaluate materials and to determine the best value solutions. An architect sets the performance standard for the construction.
When making decisions for your next building project, be sure to ask as many questions about quality of the solution as the price of the solution. The long-term costs (as little as 4-5 years) will almost always be less with the higher quality solution.
by Charles Hendricks | Sep 20, 2016 | Building Science, Indoor Air Quality
- Insulate and air seal the attic / roof – There should be a minimum of 12″ of insulation in your attic and all penetrations should be sealed to the conditioned space in your home
- Air Seal walls – stop losing energy through your walls and ducts, seal all cracks and material intersections
- Insulate the Basement walls and band boards not the floor above – gravity works against insulation in the floor above and defeats the purpose of the product
- Insulate walls and around all penetrations – any hole or penetration for wires, pipes, and vents should be sealed
- Replace and / or air seal around old windows – or simply add storm windows
- Replace HVAC systems that are outdated or failing – 15 years old and you will probably see a fairly fast payback on investment
- Replace appliances that are not energy star with energy star rated appliances
- Add renewable energy sources – solar thermal / solar PV
Why have an Energy Audit
An energy audit will allow you to better understand where to spend money to get the best return on investment. An energy audit is a test that can determine whether you house is air tight and if not where the holes are in the thermal envelope. For years we have heard, don’t make your house too tight – so tell me, why did you install all the windows, how big of a hole do you want left in your wall. Making a house air tight is not a negative; it will then allow you to control the fresh air intake of your home rather than filtering your makeup air through your attic insulation, your vented crawl space, or through your walls. An energy audit will give you the information to determine if you should replace your HVAC system, windows, and / or appliances. This is a test that every home owner should have in order to better understand their home and how they spend their money.
Did you know: The average new American home has a 28% duct leakage on a well installed and maintained heating and cooling system. That means you are probably wasting 28% of your money on each months electric bills.
Did you know: A vented crawl space or vented attic are not recommended in Virginia as it promotes bad indoor air quality and leads to higher energy bills?
Give us a call to schedule a basic energy audit today or call our friends at Building Knowledge for a complete energy audit assessment of all the systems in your home.
by Charles Hendricks | Mar 28, 2016 | Building Science, Green Building, green term defined, Indoor Air Quality
An energy audit is an inspection that looks at energy flow in a building. The objective of an audit is to identify things that can be modified to reduce energy usage and increase comfort and safety for the occupants of the building.
These audits usually involve a blower door that depressurizes a house or office and thermal imaging technology to see the thermal bridges and air leaks. The audit will also identify equipment, lights, and appliances that can be replaced or upgraded to reduce energy consumption.
There are common places that you can address without an audit to cut your energy loss.
- Caulk the gaps and cracks
- Seal the electrical outlets
- Seal your crawl space
- Add insulation in the attic
In Harrisonburg for homes that use electric heat, HEC provides free energy audits. This free audit is performed by me and is a very basic level audit that will identify a litany of items to improve. If you do not live in the city, or do not have electric heat ,or own a commercial project, or want a comprehensive audit, you should call Building Knowledge.
by Charles Hendricks | Feb 6, 2016 | architecture, Building Science, Indoor Air Quality
Should you use spray foam insulation on your next project? Common questions answered by Ken Wells from Elite Insulation
A common question we face on each job is which kind of insulation is right for the goals established. I asked Ken Wells to answer some of the common questions we face. Here are his responses:
Does spray foam insulation cause indoor air quality problems?
Any improperly installed insulation has the potential to cause or lead to indoor air quality issues. This is why it’s very important to choose your insulation contractor carefully, just as you would with any other contractor. There are also many other building products and home goods inside your home which have the potential to be the source of indoor air quality issues. Spray Polyurethane foam insulation utilizes diisocyanate, which isn’t scientifically detectable after 1 hour of when the foam ins applied. Installing spray foam requires a professional certification and proper equipment to install it. Properly installed spray foam insulation is an inert plastic and is just as safe as the plastic trash bag in your kitchen trash can.
How are R13 insulation different between fiberglass and foam?
Fiberglass works by trapping air inside tiny glass fibers that contain small bubbles of air, which slows the transfer of heat. It’s installed by folding, wrapping and cutting pieces to place in stud cavities. Human installation error coupled with the fact that fiberglass doesn’t hold in heat well and loses 40% of insulating capacity when outside temperatures are below 20° F make it an inferior product in comparison. Fiberglass has been laboratory tested to lose 8% of its labeled R-value right out of the bag, and has a 28% loss in R-value as commonly installed. Spray foam is sprayed by a certified spray foam applicator, expanding into all gaps, cracks and cavities and can adapt to any structural design, virtually eliminating human installation error. Most importantly, it’s an air barrier with excellent thermal properties for your home that seals warm and conditioned air in your home year round.
How much does it cost?
The up front costs for spray foam can be as much as three times the cost of conventional fibrous insulations, depending on your project. The benefits far out-weigh the difference in the up front costs. With spray foam insulation, you will be more comfortable in your home, which for most is their biggest investment. Utility bills are documented to be half as much or more with spray foam, which makes for a quick payback period.
For more questions answered, give them a call:
Elite Insulation (866-841-3034) offers:
Fiberglass Blown Insulation
Cellulose Blown Insulation
Fibergalss Batt Insulation (ask about our R-40 and R-49 Batted Insulation)
Cotton Batt Insulation
Spray Foam Insulation, Through PolyPro Spray Foam
Free, no obligation estimates
