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Insulation is the most practical and cost-effective way to make a house more energy efficient. Insulation keeps a home cool during summer and warm during winter. Insulating and air sealing can lower annual energy bills by up to 10 percent.

Insulating and air sealing can save energy throughout your home. Here’s how:

Attic Insulation
Air naturally moves upward through your house from ground to sky. As this happens, conditioned air is drawn through the roof and out of the home. Increasing attic efficiency prevents air you’ve already paid to cool or heat from leaving your home.

Basement and Crawl Space Insulation
Today’s building science proves that what’s beneath your home affects the comfort inside your home. As your home naturally breathes, air is drawn up from the basement or crawl space and into the home’s interior. Therefore, the temperature and air quality in your crawl space or basement directly impacts your home’s comfort. Insulating and air sealing your basement or crawl space can improve your home’s comfort and help manage energy bills.

Air Sealing
A drafty home requires more energy to cool and heat. If your home has air leaks, interior air that’s been cooled or heated can escape through cracks and gaps around the building envelope. These air leaks also allow pollutants, moisture and pollen to enter your home. This impacts your family in many ways, in particular if you suffer from asthma or allergies, or have a family member who does.

Insulating and air sealing your home saves money on energy bills, keeps your home comfortable and can improve indoor air quality. To learn more about insulation and air sealing, contact our office to schedule an estimate.

When thinking of poor air quality, many of us don’t think about the indoor air we breathe throughout the day. In fact, most of the exposure we have to pollutants in the air is from indoor air we breathe. Indoor air is anywhere from two to five times more polluted than outdoor air. Indoor air pollutants can come from outside air infiltration that isn’t properly ventilated, materials used in the manufacturing of home furnishings, cleaning products and more.

When considering the significant amount of time we spend indoors, indoor air quality becomes even more important. The US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) estimates that the average person receives 72 percent of their chemical exposure at home.

There are many ways to improve your indoor air quality. Here are some tips:

• Reduce indoor chemicals – Choose low-emitting products that have been third party certified such as GREENGUARD. Many insulation products are GREENGUARD certified. Contact us to learn more about these products.
• Properly ventilate – An effective mechanical air system with good filtration can help remove polluted indoor air from the house.
• Seal air leaks – Sealing air leaks helps create a controlled indoor environment. This allows a qualified energy auditor to develop a ventilation plan to effectively maintain clean indoor air. Spray foam insulation effectively seals air leaks and insulates in on step.

Have questions about your home’s indoor air quality? Contact our office, our team is happy to help.

High heat and humidity can take a toll on our homes and our energy bills. Don’t let high temps take the fun out of summer and money out of your wallet. Here are five easy ways to save energy (and money) this summer.

• Run Your Fans. Keep your ceiling fans running to circulate conditioned air. This will create comfort without putting extra strain on your HVAC system.
• Vent It Out. If your home has a bath fan and/or a kitchen fan, run it! Running the bath fan after showers will help remove warm, humid air. Running the bath fan on a timer will help continually move stale, warm air out of the house. Running your kitchen fan will help remove warm air that results from cooking and pull out food odors (an added bonus).
• Seal Air Leaks. All homes have air leaks as a result of the construction process. Air leaks allow conditioned inside air to escape. You wouldn’t leave a window open when the air conditioning is running, would you? Not having your home air sealed has the same result. Having your home air sealed by a qualified contractor will help ensure the job is done right the first time.
• Adjust The Temp. Consider increasing the temp in your home and drawing curtains. Drawing curtains helps control indoor temps, and running ceiling fans can help make your home’s interior more comfortable.  Be sure your home has a programmable thermostat to automatically adjust your HVAC system when you aren’t home.
• Increase Attic Insulation. Many older homes don’t have enough attic insulation. Even newer homes may have attic insulation that does not meet current codes. Contact a qualified contractor to have insulation added to your attic. Increasing your attic insulation can save up to 30% on your energy bills!

Don’t wait for summer heat and humidity to arrive! Now is the time to make your home more energy efficient. Your wallet will thank you this summer (and all year round)!