Helpful tips to reduce energy consumption (part 2)

In the spirit of being green, we have put together a list of ways to minimize your energy consumption.

The following are reliable ways to assess where your energy leaks are:

Get a blower door test

A blower door is a diagnostic tool that measures the airtightness of a building and helps to locate air leakage sites.  It consists of a frame and flexible panel that fit in a doorway, a variable-speed fan, a pressure gauge to measure the pressure differences inside and outside the home, and an airflow manometer and hoses for measuring airflow.  Knowing the airtightness of a building is useful when trying to increase energy conservation, decrease indoor air pollution and controlling building pressures.

Walk-through energy audits

The best way to determine how to cut your energy costs is to audit your home’s current energy use.  A walk-through assessment is the easiest and least expensive means of identifying and evaluating energy use in your home.  An energy audit’s purpose is to identify places in the home where energy is being wasted and prioritize the projects needed to fix them.  The end result is intended to reduce the amount of energy the home needs to operate and keep occupants comfortable.  While the word “audit” may sound ominous, a home energy audit is just the first step in the process of lowering energy bills by making a home more efficient. 
If you own the home, there is a clearly defined benefit for your efforts.  Many have found that conducting a walk-through energy audit results in significant benefits not only in occupant comfort, but with new ways to save energy by identifying energy inefficiencies.  You’ll start saving money on your energy bills as soon and you identify and fix energy wasters.

Helpful tips to reduce energy consumption (part 1)

Are your electric bills outrageous?  Many Americans want to cut their energy costs in as many ways as possible.  We’ve put together a list of things you can do to help reduce your energy consumption and ease the strain on your pocket book.  Some are inexpensive.  Other options require investments in your home, but the pay off is nearly immediate.

Here is the first installment in a series of energy saving home improvements:

Air infiltration

One of the simplest ways to reduce utilities is by reducing outside air infiltration into your home.  In other words, take your mother’s advice and stop air conditioning the whole neighborhood!

Air infiltration is a bigger problem with older homes than newer ones.  New homes are usually built tighter.  There is not a lot of leakage from the inside out in a newer home.  Older homes, however, were built to different standards in a time when energy usage was less of a concern. 

What to do:  Visually inspect weather stripping, look for cracks and gaps where airtightness might be compromised.  Use an incense stick to check for drafts and air leaks around windows, doors, recessed lighting fixtures, and attic hatches.  Replace old weather stripping and seal the leaks.

Infrared thermal imaging
We know everyone works hard for their money and would like to keep that money from flowing out the doors and windows.  You may not realize how much of your hard earned income is doing just that.  We also know that you would like to reduce your energy bills in the winter months and then again, in the summer months.  A good place to start would be a professional, infrared home-energy efficiency inspection.  Our infrared thermal inspection will physically show you where you are wasting your hard earned energy dollars and can help us to offer you solutions to put an end to needless energy wasting.

Spray Foam Insulation

Did you know that 40% or more of your home’s energy loss is due to air leakage?

The walls in your home are the main structural component of the building.  In wood frame construction, the weight of the roof, shingles, standing rain water and snow can add weight and exert a downward force on the walls resulting in compression.

Strong winds and gusts from storms impose lateral forces on the walls of your home.  These forces can distort the walls with what is called a “shearing force.”

Building codes require that the walls of your home be designed to withstand these various forces and loads.  However, when walls are built to just the minimum standards, while still safe, symptoms of movement such as creaking and shaking during high winds or occupant usage can still occur.

Building envelopes with increased insulation levels are becoming standard practice.  Homebuyers are increasingly involved in the selection of building products used to construct their homes.  The rising cost of energy and the discomfort associated with allergies, asthma, mold and noise pollution have created a demand for products that exceed traditional insulation performance. 

For these reasons, there is no better home insulating material than Spray Foam Insulation (SPF).  SPF insulation can seal your home from air and moisture intrusion, save on costly utility bills, strengthen your home and can help protect your family’s health from dangerous molds.

Higher density, closed cell spray foam insulation inside your stud walls fully adheres to--and reinforces--both the exterior sheathing and the studs.  With this added support, there will be less wall movement due to wind, vibration and occupant activity.  Additionally, your walls have greater than code required resistance to “racking events” such as hurricanes, tornadoes and other strong wind situations.

SPF insulation plays multiple roles to improve the performance of the building envelope.  Spray foam technology expands 120 times its initial volume, sealing all voids, gaps and crevices.  SPF insulation is the perfect fit to fill cavities of any shape, provide and continuous, protective air barrier that practically eliminates air leakage.

Air moves in and out of a home through every hole, crack and seam, allowing one third of all air to seep into your home.  The Department of Energy reports that heating and cooling (space conditioning) account for 40-60% of the energy used in the average American home.  SPF open-cell insulation helps to maintain and comfortable indoor climate while using less energy.  The application eliminates unwanted air and heat exchange and decreases the amount of moist air that leaks through the house, reducing the adverse effects  of mold and mildew growth on the inside walls and ceilings.

Basic benefits of SPF insulation are:

Stops air and moisture infiltration

Makes your home more comfortable

Saves on energy costs

Adds strength to the building structure

It is permanent and will not sag

Keep dust and pollen out of your home

Eliminates ice damming

Improves air quality

Reduces capacity requirements, maintenance and wear of HVAC equipment

Meets all building codes

Construction Benefits:

HVAC equipment downsizing:  Installing SPF insulation to the room underside creates a semi-conditioned space for air handling units and ductwork to operate more efficiently.  Tightening the building envelope allows for HVAC equipment downsizing, which means savings for you!

Flexibility in framing:  High R-value allows for stud and rafter size reduction to increase living space.

Simple installation:  Eliminates steps for air barrier and vapor barrier installation where permitted by code.

Stand out from conventional homebuilders by adding Spray Foam insulation to your construction project.  To find out more information on spray foam applications, call Joel or Lowell at 918.610.7300.

Facts about geothermal systems

What is geothermal energy?  Geothermal energy is produced from heat stored in the earth and can be extracted and used to heat homes and to produce electricity.

How does it work?  Geothermal units use a system of loops buried deep in the ground that utilize the constant temperature of the ground to heat and cool your home through energy exchange.

In the colder months, the water in the underground loops absorbs heat from the earth and transfers it to the geothermal unit.  From there, it is compressed to a higher temperature and sent as warm air to heat your home.

In the summer, the process is reversed and the loop system siphons heat from your home through the loops and back into the earth.

How can a geothermal system help lower your energy costs?  “With home heating oil reaching $5.00 a gallon, it’s not uncommon for a family in the northern parts of the country to spend $4,000 or more heating their homes during the cold winter season. In the warmer southern areas, electricity bills of $300-$400 a month are not unusual as families battle the heat with inefficient air conditioning systems.”*

Geothermal energy does not use fossil fuels to operate and also uses very little electricity.  The dramatic decrease in electricity consumption can provide you with up to 55-70% savings on your heating and cooling bills.  In addition, a geothermal system produces hot water which can reduce your cost for hot water use up to 60%!

The life expectancy of a geothermal system is much longer (20-25 years) than a standard HVAC system (12-15 years) when properly maintained. While it may cost more on the initial installation, a geothermal system pays for itself in the first few years of operation with the energy savings you will accrue.

How much does a geothermal system cost?  The average cost of a geothermal system varies due to many factors.  However, there are federal and state tax credits (www.energy.gov/taxbreaks.htm) for those who purchase geothermal systems.

How long does it take for a geothermal system to pay for itself?  It all depends on how you are currently heating your home.  If you are using natural gas, it can take 5-10 years.  If you are using propane, that time is reduced to 2-5 years!

Call us for a quote on replacing your old system with a geothermal system. And be sure to ask us about financing options!

918.610.7300