If it is not an Ecobuilt™ Energy Efficient Home Your Energy Costs Are Going Through The Roof
“A chain is only as good as its weakest link” when restated for home energy conservation purposes is: A home’s energy efficiency and comfort is only as good as its’ Ecobuilt™ thermal package (building envelope). The thermal package is everything between you on the inside of your home and the outdoors which helps you to maintain the temperature you find most ideal or comfortable. The material most common to creating this resistance is known as insulation. Insulation is measured by its’ depth or thickness and is calculated to effectiveness by its resistance to temperature differences on either side of the insulation commonly referred to as the “R-Value”. The R-Value is described by a number where the higher the number the more resistance there is to transferring the temperature through the object. In this case the object is the home.
Let’s start with the top of the home which is the most important. In the winter, after a snow look to the roof tops to see how long the snow stays on the roof. If the snow clings to the roof the home is better insulated than the house whose roof has melted the snow off. You are looking for signs of a well insulated attic or roof. To determine if a home has a well insulated attic when it is not snowing go and check the attic to see if it has any insulation, how much and its’ condition. If the insulation is matted the R-Value, the amount of resistance is diminished. Check to see that all areas are covered verses just spotty applications. An attic that is only partially insulated is like going outside without a hat on a cold winter’s day.
Once the attic insulation is stopping the heat from rising naturally, the wall insulation is important to keep the temperature from radiating out the sides of the building. It is also important to have a tight wind barrier to keep the wind from taking the desired temperature from your home. Tight seams and caulking around windows and doors with the use of a wind barrier like Tyvek with the added thick insulation of R19 or more is very similar to putting on a heavy parka coat and drawing the hood tight to keep all the body heat in.
To make your Ecobuilt™ thermal package complete in your home you need good insulation around and under your conditioned space. We chose to insulate all our basement walls and the basement floor. This makes the structure like an old fashioned thermos bottle that will keep heat and cooling within the building for much longer times than those without this insulation. Also without good insulation around and under your conditioned space the heat or cold will be drawn into the ground and basement materials acting like a heat sink that is closer to the grounds natural temperature of approximately 40 to 50 degrees. This is not considered comfortable for humans.
Ventilation is a major consideration when a good Ecobuilt™ thermal package conditions the space. The tighter and more efficient the structure gets the more need there is for fresh air to prevent the possible build up of moisture from human living that has a tendency to cause a condition where molds and mildew will grow. Some of these molds can be very toxic and become life threatening if not addressed. Proper ventilation is also important in preventing the possible build up of radon.
A structure that conserves energy operates on the least amount of energy (i.e. natural gas, oil, propane or electricity, etc.) for the least amount of cost. In other words the cost of the furnace and the amount of the cost to run the furnace including maintenance are added together to figure out how much it is costing you to stay warm. The overall costs of one system are compared to another system’s costs to determine which has the least overall cost per year for the same results. Each system has its own advantages and disadvantages which must be personally chosen by the people living in the structure.
Energy conservation in a home starts with a good Ecobuilt™ thermal package because it works to maintain heat in the winter and coolness in the summer longer. So no matter what your preference is for the type of system you chose for heat or cooling if a home does not have an Ecobuilt™ thermal package your energy dollars are going out the walls, windows and doors, or through the roof.
We will address different characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages of various systems and procedures at a later time. Cost will be a variable in two specific areas: the installation of equipment and the operation over the equipment’s life expectancy including maintenance. We encourage you to stay tuned so you will be able to figure out what are the most cost effective options and ways to save on energy costs as the prices of energy continue to increase.
Copyright © 2006, by Dennis Maq & Siti M Crook The Energy Efficient Home Team™
Let’s start with the top of the home which is the most important. In the winter, after a snow look to the roof tops to see how long the snow stays on the roof. If the snow clings to the roof the home is better insulated than the house whose roof has melted the snow off. You are looking for signs of a well insulated attic or roof. To determine if a home has a well insulated attic when it is not snowing go and check the attic to see if it has any insulation, how much and its’ condition. If the insulation is matted the R-Value, the amount of resistance is diminished. Check to see that all areas are covered verses just spotty applications. An attic that is only partially insulated is like going outside without a hat on a cold winter’s day.
Once the attic insulation is stopping the heat from rising naturally, the wall insulation is important to keep the temperature from radiating out the sides of the building. It is also important to have a tight wind barrier to keep the wind from taking the desired temperature from your home. Tight seams and caulking around windows and doors with the use of a wind barrier like Tyvek with the added thick insulation of R19 or more is very similar to putting on a heavy parka coat and drawing the hood tight to keep all the body heat in.
To make your Ecobuilt™ thermal package complete in your home you need good insulation around and under your conditioned space. We chose to insulate all our basement walls and the basement floor. This makes the structure like an old fashioned thermos bottle that will keep heat and cooling within the building for much longer times than those without this insulation. Also without good insulation around and under your conditioned space the heat or cold will be drawn into the ground and basement materials acting like a heat sink that is closer to the grounds natural temperature of approximately 40 to 50 degrees. This is not considered comfortable for humans.
Ventilation is a major consideration when a good Ecobuilt™ thermal package conditions the space. The tighter and more efficient the structure gets the more need there is for fresh air to prevent the possible build up of moisture from human living that has a tendency to cause a condition where molds and mildew will grow. Some of these molds can be very toxic and become life threatening if not addressed. Proper ventilation is also important in preventing the possible build up of radon.
A structure that conserves energy operates on the least amount of energy (i.e. natural gas, oil, propane or electricity, etc.) for the least amount of cost. In other words the cost of the furnace and the amount of the cost to run the furnace including maintenance are added together to figure out how much it is costing you to stay warm. The overall costs of one system are compared to another system’s costs to determine which has the least overall cost per year for the same results. Each system has its own advantages and disadvantages which must be personally chosen by the people living in the structure.
Energy conservation in a home starts with a good Ecobuilt™ thermal package because it works to maintain heat in the winter and coolness in the summer longer. So no matter what your preference is for the type of system you chose for heat or cooling if a home does not have an Ecobuilt™ thermal package your energy dollars are going out the walls, windows and doors, or through the roof.
We will address different characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages of various systems and procedures at a later time. Cost will be a variable in two specific areas: the installation of equipment and the operation over the equipment’s life expectancy including maintenance. We encourage you to stay tuned so you will be able to figure out what are the most cost effective options and ways to save on energy costs as the prices of energy continue to increase.
Copyright © 2006, by Dennis Maq & Siti M Crook The Energy Efficient Home Team™
posted by Siti | 3:54 PM
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