Energy-efficient Retrofits & Weatherization
What is an Energy-Efficient Retrofit?
The Stack Effect
This image illustrates the manner in which air enters, travels through, and exits most homes, the stack effect. Much like a chimney, cold air enters from lower building levels pushing warm air up and out the top of the structure. Locating and sealing those entry and exit points will save you money.
Thermal Boundary
The thermal boundary of a home is the area of the structure which is meant to keep warm air in during the winter, and cool air in during the summer. Air sealing, and effective insulation are the makeup of your homes thermal boundary.
Air-sealing Your Home's Hidden Bypasses
Air-sealing is a very important, often overlooked aspect of a building's overall energy efficiency. With our diagnostic equipment we can find your home's significant air leaks, and the hidden ones which can cause a lot of energy loss. Wasted energy equals wasted money. Air-sealing can be the most cost-effective energy-efficient retrofit done to your home.
Attic Insulation
A combination of airsealing, and properly applied insulation will save you money year after year. Remember, most contractors and insulators do not air seal, and many not only use inferior insulation, but also install it improperly.
If you are going to invest your money insulating and tightening up your home, you want it done right.
By definition an Energy-efficient retrofit is any improvement made to an existing structure which provides an increase in the overall energy efficiency of the building, or home.
The following are examples of energy-efficient retrofits which we perform: air-sealing your building's thermal boundary, installing dense-pack cellulose insulation, loose-fill cellulose insulation, high-density spray urethane foam insulation, and foundation insulation; perimeter drain installation and grade repairs; installing basement vapor barriers; installing replacement windows and doors; sizing and installing proper ventilation, etc...
What is air-sealing, and why is it important?
Air-sealing is simply closing holes, cracks, and gaps where air passes into or out of your home. On hot and cold days, you pay money to operate an air-conditioner, boiler or furnace to maintain a comfortable temperature in your home. A house that leaks air costs more to heat or cool because your heating or cooling system must work longer to "condition" the air. Sitting by such leaks, creates an uncomfortable sensation because the room feels hotter or colder. Sealing air leaks will allow you maintain your home at a comfortable temperature year-round, and help lower energy bills.
The biggest holes are most often found in the attic and basement. These air leaks communicate with other parts of the building assembly in hidden and sometimes unexpected ways. Sprayfoam, dense-packed cellulose, caulking, and weather-stripping are the most common materials used for air sealing.
Most homes are not well air-sealed, even new ones.
At Sustainable Structures, we use our state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment, building science training, and building expertise to not only find the problem areas in your home, but to fix them. Furthermore, we conduct a "test-out" procedure (similar to the initial evaluation process) to verify the success of the energy-efficient retrofit.
