Concrete block insulation is typically installed for new home construction or in homes undergoing major renovation. Since installation involves masonry skills, it’s best to have a certified cement mason do it. When using masonry blocks for a foundation wall, filling the block cores with high-pressure foam works better than most poured-in insulations, like polystyrene beads [...]
Posts Tagged ‘energy efficient’
Advantages and Disadvantages of Basement Insulation
In most cases, a basement with insulation installed in the exterior basement walls should be considered a conditioned space. Even in a house with an unconditioned basement, the basement is more connected to other living spaces than to the outside. This connection makes basement wall insulation preferable to insulating the basement ceiling. Compared to insulating [...]
Foundation Insulation
A properly insulated foundation can result in lower heating costs and more comfortable below-grade rooms, if you have any. It can also help prevent moisture problems, insect infestation, and radon infiltration in your home. In the United States, the most common types of foundations include the following: * Basements * Crawl spaces * Slab-on-grade floors. [...]
Attic Knee-Wall Door
A knee-wall is typically a partial height wall that is usually found in the upstairs level of finished-attic homes. These walls are notoriously leaky and often uninsulated. Knee-wall doors need to be weatherstripped. They also need a latch that pulls tightly against the weatherstripping and the frame to achieve a solid seal. Use construction adhesive [...]
Attic Insulation
Properly insulating and air sealing your attic will help reduce your energy bills. Attics are often one of the easiest places in a house to insulate, especially if you’d like to add insulation. Before insulating or deciding whether to add insulation to your attic, first see our information about adding insulation to an existing house [...]
Where to Insulate in a Home
For energy efficiency, your home should be properly insulated from the roof down to its foundation. This includes the following areas: * Attic spaces o Attic access doors to unfinished attics o Knee walls in finished attics * Ducts in unconditioned spaces * Cathedral ceilings * Exterior walls * Floors above unheated garages * Foundations [...]
Making Your Own Clean Electricity
Generating electricity using your own small renewable energy system fits the circumstances and values of some home and small-business owners. Although it takes time and money to research, buy, and maintain a system, many people enjoy the independence they gain and the knowledge that their actions are helping the environment. A renewable energy system can [...]
Reducing Your Electricity Use
There are many ways you can reduce electricity use in your home and help reduce your energy bills. Also, if you’re interested in using a small renewable energy system to make your own electricity, reducing your electricity loads will help make your system more cost effective. You can reduce electricity use in your home by [...]
Typical Wattages of Various Appliances
Here are some examples of the range of nameplate wattages for various household appliances: Aquarium = 50–1210 Watts Clock radio = 10 Coffee maker = 900–1200 Clothes washer = 350–500 Clothes dryer = 1800–5000 Dishwasher = 1200–2400 (using the drying feature greatly increases energy consumption) Dehumidifier = 785 Electric blanket- Single/Double = 60 / 100 [...]
Shopping for Energy-Efficient Appliances and Home Electronics
When it comes to shopping for and comparing energy-efficient appliances and home electronics, look for the EnergyGuide and ENERGY STAR® labels. EnergyGuide Label The Federal Trade Commission requires EnergyGuide labels on most home appliances (except for stove ranges and ovens), but not home electronics, such as computers, televisions, and home audio equipment. EnergyGuide labels provide [...]