Energy Saving Devices

Posts Tagged ‘insulation’

There are 5 simple ways to lower your water heating bills, try one or more of these energy-saving strategies:

1. Reduce your hot water use

Wash most your clothes in cold water;
install low-flow fixture;
purchase energy efficient washer and dish washer;
fix any faucet leaks.

2. Lower your water heating temperature

You don’t need any temperature higher than 120ºF.

3. Insulate your water heater tank

Use pre-cut blankets to insulating your storage water heater tank. The cost is less than $25.

4. Insulate hot water pipes

Use quality pipe insulation wrap, or neatly tape strips of fiberglass insulation around the pipes, especially within 3 feet of the water heater.

5. Install heat traps on a water heater tank
Heat traps allow water to flow into the water heater tank but prevent unwanted hot-water flow out of the tank. The cost is about $30-40.

Source: EERE

When we think of using the solar power, we automatically think about solar panels. But there are passive solar home design that can save you not only energy but also money.

A passive solar home design uses the fundamental law of heat moves from warmer materials to cooler ones. So a passive solar home distributes heat throughout the whole house.

Some materials store heat better than others. Masonry materials, such as concrete, stones, brick, and tile, are commonly used as thermal mass in passive solar homes.

Ventilation is the least expensive and most energy-efficient way to cool buildings. Ventilation works best when combined with methods to avoid heat buildup in your home. In some cases, natural ventilation will suffice for cooling, although it usually needs to be supplemented with spot ventilation, ceiling fans and window fans. For large homes, homeowners might want to investigate whole house fans.

Ventilation is ineffective in hot, humid climates where temperature swings between day and night are small. In these climates, attic ventilation can help to reduce your use of air conditioning. Ventilating your attic greatly reduces the amount of accumulated heat, which eventually works its way into the main part of your house. Ventilated attics are about 30°F (16°C) cooler than unventilated attics. Properly sized and placed louvers and roof vents help prevent moisture buildup and overheating in your attic.

Source: EERE

Before deciding on how to air seal your house, you need to understand how the air escapes. Air comes into and out of your home through every possible holes and cracks. You can find out your home’s air tightness by letting in smoke from a smoke pen placed outside of your windows and doors on a windy day.

Once you see where the air is coming and going, then you can decide a plan to caulk and seal the cracks and holes.

Make sure to caulk all the tiny cracks around plumbing, ducting, and wires.

If you only have single-pane windows, consider investing in double-pane ones.

Insulate your home when:

• You have an older home and haven’t added insulation. Only 20% of homes built before 1980 are well insulated.
• You are uncomfortably cold in the winter or hot in the summer—adding insulation creates a more uniform temperature and increases comfort.
• You build a new home, addition, or install new siding or roofing.
• You pay high energy bills.
• You are bothered by noise from outside—insulation muffles sound.

Source: EERE, U.S. Department of Energy

Checking your home’s insulation is one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to use a whole-house approach to reduce energy waste and make the most of your energy dollars. A good insulating system includes a combination of products and construction techniques that protect a home from outside hot or cold temperatures, protect it against air leaks, and control moisture. You can increase the comfort of your home while reducing your heating and cooling needs by investing in proper insulation and sealing air leaks.

Source: EERE, U.S. Department of Energy

When installing a slab foundation and insulating it, it’s also important to consider moisture and air leakage control, as well as termite control.

Termites can tunnel undetected through exterior slab insulation to gain access to the wood framing in a home’s walls. As a result, some insurance companies won’t guarantee homes with slab insulation against termites. Building codes in several southern U.S. states prohibit installing foam insulation in contact with the ground.

“Floating” slab foundations with interior insulation provide more termite resistance. However, some builders in the southeastern United States have reported termite infestations through foam insulation on contained slabs.

To help offset termite problems, follow these guidelines:

* Provide effective moisture control systems.
* Remove all wood from around the foundation before backfilling.
* Install termite shields continuously under the sill plate of the building. The shield should project beyond the sill plate and all other portions of the exterior wall. While not 100% effective, the termite shield may deter or delay widespread infestation. It may also force termites into an exposed area where they can be detected. A continuous layer of a membrane—such as rubberized roofing material used in commercial buildings—may be used as an alternative to the termite shield.
* Use a foam insulation treated with a termiticide. Usually a derivative of boric acid, the termiticide should pose no more threat to homeowners than traditional termite treatments.

You’ll also want to regularly inspect for termites. If you use a pest control company, obtain a good warranty for its work.

Source: EERE, U.S. Department of Energy

The International Energy Conservation Code Council (IECC) specifies both the R-value and minimum distance for the insulation from the top of the slab downward based on a locality’s Heating Degree Days (HDDs). Consult your local weather bureau for your area’s actual Heating Degree Days. Then use the table below to find the IECC’s recommended depth and R-value based on your Heating Degree Days.

Select and install insulation using these recommendations. Be sure to use only insulation approved for below-grade use.

Source: EERE, U.S. Department of Energy

1. During the early phases of construction, the builder should inform all subcontractors (plumbing, electrical, HVAC, etc.) that they need to keep the space between the floor joists as clear as possible. Run drain lines, electrical wiring, and ductwork below the bottom of the insulation so that a continuous layer of insulation can be installed. For freeze protection, supply plumbing may be located within the insulation. The best approach is to run supply plumbing together in a few joist spaces. The insulation can be split and run around the plumbing.
2. Seal all air leaks between the conditioned area of the home and the crawl space. High-priority leaks include holes around bathtub drains and other drain lines, plenums for ductwork, and penetrations for electrical wiring, plumbing, and ductwork (including duct boot connections at the floor).
3. Insulation batts with an attached vapor barrier are typically used to insulate framed floors. Obtain insulation with the proper width for the joist spacing of the floor being insulated. Complete coverage is essential. Leave no insulation voids. The batts should be installed flush against the subfloor to eliminate any gaps, which may serve as passageways for cold airflow between the insulation and subfloor. The batts also should be cut to the full length of the joist being insulated and slit to fit around wiring and plumbing.
4. Insulate the band joist area between the air ducts and the floor as space permits. Use insulation hangers (wire staves) spaced every 12-18 inches to hold the floor insulation in place without compressing the insulation more than 1 inch.
5. The orientation of the vapor barrier depends on the home’s location or climate. In most of the country, the vapor barrier should face upward. However, in certain regions of the Gulf states and other areas with mild winters and hot summers, it should face downward.
6. Insulate all ductwork in the crawl space.
7. Insulate all hot and cold water lines in the crawl space unless they are located within the insulation.
8. Close crawl space vents after ensuring that the crawl space and all the construction materials are dry.

For insulating truss floor systems, it’s better to install netting or foam board insulation to the underside of the floor trusses. Then, fill the space created between the netting or insulation and subfloor with loose-fill insulation.

Source: EERE, U.S. Department of Energy

1. Review plans for this method of foundation insulation with pest control and local building officials to ensure code compliance.

2. Eliminate or seal the foundation vents.

3. Ensure that combustion furnaces and water heaters located in the crawl space are sealed-combustion units equipped with a powered combustion system.

4. Seal all air leaks through the exterior wall during and after construction, including the band joist.

5. Locate the crawl space access inside the home or install an access through the perimeter that will remain airtight after repeated use.

6. Install rigid foam board or batt insulation—exterior foam, interior foam, or interior batt—to achieve complete insulation coverage. Insulate the band joist with batt insulation, as well as the crawl space access if it’s located in the wall.

7. Install a continuous termite shield between the band joist and masonry foundation wall that covers the wall insulation and extends completely outside (or leave a 2- to 4-inch insulation gap at the top for termite inspection).

8. Install a supply outlet in the crawl space, relying on the leakiness of the floor to provide the return air path.

Source: EERE, U.S. Department of Energy