Save Some Trees- Time for Pallet Recycling Program

Posted on May 5, 2012 by thomas

In our own business I am amazed at the amount of pallets we stockpile each month.  Orders of foam, insulation board, plastic vapor barrier, and even office supplies come in on these wooden platforms.  These sturdy, shipping workhorses show the stress of years of service.  Beaten but not broken, pallets can last years.  What an important role they play in our day to day supply needs.  Everything comes on a pallet, with no return program being offered by any major shipper.

Is there enough pallets in circulation already to meet today’s shipping needs?  All signs hint that an excess of shipping pallets exists. .  We try to recycle our pallets but find that we can not even give them away.  Landfills take in thousands each year and companies exist that grind pallets up for mulch or other “chip” wood needs.  Google things to make with pallets and you will see industrious humans using them for strawberry farms, compost piles, fencing, and even housing.

While we love to find other uses for our pallets, what about continuing to use them for what they were designed for?  If a small company like ours has an overflow of pallets, imagine what a supply large companies have.  What about FedEx and UPS?

It is time for companies to  join together to support a national pallet recycling program.  While wood is a renewable resource, it makes more sense to use it for constructing homes, churches, and schools.  How much of this precious resource is being used to construct something that we already have too many of in circulation?

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Doctor, Doctor Give me the News….

Posted on May 3, 2012 by thomas

DIY Foam- it can be done.  The following post is direct from a customer of the Home Energy Store.  The results are amazing.  Dr. Tim Taylor walks us through what it takes to complete an extensive foam job!

DIY Foam Kits

Thank-you for your assistance on my home energy efficiency project, which cut my electric bill in half, made my house incredibly quiet by blocking exterior noise and made my home interior temperature much more uniform.

Here is the project summary for my 1800 sq ft house:

Commonwealth Building Sciences energy audit:  $325.

caulk and weatherstripping for doors, windows, electric outlets, wall switchplates : $120

window solar film:  $400
single-component 16 oz spray cans for sealing pipe and wire penetrations of walls, ceilings, crawl space, floors: $80

two-component closed cell foam for sealing attic, crawl space, storage room:  $ 3354.67

energy auditor recheck after insulating and air sealing:  $75

Virginia Energy Efficiency Rebate: -$595

income tax: IRS Residential Energy Credit estimated:  -$400

 

TOTAL:  $3359.67

 

 

I put in about 80 hours of work, installing all the above materials myself.

My electric bill for the month before the project, July 2011, was $553.

My electric bill for the month after the project, August 2011, was $299.

Time to recover investment: about 1 1/2 years.

My advice to homeowners:

 

This project requires little skill.  The project requires time, concentration, attention to detail and willingness to sweat profusely in protective clothing.

Practice wearing the protective gear before working with the foams.  I had a lot of experience with protective gear in my medical work, home chemical use and winter sports, but you will find this gear hot and awkward unless you practice.

Before you suit up, be sure to use the toilet and then drink 24 ounces of water to prevent lost momentum due to potty breaks and dehydration.

Before you suit up, rub your entire body and your hair with bath oil to reduce the amount of spray foam that sticks to you.

Wear head sock, Tyvek suit, safety glasses, organic vapor-rated respirator mask, head lamp, gloves, socks, shoes you will discard after the project.

Put on a pair of shorts with pockets over the Tyvek suit so you can carry paper towels, spare spray nozzles, spare gloves, spare safety glasses.

After 2 hours of work, to avoid dehydration and heat exhaustion, you should strip off, shower, drink 24 ounces of water and cool down before suiting up again.

Wear a triple layer of latex disposable gloves so that when one glove gets a build-up of foam, tears or gets glued to something, you can quickly tear off the glove and have protection underneath it.

Buy spares of all protective gear.  The foams do not come off!  Buy several safety glasses so you can throw one away when it gets clouded by foam specks, then quickly put on a new pair.

Tyvek suits can be re-used many times and are machine washable.  Do not put them in the dryer. The suits shrink in the dryer.

After the project, immediatly take a shower, then sit down with a tall, cold drink and enjoy the quietness and uniformly comfortable temperature of your newly-sealed home.

Tim Taylor

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Foamed Attics Keep Out the Heat

Posted on April 14, 2012 by thomas

As summer approaches, our attic temperatures are beginning to rise.  Pull down your access and head into your attic on an 80 degree day and you will find attic temperatures often over 100 degrees.  This intense heat is hard on clothes, Christmas decorations, antiques, and especially candles.  It also is the most common space that your HVAC unit is placed in.  This creates a hostile environment for pumping cold air- adding strain on your unit, condensation on your duct work, and decreased comfort in your home,.  This “hot room” also conducts throughout the rest of your home, causing your HVAC system to run longer and drive utility bills up.

There is a system and solution to all of these hot attic issues.  By using Icynene Spray Foam on the underside of your roof deck, you raise the thermal barrier to fight the fight at the source.  The foam stops the majority of the radiant heat transfer that occurs in the attic.  This attic stays with in 12 degrees of the rest of the home, creating a friendly environment for storage and your HVAC system.  Natural duct leakage is no longer loss to the outside, meaning that you are semi-conditioning this space while your air conditioning is running.  By eliminating the “hot room” on top of your house, comfort is greatly increased in the rest of the home.  Utility bills are lowered as the unit runs less, less running means you also extend the life of your HVAC system.  Turn your attic into an energy efficient , comfortable, storage space- with spray foam you can do just that!

 

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Earth Day Begins At Home

Posted on April 5, 2012 by thomas

April 22 is Earth Day.  It is a time to celebrate the earth- all it means to us, how we should take care to preserve our most precious resource, and guide others on what they can do to ensure we take care of this gift God gave us.

All of us have different ideas on what it means to be earth-friendly.  Some are expert recyclers, some compost and practice organic gardening.  Some of us drive electric cars, ride bikes, or use public transportation.  Some of us have homes that are super energy efficient.

What ever you do to make a difference in this world- celebrate it this month.  Try to add an additional earth-friendly practice around your home.  Add a rain barrel, cook outdoors more often, change your lighting to CFLs or LEDs.  Not only will you see a decrease in your energy bills, you will be taking part in conserving our earth.  Every little bit helps!

 

 

 

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Composting- Nature’s Way of Recycling

Posted on March 17, 2012 by thomas

I am a new composter and organic gardener.  My family and I have embraced the idea because of the amount of food waste we are producing.  I can only imagine the amount of food that three boys will ultimately consume.

A kitchen compost caddy is the best way to get started.  You can keep this under the sink and put all applicable scraps into it after each meal.  Once it is full, take it to your backyard composting pile or barrel and mix it with your outside waste.  Be sure that your outside composting bin is in a sunny, level, well drained area.  As this waste breaks down, this extremely rich soil can be used to mix into flower and vegetable beds, placed into indoor plant containers or spread on new and existing lawns for fertilization. 

What you can compost:  Vegetable peelings, fruit waste, plant trimmings, leaves, grass, cardboard, coffee grounds and filters, eggshells

What you can not compost:  Meat, dairy products, dog/cat litter, weeds, diseased plants

Get committed to Eco-Gardening!  Composting piles and bins are a great way to reduce landfill waste.  There is no better soil you can create for your flowers and vegetables.  Nature’s way of recycling is fun for the entire family.  Give it a try today!

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Extreme Kneewall Makeover

Posted on March 3, 2012 by thomas

Cape Cod and other traditional American construction often have attic areas most commonly referred to as knee walls.  The actual knee wall is the short wall (normally 4 or 5 ft) that is between the living area and the attic.  You basically go outside the home once you enter this space, except for the roof that keeps you dry.  This harsh, outside climate is an unfriendly environment for duct work, water pipes, and stored contents.  It is also the culprit for a large part of the home’s air infiltration and energy loss.

There are two solutions to fixing theses areas- both involve spray foam. First spray the attic exterior walls(Gables) at both ends of the knee wall attic space areas.  Be sure to remove any flooring at the bottom plate so the exterior band can be covered with foam.   Both remedies also involve sealing the eave and spraying 6 to 8 inches of open cell foam on the slopes under the roof deck behind the kneewall.  The foam must cover the top plate and seal to the floor below.

If the slope above the knee wall has fiberglass insulation with a baffle or an air space, baffles should be put in the slopes you plan on spraying prior to foam application.  This will still allow air movement to flow to the fiberglass that is under the roof deck above the drywalled slope.  It will also help to ventilate the flat attic areas above the slopes.

If there is no insulation in the slope or it has been removed, foam can fill the entire slope.  You must be sure to completely fill the slope from behind the knee wall or access the attic to fill the slopes from the top.  Your flat attic areas must have other venting for air flow since you have eliminated the air from knee wall attics.  If that flat attic is accessible, you may consider unventing the attic completely by continuing the foam insulation to the ridge.  You must be able to complete the seal to the other side.

These knee wall attic areas can be transformed into great conditioned storage spaces.  It also extends the thermal boundary so the fight against hot and cold comfort issues is further away from the living area.  Your home’s energy efficiency will also be transformed, resulting in lower utility costs.

 

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Exterior Wall Insulation- Can it be done right?

Posted on February 18, 2012 by thomas

Drill and fill applications for exterior wall insulation is really a blind investment when it comes to properly air-sealing your home’s shell.  Creative Conservation Company Inc. recently removed the exterior of a home built in 1979 and used open cell spray foam to super insulate it.  The home is also getting new windows to replace rot and improve the energy efficiency of the envelope.  It was so evident of how much better a spray foam insulates and seals over a fiberglass batt.  Pipe holes were filled, corners insulated properly, and baseboard registers were sealed from behind.  The top and bottom of a bay window were even removed to properly seal that notorious energy and comfort feature.

Walls are least important when it comes to energy efficiency.  When it comes to comfort, they have moved up my list.  Feedback from the homeowner suggests better sound dampening, less drafty, and a more solid feel.  While any exterior wall insulation is better than none, a deep energy retro-fit should include total exterior shell removal, spray foam, shell replacement.  You will also leave knowing you gave the customer a super insulated exterior wall system.

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1st Things 1st- Vapor Barrier is Where You Start

Posted on January 28, 2012 by thomas

We are often asked when it comes to home energy efficiency, where one should start when analyzing their home.  Attic? Crawl Space? Windows?…..all important to saving energy.  But the answer is much simpler- you should start with a vapor barrier under your house!

95% of home maintenance issues are moisture related.  Moisture causes mold and mildew, wood rot, pest infiltration, and much more.  Often overlooked, the amount of water in the ground under your home can cause insulation to sag and fail, duct work to sweat and rust, and floor joists to crumble and rot. 

While ground vapor barriers have been an accepted practice for many years, the proper installation techniques have changed.  No longer is laying a 4mil poly over 80% of the ground acceptable.  100% coverage, sealed to the walls and piers, is now recognized as the proper way to install a vapor barrier under your home.  This “Sealed Poly” system should be at least 6 mil- many customers choosing to upgrade to 10 mil or greater.  A durable adhesive should be used when overlapping and sealing all joints in the poly system. 

The sealed poly system eliminates the majority of ground moisture located under your home.  The importance of a well insulated home can not be stressed enough.  However, when shopping for your energy efficient solutions, start with your vapor barrier.  It will add years to the life of your home, and help protect the investement you make in energy efficient upgrades.

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What is Home Energy Store?

Posted on January 7, 2012 by thomas

I am often asked, What is Home Energy Store?  The idea really started about 6 years ago- when talking with my dad I asked him if he thought a retail location for saving energy would work.  I really do not remember what he said, but I know he did not shoot the idea down.

Some twenty plus years ago, my mom and dad created The Energy Design Center.  It was an interactive display center built in our warehouse that featured open wall cavaties, vaulted ceilings, windows, and doors- all designed to show home builders and home buyers what upgraded choices were available for insulation systems.  Customers come to our location to see what their builder uses- or what they can use if they are building their own home.  It is still used today and is  a valuable sales tool.  It was the predecessor to Home Energy Store.

Home Energy Store’s mission statement is to provide practical energy-saving, earth-friendly, and conservation products and services with a focus on education, art, and environmental responsibility.  We want to assist home owners in designing the best insulation and conservation package for their home.  We also offer a full line of home decor products that are local, earth- friendly, natural and recycled.  We take energy conservation very serious.  We have success stories of providing 50% reduction in heating and cooling costs!

In my heart, I know the real reason that we created Home Energy Store was a tribute to my dad.  His vision, marketing savvy, and desire to “insulate anything” is the inspiration for Home Energy Store.  Our line of retail supports the message we are preaching, and keeps Tom’s daughter actively involved.  I asked my mom what she thought dad would think about Home Energy Store- he answer- “he would think we were crazy- but would love to be involved”.  That’s all I need to hear.

 

 

Posted in art, Ashland, conditioned crawl space, Insulation, Spray foam, Unvented Attics, Water conservation | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Blown Ceiling Perfection

Posted on December 10, 2011 by thomas

Let’s face it- I have been around the insulation business my entire life.  I have seen 10,000+  insulation jobs- some pretty unique. Mountain houses,beach houses, 20,000 sq ft mansions, art studios, wine cellars, beer storage,  Eiffel Tower (Kings Dominion, not France), train cars, warehouses, and every type of house you can imagine.  So, can I still get excited over a 1700 sq ft ranch blown ceiling installation?  You bet I can!

I have learned more about blown ceilings in the past 2 years…thanks to some common sense and a New Yorker named Guy Caroselli.  Guy runs the construction oversight program for LEAP- a local energy alliance program for Charlottesville, Virginia and surrounding areas.  He has thirty plus years in the weatherization industry in New York- I am sure he has seen some extreme efficiency issues in peoples’ homes. 

Adding blown insulation sounds pretty simple, and for the most part it is.  It is what takes place before that “over-blow” that matters.  In older homes, wire and pipe holes that penetrated the ceiling plane were not insulated.  Pull back the insulation, seal each penetration with can foam.  Can lights that protrude into the attic must have fire-rated boxes around them and insulation sealed up tight to the box.  It is important that the HVAC unit and walk way that leads to it be “walled in” so that proper insulation depth can come right up to it.  The attic access, or pull down stairs should have a foam dome or zipper insulation cover.   And most important- proper baffling.  Styro shoots should be stapled to the roof deck and extend outside the attic eave.  Unfaced batt insulation should then insulate the gap out to the eave and top wall plate, at the same time holding the baffle firmly into place.  This allows for the blown insulation to be spyaed all the way out to the edge of the home.  This is an area most exposed to the weather, a vital area to address in home energy efficiency. 

I was excited to visit our install crews on a home last week and see a blown ceiling done to perfection.  Their detailed work and professional approach left the customer with nothing but praises for his insulation job. 

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