Insulation
Types of Insulation, Filling Holes in Insulation, Choosing an Insulation Material, Wall Insulation, Floor Insulation, Insulating Pipes, Heat Duct Insulation, Infiltration Control

Saving Energy with Insulation
The furnace is running "full bore" and yet you feel a chill all the way down to your bones. There isn't a window open in the house, and the walls and ceilings are fully insulated. You simply can't figure out where the cold is coming from.

Well, if your home is 20 years old, or older, you may need to perform a little maintenance on your insulation. And the attic is the first place you should look. Believe it or not, most heat is lost through the ceiling -- 60 percent or more. Heat rises. Walls account for about 20 to 30 percent of the heat loss, with the rest escaping through the floor. Properly maintained insulation can significantly reduce this heat loss. Here's some topics you'll want to learn more about:

• Types of Insulation
  There are two basic kinds of insulation:
  • Loose-fill insulation: This kind of insulation is made out of small individual chunks of fibers. It is also known as "blown" insulation because it is installed with a blower, a giant vacuum cleaner that works in reverse.
  • Batt insulation: Insulative fibers are woven together to create a continuous blanket of material. Batt insulation is available in 16 and 24 inch wide rolls (or 8 foot strips) to fit standard spacing between ceiling and wall framing members. A paper or foil moisture barrier is glued to one side of this type of insulation. (We prefer not to use the foil-backed type because it tends to promote condensation that can result in mildew growth.)
  
  When installing batt insulation, always place the side with the backing toward the inside of the home. For example, with ceilings, the backing goes down, and for floors, the backing faces up.

• Filling Holes in Insulation
  Loose fill insulation can cause many problems -- especially in the attic. Powerful air currents are created in your attic as air enters through eave vents and exits through higher gable or ridge vents. Natural air currents can actually move loose fill insulation as if being swept by a broom, resulting in piles of insulation in some areas and none in others.

• Choosing an Insulation Material
  If you discover that you do need to repair, maintain, or upgrade the insulation in your home, you will find that there are several types of material that are available. You can choose from fiberglass, rock wool, or cellulose.

• Wall Insulation
  If mildew grows on the inside surface of your exterior walls, or if your exterior walls are sweating (you see excessive condensation), it may mean that there is no wall insulation or that the insulation has settled and compacted. In either case insulation should be added. When wall insulation is up to snuff, condensation doesn't occur as readily, diminishing the possibility of fungus growth. No condensed water means no fungus food, and therefore, no fungus growth.

• Floor Insulation
  An insulated floor substantially reduces the loss of heat, helps to eliminate mildew -- and rot -- causing condensation, and generally helps to keep your feet warm when you go barefoot through uncarpeted areas of your home.

  If you have hardwood floors, you should be especially interested in maintaining your floor insulation. We have seen instances where lack of floor insulation caused planks of hardwood flooring to twist, buckle, and curl.

  Periodically you should crawl beneath your home with a flashlight to check the condition of the floor insulation in your basement or subarea. You want to insure that it is properly positioned. Here, sagging is the biggest problem. Floor insulation is normally held in place (between the floor joist) with netting or bailing wire attached from one joist-bottom to another. If the insulation netting sags, it should be reattached or replaced. Nails hold better than staples but are hard to drive in tight spots. Staples are easier to install, but it may mean buying a tool. Construction-grade staple guns can be purchased at your local hardware store or home center.

  Lightning rods (named for their speedy installation) are a handy alternative to netting or bailing wire when maintaining sagging floor insulation. These lightweight, flexible steel rods hold the insulation in place by spring tension. You place one end of the rod against the side of a floor joist and bend it slightly so that the other end is forced into place against the face of the opposite joist. Use one hand to hold the insulation up and the other hand to whip the lightning rod into place. Lightning rods are available at hardware stores, home centers, and from insulation contractors.

• Insulating Pipes
  Putting insulation around all accessible water pipes saves energy, prevents freezing during most moderate to medium chills, and reduces condensation when pipes flow through attics and crawlspaces.

  Properly maintained pipe insulation can be cheap insurance. A pipe that bursts in the crawlspace is no joy to experience or repair, but it's bearable. A pipe that bursts in the attic is an altogether different story. An attic burst can literally destroy a substantial portion of your home before the leak is stopped.

  Be sure that the tape, which holds the insulation in place, is in good shape, and make sure the insulation is still in good condition, as well. If either the insulation or the tape crumbles to the touch, the material should be replaced. If the insulation is crumbling, removal requires nothing more than a gentle tug. With the insulation removed, all you have to do is slip a new piece in place.

  Pre-formed, tubular, foam pipe insulation is slit lengthwise to insure easy installation. All you have to do is open the slit and lay the insulation onto the pipe. Pipe insulation comes in 6-foot lengths and is easy to cut with scissors or a razor knife.

  If you live in an area where temperatures frequently reach below freezing, and you have installed pipe heaters (wire or tape), don't insulate these pipes without first getting the approval of the company that manufactures the pipe heaters. By the way, pipe heaters also deteriorate. If you see signs of deterioration or fraying, it may be time for replacement.

• Heat Duct Insulation
  As with other kinds of insulation, the material that surrounds your heat ducts reduces energy costs while improving the effectiveness of your central heating and cooling system. It also helps prevent unwanted condensation in attics and crawlspaces, thereby reducing the chance for mold, mildew, and the foul odors associated with them.

  Insulation is wrapped around and around the duct in a corkscrew fashion. Air currents, rodents, house movement, and vibration in the heating system can cause the insulation to loosen and fall away from the ducting. Reattaching or adjusting the insulation to cover the ducting is a good thing. While you're there, add an extra layer. It couldn't hurt.

  A nail can be "stitched" into insulation to hold it together. This is done in the same way that a seamstress uses a sewing pin to hold two pieces of fabric together.

  A thin layer of plastic, which acts as a vapor barrier, surrounds modern insulated heat ducts. The plastic prevents moisture from attacking the insulation and the ducting. Rodents, house movement, and sloppy workers can damage the thin plastic vapor barrier. Plastic sheeting (any kind) and metal tape can be used to fix the barrier.

  Metal tape looks like duct tape only shiny. Metal tape won't rot in moist areas where duct tape can. Actually, for small tears, just tape over the damaged area in the same way you would cover a cut with an adhesive bandage. For areas of larger damage, use a piece of plastic as a patch held in place with metal tape. The tape should seal all four sides of the patch.

• Infiltration Control
  Infiltration control refers to the control of air leaks through penetrations in ceilings, walls, and floors. Believe it or not, infiltration control is critically important to a proper insulation job. No matter how much insulation exists in your home, if major air leaks exist, your insulation won't work effectively.

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Windows and Screens
As beautiful as they are, windows aren't as energy efficient as insulated walls. Unfortunately, you can't see through a wall. Imagine your home with no windows -- it's probably not a place where you would want to live. Fortunately, you have a choice.

Here are a few maintenance suggestions for your windows that will make them more energy efficient, add longevity to their existence, and make them easier to operate. Here's some topics you'll want to learn more about:

• Caulking to Prevent Water Leaks
  Often water leaks at a window result from a breakdown in the connection between the frame of the window and the frame of the house. To prevent leaks, the window should be caulked where its frame meets the exterior siding. If the window is surrounded by wood trim, all gaps between the trim and the siding (and the trim and the window frame) should be sealed with a high-grade polyurethane caulk. Take special care to seal the top side of the top piece of trim. Puddling water at this location causes many window leaks.

• Preventing Leaks with Weather Stripping
  Leaks also occur when weather stripping wears out. You may have to remove the operable portion of the window to find the weather stripping:
  • Sliding windows: Open them half way and lift the window out of the bottom track. Then pull the window out of the opening bottom first.
  • Single hung windows: Usually, you just release a lever on the side track(s) of the window frame. Contact the manufacturer for specific instructions.
  
  After you remove the operable portion of the window, it becomes pretty obvious where the weather stripping is and how it will have to be replaced. Most home centers offer replacement weather stripping in peel-and-stick rolls. If you aren't sure about what to do, take the section that you removed to the store with you or photograph the area that needs attention.

  You may need an adhesive solvent to "unstick" the weather stripping. Adhesive solvent is available in spray cans for easy application. Adhesive remover can be pretty caustic stuff. Read the can to be sure that it won't damage your window frame.

  If you have metal or vinyl frame windows, check the drain holes at the outside edge of the bottom portion of the window frame. These holes exist whether a window slides sideways or up and down. During rains water can fill the track, leak to the inside of the home, and literally flood the area surrounding the window. Drain or "weep holes" allow water to escape from the frame thus preventing flooding. You can use a piece of wire, a pipe cleaner, a small screwdriver blade, or an ice pick to insure that the holes are clear and will drain freely.

• Stopping Air Leaks

• Preventing Condensation on Glass

• Frames and Sills

• Maintaining Storm Windows

• Replacing Window Film

• Maintaining Screens

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Doors and Hardware