Energy Efficient Retrofit

Energy efficient retrofit basically means any kind of improvement done to any of the existing structures which helps in providing an increase in the energy efficiency of either the home or the building.

Mentioned are a few examples for energy-efficient retrofits: sealing the thermal boundary of the building with air, installation of a cellulose insulation which is dense-pack, cellulose insulation which is kind of loose-fill, installation of a vapor barriers in the basement, installing windows and doors which can be replaced, proper ventilation to be seized and installed, etc.

Air sealing means just closing cracks, gaps and holes through which air moves into or outside the home. On days when it is either cold or hot we tend to pay to get an air-conditioner or boiler to maintain the temperature inside our house. A home that tends to leak air will take more time to cool or to heat as the cooling or heating system also needs to work for a longer time to condition all the air that is inside the house. Sealing these kinds of air leaks allows maintaining the overall temperature throughout the year keeps the house comfortable and also helps in reducing the energy bills.

The bigger sized holes are very commonly found around the basement and the attic. The air leaks most of the times communicate with all the other parts in the building assemblage which are at times hidden and sometimes in unexpected ways. The most commonly used materials for air sealing ar caulking, spray foam, weather-stripping and dense-packed cellulose. Most of the homes including the new ones are not always air-sealed.

Air- sealing though important, has been always overlooked feature of the building’s energy efficiency. With the diagnostic equipments today we can easily trace the major air-leaks as well as the hidden air-leaks which cause a huge amount of the energy loss. When energy is wasted it is equivalent to wasting money. The best cost-effective method for energy –efficient retrofit done to your house is Air-sealing.

The grouping of correctly applied insulation and air-sealing can definitely save a lot of money and energy in the coming years. In the air-sealing process one thing to be taken care of is that most of the contractors as well as insulators don’t air seal and don’t even use superior insulation. Also majority of the times insulation is not installed properly.

Hence if you are investing money for insulating as well as tightening make sure that you get it completed right.

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