Being worry with heating and electric bill, this year I have done several things to lower the bill: 1) re-insulated the attic with additional layer of insulation, 2) installed attic vent and 3) put attic tent for attic ladder. All this I did by myself with help of my friend. I spent total around $500 for materials - $350 for insulation, $100 for gable vent and $50 for wood frame and cover for attic ladder door. My investment already lowers cooling bill this summer. As due to heating oil price now is above $4 vs $2.65/gallon last winter, I still expect that I will pay more for this winter, but I hope that I will consume less oil to heat my house. You can find all information googling. Here I posted some blogs that would give you ideas and food for thought.
Looking to save energy in your home? Start with proper ventilation
Posted by By Alison L. Ketcham
One of the keys to keeping your home cool during the summer is making sure there’s proper ventilation in the attic. Temperatures there can climb to sweltering heights and make the rest of the house tougher to regulate.
“Sometimes if it’s 90 degrees outside and 130 in the attic, it makes everything work harder,” said Jamey Russell, a home inspector with Amerispec Home Inspection Services. When the sun beats down on a rooftop, and attic air has no effective way of circulating, it can readily climb much higher than the outside temp.
Fortunately, in new construction, most houses are equipped with attic vents that allow cooler air in and hotter air out. But Russell said he has inspected older homes that didn’t have vents, and the heat was unbearable.
“It’s been in the 140 to 150 range,” he said. “You get into July and August and you’ll see some like that. And that’s usually one that doesn’t have ventilation - older homes.
“All the newer homes are required to have something per that municipality.”
If you’re adding vents to an existing house or selecting them for a house you’re building, here are some of the choices:
Ridge vents - Situated at the highest possible peak on the roof decking, these slits allow the hottest air to escape as it rises.
Gable vents - These decorative vents, which also serve as exterior accents, often are positioned on the front of a house under the pitch of a roof. They operate much like a ridge vent, but also can be equipped with a thermostat control vent attached behind.
Stationary roof vents - Located near the peak of a roof, these vents are usually louvered to keep rain out. Like ridge vents, they allow an escape route for rising hot air.
Thermostat control vents - Looking somewhat like mushrooms on top of a roof, these vents are equipped with a motor and a fan to pump the hot air out of the attic. Cooler air is pulled in through soffit vents under the eaves of the roof.
Turbine vents - These spinning vents are propelled by wind and pull heat from the attic when the wind is blowing, but don’t when it’s not.
Russell said he would choose a thermostat control vent if he were building a house, because although it is a little more expensive up front, it would operate much more efficiently.
“It keeps the air circulating in the attic, and that will extend the life of the roof, because it keeps the heat from building up behind the shingles,” he said. “You’re not looking at a huge difference for the life of the home.”
Keller Williams Realtor Juanita Anderton said energy efficiency isn’t a topic that homebuyers often ask her about in houses they are viewing. But when they do, she sets her sights on getting them an answer.
“Anything they can tell me about the house that is energy efficient I will tell my buyer,” Anderton said. “Anything that will save them money absolutely I will tell them.”
How to Save Energy - Insulate Your Attic.
Heat always flows from warmer spaces to colder spaces, and that’s why you should insulate your attic. Good insulation keeps the heated air in your living area during the winter and prevents the hot air directly under your roof from migrating into your home during the summer. With poor insulation in the attic, your furnace and your air conditioner have to work harder. Follow these steps to insulate your attic.
Things You’ll Need:
- Fiberglass batt insulation
- Dust mask, eye goggles, work gloves and hard hat
- Utility knife
- Baffles
- Plastic sheets
- Straight edge
- Stapler
- Tape measure
Understanding Insulation
Step1
Know the ratings system. Insulation is rated by R-value (resistance to heat flow), and the higher the R-value, the more resistant insulation is to heat flow. Choose a higher R-value for better insulation.
Step2
Research material options. R-values depend on the type of material itself as well as the thickness and density of the material. Common insulation choices for an attic are fiberglass batts or blankets or blown/loose-fill insulation (either fiberglass or cellulose). Fiberglass has an R-value of about 3 per inch, while cellulose has an R-value of about 4 per inch.
Step3
Check for air flow and adequate ventilation, a requirement for insulating an attic. Keep the insulation material over the living area of your home, and leave the soffit vents clear so air can circulate under your roof.
Insulating Your Attic With Fiberglass
Step1
Climb into your attic and measure how thick the insulation is. Calculate the current R-value based on that thickness. In northern states, it’s recommended that attics have an R-value of 39, but any extra insulation will help improve your home’s energy efficiency.
Step2
Determine the size of the area you want to cover to calculate how much insulation you need.
Step3
Fasten baffles in the areas where you don’t want insulation to go. Baffles permit air to flow freely–for example, where roof rafters join with ceiling joints over the soffits.
Step4
If your attic doesn’t have any insulation now, install a vapor barrier first. Lay a sheet of 6 mil plastic between the floor joists and staple the plastic to the joists to hold it in place. Overlap the edges of the plastic to form a continuous layer that covers the area to be insulated.
Step5
Install insulation at the end of the attic away from your attic access. Measure and cut the fiberglass and tuck it firmly in between the ceiling joists. Don’t compact the insulation (that will decrease its insulating capability), just lay it in place.
Step6
Continue to cut and lay pieces in between the joists. Do not cover any lights or electrical fixtures that come through the ceiling. Also keep the insulation 3 to 4 inches away from any heating pipes.
Step7
Add a second layer of insulation to double your R-value. Lay it at right angles to the first layer.
Prevent heat leaking out by attic tent (by ABC Handyman Plus)
The Attic Tent is a specially engineered, patented insulator designed to create an air transfer barrier between your attic and living areas. It is a practical and economical solution to a problem that has existed since homes were first built with overhead attic entries. That problem is wasted energy through and around the attic door and stairs.
Through the years, homeowners who have been aware of this air transfer/loss have attempted to remedy it by placing insulation around the attic door opening. Unfortunately, this technique doesn’t provide an air tight barrier, therefore, little reduction in the amount of air loss is achieved.
The Attic Tent creates an air tight barrier, and it also keeps blown insulation up in the attic where it belongs, not on your floor, each time you open your attic stair door.
How much money will I save?
The amount of money you will save will vary depending on the severity of your climate. The Attic Tent has been proven to reduce air transfer by at least 71%. That’s less energy used to heat or cool your living area being lost into the attic. (Our new improved installation method for the Attic Tent should provide even greater savings in reducing air loss/ transfer than stated.) The Attic Tent should pay for itself in one year!
What is it made out of?
The patented Attic Tent consists of a durable shell, made of a space age synthetic casing. This high-tech material is adhered to 1/2 inch thick micro-fiber urethane insulation. It is lightweight, ultra-thin and ultra-effective.
How do I get in and out of my attic?
The Attic Tent is designed with non-corrosive, heavy-duty zippers that allow easy access to our attic while keeping harmful insulation and dust particles in the attic. This improves indoor air quality and keeps the insulation off your floors.
Does it have an R-Value?
The Attic Tent materials have been calculated to a 3.2 R-value. It is designed to be an air transfer barrier between your attic and your living area. This is the same principle behind storm doors and windows. Tucker Engineering calculated monthly savings based on a conservative 32 degree differential in temperature between the attic and living space, for both hot and cold seasons. After installing an Attic Tent, the actual R-value should increase (applied R-value) when including the attic stair door and empty space between the door and the Tent.
