Category: Insulation

9 Ways to Increase Energy Efficiency in 2016 Part 1

Living in Arizona can be very demanding when it comes to energy use, especially during the extremely hot summer months. Running your AC unit constantly to keep your home comfortable and cool adds up and can lead to some pretty lofty power bills. Saving money can benefit everyone and the fact that becoming more energy efficient benefits the environment is a win-win for all. This blog entry is part 1 in a series of how to lower your energy use while maintaining the benefits of a comfortable home.

  1. Keep your power bills for records: Your energy bill is very detailed and offers you a plethora of beneficial information that can help you understand how much energy you use regularly as well as track the differences that occur from any changes you make. You will see how much electricity and gas you use over the course of the previous month and the year to date. You can file away your physical bills or save electronic records for future reference.
  2. Be open to changes in your lifestyle: Adjusting your energy use will inevitably involve making changes in your every day behaviors and habits. Keeping conscious about your energy use is going to be a lifestyle change in itself and that is only the mindset part. Actually putting new practices in motion will be new and unfamiliar at first, but once you adjust to your new way of living you will have a fatter wallet to accompany you.

 

These are important primer steps for the real changes that will be outlined next week in our next entry. Getting into the right mindset to make lifestyle changes is the most important step when it comes to making important changes stick. Come back next week and we will have more steps for you to take toward increased energy efficiency!

Achieving Proper Attic Insulation

During the summer months attics are traditionally viewed as a sweat boxes sitting above our ceilings. Attics can have extremely high temperatures when they are not shielded with proper insulation. Your attic doesn’t have to be an elevated oven every summer, however. If you have an audit performed by a professional energy efficiency consultant, the deficiencies in your attics insulation will be documented and pointed out. The auditor will also suggest ways that you can address the inefficiencies and present various solutions for you to consider.

One area they may find to be an inefficiency is having your soffits covered by insulation material. The reason this is a problem is because it restricts air flow in and out of your attic, in effect trapping the hot air in your attic and keeping it in a static state. This will definitely cause your attic to heat up to extreme temperatures as hot air compounds on hot air. This steady rise in temperature can damage your belongings by melting certain components or causing contents of canisters etc to expand, possibly to the point of explosion. This will make your home exponentially harder to cool during the summer months and your attic will be unbearable to spend any time in. People utilize attics for different reasons, some of which involve large stretches of time spent on the top level of your home.

Installing baffles is a great way to help ventilate your attic. Baffles are vent chutes that promote the flow of air through your attic, helping to circulate the air which keeps it cooler. This will also help prevent the growth of mold. If moisture exists in an environment with static, warm air, mold can begin to grow. If you have an unchecked mold growth occurring in your attic, you are at risk for several mold related health issues. Experiencing a mold bloom can not only damage your immune system, it can damage your home to the point where the property value drops or even having the home itself condemned.

An attic ventilation fan can do a lot to help avoid mold problems and circulate the air in your attic. If baffles or any other ventilation measures are installed, their effect the circulation of air in your attic will be augmented, which will lead to an attic that is exponentially cooler during the summer months when it is usually unbearable to pay your attic a visit.

The Pros of Foam Insulation

One of the areas that need to be considered when building or renovating a home is the type of insulation that is going to be used in order to keep exterior air and noise pollution from entering your home. There are many forms of insulation available on the market today and they bring differing benefits along with their own level of insulation efficiency. This blog entry is going to cover foam insulation and what it brings to the table.  Foam insulation is easily installed and performs its task very efficiently.

Efficiency

Foam insulation is extremely efficient and comes out on top when compared to fiberglass insulation. Keeping the air temperature in your house consistent is easily done when a home is equipped with foam insulation; it’s great at keeping the temperature controlled air inside your home.  The reason that foam insulation is so efficient is because it is blown into the open spaces between walls etc and expands which allows it to fill every nook and opening.

Easy Installation

The application of foam insulation is very conducive to quick and easy installation. This is especially true in already existing homes. With most forms of insulation you have to have a lot more access to the spaces that require insulation in order to upgrade. Foam insulation is blown into the open spaces, which means it only requires minimal access in order to fully insulate your home or facility.

Save Money Over the Long Haul

The upfront cost of foam insulation is going to be higher than most forms of insulation, however you will save money over the long haul as your reduced energy bills accumulate.  The ease of installation will also help you save on labor costs. If you are going to re-insulated, it is much easier to remove foam insulation as well.

Barrier Insulation Earns Esteemed 2015 Angie’s List Super Service Award

angies-list-award-insulation-contractor-phoenix

Award reflects company’s consistently high level of customer service

Barrier Insulation, Inc has earned the service industry’s coveted Angie’s List Super Service Award, reflecting an exemplary year of service provided to members of the local services marketplace and consumer review site in 2015.

“Only about 5 percent of the insulation companies in Phoenix, AZ have performed so consistently well enough to earn our Super Service Award,” said Angie’s List Founder Angie Hicks. “It’s a really high standard.”

Angie’s List Super Service Award 2015 winners have met strict eligibility requirements, which include an “A” rating in overall grade, recent grade, and review period grade; the company must be in good standing with Angie’s List, pass a background check and abide by Angie’s List operational guidelines.

Service company ratings are updated daily on Angie’s List. Companies are graded on an A through F scale in areas ranging from price to professionalism to punctuality.

Angie’s List helps facilitate happy transactions between more than three million consumers nationwide and its collection of highly rated service providers in more than 720 categories of service, ranging from home improvement to health care. Built on a foundation of more than 10 million verified reviews of local service, Angie’s List connects consumers directly to its online marketplace of services from member-reviewed providers, and offers unique tools and support designed to improve the local service experience for both consumers and service professionals.

 

Energy Efficiency During the Winter

Are you searching for ways to improve your Energy Efficiency During the Winter? This post is meant to help keep your costs down during the colder months.  Winter time is here and we are experiencing an abnormally cold winter here in the Valley of the Sun. Getting your home prepared to stay warm and energetically efficient throughout the season can do a lot to keep you and your family comfortable as well as saving you money on your monthly energy bill. We are going to go over various ways that you can winterize your home and stay cozy until the inevitable triple digit temperatures return in a few months.

Heating System Inspection

Have your heating system inspected and maintained as soon as you can. Keeping your heating system in top shape will allow it to perform efficiently which will keep your home warm while also reducing the wear and tear you system will incur because it will not have to work as hard to produce the desired result.

Close The Vents

Make sure your foundation vents are closed. Your vents should honestly be closed by the time winter rolls around because it is advised that the vents are closed in the Fall and reopened in the Spring, but life happens and sometimes we overlook things. Make sure to check that your vents are closed as the season changes.

Check Door & Window Seals

Check your windows and doors and make sure they are in good condition and properly sealed. Unfit doors and windows are notorious for letting in cold winter air and will drastically compromise the energy efficiency of your home. That is a lose-lose situation. Checking on the seals and having them repaired if necessary is just as important as keeping the windows and doors themselves in good condition.

Inspect Attic & Home Insulation

Make sure your attic is properly insulated. It is easy to lose the heat in your home as it rises through the attic, which will cause a severe drop in energy efficiency. Investing in insulation for your attic will keep you warm and save you money.  Your attic insulation is a major key in keeping your home comfortable and energy efficient, but you should not neglect the rest of the home.  Crawl spaces, walls, and air leaks can greatly impact the energy efficiency of your home.