Weatherizing My Brownstone
I’m wondering if anyone has experience with weatherization (not windows, we’ve done that) but insulating roofs and other areas (what are they)? I’d love to know what you did, if it’s helped lower heating bills, what contractors you used and if you know if there is any government assistance available to help with this.
I’m wondering if anyone has experience with weatherization (not windows, we’ve done that) but insulating roofs and other areas (what are they)? I’d love to know what you did, if it’s helped lower heating bills, what contractors you used and if you know if there is any government assistance available to help with this.
How To Reduce Your Energy Bills / Energy Conservation Begins at Home
Imagine leaving a window open all winter long — the heat loss, cold drafts and wasted energy! If your home has a folding attic stair, a whole house fan or AC Return, a fireplace or a clothes dryer, that may be just what is occurring in your home every day.
These often overlooked sources of energy loss and air leakage can cause heat and AC to pour out and the outside air to rush in — costing you higher energy bills.
But what can you do about the four largest “holes†in your home — the folding attic stair, the whole house fan or AC return, the fireplace, and the clothes dryer?
To learn more visit http://www.batticdoor.com
Mark D. Tyrol is a Professional Engineer specializing in cause and origin of construction defects. He developed several residential energy conservation products including an attic stair cover and an attic access door. Battic Door is the US distributor of the fireplace plug.
Watch out for the blown in insulation it does settle
Definitely look into roof insulation and take advantage of the Energy Tax Credits the gov’t is offering (Form 5695).
get a Bilco insulated hatch, which I did to replace the rickety plywood hatch with gaps I had in my roof.
Recommend to the underside of your roof with Rockwool (Roxul.com), the big advantage besides being recycled is that this stuff doesn’t burn…fiberglass and cellulose burn like crazy or have to be treated with a nasty chemical.
Of course it is better to install batts instead of having it blown in because blown in will always settle over time. But of course this would require a lot of the plaster/sheetrock to come down.
You can also blow in insulation behind you plaster and lath if the plaster is not applied directly to the brick on your facade.
Two follows ups:
1) our tenants live on the top floor and have a separate boiler for heating – would roof insultation help us on the bottom two floors or just the top unit?
2) we have an extention that is freezing – any good ideas for wall insulation without having to open up the walls?
I think its some sort of synthetic (non cellulose) that Federal uses, can’t remeber. They did it in the winter and you notice a difference almost immediately.
Some people believe that roof vents are not necessary after insulating but I disagree. The only application where you don’t need a roof vent is where you would do spray foam directly against the underside of the roof.
Vents for heat control in large attics are a different story. The vents I speak of moderate the levels of moisture/heat which is deleterious to the integrity of the roofing material.
I’ve been looking into this, too. There is a Weatherization Assitance Program (call Energy Conservation Services 718-492-8580) but it is for low income families. NY state guideline is that a family of 4 make no more than $25,000 per year in order to qualify. There are also, however, Federal Tax Credits given for energy efficiency costs that are good until the end of 2010 and cap out at $1500 total per household. You can go to http://www.energystar.gov and type in “summary of tax credits for homeowners”. Under insulation, for example, you can qualify for a tax credit of 30% of the total cost, up to $1500 if you use a certified installer. Be sure to read ALL the fine print.
DIBS – what kind of blown-in did you do: fiberglass or rock wool or ?
Roof insulation is about $2.00 psf blown in. federal Conservation did mine but others have used some less expensive places. Search the Forum through Insulation posts
roof insulation is very important (warm air moves up)
check all doors for draft. Especially attic door and the roof hatch. check skylight draft.
Check basement windows/doors/other places of draft.
tune up furnace/radiators
check the thermostat settings
Just consider yourself lucky – brick townhouse much better then detached frame house.