Insulation – Part 1
Posted on | March 27, 2009 | No Comments
With the Obama Administration’s increased focus on energy conservation, we turn our attention to some of the more easily achievable strategies we hear being bandied about.
Well, the lowest of the low-hanging fruit is the insulation and weatherization of our homes and buildings. Simple enough, right? It’s achievable, measurable, not terribly complicated and it’s a potential project even individuals and families can tackle.
Well, for starters, what exactly is insulation?
Insulation can be defined as the materials used to reduce the rate of heat transfer which is added to buildings for comfort and energy efficiency. Essentially, the covering or surrounding of something to reduce to passage of heat and in the case of one’s home, preventing the passage of warm air from indoors to outdoors (or vice versa depending on the season or if you’re in Phoenix).
How exactly does insulation work? Generally, most building insulators work by trapping air and impeding airflow, because still air tends to be a pretty poor conductor of heat. So, materials that are fibrous and cellular – i.e. foam, batting, etc. – tend to be effective building insulators because they’re able to trap air between their fibers, thereby reducing thermal conductivity.
How do we measure insulation? The measure of a material’s thermal resistance is its R-value. The higher its R-value, the more effective its insulating properties. Generally, you can obtain a higher R-value by using a thicker insulating material.
What are different types of insulation? Cellulose, fiberglass, polystyrene, and polyurethane are some common materials used in building insulation.
So, how then, should we go about insulating or weatherizing our homes and buildings? Is there a general approach we should follow? Well, there’s actually a pretty good model for how we should insulate buildings, one that we all know quite well – us. The same basic approach to keeping oneself warm on a cold winter day can be applied to our homes.
Because warm air is lighter than cooler air, heat rises, causing it to escape from the top.
1. Just as a nice warm hat is key to keeping your head warm; in the case of your home this means a well-insulated roof with an insulated and vented attic. Insulation levels for roofs are often 2x to 3x that of exterior walls or foundation walls, typically in the mid to high R-30s (we’ll explain what this means later).
If you’re insulating the attic retroactively, (since in most old homes this space isn’t insulated or is poorly insulated), you’ll want to consider whether you have a flat or gable roof, whether or not you have access to the attic and whether or not you should vent the space after you insulate. These questions can be easily answered by a weatherization contractor or an architect who specializes in this work. If you live in NY State, click here to find an approved Home Performance Contractor and to take advantage of NYSERDA’s weatherization incentives (more about this in a future strategy).
An important aspect to attic insulation is air sealing to make a continuous insulation barrier otherwise all you are really doing is building a very expensive air filter.
2. Next, you’ll want to insulate the exterior walls or what we in the construction biz call the building envelope. Be sure to consider the glazing, or window areas, when thinking about the thermal performance of an exterior wall. Windows can be a source of significant amounts of heat gain and loss (more about this also in a future strategy).
3. As for the foundation walls, the heat lost (or gained) through the basement tends to be fairly minimal if the walls are unexposed and completely below grade. However, having some insulation at the foundation wall, along with a vapor barrier will help keep basements dry and mold-free.
Other insulation opportunities include:
- Insulate the hot water pipes leading from your hot water heater.
- Insulate your hot water heater (only if it feels hot at the top, otherwise, it’s probably already well-insulated)
Congratulations for reading this far about insulation. If you still haven’t had enough, click here to see more about our ongoing efforts to insulate our little brooklyn house.
Stay tuned for Insulation Part 2 – Actual case studies, costs and payback.
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About
Established in 1999, Ellen Honigstock Architect PC is a full-service architecture and energy auditing firm based in DUMBO, Brooklyn.
Our solutions are environmentally conscious and the criteria we use are based on national standards developed to bring long-term saving, efficiency and well-being to our clients. Over 35 years combined experience building in New York City gives us an edge in meeting tough schedules and navigating the city's complicated requirements.
About Ellen:
As the Residential Green Building Advocate for the Urban Green Council since 2007, Ellen has been promoting sustainability in the residential marketplace in NYC.
In the position of Chair of the Homes Subcommittee the NYC Greening the Codes Task Force, Ellen has been heavily involved in recommending new green policy in NYC as related to updating building codes, rules and regulations.
Ellen teaches Building Science, Building Envelope, Water Conservation, Indoor Air Quality, Quantifying Energy and Green Building Plans at the 1,000 Green Supers program for The SEIU Local 32 BJ Thomas Shortman Training Fund.
Certifications:
Registered Architect, NY, NJ, CT
LEED Accredited Professional
BPI Certifications:
Building Analyst
Envelope
Energy Efficient Building Operator
Multi-Family Building Analyst
Ellen Honigstock, LEED AP
Ellen Honigstock Architect PC
45 Main Street #806
Brooklyn, NY 11201
(212) 228-1585
ellen@toeprintproject.com
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