Installing insulation can save up to 20 percent of your heating and cooling costs.
WHY SEAL AND INSULATE (home energy audit)

Sealing and insulating the "envelope" or "shell" of your home—its outer walls, ceiling, windows, doors, and floors—is often the most cost effective way to improve energy efficiency and comfort. A knowledgeable homeowner or skilled contractor can save up to 20% on heating and cooling costs (or up to 10% on total annual energy bills) by sealing and insulating.
Insulation To Seal and Insulate with ENERGY STAR:
• Seal air leaks throughout the home to stop drafts,
• Add insulation to block heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer, and
• Choose ENERGY STAR qualified windows when replacing.
• Warm air leaking into your home during the summer and out of your home during the winter wastes money. A handy homeowner can seal up holes to the outside by weatherstripping doors and sealing windows and other gaps along the home’s foundation. A combination of air sealing and adding insulation to attics, basements, and crawlspaces provides tremendous energy savings and increased comfort.

• The easiest and most cost-effective way to insulate your home is to add insulation in the attic. If you have less than 6 or 7 inches, you can probably benefit by adding more. Most U.S. homes should have between R-38 and R-49 attic insulation. In order to achieve this, many homeowners should add between R-19 to R-30 insulation (about 6 to 10 inches).

• Other effective places to add insulation include unfinished basement walls and crawlspaces. Insulating walls can be more complex, but it can be worthwhile to do if you have little or no insulation now. Check with a contractor for advice.

Effective air sealing, combined with the right amount of insulation, can make your home more comfortable and cut heating and cooling costs by up to 20%.

BENEFITS
• Lower utility bills, because your home uses less energy;
• Improved comfort, especially the summer and winter months;
• A quieter home, with less noise from outside;
• Fewer holes for pollen, dust, and insects to enter your home and affect indoor air quality; and
• Improved home durability, from reduced movement of moist air through the home envelope.

Properly Installed Insulation Improves Comfort While Saving Energy

Insulation is one of the keys to a comfortable, energy-efficient home. But simply having the right amount of insulation is not enough. If insulation is not properly installed, a home can have excessive heat gain during the summer and heat loss in the winter—forcing the heating and cooling systems to work overtime.
Properly installed insulation will completely blanket the home—exterior walls, ceiling, and floors—without gaps, voids, or compressions, and it will be in full contact with the interior air barrier (for example, drywall). Continuous sealing of the air barrier along the insulation is also critical to protecting against moisture damage that can be caused by warm air flow through the insulation to colder surfaces where it can condense. Expect ENERGY STAR qualified homes to have insulation that meets or exceeds the latest national code requirements, providing year-round comfort while reducing utility bills.

BENEFITS OF PROPERLY INSTALLED INSULATION

• Enhanced Comfort. Properly installed insulation minimizes temperature variability indoors and helps keep rooms warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.
• Lower Utility Bills. As much as half of the energy used in your home goes to heating and cooling. By preventing heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer, a properly installed insulation barrier reduces utility bills year round
• Improved Durability. When insulation is properly installed, the potential for condensation that can lead to decay of building materials is reduced, helping to improve the durability of your home.
• Better Resale Position. The improved comfort, lower utility bills, and improved durability of a properly installed insulation barrier can translate into higher resale value compared to less efficient homes. Many buyers request a home energy audit before signing a contract. This will assess energy efficiency of your home so the buyer can assess future energy use.

Information Provided by: UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY WASHINGTONDC 20460

Kitchen Countertops

Tax Credits for Consumers:
Home Improvements

Tax credits are now available for home improvements:

* must be "placed in service" from January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2010
* must be for taxpayer's principal residence
* $1,500 is the maximum total amount that can be claimed for all products placed in service in 2009 & 2010 for most home improvements, EXCEPT for geothermal heat pumps, solar water heaters, solar panels, fuel cells, and windmills which are not subject to this cap, and are in effect through 2016
* must have a Manufacturer Certification Statement3 to qualify
* for record keeping, save your receipts and the Manufacturer Certification Statement3
* improvements made in 2009 will be claimed on your 2009 taxes (filed by April 15, 2010) — use IRS Tax Form 5695 (2009 version) — it will be available late 2009 or early 2010
* If you are building a new home, you can qualify for the tax credit for geothermal heat pumps, photovoltaics, solar water heaters, small wind systems and fuel cells, but not the tax credits for windows, doors, insulation, roofs, HVAC, or non-solar water heaters.

There is a 30% tax credit (including labor and installation), with no upper limit, is available for consumers building new homes (through 2016) for:

* Photovoltaics
* Solar Water Heaters
* Geothermal Heat Pumps
* Small Wind Energy Systems
* Fuel Cells

To qualify for the fuel cell credit, the new home you are building must be planned as your principle residence. The credit for photovoltaic, solar water heaters, geothermal heat pumps, and small wind energy systems does not have to be for your principal residence; so, rental units, second homes, etc... are all eligible. See the Instructions attached to 2008 IRS Form 5695 to help you further with this provision.

The tax credit for these products is ONLY available for existing homes:

* Windows/Skylights
* Doors
* Insulation
* Roofs (metal and asphalt)
* HVAC
* Water Heaters (non-solar)
* Bio-mass Stoves

There is a $2,000 tax credit for building a new energy efficient home, but it is ONLY available to "eligible contractors"; therefore, owner/builders may not receive the builder tax credit unless employed as eligible contractors. Home builders who qualify as eligible contractors are eligible for the $2,000 tax credit for a new energy efficient home that achieves 50% energy savings for heating and cooling over the 2004 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and supplements. At least 1/5 of the energy savings must come from building envelope improvements. There is also a $1,000 tax credit to the builder of a new manufactured home achieving 30% energy savings for heating and cooling over the 2004 IECC and supplements (at least 1/3 of the savings must come from building envelope improvements), or a manufactured home meeting the requirements established by EPA under the ENERGY STAR program.

Cathedral Ceiling Insulation

Properly insulating your cathedral ceilings will help reduce heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer. Insulated ceilings allow ceiling temperatures to remain closer to room temperatures, providing an even temperature distribution throughout the house.

Before insulating or deciding whether to add insulation to your cathedral ceilings, first see our information about adding insulation to an existing house or selecting insulation for new home construction if you haven't already.
Insulation Techniques

Cathedral ceilings must provide space between the roof deck and ceiling for adequate insulation and ventilation. This can be achieved through the use of truss joists, scissor truss framing, or sufficiently large rafters. For example, cathedral ceilings built with 2x12 rafters have space for standard 10-inch batts with R values of R-30 and ventilation.

Foil-faced batt insulation is often used in cathedral ceilings because it has a 0.5 perm rating, providing the permeability rating often required for use in ceilings without attic spaces. A vent baffle should be installed between the insulation and the roof decking to maintain the ventilation channel.

If roof framing provides insufficient space for required insulation, higher insulation values can be obtained. You can attach furring strips, which allow additional insulation to be installed, to the underside of the rafters using high-density batts (high-density R-30 batts are as thick as R-25 batts and fit into 2x10 framing). You can also add rigid foam insulation under the rafters. Rigid foam insulation offers a resistance to thermal bridging through wood rafters. However, rigid foam insulation must be covered with a fire-rated material when used on the interior of a building. Half-inch drywall usually complies, but check with local building codes to be sure.

INCREASED INSULATION - BUILDING ENVELOPE IMPROVEMENT FOR HOME ENERGY SAVINGS

Proper insulation is a key element for a more Insulation materials available include batt-type, loose comfortable and energy efficient home. It is fill, rigid foam panels, and spray-type. Insulation important to have a continuous boundary of materials are rated according to their ability to resist insulation between the conditioned, indoor spaces heat flow. This thermal resistance rating is and the unconditioned, outdoor spaces. This commonly known as an “R-value”. The higher the boundary is referred to as the “building envelope” R-value of a material, the better its ability to resist and consists of the walls, floor, and ceiling or roof. heat flow. The reciprocal of the R-value is the Low insulation levels and gaps or voids in the U-value, which characterizes the rate of heat loss. insulation materials can provide paths through which heat and air can easily flow into or out of the If moist air gets inside the building envelope and residence. Care must be taken to shape the condenses on cold surfaces, it can cause damage to insulation material around piping and electrical work the insulation and building structure. In cold climates without compressing it. it is recommended to keep the insulation and envelope cavities dry by applying a vapor retarder or low Building codes typically require a minimum insulation permeability paint to the warm side of the envelope. level for each component of the building envelope. These levels vary from state to state depending on Look for ENERGY STAR labeled homes to include climate conditions. In most climates, it is both easy insulation levels that exceed code requirements with and cost effective to increase these insulation levels materials carefully installed to ensure rated beyond the minimum code requirements.

Information Provided by: UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY WASHINGTONDC 20460

TYPES OF INSULATION INSTALLED BY INSULATION CONTRACTORS
Builders have many choices for the types of insulation they use. All insulation can be effective
if it is properly installed and coupled with a continuous air barrier. Insulation materials are
rated according to their ability to resist heat flow. This thermal resistance rating is commonly
known as an “R-value.” The higher the R-value, the better the material is at resisting heat
flow. ENERGY STAR qualified homes can include one or more of the following types of
insulation:

Batt Insulation is typically made from mineral fiber (fiberglass or rock wool) and manufactured
in blankets of various sizes and thicknesses. Batt insulation is typically fitted between studs,
joists, and beams and should fill the wall, floor, or ceiling cavity without any gaps, voids, or
compression.

Blown-in Insulation is typically made from fiberglass or cellulose and is literally blown into the walls and attic through a large hose. Blown-in insulation should completely fill the wall cavities and be an even thickness throughout the attic.

Sprayed or Injected Foam Products are typically made from polyurethane or similar products and are injected or sprayed into cavities where they expand to the desired thickness.

Rigid Insulation is typically made from polystyrene, polyurethane, or polyisocyanurate foam, which is expanded or formed into large sheets. Rigid insulation can be used to provide a continuous thermal barrier in basements, crawlspaces, and on exterior walls.

Consumer Guide to Insulation http://www.homeenergy.org

Improved comfort. Increased insulation reduces conductive heat losses and gains resulting in warmer interior surfaces in the winter and cooler interior surfaces in the summer. Approximately 40 percent of our physical comfort in homes is due to radiant heat exchange between our bodies and the surrounding interior surfaces. Increased insulation reduces this radiant heat exchange and minimizes temperature differences between rooms, thus maintaining a more consistent level of comfort throughout a house. Improved indoor air quality. When insulation levels are increased and materials properly installed, there are fewer gaps and voids through which unconditioned air can leak into a house. This helps avoid dirt, dust, and other impurities that can negatively affect indoor air quality. A tight building envelope is a critical component to ensure good indoor air quality. Increased construction quality. Building codes establish the legal minimum construction standards. ENERGY STAR labeled homes are constructed to significantly exceed these codes. Figure 2 shows that to increase insulation levels, builders must install an insulation material with a higher R-value or increase the thickness of the building envelope component. In either case, the result is better quality construction. This is particularly true in cases where special care is taken during installation to insure no gaps or voids are left in the insulation. industry practice. Since it is both difficult and costly to increase insulation after a house is built, it is best to increase insulation levels during the original construction. ENERGY STAR labeled homes are constructed to exceed minimum building codes requirements are, therefore, expected to be less vulnerable to obsolescence. Lower utility bills. More than 40 percent of the energy consumed in a typical household goes to heating and cooling. Increased insulation reduces this energy consumption which lower energy consumption results in lower utility bills. Improved resale position. Increased insulation levels can provide the many impressive benefits listed above resulting in a more comfortable, higher quality home with better indoor air quality and lower utility bills. These benefits can translate into higher resale value.

Insulation Material of Thickness
Batt-type 3.1 to 3.5
Loose fill 2.9 to 3.7
Board stock 3.5 to 6.2
Spray-type 3.5 to 6.0

Warning: if you think you have vermiculite insulation in your attic, there's a chance it could contain asbestos. Don't disturb it. Only insulation contractors certified to handle and remove asbestos should deal with vermiculite insulation.

Wall Insulation

Properly insulated exterior walls in your house will not only increase comfort but also help you save on heating and cooling costs. For energy savings, you can add insulation to your walls in an existing house. If you're building a new house, you have many energy-efficient wall insulation options to consider.

Before insulating your walls, you should ensure that they're properly air sealed. Moisture control is another consideration.
Adding Wall Insulation to an Existing House

If you haven't already, first see our information about adding insulation to an existing house. It will help you determine whether you need to or want to add wall insulation.

You'll find many types of insulation for walls. However, for adding insulation to existing finished walls, you might first consider using loose-fill or sprayed foam insulation. These two types of insulation can be added without much disturbance to finished areas of your home.
Choosing Wall Insulation for New Home Construction

If you haven't already, first see our information about insulating a new home. This will help you choose from among the many types of insulation for your walls, including some construction techniques.

Unlike traditional stick-frame houses, houses constructed using structural insulated panels, insulating concrete forms, and concrete block insulation literally have the insulation built into their walls. Therefore, these houses usually have superior insulating qualities and levels.

If you'd prefer to build a stick-frame house, you should consider using advanced wall framing techniques. These techniques improve the whole-wall R-value by reducing thermal bridging and maximizing the wall area that is insulated.

For stick-frame house construction, you also should consider using foam-insulated wall sheathings instead of the standard wood or asphalt-impregnated sheathing. A half-inch thick foam-insulated sheathing provides an R-value of R-2 to R-3.5. Sheathing thicker than a half-inch thick will yield even higher R-values. These are some other advantages of foam sheathing:*

The continuous layer of insulation reduces thermal bridging through wood studs, saving energy and improving comfort.
Foam sheathing is easier to cut and install than heavier sheathing products.
It protects against condensation on the inside wall by keeping the interior of the wall warmer.
It usually costs less than plywood or oriented strand board (OSB).

Remodeling and Insulation serves the Northern Va Metro area including:
Loudoun County, Frederick County,
Winchester VA, Purcellville VA
Leesburg, VA Hillsboro, VA

Attic Insulation Techniques

Loose-fill or batt insulation is typically installed in an attic. Although installation costs may vary, loose-fill insulation is usually less expensive to install than batt insulation. When installed properly, loose-fill insulation also usually provides better coverage.

Before installing any type of insulation in your attic, follow these steps:

Seal all attic-to-home air leaks. Most insulation does not stop airflow.

Duct exhaust fans to the outside. Use a tightly constructed box to cover fan housing on attic side. Seal around the duct where it exits the box. Seal the perimeter of the box to the drywall on attic side.

Cover openings—such as dropped ceilings, soffits, and bulkheads—into attic area with plywood and seal to the attic side of the ceiling.

Seal around chimney and framing with a high-temperature caulk or furnace cement.

At the tops of interior walls, use long-life caulk to seal the smaller gaps and holes. Use expanding foam or strips of rigid foam board insulation for the larger gaps.

Install blocking (metal flashing) to maintain fire-safety clearance requirements (usually 3 inches) for heat-producing equipment found in an attic, such as flues, chimneys, exhaust fans, and light housings/fixtures unless the light fixtures are IC (insulation contact) rated. IC-rated lights are airtight and can be covered with insulation.

Make sure insulation doesn't block soffit vents to allow for attic ventilation.

Check the attic ceiling for water stains or marks. They indicate roof leaks or lack of ventilation. Make repairs before you insulate. Wet insulation is ineffective and can damage your home.

Also insulate and air seal your attic access if it's located in a conditioned part of the house.

You'll want to properly insulate and air seal any knee walls—vertical walls with attic space directly behind them—in your home as well.

Finally, if you're constructing a new home or remodeling, make sure any attic decking, which provides additional storage space or a platform for an HVAC unit or hot water tank, is raised above the ceiling joists to ensure proper insulation depth. The decking then should be installed securely to the top of the raised lumber after the insulation has been installed.