Do You Have a Dusty Home?

Arizona is well known for its hot climate, dry desert, and old time wild west stories.  Long time Arizona dwellers do not notice these characteristics as much as visitors however.  Everywhere has A/C, our skin has adapted to the dry, and the stories are nothing new.  We are accustomed to most of the abnormalities that Arizona has to offer, but there is one issue that is constantly present, especially for homeowners in the valley, dust. 

Cleaning your house on a regular basis should include dusting off shelves, bookcases, and all other surfaces regardless of where you live, but Arizona homeowners know the severity of this statement.  Maybe you just moved here, or you still live elsewhere and don’t think it can be that bad.  Either way let me introduce you to the haboob.

Although a haboob is not the only way your house suffers from dust attacks, it is something you want to prepare for now. A dusty home is annoying and potentially hazardous to your health since you breathe the same air that carries the particles, but can easily be fixed.

With typical insulation in your attic and leaky ductwork, you’re HVAC system is unfortunately bringing dirty air into your home from the attic.  However, with spray foam insulation that creates a continuous air barrier between your home and the outdoors, dust infiltration is limited to doors and windows.  Additionally, you can seal the ductwork to ensure a cleaner and safer environment for you and your family. 

So, if you have spray foam insulation installed in your home and ensure your ductwork is sealed well, just don’t open any doors or windows during a haboob and you should be ok!

If you are interested in protecting your home from dust and these crazy storms, call us today! We would love the opportunity to earn your business!

Sound Benefits of Insulation

Arizona has seen some major growth in population over the past decade which has resulted in a boom in new homes.  Housing developments are popping up all over the state creating more and more suburban clusters.  Although it is exciting to be living in a growing city, there are some minor annoyances caused by all of the people.  Traffic is worse, smog is enveloping the city, and neighborhoods are getting noisier. 

Although we cannot offer a solution to your traffic wallows or smog concerns, we can provide some help with the excessive sound in your house.  If you are building a new home or remodeling your house, we suggest you look into installing better insulation. 

Most people associate insulation with temperature control, and although that is its main purpose, certain products can act as a great sound barrier as well.  Spray foam insulation and injection foam insulation can block sound extremely well because the sound waves are absorbed more than they are passed through the material.

But you ask how much does it actually help? Well spray foam has an STC rating of about 37 in a 3.5” wall.  Injection foam has an STC rating of about 53 in a 3.5” wall.  Fiberglass batt in a 3.5” has an STC rating of about 36. In other words, a wall insulated with open cell spray foam will reduce sounds by 37 decibels, injection foam by 53 decibels, cellulose dense pack by 80 decibels and fiberglass batt by 36 decibels. So how much does it help? Think of the sounds you might want to get rid of… like your neighbors yelling and shouting and compare it on this list of typical sounds and their loudness in decibels, and then subtract the appropriate value (37, 53, 80 or 36) and notice the difference it could make.

10                           A leaf falling

20                           Rustles of autumnal leaves

30                           Whispering

40                           Living room, quiet classroom

50                           Refrigerator working, car driving past

55                           Percolating coffee-maker

60                           Sound of human voice, machinery

70                           Television set on loud, vacuum cleaner, several people on the telephone

75                           Busy restaurant around lunchtime

80                           Alarm clock, freight traffic, doorbell

85                           Sawing, mixer

90                           Truck close by, screaming, yelling, shouting

95                           Drill, violin

100                         Machine in a factory, compressor, fighter jet at 300 m

105                         Helicopter close by, large drum

110                         Rock concert, chainsaw

120                         Human voice at its loudest, police siren

130                         Thunder

140                         First Monday of the month siren from close by

150                         Fireworks

160                         Shooting with pistol or rifle

170                         Avalanche firework

180                         Rocket launch platform

194                         Saturn rocket

Although there are more aspects of your home where sound can travel (windows, doors, and halls) insulating your walls properly can significantly help!

Here is a short video showing how spray foam insulation significantly helped this homeowner reduce sound in their converted barn.  (They used more than the 3.5" noted above so the decibel reduction would also increase.)

If you are interested in reducing sounds in your home, we would love the opportunity to earn your
business!

Insulate Your Fixer Upper!

HGTV and the world of fixer uppers has brought a new wave of interest to the remodel industry.  More individuals are investing in a house that needs a lot of work done before it can be classified as a comfortable home.  Although there is always a certain amount of risk associated with investments, flipping a house can be one of the riskiest ventures because of all the variables. And because of these risks there are numerous resources floating around with an abundance of advice.  There are books, videos, podcasts, seminars, TV shows, and so many more outlets that guarantee a successful flip.  But even all the information in the world cannot ensure a profitable endeavor.

Therefore, planning a remodel is stressful and complicated.  Without a prior understanding of the complete building process, it can be tough to know where to start and what aspects of the house to consider.  Return on investment should be one of the main deciding factors for any project but especially with home renovations.  There is a fine line where you need to spend money to increase the value of the house, but not spend more than the value you add. 

Unfortunately, I do not have a recipe of success for you to follow. But what I can offer is some cost vs. value comparisons of projects based on a national survey.

National Cost Vs. Value Report

These numbers can help you determine which projects will allow you to retain the value at the time of sale.  As you can see, attic insulation is the only one on the list that actually puts more money into the value of a house than it requires to complete the work.  And although there are always exceptions to any rule, this guideline is a good reference for cost analysis.

If you are needing an insulation contractor, we would love the opportunity to earn your business.

New Year - New Home

Every year people resolve to become better versions of themselves despite previous attempts that have been forgotten about over time. Regardless of the inspiration that comes at the beginning of a new year, time can slowly eat away at the motivation to maintain improvements.

So, set a goal that can be easily accomplished in the first month of the year and that you can continue to reap the benefits throughout the year!  What I am suggesting is not a magic pill that will let you eat anything for a year and still be healthy.  Instead my solution for your resolution is to make your home a healthier and more comfortable place to be by sealing your air ducts.

Breathing fresh air can help you create a healthier living space. Here are 6 reasons how clean air can improve your life.

• Fresh air is good for digestion.
• Improves your blood pressure and heart rate.
• It makes you happier.
• Strengthens your immune system.
• Fresh air cleans your lungs.
• You will have more energy and a sharper mind.

Sealing your ducts ensures that dust and debris from your attic and outside are limited, and anything that does remain can be filtered out through your HVAC system.  And even though it is important to visit the great outdoors to get true fresh air, sealing your house maximizes the time you can reap the 6 benefits listed above.

Sealing your ducts can also save you money and allow you to invest in some other new year resolutions, like a gym membership.  Overall, making an improvement to your home that increases its comfort and promotes health is a great choice.  Check out this resource if you want more information about duct sealing.  See how insulation could also be a great solution to your new year and new home.

We hope your New Year is strung with many improvements, and would love to earn the opportunity to make duct sealing one of those improvements.  Happy New Year!

Is Your House Cold?

Even in Arizona we can experience uncomfortably low temperatures that bring in the extra blankets, hot cocoa, and dreaming about summer.  Regardless of how you spend your time during the winter months, I am sure your family has many practices to ensure your house is as warm as is practical.  So instead of increasing the temperature on the thermostat, savvy and cost conscious people attempt other methods to stay warm. And although wearing 15 layers of clothing and drinking obscene amounts of hot beverages is an option there are other ways that are much more effective. Before I show you good methods I will warn you of some common mistakes you should avoid.

Please do NOT use these methods for warmth:

• Close doors to unused rooms
• Use space heaters (especially while sleeping)
• Close vents in less busy rooms

Even though some of these may seem to help temporarily, they usually cause more severe issues.  Using a space heater without a watchful eye is obviously a potential hazard, but overall it is likely to be more expensive than an efficient heat system.  In a house with ductwork of any kind, closing a door to an unused bedroom is not a good idea because it creates a gap in the air flow cycle (Blog about air flow coming soon).  Closing a vent to a room can cause the same issue, but it can also cause damage to the HVAC system itself.  If the air is pushed all the way through a duct only to get to the end of a closed vent, the only place for it to go is backwards.  This can lead to worsening duct leakage, poor air pressure in other vents, and a harder working HVAC system.

So, what can you do to help keep your house warmer? That’s a great question with answers below:

• Upgrade your insulation
• Hang heavy curtains to cover leaky windows
• Open your blinds during daylight hours and close them during the night
• Look into programmable thermostats

These solutions vary in their effectiveness to maintain a warmer (and cooler) home, but none-the-less work wonderfully.  Energy efficiency and HVAC system care is just as important in Arizona’s winters as it is in the summers here.

If you have any further questions or would like to schedule an appointment to make your home warmer, we would love the opportunity to earn your business!

Arizona Home Energy Audit

 

You should get an energy audit because unless your home is 100% efficient (which it is not), you are wasting money every year on aspects of your home that could be fixed or upgraded.  You probably don’t believe me or think this sounds self-explanatory, but the most common areas that you daily lose energy and money in your home may surprise you. 

For example, you probably remember your mom telling you that leaving the lights on or leaving the refrigerator door open was like throwing money away because it used energy.  At least my mom did, and although moms are never wrong and those two tips do help, there are more important considerations when you want to save money on your energy bill by making efficient improvements.  The following factors are what an auditor will use to investigate those important considerations for a more efficient home.

• The location and number of air leaks in the building envelope.
• How much leakage is occurring from HVAC distribution ducts.
• How effective is the insulation inside walls and ceilings.
• Any existing or potential combustion safety issues.

Although this list may sound basic and easily self-diagnosed, there is a complex process that must be followed in order to completely understand a home’s energy, comfort, and safety issues. There are a few indications you can look for to see if further issues may exist.

• It is too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter.
• Moisture seems to linger around windows and doors.
• Dust is a constant resident in your house.
• Your energy bill is taking fun spending money out of your pocket. 

If you have experienced some of these problems, you should schedule an energy audit today! The home energy audit is a great opportunity for APS and SRP customers in Arizona, because it is usually $400 or more.  But through the Home Performance with EnergyStar program the price is only $99. 

Another benefit of an energy audit through APS or SRP is the potential to save even more money.  If you follow the solutions that an auditor prescribes you can save money on your monthly electric bill, primarily your heating and cooling portion.  You would also be eligible for certain rebates based on what the audit revealed.

We would be happy to answer any questions you may have and we would love the opportunity to earn your business!

Spray Foam Insulation – The Solution

Have you ever heard a friend or neighbor complain that their house was too hot or cold, and it was too expensive to change the thermostat? If you don’t have one of those friends, its likely because you have been that person.  Now don’t get me wrong, no one likes to pay a lot of money for something they could do without.  But having an uncomfortable home is not something to complain about when it can be fixed instead.

There are many culprits when it comes to your house not being a comfortable temperature throughout.  Your HVAC system may need some work, it may be too expensive to run your system, or you could be conditioning the great outdoors instead of your home. 

You are probably thinking that last one sounds crazy.  But let this illustration prove my point. 

 

Homes are rarely built in a way that stops air from traveling between the indoors and outdoors.  As a result, the following components of your house cause the air inside to leak outside.  These numbers from the U.S. Department of Energy are averages for homes across the nation so it is important to understand each individual house is unique in its good characteristics as well as its flaws.  It takes an expert in building science to be able to determine where major and solvable issues occur. (Energy Audit)

Although there are many methods to solve air leakage issues, the most effective and efficient is to create an air barrier/sealed envelope.  Essentially those two terms simply put is the status of a house that is well sealed off from the outside.  The best way to accomplish (really the only way) is through the installation of spray foam insulation. 

Spray foam insulation creates a continuous air barrier due to its expanding nature.  The spray foam adheres to most any surface and fills all the nooks and crannies that other insulation cannot.  Spray foam insulation can minimize the air leakage for walls, floors, ceilings, ducts, fireplaces, plumbing entries, fans, vents, and electrical outlets. 

• Although spray foam insulation in Arizona is great at sealing your home and separating indoor and outdoor air, it has many great benefits.
• It saves money on electricity because you aren’t wasting energy by heating and cooling the great outdoors.
• Spray foam also reduces the amount of sound that can travel through typical walls.
• Pests and rodents are also kept out by spray foam insulation because of the air seal (don’t worry they don’t like to eat it either).

If you are looking to maintain a better comfort level in your home and save money while getting the many great benefits of a healthier home, then spray foam insulation is the stuff for you! If you have any further questions or would like to schedule a free estimate, we would love the opportunity to earn your business!

Contact Us!